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Les diagrammas suivants iliustrsnt la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ill \^ ^1 PETER, THE CHIEF. CANADA AND THE OREGON. \ fa V- THE BACKWOODS OF CANADA: BEING LETTERS FROM THE WIFE OF AN EMIGRANT OFFICER, rLLUSTBATIVE OP TH£ DOMESTIC ECONOMY OF BRITISH AMERICA. TO WHICH 18 APlrKNOED AN ACCOUNT OF THE COUNTRY OF THE OREGON. LONDON: M. A. NATTALI, 23, BEDFORD STREET, COVKNT GARDEN. MDCOCXLIX, k n tj n ^^ h.-i.t^'-t i'\ •:■: M "r "v T ./ ^ 11 Lontlun : Printed by W. Clowes and Sonb, Stamford-street. '7 ^s> *}>» CONTENTS. A- ImBODOonoir •• • • • • • ,1 LETTER I— DepMtareflrom 6r«enoek in the Brig I>aiir8/.~Flttfaif- up of the VetMl^F— Boy Paueoger. — SeaProtpMtp— Wantof Oonf pation and A,iniueiiioiit. — CapUln't Goldfinon . . .7 LETTER II.— AniTal off Newfoundland. — Singing of the Captain'a Goldfinch previous to the disoovery of Land. — Gnlf of St. Lao* fence.— Soenery of the River St Laurence.— Difllcalt navigation of the River. — French FiBherman engaged as a Pilot. — Isle of Bic —Green Island.— Regular Pilot euKa^'d —Scenery of Green Island- — Oros Isle.— Quarantine Regulatic r a — Emigrants on Gros Isle.— Arrival off Quebec. — Prospect of the City ana Environs . 11 LETTER III. — Departure flrom Quebec. — ^Towed by a Steam-vessel. — ^Fertility of the Country.— Different Objects seen in sailing up theRiver.— 'Arrival off Montreal.— The Rapids . . .9 LETTER IV.— Landing at MontreaL— Appearance of the Town.— Ravages of the Cholera. — Charitable Institutions in Montreal.— ^ Catholie Catbedral.- Lower and Upper Town. — Company and Conversatiun at the Hotel.— Writer attacked with the Cliolera.— Departure fh>m Montreal in a Stage-eoaolu — ^Embark at Lachine . on bnard a Steam-vesseL^Mode of travellins alternately ii Steam-vessels and Stages. — ^Appearanee of the Country. — Manu- fhetures.— Ovensata distance from the Cottages. — Draw-wells.— Arrival at Cornwall. — ^Aooommodation at the Inn.— Departure ftom Cornwall, and Arrival at Prescott— Arrival at Bmckville.— Ship-launch there.— 'Voyage through I nabee.— Log-houset and its Inmates.'— Passage-ooat. — Journey on foot to Peterborough . . . . . .55 LETTER VI. — Peterborough. — ^Manners and Languaoe of the Ameri- cans. — Scotch Engineman. — ^Description of Petrroorough and ito Environs. — Canadian Flowers. — Shanties. — ^Hardships suffered by first Settlers. — Process ofestablishing a Farm. . . 80 LETTER VII. — Journey ftom Peterborough.— Canadian Woods.— Waggon and Team.— Arrival at a Log-house on the Banks of a Lake.— Settlement, and first Occupations . . « 107 LETTER VIII.— Inconveniences of first Settlement— Diflleulty of obtuniug Provisions and other necessaries. — Snow-storm and Hurricane. — Indian Summer, and settiug-in of Winter.— Process of clearing the Land ••.... 1S3 LETTER IX.— Loss of a yoke of Oxen.— Constmetion of a I— Variations in the Temperature of the Weather — Electri- cal Phenomenon^— Canadian Winter. — Country deficient in Poeti- cal Associations.— Sugar-making. — Fishing-season. — Mode of Fishing.— Duck-shoottng. — FamTlv of Indians. — Pofouiet and thrir Cradle-eases.- Indian Manufactures.— Frogs . . 151 vUl CONTENTS.— ILLUSTRATIONS. Paitt LETTER XI.— Emigiunta suiUble for Caiwda.— Qualitiei lequbita to anniraSuoeest. — Investment of Capital. — Useful Articles tu bn brougHt out. — Qualiflcations and Oeeunations of a Settler's Family. -Deficiency of Patience and Ener^fy in some Females. — Mauage- mentofthe Dairy. — Cheese.— Indian Com, audits Cultivation.— Potatoes. — Bates of Wages . . . . m 17^ LETl'ER XII^"A Logging B«e."— Burning of the Log-heaps.— Crops for the Season.— Farming Stock. — Comparative Valae of Wheat and Labour. — Choice of ^nd, and relative Advantages.— Clearing Land. — Hurricane iu the Woods. — Variable Weather.— Insects. . . . . . . . .191 LETTER XIII.— Health et^oyed in the risourof Winter.— Inconve- nience suffered from the brightness of the Snow. — Sleighing. — Indian Orthography. — Visit to an Indian Encampment. — Story of an Indian. — An Indian Hunchback.— Canadian Ornithology 203 LETTER XIV.— Utility of Botanical Knowledge.— The Fire-Weed.— Sarsaparilla Plants. — Magnificent Water Lily. — Rice-Beds. — Indian Strawberry. — Scarlet Columbine. — Ferns. — Grasses . S32 ETTER XV.— Recap itulatluu of various Topica.-I'rogress of Settle- ment. — Canada, the Land of Hope. — ^Visit to the Family of a Naval O fficer. — Squirrels. — ^Visit to.aiid Story of, an Emigrant Clergy- man.— His early DUBculties. — ^The Temper, Disposition, abi Habitsof Emigrants essential Ingredients iu Failure or Success . 255 LETTER XVIr-Indian Hanters.— Sail iu a Canoe.— Want of Libra- ries iu the Backwoods. — New Villuge.— Progress of Improvement — Fire-flies ....... 285 LETTER XVIL—Agufi/— Illness of the Family.— Probable Cause.- Root-house. — Settine-in of Winter. — Insect termed a " Sawyer." — ^Temporary Church ...... 299 LETTER XVIII— Busy Spriug.— Increase of Society and Comfort. — Uecollections of Homo.— Aurora Botwalis . . . 308 APPENXDI . . J15 \ ILLUSTRATIONS. . 69 , 66 , 69 , 87 , 95 1. Falls of Montmoreuci S. Rice Grounds 8. Slcigh-driviug 4. Silver Pine 5. Spruce 6. Log-house 7. Log- village — Arrivalof a Stuge-coach . . . iw 8. Road through a I'ine Forest . . . .109 9. Newly-cleared Land . . . . .129 10. Chart showing the Interior Navigation of ithe Districts of Neweustle and Upper Canada ..... 147 11. Papouses ...... 166 12. Green Frogs . . . . . .171 13. Bull-fkog . . . . . .174 14. The Pndrie . ... . . .209 15. Rrd-bird . . . . . .221 16. Blue-bird . . . . . .223 17. Snow-Bunting ... ... 225 18. BuUimore Oriole defending' hi>i Nest agaii'st the BWk Snake . 229 19. Red Squirrels . . , . . . iidi 20. Flying Squirrel . , , . .266 INTRODUCTION. Among the numerous works on Canada that have been published within the last ten years, with emi- gration for their leading theme, there are few, if any, that give information regarding the domestic economy of a settler's life, sufficiently minute to prove a faith- ful guide to the person on whose responsibility the whole comfort of a family depends — the mistress, whose department it is ** to haud the house in order." Dr. Dunlop, it is true, has published a witty and spirited pamphlet, " The Backwoodsman," but it does not enter into the routine of feminine duties and employment, in a Btate of emigration. Indeed, a woman's pen alone can describe half that is requisite to be told of the internal management of a domicile in the backwoods, in order to enable the outcoming female emigrant to form a proper judgment of the trials and arduous duties she has to encounter. " Forewarned, forearmed," is a maxim of our fore* fathers, containing much matter in its pithy brevity ; and, following its spirit, the writer of the following pages has endeavoured to afibrd every possible infor- mation to the wives and daughters of emigrants of the higher class who contemplate seeking a home amid our Canadian wilds. Truth has been con- scientiou'dy her object in the work, for it were cruel t B n i INrRODUCTION. to write in flattering terms calculated to deceive emigrants into the belief that the land to which they are transferring their families, their capital, and their hopes, a land flowing with milk and honey, where comforts and affluence may be obtained with little exertion. She prefers honestly representing facts in their real and true light, that the female part of the emigrant's family may be enabled to look them flrmly in the face ; to And a remedy in female in- genuity and expediency for some difficulties ; and, by being properly prepared, encounter the rest with that high-spirited cheerfulness of which well-educated females often give extraordinary proofs. She like> wise wishes to teach them to discard every thing exclusively pertaining to the artificial refinement of fashionable life in England; and to point out that, by devoting the money consumed in these incum- brances to articles of real use, which cannot be readily obtained in Canada, they may enjoy the pleasure of superintending a pleasant, well-ordered home. She is desirous of giving them the advantage of her three years' experience, that they may properly apply every part of their time, and learn to consider that every pound or pound's worth belonging to any member of an out-coming emigrant's family, ought to be sacredly considered as capital, which must make proper returns either as the means of bringing increase in the shape of income, or, what is still better, in healthful domestic comfort. These exhalations in behalf of utility in preference to artificial personal refinement, are not so needless as the English public may consider. The emigrants ^M. INTRODUCTION. t(i Britiflh America are no longer of the rank of life that formerly left the shores of the British Isles. It is not only the poor husbandmen and artisans, that move in vast bodies to the west, but it is the enterprising English capitalist, and the once affluent landholder, alarmed at the difficulties of establishing numerous families in independence, in a country where every profession is overstocked, that join the bands that Great Britain is pouring forth into these colonies ! Of what vital importance is it that the female members of these most valuable colonists should obtain proper information regarding the im- portant duties they are undertaking ; that they should learn beforehand to brace their minds to the task, and thus avoid the repinings and discontent that is apt to follow unfounded expectations and fallacious hopes ! It is a fact not universally known to the public, that British officers and their families are usually denizens of the backwoods ; and as great numbers of unattached officers of every rank have accepted grants of land in Canada, they are the pioneers of civilization in the wilderness, and their families, often of delicate nurture and honourable descent, are at once plunged into all the hardships attendant on the rough life of a bush-settler. The laws that regulate the grants of lands, which enforce a certain time of residence, and certain settlement duties to be performed, allow no claims to absentees when once the land is drawn. These laws wisely force a superiorly-educated man with resources of both prO' perty and intellect, to devote all his energies to a b2 iii I'K I INTRODUCTICN. certain spot of uncleared land. It may easily be supposed that no persons would encounter these hard- ships who have not a young family to establish in the healthful ways of independence. This family renders the residence of such a head still more valuable to the colony ; and the half-pay officer, by thus leading the advanced g^ard of civilization, and bringing into these rough districts gentle and well-educated females, who soften and improve all around them by mental refinements, is serving his country as much by found- ing peaceful villages and pleasant homesteads in the trackless wilds, as ever he did by personal courage, or military stratagem, in times of war. It will be seen, in the course of this work, that the writer is as earnest in recommending ladies who belong to the higher class of settlers to cultivate all the mental resources of a superior education, as she is to induce them to discard all irrational and arti- ficial wants and mere useless pursuits. She would willingly direct their attention to the natural history and botany of this new country, in which they will find a never-failing source of amusement and instruc- tion, at once enlightening and elevating the mind, and serving to fill up the void left by the absence of those lighter feminine accomplishments, the practice of which are necessarily superseded by imperative domestic duties. To the person who is capable of looking abroad into the beauties of nature, and adoring the Creator through his glorious works, are opened stores of unmixed pleasure, which will not permit her to be dull or unhappy in the loneliest part of our Western Wilderness. The writer of these I • '■ , INTRODUCTION. pages speaks from experience, and would be pleased to find that the simple sources from which she has herself drawn pleasure, have cheered the solitude of future female sojourners in the backwoods of Canada. As a general remark to all sorts and conditions of settlers, she would observe, that the struggle up the hill of Independence is often a severe one, and it ought not to be made alone. It must be aided and encouraged by the example and assistance of an active and cheerful partner. Children should be taught to appreciate the devoted love that has in- duced their parents to overcome the natural reluc- tance felt by all per ^ns to quit for ever the land of their forefathers, the scenes of their earliest and happiest days, and to become aliens and wanderers in a distant country, — to form new ties and new friends, and bei^in, as it were, life's toilsome march anew, that their children may be placed in a situa- tion in which, by industry and activity, the sub- stantial comforts of life may be permanently ob- tained, and a landed property handed down to them, and their children after them. Young men soon become reconciled to this coun- try, which offers to them that chief attraction to youth, — great personal liberty. Their employments are of a cheerful and healthy nature ; and their amusements, such as hunting, shooting, fishing, and boating, are peculiarly fascinating. But in none of these can their sisters share. The hardships and difficulties of the settler's life, therefore, are felt peculiarly by the female part of the family. It i» with a view of ameliorating these privations that Il INTRODUCTION. the following pages have been written, to show how some difficulties may be best borne and others avoided. The simple truth, founded entirely on personal knowledge of the facts related, is the basis of the work ; to have had recourse to fiction might have rendered it more acceptable to many readers, but would have made it less useful to that class for whom it is especially intended. For those who, without intending to share in the privations and dangers of an emigrant's life, have a rational curiosity to become acquainted with scenes and manners so difierent from those cf a long-civilized country, it is hoped that this little work will afibrd some amusement, and inculcate some lessons not devoid of moral instruction. „f •). . -,; . m ■■■■■ Y) i ' I ^'.c ■i\ ■- - V ' '■ a'; f -Mil \/ r THE BACKWOODS OF CANADA. '■ r Letter I. Doparture from Greenock in the Brig Z>■- ■<-:,:■ '; li! . ' ARRIVAL OFF NEWFOUNDLAND. 11 :. i ?■:.. . ' /:. *■ Letter II. ArriTal off Newfoundland. — Singing of the Captain's Goldfihcli previous M the discovery of Land. — Gulf of St. Laurence. — Scenery of the River St LMireuce.— Difficult navigation of the River.— French Fisherman engaged as a Pilot. — Isle of Bic. — Green Island.— Regular Pilot engaged. — Scenery of Green Island. — Oros Isle.— Quarantine Regulations. — Emigrants on Gros Isle. — ^Arrival off Quebec — Prospect of the City and Environs. Brig Laurel, River St. Laurence, August 6, 1833. I LEFT off writing, my dear mother, from tills simple cause, — I had noUiing to say. One day was but the echo, as it were, of the one that preceded it ; so that a page copied from the mate's log would have proved as amusing, and to the lull as instructive, as my journal, provided I had kept one during the last fortnight. So barren of events has that time been that the sight of a party of bottle-nosed whales, two or three seals, and a porpoise, possibly on their way to a din ner or tea party at the North Pole, was considered an occurrence of great importance. Every glass was in requisition as soon as they made their appearance, and the marine monsters were well nigh stared out of countenance. We came within sight of the shores of Newfound land on the 5th of August, just one month from the day we took our last look of the British isles. Yet though the coast was brown, and rugged, and desolate, I hailed its appearance with rapture. Never did any tiling seem so refreshing and delicious to me as the " ■ i«!L&?A i i:«!,i ' sy n BACKWOODS OF CANADA. land bireeze that came to us, as I thought, bearing h?alth and gladness on its wings. 1 had noticed with some curiosity the restless activity of the captain's bird some hours previous to ** land" being proclaimed from the look-out station. He sang continually, and his note was longer, clearer, and more thrilling than heretofore ; the little creature, the captain assured me, was conscious of the difference in the air as we approached the land. ** I trust almost { s much to my bird as to my glass," lie said, ** and hive never yet been deceived." Our progress was somewhat tedious alter we entered the gulf Ninety miles across is the entrance of this majestic riyer ; it seems an ocean in itself. Half our time is spent poring over the great chart in the cabin, which is constantly being rolled and unrolled by my husband to gratify my desire of learning the names of the distant shores and islands which we pass. We are without a pilot as yet, and the captain being a cautious seaman is unwilling to risk the vessel on this dangerous navigation ; so that we pro- ceed but slowly on our voyage. ' ^ ' August 7. — We were visited this morning by a beautiful little bird, not much larger than our gold- crested wren. I hailed it as a bird of good omen — a little messenger sent to bid us welcome to the New World, and I felt almost a childish joy at the sight of our little visitor. There are happy moments in our lives when we draw the greatest pleasure from the most trifling sources, as children are pleased with the most simple toy. From the hour we entered the gulf a perceptible GULF OF ST. LAURENCE. 13 r^s change had taken place in all on board. The captain, a man of grave, quiet manners, grew quite talkative. My husband was more than usually animated, and even the thoughtful young Scotchman became posi- tively an entertaining person. The crew displayed the most lively zeal in the performance of their duty, and the goldfinch sung cheerily from dawn till sun- Bet. As for me Hope was busy in my heart, chasing from it all feelings of doubt or regret that might sadden the present or cloud the future. I am now able to trace distinctly the outline of the coast on the southern side of the river. Sometimes the high lands are suddenly enveloped in dense clouds of mist, which are in constant motion, rolling along in shadowy billows, now tinted with rosy light, now white and fleecy, or bright as silver, as they catch the sunbeams. So rapid are the changes that take place in this fog-bank, that perhaps the next time I raise my eyes I behold the scene changed as if by magic. The misty curtain is slowly drawn up, as if by invisi- ble hands, and the wild, wooded mountains partially revealed, with their bold rocky shores and sweeping bays. At other times the vapoury volume dividing, moves along the valleys and deep ravines, like lofty pillars of smoke, or hangs in snowy draperies among the dark forest pines. I am never weary of watching these fantastic clouds ; they recall to me the pleasant time I spent in the Highlands, among the cloud-capped hills of the north. As yet, the air is cold, and w^ experience frequent squalls of wind and hail, with occasional peals of thunder; then again all is serene and bright, and n BACKWOODS OP CANADA. the air is filled with fragrance, and flies, and bees, and birds come flitting past us from the shore. August 8. — Though I cannot but dwell with feel- ings of wonder and admiration on the majesty and power of this mighty river, I begin to grow weary of its immensity, and long for a nearer view of the shore ; but at present we see nothing more than long lines of pine-clad hills, with here and there a white iBpeck, which they tell me are settlements and villages to the south ; while huge mountains divested of ver- dure bound our view on the north side the river. My admiration of mountainous scenery makes me dwell with more interest on this side the river, and I watch tlie progress of cultivation among these rugged and inhospitable regions with positive pleasure. During the last two days we have been anxiously looking out for a pilot to take us up to Quebec. Various signals have been fired, but hitherto without success; no pilot has condescended to visit us, so we are somewhat in the condition of a stage without a coachman, with only some inexperienced hand to hold the reins. I already perceive some manifesta- tions of impatience appearing among us, but no one blames the captain, who is very anxious about the matter ; as the river is full of rocks and shoals, and presents many difficulties to a person not intimately acquainted with the navigation. Besides, he is an- swerable for the safety of the ship to the underwriters, in case he neglects to take a pilot on board. While writing the above I was roused by a bustle on deck, and going up to learn the cause was informed N SCENERY OP THE RIVER. that a boat with the long looked-for pilot had put off from the shore ; but, after all the fuss and bustle, it proved only a French fisherman, with a poor ragged lad, his assistant. The captain with very little difii- culty persuaded Monsieur Paul Breton to pilot us as far as Green Island, a distance of some hundred miles higher up the river, where he assured us we should meet with a regular pilot, if not before. I have some little difficulty in understanding Mon- sieur Paul, as he speaks a peculiar dialect ; but he seems good-natured and obliging enough. He tells us the com is yet green, hardly in ear, and the siun- mer fruits not yet ripe, but he says, that at Quebec we shall find apples and fruit in plenty. As we advance higher up the river the country on both sides begins to aanime a more genial aspect. Patches of verdure, with white cottages, are seen on the shores r.nd scattered along the sides of the moun- tains ; while here and there a village church rears its simple spire, disting^shed above the surrounding buildings by its glittering vane and bright roof of tin. The southern shores are more populous but less picturesque than those of the north, but there is enough on either side to delight the eye. This morning we anchored off the Isle of Bic, a pretty low island, covered with trees and looking very pleasant. I felt a longing desire to set my foot on Canadian ground, and must own I was a little dis- appointed when the captain advised me to remain on board, and i ot attempt to make one of the party that were preparing to go on shore : my husband seconded the captain's wish, so I contented myself with leaning /* 18 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. over the ship's side and feasting my eyes on the rich masses of foliage as they waved to and fro with the slight breeze that agitated them. I had soon reason yjo be thankful that I had not followed my own way- ward will, for the afternoon proved foggy, and on the return of the boat I learned that the ground was swampy just where the party landed, and they sunk over their ankles in water. They reported the island to be covered knee-deep with a most luxuriant growth of red clover, tall trees, low shrubs, and an abundance of wild flowers. That I might not regret not accompanying him, my husband brought me a delightful bouquet, which he had selected for me. Among the flowers were fragrant red roses, resembling those we caU Scotch burnet-leaved, with smooth shining leaves and few if any thorns; the blue flower called Pulmonaria or Lungwort, which I gathered in the Highlands; a sweet pea, with red blossoms and wreaths of lovely pale green foliage ; a white orchis, the smell of which was quite delicious. Besides these were several small white and yellow flowers, with which I was totally unacquainted. The steward furnished me with a china jar and fresh water, so that I shall have the pleasure of a nosegay during the rest of the voyage. The sailors had not forgotten a green bough or two to adorn the ship, and the bird-cage was soon as bowery as leaves could make it. Though the weather is now very fine, we make but slow progress ; the provoking wind seems determined to blow from every quarter but the right. We float up with the flood tide, and when the tide fails cast OREBN ISLAND. 17 n\ anchor, and wait with the best grace we can till it is time to weigh anchor again. I amuse myself with examining the villages and settlements through the captain's glass, or watching for the appearance of the white porpoises tumbling among the waves. These creatures are of a milky whiteness, and have nothing of the disgusting look of the black ones. Sometimes a seal pops its droll hedd up close beside our vessel, looking very much like Sinbad's litUe old man of the It is fortunate for me that my love of natural his- tory enables me to draw amusement from objects that are deemed by many unworthy of attention. To me they present an inexhaustible fund of interest. The simplest weed that gprows in my path, or the ily that flutters about me, are subject^ for reflection, admiration, and delight. We are now within sight of Green Island. It is the largest, and I believe one of the most populous, we have passed. Every minute now seems to increase the beauty of the passage. Far as the eye can reach you see the shore thronged with villages and farms in one continuous line. On the southern side all are gay and glittering with the tin roofs on the most im- portant buildings ; the rest are shingles, whitewashed. This I do not like so well as the plain shingled roofs ; the whiteness of the roofs of the cottages and homesteads have a glaring effect, and we look in vain for that relief to the eye that is produced by the thatched or slated rcofs. The shingles in their natural state soon acquire the appearance of slates, and can tl BACKWOODS OF CANADA, ■ li ; il hardly be distinguished from them. Wliut would you Bay to a rose-coloured house, with a roof of the same gaudy hue, the front of the gay edifice being gar- nished with grass-green shutters, doors, and verandah. No doubt the interior is furnished with correspond- ing taste. There is generally one or more of these smart buildings in a Canadian village, standing forth with ostentatious splendour above its more modest brethren. August 1 1. — Just below Green Island we took on board a real pilot, who, by the way, I do not like half so well as Monsieur Paul. He is a little bit prag- matical, and seems evidently proud of his superior knowledge of the river. The good-natured fisherman relinquished his post with a very good grace, and seems already excellent friends with his more able rival. For my part I was very sorry when the new pilot came on board ; the first thing he did was to hand us over a pamphlet, containing regulations from the Board of Health at Quebec respecting the cho- lera, which is raging, he tells us, like a fearful plague both at that place and Montreal. These regulations positively forbid the captain and the pilot to allow any person, whether of the crew or passengers, to quit the vessel until they shall have passed examination at the quarantine ground, under the risk of incurring a severe penalty. This was very annoying ; as the captain, that very morning, had proposed taking us on shore at a lovely spot called Crane Island, to spend the afternoon, while we waited for the return of the tide, at the QUARANTINE GROUND. If house of a Scotch gentleman, the ownor of the prettiest settlement I hod yet seen, the buildings and grounds being laid out with great taste. The situation of this island is of itself very beauti- ful. Around it are the waters of the St. Laurence, bearing on its mighty current the commerce of several nations : in the foreground are the populous and lively settlements of the southern shores, while behind and far far above it rise the lofty range of mountains to the north, now studded with rural villages, pleasant farms, and cultivated fields. The island itself showed us smooth lawns and meadows of emerald verdure, with orchards and corn-ftclds sloping down to the water's edge. After a confine- ment of nearly five weeks on board, you may easily suppose with what satisfaction we contemplated the prospect of spending a few hours on this inviting spot. We expect to reach the quarantine ground (Gros Isle) this evening, where the pilot says we shall be detained three days. Though we are all in good health, yet, having sailed from an infected port, we shall be detained on the quarantine ground, but not allowed to land. August 12. — We reached Gros Isle yesterday evening. It is a beautifiil rocky island, covered with groves of beech, birch, ash, and fir-trees. There are several vessels lying at anchor close to the shore ; one bears the melancholy symbol of disease, the yellow flag ; she is a passenger-ship, and has the small- pox and measles among her crew. When any in- fectious complaint appeal's on board, the yellow flag is hoisted, and the invalids conveyed to the cholera- ^f> so BACKWOODS OF CANADA. 1 » hospital or wooden building, that has been erected on a rising bank above the shore. It is surrounded with palisadoes and a guard of soldiers. There is also a temporary fort at some distance from the hospital, containing a garrison of soldiers, who are there to enforce the quarantine rules. These rules are considered as very defective, and in some respects quite ahsurd, and are productive of many severe evils to the unfortunate emigrants*. When the passengers and crew of a vessel do not exceed a certain number, they are not allowed to land under a penalty, both to the captain and the offender; but if, on the contrary, they should exceed the stated number, ill orwell,passengere and crew must all turn out and go on shore, taking with them their bedding and clothes, which are all spread out on the shore, to be washed, aired, and fumigated, giving the healthy every chance of taking the infection from the invaUds. The sheds and buildings put up for the accommodation of those who are obliged to submit to the quarantine laws, are in the same area as the hospital. Nothing can exceed the longing desire I feel to be * It is to be hoped that some steps will be taken by Govern- ment to remedy these obnoxious laws, which have repeatedly entailed those very evils on the unhappy emigrants that the Board of Health wish to avert from the colony at large. Many valuable lives have been wantonly sacrificed by placing the healthy in the immediate vicinity of infection, besides sub- jecting them to many other sufferings, expenses, and incon- venience, which the poor exile might well be spared. If there must be quarantine laws — and I suppose the evil ii a necessary one — surely every care ought to be taken to Mnd«r them as little hurtful to the emigrant as possible* EMIGRANT YBS8BLS. 21 allowed to land and explore this picturesque island ; the weather is so fine, and the waving groves of green, the little rocky bays and inlets of the island, appear so tempting ; but to all my entreaties the visiting surgeon who came on board returned u decided negative. A few hours after his visit, however, an Indian basket, containing strawberries and raspberries, with a large bunch of wild flowers, was sent on board for me, with the surgeon's compliments. I amuse myself with making little sketches of the fort and the surrounding scenery, or watching the groups of emigrants on shore. We have already seen the landing of the passengers of three emigrant ships. You may imagine yourself looking on a fair or crowded market, clothes waving in the wind or spread out on the earth, chests, bundles, baskets, men, women, and children, asleep or basking in the sun, some in motion busied with their goods, the women employed in washing or cooking in the open air, beside the wood fires on the beach ; while parties of children are pursuing each other in wanton glee rejoicing in their newly-acquired liberty. Mixed with these you see the stately form and gay trappings of the sentinels, while the thin blue smoke of the wood fires, rising above the trees, heightens the picture and gives it an additional effect. On my husband remarking the picturesque appearance of the scene before us to one of the officers from the fort who had come on board, he smiled sadly, and re< plied, ** Believe me, in this instance, as in many others, 'tis distance lends enchantment to the view." Could you take a nearer survey of some of those very picturesque groups which you admire, I think you fi I i ' I! til '\ 22 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. would turn away from them with heart sickness ; yAu would there behold every variety of disease, vice, poverty, filth, and famine — human misery in its most dis^sting and saddening form. Such pictures as Hogarth's pencil only could have pourtrayed, or Crabbe's pen described. August 14. — We are once more under weigh, and floating up the river with the tide. Gros Isle is just five-and-twenty miles below Quebec, a favourable breeze would carry us up in a few hours ; as it is we can only make a little way by tacking from side to side when we lose the tide. I rather enjoy this way of proceeding, as it gives one a close view of both sides the river, which narrows considerably as we approach nearer towards Quebec. To-morrow, if no accident happens, we shall be anchored in front of a place rendered interesting both by its historical associations and its own native beauty of situation. Till to-morrow, then, adieu. I was reckoning much on seeing the falls of M ont« morenci, which are within sight of the river; but the sun set, and the stars rose brilliantly before we approached within sound of the cataract ; and though I strained my eyes till they were weary of gazing on the dim shadowy scene around me, I could distin- guish nothing beyond the dark masses of rock that forms the channel through which the waters of the Montmorenci rush into the St. Laurence. At ten last night, August the 15th, the lights of the city of Quebec were seen gleaming through the distance like a coronet of stars above the waters. At half-past ten we dropped anchor opposite the fort, and I fell asleep dreaming of the various scenes /-* kness; ydu sease, vice, in its most pictures as Grayed, or veigh, and [sle is just favourable as it is we )m side to >y this way iw of both ibly as we TOW, if no front of a historical situation. } of Mont- river; but before we nd though gazing on lid distin- rock that ers of the lights of ough the iters. At the fort, IS scenes 8 aUEBBC. 25 r *!>• through which I had passed> Again 1 was destined to be disappointed in my expectations of going on ghore. The visiting surgeon advised my husband and me by no means to land, as the mortality that still raged in the town made it very hazardous. He gave a melancholy description of the place. " Deso- lation and woe and great mourning — Rachel weeping for her children because they are not," are words that may well be applied to this city of the pestilence. Nothing can be more imposing than the situation of Quebec, built on the sides and summit of a mag- nificent rock, on the highest point of which (Cape Diamond) stands the fortress overlooking the river, and commanding a most superb view of the surround- ing scenes. I did, indeed, regret the loss of this noble prospect, the equal of which I suppose I shall never see. It would have been something to have thought on and recalled in ailer years, when buried in the solitude of the Canadian woods. The opposite heights, being the Point Levi side, are highly picturesque, though less imposing than the rock on which the town stands. The bank is rocky, precipitous, and clothed with trees that sweep down to the water's edge, excepting where they are cleared away to give place to white cottages, gardens, and hanging orchards. But, in my opinion, much less is done with this romantic situation than might be effected if good taste were exercised in the build- ings, and on the disposal of the ground. How lovely would such a spot be rendered in England or Scotland. Nature here has done all, and man but little, excepting sticking up some ugly wooden cot c r* 26 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. ii t'l! \ .*r tages, as mean as they are tasteless. It is, however, very possible there may be pretty villas and houses higher up, that are concealed from the eye by the intervening groves. The river is considered to be just a mile across from Point Levi to the landing-stairs below the custom-house in Quebec; and it was a source of amusement to me to watch the horse ferry-boats that ply between the two shores. The captain told me there were not less than twelve of these comical- looking machines. They each have their regular hours, so that you see a constant succession going or returning. They carry a strange assortment of passengers; well and ill-dressed; old and young; rich and poor ; cows, sheep, horses, pigs, dc^, fowls, market-baskets, vegetables, fruit, hay, corn, anything and everything you will see by turns. The boat is flat, railed round, with a wicker at each end to admit the live and dead stock that go or are taken on board ; the centre of the boat (if such it can be called) is occupied by four lean, ill-favoured hacks, who walk round and round, as if in a threshing machine, and work the paddles at each side. There is a sort of pen for the cattle. t>- ^ I am told there is a monument erecting in honour of Wolfe, in the governor's garden, looking towards the St. Laurence, and to be seen from Point Levi • the inscription has not yet been decided upon*. "* Since the period in which the r.uthor visited Quebec, Wolfe's monument has been completed. Lord Dalhousie, with equal good feeling and good taste, has united the names of the rival heroes Wolfe and Montcalm in the dedication of WOLFE'S MONUMENT. 9f The captain has just returned from the town. He very kindly brought on board a basket of ripe apples for me, besides fresh meat, vegetables, bread, butter, and milk. The deck is all bustle with custom-house officers, and men unloading a part of the ship's freight, which consists chiefly of rum, brandy, sugar, and coals, for ballast. We are to leave Quebec by five o'clock this evening. The British America, a superb steam-vessel of three decks, takes us in tow as far as Montreal. I must now say farewell. the pillar — a liberality of feeling that cannot but prove gTaii< fying to the Canadian French, while it robs the British warrior of none of his glory. The monument was designed bj' Major Young of the 97th Regiment. To the top of the surbase is fourteen feet from the ground ; on this rests a sarcophagus, seven feet three inches high, from which rises an obelisk forty«two feet eight inches in height, and the apex is two feet oue inch. The dimensions of the obelisk at the base are six feet by four feet eight inches. A prize medal was adjudged to J. G. Fisher, LL.D. for the fol- lowing inscription on the sarcophagus : — Mortem virtus communem Famam Historia Monumentum Posteritas Dedit. On the surbase is an inscripticu from the pe . of Dr. Mills, stating the fact of the erection of the monument at the ex- pense of Lord Dalhousie, Governor of Lower Canada, to com- memorate the death of Wolfe and Montcalm, Sept. 13 and 14, 1759. Wolfe fell on the field ; and Montcalm, who was wounded by the single gun in the possession of the English, died on the next day after the battle. /*-i ■ t ./-- 18 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. Letter III. Departure from Quebec.— Towed by a Steam-resseL— Fertility of the Coun* try. — DiflTerent Object* m«b in laUing up the River.— Arrival olT MuntreaL — TheRapida. Brig Laurel, St. Laurence, below Montreali August 17. 1833. It was afler sunset, and a glorious evening, when we left Quebec, which we did in company with a fine steam-vessel, whose decks and gallery were crowded with passengers of all descriptions. A brave sight she was to look upon; plougliing the bright waters which foamed and sung beneath her paddles ; while our brig, with her white sails, followed like a butterfly in her wake. The heavens were glowing with the richest tints of rose and saffron, which were reflected below on the bosom of the river; and then came forth the stars, in the soft blue ether, more brilliant than ever I saw them at home, and this, I suppose, I may attribute to the superior purity of the atmosphere. My husband said this evening resembled the sunsets of Italy. Our voyage has proved a very pleasant one ; the weather moderately warm, and the air quite clear. We have within the last few days emerged from a cold, damp atmosphere, such as we often experience in Britain in the spring, to a delightful summer, moderated by light breezes from the river. The further we advance up the country the more fertile it appears. The harvest is ripening under a more genial climate than that below Quebec. We FORT WILLIAM HENRY. m r see fields of Indian com in full flower : it is a stately-looking crop, with its beautiful feathery top tinted with a rich purple hue, below which tufts of pale green silk are waving in the breeze. When fully ripe they tell me it is beautiful to see the golden grain bursting from its silvery sheath ; but that it is a crop liable to injury from frost, and has many enemies, such as bears, racoons, squirrels, mice, fowls, &c. We saw several fields of tobacco along the banks of the river, which looked healthy and flourishing. I believe tobacco is cultivated to some extent in both provinces ; but the Canadian tobacco is not held in such high esteem as that of Viiginia. There is a flourishing and very pretty town situated at the junction of the Richelieu river with the St. Laurence, formerly called Sorel, now called Fort William Henry. The situation is excellent. There are several churches, a military fort, with mills, and other public buildings, with some flne stone houses. The land, however, in the immediate vicinity of the town seems very light and sandy. I was anxious to obtain a near view of a log- house or a shanty, and was somewhat disappointed in the few buildings of this kind that I saw along the banks of the river. It was not the rudeness of the material so much as the barn-like form of the buildings of this kind, and the little attention that was paid to the picturesque, that displeased me. In Britain even the peasant has taste enough to plant a few roses or honeysuckles about his door or his casement, and there is the little bit of garden enclosed and neatly kept ; but here no such attempt c3 80 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. no is made to ornament the cottages. We saw smiling oi chard or grove to conceal the bare log walls; and as to the little farm-houses, they are uglier still, and look so pert and ungraceful stuck upon the bank close to the water's edge. Further back a different style of building and cultivation appears. The farms and frame-houses are really handsome places, and in good taste, with clumps of trees here and there to break the mono- tony of the clearing. The land is nearly one un- broken level plain, apparently fertile and well fanned, but too flat for fine scenery. The country between Quebec and Montreal has all the appearance of hav- ing been under a long state of cultivation, especially on the right bank of the river. Still there is a great portion of forest standing which it will take years of labour to remove. We passed some little grassy islands oa which there were many herds of cattle feeding. I was puzzling myself to know how they got there, when the captain told me it was usual for farmers to convey their stock to these island pastures in flat- bottomed boats, or to swim them, if the place was fordable, and leave them to graze as long as the food continued good. If cows are put on an island with- in a reasonable distance of the farm, some person goes daily in a canoe to milk them. While he was telling me this, a log-canoe with a boy and a stout lass with tin pails, paddled across from the bank of the river, and proceeded to call together their herd. We noticed some very pleasant rural villages to the right as we advanced, but our pilot was stupid, APPROACH TO MONTREAL. ^ /■■ and could not, or would not, tell their names. It was Sunday morning, and we could just hear the quick tinkling of the church bells, and distinguish long lines of caltsches, light waggons, with equestrians and pedestrians hastening along the avenue of trees that led to the churchyard ; besides these, were boats and canoes crossing the river, bound to tbe same peaceful haven. In a part of the St. Laurence, where the chan- nel is rendered difficult by shoals and sand-banks, there occur little lighthouses, looking somewhat like miniature watermills, on wooden posts, raised above the flat banks on which they are built. These droll little huts were inhabited, and we noticed a merry party, in their holiday clothes, enjoying a gossip with a party in a canoe below them. They looked clean and smart, and cheerful enough, but I did not envy them their situation, which I should think far from healthy. Some miles below Montreal the appearance of the country became richer, more civilized, and populous ; while the distant line of blue mountains, at the verge of the horizon, added an interest to the landscape. The rich tint of ripened harvest formed a beautiful contrast with the azure sky and waters of the St. Laurence. The scenery of the river near Montreal is of a veiy different character to that below Quebec ; the latter possesses a wild and rugged aspect, and its productions are evidently those of a colder and lesa happy climate. What the former loses in grandeur and picturesque eflect, it gains in fertility of soil and warmth of temperature. In the lower division of tht ' 92 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. prorince you feel that the industry of the inhabitants is forcing u cliurlish soil for bread ; while in the upper, the land seems willing to yield her increase to a moderate exertion. Remember, these are merely the cursory remarks of a passing traveller, and founded on no personal experience. There was a feeling of anxiety and dread upon our minds that we would hardly acknowledge to each other as we drew near to the city of the pestilence, as if ashamed of confessing a weakness that was felt ; but no one spoke on the subject. With what un- mixed delight and admiration at any other time should we have gazed on the scene that opened upon us. The river here expands into a fine extensive basin, diversified with islands, on the largest of which Mon- treal is situated. The lofty hill from which the town takes its name rises like a crown above it, and forms a singular and magnificent feature in the landscape, reminding me of some of the detached hills in the vicinity of Inverness. Opposite to the Quebec suburbs, just in front of the rapids, is situated the island of St. Helens, a spot of infinite loveliness. The centre of it is oc- cupied by a grove of lofty trees, while the banks, sloping down to the water, seem of the most verdant turf. The scene was heightened by the appearance of the troops which garrison the island. The shores of the river, studded with richly cul- tivated farms ; the village of La Prairie, with the little island of St. Ann's in the distance ; the glit^^ RAPIDS BELOW MONTREAL. / -r terinfc steeples and roofs of the city, with its gardens and villas, — looked 1* vely by the softened glow of a Canadian summer sunset. The church bells ringing for evening prayer, with the hum of voices from the shore, mingled not in- harmoniously with the rush of the rapids. These rapids are caused by a descent in the bed of the river. In some places this declination is gra- dual, in others sudden and abrupt. Where the cur- rent is broken by masses of limestone or granite rock, as at the Cascades, the Cedars, and the Long Sault, it creates whirlpools and cataracts. But the rapids below Montreal are not of this magnificent character, being made perceptible only by the unusual swiftness of the water, and its surface being disturbed by foam, and waving lines and dimples. In short, I was disappointed in my expectation of seeing some- thing very grand ; and was half angry at these pretty- behaved quiet rapids, to the foot of which we were towed in good style by our faithful consort the Bri- tish America. As the captain is uncertain how long he may be detained at Montreal, I shall send this letter without fiiTther delay, and write again as soon a.s possible. 34 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. . Letter IV. laUiding at Moatienl.— Appearance of the Towot.— Ravages of the Cholera. —Charitable Institutions in Montreal— Catholic Cathedral.— Lower and Upper Town.— ^mpony and Conversation at the Hotel.— Writer attacked With the Cholera.— Departure from Montreal in a Stage-coach.— Embark at Lachine on board a Steam-vessel.— Mode of travelling alternately in Steam-vessels and Stages.— Appearance of the Countiy.— Manu&ctures.— Ovens at a distance from the Cottages.— Draw-wells.— Arrival at CornwalL "-Accommodation at the Inn. — Departuie from Cornwall, and Arrival at Prescott.— Arrival at Brockville.— Ship-launch there.— Voyage through Lake Ontario.— Arrival at Cobourg Nelson Hotel, Montreal, August 21. Once more on terra firma, dearest mother : what a strange sensation it is to tread the land once a^in, free from the motion of the heaving waters, to which I was now, in truth, glad to bid farewell. By daybreak every creature on board was up and busily preparing for going on shore. The captain himself obligingly escorted us, and walked as far with OS as the hotel, where we are at present lodged. We found some difficulty in getting on shore, owing to the badness of the landing. The river was full of floating timbers, between which it re- quired some skill to guide the boat. A wharf is now beinff built — not before it was needed*. We were struck by the dirty, narrow, ill-paved or unpaved streets of the suburbs, and overpowered by the noisome vapour arising from a deep open fosse that ran along the street behind the wharf. This ditch seemed the receptacle for every abomination, * Some excellent wharfs have siace bjen completed. APPEARANCE OF MONTREAL. 3ft and sufficient in itself to infect a whole town witK malignant fevers*. I was greatly disappointed in my first acquaintance with the interior of Montreal ; a place of which travellers had said so much. I could compare it only to the fruits of the Dead sea, which are said to be fair and tempting to look upon, but yield only ashes and bitterness when tasted by the thirsty traveller f. I noticed one peculiar feature in the buildings along the suburb facing the river — that they were mostly furnished with broad wooden balconies from / • * This has since been arched over. A market has been erected above it. f The following description of Montreal is given by M'Gie* gor in his British America^ vol. ii.p. 504: — '^ Betwixt the royal mountain and the river, on a ridge of gentle elevation, stands the town. Including the submbs, it is more extensive than Quebec. Both cities differ veiy gpeatly in appearance; the low banks of the St. Laurence at Montreal want the tremen- dous precipices frowning over them, and all that grand sub- limity which characterizes Quebec. <' There are no wharfs at Montreal, and the ships and steamers lie quietly in pretty deep water, close to the clayey and gene- rally filthy bank of the city. The whole of the lower town is covered with gloomy-looking houses, having dark iron shutters ; and although it may be a little cleaner than Quebec, it is still very dirty ; and the streets are not only narrow and ill-paved, but the footpaths are interrupted by slanting cellar-doors and other projections." " It is impossible (says Mr. Talbot, in his Five Years' Resi- dence) to walk the streets of Montreal on a Sunday or holiday, when the shops are closed, without receiving the most gloomy impressions ; the whole city seems one vast prison ;" — alluding to the window-shutters and outer doors of iron, that have been adopted to counteract the effects of fire. I r i :i ' 86 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. i M the lower to the upper story ; in Rome instances they surrounded the houses on three sides, and seemed to form a sort of outer chamher. Some of these bal- conies were ascended by flights of broad stairs from the outside. I remember when a child dreaming of houses so constructed, and fancying them very delightful ; and so I think they might be rendered, if shaded by climbing shrubs, and adorned with flowers, to repre- sent a hanging-garden or sweet-scented bowery walk. But nothing of this kind gladdened our eyes as we toiled along the hot streets. Every house of public resort was crowded from the top to the bottom with emigrants of all ages, English, Irish, and Scotch. The sounds of riotous merriment that burst from them seemed but ill-assorted with the haggard, care- worn faces of many of the thoughtless revellers. The contrast was only loo apparent and too painful a subject to those that looked upon this show of out- ward gaiety and inward misery. The cholera had made awful ravages, and its de- vastating effects were to be seen in the darkened dwellings and the mourning habiliments of all classes. An expression of dejection and anxiety appeared in the faces of the few persons we encountered in our walk to the hotel, which plainly indicated the state of their minds. In some situations whole streets had been nearly depopulated ; those that were able fled panic-stricken to the country villages, while others remained to die in the bosom of their families. To no class, I am told, has the disease proved so fatal as to the poorer sort of emigrants. Many of CHOLERA. 37 r these, debilitated by the privations and fatigue of a long voyage, on reaching Quebec or Montreal in- dulged in every sort of excess, especially the dangerous one of intoxication ; and, as if purposely paving the way to certain destruction, they fell immediate vic- tims to the complaint. In one house eleven persons died, in another seventeen ; a little child of seven years old was the only creature left to tell the wofiil tale. This poor desolate orphan was taken by the nuns to their bene- volent institution, where every attention was paid that humanity could suggest. ^ The number both of Catholic and Protestant be- nevolent societies is very great, and these are main- tained with a liberality of principle that does honour to both parties, who seem indeed actuated by a fer- vent spirit of Christian charity. I know of no place, not even excepting London itself, where the exercise of benevolent feelings is more called for than in these two cities, Quebec and Montreal. Here meet together the unfortunate, the improvident, the helpless orphan, the sick, the aged, the poor virtuous man, driven by the stern hand of necessity from his country and his home, perhaps to be overtaken by sickness or want in a land of strangers. It is melancholy to reflect that a great number of the poorest class of emigrants that perished in the reign of the cholera have left no trace by which their sorrowing anxious friends in the old country may learn their fate. The disease is so sudden and so violent that it leaves no time foi arranging worldly D r 9S BACKWOODS OP CANADA. matters ; the sentinel comes, not as it did to Heze- kiah, " Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die, and not live." The weather is sultry hot, accompanied by frequent thunder-showers, which have not the effect one would expect, that of cooling the heated atmosphere. I experience a degree of languor and oppression that is very distressing, and worse than actual pain. >r Instead of leaving this place by the first conveyance for the upper province, as we fully purposed doing, we find ourselves obliged to remain two days longer, owing to the dilatoriness of the custom-house officers in overlooking our packages. The fact is that every- thing and everybody are out of sorts. The heat has been too oppressive to allow of ray walking much abroad. I have seen but little of the town beyond the streets adjacent to the hotel • with the exception of the Catholic Cathedral, I have seen few of the public buildings. With the former I was much pleased : it is a fine building, though still in an unfinished state, the towers not having been carried to the height originally intended. The eastern window, behind the altar, is seventy feet in height by thirty-three in width. The effect of this magnificent window from the entrance, the altar with its adorn- ments and paintings, the several smaller altars and shrines, all decorated with scriptural designs, the light tiers of galleries that surround the central part of the church, the double range of columns supporting the vaulted ceiling, and the arched windows, all combine to form one beautifiil whole. What most pleased me was the extreme lightness of the architecture, though CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, 89 I thought the imitation of marble, with which the pil- lars were painted, coarse and glaring. We missed the time-hallowing mellowness that age has bestowed on our ancient chm'ches and cathedrals. The grim cor- bels and winged angels that are carved on the grey stone, whose very uncouthness tells of time gone by when our ancestors worshipped within their walls, give an additional interest to the temples of our fore- fathers. But, though the new church at Montreal cannot compare with our York Minster, Westminster Abbey, and others of our sacred buildings, it is well worthy the attention of travellers, who will meet with nothing equal to it in the Canadas. There are several colleges and nunneries, a hos- pital for the sick, several Ciitholic and Protestant churches, meeting-houses, a guard-house, with many other public edifices. The river-side portion of the town is entirely mer- cantile. Its narrow, dirty streets and dark houses, with heavy iron shutters, have a disagreeable appearance, which cannot but make an unfavourable impression on the mind of a Biltish traveller. The other portion of the town, however, is of a different character, and the houses are interspersed with gardens and pleasant walks, which looked very agreeable from the windows of the ball-room of the Nelson Hotel. This room, which is painted from top to bottom, the walls and ceiling, with a coarse imitation of groves and Cana- dian scenery, commands a superb view of the city, the river, and all the surrounding country, taking in the distant mountains of Chamblay, the shores of St. Laurence, towards La Prairie, and the rapids above D 2 r I 4« BACKWOODS OF CANADA. and below the island of St. Anne's. The royai mountain (Mont Real), with its wooded sides, its rich scenery, and its city with its streets and public buildings, lie at your feet : with such objects before you the eye may well be charmed with the scenery of Montreal. We receive the greatest attention from the master of the hotel, who is an Italian. The servants of the house are very civil, and the company that we meet at the ordinary very respectable, chiefly emigrants like ourselves, with some lively French men and women. The table is well supplied, and the charges for board and lodging one dollar per day each*. I am amused with the variety of characters of which our table is composed. Some of the emigrants appear to entertain the most sanguine hopes of success, ap- pearing to foresee no difficulties in carrying their schemes into effect. As a contrast to these there is one of my countrymen, just returned from the western dis- trict on his way back to England, who entreats us by no means to go further up this horrid country, as he emphatically styles the Upper Province, assuring us he would not live in it for all the land it contained. He had been induced, by reading Cattermole's pamphlet on the subject of Emigration, to quit a good farm, and gathering together what property he pos- sessed, to embark for Canada. Encouraged by the advice of a friend in this country, he purchased a lot of wild land in the western district ; **but, sir," said he, ad- dressing my husband with much vehemence, " I found * This hotel is not of the highest class, in which the charge is a dollar and a half ytx day. — Ed. DISAPPOINTED EMIGRANT. 41 I had been vilely deceived. Such land, such a coun- try — I would not live in it for all I could see. Why there is not a drop of wholesome water to be got, or a potato that is fit to eat. I lived for two months in a miserable shed they call a shanty, eaten up alive with mosquitoes. I could get nothing to eat but salted pork, and, in short, the discomforts are unbearable. And then all my farming knowledge was quite use • less — people know nothing about farming in this country. "Why, it would have biuken my heart to work among the stumps, and never see such a thing as a well-ploughed field. And then," he added, in a softer tone, " I thought of my poor wife and the little one. I might, for the sake of bettering my condition, have roughed out a year or so myself, but, poor thing, I could not have had the heart to have brought her out from the comforts of England to such a place, not so good as one of our cow-houses or stables, and so I shall just go home ; and if I don't tell all my neighbours what sort of a country this is they are all crazing to throw up their farms and come to, never trust a word of mine again." It was to no purpose that some persons present argued with him on the folly of returning until he had tried what could be done: he only told them they were fools if they staid an hour in a country like this ; and ended by execrating those persons who deceived the people at home by their false statements, who sum up in a few pages all the advantages, without filling a volume with the disadvantages, as they might well do. " Persons are apt to deceive themselves as well as to be deceived," said my husband ; " and having once i r \ 42 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. fixed their minds on any one subject, will only reail. and believe those things that accord with their wishes." This young man was evidently disappointed in not finding all things as fair and pleasant as at home. He had never reflected on the subject, or he could not have been so foolish as to suppose he would en- counter no difficulties in his first outset, in a settle- ment in the woods. We are prepared to meet with many obstacles, and endure considerable privations, though I dare say we may meet with many unforeseen ones, forewarned as we have been by our Canadian friend's letters. Our places are taken in the stage for Lachine, and, if all is well, we leave Montreal to-morrow morning. Our trunks, boxes, &c. are to be sent on by the for- warders to Cobourg. — August 22. 1 1 CobourgyAugust 29. — When I closed my last letter I told you, my dear mother, that we should leave Montreal by sunrise the following day; but in this we were doomed to be disappointed, and to experience the truth of these words ; " Boast not th^'self of to-mor- row, for thou knowest not what an hour may bring forth." Early that very morning, just an hour before sunrise, I was seized with the symptoms of the fatal malady that had made so many homes desolate. I was too ill to commence my journey, and, with a heavy heart, heard the lumbering wheels rattle over the stones from the door of the hotel. I hourly grew worse, till the sister of the landlady, an excellent young woman, who had previously shown me great attention, persuaded me to send for a ILLNESS OF TUB AUTHORESS. 43 physician ; and my husband, distracted at seeing me in such agony, ran ofT to seek for the best medical aid. After some little delay a physician was found. I was then in extreme torture J but was relieved by bleeding, and by the violent fits of sickness that ensued. T will not dwell minutely on my sufferings, suffice to say, they were intense; but God, in his mercy, though he chastened and afflicted me, yet gave me not over unto death. From the females of the house I received the greatest kindness. Instead of fleeing affrighted from the chamber of sickness, the two Irish girls almost quarrelled which should be my attendant ; while Jane Taylor, the good young woman I before mentioned, never left me from the time I grew so alarmingly ill till a change for the better had come over me, but, at the peril of her own life, sup- ported me in her arms, and held me on her bosom, when I was struggling with mortal agony, alternately speaking peace to me, and striving to soothe the anguish of my poor afflicted partner. The remedies applied were bleeding, a portion of opium, blue pill, and some sort of salts — not the com- mon Epsom. The remedies proved effectual, though I suffered much from sickness and headache for many hours. The debility and low fever that took place of the cholera, obliged me to keep my bed some days. During the two first my doctor visited me four times a day ; he was very kind, and, on hearing that I was the wife of a British officer emigrating to the Upper Province, he seemed more than ever interested in my recovery, evincing a sympathy for us that was very grateful to our feelings. After a weary confinement n /» 44 UACKWOUDS OF CANADA. of several days, I was at last pronounced in a sui- ficiently convalescent state to begin my journey, though still so weak that I waL, scarcely able to sup- poit myself. The sun had not yet risen when the stage that was to take us to Lachine,the first nin'j miles of our route, drove up to the door, and we gladly bade farewell to a place in which our hours of anxiety had been many, and those of pleasure few. We had, however, ex- perienced a great deal of kindness from those around us, and, though perfect strangers, had tasted some of the hospitality for which this city has often been cele- brated. I omitted, in my former letter, telling you how we formed an acquaintance with a highly respec- table merchant in this place, who afforded us a great deal of useful information, and introduced us to his wife, a very elegant and accomplished young woman. During our short acquaintance, we passed some plea- sant hours at their house, much to our satisfaction. I enjoyed the fresh breeze from the river along the banks of which our road lay. It was a tine sight to see the unclouded sun rising from behind the distant chain of mountains. Below us lay the rapids in their perturbed state, and there was the island of St. Anne's, bringing to our minds Moore's Canadian boat song • " We'll sing at Saint Anne's our parting hymn." ' The bank of the St. Laurence, along which our road lay, is higher here than at Montreal, and clothed with brushwood on the summit, occasionally broken with narrow gulleys. The soil, as near as I could see, was sandy or light loam. I noticed the wild vine for the first time twining among the saplings. There LACHINE. 44 were raspberry bushes, too, and a profusion of that tall yellow flower we call Aaron's golden rod, a soli- dago, and the white love-everlasting, the same that the chaplets are made of by the French and Swiss girls to adorn the tombs of their friends, and which they call immortelle ; the Americans call it life-ever- lasting ; also a tall purple-spiked valerian, that I observed growing in the fields among the com, as plentiful as the bugloss is in our light sandy fields in England. At Lachine wc quitted the stage and went on board a steamer, a l:ur vessel elegantly fitted up with every accommodation. I enjoyed the passage up the river exceedingly, and should have been delighted with the journey by land had not my recent illness weakened me so much t-iat I found the rough roads very un- pleasant. As to the vehicle, a Canadian stage, it deserves a much higher character than travellers have had the candour to give it, and is so well adapted for the roads over which it passes that I doubt if it could be changed for a more suitable one. This vehicle is calculated to hold nine persons, three back, front, and middle ; the middle seat, which swings on broad straps of leather, is by far the easiest, only you are liable to be disturbed when any of the passengers choose to get out. Certainly the travelling is arranged with as little trouble to the traveller as possible. Having paid your fare to Prescott you have no thought or care. When you quit the steam-boat you find a stage ready to receive you and your luggage, which is limited to a certain proportion. When the portage is passed 1)5 r" 46 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. #■ lit !. i i! (the land carriage), you And a steam-vessel ready, where you have every accommodation. The charges are not immoderate, considering the comforts you enjoy. In addition to their own freight, the steamers generally tow up several other vessels. We had three Durham boats at one time, beside some other small craft attached to us, which certainly afforded some variety, if not amusement. With the exception of Quebec and Montreal, I must give the preference to the Upper Province. If not on so grand a scale, the scenery is more calculated to please, from the appearance of industry and fertility it displays. I am delighted, in travelling along the road, with the neatness, cleanliness, and comfort of the cottages and farms. The log-house and shanty rarely occur, having been supplanted by pretty frame- houses, built in a superior style, and often painted white-lead colour or a pale pea-green. Around these habitations were orchards, bending down with a rich harvest of apples, plums, and the American crab, those beautiful little scarlet apples so often met with as a wet preserve among our sweetmeats at home. You see none of the signs of poverty or its at- lendant miseries. No ragged, dirty, squalid chil- dren, dabbling in mud or dust; but many a tidy, smart-looking lass was spinning at the cottage-doors, with bright eyes and braided locks, while the younger girls were seated on the green turf or on the threshold, knitting and singing as blithe as birds. There is something very picturesque in the great somning-wheels that are used in this country for spinning the wool, and if attitude were to be studied ■kV-3 : & COTTAGE FARMS. 47 among our Canadian lasses, there cannot be one more becoming-, or calculated to show off the natural ad- vantages of a fine figure, than spinning at the big wheel. The spinster does not sit, but walks to and fro, guiding the yarn with one hand while with the other she turns the wheel. I often noticed, as we passed by the cottage farms, hanks of yarn of different colours hanging on the garden or orchard fence to dry; there were all man- ner of colours, green, blue, purple, brown, red, snd white. A civil landlady, at whose tavern we stDpped to change horses, told me these hanks of yarn were first spun and then dyed by the good wives, prepara- tory to being sent to the loom. She showed me some of this home-spun cloth, which really looked very well. It was a dullish dark brown, the wool being the pro- duce of a breed of black sheep. This cloth is made up in different ways for family use. ,;v " Every little dwelling you see," said she, " has its lot of land, and, consequently, its flock of sheep ; and, as the children are early taught to spin, and knit, and help dye the yarn, their parents can afford to see them well and comfortably clothed. "Many of these very farms you now see in so thriving a condition were wild land thirty years ago, nothing but Indian hunting-grounds. The industry of men, and many of them poor men, that had not a rood of land of their own in their own country, has effected this change." I was much gratified by the reflection to which this good woman's information gave rise. " We also are going to purchase wild land, and why may not we /" ■ 1^ 48 BAC&WOODS OF CANADA. see oiir farm, in process of time," thought I, ** equal these fertile spots. Surely this is a blessed country to which we have emigrated," said I, pursuing the pleasing idea, ** where every cottage abounds with the comforts and necessaries of life." I perhaps overlooked at that time the labour, the difficulties, the privations to which these settlers had been exposed when they first came to this country. I saw it only at a distance of many years, under a high state of cultivation, perhaps in the hands of their children or their children's children, while the toil- worn parent's head was low in the dust. Among other objects my attention was attracted by the appearance of open burying-grounds by the road- side. Pretty green mounds, surrounded by groups of walnut and other handsome timber trees, contained the graves of a family, or may be, some favoured friends slept quietly below the turf beside them. If the ground was not consecrated, it was hallowed by the tears and prayers of parents and children. These household graves became the more interest- ing to me on learning that when a farm is disposed of to a stranger, the right of burying their dead is generally stipulated for by the former possessor. You must bear with me if I occasionally weary you with dwelling on trifles. To me nothing that bears the stamp of novelty is devoid of interest. Even the clay-built ovens stuck upon four legs at a little dis- tance fron the houses were not unnoticed in passing. When there is not the convenience of one of these ovens outside the dwellings, the bread is baked in liirge iron pots — " 6a/ce-/ie/- of this uninviting domicile, she laconically observed there was that or none, unless I chose to sleep in a four-bedded room, which had three tenants in it, — and those gentlemen. This alternative I somewhat in- dignantly declined, and in no very good humoui retired to my cabin, where vile familiars to the dor- mitory kept us from closing our weary eye-lids till the break of day. We took an early and hasty breakfast, and again commenced our journey. Here our party consisted of myself, my husband, a lady and gentleman with three small children, besides an infant of a month old, all of whom, from the eldest to the youngest, were suffering Aui. ^ hooping-cough ; two great Cumberland miners, anC r t ich pilot and his companion, — this wasahuge ai.^ ./uious-looking monster, who bounced in and squeezed himself into a corner seat, giving a knowing nod and comical grin to the driver, who was in the secret, and in utter defiance of all remonstrance at this unlooked-for intrusion, cracked his whip with a flourish, that appeared to be reckoned pretty con- siderably smart by two American travellers that stood on either side the door at the inn, with their hats not in their hands nor yet on their heads, but slung by a black ribbon to one of their waistcoat buttons, so as to fall nearly under one arm. This practice I have seen adopted since, and think if Johnny Gilpin had but taken this wise precaution he might have saved both hat and wig. I was dreadfully fatigued with this day's travelling, being literally bruised black and blue. We suffered much inconvenience from tne excessive heat of tht i i t I 52 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. day, and could well have dispensed with the company of two out of the four of our bulky companions. We reached Prescott about five the same afternoon, where we met with good treatment at the inn ; the female servants were all English, and seemed to vie with each other in attention to us. We saw little in the town of Prescott to interest or please. After an excellent breakfast we embarked on board the Great Britain^ the finest steamer we had yet seen, and here we were joined by our new friends, to our great satisfaction. At Brockville we arrived just in time to enjoy what was to me quite a novel sight, — a ship-launch. A gay and exciting scene it was. The sun shone brilliantly on a concourse of people that thronged the shore in their holiday attire ; the church bells rang merrily out, mingling with the music from the deck of the gaily painted vessel that, with flags and streamers, and a well-dressed company on board, was preparing for the launch. To give additional effect, a salute was fired from a temporary fort erected for the occasion on a little rocky island in front of the town. The schooner took the water in fine style, as if eager to embrace the element which was henceforth to be subject to her. It was a moment of intense interest. The newly launched was greeted with three cheers from the company on board the Great Britain, with a salute from the little fort, and a merry peal from the bells, which were also rung in honour of a pretty bride that came on board with her bridegroom on their way to visit the falls of Niagara. LAKE ONTARIO. 53 Brockville is situated just at the entrance of the lake of the Thousand Islands, and presents a pretty appearance from the water. The town has improved rapidly, I am told, within the last few years, and is becoming a place of some importance. ' i = ; o The shores of the St. Laurence assume a more rocky and picturesque aspect as you advance among its thousand islands, which present every variety of wood and rock. The steamer put in for a supply of fire-wood at a little village on the American side the river, where also we took on board five-and-twenty beautiful horses, which are to be exhibited at Cobourg and York for sale. There wus nothing at all worthy of observation in the American village, unless I except a novelty that rather amused me. Almost every house had a tiny wooden model of itself, about the bigness of a doll's house, (or baby-house, I think they are called,) stuck up in front of the roof or at the gable end. I was informed by a gentleman on board, these baby-houses, as I was pleased to call them, were for the swallows to build in. It was midnight when we passed Kingston, so of course 1 saw nothing of that " key to the lakes,*' as I have heard it styled. When I awoke in the morn- ing the steamer was dashing gallantly along through the waters of the Ontario, and I experienced a slight sensation of sickness. When the waters of^the lake are at all agitated, as they sometimes are, by high winds, you might imagine yourself upon a tempest-tossed sea. The shores of the Ontario are very fine, rising in /' n * ill 1 1 54 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. waving lines of hill and dale, clothed with magnifioent woods, or enlivened by patches of cultivated land and pretty dwellings. At ten o'clock we reached Cobourg. Cobourg, at which place xfe are at present, is a neatly built and flourishing village, containing many good stores, mills, a banking-house, and printing-office, where a newspaper is published once a week. There is a very pretty church and a select society, many families of respectability having fixed their residences in or near the town. To-morrow we leave Cobourg,, and shall proceed to Peterborough, from which place I shall agsdn write and inform you of our (\iture destination, which will probably be on one of the amall lakes of the Ota- nabee. i J ,' ' .' V '" JOURNEY FROM COBOURG TO AMHERST. 5A r* LeTT7»^ JowriMjr ficom Gobourg to Amherst.— Difficulties to be encountered on first settling in the Backwoods.— Appearance of the Country.— Rico Lake.— Indian Habits. — ^Voyage up the Otanabee. — Log-house, and its Inmates. —Passage-boat. — Journey on foot to Peterborough. Peterborough, Newcastle District. September 9, 1833. Wb left Cobourg on the afternoon of the 1st of September in a light waggon, comfortably lined with buffalo robes. Our fellow-travellers consisted of three gentlemen and a young lady, all of whom proved very agreeable, and willing to afford us every information respecting the country through which we were travel- ling. The afternoon was fine — one of those rich mellow days we often experience in the early part of September. The warm hues of autumn were already visible on the forest trees, but rather spoke of ripeness than decay. The country round Cobourg is well cul- tivated, a great portion of the woods having been superseded by open fields, pleasant farms, and fine flourishing orchards, with green pastures, where abundance of cattle were grazing. The county gaol and court-house at Amherst, about a mile and a half from Cobourg, is a fine stone edifice, situated on a rising ground, which commands an ex- tensive view over the lake Ontario and surrounding scenery. As you advance further up the country, in 5C BACKWOODS OK CAI.ADA. ! it ! li t I 1^ the direction of the Hamilton or Rice Lake plains, the land rises into bold sweeping hills and dales. The outline of the country ren^uided me of the hilly part of Gloucestershire ; you want, however, the charm with which civilization has so eminently adorned that fine county, with all its romantic villages, flou- rishing towns, cultivated farms, and extensive downs, so thickly covered with flocks and herds. Here the bold forests of oak, beech, maple, and bass wood, with now and then a grove of dark pine, cover the hills, only enlivened by an occasional settlement, with its log-house and zig-zag fences of split timber : these fences are very oflensive to my eye. I look in vain for the rich hedge- rows of my native country. Even the stone fences in the north and west of England, cold and bare as they are, are less unsightly. The settlers, however, in^rariably ad c whatever plan saves time, labour, and money. Tkj great law of expe- diency is strictly observed ; — it is borne of necessity. Matters of taste appear to be little regarded, or are, at all events, after-considerations. I could see a smile hover on the lips of my fellow- travellers on hearing of our projected plans for the adornment of our future dwelling. " If you go into the backwoods your house must necessarily be a log-house," said an elderly gentleman, who had been a settler many years in the country. ** For you will most probably be out of the way of a 8aw-mill, and you will find so much to do, and so many obstacles to encounter, for the first two or three years, that you will hardly have opportunity for carry- ing these improvements into eflect. 1 i 1 ADVICE FROM A SETTLER. 57 " Tliere is an old saying," he added, with a mix- ture of gravity and good humour iu his looks, ^* that I used to hear when I was a boy, * first creep* and then go.' Matters are not carried on quite so easily here as at home ; and the tnith of this a very few weeks' acquaintance with the bush, as we term all unbroken forest land, will prove. At the end of five years you may begin to talk of these pretty improve- ments and elegancies, and you will then be able to see a little what you are about." " I thought," said I, ** every thing in this country was done with so much expedition. I am sure I have heard and read of houses being built in a day." The old gentleman laughed. " Yes, yes," he replied, " travellers find no diffi- culty in putting up a house in twelve or twenty-four hours, and so the log-walls can be raised in that time or even less ; but the house is not completed when the outer walls are up, as your husband will find to his cost." " But all the works on emigration that I have read," replied I, "give a fair and flattering picture of a settler's life ; for, according to their statements, the difficulties are easily removed." " Never mind books," said my companion, ** use your own reason. Look on those interminable fo- rests, through which the eye can only penetrate a few yards, and tell me how those vast timbers are to be removed, utterly extirpated, I may say, from the face of the earth, the ground cleared and burnt, a crop "* Derived from infants crawling on all-fours before they have strength to walk. n I* y I' i.' '^ii f \ ^ 60 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. sown and fenced, and a house to shelter you raiiied, without difficulty, without expense, and without great labour. Never tell me of what in said in books, written very frequently by tarry-at-home travellers. Give me facts. One honest, candid emigrant's expe- rience is worth all that has been written on the sub- ject. Besides, that which may be a true picture of one part of the country will hardly suit another. The advantages and disadvantages arising from soil, situa- tion, and progress of civilization, are very different in different districts: even the prices of goods and of produce, stock and labour, vary exceedingly, accord- ing as you are near to, or distant from, towns and markets." I began to think my fellow-traveller spoke sensibly on the subject, with which the experience of thirteen years had made him perfectly conversant. I began to apprehend that we also had taken too flattering a view of a settler's life as it must be in the backwoods. Time and our own personal knowledge will be the surest test, and tc that we must bow. We are ever prone to believe that which we wish. About halfway between Cobourg and the Rice Lake there is a pretty valley between two steep hills. Here there is a good deal of cleared land and a tavern : the place is called the *' Cold Springs." Who knows but some century or two hence this spot may become a fashionable place of resort to drink the waters. A Canadian Bath or Cheltenham may spring up where now Nature revels in her wilderness of forest trees. We now ascended the plains — a fine elevation of land — for many miles scantily clothed with oaks, and 'Mi ' ! r you raided, kvithout great id in books, le travellers, grant's expe- on the sub- le picture of lother. The m soil, situa- |r different in oods and of igly, accord- I, towns and )oke sensibly e of thirteen I began to flattering a backwoods. will be the We are ever id the Rice steep hills, nd a tavern : Who knows nay become waters. A g up where est trees, elevation of oaks, and '''lit ''it ni ■n !i RICE LAKE. 61 liere oiid (here bushy pines, with other trees und shrubs. Tlie soil is in some places sandy, but varies, I am told, considerably in dilferent parts, and is co- vered in large tracks with rich herbage, affording abundance of the finest pasture for cattle. A number of exquisite flowers and shrubs adorn these plains, which rival any garden in beauty during the spring; and summer months. Many of these plants are pecu- liar to the plains, and are rarely met within any other situation. The trees, too, though inferior in size to those in the forests, are more picturesque, growing in groups or singly, at considerable intervals, giving a sort of park-like appearance to this portion of the country. The prevailing opinion seems to be, that the plains laid out in grazing or dairy farms would answer the purpose of settlers well ; as there is plenty of land that will grow wheat and other corn-crops, and can be improved at a small expense, besides abundance of natural pasture for cattle. One great advantage seems to be, that the plough can be intro- duced directly, and the labour of preparing- the ground is necessarily much less than where it is wholly co- vered with wood. There are several settlers on these plains posses.-.: g considerable farms. The situation, I should think, must be healthy and agreeable, fiom the e1?!vation and dryness of the land, and the pleasant prospect they command of the country below them, especially where the Rice Lake, with its various islands and picturesque shores, in visible. The ground itself is pleasingly broken into hill and valley, sometimes E 62 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. I -: gently sloping, at other times abrupt and almost precipitous. An American farmer, who formed one of our party at breakfast the following morning, told me that these plains were formerly famous hunting- grounds of the Indians, who, to prevent the growth of the timbers, burned them year afler year ; this, in process of time, destroyed the young trees, so as to prevent them again from accumulating to the extent they formerly did. Sufficient only was left to form coverts ; for the deer resort hither in great herds for the sake of a peculiar tall sort of grass with which these plains abound, called deer-grass, on which they become exceedingly fat at certain seasons of the year. Evening closed in before we reached the tavern on the shores of the Rice Lake, where we were to pass the night ; so that I lost something of the beautiful scenery which this fine expanse of water presents as you descend the plains towards its shores. The glimpses I caught of it were by the faint but frequent flashes of lightning that illumined the hori- zon to the north, which just revealed enough to make me regret I could see no more that night. The Rice Lake is prettily diversified with small wooded islets : the north bank rises gently from the water's edge. Within sight of Sully, the tavern from which the steam-boat starts that goes up the Otanabee, you see several well-cultivated settlements ; and beyond the Indian village the mis- sionaries have a school for the education and in- struction of the Indian children. Many of them '■,'y- k.i^-: CIVILIZATION OF THE INDIANS. «& t and almost can both read and write fluently, and are greatly improved in their moral and religious conduct. They are well and comfortably clothed, and have houses to live in. But they are still too much attached to their wandering habits to become good and indus- trious settlers. During certain seasons they leave the village, and encamp themselves in the woods along the borders of those lakes and rivers that present the most advantageous hunting and fishing- grounds. The Rice Lake and Mud Lake Indians belong, I am told, to the Chippewas; but the traits of cunning and warlike ferocity that formerly marked this sin- gular people seem to have disappeared beneath the milder influence of Christianity. Certain it is that the introduction of the Christian religion is the first greatest step towards civilization and improvement ; its very tendency being to break down the strong-holds of prejudice and ignorance, and unite mankind in one bond of s^jcial brother- hood. I have been told that for some time drunk- enness was unknown, and even the moderate use of spirits was religiously abstained from by all the con- verts. This abstinence is still practised by some families; but of late the love of ardent spirits has again crept in among them, bringing discredit upon their faith. It is indeed hardly to be wondered at, when the Indian sees those around him that call themselves Christians, and who are better educated, and enjoy the advantages of civilized society, in- dulging to excess in this degrading vice, that he should suffer his natural inclination to overcome hit 64 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. I ! Christian duty, which might in some have taken no deep root. I have been surprised and disgusted by the censures passed on the erring Indian by persons who were foremost in indulgence at the table and the tavern ; as if the crime of drunkenness were more excusable in the man of education than in the half- reclaimed savage. There are some fine settlements on the Rice Lake, but I am told the shores are not considered healthy, the inhabitants being subject to lake-fevers and ague^ especially where the ground is low and swampy. These fevers and agues are supposed by some peo- ple to originate in the extensive rice-beds which cause a stagnation in the water ; the constant evapo- ration from the surface acting pn a mass of decaying vegetation must tend to have a bad effect on the constitution of those that are immediately exposed to its pernicious influence. .; ^ Besides numerous small streams, here called creeks^ two considerable rivers, the Otanabee and the Trent, find an outlet for their waters in the Rice Lake. These rivers are connected by a chain of small lakes, which you may trace on any good map of the pro- vince. I send you a diagram, which has been pub- lished at Cobourg, which will give you the geography of this portion of the country. It is on one of these small lakes we purpose purchasing land, which, should the navigation of these waters be carried into effect, as is generally supposed to be in con- templation, wilt render the lands on their shores very advantageous to the settlers; at present they are interrupted by large blocks of granite and lime mve taken no I disgusted by an by persons the table and ess were more 1 in the half- n le Rice Lake, lered healthy, rers and ague^ and swampy. by some peo- 2-beds which nstant evapo- s of decaying effect on the ;ly exposed to called creeks, nd the Trent, Rice Lake. r small lakes, ) of the pro- Eis been pub- tie geography one of these land, which, 8 be carried ) be in con- their shores present they lie and lime I 'i , I, L STEAMER ON THE OTANABEE. 67 stone, rapids, and falls, which prevent any but canoes or flat-bottomed boats from passing on them, and even these are limited to certain parts, on account or the above-named obstacles. By deepening the bed of the river and lakes, and forming locks in some parts and canals, the whole sweep of these waters might be thrown open to the Bay of Quinte. The expense, however, would necessarily be great ; and till the townships of this portion of the district be fully settled, it is hardly to be expected that so vast an undertaking should be effected, however desirable it may be. We left the tavern at Rice Lake, after an unusual delay, at nine o'clock. The morning was damp, and a cold wind blew over the lake, which appeared to little advantage through the drizzling rain, from which I was glad to shroud my face in my warm plaid cloak, for there was no cabin or other shelter in the little steamer than an inefficient awning. This apology for a steam-boat formed a considei'able con- trast with the superbly-appointed vessels we had lately been passengers in on the Ontario and the St. Laurence. But the circumstance of a steamer at all G.i the Otanabee was a matter of surprise to us, and of exultation to the first settlers along its shores, who for many years had been contented with no better mode of transport thon a scow or a canoe for themselves and their marketable produce, or through the worst possible roads with a waggon or sleigh. The Otanabee is a fine broad, clear stream, divided into two mouths at its entrance to the Rice Lake by C8 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. J! I fi >\ *l a low tongue of land, too swampy to be put under cultivation. This beautiful river (for such I consider it to be) winds its way between thickly- wooded banks, which rise gradually as you advance higher up the country. Towards noon the mists cleared off, and the sun came forth in all the brilliant beauty of a September day. So completely were we sheltered from the wind by the thick wall of pines on either side, that I no longer felt the least inconvenience from the cold that had chilled me on crossing the lake in the morning. To the mere passing traveller, who cares little for the minute beauties of scenery, there is certainly a monotony in the long and unbroken line of woods, which insensibly inspires a feeling of gloom almost touching on sadness. Still there are objects to charm and delight the close observer of nature. His eye will be attracted by fantastic bowers, which are formed by the scarlet creeper (or Canadian ivy) and the wild vine, flinging their closely-entwined wreaths of richly tinted foliage from bough to bough of the forest trees, mingling their hues vnth the splendid rose-tipped branches of the soft maple, the autumnal tints of which are unrivalled in beauty by any of our forest trees at home. The purple clusters of the grape, by no means so contemptible in size as I had been led to imagine, looked temptingly to my longing eyes, as they ap- peared just ripening among these forest bowers. I am told the juice forms a delicious and highly-fla- voured jelly, boiled with sufficient quantity of sugar ; the seeds are too large to make any other preparation 3 put under h I consider loded banks, jher up the ind the sun September )m the wind !, that I no le cold that le morning. es little for certainly a le of woods, oom almost :ts to charm t. His eye which are m ivy) and ned wreaths ugh of the le splendid e autumnal any of our lO means so o imagine, as they ap- bowers. I highly-fla- y of sugar ; preparation Silvei PiiM, WATERS OF THE OTANABEB. n of them practicable. I shall endeavour, at some time or other, to try the improvement that can be effected by cultivation. One is apt to imagine where Nature has so abundantly bestowed fruits, that is the most favourable climate for their attaining perfection with the assistance of culture and soil. The waters of the Otanabee are so clear and free from impurity that you distinctly see every stone- pebble or shell at the bottom. Here and there an opening in the forest reveals some tributary stream, working its way beneath the gigantic trees that meet above it. The silence of the scene is unbroken but by the sudden rush of the wild duck, disturbed from its retreat among the shrubby willows, that in some parts fringe the lefl bank, or the shrill cry of the kingfisher, as it darts across the water. The steam- boat put in for a supply of Are-wood at a clearing about half-way from Peterborough, and I gladly availed myself of the opportunity of indulging my inclination for gathering some of the splendid car- dinal flowers that grew among the stones by the river's brink. Here, too, I plucked as sweet a rose as ever graced an English garden. I also found, among the grass of the meadow-land, spearmint, and, nearer to the bank, peppermint. There was a bush resembling our hawthorn, which, on exami- nation, proved to be the cockspur hawthorn, with fruit as large as cherries, pulpy, and of a pleasant tartness not much unlike to tamarinds. The thorns of this tree were of formidable length and strength. I should think it might be introduced with great // ... ^»:;. _ 72 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. advantage to form live fences ; the fruit, too, would prove by no means contemptible as a presei-ve. As I felt a great curiosity to see the interior of a log-house, I entered the open door- way of the tavern, as the people termed it, under the pretext of buying a draught of milk. The interior of this rude dwell- ing presented no very inviting aspect. The walls were of rough unhewn logs, filled between the chinks with moss and irregular wedges of wood to keep out the wind and rain. The unplastered roof displayed the rafters, covered with moss and lichens, green, yellow, and grey ; above which might be seei the shingles, dyed to a fine mahogany-red by the smoke which refused to ascend the wide clay and stone chimney, to curl gracefully about the roof, and seek its exit in the various crannies and apertures with which the roof and sides of the building abounded. >' The floor was of earlh, which had become pretty hard and smooth through use. This hut reminded me of the one described by the four Russian sailors that were left to winter on the island of Spitzbergen, Its furniture was of corresponding rudeness ; a few stools, rough and unplaned ; a deal table, which, from being manufactured from unseasoned wood, was divided by three wide open seams, and was only held together by its ill-shaped legs; two or three blocks of grey granite placed beside the hearth served for seats for the children, with the addition of tw<» beds raised a little above the ground by a frame of Bplit cedars. On these Umly couches lay extended I H ..—><> INMATES OP A LOG-HUT TAVERN 71 two poor men, suffering under the wasting effects of lake-fever. Their yellow bilious faces strangely con- trasted with the gay patchwork-quilts that covered them. I felt much concerned for the poor emigrants, who told me they had not been many weeks i . the country when they were seized with the fever and ague. They both had wives and small children, who seemed very miserable. The wives also had been sick with ague, and had not a house or even shanty of their own up ; the husbands having fallen ill were unable to do anything ; and much of the little money they had broi ght out with them had been expended in board and lodging in this miserable place, which they dignified by the name of a tavern. I cannot say I was greatly prepossessed in favour of their hostess, a harsh, covetoUs woman. Besides the various emigiants, men, women, and children, that lodged within the walls, the l(^-house had tenants of another description. A fine calf occupied a pen H a corner * some pigs roamed grunting about in com pany with some half-dozen fowls. The most at* tractive objects were three snow-white pigeons, that were meekly picking up crumbs, and looking as if they were too pure and innocent to be inhabitants of such a place. Owing to the shallowness of the river at this season, and to the rapids, the steam-boat is unable to go up the whole way to Peterborough, and a scow or row- boat, as it is sometimes termed — a huge, unwieldy, flat-bottomed machine - -meets the passengers at a certain part of the river, within sight of a singular pine-tree on the right bank; this is termed the 74 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. 'W II 1 '* Yankee bonnet," from the fancied resemblance of the topmost bou|^hs to a sort of cap worn by the Yankees, not much unlike the blue bonnet of Scot" land. .»«,...< I,,.* ;■ ».'• ..1 .fU' fti Unfortunately, the steamer ran aground some four miles below the usual place of rendezvous, and we waited till near four o'clock for the scow. VVlien it made its appearance, we found, to our discomfort, the rowers (eight in number, and all Irishmen) were under the exciting influence of a cag of whiskey, which they had drunk dry on the voyage. They were moreover exasperated by the delay on the part'of the steamer, which gave them four miles additional heavy rowing. Beside a number of passengers there was an enormous load of furniture, trunks, boxes, chests, sacks of wheat, barrels of flour, salt, and pork, with many miscellaneous packages and articles, small and great, which were piled to a height that I thought very unsafe both to goods and passengers, a -. <, With a marvellous ill grace the men took up their oars when their load was completed, but declared they would go on shore and make a Are and cook their dinners, they not having eaten any food, though they had taken large potations of the whiskey. This measure was opposed by some of the gentlemen, and a fierce and angry scene ensued, which ended in the mutineers flinging down their oars, and positively refusing to row another stroke till they had satisfied theirhunger. ; ' . ■ --i - '^ :: - • ' -.■ < ^ Perhaps I had a fellow-feeling for them, as I began to be exceedingly hungry, almost ravenous, rayselt, having fasted since six that morning; indeed, so faint ! M i »*1 IRISH D0ATM8N. ft was I, that I was fain to p;ei my husband to procure me a morsel of the coarse uninviting bread that wa« produced by the rowers, and which they ate with hug:e slice? of raw pickled pork, seasoning this unseemly meal with curses " not loud but deep," and bitter taunts against those who prevented them from cook- ing their food like Christiana. While I was eagerly eating the bit of bread, an old farmer, who had eyed me for some time with a mix- ture of curiosity and compassion, said, " Poor thing : well, you do seem hungry indeed, and I dare say are just out from the ould country, and so little used to such hard fare. Here are some cakes that my woman {(. e. wife) put in my pocket when I left home ; I care nothing for them, but they are better than that bad bread ; take 'em, and welcome." With these words he tossed some very respectable home-made seed- cakes into my lap, and truly never was anything more welcome than this seasonable refreshment. A sullen and gloomy spirit seemed to prevail among our boatmen, which by no means diminished as the evening drew on, and " the rapids were near." The sun had set, and the moon and stars rose bril- liantly over the still waters, which gave back the re- flection of this glorious multitude of heavenly bodies. A sight so passing fair might have stilled the most turbulent spirits into peace ; at least so I thought, as, wrapped in my cloak, I leant back against the sup- porting arm of my husband, and looking from the waters to the sky, and from the sky to the waters, with delight and admiration. My pleasant reverie was, however, soon ended, when I suddenly felt the Lout u2 H BACKWOODS OF CANADA. I i touch the rocky bank, and heard the boatmen pro- testing they would go no further that night. We were nearly three miles below Peterborough, and how I was to walk this distance, weakened as I was by recent illness and fatigue of our long travelling, I knew not. To spend the night in an open boat, exposed to the heavy dews aris'ng from the river, would be almost death. While we were deliberating on what to do, the rest of the passengers had made up their minds, and taken the way through the woods by a road they were well acquainted with. They were soon out of sight, all but one gentleman, who was bargaining with one of the rowers to take him and his dog across the river at the head of the rapids in a skiff. Imagine our situation, at ten o'clock at night, without knowing a single step of our road, put on shore to find the way to the distant town as we best could, or pass the night in the dark forest. Almost in despair, we entreated the gentleman to be our guide as far as he went. But so many ob- stacles beset our path in the form of newly-chopped trees and blocks of stone, scattered along the shore, that it was with the utmost difficulty we could keep him in sight. At last we came up with him at the place appointed to meet the skiff, and, with a perti- nacity that at another time and in other circumstances we never should have adopted, we all but insisted on being admitted into the boat. An angry growling consent was extorted from the surly Charon, and we hastily entered the frail bark, which seemed hardly calculated to convey us in safety to the opposite shores. DIFFICULTIPS OF THE WAY. 77 site shores. I could not help indulging in a feeling of indescriba- ble fear, as I listened to the torrent of profane in- vective that burst forth continually from the lips of the boatman. Once or twice we were in danger of being overset by the boughs of the pines and cedars which had fallen into the water near the banks. Right glad was I when we reached the opposite shores ; but here a new trouble arose : there was y^t more untracked wood to cross before we again met the skiff which had to pass up a small rapid, and meet us at the head of the small lake, an expansion of the Otanabee a little below Peterborough. At the dis- tance of every few yards our path was obstructed by fallen trees, mostly hemlock, spruce, or cedar, the branches of which are so thickly interwoven that it is scarcely possible to separate them, or force a passage through the tangled thicket which they form. Haa it not been for the humane assistance of our conductor, I know not how I should have surmounted these difficulties. Sometimes I was ready to sink down from very weariness. At length I hailed, with a joy I could hardly have supposed possible, the gruff voice of the Irish rower, and, after considerable grumbling on his part, we were again seated. Glad enough we were to see, by the blazing light of an enormous log-heap, the house of our friend. Here we received the offer of a guide to show us the way to the town by a road cut through the wood. We partook of the welcome refreshment of tea, and, having gained a little strength by a short rest, we once more commenced our journey, guided by a ragged, but polite, Irish boy, whose frankness and good humour 78 BACKWOODS OK CANADA. 1 vi:a quite won our regards. He informed us he waa one of seven orphans, who had lost father and mother in the cholera. It was a sad thing, he said, to be left fatherless and motherless, in a strange land ; and he swept away the tears that gathered in his eyes as he told the simple, but sad tale of his early bereavement ; but added, cheerfully, he had met with a kind master, who had taken some of his brothers and sisters ^into his service as well as himself. Just as we were emerging from the gloom of the wood we found our progress impeded by a crcek^ as the boy called it, over which he told us we must pass by a log-bridge before we could get to the town. Now, the log-bridge was composed of one log, or rather a fallen tree, thrown across the stream, rendered very slippery by the heavy dew that had risen from the swamp. As the log admitted of only one person at a time, I could receive no assistance from my com- panions ; and, though our little guide, with a natural politeness arising from the benevolence of his dis- position, did me all the service in his power by hold- ing the lantern close to the surface to throw all the light he could on the subject, I had the ill luck to full in up to my knees in the water, my head turning (^uite giddy just as I came to the last step or two ; tlius was I wet as well as weary. To add to our mis- Ibrtune we saw the lights disappear, one by one, in the village, till a solitary candle, glimmering from the upper chambers of one or two houses, were our only beacons. "We had yet a lodging to seek, and it was near midnight before we reached the door of the principal inn ; there, at least, thought I, our troubles ARRIVAL AT PETERBOROUGH. n for to-night will end; but great was our mortification on being told there was not a spare bed to be had in ^he house, every one being occupied by emigrants going up to one of the back townships. I could go no further, and we petitioned for a place by the kitchen fire, where we might rest, at least, it not sleep, and I might dry my wet garments. On seeing my condition the landlady took compassion on me, led me to a blazing fire, which her damsels quickly roused up ; one brought a warm bath for my feet, while another provided a warm potation, which, I really believe, strange and uimsual to my lips as it was, did me good: in short, we received every kind- ness and attention that we required from mine host and hostess, who relinquished their own bed for our accommodation, contenting themselves with a shake- down before the kitchen fire. 1 can now smile at the disastTs of that day, but at the time they appeared no trifles, as you may well suppose. Farewell, my dearest Molhe" •0 BACKWOODS or CANADA. r % LETTEa VI. s Petei borough.-^ Manners and Language of the Americans.— Scotch Eo- i;iiieman.— Description of Peterborough aud its Environs.— Canadian Flowers.T-Shanties.— Hardships suflbred by fast Sottlers.— Process of establishing a Farm. Peterborough, Sept. 11, 1832. . It is now settled that we abide here till after the government sale has taken place. We are, then, to remain with S and his family till we have got a few acres chopped, and a log-house put up on our own land. Having determined to go a*, once into the bush, on account of our military grant, which we have been so fortunate as to draw in the neighbour- hood of S , we have fully made up our minds to enter at once, and cheerfully, on the privations and inconveniences attending such a situation ; as there is no choice between relinquish! t7g that great advantage and doing our settlement duties. We shall not be worse off than others who have gone before us to the unsettled townships, many of whom, naval and mili- tary officers, with their families, have had to struggle with considerable difficulti"-, but who are now be- ginning to feel the advantages arising from their exertions. In addition to the land he is entitled to as an officer in the British service, my husband is in treaty for the purchase of an eligible lot by small lakes. This will give us a water frontage, and a further in- 1 1 :! SOCIETY AT PETERBOROUGH. bl ducement to bring us within a little distance of S , so that we shall not be quite so lonely as if we had gone on to our government lot at once. We have experienced some attention and hospi- tality from several of the residents of Peterborough. Tliere is a very genteel society, chiefly composed of officers and their families, besides the professional men and storekeepers. Many of the latter nre per- sons of respectable family and good education. Though a store is, in fact, nothing better than what we should call in the country towns at home a " general shop" yet the storekeeper in Canada holds a very different rank from the shopkeeper of the English village. The storekeepers are the merchants and bankers of the places in which they reside. Almost all money matters are transacted by them, and they are often men of landed property and con- sequence, not unfrequently filling the situations of magistrates, commissioners, and even members of the provincial parliament. As they maintain a rank in society which entitles them to equality with the aristocracy of the country^ you must not be surprised when I tell you that it is no uncommon circumstance to see the sons of naval and military officers and clergymen standing behind a counter, or wielding an axe in the woods with their fathers' choppers; nor do they lose their grade in society by such employment. After r.U, it is educa- tion and manners that must d'dtinguish the gentle- man in this country, seeing tliat the labouring man, if he is diligent and industrious, may soon become his equal in point of worldly posicssioiis. The igiio- 82 BACKWOODS OK CANADA. rant man, let him be ever so wealthy, can never be equal to the man of education. It is the mind that forms the distinction between the classes in this country — " Knowledge is power I" ...«. •».= ' - */ We had heard so much of the odious manners of the Yankees in thi^ country that I was rather agreea- bly surprised by the few specimens of native Ameri- cans that I have seen. They were, for the most part, polite, well-behaved people. The only pecuU:.fities I observed rn them were a certain nasal twang in speak- ing, and some few odd phrases; but these were only used by the lower class, who " guess^' and " calculate'* little more than we do. Cue of their most re- markable terms is to " Fix." Whatever work requires to be done it must hajixed, " Fix the room" is, set it in order. " Fix the table" — " Fix the fire," says the mistress to her servants, and the things are fixed accordingly. I was amused one day byhearii-g a woman tell her husband the chimney wanted fixirg. I thought it seemed secure enough, and was a litAe surprised when the man got a rope and a few cedar boughs, with which he dislodged an accumulation of soot that caused the fire to smoke. The chimney beiiig^i:^^^, all went right again. This odd term is not confined to the lower orders lione, ,nd, from hearing it so often, it becomes a standard word e en among the later emigrants from *s;ir own country. With the exception of some few remarkable ex- piessionfj, and an attei jpt at introducing fine words ill their cvery-day conveisatiou, the lower order of Yankees have a decided advantui;e over our English MANNERS OP THE AMERICANS. M peasantry in the use of grammatical language ; they speak better English than you will hear from persons of the same class in any part of England, Ireland, or Scotland ; a fact that we should be unwilling, I sup- pose, to allow at home. If I were asked what appeared to me the most striking feature in the manners of the Americans that I had met with, I should say it was coldness approach- ing to apathy. I do not at all imagine them to be deficient in feeling or real sensibility, but they do not suffer their emotion to be seen. They are less pro- fuse in their expressions of welcome and kindness than we are, though probably quite as sincere. No one doubts their hospitality ; but, after all, one likes to see the hearty shake of the hand, and hear the cordial word that makes one feel oneself welcome. Persons who come to this country are very apt to confound the old settlers from Britain with the native Americans ; and when they meet with people oi rude, offensive manners, using certain Yankee words in their conversation, and making a display of indepen- dence not exactly suitable to their own aristocratical notions, they immediately suppose they must be genuine Yankees, while they are, in fact, only imi- tators ; and you well know the fact that a bad imita- tion is always worse than the original. You would be surprised to see Low soon the new comers fall into this disagreeable manner and affec- tation of equality, especially the inferior class of Irish and Scotch; the English less so. We were rather entertained by the behaviour of a young Scotchman, the engineer of the st'^amer, on my husband address- m^^ 84 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. I I ing him with reference to the management of the engine. His manners were surly, and almost insolent. He scrupulously avoided the least approach to courtesy or outward respect ; nay, he even went so far as to ieat himself on the bench close beside me, and ob- served that " among the many advantages this coun- try offered to settlers like him, he did not reckon it the least of them that he was not obliged to take off his hat when he spoke to people (meaning persons of our degree), or address them by any other title than their name ; besides, he could go and take his seat beside any gentleman or lady either, and think him- self to the full as good as them. " Very likely," I replied, hardly able to refrain from laughing at this aally ; " but I doubt you greatly overrate the advantage cf such privileges, for you can- not oblige the lady or gentleman to entertain the same opinion of your qualifications, or to remain seated beside you unless it pleases them to do so." With these words I rose up and left the independent gen- tleman evidently a little confounded at the mantEuvre ; however, he soon recovered his self-possession, and continued swinging the axe he held in his hand, and said, " It is no crime, I guess, being born a poor man." "None in the world," replied my husband; **a man's birth is not of his own choosing. A man can no more help being born poor than rich ; neither is it the fault of a gentleman being born of parents who occupy a higher station in society than liis neighbour. 1 hope you will allow this ?'' The Scotchman was obliged to yield a reluctant nffivmative to the latter position ; but conchuled with A SCOTCH ENUINRER. M /" u^iii repeating his satisfaction at not being obliged in this country to take off his hat, or speak with re spect to gentlemen, as they styled themselves. " No one, my friend, could have obliged you to be well mannered at home any more than in Canada. Surely you could have kept your hat on your head if you had been so disposed ; no gentleman would have knocked it off, I am sure. " As to the boasted advantage of rude manners in Canada, I should think something of it if it benefited you the least, or put one extra dollar in your pocket ; but I have my doubts if it has that profitable effect." " There is a comfort, I guess, in considering one- self equal to a gentleman." " Particularly if you could induce the gentleman to think the same." This was a point that seemed rather to disconcert our candidate for equality, who com- menced whistling and kicking his heels with redoubled energy. " Now," said his tormentor, " you have explained your notions of Canadian independence ; be so good as to explain the machinery? of your engine, with which you seem very well acquainted." The man eyed my husband for a minute, hal^sulk- ing, half pleased at the implied compliment on his skill, and, walking off to the engine, discussed the management of it with considerable fluency, and from that time treated us with perfect respect. He was evidently struck with my husband's reply to his question, put in a most discourteous tone, "Pray, what makes a gentleman : I'll thank you to answer me that ?' " Good manners and good education," was M M HACKWOOns OK CANADA. '^.-^ ^ 'f' m ilu< reply. " A ricli inaii or u liigh-boru muii, li he is nuU% ill-tniiiiiicriMl. and ig;iu)r:iiit, in no more a giMitloinnii ihmi yourself." This put (ho nuittor ou u (lifiereut r(H)tiiig;, uikI the en^^ineer hml tho );-(m><1 seiisi> to |)erceive iliat lude iUuiiliurity did iu)t roustituto ti {^enlleiiuui. But it is iu)w time L shouhl give you some ucoouiit oi' IVterhtM'lUigh, wliidi, in point of situation, is su|)e- rior to any place I have yet seen in the lIpiK?r Pro- vince. It tuvupies a central point between the town- ships of Monag'han, Smith, C'avan, Otanabee, and Domx), and nuvy with propriety be considered as the capital of the Newcastle district. It is situated o\\ a fine elevated plain, just above the sni.iU lake, where the river is ilivided by two low wooded islets. The ori{j;inal or government part of the town is l.nd outinhalf-aci*e lots ; the streets, which are mow ftu-it lillinjy up, are nearly at rij^ht angles with the vivor, anwn hand, with g;roups of feathery pines, oaks, bal- sam, poplar, and silver biivh. The views from these plains are deli'^htful ; whiclvcNcr >ray you turn your eyes they are gratitied by a divei'sity of hill and dale, vroixl and water, with the town spreading over acou- sidemble tract of gix)und. The plains descend with a steep declivity towiu'ds the river, which rushes with considerable innx'tuosity between its banks. Fancy a long, narrow valley. I mail, it. he no inure u in^, and the e thai lude I. onic uci'ount ion, is H\\\ni- UpiKjr IVo- Mi the town- anahee, and (IcM'ed as the , just ahove I by two h)w lont part of jtrcets, which anj^los with (> the north- tural park, red with a iety of the 3y Nature's oaks, bal- froni these turn your ill and dale, over acon- i(y towtirds inn>etuosity row valley. U' 1 S)iviice. IMAGE RVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 1^ 1 2.8 |50 '■^~ ■ 4.0 2.5 2.2 1.8 ^ IM V] ^m > 1^^ 0^ ►> ! i.; \<\ > \' )■ TOWN OF PETERBOROUGH. 89 and separating the east and west portions of the town into two distinct villages. The Otanabee bank rises to a loftier elevation than the Monaghan side, and commands an extensive view over the intervening valley, the opposite town, and the boundary forest and hills behind it : this is called Peterborough East, and is in the hands of two or three individuals of large capital, from whom the town lots are purchased. .o - ^ . . .. Peterborough thus divided covers a great extent of ground, more than sufficient for the formation of a large city. The number of inhabitants are now reckoned at seven hundred and upwards, and if it continues to increase as rapidly in the next few years as it has done lately, it will soon be a very populous town ♦. There is great virater-power, both as regards the river and the fine broad creek which winds its way through the town, and falls into the small lake below. There are several saw and grist-mills, a distillery, fulling-mill, two principal inns, besides smaller ones, a number of good stores, a government school-house, which also serves for a church, till one more suitable should be built. The plains are sold off in park lots, and some pretty little dwellings are being built, but I much fear the natural beauties of this lovely spot will be soon spoiled. I am never weary with strolling about, climbing the hills in every direction, to catch some new pros- * Since this account of Peterborough was written, the town has increased at least a third in buildings and population. do BACKNNOODS OK CANADA. v-i |)ect, or gather some new flowers, which, though get- ting hite in the summer, are still abundant. Among the plants with whose names I am ac- quainted are a variety of shmbby asters, of every tint of blue, purple, and pearly white ; a lilac moiarda^ most delightfully aromatic, even to the dry stalks and seed-vessels; the white gnapJuilium or everkistin<5 flower ; roses of several kinds, a few late buds ol which I found in a valley, near the church. I also noticed among the shrubs a very pretty little plant, resembling our box ; it trails along the ground, send- ing up branches and shoots ; the leaves turn of a deep copper red* ; yet, in spite of this contradiction, it is an evergreen. I also noticed some beautiful lichens, with coral caps surmounting the grey hollow footstalks, nhich grow in irregular tufts among the dry mosses, or more frequently I found them covering the roots of the trees or half-decayed timbers. Among a va- riety of fungi I gathered a hollow cup of the most splendid scarlet within, and a pale fawn colour with-- out ; another very beautiful fungi consisted of small branches like clusters of white coral, but of so delicate a texture that the slightest touch caused them to break. The ground in many places was covered with a thick carpet of strawberries of many varieties, which atford a constant dessert during the season to those who choose to pick them, a privilege of which I am sure I should gladly avail myself were I near them in the summer. Beside the plants I have myself ob- served in blossom, I am told the spring and summer * ProbiiUH a Gfiultheria — Ki). CANADIAN BOTANY. 91 produce many others ; — the orange lily ; the phlox, of purple lichnicka ; the mocassin flower, or Uulies' slip- per ; lilies of the valley in abundance ; and, towards the banks of the creek and the Otanabee, the splendid cardinal flower (lobelia cardinalis) waves its scarlet spikes of blossoms. , n* ; ; > j ' I am half inclined to be angry when I admire the beauty of the Canadian flowers, to be constantly reminded that they are scentless, and therefore scarcely worthy of attention ; as if the eye could not be charmed by beauty of form and harmony of colours, indepen- dent of the sense of smelling being gratified. To redeem this country from the censure cast on it by a very clever gentleman I once met in London, who said, " the flowers were without perfume, and the birds without song," I have already discovered seve- ral highly aromatic plants and flowers. The milk- weed must uot be omitted among these ; a beautiiful shrubby plant with purple flowers, which are alike remarkable for beauty of colour and richness of scent. I shall very soon begin to collect a hortus siccus for Eliza, with a description of the plants, growtl. and qualities. Any striking particulars respecting them I shall make notes of; and tell her she may depend on my sending my specimens, with seeds of such as I can collect, at some fitting opportunity. I consid&r this country opens a wide and fruitful field to the inquiries of the botanist. I now deeply i-egret I did not beneflt by the frequent offers Eliza made me of prosecuting a study which I once thought dry, but now regard as highly interesting, and the fertile soui'ce of mental enjoyment, especially to those S2 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. who, living in the bush, must necessarily be shut out from the pleasures of a large circle of friends, and the varieties that a town or village offer. On Sunday I went to church ; the first opportunity I had had of attending public worship since I was in the Highlands of Scotland ; and surely I had reason to bow my knees in thankfulness to that merciful God who had brought us through the perils of the great deep and the horrors of the pestilence. Never did our beautiful Liturgy seem so touching and impressive as it did that day, — offered up in our lowly log-built church in the wilderness. This simple edifice is situated at the foot of a gentle slope on the plains, surrounded by groups of oak and feathery pines, which, though inferior in point of size to the huge pines and oaks of the forest, are far more agreeable to the eye, branching out in a variety of fantastic forms. The turf here is of an emerald green- ness: in short, it is a sweet spot, retired from the noise and bustle of the town, a fitting place in which to worship God in spirit and in truth. There are many beautiful walks towards the Smith town hills, and along the banks that overlook the river. The summit of this ridge is sterile, and is thickly set with loose blocks of red and grey granite, interspersed with large masses of limestone scattered in every direction; they are mostly smooth and rounded, as if by the action of water. As they are detached, and merely occupy the surface of the ground, it seemed strange to me how they came at that ele- vation. A geologist would doubtless be able to solve the mystery in a few minutes. The oak;;, ^hat grow THE SHANTY. 93 f '' on this high bank are rather larger and more flourish- ing than those in the valleys and more fertile portions of the soil. Behind the town, in the direction of the Cavan and Emily roads, is a wide space which I call the " squatter's ground," it being entirely covered with shanties, in which the poor emigrants, commuted pensioners, and the like, have located themselves and families. Some remain here under the ostensible reason of providing a shelter for their wives and children till they have prepared a home for their reception on their respective grants ; but not unfre- quently it happens that they arc too indolent, or really unable to work on their lots, often situated many miles in the backwoods, and in distant and unsettled town- ships, presenting great obstacles to the poor emigrant, which it requires more energy and courage to en- counter than is possessed by a vast number of them. Others, of idle and profligate habits, spend the money they received, and sell the land, for which they gave away their pensions, after which they remain misera- ble squatters on the shanty ground. The shanty is a sort of primitive hut in Canadian architecture, and is nothing more than a shed built of logs, the chinks between the round edges of the timbers being filled with mud, moss, and bits of wood ; the roof is frequently composed of logs split and hol- lowed with the axe, and placed side by side, so that the edges rest on each other ; the concave and convex surfaces being alternately uppermost, every other log forms a channel to carry off the rain and melting snow. The eaves of this building resemble the scol« 94 BACKWOODS OF CANADA, I !( lo\)ed edges of a clamp shell ; but rude as this covering is, it eflectually answers the purpose of keeping the interior dry ; far more so than the roofs formed of bark or boards, through which the rain will find entrance. Sometimes the shanty has a window, sometimes only an open doorway, which admits the light and lets out the smoke^. A rude chimney, which is often nothing better than an opening cut in one of the top logs above the hearth, a few boards fastened in a square form, serves as the vent for the smoke ; the oiily precaution against the fire catching the log walls behind the hearth being a few large stones placed in a half circular form, or more commonly a bank of dry earth raised against the wall. Nothing can be more comfortless than some of these shanties, reeking with smoke and dirt, the com- mon receptacle ifor children, pigs, and fowls. But I have given you the dark side of the picture ; I am happy to say all the shanties on the squatters' ground were not like these : on the contrary, by far the larger proportion were inhabited by tidy folks, and had one, or * I was greatly amused by the remark made by a little Irish boy, that we hired to be our hewer of wood and drawer of water, who had been an inhabitant of one of these shanties. "Ma'am," said he, "when the weather was stinging cold, we did not know how to keep ourselves warm ; for while we roasted our eyes out before the fire our backs were just freezing ; so first we turned one side and then tbe other, just as you would roast aguse on a spit. Mother spent half the money father earned at his straw work (he was a straw chair-maker,) in whiskey to keep us warm ; but I do think a larger mess of good hot praters (potatoes,) woidd have kept us warmer than the whiskey di«l." lis covering eeping the formed of will find 1 window, admits the ney, which t in one of Is fastened le smoke ; ng the log ge stones sommonly . some of , the cora- ls. But I ire ; I am 's' ground le larger ad one, or little Irish er of water, "Ma'am," lye did not oasted our g ; so first ould roast ler earned n whiskey good hot than the I %■ »?t >l i EARLY TRIALS OF SETTLERS. 97 even two small windows, and a clay chimney regularly built up through the roof; some were even roughly floored, and possessed similar comforts with the small log-houses. You will, perhaps, think it strange when I assure you that many respectable settlers, with their wives and families, persons delicately nurtured, and accus- tomed to every comfort before they came hither, have been contented to inhabit a hut of this kind during the first or second year of their settlement in the woods. I have listened with feelings of great interest to the history of the hardships endured by some of the first settlers in the neighbourhood, when Peterborough contained but two dwelling-houses. Then there were neither roads cut nor boats built for communicating with the distant and settled parts of the district ; con- sequently the difficulties of procuring supplies of pro- visions was very great, beyond what any one that has lately come hither can form any notion of. When I heard of a whole family having had no better supply of flour than what could be daily ground by a small hand-mill, and for weeks being destitute of every necessary, not even excepting bread, I could not help expressing some surprise, never having met with any account in the works I had read concerning emigration that at all prepared one for such evils. " These particular trials," observed my intelligent friend, " are confined principally to the first breakers of the soil in the unsettled parts of the country, as was our case. If you dilig-ently question some of the families of the lower class that are located far from !; 98 HACKWOODS OF CANADA. the towns, ami who had little or no means to support them (luring the first twelve monthH, till they couhl take a crop otT the laud, you will hear many sad talcH of distress." Writers on emigration do not take the trouble of searching out these things, nor does it answer their purpose to state disagreeable facts. Few have written exclusively on the " Bush." Travellers generally make a hasty journey through the long settled and prosperous portions of the country ; they see a tract of fertile, well-cultivated land, the result of many years of labour; they see comfortable dwellings, abounding with all the substantial necessaries of life ; the farmer's wife makes her own soap, candles, and sugar ; the family are clothed in cloth of their own spinning, and hose of their own knitting. The bread, the beer, butter, cheese, meat, poultry, &c. are all the produce of the farm. He concludes, therefore, that Canada is a land of Canaan, and writes a book set- ting forth these advantages, with the addition of ob- taining land for a mere song ; and advises all persons who would be independent and secure from want to emigrate. He forgets that these advantages are the result of long years of unremitting and patient labour ; that these things are the crowiiy not the ^rst-fndts of the settler's toil ; and that during the interval many and great privations must be submitted to by almost every class of emigrants. Many persons, on first coming out, especialiy if they go back into any of the unsettled townships, are dispirited by the unpromising appearance of things ) support ley could sad talcH rouble of wer their fe written generally ttled and ee a tract of many Iwellings, !S of life ; dies, and ;heir own 'he bread, ire all the ore, that )ook set- in of ob- persons want to result of )ur; that ts of the lany and Dst every ecialiy if hips, are if things SUl»PLIES IN THE FOKEST. 101 about them. They find none of the advantages and comforts of which they had heard and read, and they are unprepared for the present difficulties ; some give way to despondency, and others quit the place in disgust. A little reflection would have shown them that every rood of land must be cleared of the thick forest of timber that encumbers it before an ear of wheat can be grown ; that, after the trees have been chop- ped, cut into lengths, drawn t(^ether, or logged, as we call it, and burned, the field must be fenced, the seed sown, harvested, and thrashed before any returns can be obtained ; that this requires time and much labour, and, if hired Labour, considerable outlay of ready money ; and in the mean time a family must eat. If at a distance from a store, every article must be brought through bad roads either by hand or with a team, the hire of which is generally costly in pro- portion to the distance and difficulty to be encountered in the conveyance. Now these thing-s are better known beforehand, and then people are aware what they have to encounter. Even a labouring man, though he have land of his own, is often, I may say generally, obliged to hire out to work for the first year or two, to earn sufficient for the maintenance of his family ; and even so many of them suffer much privation before they reap the benefit of their independence. Were it not for the hope and the certain prospect of bettering their con- dition ultimately, they would sink under what they have to endure ; but this thought buoys them up. They do not fear an old age of want and pauperism ; o 3 t». *crt*JU^,», 102 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. the present evils must yield to industry and perse* verance ; they think also for their children ; and the trials of the present time are lost in pleasing .antir:Ues; then lie truly feels the benefit of iudciicndence. It is looking 104 BACKWOODS OK CANADA. m^ ! ri m forward to this happy fulfihnent of liis desires Ihu' iiKikes the rough paths smooth, and lightens the bur- den of present ills. He looks round upon a nume- rous family without those anxious fears that beset a father in moderate circumstances at home; for he knows he does not leave them destitute of an honest means of support.'' In spite of all the trials he had encountered, I found this gentleman was so much attached to a settler's life, that he declared he would not go back to iiis own country to reside for a i^ermanence on any account; nor is he the only one that I have heard express the same opinion ; and it likewise seems a universal one among the lower class of emigrants. They are encouraged by the example of others whom they see enjoying comforts that they could never have obtained had they laboured ever so hard at home ; and they wisely reflect they must have liad hardships to endure had they remained in their native land (many indeed had been driven out by want), without the most remote chance of bettering themselves or becoming the possessors of land free from all i-e- strictions. " What to us are the sufferings of one, two, three, or even four years, compared with a whole life of labour and poverty," was the remark of a poor labourer, who was recounting to us the other day some of the hardships he had met with in this country. He said he " knew they were only for a short time, and that by industry he should soon get over them." 1 have already seen two of our poor neighLoum that left the parish a twelvemonth ago; they nre REFLECTIONS. 105 settled in Canada Company lots, and are getting on well. They have soine few acres cleared and cropped, but are obliged to " hire ouV\ to enable their families to live, working on their own land when they can. The men are in good spirits, and say " they shall in a few years have many comforts about them that they never could have got at home, had they worked late and early ; but they complain that their wives are always pining forborne, and lamenting that ever they crossed the seas." This seems to be the general complaint with all classes ; the women are discontented and un- happy. Few enter with their whole heart into a settler's life. They miss the little domestic comforts they had been used to enjoy ; they regret the friends and relations they left in the old country ; and they cannot endure the loneliness of the backwoods. This prospect does not discourage me : I know I shall find plenty of occupation within-doors, and I have sources of enjoyment when I walk abroad that will keep me from being dull. Besides, have I not a right to be cheerful and contented for the sake of my beloved partner ? The change is not greater for me than him ; and if for his sake I have voluntarily left home, and friends, and country, shall I therefore sadden him by useless regrets ? I am always ii.ysdned to subscribe to that sentiment of my favourite poet, Goldsmith, — " Still to ourselves in every place consign'd. Our own felicity we make or find." But I slmll very soon be put to the test, as we leave this town to-morrow by ten o'clock, llie purcl 106 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. i of the Lake lot is concluded. Tlierc are three acres cliopped and a shanty up ; but the shanty is not a habitable dwellings being; merely an open shed that was put up by the choppers as a temporary shelter ; so , we shall have to build a house. Late enough we are ; too late to get in a full crop, as the land is merely chopped, not cleared, and it is too late now to log and burn the fallow, and get the seed-wheat in : but it will be ready for spring crops. We paid five dollars and a half per acre for the lot ; this was rather high for wild land, so far from a town, and in a scan- tily-settled part of the township ; but the situation is good, and has a water frontage, for which my husband was willing to pay something more than if the lot had been further inland. In all probability it will be some time before I find leisure again to take up my pen. We shall remain guests with till our house is in a habitable ccui* diiion» which I suppose will be about Clu'l^tmab rcURNRV FROM PETERBOROUGH. 107 Letter VII. Jvurney from Peterborougn.— Canndlao Woods. —Waggon and Team— Areivul at a Ijog-buuie on the Dankit of a Lake.— Settlement, anil (ItaI Occupations. October 23, 1932. I SHALL begin my letter with a description of our journey through the bush, and so go on, giving an ac- count of our proceedings both within-doors and with- out. I know my little domestic details will not prove wholly uninteresting to you ; for well I am assured that a mother's eye is never weary with reading lines traced by the hand of an absent and beloved child. ' After some difficulty we succeeded in hiring a waggon and span (i. e. pair abreast) of stout horses to convey us and our luggage through the woods to the banks- of one of the lakes, where S had appointed to ferry us across. There was no palpable road, only a blaze on the other side, encumbered by fallen trees, and interrupted by a great cedar swamp, into which one might sink up to one's knees, unless we took the precaution to step along the trunks of the mossy, decaying timbers, or make our footing sure on some friendly block of granite or limestone. What is termed in bush language a blaze, is nothing more than notches or slices cut jff the bark of the trees^ to mark out the line of road. The boundaries of the different lots are often marked by a blazed tree, also ilK! I 168 BACKWOODS OK CANADA. the concession-lines*. These blazes are of as much use as finger-posts of a dark night. The road we were compelled to take lay over the Peterborough plains, in the direction of the river; the scenery of which pleased me much, though it presents little appearance of fertility, with the ex- ception of two or three extensive clearings. About three miles above Peterborough the road winds along the brow of a steep ridge, the bottom of which has every appearance of having been formerly the bed of a lateral branch of the present river, or perhaps some small lake, which has been diverted from its channel, and merged in the Otanabee. On either side of this ridge there is a steep descent ; on the right the Otanabee breaks upon you, rushing with great velocity over its rocky bed, forming rapids in miniature resembling those of the St. Laurence ; its dark, frowning woods of sombre pine give a grandeur to the scenery that is very impressive. On the left lies below you a sweet secluded dell of ever- greens, cedar, hemlock, and pine, enlivened by a few deciduous trees. Through this dell there is a road- track leading to a fine cleared farm, the green pas- * These concession-lines are certain divisions of the town- ships ; these are again divided into so many lots of 200 acres* The concession-lines used to be marked by a wide avenue being chopped, so as to form a road of communication between them ; but this plan was found too troublesome ; and in a few years the young growth of timber so choked the 0|;)ening, that it was of little use. The lately-surveyed townships^ I believet arc only divided by blazed lines. ' as mucli ' over the ;he river; thoug^h it I the ex- the road bottom of I formerly river, or \ diverted )ee. 3 descent ; I, rushing ng rapids L^aurence ; ~ give a live. On of ever- by a few a road< reen pas- the tuwn- 200 acres, de avenue )n between id in a few ning, that I believet H •^< ' ) \ mn. 4 ULBN MORRISON. HI tures of which were rendered more pleasing by the absence of the odious stumps that disfigure the clearings in this part of the country. A pretty bright stream flows through the low meadow that lies at the foot of the hill, which you descend suddenly close by a small grist-mill that ?s worked by the waters, just where they meet the rapids of the river. I called this place " Glen Morrison," partly from the remembrance of the lovely Glen Morrison of the Highlands, and partly because it was the name of the settler that owned the spot. Our progress was but slow on account of the roughness of the road, which is beset with innume- rable obstacles in the shape of loose blocks of granite and limestone, with which the lands on the banks of the river and lakes abound ; to say nothing of fallen trees, big roots, mud-holes, and corduroy bridges, over which you go jolt, jolt, jolt, till every bone in your body feels as if it were going to be dislocated. An experienced bush-traveller avoids many hard thumps by rising up or clinging to the sides of his rough vehicle. As the day was particularly fine, I often quitted the waggon and walked on with my husband for a mile or so. We soon lost sight entirely of the river, and struck into the deep solitude of the forest, where not a sound disturbed the almost awful stillness that reigned around us. Scarcely a leaf or bough was in motion, excepting at intervals we caught the sound of the breeze stirring the lofty heads of the pine-trees, and wakening a hoarse and mournful cadence. This u 3 112 BACK WOODS OK CANADA, u with the tapping of the red-headeii and giey wootl- peckers on the trunk of the decaying trees, or the shrill whistling cry of the little striped squirrel, called by the natives " chitmunk," was every sound that broke the stillness of the wild. Nor was I less surprised at the absence of animal life. With the exception of the aforesaid chitmunk, no living thing crossed our path during our long day's journey in the woods. In these vast solitudes one would naturally be led to imagine that the absence of man would have allowed Nature's wild denizens to have abounded free and unmolested ; but the contrary seems to be the case. Almost all wild animals are more abun- dant in the cleared districts than in the bush. Man's industry supplies their wants at an easier rate than seeking a scanty subsistence in the forest. You hear continually of depredations committed by wolves, bears, racoons, lynxes, and foxes, in the long- settled parts of the province. In the backwoods the appearance of wild beasts is a matter of much rarer occurrence. I was disappointed in the forest trees, having pic- tured to myself hoary giants almost primeval with the country itself, as greatly exceeding in majesty of form the trees of my native isles, as the vast lakes and mighty rivers of Canada exceed the locks and streams of Britain. There is a want of picturesque beauty in the woods. The young growth of timber alone has any pretension to elegance of form, unless I except the hemlocks, which are extremely light and graceful, and of a lovely refreshing tint of green. Even when winter t! THAVEI-MNQ IN THE WOODS. 113 has stripped the forest it is still beautiful and verdant. The young beeches too are pretty enough, but you miss that fantastic bowery shade that is so delightful in our parks and woodlands at home. There is no appearance of venerable antiquity in the Canadian woods. There are no ancient spreading oaks that might be called the patriarchs of the forest. A premature decay seems to be their doom. They are uprooted by the storm, and sink in their first maturity, to give place to a new generation that is ready to fill their places. The pines are certainly the finest trees. In point of size there are none to surpass them. They tower above all the others, forming a dark line that may be distinguished for many miles. The pines being so much loflier than the other trees, are sooner up- rooted, as they receive the full and unbroken force of the wind in their tops ; thus it is that the ground is continually strewn with the decaying trunks of huge pines. They also seem more liable to inward decay, and blasting from lightning, and fire. Dead pines are more frequently met with than any other tree. Much as I had seen and heard of the badness of the roads in Canada, I was not prepared for such a one as we travelled along this day : indeed, it hardly deserved the name of a road, being little more than an opening hewed out through the woods, the trees being felled and drawn aside, so as to admit a wheeled carriage passing along. The swamps and little forest streams, that occa- sionally gush across the path, are rendered passable by logs placed side hs side. From the ridgy and ■< ,' 114 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. i'^ striped appearance of these bridges they are aptlj enough termed corduroy. Over these abominable corduroys the vehicle jolts, jumping from log to log, with a shock that must be endured with as good a grace as possible. If you could bear these knocks, and pitiless thumpings and bumpings, without wry faces, your patience and phi> losophy would far exceed mine ; — sometimes I laughed because I would not cry. Imagine you see me perched up on a seat composed of carpet-bags, trunks, and sundry packages, in a vehicle little better than a great rough deal box set on wheels, the sides being merely pegged in so that more than once I found myself in rather an awkward predicament, owing to the said sides jumping out. In the very midst of a deep mud-hole out went the front board, and with the shock went the teamster (driver), who looked rather confounded at finding himself lodged just in the middle of a slough aa bad as the " Slough of Despond." For my part, as I could do no good, I kept my seat, and patiently awaited the restoration to order. This was soon effected, and all went on well again till a jolt against a huge pine-tree gave such a jar to the ill-set vehicle, that one of the boards danced out that composed the bottom, and a sack of flour and bag of salted pork, which was on its way to a settler s, whose clearing we had to pass in the way, were ejected. A good team- ster is seldom taken aback by such trifles as these. He is, or should be, provided with an axe. No waggon, team, or any other travelling equipage should be unprovided with an instrument of this kind ; aa mH Ai K SAGACITY OP CANADIAN HORSES. IIA soon no one can answer for the obstacles that may im- pede his process in the bush. The disasters we met fortunately required but little skill in remedying. The sides need only a stout peg, and the loosened planka that form the bottom being quickly replaced, away you go again over root, stump, and stone, mud-hole, and corduroy ; now against the trunk of some stand- ing tree, now mounting over some fallen one, with an impulse that would annihilate any lighter equipage than a Canadian waggon, which is admirably fitted by its very roughness for such roads as we have in the bush. The sagacity of the horses of this country is truly admirable. Their patience in surmounting the dif- ficulties they have to encounter, their skill in avoiding the holes and stones, and in making their footing sure over the round and slippery timbers of the log-bridges, renders them very valuable. If they want the spirit and fleetness of some of our high-bred blood-horses, they make up in gentleness, strength, and patience. This renders them most truly valuable, as they will travel in such places that no British horse would, with equal safety to their drivers. Nor are the Canadian horses, when well fed and groomed, at all deficient in beauty of colour, size, or form. They are not very often used in logging ; the ox is preferred in all rough and heavy labour of this kind. Just as the increasing gloom of the forest began to warn us of the approach of evening, and I was getting weary and hungry, cur driver, in some confusion, avowed liis belief that, somehow or other, he had missed the track, though how, he could not tell, see* hi 116 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. ing there was but one road. We were nearly two miles from the last settlement, and he said we ought to be within sight of the lake if we were on the right road. The only plan, we agreed, was for him to go forward and leave the team, and endeavour to ascer- tain if he were near the water, and if otherwise, to return to the house we had passed and inquire the way. After running full half a mile ahead he returned with a dejected countenance, saying we must be wrong, for he saw no appearance of water, and the road we were on appeared to end in a cedar swamp, as the further ha went the thicker the hemlocks and cedars became ; so, as we had no desire to commence our settlement by a night's lodging in a swamp — where, to use the expression of our driver, the cedars grew as thick as hairs on a cat s back, — we agreed to retrace our steps. Afler some difficulty the lumbering machine was turned, and slowly we began our backward march. We had not gone more than a mile when a boy came along, who told us we might just go back again, as there was no other road to the lake ; and added, with a knowing nod of his head, " Master, I guess if you had known the bush as well as I, you would never have been fide enough to turn when you were going just right. Why, any body knows that them cedars and himlocks grow thickest near the water ; so you may just go back for your pains." It was dark, save that the stars came forth with more than usual brilliancy, when we suddenly emerged from the depth of the gloomy forest to the shores of OVKBTAKEN BY NIGHT. II7 a beautiful little lake, that gleamed the more brightly from the contrast of the dark masses of foliage that hung over it, and the towering pine-woods that girt its banks. Here, seated on a huge block of limestone, which was covered with a soft cushion of moss, beneath the shade of the cedars that skirt the lake, surrounded with trunks, boxes, and packages of \arious descrip- tions, which the driver had hastily thrown from the waggon, sat your child, in anxious expectation of some answering voice to my husband's long and repeated halloo. • But when the echo of his voice had died away we heard only the gurgling of the waters at the head of the rapids, and the distant and hoarse murmur of a waterfall some half mile below them. We could see no sign of any habitation, no gleam of light from the shore to cheer us. In vain we strained our ears for the plash of the oar, or welcome Found of the human voice, or bark of some house- hold dog, that might assure us we were not doomed to pass the night in the lone wood. We began now to apprehend we had really lost the way. To attempt returning through the deepening darkness of the foi«st in search of any one to guide us was quite out of the question, the road being so ill defined that we should soon have been lost in the mazes of the woods. The last sound of the waggon- wlieels had died away in the distance ; to have over- taken it would have been impossible. Bidding me remain quietly where I was, my husband forced his way through the tangled underwood along the bank, r /. 118 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. In-! I I If in hope of discovering some sign of the hou&e sought, which we had every reason to suppose must be near, though probably hidden by the dense masi of trees from our sight. As I sat in the wood in silence and in darkness, my thoughts gradually wandered back across the Atlantic to my dear mother and to my old home ; and I thought what would have been your feelings could you at that moment have beheld me as I sat on the cold mossy stone in the profound stillness of that vast leafy wilderness, thousands of miles from all those lioly ties of kindred and early associations that make home in all countries a hallowed spot. It was a mo- ment to press upon my mind the importance of the step I had taken, in voluntarily sharing the lot of the emigrant — in leaving the land of my birth, to which, in all probability, I might never again return. Great as was the sacrifice, even at that moment, strange as was my situation, I felt no painful regret or fearfiJ misgiving depress my mind. A holy and tranquil peace came down upon me, soothing and softening my spirits into a calmness that seemed as unruffled as was the bosom of the water that lay stretched out before my feet. My reverie was broken by the light plash of a pad- dle, and a bright line of light showed a canoe danc- ing over the lake ; in a few minutes a well-known and friendly voice greeted me as the little bark was moored among the cedars at my feet. My husband having gained a projecting angle of the shore, had discovered the welcome blaze of the wood fire in the log-house, and, after some difficulty, had succeeded m WBLCOMB RECEPTION. 119 fousing the attention of its inhabitants. Our cominjr thiit day had ion^ been given up, and our first call hud been mistaken for the sound of the ox-bells in the wndon look on a warm, sultry spring morning. Not a breeze ruffled the waters, not a leaf (for the leaves had not entirely fallen) moved. This perfect stagnation of the air was suddenly changed by a hur- ricane of wind and snow that came on without any previous warning. I was standing near a group of fall pines that had been left in the middle of the clear- ing, collecting some beautiful crimson lichens, S not being many paces distant, with his oxen drawing fire-wood. Suddenly we heard a distant hollow rush- ing sound that momentarily increased, the air around us being yet perfectly calm. 1 looked up, and beheld the clouds, hitherto so motionless, moving with amaz- ing rapidity in several differeut directions. A dense gloom overspread the heavens. S , who had been busily engaged \«rith the cattle, had not noticed my being so near, and now called to me to use all the 4 128 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. \\ ? it speed r could to giiin the house, or an ojjen part ol the clearing, distant from the pine-trees. Instinc- tively I turned towards the house, while the thunder mg shtxik of trees falling in all directions at the edge of the forest, the rending of the bwinches from the pines I had just quitted, and the rush of the whirl- wind sweeping down the lake, made me sensible of the danger with which I had been threatened. The scattered boughs of the pines darkened the air as they whirled above me ; then came the blinding snow-storm : but I could behold the progress of the tempest in safety, having gained the threshold of our house. The driver of the oxen had thrown himself on the ground, while the poor beasts held down their meek heads, patiently abiding " the pelting of the pitiless storm." S , my husband, and the rest of the household, collected in a group, watched with anxiety the wild havoc of the warring elements. Not a leaf remained on the trees when the hurricane was over ; they were bare and desolate. Thus ended the short reign of the Indian summer. I think the notion entertained by some travellers, that the Indian summer is caused by the annual con- flagration of forests by those Ir:dians inhabiting the unexplored regions beyond the larger lakes is absurd. Imaffine for an instant what immense tracts of woods must be yearly consumed to affect nearly the whole of the continent of North America: besides, it takes place at that season of the year when the fire is least likely to run freely, owing to the humidity of the ground from the autumnal rains. I should rather attribute the peculiar warmth and hazy appearance of )en part ot Instinc- e thunder t the edge s from the the whirl- sensible of led. kened the le blinding •ess of the lold of our vn himself iown their ing of the , and the r watched elements, hurricane lus ended travellers, nual con- )iting the |s absurd. of woods whole of it takes [e is least of the Id rather trance of n c r V ADVANCES OF WINTER. 131 the air that marks this season, to the fermentation going on of so great a mass of vegetable matter that is undergoing a state of decomposition dm-ing the latter part of October and beginning of November. It has been supposed by some persons that a great alteration will be effected in this season, as the pro- cess of clearing the land continues to decrease the quantity of decaying vegetation. Nay, I have heard Uie difference is already observable by those long acquainted with the American continent. Hitherto my experience of the climate is favourable. The autumn has been very fine, though the frosts are felt early in the month of September ; at first slightly, of a morning, but towards October more severely. Still, though the first part of the day is cold, the middle of it is warm and cheerful. We already see th^ stern advances of winter. It commenced very decidedly from the breaking up of the Indian summer. November is not at all like the same month at home. The early part was sofl and warm, the latter cold, with keen frosts and occasional falls of snow ; but it does not seem to possess the dark, gloomy, damp character of oiur British Novembers. However, it is not one season's acquaintance with the climate that enables a person to form any correct judgment of its general character, but a close observ- ance of its peculiarities and vicissitudes during many years' residence in the country. 1 must now tell you what my husband is doing on our land. He has let out ten acres to some Irish choppers who have established themselves in the bhanty for the winter. They are to receive fourteen U2 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. \ h dollars per acre for chopping, burning, and fencing in that quantity. The ground is to be perfectly cleared of every thing but the stumps : these will take from seven to nine or ten years to decay ; the pine, hem- lock, and fir remain much longer. The process of clearing away the stumps is too expensive for new beginners to venture upon, labour being so high that it cannot be appropriated to any but indispen- sable work. The working season is very short on account of the length of time the frost remains on the ground. With the exception of chopping trees, very little can be done. Those that understand the proper management of uncleared land, usually under- brush (that is, cut down all the small timbers and brushwood), while the leaf is yet on tham ; this is piled in heaps, and the windfallen trees are chopped through in lengths, to be logged up in the spring with the winter's chopping. The latter end of the summer and the autumn are the best seasons for this work. The leaves then become quite dry and sear, and greatly assist in the important business of burning off the heavy timbers. Another reason is, that when the snow has fallen to some depth, the light timbers cannot be cut close to the ground, or the dead branches and other incumbrances collected and thrown in heaps. . We shall have about three acres ready for spring- crops, provided we get a good burning of that which is already chopped near the site of the house, — this will be sown with oats, pumpkins, Indian corn, and potatoes: the other ten acres will be ready for putting in a crop of wheat. So you see it will be a PREPARATIONS FOR SPRING. J 33 long time before we reap a harvest. We could not even get in spring-wheat early enough to come to perfection this year. We shall try to get two cows in the spring, as they are little expense during the spring, summer, and autumn ; and by the winter we shall have pumpkins and oot'Siraw for tlM^m, »■"-' 1S4 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. '-f' ' :( Letter IX. LMBOt ayokeofOxoii.— ConHtruotlonof ii Lojj-honso — fJliixicrs' iiUil (*^ puiitorH' work.— D'jscriplioii of new LoK-hous«.— Wild FruiU ofthntloiiu- try.— Walks ou thu Ice.— Situation of tho f iouito.— Likku, «iid Murrouiuiiug Scenery. Lake House, April 18, 1833. But it is time that I should give you some account of our log-house, into which we moved a few days before Christmas. Many unlooked-for delays having hindered its completion before that time, I began to think it would never be habitable. Tlie first misfortune that happened was the loss of a fine yoke of oxen that were purchased to draw in the house-logs, that is, the logs for raising the walls of the house. Not regarding, the bush as pleasant as their former master's cleared pastures, or perhaps fore- seeing some hard work to come, early one morning they took into their heads to ford the lake at the head of the rapids, and march otf, leaving no trace of their route excepting their footing at the water's edge. Af)er many days spent in vain search for them, the work was at a stand, and for one month they were gone, and we began to give up all expectation of hearing any news of them. At last we learned they were some twenty miles off, in a distant township, having made their way through bush and swamp, creek and lake, back to their former owner, with an ■'.■SI PIC-NIC IN THB BACKWOODS. 135 instinct that supplied to them the want of roads and compass. Oxen have been known to traverse a tract of wild country to a distance of thirty or forty miles going in a direct line for their former haunts by unkncwn ])!itha, where memory could not avail them. In the dog we consider it is scent as well as memory that guides him to his far-off home ; — but how is this conduct of the oxen to be accounted for? They returned home through the mazes of interminable forests, where man, with all his reason and know- ledge, would have been bewildered and lost. It was the latter end of October before even the walls of our house were up. To effect this we called "a bee." Sixteen of our neighbours cheerfully obeyed our summons ; and though the day was far from favourable, so faithfully did our hive perform their tasks, that by night the outer walls were raised. The work went merrily on with the help of plenty of Canadiaa nectar (whiskey), the honey that our bees are solaced ynth. Some huge joints of salt pork, a peck of potatoes, with a rice-pudding, and a loaf as big as an enormous Cheshire cheese, formed the feast that was to rtgale them during the raising. This was spread out in the shanty, in a very rural style. In short, we laughed, and called it a pic-nic in the backwoods ; and rude as was the fare, I can a&sure you, great was the satisfaction expressed by all the guests of every degree, our ** bee" being considered as very well conducted. In spite of the difference of rank among those that assisted at the bee, the greatest possible harmony prevailed, and the party J 136 I w^ 'f ru Vi 1M> BACKWOODS OP CANADA. •eparated well pleased with .i,« ^ , ' •ainment. * ** """y « ^ofk and enter- The folJowing day I «,»„, . "•aised edifice, but wl LZ , ?"*>' *"•« »e"ly- ve;yiitt.e ap;«arLroT:'Lr'1,:" ""'"""'^ "•>!<»>& square of lom rai,«? [^ ""«'? "•« «'•* open spaces ^,^^1 """"'^ ">« o"""-. •P^" for the doo^ !nd Z'^, "" "^ '<«»• The "hopped out. and ^"rZt Z """ "'"* »»* *«» 't looked a very queer^. nr"*, °°' "P- I" short, home a litUe 1^12^ V "''*'''' ^ '''""^d husband should bt so "^f ' t T'"^'"'^ "«" "y 'hat had been m^e'ilTt";* '"e pr„,rei again visited it. 'n,„ ./., ^ °'^ '™ »«« this I ■•oads. At that tinTe no s' v^nf '^°^^ "ortbte «"«' there is a fine one\ u """ '" P"^*^^; distance of „s. OurCrintt*"! "'""■" " ««'* sawn by hand, and it wTs^^^^"'"' aU to be «>uld be found to peZ„ T ' '"'■"^ ""y one that at high wagesi^*™. '^ "'^^'a.y work, and the boa„b„eretn^2rrt'"'''''y- ^eli. unseasoned timber- tW^» "' *"" "^ «"«« of -u'd not be pUn d ^ wTeTbr'?"* ^ '"' ^ 4 their rough unsightly"p "/'"'"'^^'^ '« P-t up with '^ be had. I 4an toSo'l'''.; ? ^'*^' -^"'e --oMgent.ianwir,;:r-;eSr ANNOYING CIRCUMSTANCES. 137 rk and enter- Cobourg to Rice Lake. We console ourselves with the prospect that by next summer the boards will all be seasoned, and then the bouse is to be turned topsy- turvy, by having' the floors all reiaid, jointed, and smoothed. • The next misfortune that happened, was, that the mixture of clay and lime that was to plaster the inside and outside of the house between the chinks of the logs was one night frozen to stone. Just as the work was about half completed, the frost suddenly Betting in, put a stop to our proceeding ibr some time, as the frozen plaster yielded neither to fire nor to hot water, the latter freezing before it had any effect on the mass, and rather making bad worse. Then the workman that was hewing the inside walls to make them smooth, wounded himself with the broad axe, and was unable to resume his work for some time. I state these things merely to show the difficulties that attend us in the fulfilment of our plans, and this accounts in a great measure for the humble dwellings that settlers of the most respectable de- scription are obliged to content themselves with at first coming to this country, — not, you may be as- sured, from inclination, but necessity : I could give you such narratives of this kind as would astonish you. After all, it serves to make us more satisfied than we should be on casting our eyes around to see few better off than we are, and many not half so com- fortable, yet of equal, and, in some instances, superior pretensions as to station and fortune. Every man in this country is his own glazier; this you will laugh at : but if he does not wish to I 3 138 "ACKWOODS O* CANA.M. 1 pi 1; i^^^H i a^'l 1 >^B|! ' 1 1 III mMi ii \ I hand,. Workmen „e" .'^ "'"''''"^ >""> ■>- own Wkwoods when yr^rnt T' '° "f ""^ "' «•* preposterous to hire „ „,„ I V""'' " "»'"'' 1« «- da^. j„„™.; ; ;;;; «^ ;8h .^ to ™ake •»»<» your „U^, Bo«s of tr r '""" "• 'ereut sizes are to be bo,?^! ! ^ '^ of several dif." *« stores. My Lband / ^'^ *«>? ™te i„ w'h this valuable art ^T • '* '"=1"»i'>tance ^-. inconvenience fo*; .1 w^^^'r" •"•"" '» »ade"b;:Te;t::irfrr''^'"^*"--''« husband's emta^t"o„ „: ">e reluctant sharer of her officer of some S"' ,h '"""^ ""^ ^» "^ » ""al ■"aking an re-hat : oul rfT" """/ ''"'P"'^^'' "' ^."I wonder that you X^ "^ •" ™^''-"™- ".m-lf so ■' she said, l^J^^ ^-^^^'o degrade »w«nks Whiskey, steaKtrt^..^^"^^ -'«"" »eni'"Lrd""Sh:'^^T'='^''-^*-»' '■"Penter; and I suoL^' """' "^'"^ ""an a hedge ^P„ 'Mi suppose you allow him to choft "Most assuredly I do. That pile of logs i„ thJ UHAHACTERISTIC DIALOGUE. 139 cart there was all cut by him after he had left study yesterday," was the reply, " I would see my boys dead before they should use an axe like common labourers." " Idleness is the root of all evil," said the captain. " How much worse might my son be employed if he were running wild about streets with bad companions." " You will allow this is not a country for gentlemen or ladies to live in," said the lady. • It is the country for gentlemen that will not work and cannot live without, to starve in," replied the captain bluntly; **and for that reason I make my boys early accustom themselves to be usefully and actively employed." " My boys shall never work like common me- chanics," said the lady, indignantly. " Then, madam, they will be good for nothing as settlers; and it is a pity you dragged them across the Atlantic." " We were forced to come. We could not live as we had been used to do at home, or I never would have come to this horrid country." " Having come hither you would be wise to conform to circumstances. Canada is not the place for idle folks to retrench a lost fortune in. In some parts of the country you will find most articles of provision as dear as in London, clothing much dearer, and not so good, and a bad market to choose in." " I should like to know, then, who Canada is good for?" said she, angrily. It is a good country for the honest, industrioua tio BACKWOODS OF CANADA. 1 artisan. It is a fine country for the jxior labourer, who, after a few years of hard toil, can sit down in his own lo^-house, and look abroad on his own land, and see his children well settled in lifeasinde))endent freeholders. It is a grand country for the rich specu- lator, who can afford to lay out a large sum in purchasing land in eligible situations ; for if he have any judgment, he will make a hundred per cent, as Interest for his money after waiting a few years. But it is a hard country for the poor gentleman, whose habits have rendered him unfit for minual Jabour. He brings with him a mind unfitted to his situation ; and even if necessity compels him to ex- ertion, his labour is of little value. He has a hard struggle to live. The certain expenses of wages and living are great, and he is obliged to endure many privations if he would keep within compass, and be free of debt. If he have a large family, and brings them up Wisely, so as to adapt themselves early to a settler's life, why he does well for them, and soon feels the benefit on his own land ; but if he is idle himself, his vnfe extravagant and discontented, and the children taught to despise labour, why, maiiam, they vnll soon be brought down to ruin. In short, the country is a good country for those to whom it is adapted ; but if people will not conform to the doc- trine of necessity and expediency, they have no business in it. It is plain Canada is not adapted to every class of people." " It was never adapted for me or my family," said the lady, disdainfully. RlilMOVAL TO LOG-HOUSE. 141 *' Very true," was the laconic reply ; and so ended the dialogue. But while I have been recounting these remarks, I have wandered far from my original subject, and loft my poor log-house quite in an unfinished state. At last I was told it was in a habitable condition, and I was soon engaged in ali the bustle and fatigue attendant on removing our household goods. We received all the assistance we required from , who is ever ready and willing to help us. He laughed, and called it a " moving bee ;" I said it was a "fixing bee;" and my husband said it was a "settling bee;" I know we were unsettled enough till it was over. What a din of desolation is a small house, or any house under such circumstances. The idea of chaos must have been taken from a removal or a setting to rights, for I suppose the ancients had their Jlitting, as the Scotch call it, as well as the moderns. Various were the valuable articles of crockery-ware that perished in their short but rough journey through the woods. Peace to their manes. I had a good helper in my Irish maid, who soon roused up famous fires, and set the house in order. We have now got quite comfortably settled, and I shall give you a description of our little dwelling. What is finished is only a part of the original plan ; the rest must be added next spring, or fall, as circum- stances may suit. A nice small sitting-room with a store closet, a kitchen, pantry, and bed-chamber form the ground Ml ii 142 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. floor; there is a good upper floor that will make Ihree sleeping- rooms. " What a nut'shell !" I think I hear you exclaim. So it is at present ; but we purpose adding a hand- some frame front as soon as we can get boards from the mill, which will give us another parlour, long hall, and good spare bed-room. The windows and glass door of our present sitting-room command plea- sant lake-views to the west and south. When the house is completed, we shall have a verandah in front; and at the south side, which forms an agreeable addi- tion in the summer, being used as a sort of outer room, in which we can dine, and have the advantage of cool air, protected from the glare of the sun- beams. The Canadians call these verandahs " stoups." Pew houses, either log or frame, are without them. The pillars look extre. »ely pretty, wreathed with the luxuriant hop-vine, mixed with the scarlet creeper and •• morning glory," the American name for the most splendid of major convolvuluses. These stoups are really a considerable ornament, as they conceal in a great measure the rough logs, and break the barn- like form of the building. Our parlour is warmed by a handsome Franklin stove with brass gallery, and fender. Our furniture consists of a brass-railed sofa, which serves upon occasion for a bed, Canadian painted chairs, a stained pine table, screen and white curtains, and a handsome Indian mat that covers the floor. One side of the Toom is filled up with our books. Some large maps und a few good prints nearly conceal the rough walls, i WILD STBAWBEBRIES. 143 t will make and form the decoration of our little dwelling. Oui bed-chamber is furnished with equal simplicity. We do not, however, lack comfort in our humble home ; and though it is not exactly such as we could wish, it is as good as, under existing circumstances, we could have. I am anxiously looking forward to the spring, that I may get a garden laid out in front of the house ; as I mean to cultivate some of the native fruits and flowers, which, I am sure, will improve greatly by culture. The strawberries that grorv wild in our pas- tures, woods, and clearings, are several varieties, and bear abundantly. They make excellent preserves, and I mean to introduce beds of them into my garden. There is a pretty little wooded islet on our lake, that is called Strawberry island, another Raspberry island ; they abound in a variety of fruits — ^wild grapes, raspberries, strawberries, black and red currants, a wild gooseberry, and a beautiful little trailing plant that bears white flowers like the raspberry, and a darkish purple fruit consisting of a few grains of a pleasant brisk acid, somewhat like in flavour to our dewberry, only not quite so sweet. The leaves of this plant are of a bright light green, in shape like the raspberry, to which it bears in some respects so great a resemblance (though it is not shrubby or thorny) that I have called it the " trailing raspberry." I suppose our scientific botanists in Britain would consider me very impertinent in bestowing names on the flowers and plants I meet with in these wild woods: I can only say, I am glad to discover the Canadian or even the Indian names if I can, and I(' li 144 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. where they fail I consider myself free to become their floral godmother, and give them names of my own ^ihoosing*. ^ Among om* wild fruits we ha\ 3 plums, which, in some townships, are very fine and abundant ; these make admirable preserves, especially when boiled in maple molasses, as is done by the American house- wives. Wild cherries, also a sort called choke cherries, from their peculiar astringent qualities, high and low- bush cranberries, blackberries, which are brought by the Squaws in birch baskets, — all these are found on the plains and beaver meadows. The low-bush cran- berries are brought in great quantities by the Indians to the towns and villages. They form a standing preserve on the tea-tables in most of the settlers' houses ; but for richness of flavour, and for beauty of appearance, I admire the high-bush cranberries ; these are little sought after, on account of the large flat seeds, which prevent them from being used as a jam : the jelly, however, is delightful, both in colour and flavour. The bush on which this cranberry grows resembles the guelder rose. The blossoms are pure white, and grow in loose umbels; they are very ornamental, when in bloom, to the woods and swamps, skirting the lakes. The berries are rather of a long oval, and of a brilliant icarlet, and when just touched by the frosts are semi-transparent, and look like pendent bunches of scarlet grapes. I was tempted one flne frosty afternoon to take a walk with my husband on the ice, which I war assurer! was perfectly safe. I must confess for the firil alf- !• ii_ WALKS ON THE ICR. 14S mile I felt very timid, especially when the ice ia so transparent that you may see every little pebble or weed at the bottom of the water. Sometimes the ice was thick and white, and quite opuque. As we kept within a little distance of the shore, I was struck by ^he appearance of some splendid red berries on the leafless bushes that hung over the margin of the lake, and soon rec(^nized them to be the afore- said high-bush cran Lerries. My husband soon stripped the boughs of their tempting treasure, and I, de- lighted with my prize, hastened home, and boiled the fruit with some sugar, to eat at tea with our cakes. }. /«»vnr ate any thing more delicious than they proved ; V' t n re so perhaps from having been so long with- out tasting fruit of any kind, with the exception of preserves, during our journey, and at Peterborough. Soon afler this I made another excursion on the ice, but it was not in quite so sound a state. We never* theless walked on for about three-quarters of a mile. We were overtaken on our return by S with a handsleigh, which is a sort of wheelbarrow, such as porters use, without sides, and instead of a wheel, is fixed on wooden runners, which you can drag over the snow and ice with the greatest ease, if ever so heavily laden. S insisted that he would draw me liome over the ice like a Lapland lady on a sledge. I was soon seated in state, and in another minute felt myself impelled forward with a velocity that nearly took away my breath. By the time we reached the shore I was in a glow from head to foot. You would be pleased with the situation of cur house. The spot chosen is the summit of a flne h' 146 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. sloping bank above the lake, distant from the water's edge some hundred or two yards: the lake is not quite a mile from shore to shore. To the south again we command a different view, which will be extremely pretty when fully opened — a fine smooth basin of water, diversified with beautiful islands, that rise liite verdant groves from its bosom. Below these there is a fall of some feet, where the waters of the lakes, confined within a narrow channel between beds of limestone, rush along with great impetuosity, foaming and dashing up the spray in mimic clouds. During the summer the waters are much lower, and we can walk for some way along the flat shores, which are composed of different strata of limestone, full of fossil remains, evidently of very recent for- mation. Those shells and river-insects that are scattered loose over the surface of the limestone, left by the recession of the waters, are similar to the shells and insects incrusted in the body of the lime- stone. I am told that the bed of one of the lakes above us (I forget which) is of limestone ; that it abounds in a variety of beautiful river-shells, which are deposited in vast quantities in the different strata, and also in the blocks of limestone scattered along the shores. These shells are also found in great profusion in the soil of the Beaver meadows. When I see these things, and hear of them, I regiet I know nothing of geology or conchology ; as I might then be able to account for many circum- stances that at present only excite my curiosity. Just below the waterfall I was mentioning there is a curious natural arch in the limestone rock, which m. Chart nhewing the Interior Navigation' of the Districts of Newcastle and Upper Canada. / /"TD n VERULAM. HARVEY. BURLEIGH I Intended Rail-roadi « Miles. S Contemplated Rail-road, 13 Miles. • ae Miles of Steam Navigation to Heely's Falls. 4 Diagram of the Mouths of the River Otanabee, and part of the Rice Lake. 6 Dlagra.n of the Little Lake, part of the River Otanabee, and the town of Peterborough. k2 ! n II <',< h i! ' I^H li 11/ 1 ^^H ■ I iHP-r .^' ^ mit'ifm *■•-••— -».'wi#j->r ■A^ LAKE, AND SURROUNDING SCENERY. 14U at this place rises to a height of ten or fifteen feet like a wall ; it is composed of large plates of grey limestone, lying one upon the other ; the arch seems like a rent ir the 11, but worn away, and hollowed, possibly, V le a- n of water rusl "^^ through it at some high flood. Trees grow on the top of this rock. Hemlock firs and cedars are waving on this elevated spot, above the turbulent waters, and clothing the stone barrier with a sad but never-fading ver- dure. Here, too, the wild vine, red creeper, and poison-elder, luxuriate, and wreathe fantastic bowers above the moss-covered masses of the stone. A sud- den turn in this bank brought us to a broad, per" fectly flat and smooth bed of the same stone, occu- pying a space of full fifty feet along the shore. Be- tween the fissures of this bed I found some rose- bushes, and a variety of flowers that had sprung up during the spring and summer, when it was lefl dry, and free from the action of the water. This place will shortly be appropriated for the building of a saw and grist-mill, which, I fear, will interfere with its natural beauty. I dare say, I shal' be the only person in the neighbourhood who will regret the erection of so useful and valuable an acquisition to this portion of the township. The first time you send a parcel or box, do not forget to enclose flower-seeds, and the stones ot plums, damsons, bullace, pips of the best kinds of apples, in the orchard and garden, as apples may be raised here from seed, which will bear very good fruit without being grafted; the latter, however, are finer in size and flavour. I should 150 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. I be grateful for a few nuts from our beautiful old stock- nut trees. Dear c'd trees! how many gam- bols have we had in their branches when I was as light of spirit and as free from care as the squirrels that perched among the topmost boughs above us. — ^'* Well," you will say, " the less that sage matrons talk of such vnld tricks as climbing nut-trees, the better." Fortunately, young ladies are in no temp- tation here, seeing that nothing but a squirrel or a bear could climb our lofty forest-trees. Even a sailor must give it up in despair. -•' ' - ^ - -^ • ' I am very desirous of having the seeds of our wild primrose and sweet violet preserved for me ; I long to introduce them in our meadows and gardens. Pray let the cottage- children collect some. >n ' ? My husband reque a small quantity of lucerne- seed, which he seems mclined to think may be cut* tivated to advantatj^e. . ., , l\ % m V: I '••: 1 ■* r^■^ VARIATIONS IN THB WEATHER. J' til i 161 '•".' v>,', ,,, V , /-• ■ i'.- -..J- i J.) ! I'' ii'jViHf; ,< il .11 C-* ii • f': ':■'■'■ I *'f'iX ti ■',•■'. . ■>.f ; ■Mi Letter X. ■■■•"!;.- v;, ■ ;< f. ra ,:/.! '•^.nl ■ Mi4> t 'I Var'iHtlons in the Temiwrattire of tlie Weather.— Electrical Pheboinenon.— \JiiDadian Winter. — Country deflcient in Foetical Associations. — $^n({<-k,' '.'"«-;»« Lake House, May the9lh. 1833. What a different winter this has been to what I had anticipated. The snows of December were conti- nually thawing ; on the 1st of January not a flake was to be seen on our clearing, though it lingered in the bush. The warmth of the sun was so great on the first and second days of the new year that it was hardly possible to endure a cloak, or even shawl, out of doors; and within, the Are was quite too much for us. The weather remained pretty o\)en till the latter part of the month, when the cold set in severely enough, and continued so during February. The 1st of March was the coldest day and night I ever expe- rienced in my life ; the mercury was down to twenty- five degrees in the house ; abroad it was much lower. The sensation of cold early in the morning was very painful, producing an involuntary shuddering, and an almost convulsive feeling in the chest and stomach. Our breaths were congealed in hoar-frost on t\ie sheeis and blankets. Every thing we touched of metal seemed to freeze our fingers. This excessive degree 153 BACKWOODS OK CANADA. 'i W J) ni I', f '■ i, of cold only lasted tliree days, and then a gradual amelioration of temperature was felt. During this very cold weather I was surprised by the frequent recurrence of a phenomenon that I suppose was of an electrical nature. When the frosts were most intense I noticed that when 1 un- dressed, my clothes, which are at this cold season chiefly of woollen cloth, or lined with flannel, gave out when moved a succession of sounds, like the crackling and snapping of Are, and in the absence of a candle emitted sparks of a pale whitish blue light, similar to the flashes produced by cutting loaf-sugar in the dark, or stroking the back of a blac^k cat : the same eflect was also produced when I combed and brushed my hair*. The snow lay very deep on the ground during February, and until the 19th of March, when a rapid thaw commenced, which continued vdthout intermis- sion till the ground was thoroughly freed from its hoary livery, which was effected in less than a fort- night's time. The air during the progress of the thaw was much warmer and more balmy than it usually is in England, when a disagreeable damp cold is felt during that process. Though the Canadian winter has its disadvantages, it also has its charms. Afler a day or two of h avy snow the sky brightens, and the air becomes exqui- sitely clear and free from vapoiu" ; the smoke ascends in tall spiral columns till it is lost : seen against the saffron-tinted sky of an evening, or early of a clear • This phenomenon is common enough everywhere where the air is very dry. — Ko. m CANADIAN WINTER. 153 mornhig, when the hoar-frost sparkles on the trees, the effect is singularly beautiful. I enjoy a walk in the woods of a bright winter-day, when not a cloud, or the faint shadow of a oloud, ob- scures ihe soft azure of the heavens above ; when but for the silver covering of the earth I might look up- wards to the cloudless sky and say, " It is June, sweet June." The evergreens, as the pines, cedars, hemlock, and balsam firs, are bending their pendent branches, loa ied with snow, which the least motion scatters in a mimic shower around, but so light and dr}' is it that it is shaken off without the slightest inconvenience. The tops of the stumps look quite pretty, with their turbans of snow; a blackened pine-stump, with its white cap and mantle, will often startle you into the belief that some one is approaching you thus fancifully attired. As to ghosts or spirits they appear totally banished from Canada. This is too matter-of-fact country for such supernaturals to visit. .Here there are no historical associations, no legendary tales of those that came before us. Fancy would starve for lack of marvellous food to keep her alive in the back- woods. We have neither fay nor fairy, ghost nor bogle, satyr nor wood-nymph ; our very forests disdain to shelter dryad or hamadryad. No naiad haunts the rushy margin of our lakes, or hallows with her pre- sence our forest-rills. No Druid claims our oaks ; and instead of iwring with mysterious awe among our curious limestone rocks, that are often singularly grouped together, we refer them to the geologist to exercise his skill in accounting for their appearance : instead of investing them with the solemn characters k5 154 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. Ii of ancient temples or heathen altars, we look upon them with the curious eye of natural philosophy alone. . . ? , i Even the Irish and Highlanders of the humblest class seem to lay aside their ancient superstitions on becoming denizens of the woods of Canada. I heard a friend exclaim, when speaking of the want of inte- rest this country possessed, " It is the most unpoetical of all lands ; there is no scope for imagination ; here all is new — the very soil seems newly formed ; there is no hoary ancient grandeur in these woods ; no recollections of former deeds connected with the country. The only beings in which I take any inte- rest are the Indians, and they want the warlike cha- racter and intelligence that I had pictured to myself they would possess." This was the lamentation of a poet. Now, the class of people to whom this country is so admirably adapted are formed of the unlettered and industrious labourers and artisans. They feel no regret that the land they labour on has not been celebrated by the pen of the historian or the lay of the poet The earth yields her increase to them as freely as if it had been enriched by the blood of heroes. They would not spare the ancient oak from feelings of veneration, nor look upon it with regard for any thing but its use as timber. They have no time, even if they possessed the taste, to gaze abroad on the beauties of Nature, but their ignorance is bliss. After all, these are imaginary evils, and can hardly be considered just causes for dislike to the country. They would excite little sympathy among every-da^f SUGAR-MAKINO. 153 men and women, though doubtless they would have their weight with the more refined and intellectual members of society, who naturally would regret that taste, learning, and genius should be thrown out of its proper sphere. For myself, though I can easily enter into the feel- ings of the poet and the enthusiastic lov r of the wild and the wonderful of historic lore, I can yet make myself very happy and contented in this couiury. If its volume of history is yet a blank, that of Natt.3 is open, and eloquently marked by the finger of God ; and from its pages I can extract a thousand sources of amusement and interest whenever I take my wslttt^i in the forest or by the borders of the lakes. But I must now tell you of our sugar-making, in which I take rather an active part. Our experiment was on a very limited scale, having but one kettle, besides two iron tripods; but it was sufficient to initiate us in the art and mystery of boiling the sap into molasses, and Anally the molasses down to sugar. The first thing to be done in tapping the maples, is to provide little rough troughs to C'-.^[h the sap as it flows : these are merely pieces of pine-tree, hollowed with the axe. The tapping the tree is done by cutting a gash in the bark, or boring a hole with an auger. The former plan, as being most readily performed, is that most usually practised. A slightly-hollowed piece of cedar or elder is then inserted, so as to slant down- wards ind direct the sap into the trough ; I have even seen a ilat cliip made the conductor^ Ours were managed according to rule, you may be sure. The iSd BACKWOODS OF CANADA. K ' anp rans most freely after a frosty night, followed bj a bright warm day ; it should be collected during the day in a barrel or large trough, capable of holding all that can be boiled down the same evening ; it should not stand more than twenty-four hours, as it is apt to ferment, and will not grain well unless fresh. My husband, with an Irish lad, began collecting ttie sap the last week in March. A pole was fixed across two forked stakes, strong enough to bear the weight of the big kettle. Their employment during the day was emptying the troughs and chopping wood to sup- ply the fires. In the evening they lit the fires and began boiling down the sap. It was a pretty and picturesque sight to see the sugar-boilers, with their bright log-fire among the trees, now stirring up the blazing pile, now throwing in the liquid and stirring it down with a big ladle. When the fire grew fierce, it boiled and foamed up in the kettle, and they had to throw in fresh sap to keep it from running over. When the sap begins to thicken into molasses, it is then brought to the sugar-boiler to be finished. The process is simple ; it only requires attention in skim- ming and keeping the mass from boiling over, till it has arrived at the sugaring point, which is ascertained by dropping a little into cold water. When it is near the proper consistency, the kettle or pot becomes full of yellow froth, that dimples and rises in large bubbles from beneath. These throw out puffs of steam, and when the molasses is in this stage, it is nearly con- verted into sugar. Those who pay great attention to keeping the liquid free from scum, and understand the MAPLE-SUOAR AND MOLASSES. 157 precise sugaring point, will produce an article little if at all inferior to muscovado*. In general you see the maple- sugar in large cakes, like bees' wax, close and compact, without showing the crystallization ; but it looks more beautiful when the grain ib coarse and sparkling, and the sugar is broken in rough masses like sugar-candy. The sugar is rolled or scraped down with a knife for use, as it takes long to dissolve in the tea without this preparation. I superintended the last part of the process, that of boiling the molasses down to sugar ; and, considering it was a first attempt, and without any experienced person to direct me, otherwise than the information I obtained from . I suc- ceeded tolerably well, and produced some sugar of a fine sparkling grain and good colour. Besides the sugar, I made about three gallons of molasses, which proved a great comfort to us, forming a nice ingredient in cakes and an excellent sauce for puddings. The Yankees, I am told, make excellent preserves with molasses instead of sugar. The molasses boiled from maple-sap is very different from the molasses of the West Indies, both in flavour, colour, and con- sistency. Beside the sugar and molasses, we manufactured a small cask of vinegar, which promises to be good. This was done by boiling five oails-full of sap down to two, and fermenting it after it was in the vessel with * Good well-made maple-sugar bears a strong resemblance to that called powdered sugar-candy, sold by all grocers as a delicate article to sweeten coffee ; it is mure like maple-sugar in its regular crystallizations. 158 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. iili; ^]:l| if i ^¥ barm ; it was then placed near the fire, and suffered to continue there in preference to being exposed to the sun's heat. With regard to the expediency of making maple- sugar, it depends on circumstances whether it be profitable or not to the farmer. If he have to hire hands for the work, and pay high wages, it certainly does not answer to make it, unless on a large scale. One thing in its favour is, Ihat the sugar season com- mences at a time when little else can be done on the farm, with the exception of chopping, the frost not being sufficiently out of the ground to admit of cropg being sown ; time is, therefore, less valuable than it i» later in the spring. Where there is a large family of children and a con- venient sugar-bush on the lot, the making of sugar and molasses is decidedly a saving; as young children can be employed in emptying the troughs and collect- ing fire-wood, the bigger ones can tend the kettles and keep up the fire while the sap is boiling, and the wife and daughters can finish off the sugar within-doors. Maple-sugar sells for four- pence and six-pence per pound, and sometimes for more. At first I did not particularly relish the flavour it gave to tea, but after awhile I liked it far better than muscovado, and as a sweetmeat it is to my taste delicious. I shall send you a specimen by the first opportunity, that you may judge for yourself of its excellence. The weather is now very warm — oppressively so* We can scarcely endure the heat of the cooking-stove in the kitchen. As to a fire in the parlour there la not much need of it, as I am glad to sit at the open '^Mteiii-i FISHING SEASON. 159 door and e njoy the lake-breeze. The insects are already beginning to be troublesome, particularly the black flies — a wicked-looking fly, with black body and white 1^ and wings ; you do not feel their bite for a few minutes, but are made aware of it by a stream of blood flowing from the wound ; afler a few hours the part swells and becomes extremely painful. ,. . These " beastiis" chiefly delight in biting the sides of the throat, ears, and sides of the cheek, and with me the swelling continues for many days. The mosqui- toes are also very annoying. I care more for the noise they make even than their sting. To keep them out of the house we light little heaps of damp chips, the smoke of which drives them away ; but this remedy is not entirely effectual, and is of itself rather an an- noyance. This is the Ashing season. Our lakes are famous for masquinongt^, salmon-trout, white flsh, black bass, and many others. We often see the lighted canoes of the fishermen pass and repass of a dark night before our door. S is considered very skilful as a spearsman, and enjoys the sport so much that he sel- dom misses a night favourable for it. The darker the night and the calmer the water the better it is for the Ashing. • It is a very pretty sight to see these little barks slowly stealing from some cove of the dark pine-clad shores, and manoeuvring among the islands on the lakes, rendered visible in the darkness by the blaze of light cast on the water from the jack — a sort of open grated iron basket, fixed to a long pole at the bows of the skiff or canoe. This is filled with a very combus- ■■i f90 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. fiifl h r SI ' Ubie substance called fat-pine, which burns with a fierce and rapid flame, or else with rolls of birch-bark, which is also very easily ignited. The light from above renders objects distinctly visi- ble below the surface of the water. One person stands up in the middle of the boat with his Ash-spear — a ■ort of iron trident, ready to strike at the fish that ht may chance to see gliding in the still waters, while another with his paddle steers the canoe cautiously along. This sport requires a quick eye, a steady hand, and great caution in those that pursue it. I delight in watching these torch-lighted canoes so quietly gliding over the calm waters, which are illu- minated for yards with a bright track of light, by which we may distinctly perceive the figure of the spearsman standing in the centre of the boat, first glancing to one side, then the other, or poising his weapon ready for a blow. When four or five of these lighted vessels are seen at once on the fishing-ground, the effect is striking and splendid. The Indians are very expert in this kind of fishing ; the squaws paddling the canoes with admirable skill and dexterity. There is another mode of fishing ia which these people also excel : this is fishing on the ice when the lakes are frozen over — a sport that re- quires the exercise of great patience. The Indian, provided with his tomahawk, with which he makes an opening in the ice, a spear, his blanket, and a decoy-fish of wood, proceeds to the place he has fixed upon. Having cut a hole in the ice he places him- self on hands and knees, and casts his blanket over him, so as to darken the water and conceal himseM WILD DUCKS, I«l from observation ; in this position he will remain for hours, patiently watching the approach of his prej, which he strikes with admirable precision as soon as it f&ppears within the reach of his spear. The masquinong($ thus caught are superior in fla- vour to those taken later in the season, and may be bought very reasonably from the Indians. I gave a small loaf of bread for a fish weighing from eighteen to twenty pounds. The masquinonjt^ is to all appear- ance a large species of the pike, and possesses the ravenous propensities of that fish. One of the small lakes of the Otanabee is called Trout Lake, from the abundance of salmon-trout that occupy its waters. The white fish is also found in these lakes and is very delicious. The large sorts of fish are mostly taken with the spear, few persons having time for angling in this busy country. As soon as the ice breaks up, our lakes are visited by innumerable flights of wild fowl: some of the ducks are extremely beautiful in their plumage, and are very fine-flavoured. I love to watch these pretty creatures, floating so tranquilly on the water, or sud- denly rising and skimming along the edge of the pine-fringed shores, to drop ag'ain on the surface, and then remain stationary, like a little fleet at anchor. Sometimes we see an old duck lead out a brood of little onep from among the rushes ; the innocent, soft things look very pretty, sailing round their mother, but at the least appearance of danger they disappear instantly by diving. The frogs are great enemies to the young broods; they are also the prey of the 162 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. niasquinonge, and, I believe, of other large fish that abound in these waters. The ducks are in the finest order during the early part of the summer, when they resort to the rice-beda in vast numbers, getting very fat on the green rice, which they eagerly devour. The Indians are very successful in their duck- shooting: they fill a canoe with green boughs, so that it resembles a sort of floating island ; beneath the cover of these boughs they remain concealed, and are enabled by this device to approach much nearer than they otherwise could do to the wary birds. The same plan is often adopted by our own sportsmen with great success. A family of Indians have pitched their tents very near us. On one of the islands in our lake we can distinguish the thin blue smoke of their wood fires, rising among the trees, from our front window, or curling over the bosom of the waters. The squaws have been several times to see me ; sometimes from curiosity, sometimes with the view of bartering their baskets, mats, ducks, or venison, for pork, flour, potatoes, or articles of wearing-apparel. Sometimes their object is to borrow " kettle to cook," which they are very punctual in returning. Once a squaw came to borrow a washing-tub, but not understanding her language, I could not for some time discover the object of her solicitude ; at last she took up a corner of her blanket, and, pointing to some soap, began rubbing it between her hands, imitated the action of washing, then laughed, and ^lili BARTER WITH THE INDIANS. US ^een nee. pointed to a tub ; she then held up two fingers, to intimate it was for two days she needed the loan. These people appear of gentle and amiable dis- positions ; and, as far as our experience goes, they are very honest. Once, indeed, the old hunter, Peter, obtained from me some bread, for which he promised to give a pair of ducks, but when the time came for payment, and I demanded my ducks, he looked gloomy, and replied with characteristic brevity, " No duck — Chippewa (meaning S , this being the name they have affectionately given him) gone up lake with canoe — no canoe — duck by-and-by." By- and-by is a favourite expression of the Indians, signifying an indefinite point of time ; may be it means to-morrow, or a week, or month, or it may be a year, or even more. They rarely give you a direct promise. As it is not wise to let any one cheat you if you can prevent it, I coldly declined any further overtures to bartering with the Indians until my ducks made their appearance. '-' ■'' ' * ^- Some time afterwards I received one duck by the hands of Maquin, a sort of Indian Flibberty-gibbet : this lad is a hunchbacked dwarf, very shrewd, but a perfect imp ; his delight seems to be tormenting the brown babies in the wigwam, or teazing the meek deer-hounds. He speaks English very fluently, and writes tolerably for an Indian boy ; he usually accom- panies the women in their visits, and acts as their interpreter, grinning with mischievous glee at his mother's bad English and my perplexity at not being able to understand her signs. In spite of his extreme ,164 BACKWOODS OV CANADA. li deformity, he seemed to possess no inconsiderable share of vanity, gazing with great satisfaction at his face in the looking-glass. When I asked his name, he replied, ** Indian name Maquin, but English name * Mister Walker,' very good man ;" thid was the per- son he was called after. These Indians are scrupulous in their observance of the Sabbath, and show great reluctance to having any dealings in the way of trading or pursuing their usual avocations of hunting or fishing on that day. The young Indians are very expert in the use of a long bow, with wooden arrows, rather heavy and blunt at the end. Maquin said he could shoot ducks and small birds with his arrows ; but I should think they were not calculated to reach objects at any great distance, as they appeared very heavy. 'Tis sweet to hear the Indians singing their hymns of a Sunday night ; their rich soft voices rising in the still evening air. I have often listened to this little choir praising the Lord's name in the simplicity and fervour of their hearts, and have felt it was a reproach that these poor half-civilized wanderers should alone be found to gather together to give glory to God in the wilderness. I was much pleased with the simple piety of our friend the hunter Peter's squaw, a stout, swarthy ma- tron, of most amiable expression. We were taking our tea when she softly opened the door and looked in ; an encouraging smile induced her to enter, and depositing a brown papouse (Indian for baby or little child) on the ground, she gazed round wilh curiosity and delight in her eyes. We offered lu:r considerable ction at his I his name, iglish name ras the per- ' observance e to havin^^ rsuing their that day^. the use of a heavy and shoot ducks hould think at any great their hymns s rising in ned to this e simplicity It it was a wanderers her to give )iety of our [warthy ma- rere taking md looked enter, and >r baby or round wifh )fler&d li«r II r^"f' w 1 ' .1 1 1 l H J! 1 1 PAPOUSB-CllADLItS. 167 gome tea and bread, motioning to her to take a vacant seat beside the table. She seemed pleased by the invitation, and drawing ber little one to her knee, poured some tea into the saucer, and gave it to the child to drink. She ate very moderately, and when she had finished, rose, and, wrapping her face in the folds of her blanket, bent down her head on her breast in the attitude of prayer. This little act of devotion was performed without the slightest appear- ance of Pharisaical display, but in singleness and simplicity of heart. She then thanked us with a face beaiiing with smiles and good humour; and, taking little Rachel by the hands, threw her over her shoulder with a peculiar sleight that I feared would dislocate the tender thing's arms, but the papouse seemed well satisfied virith this mode of treatment. In long journeys the children are placed in upright baskets of a peculiar form, which are fastened round the necks of the mothers by straps of deer-skin ; but the young infant is swathed to a sort of flat cradle, secured with flexible hoops, to prevent it from falling out. To these machines they are strapped, so as to be unable to move a limb. Much finery is often displayed in the outer covering and the bandages that confine the papouse. There is a sling attached to this cradle that passes over the squaw's neck, the back of the babe being placed to the back of the mother, and its face out- ward. The first thing a squaw does on entering a house is to release herself from her burden, and stick it up against the wall or chair, chest, or any thing that will support it, where the passive prisoner stands, 168 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. looking not unlike a mummy in its cise. I haTe seen the picture of the Virgin and Child in some of the old illuminated missals, not unlike the figure of a papouse in its swaddling-clothes. The squaws are most affectionate to their little ones. Gentleness and good humour appear distin- guishing traits in the tempers of the female Indians; whether this be natural to their characters, the savage state., or the softening effects of Christianity, I cannot determine. Certainly in no instance does the Chris- tian religion appear more lovely than when, untainted by the doubts and infidelity of modern sceptics, it is displayed in the conduct of the reclaimed Indian breaking down the strong-holds of idolatry and na- tural evil, and bringing forth the fruits of holiness and morality. They may be said to receive the truths of the Gospel as little children, with simplicity of heart and unclouded faith. The squaws are very ingenious in many of their handiworks. We find their birch-bark baskets very convenient for a number of purposes. My bread- basket, knife-tray, sugar-basket, are all o'^ this hiun- ble mateiial. When ornamented and wrought in patterns with dyed quills, I can assure you, they are by no means inelegant. They manufacture vessels of birch-bark so well, that they will serve for many useful household purposes, such as holding water, milk, broth, or any other liquid ; they are sewn or rather stitched together with the tough roots of the tamarack or larch, or else with strips of cedar-bark. They also weave very useful sorts of baskets from the inner rind of the bass-wood and white ash. ^ 'A\ INDIAN MANUPArrURKS. 169 Some of these baskets, of a coarse kind, are made use of for gathering up potatoes, Indian corn, or turnips ; the settlers finding them very good substitutes for the osier baskets used for such purposes in the old country. The Indians are acquainted with a variety of dyes, with which they stain the more elegant fancy-baskets and porcupine-quills. Our parlour is ornamented with several very pretty specimens of their ingenuity in this way, which answer the purpose of note and letter-cases, flower-stands, and work-baskets. They appear to value the useful rather more highly than the merely ornamental articles that you may exhibit to them. They are very shrewd and close in all their bargains, and exhibit a surprising degree of caution in their dealings. The men are much less difficult to trade with than the women : they display, a singular pertinacity in some instances. If they have fixed their mind on any one article, they will come to you day after day, refusing any other you may offer to their notice. One of the squaws fell in love with a gay chintz dressing-gown belonging to my husband, and though I resolutely refused to part with it, all the squaws in the wigwam by turns came to look at " gown," which they pronounced with their peculiarly plaintive tone of voice; and when I said " no gown to sell," they uttered a melancholy excla- mation of regret, and went away. They will seldom make any article you want on purpose for you. If you express a desire to have baskets of a particular pattern that they do not happen to have ready made by them, they give you the usual vague reply of "by and-by." If the goods 170 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. { ; you offer them in exchange for theirs do not answei their expectations, they give a sullen and dogged look or reply, " Car-car" (no, no), or " Carwinni" which is a still more forcible negative. But when the bargain pleases them, they signify their appro- bation by several affirmative nods of the head, and a note not much unlike a grunt ; the ducks, fish, veni- Bon, or baskets, are placed beside you, and the arti< cleg of exchange transferred to the folds of their capacious blankets, or deposited in a sort of rushen wallJBts, not unlike those straw baskets in which En- glish carpenters carry their tools. The women imitate the dresses of the whites, and are rather skilful in converting their purchases. Many of the young girls can sew very neatly. I often give them bits of silk and velvet, and braid, for which they appear very thankful. I am just now very busy with my garden. Some of our vegetable seeds are in the ground, though I am told we have been premature ; there being ten chances to one but the young plants will be cut oflfby the late frosts, which are often felt through May, and even the beginning of June. Our garden at present has nothing to boast of, being merely a spot of ground enclosed with a rough unsightly fence of split rails to keep the cattle from destroying the vegetables. Another spring, I hope to have a nice fence, and a portion of the ground devoted to flowers. This spring there is so much pressing work to be done on the land in rlearing for the crops, that I do not like to urge my claims on behalf of a pretty garden. )t answer \ dogged arwinni" \\ii when sir apprvj- id, and a ish, veni- the arti- 1 of their )f rushen tiich En- dtes, and J. Many fben give or which Some igh I am chances the late nd even }oast of, a rough tie from I hope ground o much ring for ums on * , -iiUi ^=t Green Frogs. |i INDIAN FROGS. 173 The forest-trees are nearly all in leaf. Never did spring burst forth with greater rapidity than it has done this year. The verdure of the leaves is most vivid. A thousand lovely flowers are expanding in the woods and clearings. Nor are our Canadian song- stera mute • the cheerful melody of the robin, the bugle-song of the blackbird and thrush, with the weak but not unpleasing call of the little bird called Thitabihec^ and a wren, whose note is sweet and thrilling, fill our woods. For my part, I see no reason or wisdom in carping at the good we do possess, because it lacks something of that which we formerly enjoyed. I am aware it is the fashion for travellers to assert that our feathered tribes are either mute or give utterance to discordant cries that pierce the ear, and disgust rather than please. It would be untrue were I to assert that our singing birds were as numerous or as mplclious On the whole as those of Europe ; but I must m^i suffer prejudice to rob my adopted country < f he rights without one word being spoken in bebaV ov her feathered vocalists. Nay, I consider her -erj fro^s have been belied : if it were not for the lonotony oi their notes, I really consider they are not quite un- musical. The green frogs are very handsome, being marked over with brown oval shields on the most vivid green coat : they are larger in size tliaii tlie biggest of our English frogs, and certainly much handsomer in every respect. Their n&te resembles that of a bird, and has nothing of the creek in it. The bull -frogs are very different from the green frogs. Insit!aa of being angry with their comical l3 I. 174 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. /, .■ii:i^i 1' *! M f'i PI %'£iL notes, 1 can hardly reiVuin from laughing when a great fellow pops up his broad brown head from the margin of the watej, and says, " JVilliroo^ wiUiroo^ willirooJ" to which another bull-frog, from a distant part of the swamp, replies, in hoarser accents, " Get outi get out, get out ,•" and presently a sudden chorus is heard of old and young, as if each party was desi- rous of out-croaking the other. LOGUING-BEE. 175 when H from the williroo^ a distant Its, " Get »n chorus /us desi- In my next I shall give you an account of our logging-bee, which will take place the latter end of this month. I feel some anxiety respecting the burning of the log-heaps on the fallow round the house, as it appears to me rather a hazardous matter. ( shall write agtin very shortly. Farewell, dearest nf friends. *rjt . 'tifc. % rr^-y^ 176 IIACKWOODS OF n\NADA. Letter XI. »■<' .■*«*r»'»! i 4^ il I u I immigrants suitable fur Canada. — Qualities requisite to ensure succeps.-^ Investment of Capital. — tfseftil Articles to be brought out. — Quolilica- tiuns and Occupations of a Settler's Family. — Deflc'cncy of Puticuce aud Energy in some Females. — Management of the T * ivy. — Cheese. — Indian Corn, and its Cultivation. — Potatoes. — Rates of Nvajj'cs. August 2, leas. With respect to the various questions, my dear friend, to which you request my particular attention, I can only promise that I will do my best to answer them as explicitly as possible, thoupfh at the same time I must remind you, that brevity in epistolary corre- spondence is not one of my excellencies. If I become too diffuse in dcRcribing" mere matters of fact, you must bear with mine infii iiity, and attribute it to my womanly propensity of over-much talking; so, for your comfort, if your eyes be wearied, your ears will at least escape. I shall take your queries in due rotation ; first, then, you ask, " Who are the persons best adapted for bush-settlers ? " To whicl 1 reply withoiit hesitation — the poor hard-working sober labourers, who have industrious habits, a large family to provide for, and a laudable horror of the v orkhouse and parish-overseers : this will bear them through the hardships and privations of a first settlement in the backwoods ; and in due time they will realize an honest independence, and be i; u^ INFORMATION FOR EMIGRANTS. 177 :e succeps,— t. — Quaiilica' Patitiuce aud ese, — Indian L 2, 1P33. ar friend, >n, I can ver them le time I ry corre- [ become fact, you it to my so, for irs will at n ; first, apted for he poor ustrious audable s : this ivations in due , and be ii above want, though not wcrk. Artisans of all crafti are bettter paid in village-towns, or long-cleared dis- tricts, than as mere bush-settlers. " Who are the next best suited for emigration ?" Men of a moderate income or good capital may make money in Canada. If they have judgment, and can afford to purchase on a large scale, they will double or treble their capitals by judicious purchases and sales. But it would be easier for me to point out who are not fit for emigration than who are. The poor gentleman of delicate and refined habits, who cannot afford to employ all the labour requisite to carry on the business of clearing on a tolerable large scale, and is unwilling or incapable of working* himself, is not fitted for Canada, especially if hi» habits are expensive. Even the man of small income, unless he can condescend to take in hand the axe or the chopper, will find, even with prudent and econo- mical habits, much difficulty in keeping free from debt for the first two or even three years. Many such have succeeded, but the struggle has been severe. But there is another class of persons most unsuited to the woods : these are the wives and families of those who have once been opulent tradesmen, ac- customed to the daily enjoyment of every luxury that money could procure or fashion invent ; whose ideas of happiness are connected with a round of amuse- ments, company, and all the novelties of dress and pleasure that the gay world can offer. Young ladies who have been brought up at fashionable boarding- schools, with a contempt of every thing useful or 178 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. iKi eeunoinical, make very itiditfercnt settlers' wives. Nothing can be more unfortunate than the situations in tlie woods of Canada of persons so educated ; dis- gusted with the unpleasant change in their mode of Hie, wearied and discontented with all the objects around them> they find every exertion a trouble, and every occupation a degradation. For persons of this description (and there are such to be met with in tlie colonies), Canada is the worst country in the world. And I would urge any one, so unfitted by luibit and inclination, under no con- sideration to cross tlie Atlantic; for miserable, and poor, and wretched they will become. The emigrant, if he would succeed in this country, must possess the foUowi-ng qualities: perseverance, patience, industry, ingenuity, moderation, self-denial ; and if he be a gentleman, a small income is almost indispensable ; a good one is still more desirable. The outlay for buying and clearing land, building, buying stock, and maintaining a family, paying servants' WBges,with many other unavoidable expenses, cannot be done without some pecuniary means ; and as the return from the land is but little for the first two or three years, it would be advisable for a settler to bring out some hunareds to enable him to carry on the farm and clear the above-mentioned expenses, or he will soon find himself involved in great diffi culties. Now, to your third query, " What will be the most profitable way of employing money, if a settler brought out capital more than was required for his own expenditure?'' !j Wives, iituationa ted; dis- mode of e objects able, and are such he worst any one, no con- kble, and country, sverance, f-denial ; is almost ible. >uilding-, paying xpenses, ns; and the first a settler to carry !cpenses, at diffi le most settler for hia INFORMATION I'OR EMIGRANTS. 179 On this head, I am not of course competent to give advice. My husband and friends, conversant with the affairs of the colonies, say, lend it on mortgage, on good landed securities, and at a high rate of interest. The purchase of land is often a good speculation, but not always so certain as mortgage, as it pays no in- terest ; and though it may at some future time make great returns, it is not always so easy to c ispose of it to an advantage when you happen to need it. A man possessing many thousand acres in different townships, may be distressed for twenty pounds if suddenly called upon for it when he is unprepared, if he invests all his capital in property of this kind. It would be difficult for me to enumerate the many opportunities of turning ready money to account. Tliere is so little money in circulation that those persons who are fortunate enough to have it at com- mand can do almost any thing with it they please. *'What are the most useful articles for a settler to bring out ? " Tools, a good stock of wearing-apparel, and shoes, good bedding, especially warm blankets ; as you pay high for them here, and they are not so good as you would supply yourself with at a much lower rate at home. A selection of good garden-seeds, as those you buy at the stores are sad trash ; moreover, they are pasted up in packets not to be opened till paid for and you may, as we have done, pay for little better than chaff, and empty husks, or old and worm-eaten seeds. This, I am sorry to say, is a Yankee trick ; though I doubt not but John Bull would do the same ! l! 180 BACKWOODS OF CANADA ,M; if he had the opportunity, as there are rogues in all countries under the sun. With respect to furniture and heavy goods of any \ind, I would recommend little to be brought. Articles of hardware are not much more expensive here than at home, if at all, and often of a kind more suitable to the country than those you are at the trouble of bringing ; besides, all land-carriage is dear. We lost a large package of tools that have never been recovered from the forwarders, though their carriage was paid beforehand to Prescott. It is safest and best to ensure your goods, when the for- warders are accountable for them. You ask, "If groceries and articles of household consumption are dear or cheap ?" They vary according to circumstances and situation. In towns situated in old cleared parts of the country, and neiif the rivers and navigable waters, they are cheaper than at home; but in newly-settled town- ships, where the water- communication is distant, and where the roads are bad, and the transport of goods difficult, they are nearly double the price. Where the supply of produce is inadequate to the demand, owing to the influx of emigrants in thinly-settled places, or other causes, then all articles of pro- visions are sold at a high price, and not to be procured without difficulty; but these are merely temporary evils, which soon cease. Competition is lowering prices in Canadian towns, as it does in British ones, and you may now buy goods of all kinds nearly as cheap as in England. e rogues in all es of household QUALIFICATIONS OF A SETTLER'S WIFE. 181 Where prices depend on local circumstances, it is im- possible to g^ive any just standard ; as what may do for one town would not for another, and a continual change is going on in all the unsettled or half-settled townships. In like manner the prices of cattle vary: they are cheaper in old settled tow ips, auil still more so on the American side the ri ur lakes, than in the Canadas*. "What are necessary qualifications of a settler's wife ; and the usual occupations of the female part of a settler's family?" are your next questions. To the first clause, I reply, a settler's wife should be active, industrious, ingenious, cheerful, not above putting her hand to whatever is necessary to be done in her household, nor too proud to profit by the advice and experience of older portions of the com- munity, from whom she may learn many excellent lessons of practical wisdom. Like that pattern of all good housewives described by the prudent mother of King Lemuel, it should be said of the emigrant's wife, " She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff." •' She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly * The duties on goods imported to the Canadas are exceed- ingly small, which will explain (he circumstance of many articles of consumptiou being cheaper in places where there are facilities of transit than at home ; while in the Backwoods, where roads are scarcely yet formed, there must be taken into the account the cost of carriage, and increased number of agents; the greater value of capital, and consequent increased rate of local profit, &c. — items which will diminish in amount as the country becomes settled and cleared. — Ed. %^ e> ^^."^oS^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) s:«? ^d ^ 1.0 I.I ■ 50 """^ 2.5 18 1.25 1.4 1.6 ^1 ^ 6" ► V] J^ ^> •'■■^ Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET Wf R^ThSR, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 /. \ 6\ % I ^■: r. 'I '11 ill ■: H il 182 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. with her hands." •* She looketh well to the \fay» of her household, and eateth not the bread of idle* }i ness. Nothing argues a greater degree of good sense and good feeling than a cheerful conformity to circum- stances, adverse though they be compared with a former lot ; surely none that felt as they ought to feel, would ever despise a woman, however delicately brought up, for doing her duty in the state of life unto which it may have pleased God to call her.- Since I came to this coimtry, I have seen the ac' complished daughters and wives of men holding no inconsiderable rank as officers, both naval and military, milking their own cows, making their own butter, and performing tasks of household work that few of oiu: farmers' wives would now condescend to take part in. Instead of despising these useful arts, an emigrant's family rather pride themselves on their skill in these matters. The less silly pride and the more practical knowledge the female emigrant brings out with her, so much greater is the chance for domestic happiness and prosperity. I am sorry to observe, that in many cases the women that come hither give way to melancholy regrets, and destroy the harmony of their fire-side, and deaden the energies of their husbands and brothers by constant and useless repining. Having once made up their minds to follow their husbands or friends to this country, it would be wiser and better to conform with a good grace, and do their part to make the burden of emigration more bearable. 1 t DEFICIENCY OF PATIENCE IN SOME FEMALES. 183 One poor woman that was lamenting the miseries of this country was obliged to acknowledge that her prospects were far better than they ever had or could have been at home. What, then, was the cause of her continual regrets and discontent? I could hardly forbear smiling, when she replied, "She could not go to shop of a Saturday night to lay out her husband's earnings, and have a little chat with her naibors, while the shopman was serving the customers, — -for why ? there were no shops in the bush, and she was just dead-alive. If Mrs. Such-a-one (with whom, by the way, she was always quarrelling when they lived under the same roof) v^as near her she might not feel quite so lonesome." And so for the sake of a dish of gossip, while lolling her elbows on the counter of a village-shop, this foolish woman would have forgone the advantages, real solid advantages, of having land and cattle, and poultry and food, and firing and clothing, and all for a few years' hard work, which, her husband wisely observed, must have been exerted at home, with no other end in view than an old age of poverty or a refuge from starvation in a parish workhouse. The female of the middling or better class, in her turn, pines for the society of the circle of friends she has quitted, probably for ever. She sighs for those little domestic comforts, that display of the refine* ments and elegancies of life, that she had been ac- customed to see around her. She has little time now for those pursuits that were even her business as well as amusement. The accomplishments she has now to acquire are of a different order : she must become m2 1 ^ntt:i: Di/it i h i ]64 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. skilled in the arts of su^p-boiling, candle and soap< making, the making and baking of huge iOaves, cooked in the bake-kettle, unless she be the fortunate mistress of a stone or clay oven. She must know how to manufacture hop-rising or salt-risijig for leavening her bread ; salting meat and fish, knitting stockings and mittens and comforters, spinning yarn in the big wheel (the French Canadian spinning- wheel), and dyeing the yarn when spun to have manufactured into cloth and coloured flannels, to clothe her husband and children, making clothes for herself, her husband and children ; — for there are no tailors nor mantua-makers in the bush. The management of poultry and the dairy must not be omitted ; for in this country most persons adopt the Irish and Scotch method, that of churning the milkf a practice that in our part of England was not known. For my own part I am inclined to prefer the butter churned from cream, as being most econo- mical, unless you chance to have Irish or Scotch servants who prefer buttermilk to new or sweet skimmed milk. There is something to be said in favour of both plans, no doubt. The management of the calves differs here very much. Some persons wean the calf from the mother from its birth, never allowing it to suck at all: the little creature is kept fasting the first twenty-four hours; it is then fed with the finger with new milk, which it soon learns to take readily. I have seen fine cattle thus reared, and am disposed to adopt the plan as the least troublesome one. The old settlers pursue an opposite mode of treat* MANAGEMENT OF THE DAIRr. 185 ere are no ment, allowing the caif to suck till it is nearly half a year old, under the idea that it ensures the daily return of the cow; as, under ordinary circumstances, she is apt to ramble sometimes for days together, when the herbage grows scarce in the woods near the home- steads, and you not only lose the use of the milk, but often, from distention of the udder, the cow is materially injured, at least for the remainder of the milking season. I am disposed to think that were care taken to give the cattle regular supplies of salt, and a small portion of food, if ever so little, near the milking-place, they would seldom stay long away. A few refuse potatoes, the leaves of the garden ve- getables daily in use, set aside for them, with the green shoots of the Indian corn that are stripped off to strengthen the plant, will ensure their attendance. In the fall and winter, pumpkins, corn, straw, and any other fodder you may have, with the browse they get during the chopping and underbrushing season, will keep them well. The weanling cal\es should be given skimmed milk or buttermilk, with the leafy boughs of bass- wood and maple, of which they are extremely fond. A warm shed or fenced yard is very necessary for the cattle during the intense winter frosts: this is too often disregarded, especially in new settlements, which is the cause that many persons have the mortification of losing their stock, either with disease or cold. Naturally the Canadian cattle are very hardy, and when taken moderate care of, endure the severest winters well ; but owing to the difficulties that attend a firsl settlement in the bush, they suffer every pri- |( s\a If \\ j! t86 BACKWOODS OF CANADA vation of cold and hunger, which brings on a com- plaint generally fatal, called the " hollow horn ;" thia originates in the spine, or extends to it, and is cured or palliated by boring the horn and inserting turpen- tine, pepper, or other heating substances. When a new comer has not winter food for his cattle, it is wise to sell them in the fall and buy others in the spring : though at a seeming loss, it is per- haps less loss in reality than losing the cattle altogether. This was the plan my husband adopted, and we found it decidedly the better one, besides saving much care, trouble, and vexation. I have seen some good specimens of native cheese, that I thought very respectable, considering that the grass is by no means equal to our British pastures. I purpose trying my skill next summer : who knows but that I may inspire some Canad'an bard to celebrate the produce of my dairy as Bloomfield did the Suffolk cheese, yclept " Bang." You remember the passage, — for Bloomfield is your countryman aa well as mine, — it begins : — " Unrivalled stands thy county cheese, Giles," &c. I have dwelt on the dairy information ; as I know you were desirous of imparting all you could collect to your friends. You wish to know something of the culture of Indian corn, and if it be a useful end profitable crop. The cultivation of Indian corn on newly cleared lands is very easy, and attended with but little labour ; on old farms it requires more. The earth is just raised with a broad hoe, and three or four corns CULTIVATION OF INDIAN CORN. 187 as mine. drop])cd in with a pumpkin-seed, in about every third or fourth hole, and in every alternate row; the seed are set several feet apart. The pumpkins and the corn {rrow very amicably together, the broad leaves of the former shading the young plants and prevent- ing the too great evaporation of the moisture from the ground ; the roots strike little way, so that they rob the corn of a very small portion of nourishment. The one crop trails to an amazing length along the ground, while -he other shoots up to the height of several feet above it. When the corn is beginning to branch, the ground should be hoed once over, to draw the earth a little to the roots, and cut down any weeds that might injure it. This is all that is done till the cob is beginning to form, when the blind and weak shoots are broken off, leaving four or five of the finest bearing shoots. The feather, when it begins to turn brown and dead, should also be taken off, that the plant may have all the nourishment to the corn. We had a remarkable instance of smut in our corn last summer. The diseased cobs had large white bladders as big as a small puff-ball, or very large nuts, and these on being broken were full of an inky black liquid. On the same plants might be observed a sort of false fructification, the cob being deficient in kernels, which by some strange accident were trans* posed to the top feather or male blossoms. I leave botanists to explain the cause of this singular anomaly ; I only state facts. I could not learn that the smut was a disease common to Indian corn, but last year smut or dust bran, as it is called by some, was very prevalent in the oat, barley, and wheat crops. In this /■< }88 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. " '11 |!| i 11 4 \ j! 1 1 : ■ 1 •11 ir i: u^ country especially, new lands are very subject to the disease. Kfc The ripe corn is either shocked as beans are at home, or the cobs pulled and braided on ropes after the manner of onions, and hung over poles or beams in the granaries or barns. The stripping of the corn gives rise among some people, to what they call a husking-bee, which, like all the other bees, is one of Yankee origin, and is not now so frequently adopted among the more independent or better class of settlers. The Indian corn is a tender and somewhat pre- carious crop : it is liable to injury from the late frosts while young, for which reason it is never put in before the 20th of May, or beginning of June, and even then it will suifer ; it has also many enemies i bears, racoons, squirrels, mice, and birds, and is a great temptation to breachy cattle, who, to come at it, will even toss down a fence with stakes and riders for protection, i. e. a pole or cross-bar, supported between crossed stakes, that surmounts the zig-zag rail fences, for better securing them from the incursions of cattle. Even in Canada this crop requires a hot summer to ripen it perfectly; which makes me think Mr. Cobbett was deceiving the English farmer when he recommended it as a profitable crop in England. Profitable and highly useful it is under every dis- advantage, as it makes the richest and sweetest food Ibi all kinds of granivorous animals, even in its green state, and affords sound good food when ripe, or even partially ripe, for fattening beasts and working oxen. Last summer was very favourable, and the crops RATES or WAQB8. 189 were abundant, but owing to the failure of the two preceding ones, fewer settlers grew it. Our small patch turned out very good. The flour makes a substantial sort of porridge, called by the Americans " Suppome ;"^his is made with water, and eaten with milk, or else mixed with milk; it requires long boiling. Bread is seldom if ever made without a large portion of wheaten flour, mixed with the corn meal. With respect to the culture of other grain, I can tell you nothing but what every book that treats on emigration will give you. The potatoe instead of being sown in drills is planted in hills, which are raised over the sets : this crop requires hoeing. With respect to the usual rate of wages, this also differs according to the populousness of the place: but the common wages now given to an active able man are from eight to eleven dollars per month ; ten is perhaps the general average; from four to six for lads, and three and four for female servants. You may get a little girl, say from nine to twelve years, for her board and clothing ; but this is far from a saving plan, as they soon wear out clothes and shoes thus bestowed. I have once tried this way, but found myself badly served, and a greater loser than if I had given wages. A big girl will go out to service for two and two and a half dollars per month, and will work in the fields also if required, binding after the reapers, planting and hoeing corn and potatoes. I have a very good girl, the daughter of a Wiltshire emigrant, who is neat and clever, and respectful and industrious, to whom I give three dollars only ; she K 5 190 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. i> m f i is a Imppy specimen of the lower order of English emigTants, and her family are quite acquisitions to the township in which they live. > • -' » I'./.v • '»' I think I have now answered all your queries to the best of my ability ; but I would have you bear in mind that my knowledge is confined to a small portion of tlie townships along the Otanabee lakes, therefore, my information ailer all, may be but local : things may differ, and do differ in other parts of the province, though possibly not very materially. I must now say farewell. Should you ever feel tempted to try your fortune on this side the Atlantic, hi me assure you of a warm welcome to our Canadian home, from your sincerely attached fi'icnd. f.'fl 1 ; .' ■' - . . j:^ I .-.r; LOQQING-BEB. 191 Letter XI T. >A Logging Dm."— Burning of tlie Log-1ioapii.~Crop8 for th« §easoH.> Farming Stock. — Comparative Value of Wlieat and Ijabour. — Choio* of Land, and relative Advantages. — Clearing Land. — Hurricane iu the Woods. — Variable Weather.— lasecti. November the Sd. 1833. Many thanks, dearest mother, for the contents of the box which arrived in August. I was charmed with the pretty caps and worked frocks sent for my baby • the little fellow looks delightfully in his new robes, and I can almost fancy is conscious of the accession to his wardrobe, so proud he seems of his dress. He grows fat and lively, and, as you may easily suppose, is at once the pride and delight of his fooHsh mother's heart. • ■ --^ -.. >. .^"\ ■■; ■'■ ■'- ^' i ' -■* His father, who loves him as much as I do myself, often laughs at my fondness, and asks me if I do not think him the ninth wonder of the world. He has fitted up a sort of rude carriage on the hand-sleigh for the little fellow — nothing better than a tea-chest, lined with a black bear-skin, and in this humble equi- page he enjoys many a pleasant ride over the frozen ground. Nothing could have happened more opportunely for us than the acquisition of my uncle's legacy, as it has enabled us to make some useful additions to our farm, for which we must have waited a few years. We have laid out a part of the property in purchasing a fine lot f ' I ■ , 1. 192 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. of land adjoining our home lot. Ttie quality of our new purchase is excellent, and, from its situation, greatly enhances the value of the whole property. We had a glorious burning this summer after the ground was all logged up ; that is, all the large tim- bers chopped into lengths, and drawn together in heaps with oxen. To effect this the more readily wo called a logging-bee. We had a number of settlers attend, with yokes of oxen and men to assist us. After that was over, my husband, with the men- servants, set the heaps on fire; and a magnificent sight it was to see such a conflagration all round us. I was a little nervous at first on account of the nearness of some of the log-heaps to the house, but care is always taken to fire them with the wind blow- ing in a direction away from the building. Acci- dents have sometimes happened, but they are of rarer occurrence than might be expected, when we consider the subtlety and destructiveness of the element em- ployed on the occasion. If the weather be very dry, and a brisk wind blow- ing, the work of destruction proceeds with astonishing rapidity ; sometimes the fire will communicate with the forest and run over many hundreds of acres. This is not considered favourable for clearing, as it destroys the underbush and light timbers, which are almost indispensable for ensuring a good burning. It is, however, a magnificent sight to see the blading trees and watch the awful progress of the conflagration, as it hurries onward, consuming all before it, or leaving such scorching mementoes as have blasted the forest growth for years. BURNING OP THE LOQ-HEAI'S. 103 When the ground, is very dry the fire will run all over the fallow, consuming the dried leaves, sticks, and roots. Of a night the effect is more evident ; sometimes the wind blows particles of the burning fuel into the hollow pines and tall decaying stumps ; these readily ignite, and after a time present an ap- pearance that is exceedingly fine and fanciful. Fiery columns, the bases of which are hidden by the dense smoke wreaths, are to be seen in every direction, sending up showers of spacks that are whirled about like rockets and fire-wheels in the wind. Some of these tall stumps, when the fire has reached the summit, look like gas ^amp-posts newly lit. The«fire will sometimes continue unextinguished for days. After the burning is over the brands arc collected and drawn together again to be rebumt ; and, strange as it may appear to you, there is no work that is more interesting and exciting than that of tending the log-heaps, rousing up the dying flames and closing them in, and supplying the fires with fresh fuel. There are always two burnings : first, the brush heaps, which have lain during the winter till the drying winds and hot suns of April and May have rendered them sear, are set fire to ; this is previous to forming the log-heaps. If the season be dry, and a brisk wind abroad, much of the lighter timber is consumed, and the larger trees reduced during this first burning. After this is over, the rest is chopped and logged up for the second burning ; and lastly, the remnants are collected and consumed till the ground be per- fectly free from all encumbrances, excepting th« 194 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. If i\ I standing stumps, which rarely burn out, and remain eye-sores for several years. The ashes are then scat- tered abroad, and the field fenced in with split tim- ber ; the great work of clearing is over. Our crops this year are oats, corn, and pumpkins, and potatoes, wit!', soma turnips. We shall have wheat, rye, oats, potatoes, and corn next harvest, which will enable us to increase our stock. At present we have only a yoke of oxen (Buck and Bright, the names of three-fourths of all the working oxen in Canada), two cowf^, two calves, three small pigs, ten hens, and three ducks, and a pretty brown pony : but she is such a skilful clearer of seven-railed fences that we shall be obliged to part with her. Breachy cattle of any kind are great disturbers of public tranquillity and private friendship ; for which reason any settler who values the good will of his neighbours would rather part with the best working yoke of oxen in the township, than keep them if they prove breachy. A small farmer at home would think veiy poorly of our Canadian possessions, especially when I add that our whole stock of farming implements consists of two reaping-hooks, several axes, a spade, and a couple of hoes. Add to these a queer sort of harrow that is made in the shapv(\ (loot, To hail his toilsome journey o'er. Our hut is small and rude our cheer, But love has spread the banquet here, And childhood springs to be caress'd By our beloved and welcome guest ; With smiling brow his tale he tells, They laughing ring the merry bells. From the cedar swamp the wolf may howl, From the blasted pine loud whoop the owl ; The sudden crash of the falling tree Are sounds of terror no more to me ; No longer I list with boding fear, The sleigh-bells' merry peal to hear *. As soon as a sufficient quantity of snow has falleu all vehicles of every description, from the stage-coach to the wheelbarrow, are supplied with wooden run- ners, shod with iron, after the manner of skates. The usual equipages for travelling are the double sleigh, light waggon, and cutter ; the two former are drawn by two horses abreast, but the latter, which is by far the most elegant-looking, has but one, and answers more to our gig or chaise. Wrapped up in buffalo robes you feel no incon- venience from the cold, excepting to your face, which requires to be defended by a warm >^eaver or fur bonnet ; the latter, I am surprised to find, is seldom if ever worn, from the nonsensical reason that it is not the fashion. The red, grey, and black squirrels are * Tliis little poem by Mrs. Moodie has since been printed in a volume of " Friendship's Offering," with some altera- tions by the editor that deprive it a good deal of the simplicity of the original. .i if 208 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. abundant in our woods ; the musk-rat inhabits little houses that he builds in the rushy parts of the lakes : these dwellings are formed of the roots of sedges, sticks, and other materials of a similar nature, and plastered with mud, over which a thick close thatch is raised to the height of a foot or more above the water; they are of a round or dome-shape, and are distinctly visible from the shore at some distance. The Indiaas set traps to ensnare these creatures in their houses, and sell their skins, which are very thick and glossy towards winter. The beaver, the bear, the black lynx, and foxes are also killed, and brought to the stores by the hunters, where the skins are exchanged for goods or money. ... The Indians dress the deer-skins for making mo> cassins, which are greatly sought ailer by the settlers in these parts ; they are very comfortable in snowy weather, and keep the feet very warm, but you require several wrappings of cloth round the feet before you put them on. I wore a beautiful pair all last winter, worked with porcupine-quills and bound with scarlet ribbon ; these elegant mocassins were the handicraft of an old squaw, the wife of Peter the hunter : you have already heard of him in my former letters. I was delighted with a curious specimen of Indian ortho- graphy that accompanied the mocassins, in the form of a note, which I shall transcribe for your edification : — Sir, Pleas if you would give something; you must git in ordir in store is woyth (worth) them mocsin porcupine quill on et. One doJers foure yard. V > V\ m VISIT TO AN INDIAN CAMP. 211 This curious billet was the production of the hun- ter's eldest son, and is meant to intimate that if I would buy the mocassins the price was one dollar, or an order on one of the stores for four yards of calico ; for so the squaw interpreted its meaning. The order for four yards of printed cotton was delivered over to Mrs. Peter, who carefully pinned it within the folds of her blanket, and departed well satisfied with the pay- ment. And this reminds me of our visit to the In- dian's camp last week. Feeling some desire to see these singular people in their winter encampment, I expressed my wish to S , who happens to be a grand favourite with the old hunter and his family ; as a mark of a distinction they have bestowed on him the title of Chippewa, the name of their tribe. He was delighted with the opportunity of doing the ho- nours of the Indian wigwam, and it was agreed that he, with some of his brothers and sisters-in-law, who happened to be on a vi^it at his house, should come and drink tea with us and accompany us to the camp in the woods. A merry party we were that sallied forth that even- ing into the glorious starlight; the snow sparkled with a thousand diamonds on its frozen surface, over which we bounded with hearts as light as hearts could be in this careful world. And truly never did I look upon a lovelier sight than the woods presented ; there had been a heavy fall of snow the preceding day; owing to the extreme stillness of the air not a particle of it had been shaken from the trees. The ever- greens were bending beneath their brilliant burden every twig, every leaf, and spray was covered, and ! 1 1 1 I •1 2\% BACKWOODS OF CANADA. some of the weak saplings actually bowed down to the earth with the weight of snow, forming the most lovely and fancifi J bowers and arcades across our path. As you looked up towards the tops of the trees the snowy branches seen against the deep blue sky formed a silvery veil, through which the bright stars were gleaming with a chastened brilliancy. I was always an admirer of a snowy landscape, but neither in this country nor at home did I ever see any thing so surpassingly lovely as the forest appeared that night. Leaving the broad road we struck into a bye-path, deep tracked by the Indians, and soon perceived the wigwam by the red smoke that issued from the open basket-work top of the little hut. This is first formed with light poles, planted round so as to enclose a circle of ten or twelve feet in diameter ; between these poles are drawn large sheets of birch-bark both within and without, leaving an opening of the bare poles at the top so as to form an outlet for the smoke ; the outer walls were also banked up with snow, so as to exclude the air entirely from beneath. Some of our party, who were younger and lighter of foot than we sober married folks, ran on before; so that when the blanket, that served the purpose of a door, was unfastened, we found a motley group of the dark s!a in idea the frightful mangled, corpses of her murdered chil- dren upon thai hearth which had so often been the scene of their innocent gambols. Instinctively she clasped the two youngest to her breast at a fomrard movement of the Indian. With streaming eyes she was about to throw herself at his feet, as he advanced towards her with the dreaded weapons in his hands, and implore his mercy for herself and her babes. What then was her surprise and joy when he gently laid the rifle, knife, and tomahawk beside her, sig- nifying by this action that she had nothing to fear at his hands *. '' It is almost an invariable custom now for the Indians on entering a dwelling-house to leave all their weapons, as rifle, tomahawk, &c., outside the door, even if the weather bo STORY OF AN INDIAN. 219 A reprieve to a condemned criminal at the moment previous to his execution was not more welcome than this action of the Indian to the poor widow. Eager to prove her confidence and her gratitude at tie same time, she hastened to prepare food for the refreshment of the now no longer dreaded guest ; and, assisted by the eldest of her children, put clean sheets and the best blankets on her own bed, which she joyfully devoted to the accommodation of the stranger. An expressive " Hugh ! hugh !" was the only reply to this act of hospitality; but when he went to take pos- session of his luxurious couch he seemed sorely puz- zled. It was evident the Indian had never seen, and certainly never reposed on, an European bed. After a mute examination of the bed-clothes for some minutes, with a satisfied laugh, he sprang upon the bed, and, curling himself up like a dog, in a few minutes was sound asleep. By dawn of day the Indian had departed; bu. whenever he came on the hunting-grounds in the neighbourhood of the widow, she was sure to see him. The children, no longer terrified at his swarthy coun- tenance and warlike weapons, would gather round his knees, admire the feathered pouch that contained his shot, finger the beautiful embroidered sheath that held the hunting-knife, or the finely-worked mocas- sins and leggings ; whilst he would pat their heads, and bestow upon them an equal share of caresses with his deer-hounds. Such was the story related to me by a young mis- ever so wetj as they consider it unpolite to enter a friendly dwelling armed. o 2 t i i,i •s» BACKWOODS OF CANADA. sioimry. I thought it might prove not uninteresting, as a trait of character of one of these singular people. Chiboya (for that was the name of the Indian) was one of the Ciiippewas of Rice Lake, most of whom are now converts to Ciiristianity, and making con- siderable advancement in civilization and knowledge of agriculture. Hunting and fishing, however, appear to be their favourite pursuits : for these they leave the comfortable houses at the Indian villages, and return at stated times to their forest haunts. I be- lieve it is generally considered that their numbers are diminishing, and some tribes have become nearly if not totally extinct in the Canadas *. The race is slowly passing away from the face of the earth, or mingling by degrees with the colonists, till, a few centuries hence, even the names of their tribes will scarcely remain to tell that they once existed. When next you send a box or oarcel, let me have a few good tracts and hymn-books ; as they prize a gift of this sort extremely. I send you a hymn, the one they sang to us in the wigwam ; it is the Indian translation, and written by the hunter, Peter's eldest son : he was delighted when I told him I wanted him to copy it for me, that I might send it across the seas to my own country, that English people might see how well Indians could write. * It is stated that the North-West Company had a census of all the tribes, and that the whole Indian population of that immense continent did not now exceed 100,000 souls. In a Parliamentary document of 1834, the Indians of Lower Ca- nada are estimated at 3,437, and those of Upper Canada at 13,700, which latter number is stated to include those on the shores of Lake Huron, and to the westward. — Ed. CANADIAN ORNITHOLOGY. 2'it The liuiichback Maquin lias mude mc a miniature canoe of birch -bark, which I send ; you will prize it as a curiosity, and token of remembrance. The red and black squirrel-skins are for Jane ; the feathei fans, and papers of feathers, for Sarah. Tell the latter the next time I send a packet home, she shiill have specimens fit for stuffing of our splendid red- Red-bird. bird, which, I am sure, is the Virginian nightingale ; U comes in May or April, and leaves us late in the '222 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. summer: it exactly corresponds t(» a stuffed Virgi- nian nightingale that I saw in a fine collection of American birds. The blue-bird is equally lovely, and ■^.illS Blue-bird. migrates much about the same time ; the plumage ia of a celestial blue ; but I have never seen one other- wise than upon the wiug, so cannot describe it mi- nutely. The cross-bills are very pretty; the male and female quite opposite in colour, one having a lovely mixture of scarlet and orange on the breast SNOW-BUNTING. 223 and back, shading into greenish olive and brown; the other more like our yellowhammer, only it is not quite so bright in colour, though much softer, and more innocent-looking: they come to our windows and doors in the winter as familiarly as your robins. During the winter most of our birds depart; even the hollow tapping of the red-headed and the small speckled grey and white woodpecker ceases to be heard; the sharp chittering of the squirrel, too, is seldomer distinguished; and silence, awful and un- broken silence, reigns in the forest during the season of midwinter. I had weU nigh forgotten my little favourites, a species of the titmouse, that does not entirely forsake ■us. Of a bright warm, sunny day we see flocks of these tiny birds swinging among the feathery sprigs of the hemlocks or shrubby pines on the plains or in the forest ; and many a time have I stayed my steps to watch their playful frolics, and listen to their gay warbling. I am not quite certain, but I think this is the same little bird that is known among the natives by the name of Thit-a-be-bee ; its note, though weak, and with few changes, is not unpleasingj and we prize it from its being almost the only bird that sings during the winter. I had heard much of the snow-bunting, but never had seen it till the other day, and then not near enough to mark its form or colours. The day was one of uncommon brilliancy ; the sky cloudless, and the air almost warm ; when, looking towards the lake, I was surprised by the appearance of one of the pine-trees near the shore: it seemed as if covered i; B .324 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. with stars of silver that twinkled and sparkled against the blue sky. I was so charmed by the novelty, that I ran out to observe them nearer ; when, to my sur- prise, my stars all took flight to another tree, where, by the constant waving and fluttering of their small white vdngs against the sunlight, they produced the beautiful effect that had at first attracted my obser- vation : soon all the pines within sight of the window vKere illuminated by these lovely creatures. About mid-day they went away, and I have seen them but once since. They never lit on the ground, or any low tree or bough, for me to examine them nearer,. ■■ ^-^ ■■' ' ' ■ ■— ■•^-' • ■"'' ^ " Of our singing-birds, the robin, the blackbird, and a tiny bird, like our common wren, are those I am most intimate with. The Canadian robin is much larger than our dear robin at home ; he is too coarse and large a bird to realize the idea of our little favour- ite, " the household-bird with the red stomacher," as he is called by Bishop Carey, in a sonnet addressed to Elizabeth, the daughter of James I., on her mairiege with the unfortunate Frederic Prince Paktine. The song of the Canadian robin is by no means despicable; its notes are clear, sweet, and various; it possesses the same cheerful lively character >^.hat dis- tinguishes ihe carol of its namesake; but the general habits of the bird are very dissimilar. The Canadian robin is less sociable with man, but more so with his own species : they assemble in flocks soon after the breeding season is over, and appear very amicable one to another; but seldom, if ever, approach very near to our dwelling. The breast is of a pinkish, 1 against flty, that > my sur- ;, where, eir small uced the ly obser- of the ireatures. ;en them Dund, or ne them bird, and )se I am is much 30 coarse e favour- cher," as ressed to inarriL'>ge le. o means various ; >^,hat dis- general 'anadian with his after the amicable ach very pinkish, '^^,f'n Snow fiunnaf . o5 Ml < < .^*.v BLACK-BIRD. 227 salmon colour ; the head black ; the back of a sort of bluish steel, or slate colour ; in size they are as big as a thrush. The blackbird is perhaps our best songster, ac- cording to my taste; full as fine as our English blackbird, and much handsomer in its plumage, which is a glossy, changeable, greenish black. The upper part of the wing of the male bird of full growth is of a lively orange; this is not apparent in the younger birds, nor in the female, which is slightly speckled. Towards the middle of the summer, when the grain begins to ripen, these birds assemble in large flocks : the management of their marauding parties appears to be superintended by the elders of the family. When they are about to descend upon a field of oats or wheat, two or three mount guard as sentinels, and on the approach of danger, cry Geek- geck-geck ; this precaution seems a work of superero gation, as they are so saucy that they will hardly be firightened away ; and if they rise it is only to alight on the same field at a little distance, or fly up to the trees, where their look-out posts are. They have a peciiliarly melancholy call-note at times, which sounds exactly like the sudden twang of a harp-string, vibrating for a second or two on the car. This, I am incUned to think, they use to collect their distant comrades, as I have never observed it when they were all in full assembly, but when a few were sitting in some tree near the lake's edge. I have called them the " harpers^" from this pe- cdiar note. I shall tire you with my ornithological I'-' in 223 BACKWOODS OF CANA DA. sketches, but must enumerate two or three more birds. - The bald eagle frequently flies over our clearing ; it has a dark body, and snow-white head. It is sojnetimes troublesome to the poultry-yards : those we have seen have disdained such low game, and soared majestically away across the lake . The fish-hawk we occasionally see skimming the surface of the water, and it is regarded as an enemy by those who take delight in spearing fish upon the lakes. Then we have the night or raosquito-hawk, which may be seen in the air pursuing the insect tribe in the higher regions, whilst hundreds of great dragon- flies pursue them below; notwithstanding their as- sistance, we are bitten mercilesslj' by those summer pests the mosquitoes and black flies. } . The red-headed woodpecker is very splendid ; the head and neck being of a rich crimson ; the back, wings, and breast are divided between the most snowy white and jetty black. The incessant tapping of the woodpeckers, and the discordant shriek of the blue jay, are heard from sunrise to sunset, as soon as the spring is fairly set in. I found a little family of woodpeckers .last spring comfortably nested in an old pine, between the bark and the trunk of the tree, where tli3 former had started away, and left a hollow space, in which the old birds had built a soft but careless sort of nest ; the little creatures seemed very happy, poking their funny bare heads out to greet the old ones, who were knocking Away at the old stumps in their neighbourhood to BIRD'S-NKST. 939 supply their cruvings, as busy as so many carpenters at work. Baltimore Oriole defending her Nest against the Black Snake. A very ciuious bird's-nest was ^iven me by one of our choppers ; it was woven over a forked spray, so that it had all the appearance of having been sewn to the bough with grey thread. The nest was only secured at the two sides that formed the angle, but so strong was it fastened that it seemed to resist any weight or pressure of a moderate kind ; it was com- •230 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. posed of the fibres of the bass-wood bark, which are very thready, and may be drawn to great fine- ness : on the whole it was a curious specimen of the ingenuity of these admirable little architects. I could not discover the builder ; but rather suspect the nest to have belonged to ray provigt^, the little winter tit- mouse that I told you of. The nest of the Canadian robin, which I discovered while seeking for a hen^s nest in a bush-heap, just at the fiuther edge of the clearing, is very much like our home-robin's, allowing something for difference of size in the bird, and in the material ; the eggs, five in nuiriber, were deep blue. Before I quit the subject of birds, I must recall to your remembrance the little houses that the Ame- ricans build for the swallow ; I have since found out one of their great reasons for cherishing this usefiil bird. It appears that a most rooted antipathy exists between this species and the hawk tribe, and no hawk will abide their neighbourhood ; as tkidy pursue them for miles, annoying them in every possible way, haunting the hawk like its evil genius : it is most sin- gular that so small a creature should thus overcome one that is the formidable enemy of so many of the feathered race. I should have been somewhat scepti- cal on the subject, had I not myself been an eye- witness to the fact. I was looking out of my window one bright summer-day, when I noticed a hawk of a large description flying heavily along the lake, uttering cries of distress ; within a yard or two of it was a small — in the distance it appeared to me a very small ■—bird pursuing it closely, and also screaming. I SWALLOWS. 231 watched this strange pair till the pine-wood hid them from my sight ; and I often marvelled at the circum- stance, till a very intelligent French Canadian traveller happened to name the fact, and said so great was the value placed on these birds, that they had been sold at high prices to be sent to different parts of the province. They never forsake their old haunts when once naturaUzed, the same pairs constantly returning, year after year, to their old house. The singular fact of these swallows driving the hawk from his haunts is worthy of attention ; "^s it is well authenticated, and adds one more to the many interesting and surprising anecdotes recorded by naturalists of the sagacity and instinct of these birds. I have, however, scribbled so many sheets, that J fear my long letter must weary you. , . _. , Adieu. h i. ,:. ■ ' ■ A i I 333 HACKWOOOS OF CANADA. »»■ Letter XIV. M.» Utility of Botanical Kuowledge.-The Fire-Wetxl.— SarsnparilU PlAiit>.— Magnificeut Water-Lily.— Rice-.letU. — Indian Strawberry.— ScarUt Co- 'r lumbine. — Ferns. — Urasscs. J :' July 13. 1834. Our winter oroke up unusually early this year; by the end of February the ground was quite free from snow, and the weather continued all through March mild and pleasant^ though not so warm as the preceding year, and certainly more variable. By the last week in April and the beginning of May, the forest-trees had all burst into leaf, with a brilliancy of green that was exquisitely lovely. On the 14th, 15th, and 16th of May, the air became suddenly cold, with sharp winds from the north-west, and heavy storms of snow that nipped the 5 oung buds, and destroyed many of the early-sown vegetable seeds ; fortunately for us we were behind- hand with ours, which was very well, as it happened. Our woods and clearings are now full of beautiful flowers. You will be able to form some idea of them from the dried specimens that I send you. You will recognize among them many of the che- rished pets of our gardens and green-houses, which are here flung carelessly from Nature's lavish hand among our woods and wilds. How often do I wish you were beside me in -*N UTILITY OF BOTANICAL KNOWLEDGE. 233 tn^ rambles amon|r the woods and clearings: you would be so delighted in searching out the floral treasures of the place. Deeply do I now regret having so idly neglected your kind offers while at home of instructing me in flower-painting; you often told me the time would come when I should have cause to regret neglecting the golden opportunity before me. You proved a true prophetess ; for I daily lament that I cai'L-^^ make faithful representations of the flowers of my adopted country, or understand as you would do their botanical arrangement. With some few I have made myself acquainted, but have hardly confidence i i my scanty stock of knowledge to ven- ture on scientific descriptions, when I feel conscious that a blunder would be easily detected, and expose ire to ridicule and contempt, for an assumption of knowledge that I did not possess. The only bota- nical work I have at my command is Pursh's North American Flora, from which I have obtained some information ; but must confess it is tiresome blun- dering out Latin descriptions to one who knows nothing of Latin beyond what she derives through a knowledge of Italian . ^ TV ,.»-•. I have made out a list of the plants most worthy of attention near us ; there are many others in the township that I am a stranger to; some there are with whose names I am unacquainted. I subjoin a slight sketch, not with my pencil but my pen, of those flowers that pleased me particularly, or that possessed any remark..ble qualities. The same plants do not grow on cleared land that 234 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. formerly occupied the sume spot when it was covered with forest-trees. A distinct class of vegetation makes its appearance as soon as the fire has passed over the ground. ' The same thing may be remarked with regard U^ the change that takes place among our forests. As one generation falls and decays, new ones of a dif- ferent character spring up in their places. This is illustrated in the circumstance of the resinous sub- stance called fat-pine being usually found in places where the living pine is least abimdant, and where the ground is occupied by oak, ash, buck, maple, and bass-wood. The fire-weed, a species of tall thistle of rank and impleasant scent, is the first plant that appears when the ground has been freed from timbers by fire : if a {»iece of land lies untilled the first summer after its being chopped, the following spring shows you a smothering crop of this vile weed. The next plant you notice is the sumach, with its downy stalks, and head of deep crimson velvety flowers, forming an upright obtuse bunch at the extremity of the branches : the leaves turn scarlet towards the latter end of the summer. This shrub, though really very ornamental, is regarded as a great pest in old clearings, where the roots run and send up suckers in abundance. The raspberry and wild gooseberry are next seen, and thousands of strawberry plants of different varieties carpet the ground, and mingle with the grasses of the pastures. I have been obliged this spring to root out with remorseless hand hundreds of sarsaparilla plants, and also the cele- MAGNIFICENT WATER-LILY. 935 brated gingaeng, which grows abundantly in our woods : it used formerly to be an article of export to China from the States, the root being held in high estimation by the Chinese. Last week I noticed a succulent plant that made its appearance on a dry sandy path in my garden ; it seems to me a variety of the hour blowing mesem- bryanthium. It has increased so rapidly that it already covers a large space ; the branches con- verging from the centre of the plant, and sending forth shoots from every joint. The leaves are rather •^mall, three-sided and pointed, thick and juicy, vielding a green liquor when bruised like the com- mon sedums. The stalks are thick and round, of a bright red, and trail along the ground ; the leaves spring from each joint, and with them a constant succession of yellow starry flowers, that close in an hour or so from the time they first unfold. I shall send you some of the seed of this plant, as I per- ceived a number of little green pods that looked like the buds, but which, on opening, proved to be the seed-vessels. This plant covers the earth like a thick mat, and, I am told, is rather troublesome where it likes the soil. I regret that among my dried plants I could not preserve some specimens of our superb water-lilies and irises ; but they were too large and too juicy to dry well. As I cannot send you my favourites, I must describe them to you. The first, then, is a magnificent water-lily, that I have called by way of distinction the " queen of the lakes," for she sits a crown upon the waters. This j' ; ,i I 236 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. magnificent flower is about the size of a mode- rately large dahlia ; it is double to the heart ; every row of petals diminishing by degrees in size, and gradually deepening in tint from the purest white to the brightest lemon colour. The buds are very lovely, and may be seen below the surface of the water, in different stages of forwardness from the closely-folded bud, wrapped in its olive-green calix, to the half-blown flower, ready to emerge from its watery prison, and in all its virgin beauty expand its snowy bosom to the sun and genial air. Nor is the beauty of the flower its sole attraction : when unfolded it gives out a rich perfume not unlike the smell of fresh lemons. The leaves are also wor- thy of attention : at first they are of a fine dark green, but as the flower decays, the leaf changes its hue to a vivid crimson. Where large bed of these lilies grow closely together, they give quite a sanguine appearance to the waters, that is distinguishable at some distance. The yellow species of this plant is also very hand- some, though it wants the silken texture and delicate colour of the former; I call this the "water- king" The flower presents a deep golden-coloured cup, the concave petals of which are clouded in the centre with a dark reddish -brown, that forms a striking contrast to the gay anthers, which are very nume- rous, and turn back from the centre of the flower, falling like fringes of gold one over the other, in successive rows, till they fill up the hollow flower- cup The shallovvs of our lakes abound with a variety of RICR-BEDS. •231 elegant aquatic plants: I know not a more lovely sight than one of these floating gardens. Here you shall behold near the shore a bed of azure fleur-de- lis, from the palest ptarl colour varying to the darkest purple. Nearer in shore, in the shallowest water, the rose-coloured persecaria sends up its beau- tiful spikes trailing below the surface ; you see the red stalks and smooth dark green leaves veined underneath with rosy red: it is a very charming variety of this beautiful species of plants. Then a bed of my favourite white lilies, all in full bloom, floating on the water, with their double flowers expanding to the sun; near these, and rising in stately pride, a tall plant, with dark green spear- shaped leaves, and thick spike of bright blue flowers, is seen. I cannot discover the name of this very grand-looking flower, and I neglected to examine its botanical construction ; so can give you no clue by which to discover its name or species. Our rice-beds are far from being unworthy of ad- miration; seen from a distance they look like low green islands on the lakes : on passing through one of these rice-beds when the rice is in flower, it hzis a beautiful appearance with its broad grassy leaves and light waving spikes, garnished with pale yellow green blossoms, delicately shaded with reddish purple, from beneath which fait three elegant straw-colouied anthers, which move with every breath of air or slightest motion of the waters. I gathered several spikes when only just opened, but the tiresome tilings' fell to pieces directly they became dry. Next 23» BACKWUODt) UF CANADik summer I will make another attempt at preserving them, and it may be with better success. .. ^ The low shore of the lake is a complete shrubbery. We have a very pretty St. John 's- wort, with iiandsome yellow flowers. The white and pink spiral frutex also abounds with some exquisite upright honey- suckles, shrubby plants about three feet in height; the blossoms grow in pairs or by fours, and hang beneath the light gTeen leaves ; elegant trumpet- shaped flowers of a delicate greenish white, which are succeeded by ruby-coloured berries. On gathering a braiich of this plant, you cannot but be stmck with the elegant arrangement of the flowers along the under part of the stalks. The two blossoms are con- nected at the nectary of each in a singular manner. The Americans call this honeysuckle " twinflower." I have seen some of the flowers of this plant pale ])ink : on the whole it is one of the most ornamental shrubs we have. I transplanted some young trees into my garden last spring; they promise to live and do well. I do not find any description of this shrub in Pursh's Flora, but know it to be a species of honeysuckle, from the class and order, the shape and colour of the leaves, the stalks, the trumpet-shaped blossom and the fruit ; all bearing a resemblance to our honeysuckles in some degree. There is a tall upright bush, bearing large yellow trumpet-shaped flowers, springing from the extremities of the branches ; the involucrum forms a boat-shaped cup that encircles the flowers from which they seem to spring, some- thing afler the manner of the scarlet trumpet-hone^* A CUIllOUh PLANT. 239 suckle. The leaves and blossoms of this plant are coarse, and by no means to compare to the former. We have a great variety of curious orchises, some brown and yellow, others pale flesh-coloured, striped with crimson. There is one species grows to the height of two feet, bearing long spikes of pale purple flowers ; a white one with most fragrant smell, and a delicate pink one with round head of blossoms, finely fringed like the water-pinks that grow in our marshes ; this is a very pretty flower, and grows in the beaver meadows. liast autumn I observed in the pine-wood near us a Tery M^r -us plant ; it came up with naked brown stems, bi> .. li ig off like some miniature tree; the stalks of ti*io plant were brown, slightly freckled and beset with little knobs. I watched the progress of maturity in this strange plant with some degree of interest, towards the latter end ot«October ; the little knobs, which. consisted of two angular hard cases, not unlike, when fully opened, to a boat in shape, burst asunder and displayed a pale straw-coloured chaffy substance that resembled fine saw-dust : these must have been the anthers, but they bore more resemblance to seeds; this singular flower would have borne examination with a microscope. One peculiarity that I observed, was, that on pulling up a plant with its roots, I found the blossoms open under ground, springing up from the lowest part of the flower-stems, and just as far advanced to maturity as those that grew on the upper stalks, excepting that they were somewhat blanched, from being covered up from the air. I can And no description of thia 24C BACKWOODS OF CANADA. j>laut, nor any person but myself seems to have taken notice of it. The specimen I had on beinjy drieU became so brittle that it fell to pieces. I have promised to collect some of the most singular of our native flowers for one of the Professors o Botany in the Edinburgh University. We have a very handsome plant that bearw the {closest affinity to our potatoe in its floral construction ; t grows to the height of two or three feet in favourable situations, and sends up many branches ; the blossom are large, purely white, freckled near the bottom of the corolla with brownish yellow spots ; the corolla is un- divided: this is evidently the same plant as the cultivated potatoe, though it does not appear to form apples at the root. The fruit is very handsome, egg- shaped, of a beautiful apricot colour when ripe, and of a shining tempting appearance ; the smell, however, betrays its poisonous nature : on opening one of the fruits you find it consists of a soft pulp filled with shining black seeds. The plant continues in blossom from June till the first frosts wither the leaves ; it is far less coarse than the potatoe ; the flower, when full blown, is about the size of a half-crown, and quite flat ; I think it is what you call salver-shaped : it delights in light loamy soil, growing on the upturned roots of fallen trees, where the ground is inclined to be sandy. I haTe never seen this plant elsewhere than on our own fallow. The hepatica is the first flower of the Canadian spring : it gladdens us with its tints of azure, pink, and white, early in April, soon afler the snows have melted from the earth. The Canadians call it snow* # WOCiD-CRESS. 241 e taken ff dried 3ing:ulaf ssors o rar^ the truction ; (Tourable )losson[i im of the lla is un- , as the r to form me, egg- ripe, and however, e of the lied with blossom es; it is when full md quite aped : it upturned inclined jlsewhere anadian Lre, pink, ows have it BDOW* flower, from its eomino^ so soon after the snow disap' pears. We see its gay tufts of flowers in the op«n clearing-s and the deep recesses of the forests; its leaves are also an enduring ornament through the open months of the year ; you see them on every grassy mound and mossy root : the shades of blue are very various and delicate, the white anthers form- ing a lovely contrast with the blue petals. The wood-cress, or as it is called by some, gmger- cress, is a pretty white crucifoim flower ; it is highly aromatic in flavour; the root is white and fleshy, having the pungency of horseradish. The leaves are of a sad green, sharply notched, and divided in three lobes ; the leaves of some of them are slightly varie- gated; the plant delights in rich moist vegetable mould, especially on low and slightly swampy ground ; the flower-stalk is sometimes naked, sometimes leafed, and is crowned with a loose spike of whitish cruci- form flowers. There is a cress that grows in pretty green tufts at the bottom of the waters in the creeks and small rivulets : it is more delicate and agreeable in flavour than any of the land-cresses ; the leaves are of a pale tender green, winged and slender; the plant looks like a green cmhion at the bottom of the water. The flowers are yellow, cruciform, and insignificant; it makes a very acceptable salad in the early spring, and at the fall of the year. There are also several species of land-cress, and plants resembling some of the cabbage tribes, that might be used as spring vege- tables. There are several species of spinach, one i\nown here bvthe name of lamb's quarter, that grow* 24<2 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. in great profusion about our ^rden, and in rich soil rifles to two feet, and is very luxuriant in its foliage ; the leaves are covered with a white rough powder. Tiie top shoots and tender parts of this vegetable are boiled with pork, and, in place of a more delicate pot-herb, is very useful. Then we have the Indian turnip; this is a very handsome arum, the root of which resembles the capava, I am told, when boiled : the leaves of this arum are handsome, slightly tinged with purple. The spathe is of a lively green, striped with purple : the Indians use the root as a medicine, and also as an esculent ; it is often eaten by the settlers as a vegetable, but I never tasted it myself. Pursh calls this species Arum airopvrpureum. ' I must not pass over one of our greatest ornaments, the strawberry blite, strawberry -bearing spinach, or Indian strawberry, as it is variously named. This singular plant throws out many branches from one stem, these are garnished with handsome leaves, resembling in appearance our long-leaved garden spinach ; the finest of this plant is of a bright crimson, pulpy like the strawberry, and containing a number of purple seeds, partially embedded in the surface, after the same manner as the strawberry. The fruit grows close to the stalk, completely surrounding it, and forming a long spike of the richest crimson berries. I have gathered branches a foot in length, closely covered with the beautiful looking fruit, and have regretted that it was so insipid in its flavour as to make it uneatable. On the banks of creeks and in rich ground, it grows most luxuriantly, one root • INDIAN STRAWbKRRy. 243 sending up twenty or tlurty branches, drooping with the weight of their magnificent burden. As the middle and superior stems ripen and decay, the lateral ones come on, presenting a constant succession of fruit from July till the frost ni^ 2m off in SeptemVr The Indians use i^.^ juic. of this plant as .. aye, and are said to eat the berries : it is often made use of as a substitute for red ink, but it is liable to fade unless mingled with alum. A friend of mine told me she had been induced to cross a letter she was sending to a relative in England with this strawberry ink, but not having taken the precaution to fix the colour, when the anxiously expected epistle arrived, one-half of it proved quite unintelligible, the colours having faded nearly to white; so that instead of affording satisfaction, it proved only a source of vexation and embarrassment to the reader, and of mortification to the writer. The blood.-root, sanguinaria, or puccoon, as it is termed by some of the native tribes, is worthy of attention from the root to the flower. As soon as the sun of April has warmed the earth and loosened it from its frozen bonds, you may distinguish a number of purely white buds, elevated on a naked footstalk, and partially enfolded in a handsome vine-shaped leaf, of a pale bluish green, curiously veined on the under side with pale orange. The leaf springs singly from a thick juicy fibrous root, which, on being broken, emits a quantity of liquor from its pores of a bright orange scarlet colour : this juice is used by the Indians as a dye, and also in the cure of rheumatic, and cutaneous complaints. The floweie of the aan '1! n I i! I \ i. 244 BACKWOODS OK CANADA. ^uinaria resemble the white crocus very closely when it first comes up the bud is supported by the leaf, and is folded together with it; the flower, how- ever, soon elevates itself above its protector, while the leaf having performed its duty of guardian to the tender bud, expands to its full size. A rich black vegetable mould at the edges of the clearing^ seems the favourite soil for this plant. The scarlet columbine is another of my favourite flowers ; it is bright red, with yellow linings to the tubes. The nectaries are more elongated than the garden columbines, and form a sort of mural crown, surmounted with little balls at the tips. A tall graceful plant, with its brilliant waving blossoms, is this colum- bine ; it grows both in the sunshine and the shade, not perhaps in deep shady wo- j, but where the under brush has been removed by -he running of the fire or the axe of the chopper ; it seems even to flourish in poor stony soils, and may be found near every dwelling. The feathered columbine delights in moist open swamps, and the banks of rivulets ; it grows to the height of three, and even four and five feet, and is very ornamental. Of Violets, we have every variety of colour, size and shape, looking only the delightful viola odorata of our home woodlands: yet I know not why we should quarrel with these meek daughters of the spring, because they want the fragrance of their more favoured sisters. Many of your wood-violets, though very beautiful, are also devoid of scent ; here variety of colour ought to make some amends for want of per- tiime. "We have violets of every shade of blue, some VIOLETS. 246 veined with purple, others shaded with darker blue. We have the delicate white, pencilled with purple : the bright brimstone coloured with black veinings : the pale primrose with dark blue veins ; the two latter are remarkable for the luxuriance and size of the leaves : the flowers spring in bunches, several from each joint, and are succeeded by large c&psules covered with thick white cottony down. There is a species of violet that grows in the woods, the leaves of which are exceedingly large ; so are the seed-vessels, but the flower is so small and insignificant, that it is only to be observed by a close examination of the plant ; this has given rise to the vulgar belief that it blooms under ground. The flowers are a pale greenish yellow. Bryant's beautifnl poem of the Yellow Violet is descriptive of the first- mentioned violet. There is an elegant viola tricolor, that blooms in the autumn ; it is the size of a small heart's-ease, and is pure white, pale purple, and lilac ; the upper petals are white, the lower lip purple, and the side wings a reddish lilac. I was struck with the elegance of this rare flower on a journey to Peterborough, on my way to Cobourg; I was unable to preserve the specimens, and have not travelled that road since. The flower grew among wild clover on the open side of the road ; the leaves were small, roundish, and cf a dark sad green. Of the tall shrubby asters, we have several beautiful varieties, with large pale blue lilac, or white flowers ; others with very small white flowers and crimson anthers, which look like tufts of red down, spangled with gold-dust; these anthers have a pretty effect, p3 tn 246 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. contrasted with the white starry petals. There is one variety of the tall usters that I have seen on the plains, it has flowers about the sizr of a sixpence, of a soft pearly tint of blue, with brown anthers ; this plant grows very tall, and branches from the parent stem in many graceful flowery bouglis ; the leaves of this species are of a pnrple red on the under side, and inclining to heart-shape; the leaves and stalks are hairy .-. ,-. r . •• -, ... - ■- -^^m, . . I am not afraid of wearying you with my floral sketches, I have yet many to describe ; among these are those elegant little evergreens, that abound in this country, under the name of winter-greens, of which there are three or four remarkable for beauty of foliage, flower, and fruit. One of these winter-greens that abounds in our pine-woods is extremely beautiful ; it seldom exceeds six inches in height; the leaves are a bright shining green, of a long narrow oval, delicately notched like the edges of a rose-leaf; and the plant emerges from beneath the snow in the early part of the year, as soon as the first thaw takes place, as fresh and verdant as before they were covered up : it seems to be a shy blossomer. I have never seen specimens of the flowers in bloom but twice ; these I carefully preserved for you, but the dried plant will afford but an imperfect idea of the original. You always called, you know, your dried specimens corpses of plants, and said, that when well painted, their representations were far more like themselves. The flower-stalk rises two or three inches from the centre of the plant, and is crowned with lound crimson buds and blossoms consisting of five petals, deepening WINTER-GREENS. 247 from the palest pink to the brightest blush colour ; the stigma is of an emerald greenness, forming a slightly ribbed turban in the centre, around which are dis< posed ten stamens of an amethyst colour : in short, this is one of the gems of the floral world, and might aptly be compared to an emerald ring, set round with amethysts. The contrast of colours in this flower is exceedingly pleasing, and the crimson buds and shining ever-green leaves are scarcely less to be ad mired than the flower ; itself it would be considered a great acquisition to your collection of American shrubs, but I doubt if it would flourish when removed from the shade of the pine-woods. This plant appears to be the Chimaphila corymbosUy or winter-green, de- scribed by Pursh, with some trifling variation in the colour of the petals. Another of our winter-greens grows in abundance on the Rice -Lake plains; the plant does not exceed four inches ; the flowers are in little loose bunches, pale greenish white, in shape like the blossom of the iirbutus ; the berries are bright scarlet, and are known by the name of winter-berry, and partridge-berry; this must be Gualtheria procumbens. But a more beautiful little evergreen of the same species is to be found in our cedar swamps, under the name of pigeon-berry; it resembles the arbutus in leaf and flower more closely than the former plant; the scarlet berry is inserted in a scarlet cup or re ceptacle, di^^ded at the edge in five points; it is fleshy, seeming to partake of the same nature as the fniit. The blossoms of this elegant little shrub, like the arbutus, of which it looks like the miniature 1 1 • 1 24H BACKWOODS OF CANADA. appear in drooping buiiches at the same time thd ripened berry of the former year is in perfection ; this circumstance adds not a little to the charm of the plant. If I mistake not, this is the Gualtheria Shallon, which Pursh likens to the arbutus : this Is also one of our winter-greens. There is another pretty trailing plant, with delicate little funnel-shaped flowers, and a profusion of small dark green round buds, slightly variegated, and bright red berries, which are produced at the extremities of the branches. The blossoms of this plant grow in pairs, closely connected at the germen ; so much so, that the scarlet fruit that supersedes the flowers appears like a double berry, each berry containing the seeds of both flowers and a double eye. The plant is also called winter-green, or twin-berry ; it resembles none of the other winter-greens ; it grows in mossy woods, trailing along the ground, appearing to delight in covering little hillocks and inequalities of the ground. In elegance of growth, delicacy of flower, and brightness of berry, this winter-green is little inferior to any of the former. There is a plant in our woods, known by the names of man-drake, may-apple, and duck's-foot : the bo- tanical name of the plant is Podophyllum ; it be* longs to the class and order Polyandria monogynia. The blossom is yellowish white, the corolla consisting of six petals ; the fruit is oblong ; when ripe, of a greenish yellow; in size that of an olive, or large damson ; when fully ripe it has the flavour of preserved tamarind, a pleasant brisk acid; it appears to be ashy bearer, though it increases rapidly in rich moist wood- I It LILIKS. '24 U lands. The leaves come up sin^i^ly, are pulinated and shade the ground very much when a number of Iheni ^rownear each other; llie stalk supports the leaf from the centre : when they Rrst appear above the ground, they resemble a folded umbrella or parasol, all the edges of the leaves bending downward, by degrees expanding into a slightly convex canopy, Th^' fruit would make a delicate preserve with sugar. The lily tribe offer an extensive variety from the most minute to the very largest flowers. The red martagon grows abundantly on our plains; the dog's- tooth violet, Erythronium^ with its spotted leaves and bending yellow blossom, delicately dashed with crimson spots within, and marked with fine purple lines on the outer part of the petal, proves a great attraction in our woods, where these plants increase: they form a beautiful bed ; the leaves come up singly, one from each separate tuber. There are two varieties of this flower, the pale yellow, with neither spots nor lines, and the deep yellow with both ; the anthers of this last are reddish- orange, and thickly covered with a fine powdery sub- stance. The daflbdil of our woods is a delicate bending flower, of a pale yellow ; the leaves g;')w up the flower-stalk at intervals; three or more iiowers usually succeed each other at the extremity of the stalk : its height is from six to eight inches ; it delights in the deep shade of moist woodji. This seems to unite the description of the jonquil and daffodil. A very beautiful plant ci the lily tribe abounds both in our woods and clearings ; for want of a better name, I call iw the douri-lily, though it is widely spread over a great portion of the continent. The [|50 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. Americans term the white and red varieties of this species, the " white" and " red death." The flower is either deep red, or of a dazzling white, though the latter is oflen found stained with a delicate blush-pink, or a deep green ; the latter appears to be caused by the calix running into the petal. Wherefore it bears so formidable a name has not yet transpired. The flower consists of three petals, the calix three ; it belongs to the class and order Hexandria mono- gynia ; style, three-cleft ; seed-vessel of three valves ; soil, dry woods and cleared lands ; leaves growing in three, springing from the joints, large round, but a little pointed at the exhemities. We have lilies of the valley, and their cousins the Solomon's seals, a small flowered turk's-cap, of pale primrose colour, with an endless variety of small flowers of the lily tribe, remarkable for beauty of foliage or delicacy of form. Our Ferns are very elegant and numerous ; I have no less than eight different specimens, gathered from our immediate neighbourhood, some of which are extremely elegant, especially one that I call the " fairy fern," from its lightness. One elastic stem, of a purplish-red colour, supports several light branches, which are subdivided and furnished with innumerable leafets ; each leafet has a footstalk, that attaches it to the branch, of so slight and hair-like a substance that the least breath of air sets the whole plant in motion. Could we but imagine Canada to have been the scene of fairy revels, we should declare that these graceful ferns were well suited to shade the elfin court of Oberon and Titania. MOCASSIN FLOWERS. 251 When this fern first appears above the ground, it is scarcely to be distinguished from the decaying wood of the fallen pines; it is then of a light reddish brown, curiously curled up. In May and June, the leaves unfold, and soon assume the most delicate tint of green; they are almost transparent; the cattle are very fond of this fern. The mocassin flower or lady's-slipper (mark the odd coincidence between the common name of the American and English species) is one of our most remarkable flowers ; both on account of its beauty and its singularity of structure. Our plains and dry sunny pastures produce several varieties ; among these, the Cypripedium pubescens^ or yellow mocassin, and the C Arietinum are the most beautiful of the species. The colour of the lip of the former is a lively canary yellow, dashed with deep crimson spots. Tiie upper petals consist of two short and two long ; in texture and colour resembling the sheath of some of the narcissus tribe ; the short ones stand erect, like a pair of ears ; the long or lateral pair are three times the length of the former, very narrow, and elegantly twisted, like the spiral horns of the Walachian ram : on raising a thick yellow fleshy sort of lid, in the middle of the flower, you perceive the exact face of an Indian hound, perfect in all its parts, — the eyes, nose, and mouth; below tills depends an open sack, slightly gathered round at the opening, which gives it a hollow and prominent appearance ; the inside of this bag is delicately dashed with deep crimson, or black spots : the stem of the flower is thick towards ^he upper part, and takes a direct bend ; the leaves 252 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. \iti I arc large oval, a little pointed and ribbed ; the plant soereely exceeds six incnes ; the elegant colour and silken texture of the lower lip or bag renders this flower very much more beautiful to my taste than the purple and white variety, though the latter is much more striking on account of the size of the flower and leave*?, besides the contrast between the white and redj «• white and purple colours. The formation of this species resembles the other, only with this difference, the horns are not twisted, and the face is that of a monkey ; even the comical expression of the animal is preserved with such ad- mirable fidelity, as to draw a smile from every one that sees the odd restless-looking visage, with lis prominent round black eyes peering forth from under its covering. These plants belong to class and order Gynandria diandria ; are described with some little variation by Pursh, who, however, likens the face of the latter to that of a sheep : if a sheep sat for the picture, me- thinks it must have been the most mischievous of the flock. There is a curious aquatic plant that grows in shallow, stagnant, or slow-flowing waters ; it will con- tain a full wine-glass of water. A poor soldier brought it to me, and told me it resembled a plant he used to «ee in Egypt, that the soldiets called the " Soldier's drinking-cup ; " and many a good draught ot pure water, he said, I have drank from them. Another specimen was presented me by a gentle- man, who knew my predilection for strange plants ; he very aptlv gave H the name of " Pitcher- plant ;" it (liRASSES. 253 very probably belongs to the tribe that bear that name. The flowers that afford the most decided perfumea are our wild roses, which possess a delicious scent : the milk-weed, which gives out a smell not unlike the night-blowing stock; the purple monarda, which is fragrance itself from the root to the flower, and even after months' exposure to the wintry atmosphere ; its dried leaves and sei.i- vessels are so sweet as to impart perfume to your hands or clothes. All our Mints are strong scented : the lily of the valley is remarkable for its fine smell; then there is my queen of the lakes, and her consort- the water-king, with many other flowers I cannot now enumerate. Certain it is that among such a vast assemblage of flowers, there are, comparatively, veiy few that are gifted with fragrant scents. Some of our forest-trees give out a fine perfume. I have often paused in my walks to inhale the fragrance from a cedar swamp on some sunny day while the boughs were still wet with the dew-drops or recently fallen shower. Nor is the balsam-poplar, or tacamahac, less de- lightfully fragrant, especially while the gummy buds are just beginning to unfold; this is an elegant growing tree, where it has room to expand into boughs. It grows chiefly on the shores of the lakes and in open swamps, but it also forms one of the attractions of our plains, with its silver bark and wav- ing foliage ; it emits a resinous clear gum in trans- parent globules on the bark, and the buds are covered with a highly aromatic gummy fluid. Our Grasses are highly interesting ; there are va- 254 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. I: I i neiies that are wholly new to me, and when driet) form the most elegant ornaments to our chimney- pieces, and would look very graceful on a lady's head ; only fashionists always prefer the artificial to the natural. One or two species of grass that I have gathered bear a close but of course minute resemblance to the Indian corn, having a top feather and eight-sided spike of little grainy disposed at the side-joints. The sisyrinchhtniy or blue-eyed grass, is a pretty little flower of an azure blue, with golden spot at the base of each petal ; the leaves are flat, stiff, and flag-like ; this pretty flower grows in tufts on light sandy soils. I have given you a description of the flowers most worthy of attention ; and, though it is very probable some of my descriptions may not be exactly in the technical language of the correct botanist, I have at least described them as they appear. My dear boy seems already to have a taste for flowers, which I shall encourage as much as possible. It is a study that tends to refine and purify the mind, and can be made, by simple steps, a ladder to heaven, as it were, by teaching a chiW to look with love and admiration to that bountiful God who created and made flowers so fair to adorn and fructify this earth. Farewell, mv dear sister. RBC4PITULATI0N OF VARIOUS TOPICS. 255 Letter XV BMspitulation of various Topics.— Progress of Settlement. — Caiiada» the J.«nd of Hope. — ^Visit to tlie Family of a Naval Officer. — Squirrela.— Visit to, and Story of, an Emigrant Clergyman. — His early Difficulties.— The Temper, Disiiosition, and Habits of Emigrants essential Ingredienti Id Failure or Succeea. September the 20th, 1834. I PROMISED when I parted from you before I left England to write as soon as I could give you any satisfactory account of our settlement in this country. I shall do my best to redeem that promise, and for- ward you a slight sketch of our proceedings, with such remarks on the natural features of the place in which we have fixed our abode, as I think likely to aiford you interest or amusement. Prepare your patience, then, my dear friend, for a long and rambling epistle, in which I may possibly prove somewhat of a Will-o'- the-wisp, and having made you follow me in my de- sultory wanderings, — Over hill, over dale. Through bush, through briar, Over park, over pale, Through flood, through fire, — Possibly leave you in the midst of a big cedar swamp, or among the pathless mazes of our wild woods, with- out a clue to guide you, or even a blaze to light you on your way You will have heard, through my letters to my dear q2 256 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. mother, of our safe arrival at Quebec, of my illness At Montreal, of all our adventures and misadventures during our journey up the country, till after much weary wandering we finally found a home and rest- ing place with a kind relative, whom it was our hap- piness to meet after a separation of many years. As my husband was anxious to settle in the neigh- bourhood of one so nearly connected with me, think- ing it would rob the woods of some of the loneliness that most women complain so bitterly of, he purchased a lot of land on the shores of a beautiful lake, one of a chain of small lakes belonging to the Otanabee river. Here, then, we are established, having now some five-and-twenty acres cleared, and a nice house built. Our situation is very agreeable, and each day increases its value. When we first came up to live in the bush, with the exception of S , here were but two or three settlers near us, and no roads cut out. The only road that was available for bringing up goods from the nearest town was on the opposite side of the water, which was obliged to be crossed on a log, or birch-bark canoe ; the former is nothing better than a large pine-log hollowed with the axe, so as to con- tain three or four persons ; it is flat-bottomed, and Tery narrow, on which account it is much used on these shallow waters. The birch canoe is made of sheets of birch bark, ingeniously fashioned and sewn together by the Indians with the tough roots of the cedar, young pine, or larch (tamarack, as it is termed by the Indians); it is exceedingly light, so that it can be carried by two persons easily, or even by one. These PROGRESS OP SETTLEMENT. 257 then, were our terry-boats, and very frail they are, and require great nicety in their management ; they are worked in the water with paddles, either kneelingMor standing. The squaws are very expert in the ma- nagement of the canoes, and preserve their balance with admirable skill, standing up while they impel the little bark with great velocity through the water. Very great is the change that a few years have effected in our situation. A number of highly respec- table settlers have purchased land along the shores of these lakes, so that we no longer want society. The roads are now cut several miles above us, and though far from good can be travelled by waggons and sleighs, and are, at all events, better than none. A village has started up where formerly a thick pine-wood covered the ground ; we have now within a short distance of us an excellent saw-mill, a grist- mill, and store, with a large tavern and many good dwellings. A fine timber bridge, on stone piers, was erected last year to connect the opposite townships and lessen the distance to and from Peterborough ; and though it was unfortunately swept away early last spring by the unusual rising of the Otanabee lakes, a new and more substantial one has risen upon the ruins of the former, through the activity of an enter- prising young Scotchman, the founder of the village. But the grand wOrk that is, sooner or later, to raise this portion of the district from its present obscurity, is the opening a line of navigation from Lake Huron through Lake Simcoe, and so through our chain of small lakes to Rice Lake, and finally through the Trent to the Bay of Quinte. This noble work would prove i] 258 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. of incalculable advantage, by opening a direct commu* nication between Lake Huron and the inland town- ships at the back of the Ontario with the St. Laurence. This project has already been under the consideration of the Governor, and is at present exciting great in- terest in the country : sooner or later there is little doubt but that it will be carried into effect. It pre- sents some difficulties and expense, but it would be greatly to the advantage and prosperity of the coun* try, and be the means of settling many of the back townships bordering upon these lakes. I must leave it to abler persons than myself to dis- cuss at large the policy and expediency of the measure; but as I suppose you have no intention of emigrating to our backwoods, you will be contented witn my cur- sory view of the matter, and believe, ajs in friendship you are bound to do, that it is a desirable thing to open a market for inland produce. Canada is the land of hope ; here every thing is new ; every thing going forward ; it is scarcely pog- hible for arts, sciences, agriculture, manufactures, to retrograde; they must keep advancing; though in some situations the progress may seem slow, in others they are propoitiouably rapid. There is a constant excitement on the minds of emigrants, particularly in the partially settled town- sliips, that greatly assists in keeping them from de- sponding. The arrival of some enterprising person gives a stimulus to those about him : a profitable spe- culation is started, and lo, the value of the land iu the yicinity rises to double and treble what it was thought worth before ; so that, without any design of befriend- VISIT TO A NAVAL OFFICER'S FAMILY. 259 ing his neighbours, the schemes of one settler being carried into effect shall benefit a great number. Wc have already felt the beneficial effecf of the access of respectable emigrants locating themselves in this township, as it has already increased the value of our own land in a three-fold degree. All this, my dear friend, you will say is very well, and might afford subject for a wise discussion between grave men, but will hardly amuse us women ; so pray turn to some other theme, and just tell me how you contrive to pass your time among the bears and wolves of Canada. One lovely day last June I went by water to visit the bride of a young naval ofRcer, who had purchased a very pretty lot of land some two miles higher up the lake ; our party consisted of my husband, baby, and myself; we met a few pleasant friends, and enjoyed our excursion much . Dinner was laid out in the stoup^ which, as you may not know what is meant by the word, I must tell you that it means a sort of wide verandah, supported on pillars, often of unbarked logs ; the floor is either of earth beaten hard, or plank ; the roof covered with sheets of bark or else shingled. These stoups are of Dutch origin, and were intro- duced, I have been told, by the first Dutch settlers in the states, since which they have found their way all over the colonies. Wreathed with the scarlet creeper, a native plant of our woods and wilds, the wild vine, and also with the hop, which here grows luxuriantly, with no labour or attention to its culture, these stoups have a very rural appearance ; in summer serving the purpose of an f^O BACKWOODS OF CANADA. open ante-room, in which you can take your meals and enjoy the fanning breeze without being incon- venienced by the extreme heat of the noon-day sun. The situation of the house was remarkably well chusen, just on tlie summit of a Httle elevated plain, the ground sloping with a steep descent to a little valley, at the bottom of which a bright rill of water divided the garden from the opposite corn-fields, which clothed a corresponding bank. In front of the stoup, where we dined, the garden was laid out with a smooth plot of grass, surrounded with borders of flowers, and separated from a ripening field of wheat by a hght railed fence, over which the luxuriant hop- vine flung its tendrils and graceful blossoms. Now I most tell you the hop is cultivated for the purpose of making a barm for raising bread. As you take great interest in housewifery concerns, I shall send you a recipe for what we call hop-rising*. The Yankees use a fermentation of salt, flour, and warm water or milk ; but though the salt-rising makes beautiful bread to look at, being far whiter and firmer than the hop-yeast bread, there is a pecu- liar flavour imparted to the flour that does not please every one's taste, and it is very difficult to get your salt-rising to work in very cold weather. And now, having digressed while I gave you my recipes, I shall step back to my party within the Btoup, which, I can assure you, was veiy pleasant, and most cordially disposed to enjoy the meeting. We had books and drawings, and good store of pretty Indian toys, the collection of many long See Appendix. RED SQUIRREL. HI )ur meals ig incon- iay sun. ibly well ed plain, o a little of water rn- fields, >nt of the out with orders of of wheat iant hop- i. Now purpose you take lall send our, and It-rising r whiter a pecu- t please ;et your rou my lin the easant, leeting". tore of long voyages to distant shores, to look at and admire. Soon after sun-set we walked down through the wo(xls to the landing at the lake shore, where we found our bark canoe ready to convey us home. During our voyage, just at the head of the rapids, our attention was drawn to some small object in the water, moving very swiftly along ; there were various opinions as to the swimmer, some thinking it to be a water-snake, others a squirrel, or^ a musk-rat; a few swift strokes of the paddles brought us up so as to intercept the passage of the little voyager; it proved to be a fine red squirrel, bound on a voyage of discovery from a neighbouring island. The little animal, with a courage and address that astonished his pursuers, instead of seeking safety in a different direction, sprung lightly on the point of the uplifted paddle, and from thence with a bound to the head of my astonished baby, and having gamed my shoulder, leaped again into the water, and made direct for the shore, never having deviated a single point from the line he was swimming in when he first came in sight of our canoe. I was surprised and amused by the agility and courage displayed by this innocent crea- ture ; I could hardly have given credence to the cir. cumstance, had I not been an eye-witness of its con- duct, and moreover been wetted plentifully on my shoulder by the sprinkling of water from his coat. Perhaps you may think my squirrel anecdote incre- dible ; but I can vouch for the truth of it on my own personal experience, as I not only saw but also felt it: the black squirrels are most lovely and elegant animals, considerably larger than the red, the grey, «5 86a BACKWOODS OF CANADA. ttiid the striped: the Irtter are called by the Indians " chit-munks." "We were robbed greatly by these little depredators last summer ; the red squirrels used to carry off g^reat quantities of our Indian corn not only from the stalks, while the crop was ripening, but they even came into the house through some chinks in tlie log -walls, and carried olf vast quantities of the grain, stripping it very adroitly from the cob, and conveying the grain away to their storehouses in some hollow log or tub' terranean granary. These little animals are very fond of the seeds of the pumpkins, and you will see the soft creatures whisking about among the cattle, carrying away the seeds as they are scattered by the beasts in breaking the pumpkins : they also- delight in the seeds of the sunflowers, which grow to a gigantic height in our gardens and clearings. The fowls are remarkably fond of the sunflower-seeds, and I saved the plants with the intention of laying up a good store of winter food for my poor chicks. One day I went to cut the ripe heads, the largest of which was the size of a large dessert-plate, but found two wicked red squirrels bu'j'ily employed gathering in the seeds, not for me, be «Hire, but themselves. Not. contented with pick- ing out the seeds, these little thieves dexterously sawed through the stalks, and conveyed away whole lieads at once : so bold were they that they would not desist when I approached till they had secured their object, and, encumbered with a load twice the weight of their own agile bodies, ran with a swiftness along the rails, and over root, stump, and log, till they eluded my pursuit. Rad (^quirrrtSi FLYlNG-SaUIRRfiL. 265 Great was the indignation expressed by this thrifty little pair on returning again for another load to find the plant divested of the heads. I had cut what remained and put them in a basket in the sun^ on a small block in the garden, close to the open glass-door, on the steps of which I was sitting shell- ing some seed-beans, when the squirrels drew my attention to them by their sharp scolding notes, ele- vating their fine feathery tails and expressing the most lively indignation at the invasion : they were not long before they discovered the Indian basket with the ravished treasure ; a few rapid movements brought the little pair to the rails within a few pacesi of me and the sunflower-heads; here, then, they paused, and sitting up looked in my face with the most imploring gestures. I was too much amused by their perplexity to help them, but tm-ning away my head to speak to the child, they darted forward, and in another minute had taken possession of one of the largest of the heads, which they conveyed away, first one carrying it a few yards, then the other, it being too bulky for one alone to carry it far at a time. In short, I was so well amused by watching their manoeuvres that I suffered them to rob me of all my store. I saw a little family of tiny squirrels at play in the spring on the top of a hollow log, und really I think they were, without exception, the liveliest, most graceful creatures I ever looked upon. The flying-squirrel is a native of our woods, and exceeds in beauty, to my mind, any of the tribe. Its colour is the softest, most delicate tint of grey; the |r i i 266 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. fur thick and short, and as silken as velvet ; the eyes like all the squirrel kind, are large, full, and soft the whiskers and long hair about the nose black ; the membrane that assists this little animal in its flight is white and delicately soft in texture, like the fur of the chinchilla; it forms a rulge of fur between the fore and hind legs; the tail is like an elegant broad grey feather. 1 was agreeably surprised by the appearance of this exquisite little creature; the pic- tures I had seen giving it a most inelegant and bat- Flyiiig- StiuimL saiJlRRCLS. 2fi7 e eyes \ soft :)lack ; in its :e tlie tween egant by tlie e pic- 1 bat- \ (I S' Ju^'V tike look, almost disgusting. TIm^ young ones are easily tamed, and are very playful and affectionate when under confinement. How my little friend Emily would delight in such a pet ! Tell her if ever I should return to dear old England, I will try to procure one for her ; but at present she must be contented with the stuffed spe- cimens of the black, red, and striped squirrels which I enclose in my parcel. I wish 1 could offer you any present more valuable, but our arts and manufactures being entirely British, with the exception of the Indians' toys, I should find it a difficult matter to send you any thing worth your attention ; therefore I am obliged to have recourse to the natiu'al pro- ductions of our woods as tokens of remembrance to our friends at home, for it is ever thus we speak of the land of our birth. You wish to know if 1 am happy and con tented in my situation, or if my heart pines after irv native land. I will answer you candidiy, and say that, as far as regards matters of taste, early asso- ciation, and all those holy ties of kindred, i\i'A p.id affections that make "home" in all ccimtries, and among all nations in the world, a bf^ilowed spc *.,, I must ever give the preference to Bnuiiu. On the other hand, a sense of the duties I have chosen, and a feeling of conformity to one's situition, lessen the regret I might be inclined to i:idu)o:e in. Besides, there are new and delightful ties that bind me to Canada : I have enjoyed much domestic hap- piness since I came hither ; — and is it not the biiih- t)lace of my dear child? Have I not here firs. ^!?i I ( I af 1^ ' i tifllij ?!■ i 1 ' ^ 1 r I IL* i. Li mj 1 268 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. tasted the rapturous delight arising from maternal feelings ? When my eye rests on my smiling dar- ling, or I feel his warm breath upon my cheek, I would not exchange the joy that fills my breast for any pleasure the world could offer me. " But this feeling is not confined to the solitude of your Cana- dian forests, my dear friend," you will say. I know it ; but here there is nothing to interfere with your little nursling. You are not tempted by the plea- sures of a gay world to forget your duties as a mother; there is nothing to supplant him in your heart ; his presence endears every place ; and vou learn to love the spot that gave him birth, and to think with complacency upon the country, because it is his country ; and in looking forward to his future welfare you naturally become doubly interested in the place that is one day to be his. Perhaps I rather estimate the c ountry by my own feelings; and when I find, by impartial survey of ray present life, that I am to the full as happy, if not really happier, than I was in the old country, I can- not but value it. Possibly, if I were to enter into a detail of the advantages I possess, they would appear of a very negative character in the eyes of persons revelling in all the splendour and luxury that wealth could procure, in a country in which nature and art are so eminently favourable towards what is usually termed the pleasures of life ; but I never was a votary at the shrine of luxury or fashion. A round of com- pany, a routine of pleasure, were to nve sources of weariness, if not of disgust. " There's nothing in all ADVANTAGES IN CANADA. 269 this to satisfy the heart," says Schiller ; and I admit the force of the sentiment. I was too much inclined to spurn with impatience the fetters that etiquette and fashion are wont to impose on society, till they rob its followers of all freedom and indept ndence of will ; and they soon are obliged to live for a world that in secret they despise and 'oathe, for a world, too, that usually regards them with contempt, because they dare not act with an independence, which would be crushed directly it was displayed. And I must freely confess to you that I do prize and enjoy my present liberty in this country exceedingly : in this we possess an advantage over you, and over those that inhabit the towns and villages in thin country, where I see a ridiculous attempt to keep up an appear- ance that is quite foreign to the situation of those that practise it. Few, very few, are the emigrants that come to the colonies, unless it is v/ith the view of realizing an independence for themselves or their children. Those that could afford to live in ease at homc^ ..lelieve me, would never expose themselves to the privations and disagreeable consequences of a settler's life in Canada; therefore, this is the natural inference we draw, that the emigrant has come hither under the desire and natural hope of bettering his condition, and benefiting a family that he had not the means of settling in life in the horue country. It is foolish, then, to launch out in a style of life that every one knows cannot be maintained; rather ought such persons to rejoice in the consciousness that they can, if they please, live according to their circum- III 270 BACKWOODS OF CANADA stances, without being the less regarded for the practice of pnidence, economy, and industry. Now, we bush-settlers are more independent: we do what we Hke ; we dress as we find most suitable and most convenient ; we are totally without the fear of any Mr. or Mrs. Grundy; and having shaken off the trammels of Grundyism, we laugh at the ab- surdity of those who voluntarily forge afiesh and hug their chains. If our friends come to visit us unexpectedly we make them welcome to our humble homes, and give them the best we have ; but if our fa'-e be indifferent, we offer it with good will, and no apologies are made or ex- pected : they would be out of place ; as every one is aware of the disadvantages of a new settlement; and any excuses for want of variety, or the delicacies of the table, would be considered rather in the light of a tacit reproof to your guest fbr having unseason- ably put your hospitality to the test. Our society is mostly military or naval ; so that we meet on equal grounds, and ara, of course, well ac- quainted with the rules of gool breeding and polite life ; too much so to allow any deviation from those laws that good taste, good sense, and good feeling have established nmong persons of our class. Yet here it is v onsidered by no means deroga- tory to the wife af an officer or gentleman to assist in the work of the house, or to perform its entire duties, if occasion requires it ; to understand the mystery of soap, candle, and sugar-making ; to make bread, butter, and cheese, or even to milk her own cows; to knit and spin, and prepare the wool W '"" 1 HABITS OF SOCIETY, 271 for the loon). In these matters we bush-ladies have a wliolesome disregard of what Mr. or Mrs. So-and- so thinks or says. We pride ourselves on conform- ing to circumstances ; and as a British officer must needs be a gentleraan and his wife a lady, perhaps we repose quietly on that incontestable proof of our gen- tility, and can afford to be useful without injuring it. Our husbands adopt a similar line of conduct : the officer turns his sword into a ploughshare, and his lance into a sickle; and if he be seen ploughing among the stumps in his own fi^ld, or chopping trees on his own land, no one thinks less of his dignity, or considers him less of a gentleman, than when he appeared upon parade in all the pride of military etiquette, with sash, sword and epaulette. Surely this is as it should be in a country where independence is inseparable from industry ; and for this I prize it. Among many advantages we in this township possess, it is certainly no inconsiderable one that the lower or working class of settlers are well disposed, and quite free from the annoying Yankee manners that distinguish many of the earlier-settled town- ships. Our servants are as respectful, or nearly so, as those at home ; nor are they admitted to our tables, or placed on an equality with us, excepting at "bees,' and such kinds of public meetings; when they usually conduct themselves with a propriety that would afford an example to some that call themselves gentlemen, viz., young men who voluntanly throw aside those restraints that society expects from persona filling a respectable situation. {^■■^ 272 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. Intemperance is too prevailing a vice among all ranks of people in this country ; but I blush to say it belongs most decidedly to those that consider themselves among the better class of emigrants. Let none such complain of the airs of equality dis- played towards them by the labouring class, seeing that they degrade themselves below the honest, sober settler, however poor. If the sons of gentle- men lower themselves, no wonder if the sons of poor men endeavour to exalt themselves above him in ft country where they all meet on equal ground ; and good conduct is the distinguishing mark between the classes. Some months ago, when visiting a friend in a distant part of the country, I accompanied her to stay a few days in the house of a resident clergyman, curate of a flourishing village in the township of ■ I was struck by the primitive simplicity of the mansion and its inhabitants. We were intro- duced into the little family sitting-room, the floor of which was painted after the Yankee fashion ; instead of being carpeted, the walls were of unornamented deal, and the furniture of the room of corresponding plainness. A large spinning-wheel, as big as a cart- wheel, nearly occjpied the centre of the room, at which a neatly-dressed matron, of mild and lady-like ap- pearance, was engaged spinning yam ; her little daughters were knitting beside the fire, while their father was enga^ped in the instruction of two of his sons; a third was seated affectionately in a little straw chair between his feet, while a fourth was plying his axe with nervous strokes in the court-yard, VISIT TO AN EMIGRANT CLERGYMAN. 273 casting from time to time wistful glances through the parlour-window at the party within. The dresses of the children were of a coarse sort of stuff, a mixture of woollen and thread, the produce of the farm and their mother's praiseworthy industry. The stockings, socks, muffatees, and warm com- forters were all of home manufactiure^ Both girls and boys wore mocassins, of their own making: good sense, industry, and order presided among the members of this little household. Both girls and boys seemed to act upon the prin- ciple, that nothing is disgraceful but that which is immoral and improper. Hospitality without extravagance, kindness without insincerity of speech, marked the manners of our worthy friends. Every thing in the house was con- ducted with attention to prudence and comfort. The living was but small (the income arising from it, I should have said), but there was glebe land, and a small dwelling attached to it, and, by dint of active exertion without-doors, and economy and good ma- nagement within, the family were maintained with respectability : in short, we enjoyed during our so- journ many of the comforts of a cleared farm; poultry of every kind, beef of their own killing, excellent mutton and pork : we had a variety of pre- serves at our tea-table, with honey in the comb, delicious butter, and good cheese, with divers sorts of cakes ; a kind of little pancake, made from the flour of buck-wheat, which are made in a batter, and raised with barm, afterwards dropped into boiling lard, and fried; also a preparation made 974 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. of Indian corn-flour, called supporne-cake, ivlach is fried in slices, and eaten with maple-syrup, were among' tlie novelties of our breakfast-fare. I was admiring a breed of very fine fnwls in the poultry-yard one morning, when my friend smiled and said, ** I do not know if you will think I came honestly by them." " I am siure you did not acquire them by dis- honest means," T replied, laughing ; " I will vouch for your principles in that respect." " Well," replied my hostess, " they were neither given me, nor sold to me, and I did not steal them. I found the original stock in the following manner. An old black hen most unexpectedly made her appearance one spring morning at our door; we hailed the stranger with surprise and delight; for we could not muster a single domestic fowl among our little colony at that time. We never rightly knew by what means the hen came into our pos- session, but suppose some emigrant's family going up the country must have lost or left her ; she laid ten eggs, and hatched chickens from them ; from this little brood we raised a stock, and soon supplied all our neighbours with fowls. We prize the breed, not only on account of its fine f>ize, but from the singular, and, as we thought, providential, manner in which we obtained it." I was much interested in the slight sketch given by the pastor one evening, as we all assembled round the blazing log-fire, that was piled half-way up the chimney, which reared its stone fabric so as to fi)rm deep recesses at either side of its abutments. sillH'E 1 M EARLY DIFFrCULTIKS. 275 vvlaeh is ip, were fowls in y friend I think I I by dis- 'ill vouch 5 neither al them, manner, nade her loor; we ight; for ^1 among rightly our pos- ly going she laid from supplied e breed, rom the manner ill given sembled lalf-way ic so as iments. n Alluding to his first settlement, lie observed, "it was a desolate wilderness of gloomy and unbroken forest-trees when we first pitched our tent here : at that time an axe hud not been laid to the root of a tree, nor a fire, save by the wandering Indians, kindled in these woods. "I can now point out the identiVuI not whei-' my wife and little ones ate their first r and raised their feeble voices in thankfulness to that Almighty and merciful Being who had preserved them through (he perils of the deep, and brought them in safety to this vast solitude. " We were a Uttle flock wandering in a great wilderness, under the special protection of our mighty Shepherd. " I have heard you, my dear young lady," he said, addressing the companion of my visit, " talk of the hardships of the bush; but, let me tell you, you know but little Of its privations compared with those that came hither some years ago. " Ask these, my elder children and my wife, what were the hardships of a bush-settler's life ten years ago, and they will tell you it was to endure cold, hunger, and all its accompanying evils ; to know at times the want of every necessary article of food. As to the luxuries and delicacies of life, we saw them not ; — how could we ? we were far removed from the opportunity of obtaining these things : potatoes, pork, and flour were our only stores, and often we failed of the two latter before a fresh supply could be procured. We had not mills nearer than thirteen miles, through roads marked only by blazed lines ; ii ^>. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. '^o Vx 1.0 I.I 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 -^ 6" 1*- Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-450'< ^ ^ ^ V ^ 276 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. 11 nor were thero at that time any settlers near us. Now you see us in a cleared country, surrounded with flourishing farms and rising villages; but at the time I speak of it was not so : there were no stores of groceries or goods, no butchers' shops, no cleared farms, dairies, nor orchards ; for these things we had to wait with patience till industry should raise them. " Our fare knew no other variety than salt pork, potatoes, and sometimes bread, for breakfast ; pork and potatoes for dinner ; porb and potatoes for sup- per; with a porridge of Indian corn-flour for the children. Sometimes we had the change of pork without potatoes, and potatoes without pork; this was the first year's fare : by degrees we got a supply of flour of our own growing, but bruised into a coarse meal with a hand-mill ; for we had no water or windmills within many miles of our colony, and good bread was indeed a luxury we did not often have. " We brought a cow with us, who gave us milk during the spring and summer; but owing to the wild garlic (a wild herb, common to our woods), on which she fed, her milk was scarcely palatable, and for want of shelter and food, she died the following winter, greatly to our sorrow : we learned experience in this and in many other matters at a hard cost ; but now we can profit by it." " Did not the difliculties of your first settlement incline you to despond, and regret that you had ever embarked on a life so different to that you had been used to ?" i asked. PROPOSITION TO EMIGRATE. 277 K They might have had that effect had not a higher motive than mere worldly advancement ac- tuated me in leaving my native country to come hither. Look you, it was thus: I had for many /ears been the pastor of a small village in the mining districts of Cumberland. I was dear to the hearts of my people, and they were my joy and crown in the Lord. A number of my parishioners, pressed by poverty and the badness of the times, resolved on emigrating to Canada. " Urged by a natural and not unlawful desire of bettering their condition, they determined on cross- ing the Atlantic, encouraged by the offer of con- siderable grants of wild land, which at that period were freely awarded by Government to persons de- sirous of becoming colonists. " But previous to this undertaking, several of the most respectable came to me, and stated their views and reasons for the momentous step they were about to take ; and at the same time besought me in the most moving terms, in the name of the rest of their emigrant friends, to accompany them into the Wil- derness of the West, lest they should forget their Lord and Saviour when abandoned to their own spiritual guidance. " At first I was startled at the proposition ; it seemed a wild and visionary scheme : but by degrees I began to dwell with pleasure on the subject. I had few tie* beyond my native village ; the income arising from my curacy was too small to make it any great obsta cle : like Goldsmith's curate, 1 was ♦ Passing rich with forty pounds a year.' R .278 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. I'i My heart yearned after my people ; ten years 1 had been their guide and adviser. I was the friend ot the old, and the teacher of the young. My Mary was chosen from among them ; she had no foreign ties to make her look back with regret upon the dwellers of the land in distant places ; her youth and maturity had been spent among these very people ; so that when I named to her the desire of my pa- rishionets, and she also perceived that my own wishes went with them, she stifled any regretful feeling that might have arisen in her breast, and replied to me in the words of Ruth : — ' " * Thy country shall be my country ; thy people shall be my people ; where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.' " A tender and affectionate partner hast thou been to me, Mary," he added, turning his eyes affection- ately on the mild and dignified matron, whose ex- pressive countenance bespoke with more eloquence than words the feelings passing in her mind. She replied not by words, but I saw the big bright tears fall on the work she held in her hand. They sprang from emotions too sacred to be profaned bjr intrusive eyes, and I hastily averted my glance from her face ; while the pastor proceeded to narrate the particulars of their leaving England, their voyage, and finally, their arrival in the land that had been granted to the little colony in the then unbroken part of the town- ship of — — . ** We had obtained a great deal of useful advice and assistance from the Government agents previous to EMIGRANT CLEKGYMAN S FAMILY. 279 jui' coming up hither, and also hired some choppers at high wages to initiate us in the art of felling, logging, burning, and clearing the ground ; as it was our main object to get in crops of some kind, we turned to without any delay further than what was necessary for providing a temporary shelter for our wives and children, and prepared the ground foi •pring crops, helping each other as we could with the loan of oxen and labour. And here I must observe, that I experienced every attention and consideration from my friends. My means were small, and my family all too young to render me any service ; how- ever, I lacked not help, and had the satisfaction of seeing a little spot cleared for the growth of potatoes and corn, which 1 could not have effected by my single exertions. " My V'-ggest boy John was but nine years old, Willie seven, and the others still more helpless; the two little ones you see there," pointing to two young children, " have been born since we came hither. That yellow-haired lassie knitting beside you was a babe at the breast; — a helpless, wailing 'nfant, so weak and sickly before we came here that she was scarcely ever out of her mother's arms; but she grew and throve rapidly under the rough treatment of a bush-settler's family. " We had no house built, or dwelling of any kind to receive us when we arrived at our destina- tion; and the first two nights were passed on the banks of the creek that flows at the foot of the hill, in a hut of cedar and hemlock boughs that I cut with my axe, and with the help of some of my 280 BACKWOODS OF CANADA ■i eompauions, raised to shelter my wife and the little ones. " Though it was the middle of May the nights were chilly, and wo were glad to burn a pile of wood in front of our hut to secure us from the eflFects of the cold and the stings of the mosquitoes, that came up in myriads from the stream, and which finally drove us higher up the bank. " As soon as possible we raised a shanty, which now serves as a shed for my young cattle ; I would not pull it down, though often urged to do so, as it stands in the way of a pleasant prospect from the window ; but I like to look on it, and recall to mind the first years I passed beneath its lowly roof. We need such mementos to remind us of our former state; but we grow proud, aad cease to appreciate our present comforts. " Our first Sabbath was celebrated in the open air : my pulpit was a pile of rude logs ; my church the deep shade of the forest, beneath which we assembled ourselves; but sincerer or more fervent devotion I never witnessed than that day. I well remember the text I chose, for my address to them was from the viiith chapter of Deuteronomy, the 6th, 7th, and 9th verses, which appeared to me applicable to our cir- cumstances. " The following year we raised a small block- house, which served as a school-house and church. At first our progress in clearing the land was slow, for we had to buy experience, and many and great were the disappointments and privations that befel us during the first few years. One time we were all FLOURISHING STATE OP NEW SETTLERS. 281 ill with a^e, and not one able to help the other; this was a sad time ; but better thin^ were in store for us. The tide of emigration increased, and the little settlement we had formed began to be well spoken of. One man came and built a saw nrill ; a grist-mill followed soon after ; and then one store and then another, til?, we beheld a flourishing village spring up around us. Then the land began to increase in value, and many of the first settlers sold their lots to advantage, and retreated further up the woods. As the village increased, so, of course, did my professional duties, which had for the first few years been paid for in acts of kindness and voluntary labour by my little flock ; now I have the satisfaction of reaping a reward without proving burdensome to my parishioners. My farm is increasing, and be- sides the salary arising fVom my curacy I have some- thing additional for the school, which is paid by Government. We may now say it is good for us to be here, seeing that God has been pleased to sena down a blessing upon us." i.> ii;.' . ( T have forgotten many very interesting particulars relating to the trials and shifts this family were put to in the first few years; but the pastor told us enough to make me quite contented with my lot, and I returned home, after some days' pleasant so- journ with this delightful family, with an additional stock of contentment, and some useful and practical knowledge, that I trust I shall be the better for all my life. I am rather interested in a young lad that has I'ume out from England to learn Canadian farming. r3 ,282 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. Thep-^ You do not know how important these improve- ments are, and what effect they have in raising the spirits of the emigrant, besides enhancing the value of his property in no trifling degree. We have already experienced the beneflt of being near the saw-mill, as it not only enables us to build at a smaller expense, but enables us to exchange logs for sawn lumber. The great pine- trees which, under other circumstances, would be an encumbrance and drawback to clearing tb,: land, prove a most profitable crop when cleared off in the form of saw- logs, which is easily done where they are near the water ; the logs are sawn to a cer« tain length, and dragged by oxen, during the winter, when the ground is hard, to the lake's edge ; wben the ice breaks up, the logs float down with the current and enter the mill-race; I have seen the lake opposile 82 292 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. I to our windows covered with these floating timbers, voyaging down to the saw-mill. How valuable would the great oaks and gigantic pines be on an estate in England ; while here they are as little thought of as saplings would be at home. Some years hence the timbers that are now burned up will be regretted. Yet it is impossible to preserve them ; they would prove a great encumbrance to the farmer. The oaks are desirable for splitting, as the^ make the most durable fences ; pine, cedar, and white ash are also used for rail-cuts ; maple and dry beech are the best sorts of wood for iites : white ash iHirns well. In making ley for soap, care is taken to use none but the ashes of hard wood, as oak, ash, maple, beech ; any of the resinous trees are bad for the purpose, and the ley will not mingle with the fat In boiling, to the great mortification of the uninitiated soap-boiler, who, by being made acquainted with this simple fact, might have been spared much useless trouble and waste of material, after months of carefid saving. - -^ ■■ .■ •-.' ;. =..•...:?!.. -,.•. . An American settler's wife told me this, and bade me be careful not to make use of any of the pine- wood ashes in running the ley. And here I must observe, that of all people the Yankees, as they are termed, are the most industrious and ingenious ; they are never at a loss for an expedient : if one thing fails them they adopt another, with a quickness of thought that surprises me, while to them it seems only a matter of course. They seem to possess a sort of innate presence of mind, and instead of wasting their energies in words, they acL The old settlers that TUB CANADAS PREFERRED TO OUIO« 293 have been long among them seem to acquire the same sort of habits, insomuch that it is difficult to distin- guish them. I have heard the Americans called a loquacious boa£ting people ; now, as far as my limited acquaintance with them goes, I consider they are almost laconic, and if I dislike them it is for a certain cold brevity of manner that seems to place a barrier between you and them. I was somewhat struck with a remark made by a travelling clock-maker, a native of the state of Ohio. After speaking of the superior climate of Ohio, in answer to some questions of my husband, he said, he was surprised that gentlemen should prefer the Canadas, especially the bush, where for many yeans they must want all the comforts and luxuries of life, to the rich, highly cultivated, and fruitful state of Ohio, where land was much cheaper, both cleared and wild. To this we replied that, in the first place, British subjects preferred the British government ; and, be- sides, they were averse to the manners of his country- men. He candidly admitted the first objection ; and in reply to the last observed, that the Americans at large ought not to be judged by the specimens to be found in the British colonies, as they were, for the most part, persons of no reputation, many of whom had fled to the Canadas to escape from debt, or other disgraceful conduct ; and added, ** It would be hard if the English were to be judged as a nation by the convicts of Botany Bay." ' < Now there was nothing unfair or rude in the man nen of this stranger, and his defence of his nation 294 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. was mild and reasonable, and such as any unpruju* diced person must have respected him for. I have just been interrupted by a friend, who has called to tell me he has an opportunity of sending safe and free of expense to London or Liverpool, and that he will enclose a packet for me in the box he is pack- ing for England. . . .3f I am delighted by the intelligence, but regret that I have nothing but a few flower-seeds, a specimen of Indian workmanship, and a few butterflies to send you — the latter are for Jane. I hope all will not share the fate of the last I sent. Sarah wrote me word, when they came to look for the green moth I had enclosed in a little box, nothing of his earthly remains was visible beyond a little dust and some pink feet. I have, with some difficulty, been able to procure another and finer specimen; and, for fear it should meet with a similar anniliilation, I will at least pre- serve the memory of its beauties, and give you a de- scription of it. ■.,' It is just five inches from wing to wing ; the body the thickness of my little finger, snow-white, covered with long silken hair ; the legs bright red, so are the antennae, which are toothed like a comb on either side, shorter than those of butterflies and elegantly curled ; the wings, both upper and under, are of the most exquisite pale tint of green, fringed at the edges with golden colour ; each wing has a small shaded crescent of pale blue, deep red, and orange ; the blue forming the centre, like a half-closed eye; the lower wdngi elongated in deep scollop, so as to form two long tails, like those of the swallow-tail butterfly, only a DRAGON-FLIES.— FIRB-FLILS. 295 full inch in length and deeply frint^ed ; on the whole this moth is the most exquisite creature I have ever seen. We have a variety of the peacock butterfly, that is very rich, with innumerable eyes on the wings. The yellow swallow-tail is also very common, and the black and blue admiral, and the red, white, and black ad- miral, with many other beautiful varieties that I can- not describe. The largest butterfly I have yet seen is a gay vermilion, marked with jet black lines that form an elegant black lace pattern over its wide wings. '•":' ■''-■ ^•s-^''('v •^'-" ' - ,■ . ■'■ ^r-.-.^u -^ Then for dragon-flies, we have them of every size, shape, and colour. T was particularly charmed by a pair of superb blue ones that I used to see this sum- mer in my walk to visit my sister. They were as large as butterflies, with black gauze wings ; on each pair was marked a crescent of the brightest azure blue, shaded with scarlet ; the bodies of these beauti- ful creatures were also blue. I have seen them scar- let and black, yellow and black, copper-coloured, green, and brown ; the latter are great enemies to the mosquitoes and other small insects, and may be seen in vast numbers flitting around in all directions of an evening in search of prey. > ». -^ The fire -flies must not be forgotten, for of a)I others they are the most remarkable ; their appear- ance generally precedes rain ; they are often seen after dark, on mild damp evenings, sporting among the cedars at the edge of the wood, and especially near swamps, when the air is illuminated with their brilliant dancing light. Sometimes they may be seen 296 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. in {groups, firlancing like falling stars in mid-air, oi descending so low as to enter your dwelling and flit about among the draperies of your bed or window- curtains ; the light they emit is more brilliant than that of the glowworm ; but it is produced in the same manner from the under part of the body. The glow- worm is also frequently seen, even as late as Septem> ber, on mild, warm, dewy nights. We have abundance of large and small beetles, some most splendid : green and gold, rose-colour, red and black, yellow and black ; some quite black, for- midably large, with wide branching horns. Wasps are not so troublesome as in England, but I suppose it is because we cannot offer such temptations as our home gardens hold out to these ravenous insects. One of our choppers brought me the other day what he called a hornet's nest ; it was certainly too small and delicate a piece of workmansliip for so large an insect ; and I rather conjecture that it belonged to the beautiful black and gold insect called the wasp^ fly, but of this I am not certain. The nest was about the size and shape of a turkey's egg, and was com- posed of six paper cups inserted one within the other, each lessening till the innermost of all appeared not larger than a pigeon's egg. On looking carefully within the orifice of the last cup, a small comb, con- taining twelve cells, of the most exquisite neatness, might be perceived, if anything, superior in regularity U) the cells in the comb of the domestic bee, one of which was at least equal to three of these. The sub- stance that composed the cups was of a fine silver grey silken texture, as fine as the finest India silk papM', HUMMINGBIRD, til 297 and extremely brittle ; when slightly wetted it became glutinous, and adhered a little to the finger; the whole was carefully fixed to a stick : I have seen one since fastened to a rough rail. I could not but ad- mire the instinctive care diq)layed in the formation ot this exquisite piece of insect architecture to guard the embryo animal from injury, either from the voracity of birds or the effect of rain, which could scarcely find entrance in the interior. I had carefully, as I thought, preserved my trea- sure, by putting it in one of my drawers, but a wicked little thief of a mouse found it out and tore it to pieces for the sake of the drops of lioney contained in one or two of the cells. I was much vexed, as I purposed sending it by some favourable opportunity to a dear friend living in Gloucester Place, who took great delight in natural curiosities, and once showed me a nest of similar form to this, that had been found in a bee-hive ; the material was much coarser, and, if I remember right, had but two cases instead of six. f have always felt a great desire to see the nest of a humming-bird, but hitherto have been disappointed. This summer I had some beds of mignionette and other flowers, with some most splendid major convol- vuluses or ** morning gloves," as the Americans call them ; these lovely flowers tempted the humming- birds to visit my garden, and I had the pleasure of seeing a pair of those beautifU creatures, but their flight IS so peculiar that it hardly gives you a perfect sight of their colours; their motion when on the wing resembles the whirl of a spinning-wheel, and 8 5 298 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. the sound they make is like the hum of a wheel at work ; I shall plant flowers to entice them to build near us. I sometimes fear you will grow weary of my long dull letters ; my only resources are domestic details and the natural history of the country, which I give whenever I think the subject has novelty to recom- mend it to your attention. Possibly I may sometimes disappoint you by details that appear to place the state of the emigrant in an unfavourable light; I merely give facts as I have seen, or heard them stated. I could give you many flourishing accounts of settlers in this country ; I could also reverse the picture, and you would come to the conclusion that there are many arguments to be used both for and against emigration. Now, the greatest argument, and that which has the most weight, is necessity, and this will always turn the scale in the favour of emigration ; and that same imperative dame NeccH- sity tells me it is necessary for me to draw my lett«>r to a conclusion. • ' Farewell, ever faithfully and affectionately, y^ur attached sister. "^ ■.•■ ';■::, -^ '>■: .^ , .■ -:'-^!.,. ■ - 4 ' I , .^« ,'■ AfiUE. 'f^-Vajy,^! '^yi ■MV LiKTrER XVlf. ii n Agae^IlliMU of the Family.— Probable C«ute.— Rout-home.— Settinglij of Winter.— iBMCt termed a " Sawyer."— Temponury Church. November the 88th, 1834. You will have been surprised, and possibly distressed, by my long silence of several months, but when I tell you it has been occasioned by sickness, you will cease to wonder thai I did not write. h. My dear husband, my servant, the poor babe, and myself, were all at one time confined to our beds with ague. You know how severe my sufferings al- ways were at home with intermittents, and need not marvel if they were no less great in a country where lake-fevers and all kinds of intermittent fevers abound. Few persons escape the second year without being afflicted with this weakening complaint ; the mode of treatment is repeated doses of calomel, with castor-oi! or salts, and is followed up by quinine. Those per- sons who do not choose to employ medical advice on the subject, dose themselves with ginger-tea, strong infusion of hyson, or any other powerful green tea, pepper, and whiskey, with many other remedies that Lave the sanction of custom or quackery, ho fin if, I will not dwell on this uncomfortable period, further than to tell you that we considered the com- plaint to have had its origin in a malaria, arising from a cellar below the kitchen. When the snow .300 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. melted, this cellar became half full of water, eithei from the moisture draining through the spongy earth, or from the rising of a spring beneath the house ; be it as it may, the heat of the cooking and Franklin stoves in the kitchen and parlour, caused a fermen- tation to iake place in the stagnant fluid before it could be emptied ; the effluvia arising from this masg of putrifying water atfected us all. The female ser- vant, who was the most exposed to its baneful in- fluence, was the flrst of our household that fell sick, afler which, we each in turn became unable to assist each other, I think I suffer an additional portion of the malady from seeing the suflerini^ of my dear husband and my beloved child. I lost the ague in a fortnight's time, — thanks to calomel and quinine ; so did my babe and his nurse : it has, however, hung on my husband diu'ing the whole of the summer, and thrown a damp upon his exertions and gloom upon his 8pirit3. This is the certain effect of ague, it causes the same sort of depression on the spirits as a nervous fever. My dear child has not been well ever since he had the ague, and looks very pale and spiritless, We should have been in a most miserable con- dition, being unable to procure a female servant, a nurse, or any one to attend upon us, and totally unable to help ourselves; but for the prompt assistance ot Mary on one side, and Susannah on the other, I know not what would have become of us in our sore trouble. , This summer has been excessively hot and dry the waters in the lakes and rivers being lower than CULTIVATION OP TUB MBLON. 3UI they had been known for many years; scarcely » drop of rain fell fur several weeks. This extreme drought rendered the potatoe-crop a decided failure. Our Indian-corn was very fine ; mo were the pump- kins. We had some fine vegetables in the garden, especially the peas and melons; the latter were very large and fine. The cultivation of the melon is very simple : you first draw the surrounding earth together with a broad hoe into a heap ; the middle of tlus heap is then slightly hollowed out, so as to form a basin, the mould being raised round the edges ; into this hollow you insert several melon-seeds, and leave the rest to the summer heat ; if you water the plants from time to time, it is well for them ; the soil should be fine black mould; and if your hills are inclining to a hollow part of your ground, so as to retain the moisture, so much the finer will be your fruit. It is the opinion of practical persons who have bought wisdom by some years' experience of the country, that in laying out and planting a garden, the beds should not be raised, as is the usual custom; and give us a reason, that the sun having such great power draws the moisture more readily from the earth where the beds are elevated above the level, and, in consequence of the dryness of the ground, the plants wither away. As there appears some truth in the remark, I am inclined to adopt the plan. Vegetables are in general fine, and come quickly to maturity, considering the lateness of the season in which they are usually put into the ground. Peas qre always fine, especially the marrowfats, which are 302 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. ■ometimes grown in the fields, on cleared lands that are under the plough. We have a great variety ot beans, all of the French or kidney kind ; there is a very prolific white runner, of which I send you some of the seed : the method of planting them is to rais*^ a small hillock of mould by drawing the earth up with the hoe ; flatten this, or rather hollow it a little in the middle, and drop in four or five seeds round the edges ; as soon as the bean puts forth its runners insert a pole of five or six feet in the centre of the hill ; the plants will all meet and twine up it, bearing a profusion of pods, which are cut and foiled as the scarlet-runners, or else, in their dry or ripe state, stewed and eaten with salt meat; this, I believe, is the more usual way of cooking them. The early bush-bean is a dwarf, with bright yellow seed. Lettuces are very fine, and may be cultivated easily, and very early, by transplanting the seedlings that aj)pear as soon as the ground is free from snow. Cabbages and savoys, and all sorts of roots, keep during the winter in the cellars or root-houses ; but to the \\\e custom of keeping green vegetables in the shallow, moist cellars below the kitchens, much of the sickness that attacks settlers under the various forms of agues, intermittent, remittent, and lake-fevers, may be traced. Many, of the lower class especially, are not suffici- ently careful in clearing these cellars from the de- caying portions of vegetable matter, which are oflen suffered to accumulate from year to year to infect the air of the dwelling. Where the house is small, and the family numerous, and consequently exposed ROOT-llOUSB. 30;i snow. , keep to its influence by night, the baneful consequences may be readily imagined. " Do not tell me of lakes and sryamps as the cause of fevers and agues ; look to your cellars," was the observation of a blunt but experienced Yankee doctor. I verily believe it was the cellar that was the cause of sickness in our house all the spring and summer. A root-house is indispensably necessary for the comfort of a settler's family ; if well constructed, with double Jog-walls, and the roof 3ecured from the soaking in of the rain or melting snows, it preserves vegetables, meat, and milk excellently. You will ask if the use be so great, and the comfort so essential, why does not every settler build one ? Now, dear mamma, this is exactly what every new comer says ; but he has to learn the difficulty there is at first of getting these matters accomplished, unless, indeed, he have (which is not often the case) the command of plenty of ready money, and can afford to employ extra workmen. Labour is so expensive, and the working seasons so short, that many useful and convenient buildings are left to a future time; and a cellar, which one man can excavate in two days, if he work well, is made to answer the purpose, till the season of leisure arrives, or necessity obliges the root-house to be made. We are ourselves proof of this very sort of unwilling pro- crastination ; but the logs are now cut for the root- house, and we shall have one early in the spring. I would, however, recommend any one that could possibly do so at first, to build a root-house without delay and also to have a well dug; the springs lying if s i 'i. 304 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. very few I'eet below the surface renders fhis neither laborious or very expensive. The creeks will often fail in very dry weather, and the lake and river-waters grow warm and distasteful during the spring and summer. The spring-waters are generally cold and pure, even in the hottest weather, and delightfully refreshing. Our winter seems now fairly setting in : the snow has twice fallen, and as often disappeared, since the middle of October; but now the ground is again hardening into stone; the keen north-west wind is abroad; and every outward object looks cold and wintry. The dark line of pines that bound the opposite side of the lake is already hoary and heavy with snow, while the half-frozen lake has a deep leaden tint, which is only varied in shade by the masses of ice which shoot out in long points, forming mimic bays and peninsulas. The middle of the stream, where the current is strongest, is not yet frozen over, but runs darkly along like a river between its frozen banks. In some parts where the banks are steep and overhung with roots and shrubs, the fallen snow and water take the most fantastic forms. I have stood of a bright winter day looking with infinite delight on the beautiful mimic waterfalls congealed into solid ice along the bank of the river ; and by the mill-dam, from contemplating these petty frolics of Father Frost, I have been led to picture to myself the sublime scenery of the arctic regions. In spite of its length and extreme severity, I do like the Canadian winter ' it is decidedly the health* ANNOTANCB OF INSSCTS. aofi lis neither will often iver-waters pring and J cold and leli^htfuUy the snow , since the d is again st wind is \ cold and bound the and heavy as a deep ide by the ts, forming' lie of the is not yet ie a river where the md shrubs, 3t fantastic oking with waterfalls ' the river; these petty ) picture to ^ons. /^erity, I do the health- iest season of the year ; and it b no small enjoy- ment to be exempted from the tonnents of the insect tribes, that are certainly great drawbacks to your comfort in the warmer months. We have just received your last packet ,—8 thou- sand thanks for the contents. We are all delighted with your useful presents, e;«pecially the warm shawls and merinos. My little James looks extremely well in his new frock and cloak ; they will keep him very warm this cold weather: he kissed the pretty fur- lined slippers you sent me, and said, " Pussy, pussy." By the way, we have a fine cat called Nora Crena, the parting gift of our friend — — , who left her as a keepsake for my boy. Jamie dotes upon her; and I do assure you I regard her almost as a second Whittington's cat : neither mouse nor chitmunk has dared intrude within our log*walls since she made her appearance; the very crickets, that used to distract us with their chirping from morning till night, have forsaken their old haunts. Besides the crickets, which often swarm so as to become intolerable nui- sances, destroying your clothes and woollens, we are pestered by large black ants, that gallop about, eating up sugar preserves, cakes, anything nice they can gain access to ; these insects are three times the size of the black ants of Britain, and have a most voracious appetite: when they find no better prey they kill each other, and that with the fierceness and subtilty of the spider. They appear less sociable in their habits than other ants ; though, from the num bers that invade your dwellings, f should think they formed a community like the rest of their species. 8U6 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. The first year's residence in a new log-hcuse you Bre disturbed by a continual creaking sound which grates upon the ears exceedingly, till you become accustomed to it : this is produced by an insect com- monly called a " sawyer." This is the larvae of some fly that deposits its eggs in the bark of the pine- trees. The animal in its immature state is of a whitish colour; the body composed of eleven rings; the head armed vnth a pair of short, hard pincers : the skin of this creature is so rough that on passing your fmger over it, it reminds you of a rasp, yet to the eye it is perfectly smooth. You would be surprised at the heap of fine saw- dust that is to be seen below the hole they have been working in all night. These Rawyers form a fine feast for the woodpeckers, and jointly they assist in promoting the rapid decompo- sition of the gigantic forest-trees, that would other- wise encumber the earth from age to age. How infinite is that Wisdom that rules the natural world ! How often do we see great events brought about by seemingly insignificant agents! Yet are they all servants of the Most High, working his will, and fulfilling his behests. One ffreat want which has been sensibly felt in this distant settlement, I mean the want of public worship on the Sabbath-day, promises to be speedily remedied. A subscription is about to be opened among the settlers of this and part of the adjacent township for the erection of a small building, which may answer the purpose of church and school-house ; also for the means of paying a minister for stated seasons of attendance. has allowed his parlour to be used as a tem- TBMPORAKY CHURCH. 307 porary diurch, and service has been several times performed by a highly respectable young Scotch clergy- man ; and I can assure you we have a considerable t»ngregation, considering how scattered the inhabi- tants are, and that the emigrants consist of catho- lics and dissenters, as well as episcopalians. These distinctions, however, are not carried to such lengths in this country as at home ; especially where the want of religious observances has been sensibly felt. The word of God appears to be listened to with gladness. May a blessing attend those that in spirit and in truth would restore again to us the public duties of the Sabbath, which, left to our own guidance, we are but too much inclined to ncgleet FarewcU. 308 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. Letter XVIII h i>y Spriug.— Increase of Society and CoinroTt^--RMoll6ctioDS of Hem* —Aurora Boroalis. This has been a busy spring with us. First, sugar making on a larger scale than our first attempt was, and since that we had workmen making considerable addition to our house; we have built a large and convenient kitchen, taking the former one for a bed- room ; the root-house and dairy are nearly completed. We have a well of excellent water close beside the door, and a fine frame-barn was finished this week, which includes a good granary and stable, with a i»lace for my poultry, in which I take great delight. Besides a fine brood of fowls, the produce of two hens and a cock, or rooster^ as the Yankees term that bird, I have some ducks, and am to have turkeys and geese this summer. I lost several of my best fowls, not by the hawk but a horrid beast of the same nature as our polecat, called here a scunck ; it is far more destructive in its nature than either fox or the hawk for he comes like a thief in the night and invades the perch, leaving headless mementos of his barba- rity and blood-thirsty propensities. We are having the garden, wii?-.h hitherto has been nothing but a square enclosure for vegetables, laid out in a prettier form ; two half circular wings sweep off from the entrance to each side of the house , the BUSY SPRING. 309 tiont of Hem* fence is a scirt of rude basket or hurdle- work, such as you see at home, called by the country folk wattled fence: this forms a much more picturesque fence than those usually put up of split timber. Along this little enclosure I have begun planting a sort of flowery hedge with some of the native shrubs that abound in our woods and lake-shores. Among those already introduced are two species of shrubby honeysuckle, white and rose-blossomed : these are called by the American botanists quUostium. Then I have the white Spircdafrutex, which grows profusely on the lake-shore ; the Canadian wild rose ; the red flowering raspberry (lubm spectabi/is), lea- ther-wood {dircas), called American mezereon, or moose-wood ; this is a very pretty, and at the same time useful shrub, the bark being used by farmers as a substitute for cord in tying sacks, &c. ; the In- dians sew their birch- bark baskets with it occasionally. Wild gooseberry, red and black currants, apple- trees, with here and there a standard hawthorn, the native tree bearing nice red fruit I named before, are all I have as yet been able to introduce. The stoup is up, and I have just planted hops at the base of the pillars. I have got two bearing shoots of a purple wild grape from the island near us, which I long to see in fruit. My husband is in good spirits j our darling boy is well, and runs about everywhere. We enjoy a plea- sant and friendly society, which has increased so much within the last two years that we can hardly regret our absence from the more populous town. My dear sister and her husband are comfortably 310 BACKWOODS OP CANADA. settled in their new abode, and have a fine ipot cleared and cropped. We often see them, and enjoy a chat of home — sweet, never-to-be-forgotten home ; and cheat ourselves into the fond belief that, at no very distant time we may again retrace its fertile fields and flowery dules. With what delight we should introduce our youn^ Canadians to their grandmother and aunts ; my little bushman shall early be taught to lisp the names of those unknown but dear friends, and to love the lands that gave birth to his parents, the bonny hills of the north and my own beloved England. Not to regret my absence from my native land, and one so fair and lovely withal, would argue a heart of insensibility ; yet I must say, for all its roughness, I love Canada, and am as happy in my humble log- house as if it were courtly hall or bower; habit re- conciles us to many things that at first were distaste- ful. It has ever been my way to extract the sweet rather than the bitter in the cup of life, and surely it is best and wisest so to do. In a country where con- stant exertion is called for from all ages and degrees of settlers, it would be foolish to a degree to damp our energies by complaints, and cast a gloom over our homes by sitting dejectedly down to lament for all that was so dear to us in the old country. Since we are here, let us make the best of it, and bear with cheerfulness the lot we have chosen. I believe that one of the chief ingredients in human happiness is a capacity for enjoying the blessings we possess. Though at our first outset we ex|ierienced many disappointments, many unlooked-for expenses, and CLIMATE OP UPPER CANADA. 311 niMiy annoying delays, with some wants that to us ■eemed great privations, on the whole we have been fortunate, especially in the situation of our land, which has increased in value very considerably ; our chief difficulties are now over, at least we hope so, and we trust soon to enjoy the comforts of a cleared farm. My husband is becoming more reconciled to the country, and 1 daily feel my attachment to it strengthening. The very stumps that appeared so odious, through long custom, seem to lose some of their hideousness ; the eye becomes familiarized even with objects the most displeasing, till they cease to be observed. Some century hence how different will this spot appear ! I can picture it to my imagination with fertile Relds and groves of trees planted by the hand of taste ; — all will be different ; our present rude dwel- lings will have given place to others of a more elegant style of architecture, and comfort and grace will rule the scene which is now a forest wild. You ask me if I like the climate of Upper Canada; to be candid I do not think it deserves all that tra- vellers have said of it. The summer heat of last year was very oppressive ; the drought was extreme, and in some respects proved rather injurious, especially to the potatoe crop. The frosts set in early, and so did the snows ; as to the far-farmed Indian summer it seems to have taken its farewell of the land, for little of it have we seen during three years' residence. Last year there was not a semblance of it, and this year one horrible dark gloomy day, that reminded me most forcibly of a London fog, and which was to the 312 BACKWOODS OF CANADA. full as dismal and depressing, was declared by the old inhabitants to be the commencement of the Indian summer; the sun looked dim and red, and a yellow lurid mist darkened the atmosphere, so that it became almost necessary to light candles at uoonday. If this be Indian summer, then might a succession of London fogs be termed the " London summer," thought I, as I groped about in a port of bewildering dusky light all that day ; and glad vas I when, ufter a day or two's heavy rain, the frost and snow set in. Very variable, as far as our experience goes, this climate has been ; no two seasons have been at all alike, and it is supposed it will be still more variable as the work of clearing the forest goes on from year to year. Near the rivers and great lakes the climate is much milder and nt v^^e equable ; more inland, the snow seldom falls so as to allow of sleighing for weeks after it has become general; this, considering the state of our bush-roads, is rather a point in our favour, as travelling becomes less laborious, though still somewhat rough. I have seen the aurora borealis several times ; also a splendid meteoric phenomenon that surpassed every thing I had ever seen or even heard of before. I was very much amused by overhearing a young lad giving a gentleman a description of the appearance made by a cluster of the shooting-stars as they fol- lowed each other in quick succession athwart the sky. '* Sir," said the boy, " I never saw such a sight before, and I can only liken the chain of stars to a lOgging-chain.'* Certainly a most natural and unique simile, quite in character with the occupation of the AUKORA BORhALlS. 313 )y the old le Indian I a yellow it became day. If lession of summer," wildering >n, after a set in. goes, this >een at all e variable from year le climute nland, the for weeks ering the >ur favour, ugh still nes; also ssed every )efore. I roung lad pearance they fol- t the sky. a sight I stars to a id unique Ion of the lad, whose business was often with the oxen and their logging-chain, and after all not more rustic than the familiar names given to nany of our most superb constellations, — C'harles's wain, the plough, the sickle, &c. Coming home one night last Christmas from the house of a friend, I was struck by a splendid pillar of pale greenish light in the west: it rose to some height above the dark line of pines that crowned the oppo- site shores of the Otanabee, and illumined the hea- vens on either side with a chaste pure light, such as the moon gives in her rise and setting ; it was not quite pyramidical, though much broader at the base than at its highest point ; it gradually iaded, till a faint white glimmering light alone marked where its place had been, and even that disappeared after some half hour's time. It was so fair and lovely a vision I was grieved when it vanished into thin air, and could have cheated fancy into the belief that it was the robe of some bright visitor from another and a better world ; — imagination apart, could it be a phos- phoric exhalation from some of our many swamps or inland lakes, or was it at all connected with the aurora that is so frequently seen in our skies ? I must now close this epistle ; I have many letters to prepare for friends, to whom I can only write when I have the opportunity of free conveyance, the inland postage being very high ; and you must not only pay for all you receive but all you send to and from New York. Adieu, my kindest and best of friends. Duuro, Ma7 1st, 1835. I'! J' Ol O^C>X. R ""O b ■ v^ APPENDIX. 'The following Communications have been received from the Writer of this Work during its progress through the Press.] Maple-Suoar. This spring I have made maple-sugar of a much finer colour and grain than any I have yet seen ; and have been assured by many old settlers it was the best, or nearly the best, they had ever met with : which commendation induces me to give the plan I pursued in manufacturing it. The sap having been boiled down in thn sugar-bush from about six- teen pailsful to two, I first passed it through a thin flannel bag, after the manner of a jelly-bag, to strain it from the first impurities, which are great. I then passed the liquor through another thicker flannel into the iron pot. in which I purposed boiling down the sugar, and while yet cold, or at best but luke- Marm, beat up the white of one egg to a froth, and spread it gently over the surface of the liquor, watching the pot carefullv after the fire began to heat it, that I mighi not suffer the scum to boil into the sugar. A few minutes before it comes to a boil, the scum must be carefully removed with a skimmer, or ladle, — the former is best. I consider that on the care taken to remove every particle of scum depends, in a great measure, the brightness ; «i 1 « S' ■ ■' 1 f K 1 m i 1 1 ; ;l i ^K 'B t 1 « i 1 I-- .'^! 5: .'( '■ I : ' fi; ■Ml 1 316 APPENDIX. and clearness of the sugar. The best rule I can give as to the sugaring-off, as it is termed, is to let the liquid continue at a fast boil ; only be careful to keep it from coming over by keeping a little of the liquid in your stirring-hidle, and when it boils up to the top, or you see it rising too fast, throw in a little from time to time to keep it down ; or if you boil on a cooking-stove, throwing open one or all the doors will prevent boiling over. Those that sugar-off outside the house have a wooden crane fixed against a stump, the fire being lighted against the stump, and the ket- tle suspended on the crane : by this simple contrivance, (for any bush-boy can fix a crane of the kind,) the sugar need never rise over if common attention be paid to the boiling; but it does require constant watching ; one idle glance may waste much of the precious fluid. I had only a small cooking-stove to boil my sugar on, the pots of which were thought too small, and not well shaped, so that at first my fearr were that I must relinquish the trial ; but I per- severed, and experience convinces me a stove is an excellent furnace for the purpose ; as you can regulate the heat as you like. One of the most anxious periods in the boiling I found to be when the liquor began first to assume a yellowish frothy appearance, and cast up so great a volume of steam from its surface as to obscure the contents of the pot ; as it may then rise over almost unperceived by the most vigilant eye. As the liquor thickens into molasses, it becomes a fine yellow, and seems nothing but thick froth. When it is getting pretty well boiled down, the drops begin to fall clear APPENDIX. 317 and ropy from the ladle ; and if you see little bright grainy-looking bubbles in it, drop some on a cold plate, and continue to stir or rub it till it is quite cold : if it is ready to gTanulate, you will find it gritty, and turn whitish or pale straw colour, and stiff. The sugar may then safely be poured off into a tin dish, pail, basin, or any other utensil. I tried two different methods after takmg the sugar from the fire, but could find little difference in the look of the sugar, except that in one the quantity was broken up more completely ; in the other the sugar remained in large lumps, but equally pure and sparkling. In the first I kept stirring the sugar till it began to cool and form a whitish thick substance, and the grains were well crystallized; in the other process, — which I think preferable, as being the least troublesome, — I waited till the mass was hardened into sugar, and then^ piercing the crust in many places, I turned the mass into a cullender, and placed the cullender over a vessel to receive the molasses that drained from the sugar. In the course of the day or two, I frequently stirred the sugar, which thus became perfectly free from moisture, and had acquired a fine sparkling grain, tasting exactly like sugar-candy, free from any taste of the maple-sap, and fit for any purpose. I observed that in general maple-sugar, as it is commonly made, is hard and compact, shovi^ing little grain, and weighing very heavy in proportion to its bulk. Exactly the reverse is the case with that I made, it being extremely light for its bulk, all the heavy molasses having been separated, instead of dried into the sugar. Had the present season been at all a T 3 I 318 APPENDIX. favourable one, which it was not, we should have made a good quantity of excellent sugar. Vinegar. By boiling down five gallons ot sap to one, and when just a little above the heat of new milk, putting in a cupful of barm (hop-rising will do if it be good), and letting the vessel remain in your kitchen chimney-corner during the summer, and perhaps longer, you will obtain a fine, cheap, pleasant, and strong vinegar, fit for any purpose. This plan I have pursued successfully two years. Care must be taken that the cask or keg be well seasoned and tight before the vinegar is put in ; as the dryness of the summer heat is apt to shrink the vessel, and make it leak. If putty well wrought, tar, or even yellow soap, be rubbed over the seams, and round the inner rim of *he head of the cask, it will preserve it from opening. I'he equal temperature of the kitchen is preferred by experienced housewives to letting the vinegar stand abroad ; they aver the coldness of the nights in this country is prejudicial to the process, being as speedily oerfected as if it underwent no such check. By those well skilled in the manufacture of home-made wines and beer, excellent maple-wine and beer might be produced at a very trifling expense ; i. e. that of the labour and skill exercised in the making it. Every settler grows, as an ornament in his garden, or should grow, hops, which form one of the principal components of maple-beer when added to the sap. Hop-rising. This excellent, and, I might add, indispensable, APPENDIX. 319 article in every settler's house, is a valuable substitute fur ale or beer-yeast, and is made in the following simple manner : — Take two double handfuls of hops, boil in a gallon of soft water, if you can get it, till the hops sink to the bottom of the vessel; make ready a batter formed by stirring a dessert-platefull of flour and cold water till smooth and pretty thick together; strain the hop-liquor while scalding hot into the vessel where your batter is mixed ready ; let one person pour the hop-liquor while the other keeps stirring the batter. When cooled down to a gentle warmth, so that you can bear the finger well in it, add a cup or basinful of the former barm, or a bit of lea- ven, to set it to work ; let the barm stand till it has worked well, then bottle and cork it. Set it by in a cellar or cool place if in summer, and in winter it is also the best place to keep it from freezing. Some persons add two or three mealy potatoes boiled and finely bruised, and it is a great improvement during the cool months of the year. Potatoes in bread may be introduced very advantageously ; and to first set- tlers, who have all their flour to buy, I think it must be a saving. The following method I found made more pala- table and lighter bread than flour, mixed in the usual way : — Supposing I wanted to make up about a stone and half of flour, I boiled (having first pared them carefully) — say three dozen — good-sized potatoes in about three quarts or a gallon of water, till the liquor had the appearance of a thin gruel, and the potatoes had become almost entirely incorporated with the water. With this potatoe-gruel the flour 320 APPENDIX. was mixed up, no water being required, unless by chance I had not enough of the mixture to moisten my flour sufficiently. The same process of kneading, fermenting with barm, «&;c., is pursued with the dough, as with other bread. In baking, it turns of a bright light brown, and is lighter than bread made after the common process, and therefore I consider the know- ledge of it serviceable to the emigrant's family. Salt-rising. This is a barm much used by the Yanky settlers ; but though the bread is decidedly whiter, and prettier to look at, than that raised in any other way, the peculiar flavour it imparts to the bread renders it highly disagreeable to some persons. Another dis- advantage is, the difficulty of fermenting this barm in the winter season, as it requires a temperature which is very difficult to preserve in a Canadian winter day. Moreover, after the barm has once reached its height, unless immediately made use of, it sinks, and rises again no more : careful people, of course, who know this peculiarity, are on the watch, being aware of the ill consequences of heavy bread, or having no bread but bannocks in the house. As near as I can recollect, the salt-rising is made as follows : — For a small baking of two or three loaves, or one large bake-kettle-loaf, (about the size of a London peck loaf,) take about a pint of moderately warm water, (a pleasant heat to the hand,) and stir into the jug or pot containing it as much flour as will make a good batter, not too thick ; add to this half a tea-spoonful of salt, not more, and set APPENDIX. 321 ' I! the vessel in a pan of moderately warm water, within a Httle distance of the fire, or in the sun : the water that surrounds the pot in which your rising is, must never be allowed to cool much below the original heat, more warm water being added (in the pan, not to the barm) till the whole is in an active state of fermen- tation, which will be from six to eight hours, when the dough must be mixed with it, and as much warm water or milk as you require. Knead the mass till it is tough, and does not stick to the board. Make up your loaf or loaves, and keep them warmly covered near the fire till they rise : they must be baked di- rectly this second rising takes place. Those that bake what I term a shanty loaf^ in an iron buke-pot, or kettle, placed on the hot embers, set the dough to rise over a very few embers, or near the hot hearth, keeping the pot or pan turned as the loaf rises; when equally risen all over they put hot ashes be- neath and upon the lid, taking care not to let the heat be too fierce at first. As this is the most com- mon method of baking, and the first that a settler sees practised, it is as well they should be made familiar with it beforehand. At first I was inclined to grumble and rebel against the expediency of bake- pans or bake kettles ; but as cooking-stoves, iron ovens, and even brick and clay-built ovens, will not start up at your bidding in the bush, these substi- tutes are valuable, and perform a number of uses. I have eaten excellent light bread, baked on the emigrant's hearth in ovfi. of these kettles. 1 have eaten boiled potatoes, baked meats, excellent stews, and good soups, all cooked at different times in this m 122 APPENDIX. universally useful utensil : so let it not be despised. It is one of those things peculiarly adapted to the circumstances of settlers in the bush before they have collected those comforts about their homesteads, within and without, that are the reward and the slow gleaning-up of many years of toil. • V .."• There are several other sorts of rising similar to the salt-rising. " Milk-rising," which is mixed with milk, warm from the cow, and about a third warm water; and "bran-rising," which is mcde with bran instead of flour, and is preferred by many yx^rsons to either of the former kinds. ■■ i: is.-* 1!^^ Soft Soap. Of the making of soft soap I can give little or no correct infornation, never having been given any certain rule myself; and my own experience is too limited. I was, however, . given a hint from a pro- fessional gentleman, which I mean to act upon forth- with. Instead of boiling the soap, which is some trouble, he assured me the best plan was to run oflf the ley from a barrel of ashes : into this ley I might put four or five pounds of any sort of grease, such as pot skimmings, rinds of bacon, or scraps from frying down suet ; in short any refuse of the kind would do. The barrel with its contents may then be placed in a secure situation in the garden or yard, exposed to the sun and air. In course of time the ley and grease become incorporated: if the grease predominates it will be seen floating on the surface ; in such case add more ley ; if the mixture does not thicken, add more grease. Now, this is the simplest, easiest, and APPUNDIX. 323 clearest account I have yet received on the subject ol soap-making, which hitherto has seemed a mystery, even though a good quantity was made last spring by one of my servants, and it turned out well : but she could not tell why it succeeded, for want of being able to explain the principle she worked from. Candles. Every one makes their own candles (i. e. if they have any materials to make them from). The great difficulty of making candles — and, eis far as I see the only one, is procuring the tallow, which a bush-settler until he begins to kill his own beef, sheep, and hogs, is rarely able to do, unless he buys ; and a settler buys nothijig that he can help. A cow, however, that is unprofitable, old, or unlikely to survive the severity of the coming winter, is often suffered to go dry during the summer, and get her own living, till she is fit to kill in the fall. Such an animal is often slaugh- tered very advantageously, especially if the settler have little fodder for his cattle. The beef is often excellent, and good store of candles and soap may be made from the inside fat. These candles, if made three parts beef and one part hogs' -lard, will burn better than any store-candles, and cost less than half price. The ta}low is merely melted in a pot or pan convenient for the purpose, and having run the cotton wicks into the moulds (tin or pewter moulds for six candles cost three shillings at the stores, and last many, many years), a stick or skewer is passed through the loops of your wicks, at the upper part of the stand, which serve the purpose of drawing the ff 324 APPENDIX. ■ it ^: candles. The melted fat, not too hot, but in a fluid state, is then poured into the moulds till they are full ; as the fat gets cold it shrinks, and leaves a hollow at the top of the mould : this requires filling up when quite cold. If the candles do not draw readily, plunge the mould for an instant into hot water, and the candles will come out easily. Many persons prefer making dip-candles for kitchen use ; but for my own part I think the trouble quite as great, and give the preference, in point of neatness of look, to the moulds. It may be, my maid and I did not suc- ceed so well in making the dips as the moulds. >! ,.H Pickling. The great want of spring vegetables renders pickles a valuable addition to the table at the season when potatoes have become unfit and distasteful. If you have been fortunate in your maple-vinegar, a store of pickled cucmnbers, beans, cabbage, &c. may be made during Ve latter part of the summer ; but if the vinegar should not be fit at that time, there are two expedients : one is to make a good brine of boiled salt and water, into which throw yom* cucumbers, &c. (the cabbage, by the by, may be presenred in the root-house or cellar quite good, or buried in pits, well covered, till you want to make your pickle). Those vegetables, kept in brine, must be covered close, and when you wish to pickle them, remove the top layer, which are not so good ; and having boiled the vinegar with spices let it stand till it is cold. The cucumbers should previously have been well washed, and soaked in two or three fresh waters, and drained; ), t in a fluid 11 they are id leaves a Lires filling not draw I hot water, ny persons i ; but for ^eat, and of look, to id not suc- ilds. U' [ers pickles Eison when 1. If you ar, a store c. may be er ; but if there are e of boiled nbers, &c. ed in the d in pits, r pickle). e covered smove the Ing boiled )ld. The 11 washed, drained; 4 APPKNDIX. 325 then put in a jar, and the cold vinegar poured over them. The advantage of this is obvious; you can pickle at any season. Another plan, and I have heard it much commended, is putting the cucumbers into a mixture of whiskey * and water, which in time turns to a fine vinegar, and preserves the colour and crispness of the vegetable ; while the vinegar is apt to make them soft, especially if poured on boiling hot, as is the usual practice. * In the " Backwoodsman,** this whiskey-receipt is mentioned as an abominable compound: perhaps i.ie witty author had tasted the pickles in an improper state of progression. He gives a lamen* table picture of America^ cookery, but declares the badness arises from want of proper receipts. These yeast-receipts will be ex- tremely useful in England; as the ivaut of fresh yeast is «ften severely felt ia country districts. :• .-...' y :.n ■ ■ , .mt:r.i:::)-y '• ■ .' ■ li .:m T- >' - ■ l. '■^' .1 't:ir: u APPENDIX B. [In the wish to render this Work of more practical ^alue tu persons desiring to emigrate, some official information is .unjoined, under the following heads : — ] STATISTICS OF EMIGRATION. I. The number of Sales and Grants of Crown Lands, Clergy Reserves, Conditions, &c. II. Information for Emigrants ; Number of Emigrants arrived; with extracts from Papers issued by Government Emigration Agents, &c. III. Abstract of the American Passengers* Act. o' Session 1835. IV. Transfer of Capital. V. Canadian Currency. VI. Canada Company. VII. British American Land Company. I. Sales and Grants of Crown Lands. The following tables, abstracted from Parliamentary documents, exhibit — 1. The quantity of Crown lands sold in Upper and Lower Canada from 1828 to 1833, inclusive, with the average price per acre, Sec. 2. Town and park lots sold in Upper Canada during the same period. 3. The quantity of Crown lands panted without pur- chase, and the conditions on which the grants were given, from 1824 to 1833, inclusive. 4. The amount of clergy reserves sold in each year since the sales commenced under the Act 7 and 8 Geo. IV., c. C2. AIM'fiNDIX. 33: I 00 . 00 a '^ < 3^ I ■" >. ti OS N. "O rfS © q « r-* o o «: o> r^ CO 00 r^ w^ SI! ^ »— — « l-H ■^ o» 1^ e« o> o» s O f^ «♦! © ^ "ST rr i-i »n rH f 1. », #S tf^ »s •« »% •« iA t^ t» 94 (O tx. ountofquit- at 5 per cent n the par- aae-money ;ived within e first year. •^(C (» »^ . (N — 00 rH ©< .o» 55 21 3; OS CJW -H© *!»;■ * ,1^ ,_l ^ _ »f5 «o eo »r> CO tf* • kntotoi— i^^ixt <♦< n J3 11 © CO © CO © >n ■. c< eo (M^o^'* • 4 00 0> © -< ©4 CO CO . % ■ c^ 00 ^^ 00 . Tf o «ft -< t* «♦! o» vq Ills Ml? •«;=; e CO o >n ra «i CO (O kA CO 00 <*i ,© O CO M O CO in CI o CO t>i CO CO in CO «\ 0^ *s •« .-* f^ B^i! & lO CO -^ 0> 00 '''^ V i a> ^ "^rS ce .o CO mt>. CO CO 00 CO »n »'«. 0) ^ « s APPENDIX, .123 o <^ OB ,0 sl-9 § « ? 00 K t «2 Whole amoant of purchase money. 252 200 25 2 8 327 15 1,674 9 00 o» • 01 Amount of pan;hase- money received within the first year. £. «. d. 63 63 55 *95 12 8 81 18 9 634 8 6 Average price per acre. £. a. d. 126 (C (O (O o> t% 00 CO 1— 1 — 1— 1 00 »n-^ 1— t wm <-^ 03 Is S u CO Tf f-H CO fH 00 • 00 o> 1-1 ©1 eo J (N CN CO CO eoep ,S 00 00 00 00 00 00 4 5j •|2^ «) M 2-2^7 a us 330 APPENDIX. ^1 o»Tj»o>oooc^»n-^«oo 5 (ooiTrf^rfooooo—^o ■^ £ S •«.^^.\.\*«.«.sv\.\ .« OCJt>.e»3O00'^ON.00 I-H a § 04 "* »n m ■>< o> M ec c< berof ranted, n the rioiw ptiona. 0»TfT).(Nt>.c»5aor»oo (N 00-4 berof [ranted barged rsand oners. O O CO o o eo o o t^ O O t>. »n eo !N O »« o Nam cresg D disc soldie pensl •» •» •s •S •* •^ tn «o . » o» ©J 1 to tt s •s|.a| ©O«ft©00»ft0t00 «o lisg i-t(><o«n »i a 1 B APPENDIX. 331 1 ^ ""■" ^^ ©OOOTfOWOOO o OC00400MMOOO n'^QOO(NW'^cr> CO «^*«^»«^•^•^•^•^«\ •A t^QOOO«005N.QOMeOin 00 QO.'^-«3'«3^CT5C^ »o .-. (M f-1 — CI 1-M 1 --s • Number o acres grant to U. E. Loyalists, ooooooooo© o oooooooooo o iM©Q0(NQ0«O'<*(MvO;O ■^ »N^«^rsrx*s*«»«n«^ •s eo M ■^ ^ Number of acres grante( not coming itithin the previous descriptions OOOO-^OSOOOO o OtOOlOOCCMOOO (M »oow^co3^eoo«-if-< (C .\#\#\»\*\»\r\ »s*\«^ •^ • < '^O)3>fO'<^C3Cia0COO> .0O0O'M !>.»>. ■* gj 1— « CO {3 a .m'2'2'0. 22^SS oooooooooo OOOOOOOOOO o o Numbe acres gn todischi soldiers pensioi Qor>.'— i!>ioiiniin"*ooo o vv^^^v^ •v.\«»#*»» «f5 ITS eo ■^ »>. CI 00 r>. o ,.ri r- iTiOi'V berof ranted ilitia tants. oooooooooo o oooooooooo o QOCO0^T. O^^CNM t C^CMtNfMfMtNCOCOMeO 00 3 O0Q000Q000C»0O00Q0aO "cS >* i. S3 TL ?» 332 APPENDIX. I ff'" The conditions in force in 1824, the time from which the Returns take their commencement, were enacted by Orders in Council of 20th October, 1818, and 21st February, 1 820, applied equally to all classes of grantees, aud were as follows : — " Ti.at locatees shall clear thoroughly and fence fiv« acres for every 100 acres granted; and build a house 16 feet by 20 in the clear ; and to clear one-half of the road, and chop down, without charring, one chain in depth across the lot next to road. These road duties to be considered as part of the iive acres per 100. The whole to be completed within two years from date of the location, and upon proof of their fulfilment patents to issue. " On the 14th of May, 1830, an additional stipulation was made in locations to discharged soldiers, which required an actual residence on their lots, in person, for five years before the issue of their patents. " On the 14th of November, 1830, the then existing Orders in Council, respecting settlement duties, were cancelled, and it was ordered that in lieu thereof each locatee should clear halfi the road in front of his lot, and from 10 feet in the centre of the road cut the stumps so low that waggon wheels might pass over them. Upon proof of this, and that a settler had been resident on the lot two years, a patent might issue. Locatees, however, were at liberty, instead of placing settlers on their lands, to clear, in addition to half the road on each lot, a chain in depth across the front, and to sow it and the road with grass seed. '* Upon discharged soldiers and seamen alone, under this order, it became imperative to reside on and improve their lands three years before the issue of the patent. " On the 24th of May, 1832, an Order in Council was made, abolishing, in all cases except that of dis- charged soldiers and seamen, the regulations pre- viously existing ; and which directed that, upon proot of an actual settler being establ'shed on a lot, a patent should issue without the condition • *' settlement duty. The following extract is taken from " official informs kif APPENDIX. 33S k;- tion* circulated by Mr. Buchanan, and other Govern- ment emigration agents in Canada: — " Emigrants, wishing to obtain fertile lands in the Canadas in a wild state by purchase from the Crown, may rely on every facility being afforded them by the public authorities. Extensive tracts are surveyed and offered for sale in Upper Canada monthly;, and fre- quently every 10 or 14days, by the Commissioner of Crown lands, at upset prices, varying according to situation, from 10*. to 15s. per acre, excepting in the townships of Sunnidale and Nottawasaga, where the upset price of Crown lands is 5«. only. In Lower Canada, the Commissioner of Crown lands at Quebec puts up land for sale, at fixed periods, in various town- ships, at from 2*. 6df. tc 12*. 6rf. Halifax currency, per acre, payable by instalments. Wild lands may also be purchased from the Upper Canada Company on very easy terms, and those persons wanting improved turns will iind little difficulty in obtaining such from private proprietors. Or. no account enter into any final engagement for your lands or farms without per- ianal examination^ and be certain of the following qualifications: — " 1. A healthy situation. " 2. Good land. " 3. A pure spring, or running stream of \* 1, »• £1 7 3 62 16 1 259 14 9 473 17 Ely themselves with provisions at Montreal, such as read, tea, sugar, and butter, which they will purchase cheaper and oi better quality, until they reach Kingston, than along the route. They are also particular!) cautioned against the use of ardent spirits or drinking cold river water, or lying on the banks of the rivei exposed to the night dews ; they should proceed at once from the steam-boat at Montreal to the entrance of the Canal or Lachine, from whence the Durham and steam-boats start for Prescott and Bytown daily. The total expense for the transport of an adult emigrant from Quebec to Toronto and the head of Lake Ontario, by steam «.nd Durham-boats, will not exceed 1/. 4«. currency, ;' 1/. 1*. sterling. Kingston, Belleville, up the Bay ot Quinte, Cobourgh, and Port Hope, in the Newcastle district, Hamilton and Niagara at the head of Lake Ontario, will be convenient stopping-pL.ces for families intending to purchase lands in Upper Canada. " There is considerable competition among the Forwarding Companies at Montreal ; emigrants there- fore had better exercise a little caution before agreeing for their transport to Prescott or Kingston, and they should avoid those persons that crowd on board the steam-boats on arrival at Montreal, offering th^ir ser- vices to get passages, &c. Caution is also necessary at Prescott or Kingston, in selecting regular con- veyances up Lake Ontario. I would particularly advise emigrants destined for Upper Canada, not to incur the expense of lodging or delay at Montreal, but to proceed on arrival of the steam-boat to the barges for Bytown or Prescott. •' Labourers or mt'chanics dependent on immediate employment, are requested to proceed immediately on arrival into the country. The chief agent will consider vuch persons as may loiter about the ports of landing L afpkndix. 339 bejrund /our day» after their arrival, to have no furthtT claims on the protection of his Majesty's agents for assistance or employment, unless they have been detained by sickness or some other satisfactory cause." Comparative Statement of the number if Emigranta arrived at Qufbec from 1829 to 1834 vtniunive:— England and Wales . . f Ireland . . Scotland . . . Hamburg and Gibraltar . Nova Scotia,^ Newfound- \ land. West | Indies, &cJ Totals . 1829. 1830. 6,799 18,300 2,450 451 1831. 1833. 1833. 1834. 3,565 9,614 2,643 123 10,343 34,133 5,354 424 17,481 28,204 5,500 15 546 5,198 12,013 4,196 345 6,799 19,206 4,591 339 15,945 28,000 50,254 51,746 21,752 30,935 The total number of euiigrant« arrived at Quebec, from 1829 to 1 834, is 198,632. It will be remarked, that the num- ber rose high in 1831 and 1832, and fell very low in 1833. Dittrtbution of the 30,935 Emigrantt who arrived at Quebec during la34: — LOWER CANADA. (~^ity and District of Quebec .... 1 ,500 District of ^Tliree Rivers ..... 350 District of St. Francis and Eastern ToMmships . 640 Ciiy and District of Montreal . . . .1,200 Ottawa District 400 Total to Lower Canada . UPPER CANADA. Ottay/ } Bathurst, Midland and Eastern Distiicts, us far as Kingston, included District of Newcastle, and Townships in the vicinity of the Bay of Quinte .... Toronto and the Home District, including Settle- ments roimd Lake Simco .... 4,090 1,000 2,650 8,000 n i 340 APPENDIX. m i ^H H 1 i Hamilton, Guelph, and Huron Tractii, and situa-) tiuns adjacent ..... i Niagara Frontier avl District, including the line of | the Welland Canal, and round the head of Lake / Ontario, to Hamilton .... J Settlements bordering on Lake Erie, including London District, Adelaide Settlement, and on Lake St. Clair .... Total to Upper Canada Died of cholera in Upper and Lower Canada Returned to United Kingdom Went to United States . . . < • J ^thet on to> 2,660 3.300 4,600 22,210 800 350 3,485 4,635 0/ the number of 30,935 Emigrants who arrived at Quebec in 1834) there were of — Voluntary emigrants ..... 29,041 Assisted by parochial aid ..... 1,892 Number of males ...... 13,565 Number of females ...... 9,685 Number of children under fourteen ysars of age . 7,681 Emigrants who prefer going into Canada by way of New York will receive advice and direction by apply- ing to the British Consul at New York (James Buchanan, Esq.) Formerly this gentleman could pro- cure for emigrants who were positively determined to settle in the Canadas, permission to land their baggage and effects free of custom-house duty ; but jn a letter dated 16th March, 1835, he says: — " In consequence of a change in the truly liberal course heretofore adopted at this port, in permitting, without unpacking or payment of duty, of the personal baggage, household, and farming utensils of emigrants landing here to pass in transit through this state to his Majesty's provinces, upon evidence being furnished of the fact, and that such packages alone contained arti- cles of the foregoing description, I deem it my duty to make known that all articles arriving at this port accompanying emigrants in transit to Canada, will be subject to the same inspection as if to remain in the APPENDIX. 341 I'nited States, and pay the duties to which the same are subjected. I think it proper to mention, that all articles suited to new settlers are to be had in Canada on better terms than they can be brought out— and such as are adapted to the country." The difference between proceeding to Upper Canada by way of Quebec and New York, consists chiefly in the circumstance that the port of New York is open all the year round, while the navigation of the St. Law- rence up to Quebec and Montreal is tedious, and the river is only open between seven and eight months of the year. The latter is, however, the cheapest route. But to those who can afford it. New York is the most comfortable as well as the most expeditious way of proceeding to Upper Canada. The route, as k*iven in a printed paper, distributed by the British consul at New York, is as follows : — " Route from New York and Albany by the Erie Canal to all parts of Upper Canada, west of Kingston* by the way of Oswego and Buffalo : — New York to Albany, 160 miles by steam-boat. Albany to Utica, 110 do. by canal or stage. Utica to Syracuse, 55 „ „ „ Syracuse to Oswego, 40 „ „ „ Syracuse to Rochester, 99 Rochester to Buffalo, 93 Total expense from Albany exclusive of victuals for an adult steerage passenger—- time going about 7 or 8 days— 3 dollars 63 cents; d tto by packet-boats, and found, 12i dollars, 6 days going. " Ditto do. by stage, in 3^ and 4 days— 13 to M dollars. " Ditto do. from Albany to Oswego by canal, 5 day« goine:, 2^ dollars. " Ditto do. by stage, 2 days— 6^ to 7 dollars. " No extra charge for a moderate quantity of baggage, " Route from New York to Montreal, Quebec, and all parts of Lower Canada: — "New York to Albany, 160 miles by steam-boat, i to 3 dollars, exclusive of food. x3 •> to Buffalo, by canal. il M 342 APPENDIX. " Albany to Whitehall, by canal, 73 miles, 1 dollar ; stage 3 dollars. "Whitehall to St. John's, by steam-boat, board included, cabin 6 dollars ; deck passage 2 dollars with- out board. *' St. John's to Laprairie, 16 miles per stage, 5s. to 78. 6d. " Laprairie to Montreal, per ferry steam-boat, 8 miles, 6d. ••Montreal to Quebec, by steam-boat, 180 miles, cabin, found, 1/. 5s.; deck passage, not found, Is. 6d. " Those proceeding to the eastern townships of Lower Canada, in the vicinity of Sherbrooke, Stanstead, &c., &c., will proceed to St. John's, from whence good roads lead to all the settled townships eastward. If they are going to the Ottawa River, tney will proceed from Montreal and Lachine, from whence stages, steam- boats, and batteaux go daily to Grenville, Hull, and Bytown, as also to Chateauguay, Glengary, Cornwall, Prescott, and all parts below Kingston. •• Emigrants can avail themselves of the advice and assistance of the following gentlemen: — at Montreal, Carlisle Buchanan, Esq. ; Prescott, John Patton, Esq." Number »/ Emigrant a who arrived at New York from the United Kingdom for six year$, from 1829 to 1834 :— Year. England. Ireland. Scotland. Total. 1829 8,110 2,443 9J8 11,501 1830 16,350 3,497 1,584 21,433 1831 13,808 6,721 2,078 22,607 1.832 18,947 6,050 3,286 28,283 1833 16,000 1834* Total • t 26,540 126,464 * The returns for 1834 are made up to the 20th Novembei dl that year. APPENDIX. 343 III. American Passengers' Act. The 9th Geo. IV., c. 21, commonly called the " Ame- rican Passengers* Act," was repealed during the Session of 1835, by an Act then passed, the 5 and 6 Will. IV., c. 53. The intention of the new Act is, of course, to secure, as effectually as possible, and more i ffectually than the previous Act did the health avid com- fort of emigrants on board c; passenger ships. By a clause of the Act, copies or abstracts are to be kept on board ships for the perusal of pf\i:seng^i"s, who may thus have an opportunity of julging .'hether the h\v has been complied with ; but the discovery of any infractions of the Statute may be made at a t-r<..e when, in the particular instance, it may be too late o remedy it, so far as the comfort and even the Uivlth of the pas- sengers are concerned. It is to be ho^ od, therefore, that the humane intentions of the legislature will not be frustrated by any negligence on the part of those (especially of the officers of customs) whose business it is to see that the regulations of the Act have been com- plied with before each emigrant ship leaves port. No passenger ship is to sail with mere than three persons on board for every five tons of registered bur- then. Nor, whatever may be the tonnage, is thereto be a greater number of passengers on board than after the rate of one person for evt ry ten superficial feet or the lower deck or platf .-m unoccupied by goods or stores, not beinj? the perv^'Ut' luggage of the passengers. Ships with more than one deck to have five feet and a half, at the least, between decks; and where a ship has only one deck, a yilatform is to be laid beneath the deck in such a manner as to afford a space of the height of at least five ie^\ and a half, and no such ship to have more than two tiers of berths. Ships having two tiers of berth:; to have an interval of at least six inches between the deck or platform, and the floor of the lower tier throughout the whole extent. Passenger ships are to be provisioned in the following proportion : — pure water, to the amount of five gallons, to every week of the computed voyage, for each pas- mm hU [It 344 APPENDIX. sen^:er— the water to be carried in tanks or sweel casks ; seven pounds' weight of bread, biscuit, oatmeal, or bread stuffs, to every week for each passenger ; pota- toes may be included to one third of the extent of sup- ply, but seven pounds' weight of potatoes are to be reckoned equal to one pound of bread or bread stuffs. The voyage to North America is to be computed at ten weeks, by which each passenger will be secured fifty gallons of water, and seventy pounds weight of bread or bread stuffs for the voyage. Where there are 100 passengers, a medical practi- tioner is to be carried ; if under 100, medicines of suffi- cient amount and kind are to be taken out as part of the necessary supplies. Passenger ships are not to be allowed to carry out ardent spirits as merchandise beyond one-tenth of the quantity as would, but for this restriction, be allowed by the officers of the customs upon the victualling bill of such ship for the outward voyage only, according to the number of passengers. [An important restriction, which ought to be enforced to the letter of the law. The strong temptation which the tedium of a voyage presents to numbers pinned up in a small space to resort to drinking, has frequently made sad havoc of the money, comfort, and health of emigrants, when, especially, the ship steward has con- trived to lay in a good stock of strong waters.] In the enumeration of passengers, two children above seven, but under fourteen, or three under seven years of age, are to be reckoned as one passenger. Infants under 12 months are not to be included in the enume- ration. Passengers are entitled to be maintained on board for 48 hours after the ship has arrived at her destina- tion. [Emigrants whose means are limited may thus avoid much inconvenience and expense, by planning and executing with promptitude the route which they mean to take, instead of landing, and loitering in the expensive houses of entertainment of a sea-port.] Masters of ships are to enter into bonds of l.GOOA for the due performance of the provisions of the Act. The APPENDIX, 316 e enume- penalty on any intVaction of the law is to be not less than 5/., nor more than 20/. for each offence. [The government emigration agents at the various ports, or the officers of customs, will doubtless give every facility to passengers who seek their advice rela- tive to any violation of the provisions of the Act, and point out the proper course to be taken.] If there be any doubt that a ship about to sail is not sea-worthy, the collector and comptroller of the cus- toms may cause the vessel to be surveyed. Passengers detained beyond the time contracted for to sail, are to be maintained at the expense of the master of the ship; or, if they have contracted to victual themselves, they are to be paid 1*. each for each day of detention not caused by ^stress of weather or other unavoidable cause. IV. Transfer of Capital. It is, of course, of the greatest importance to emi- grants that whatever capital they may possess, over the necessary expenses of the voyage, &c., should be remitted to Canada in the safest and most profitable manner. Both the British American Land Com- pany and the Canada Company afford facilities to emigrants, by receiving deposits and granting letters of credit on their agents in Canada, by which the emi- grants obtain the benefit of the current premium of exchange. It is unsafe and injudicious to carry out a larger amount of specie than what will defray the ne- cessary expenses of the voyage, because a double risk is incurred, — the danger of losing, and the temptation of squandering. The emigrant, therefore, who does not choose to remit his money through either of the before-mentioned companies, should procure a letter of credit from some respectable bank in the United King- dom on the Montreal bank. V. Canadian Currency. In all the British North American colonies accounts are kept and prices arfi quoted in pounds, shillings, and pence, as in £ngland The accounts are contra- fl ' 11 i 346 APPENDIX. distinguisliod by calling the former currency, or Halifax currency, and the latter sterling, or British sterling. The one pound Halifax currency, or currency, as it is more commonly called, consists of four Spanish dollars. The dollar is divided into five parts— called in Spanish pistoreens— each of which is termed a shilling. Each of these shillings or pistoreens is again subdivided into twelve parts, called pence, but improperly, for there is no coin answering to any such subdivision. To meet the want a great variety of copper coins are used, com- {)rising the old English halfpenny, the halfpenny of ater coinage, the penny, the farthing, the American cent.; all and each pass as the twenty- fourth part of the pistoreen or colonial shilling. Pence in fact are not known, though almost anything of the copper kind will be taken as the twenty-fourth part of the pis toreen.* At a time when the Spanish dollar, the piece of eight, as it was then called, was both finer and heavier than the coin now in circulation, its value at the mint price of silverf was found to be 4*. 6d. sterling. Ac- cordingly, the pound currency was fixed at 18*. sterling, And £90 sterling was equal to £lOO currency, the rules of conversion being, ctdd one-ninth to sterling to obtain currency, mid deduct one-tenth from currency to find the sterling. This was called the par of exchange, and was so then. So long as it continued correct, fluc- tuations were from a trifle above, to a trifle below par, * The Americans also huve their Is., which is the eighth part of a dollar, or 12^ cents. It is no uncommon thing to hear the emigrant boast that he can get 10«. per day in New York. He knows not that a dollar, which is equal to eight of these shillings, is in England equivalent but to 48. 'id., and that the American shilling is, therefore, when compared with the English shillinj;' in value, only 6Jf/., and consequently, that 10». a-day is, in fact, but ten 6|(/., or bs. 2rf^. This rate of payment it may be said is still great ; so it is, but it is not often obtained by the labourer; when it is, it is for excessive labour, under a burning sun in sea-port towns, during the busy shipiiing season. f The mint price thtn coinciderl more nearly with the market price than at present. APPKNDIX 347 and this fluctuation was a real premium or discount^ governed by the cost of the transportation of l)ullion from the one to the other side of the Atlantic, an ex- pense which now does not exceed, and rarely equals, 2 per cent. 49. 6d. has long ceased to be the value of the dollar. Both the weight and purity of the coin have been reduced, until its value in the London market* is not more than 4*. 2f 1,000,000 irn reserves ach, distri- province, each parti- y desirable d in their es varying ie entirely westward ndiL which, are equal, it of Ame- >mmunities ), religion, Company's aining up- jr part has ^ears only, churches, schools, stores, taverns, and mills, and where there are mechanics of every kind, and a society of a highly re- spectable description. " The Huron Territory. This is a tract of the finest land in America, through which the ( 'anada Company have cut two roads of upwards of 100 miles in extent, of the best description of which a new country admits. The population there is rapidly on the increase. '*ThetownofGoderich,atthe mouth of the river Mait- land, on Lake Huron, i^^'very flourishing, and contains several excellent stores, or merchants' snops, in which any article usually required by a settler is to be obtained on reasonable terms. There is a good school established, which is well attended; a Church of England and a Presbyterian clergyman are appointed there; and as the churches in Upper Canada are now principally supported by the voluntary subscriptions of their re- spective congregations, an inference may be drawn of the respectable character of the inhabitants of this settlement and the neighbourhood. The town and township of Goderich contain about 1,000 inhabitants ; and since the steam-boat, built by the Company for the accommodation of their settlers, has commenced run- ning between Goderich and Sandwich, a great increase has taken place in the trade and prosperity of the settlement. In this tract there are four good saw-mills, three grist-mills, and in the neighbourhood of each will be found stores well supplied. And as the tract con- tains a million acres, the greater portion of which is open for sale, an emigrant or body of emigrants, however large, can have no difficulty in selecting eligible situa- tions, according to their circumstances, however various they may be. The price of these lands is from H«. 3d. to 15*. provincial currency, or about from 11*. to 13*. 6rf. sterling per acre." Emigrants wishing to communicate with the Com- pany should address the secretary, John Perry, Esq., St. Helen's-place, Bishopsgaie-street, London, or the Company's agents at outports. 950 APPKNDIX. VII. The British American Land Comvany, The British American Land Company state, in their prospectus, that they have purchased from the British Government " nearly 1,000,000 of acres in the counties of ShefFord, Stanstead, and Sherbrooke," in what are termed "the Eastern Townships of Lower Canada." These townships comprise " a tract of country, lying inland, on the south side of the St. Lawrence, between 45» and 46i<> north latitude, and 7\^ and 73® west longitude. This tract, containing between five and six millions of acres, is divided into eight counties, and these again are subdivided into about one hundred townships. These townships enjoy an important ad- vantage in their geographical position. On the one side, they are of easy access from Montreal, Quebec, and Three Rivers, the shipping ports and great mar- kets of the Canadas ; on the other, from New York up the Hudson River and through Lake Champlain, as well as from Boston and other parts on the seaboard of the Atlantic. By their compact and contiguous posi- tion, facility of intercourse and mutual support are ensured throughout the whole, as well as a general participation in all local improvements." The terms on which the Company propose to dispose of these lands " vary according to the situation, quality, and advantages which the different lots may possess ; but in the first instance they will generally range from As. to 1 Qs. currency per acre, and in all cases a deposit of part of the purchase-money will be required, viz. :— On the higher priced lots one-fifth ; on the lower priced lots one-fourth. " The terms of payment for the balance will be six annual instalments, bearing the legal interest of the province from the date of sale ; but should purchasers prefer anticipating the payments, they will have the option at any time of doing so. " The price of a building lot at Port St. Francis, tor the present season (1835), is 12/. 10«., payable 5/. cash down, and the balance in one year, with interest. •' Deposits of purchase- money may be made with the w m APPENDIX. 351 Company in London for lands to be selected by emi- grants on their arrival in the country. *' By the agreement between his Majesty's Govern- ment and the Company, upwards of 50,000/. of the purchase-money paid by the latter are to be expended by them in public works and improvements, such as high roads, bridges, canals, school-houses, market- houses, churches, and parsonage-houses. This is an extremely important arrangement, and must prove highly beneficial to settlers, as it assures to them the improvement and advancement of this district. The formation of roads and other easy communications are the great wants of a new country ; and the application of capital on works of this nature, which are beyond the means of private individuals, is the best mode by which the successful settlement may be promoted and accomplished. " The expenditure of the large sum above mentioned, will offer at the same time an opportunitjr of eniploy- ment to honest and industrious labourers, immediately on arrival." The office of the British American Land Company is a* 4, Barge-yard, Bucklersbury, London ; they have uLio agents at the various outports. V S 1 I ^H^H 1 ^■^^ 1 i- ^■^H 1 ^H I^^H ^^^1 HH :- M^^H ' I- 1 THE .f OREGON TERRITORY, CONSISTIN / OF A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY AMD IT* PRODUCTIONS; AND OF THE HABITS AND MANNERS or TBI NATIVE INDIAN TRIBES. WITH A MAP OF THE TERRITORY. t . LONDON: M. A. NATTALI, 23, BEDFORD STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1846. fl London : Printed by Wilmam Clowes and Sons, Stamford-street. .,■»■ THE OREGON TERRITORY. tnford-street. The transition, from our acknowledged and defined possessions upon the eastern side of the large con- tinent of North America to the, at present, deba- table land on its western shores, is, although phy- sically difficult from the primitive condition of the vast tract of country which intervenes, easy enough for geographical and mental survey ; for we have merely to glance our eye across the map, and we look down upon a small portion of the world^s surface, claimed, upon the plea of original discovery, by two mighty nations, whose har- mony, and with it possibly that of the whole civi- lised world, its arrogated possession has threatened to disturb. As a portion of the belt with which we girdle the northern region of that continent, it will not be considered out of place to add to the present volume a brief and rapid description of the country, which has recently excited such absorbing interest upon both sides of the Atlantic, and which is designated as the Oregon territory, from the cir- cumstance of the waters of the large river which bears the name of Oregon, or Columbia, either in il 2 THE OREGON TERRITORY. its main stream, or by its tributaries, forming the natural drain of, and watering in their undulating and serpentine course, the country through which they flow. In the absence of any ptrictly defined limits to this territory, and for the sake of tempo- rary convenience, we may assume its northern and southern boundaries to be formed by the 53" and 42° parallels of northern latitude, within which the sources of the streams of this large confluence of waters spring. To the west its natural boundary is the Pacific Ocean, and to the east it presents a lofty barrier in the Rocky Mountains and their snow-clad and inliospitable peaks, which cut off communication, except through occasional defiles difficult to thread, from the plains and prairies further eastward, watered by the Saskatchawan, and the Missouri. This mountain range is the North irn continuation of the enormous chain which runs, but slightly deviating, from north to south through the entire continent of America, and, as it were, con- stituting it an organic whole by means of this ver- tebral column, without which, doubtless, South America would have swung off into the great Ocean as a vast island, a counterbalance to its antipodal parallelism, New Holland. The area circumscribed by this boundary contains about 400,000 square miles (a space thus somewhat equal to twice the dimensions of France) of considerably varied sur- face, but in general character mountainous, with intervening high upland pastures, and table-land prairies. It is well watered, chiefly by the tribu- THE OREGON TERRITORY. orming the undulating ugh which ;tly defined 3 of tempo- )rthern and ;he 53" and 1 which the •nfluence of 1 boundary presents a s and their ich cut off onal defiles ,nd prairies ihawan, and e Northern i^hich runs, ith through were, con- of this ver- ess, South reat Ocean antipodal umscribed )00 square twice the varied sur- nous, with table-land the tribu- taries of the great Columbia river, and its tem- perature, although varying considerably, as must necessarily be the case in such an extensive tract, is sufficiently mild during its winters to admit of cattle finding an adequate supply of green pasture throughout ♦heir duration. The coast, from its northern extremity, as far couth as the parallel 48° N., is considerably indented and fringed with creeks, and friths, and straits, indicating the incessant action of the water upon the main land by the bead-like chain of islands that thus far skirt it, and which thus form a close cover for the denizens of the main in the succession of coves and channels, and point to one valuable and prolific source for the exercise of the industry and commerce of the future occupants of the adjacent land. The most northerly of these islands is Queen Charlotte's, in the shape of a long lozenge, and which is more than 100 miles in length, and 60 broad at its widest part, and situated at the northern extremity of the boundary, but separated from the main land by a distance greater than its extremest breadth. A hundred miles further south, and trend- ing to the coast, which iaps round its southern apex, and separated therefrom by the strait known by the name of its first discoverer, Juan de Fuca, lies Vancouver's Island, extending rather more than 200 miles south and about 35 miles broad, and of learly equal diameter throughout. Upon the wes- em coast of this large Island lies Nootka sound, mown from the period of its discovery by Cook. B 2 w r I Sli 1 i' i ! I : !!- • fil: 4 THE OREGON TERRITORY. This large Island is rich and versatile in its pic- turesque beauty and romantic scenery, being densely timbered, for even its very highest hills are covered to the top with luxuriant woods which spread down- wards to the very margin of the ocean, but varied with wide plains and verdurous prairies, which have been described as even more fertile than the paradise of Oregon, the Wallemette valley, lying between the Columbia and the Umqua. At its northern extremity coal has been found, and ores of silver, copper, and iron have been discovered amongst its hills. The salubrity of its climate, and its many natural advantages, have induced the Hud- son's Bay Company to establish here their fort and settlement named Victo^ "a, in honour of our gra- cious Queen. The broad arm of the sea, or strait, which separates this island from the main, was originally discovered in its south-western entrance by the Greek voyager, Juan de Fuca, but it was first navigated throughout its whole course by Van- couver between 1792 and 1794, who closely in- spected the sounds, gulfs, and archipelagos, with which it abounds, the most interesting of which lie off from the Straits of Fuca, bearing south and east, and are Admiralty Sound, Puget's Sound, running 40 miles south of the parent strait. Hood's Canal, and Ports Hudson and Discovery. The islands stud- ding the angle of the strait whence these waters turn off are described as being luxuriantly beauti- ful in their vegetation, and have been named in accordance with the features which most forcibly THE OREGON TERRITORY. struck the original discoverers thus we have Straw- berry Cove, Cypress Island, and others as signi- ficantly characterized. Some abound in deer, and present the appearance of parks decorated with clumps of trees as elegantly distributed as by the hand of art studying decoration, thus proving the veracity of Nature's apostle and apologist, who says : — " Nature is made better by no mean ; But Nature makes that mean." For here Nature was in genuine deshabille and wholly innocent of man's altering hand. It is into the northern arm of the Straits of Fuca, different portions of which have received different names although but the same branch of the sea, and at the southern extremity of that part 2 the Strait called the Gulf of Georgia, that 't-u. er's River, navigable for light craic to a considerabl ; dis- tance, debouches, emptyinj,: s hare the waters it has accumulated in its souihern ':;oursij, running parallel with the northern arm of 'ts great twin sister the Columbia River — the nly two cons;lderable rivers, either with respect to the length of their course, or to the body of water they convey to the Ocean, of those of the American Continent which flow into the Pacific. The shores of the mainland akirting this strait, but especially most nortiierly, alternate between high rocky coasts covered with pines and firs and low sandy sterile dunes, g'V^ng it thus an inhospitable and cheerless aspect; but its waters abound with a variety of fish, especially sturgeon, 1 K '»'*li:;|! 6 THE OREGON TERlllTOUY. and at its extreme northern outlet whales were ob- served gambolling in the Pacific. Proceeding coastwise southward from the entrance of the Straits of Fuca, several promontories and headlands jut forth into the ocean, the most conspicuous of which is Cape Flattery, which forms the apex of its south- western extremity. Beyond this we have Cape Disappointment, the northern boundary of the estuary of the Columbia, and Cape Foul weather and Blanco, further south. The whole ooast as far as Cape Mendecino, the northern extremity of Mexico, presents a range of hills varying in their distance from the sea, and descending to it either in gradual slopes, or by spurs from the adjacent coast range of mountains, which form the several promontories and bluffs wliich rise abruptly, and give variation to its line which occasionally sinks into low sandy cliffs and beaches. The uniformity of the line of land is interrupted only by occasional small rivers and streams, the chief of which, exclusive of the Columbia, are the Umqua and the Clammet, the sources of which are in the proximate range of hills. The general aspect of this coast as seen from the sea is that of abundant and luxuriant vegetation, varying according to its undulation between pas- ture land and forest. In reascending the coast for the purpose of ascertaining its capabilities in a maritime and com- mercial point of view, which is necessarily de- pendant upon the harbourage it offers, and the facilities thence accruing for receiving and siiel- I lies were ob- Proceeding 3f the Straits ead lands jut ous of whicli of its south- have Cape lary of the weather and st as far as i'^ of Mexico, eir distance 3r in gradual coast range romontories ve variation low sandy the line of mall rivers sive of the immet, the :ige of hills. 1 from the vegetation, tween pas- jurpose of eand com- ssarily de- s, and the and shel- Tllli OllEGON TERRITORY. 7 tcring vessels of burthen and of large draught, the first available place is presented by the mouth of the Columbia River itself, which in the native name of one of its upper branches, discovered by Carver, somewhere between 1766 and 1778, sup- posed, from the indefirite description left, to be that branch now known as the Flathead, or Clarke's river, gives the name of Oregon to the whole territory. The estuary of this river, which empties itself into the Pacific a little north of the 46th de- gree, lies so concealed by the bluffs and head- lands which project in opposite directions and lap across it, thus giving an uninterrupted appearance to the coast, that although seven miles wide at its ex- treme outlet between Cape Disappointment, a kind of peninsula termin.iting in a steep knoll or pro- montory, crowned with a forest of pine-trees, and connected with the mainland by a low and narrow neck, and Point Adams, which is a flat, sandy-s])it of land, stretching into the ocean, that it was not seen by Vanct)uver in 1792, who sailed close to shore, but was immediately afterv/ards discovered and entered by Captain Gray, in the Columbia, the name of whose vessel has been perpetuated in the name of the river. Immediately within Cape Disappoint- ment is a wide open bay, called Baker's Bay, and terminating at Chenook Point, named from a neighbouring tribe of Indians. The velocity of the current of the river, combined with a bar or sand- bank whicli stretches across its mouth, and extends four or five miles into the sea, and over which there >" ! 1 s. 'PP J 8 THE OREGON TERRITORY. is scarcely ever a greater draught than about five fathoms of water, together with a chain of breakers upon the bar which check its direct navigation, and nearly block up its entrance, will prevent its being accessible by vessels of large tonnage. From various other causes it has been computed that it cannot be entered more than three months in every year, and it presents additional uncertainty from the sand-banKs at its entrance, being of a shift- ing character, and rarely loTsg in the same position. A succession of sand-banks occupy the centre of the broad mouth of this river, to a distance of twenty- five miles upwards ; and these are succeeded by a chidn of islands which extend as far as the entrance of the Cowlitz River, five and twenty miles still higher; but it is navigable as far as Point Vancouver, about a hundred miles from its mouth, where it is about 600 fathoms wide and six fathoms deep. In this vicmity its upward navigation also terminates, owing ^o the succession of falls its now moun- tainous course leaps down ; and its tidal variation, which has a rise and fall of about eight feet at its mouth, also gradually ceases. Its course thus far is nearly south-east, but vary- ing in breadth according to its bays and indenta- tions. The shores are in some places high and rocky, with low marshy islands at their feet, subject to inundation, and covered with willows, poplars, and other trees that love an alluvial soil. Some- times the mountains recede and give place to beau- tiful plains and noble forests. Whilst the river ri iT'--^^ THE OREGON TERRITORY. 9 margin is richly fringed with trees of deciduous foliuge, the rough uplands are crowned by majestic pines and firs of gigantic size, some towering to the height of between two and three hundred feet, with proportionate circumference. Out of these the Indians make their great canoes and pirogues. We thus find that the chief river of the country is not navigable for large commercial enterprises ; and proceeding coastwise from its mouth still further north, at a distance of about twenty-five miles, we discover in Gray's Bay a deep inlet, which being but two miles and a half wide at its entrance, expands within into a broad bay, nine miles wide and seven long, which at its eastern ex- tremity receives the waters of the Chickeeles River, a small stream that descends from the mountains which separate the seaward coast from the waters of Puget's Sound. The same difficulty of shoally water exists at the entrance of this sheltered cove which we found at the mouth of the Columbia, the whole intervening coast being remarkably moun- tainous and rugged, and we have therefore to sail still further north for a safe and available harbour for shipping. Nothing of this character presents itself until redescending the Straits of Fuca, when we ap- proach, near its south-eastern extremity, the two deep bays discovered by Vancouver in 1792, and named by him Ports Discovery and Hudson, a short di&iance to the west of Hood's Canal. This harbour is about two miles wide, with an extent of about ten miles inland, and a depth of water varying from b3 10 THE OREGON TERRITORY. twenty-five to thirty fathoms. It has further the advantage of being covered in front by an island called Protection Island, of which Vancouver has given the following description : — He says : " On landing on the west end, and ascending its eminence, which was a nearly perpendicular cliff, our atten- tion was immediately called to a landscape almost as enchantingly beautiful as the most elegantly finished pleasure-grounds in Europe. The summit of this island presented nearly a horizontal surface, interspersed with some inequalities of ground, which produced a beautiful variety on an extensive lawn covered with luxuriant grass, and diversified with abundance of flowers. To the north-west- ward was a coppice of pine-trees, and shrubs of various sorts, that seemed as if it had been planted for the purpose of protecting from the north-west winds, this delightful meadow, over which were promiscuously scattered a few clumps of trees, that would have puzzled the most ingenious designer of pleasure-grounds to have arranged more agree- ably. While we stopped to contemplate these se- veral beauties of nature, in a prospect no less pleasing than unexpected, we gathered some goose- berries and roses in a state of considerable for- wardness." This was on the 1st of May, 1792, It was at the same period that he gives us the fol- lowing pleasing description of the scenery in the vicinity of Port Discovery, on the mainland: — "The delightful serenity of the weather greatly aided the beautiful scenery that was now presented. THE OREGON TERRITORY. 11 The surface of the sea was perfectly smooth, and the country before us presented all that bounteous nature could be expected to draw into one point of view. As we had no reason to imagine that this country had ever been indebted for any of its de- corations to the hand of man, I could not possibly believe that any uncultivated country had ever been discovered exhibiting so rich a picture. The land which interrupted the horizon below the north-west and north quarters, seemed to be much broken, from whence its eastern extent, round to south-east, was bounded by a ridge of snowy mountains, appearing to be nearly in a north and south direction, on which Mount Baker rose conspicuously, remarkable for its height and the snowy mountains that stretch from its base to the north and south. Between us and this snowy range, the laud, which on the sea-shore terminated like that we had lately passed, in low perpendicular clilFs, or on beaches of sand or stone, rose here in a very gentle ascent, and was well covered with a variety of stately forest-trees : these, however, did not conceal the whole face of the country in one uninterrupted wilderness, but pleasantly clothed its eminences and chequered the valleys, presenting in many directions extensive spaces, that wore the appearance of having been cleared by art, like the beautiful island we had vi- sited the day before — a picture so pleasing could not fail to call to our remembrance certain de- lightful and beloved situations in Old England." Contiguous to Port Discovery on the east is Port ' I ^i ll I 12 THE OREGON TERRITORY. Hudson, another inlet lying between the former and Hood's Canal, which, with an opening one mile broad, expands within in a semicircular form towards the west to a distance of about eight miles, and within this cavity presents an excellent harbour with a depth of water averaging twenty fathoms. Hood's Canal, Puget's Sound, and Admiralty Inlet, afford each in their capacity and extent, excellent places for anchorage, but none with the conveniences for harbourage offered by those we have noticed. Following the coast northward we do not again find localities of equal capability for this purpose. Frazer's river presents the same disadvantage that we found rendering the navigation of the Columbia impracticable to vessels of large tonnage in the bar of sand which crosses its mouth, which appears to be deposited at the mouth of all these rivers that de- bouche, running from the eastward, into the Pacific, and which would seem to arise from the counter- action the waters of the Pacific offer to their rapid flow. A further impediment to the harbourage of the several creeks and inlets, such as Desolation Sound, Bute's Canal, Loughborough Canal, and Kniglit*s Canal, &c. is offered by the archipelago of islands which vessels must necessarily thread to reach them, and the rapidity of the currents and depth of water which flow within their channels. This remark will refer to the whole coast to the northern frontier of the territory north of Queen Charlotte's Sound. Having thus surveyef' the coast line of this terri- THF OKKGON TERRITORY. 13 tory, we shall now return to its opposite frontier, the all but impassable barrier of the Rocky or Stony Mountains. We have before observed that this forms a link of the great chain of the Andes, and concurrently participates in the peculiarities of those " Giants of the Western Star." It presents the same character isi of igneous origin in its granitic masses, its gi , ind basaltic rocks, and of volcanic agency still operating in the adjacent hot- springs, and salt lakes, and waters, and the occa- sional eruption of some of the craters of the parallel cascade range where Mount St. Helen' was seen spouting forth its fire and smoke, and casting its ashes to a distance of fifty miles. This rocky and mountainous region has of course not yet been subjected to the inspection which it will progressively receive as greater facilities shall present themselves in the occupation and settlement of the adjacent country on its western side, which, from the impulse emigration has taken thitherward, seems to promise that it will eventually become inhabited land, although the aridity of climate arising from the great elevation of the plateaus in their immediate vicinity does not augur favourably for its agricultural cultivation, and these fastnesses will possibly ever continue the exclusive domain of their aboriginal denizens, the elk, the buffalo, the argali, antelope, and bear, and their scarcely more human destroyers, the nomadic hordes of savages. From the direct observations yet made the greatest altitude of these mountains has been t ' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I US ■16 1^ w «. II us us 2.5 2.2 Ufi 2.0 1.8 1.25 1 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" ► v) /. 7 Hiotographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80 (716) 873-4503 14 THE OREGON TERRITORY. found to be about 16,000 feet above the level of the sea, which is the height of Mount Brown and Mount Hooker, between the parallels of 50 and 51 ; and Fremont has calculated the elevation of the highest peak in the vicinity of the south pass of the Rocky Mountains which he scaled to be 13,579 feet above the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. But he considers that some of the peaks of the cascade range are of still greater height, reaching the pro- digious elevation of 20,000 feet ; and Mr. Thomp- son is supposed to have ascertained the elevation of one to be 25,000. But the extreme elevation of the great steppes which range along the feet of the Rocky Mountains take away from the true height of their peaks, which, as we have shown, yield to few in the known world in point of real altitude. The elevation of the pass itself is 7000 feet above the sea. In approaching the peaks which form the crest of this ridge of mountains, Fremont and his party frequently found little lakes held in the hol- lows between the mountains ; sometimes when at high elevations they saw in the valley before them, and among the hills, a number of lakes of different levels, some two or three hundred feet above others, with which they communicate by foaming torrents, all sending up the roar of their cataracts. It was on the 13th of August that the highest peak ap- peared so near that they supposed it would be an easy day's work to reach it, and that they would be able to return back to the encampment in the even- THE OREGON TERRITORY. 13 level of •own and )and 51 ; n of the ass of the 1,579 feet But he ) cascade the pro- Thomp- ivation of iration of 3 feet of the true B shown, t of real jet above form the ; and his the hol- when at re them, different e others, ;orrents, It was eak ap- be an '^ould be le even- ing. But the first ridge hid a succession of others, and the advance was slow ; and when, with great difficulty, they liad climbed up a rugged acclivity five hundred feet high, it was to make but a descent of about the same distance to reach the ascent of a higher ridge. Every ridge that was surmounted was supposed would be the last, until they were involved in the most rugged precipices, sometimes passing beneath bridges formed by huge fragments of granite, and at others clambering over rocks slippery with ice and snow. The day was thus pafised in these wearying yet exciting marches, and without food ; and now, elevated ten thousand feet above the Gulf of Mexico, they lay down upon the snow to sleep. They resumed their effort to reach the summit the following day, having previously ob- tained food from the camp below. The party soon came scattered among fields of ice and innume- rable precipices, each seeking the best path to ascend the peak. After another day's toil and another night's rest, they at length reached the snow line, and then commenced uninterrupted climbing, and the use of their toes became necessary to assist them in their further advance. Shortly they reached a point where the buttress was overhanging, and there was no other way of surmounting the difficulty than by passing round one side of it which formed the face of a vertical precipice several hundred feet high. A small valley was passed and another ascent climbed, and the crest was reached. Fremont sprang in transport upon its summit, yet one step m THE OREGON TERRITORY, more would have precipitated him into an immense snow field five hundred feet below. The crest was a narrow strip only three feet wide. The barometer was mounted in the snow of the summit ; a ramrod was fixed in a crevice, and on it the American flag was unfurled. No signs of life had been perceived in these upper regions, and the most profound and terrible solitude reigned around and forced upon the mind the great features of the place. Whilst seated here, a common humble bee, winging its flight from the eastern valley, alighted on the knee of one of the men, and was captured and preserved as the only record of organic life observed at these great altitudes, and in this vast solitude. Another traveller. Captain Bonneville, thus de- scribes the ascent of this crest and the magnificent view from it. After much toil, he reached the summit of a lofty cliff, but it was only to behold gigantic peaks rising all around and towering far into the snowy regions of the atmosphere. Selecting one which appeared to be the highest, he crossed a narrow intervening valley, and began to scale it. He soon found that he had undertaken a tremen- dous task ; the ascent was so steep and rugged that he was frequently obliged to clamber on hands and knees, with his gun slung across his back. Fre> quently exhausted with fatigue, and dripping with perspiration, he threw himself upon the snow and took handfuls of it to allay his parching thirst; but ascending still higher, cool breezea refreshed him, and springing on with fresh ardour^ THE OREGON TERRITORY. 17 he at length attained the summit. Here a scene burst upon his view, which for a time astonished and overwhelmed him with its immensity. He stood in fact upon that dividing ridge which the Indians regard as the crest of the world, and on each side of which the landscape may be said to decline to the two cardinal oceans of the globe. Whichever way he turned his eye it was con- founded by the vastness and variety of objects. Beneath him the Rocky Mountains seemed to open all their secret recesses ; deep solemn valleys, glit- tering lakes, dreary passes, rugged defiles, and foaming torrents ; while beyond their savage pre- cincts the eye was lost in an almost immeasurable landscape stretching on every side into dim and hazy distance, like the expanse of a vast sea. Whichever way he looked he beheld vast plains glimmering with reflected sunshine ; mighty streams wandering on their shining course toward either ocean ; and snowy mountains, chain beyond chain, and peak beyond peak, till they melted like clouds into the horizon. He stood for awhile gazing upon this scene, lost in a crowd of vague and indefinite ideas and sensations. A long-drawn inspiration at length relieved him from this en- thralment of the mind, and he began to analyze the parts of this vast panorama. The enumeration of a few of its features will give some idea of its col- lective grandeur and magnificence. The peak he stood on commanded the whole varied river chain, which may be considered one immense mountain, 18 THE OREGON TERRITORY. ' m ' i ! Iv broken into snowy peaks and lateral spurs, and seamed with narrow valleys^ some of which glit- tered with silver lakes and gushing streams, the fountain-heads, as it were, of the mighty tributaries to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Beyond the snowy peaks to the south, and far below the moun- tain range, the Sweet Water river was seen pursuing its tranquil way through the rugged region of the Black Hills. In the east the head-waters of Wind River wandered through a plain, until, mingling in one powerful current, they forced their way through the range of Horn Mountains, and were lost to view. To the north were caught glimpses of the upper streams of the Yellowstone, the great tributary of the Missouri. In a north-westerly direction were seen some of the sources of the Oregon or Columbia, flowing past the towering landmarks called the Three Tetons, and pouring their waters down into the great lava plain ; and beneath, at his feet, were the Green River, or Colorado of the West, setting forth on its pil- grimage to the Gulf of California ; at first a mere mountain-torrent, dashing northward over crag and precipice, in a succession of cascades, and tumbling into the plain, where, expanding into an ample river, it circled away to the south, and after alter- nately shining out and disappearing in the mazes of the vast landscape, was finally lost in a horizon of mountains, distinctly discernible through the purity of the atmosphere encircling this immense area with their outer range of shadowy peaks THE OREGON TERRITORY. 19 spurs, and tvhich glit- treams, the tributaries Beyond the the moun- in pursuing gion of tho a of Wind ningling in their way 3, and were it glimpses I, the great th- westerly ces of the e towering d pouring plain ; and River, or )n its pil- irst a mere ;r crag and 1 tumbling an ample after alter- the mazes 1 a horizon rough the s immense )wy peaks faintly marked upon the verge of the horizon. To descend and extricate himself f/om the heart of this rock-piled wilderness was almost as difficult as to penetrate it. He took his course down the ravine of a tumbling stream, descending from rock to rock, and shelf to shelf, between stupendous cliffs and beetling crags that sprang up to the sky. Often obliged to cross and recross the rushing tor- rent as it wound foaming and roaring down its broken channel, or walled by .perpendicular pre- cipices, and sometimes passing beneath cascades which pitched from such lofty heights that the water fell into the stream like heavy rain ; in other places torrents came tumbling from crag to crag, dashing into foam and spray, and making tre- mendous din and uproar. Within sight thus of this spot are the sources of several large rivers, viz. the Rio Colorado of the Gulf of California, and the Columbia in its south branch, flowing west ; and of the Yellowstone and the Nebraska, both branches of the Missouri, and of the Great Missouri itself, flowing east. It is thus both east and west that this gigantic chain of moun- tains nourishes, by the percolation of the eternal snows of its high summits, the waters which on both sides meander in their huge serpentine course through the vast countries they fertilize. The Rocky Mountains, known to the early ex- plorers as the Chippewyan Mountains, do not pre- sent a range of uniform elevation, but rather groups, and occasionally detached peaks. Though r ': J 1 1 1 !• P 1 •(f fP THE OREGON TERRITORY. Bome of these rise to the region of perpetual snows, yet their height from their immediate bases is not so great as might be imagined, as they swell up from elevated plains, several thousand feet above the level of the ocean. These plains are often of a desolate sterility, mere sandy wastes, formed of the detritus of the granite heights, destitute of trees and herbage, scorched by the ardent and reflected rays of the summer's sun, and in winter swept by chilling blasts from the snow-clad mountains. Such is a great part of that vast region extending north and south along the mountains, several hundred miles in width, which has not been improperly termed the Great American Desert. It is a region that almost discourages all hope of cultivation, and can be only traversed with safety by keeping near the streams which intersect it. Extensive districts likewise occur among the higher regions of the mountains of considerable fertility ; between them are deep valleys with small streams winding through them, which find their way to the lower plains, and discharge themselves into those vast rivers which traverse the prairies like great arteries, and drain the continent. Between this lofty ridge and the next intersect- ing one which runs parallel with it, the high plains which rise into a table-land of considerable eleva- tion, are at intervals gored and gashed with nu- merous and dangerous chasms from four to ten feet wide ; and it is even sometimes necessary to travel a distance of fifty or sixty miles to get round one TBB OREGON TERRITORY. U ual snows, tases is not jT swell up feet above often of a med of the te of trees 1 reflected ' swept by ins. Such ling north il hundred mproperly is a region nation, and eping near re districts )ns of the ^een them tg through plains, and rera which and drain intersect- igh plains ble eleva- with nu- ten feet r to travel 'ound one of these tremendous ravines ; and the lower plain, which extends to the feet of these mountains, is broken up near their bases into crests and ridges, resembling the surges of the ocean breaking on a rocky shore. A remarkable peculiarity incidental to this mountain range is that, on its eastern slope, the river and creek bottoms are fertile and luxuriant in their vegetation, whilst the ascents themselves are desolate and barren ; whereas on the western side these features are reversed, the mountain slopes affording rich pasturage for flocks and herds, whilst the valleys through which the streams flow are sterile, rocky, and bare. Nearly parallel to this lofty range, and at nearly equal distances, a second and a third intervene, within the territory watered by the Columbia, and between it and the sea, running nearly north and south, thus dividing it into three regions. The first, or highest range, is calle*' the Blue Moun- tains, a name derived from the azure tint with which they are clothed when seen from a distance, between which and the Rocky Mountains lie high table-land or steppes. The southern part of this region is, as we have described it, a desert of vol- canic origin, deep narrow valleys, and wide plains covered with sand and gravel. During the winter there is but little snow upon the valleys, but the summits of the mountains are never bare. It rarely rains, and no dew falls. Between the Blue Moun- tains and the c!idcade range, that nearest to the i t t v 1, 22 THE OREGON TERRITORY.. I ■I I* (1 Pacific, and so named from the succession of falls which the Columbia makes in its passage across them, foaming impetuously towards the ocean, may be called the middle region of Oregon. The immediate vicinity of these mountains is shagged with dense and gloomy forests, and cut up by deep and precipitous ravines ; the ground some- times broken by a brawling stream, with a broken rocky bed and with shouldering cliiTs and promon- tories on either side. But from these savage and darkly wooded defiles the landscape occasionally changes as if by magic. The rude mountains and rugged ravines soften into beautiful hills and inter- vening meadows, with rivulets winding through fresh herbage, and sparkling and murmuring over gravelly beds, the whole forming a verdant and pastoral scene which derives additional charms from being locked up in the bosom of such a hard hearted region. - ; • v ;; The general character of this middle region is elevated and dry, and less fertile than that portion which skirts the ocean. It consists chiefly of plains, covered with grass and small shrubs. Forest timber is here comparatively scarce, and the trees which are found are of the softer kinds of wood, and useless for economical purposes, as the wil- low, the sumac, and the cotton wood. Although its atmosphere is characterized as dry, it is visited by periodical rains, but the climate is healthy. The country is not adapted for the cultivation of the cereals, but is well suited for pasture land, THE OREGON TERRITORY. 3» on of falls age across Qcean, may mntains is and cut up ►und some- 1 a broken id promon- javage and ccasionally in tains and J and inter- \g through luring over prdant and lal charms iuch a hard region is hat portion chiefly of bs. Forest the trees s of wood, IS the wil- Although t is visited s healthy., cultivation sture land, as is testified by the abundance of horses reared here by the Indians. The most promising section of the country is that w^iich lies between the cascade range and the sea, and which we may style the lowlands. It is a strip of land varying between 30 and 100 miles in width and inter- sected by spurs, set off occasionally from the range which forms its frontier. The climate within this district is warm and dry. From April to Octo- ber, during the prevalence of the westerly winds, rain seldom falls, but during the other months, when the wind blows constantly from the south, the rain is almost incessant. Snow is rarely seen in this district, and agricultural operations can be carried on throughout the whole of the year. Most of the productions of the northern states of Ame« rica thrive here, and horses and cattle can subsist throughout the winter without fodder. The second bottoms of rivers, being above inundation, are very fertile, and extensive tracts are covered with rich and luxuriant grass. The forests on the uplands and sloping mountain ridges abound with timber- trees of very large size, consisting chiefly of pines, fir, larch, and their congeners. The most fertile region of the whole of this fertile district is the valley of the Wallemette, a stream which flows westerly from its source, in the cascade range, in the vicinity of that of the Umqua, when subse- quently curving northerly it glides into the Columbia at about 90 miles from the mouth of that river. The valley through which this river runs is about. ¥ 24 THE OREGON TERRITORY. ,1 II !■ i! 1 ' ., Ill ■: II, ' V w ' it :■■' '.: ) 300 miles long, and its sheltered situation has an obvious effect upon its climate ; for it is a region of great beauty and luxuriance, with lakes and pools, and green meadows shaded by noble groves. The country bordering this river is finely diversified with prairies and hills, and forests of oak, ash, maple, and cedar. It abounds with elk and deer, and the stream itself is well stocked with beaver. In the vicinity of the mountains it is interspersed with glens and ravines well wooded j its copses abound in game, and the land, in its natural state, is usually ready for the plough and exceedingly productive. The climate is mild, and the air is loaded with the perfume of the odoriferous shrubs which nature has profusely scattered over the domain. > - ^ It is through these three distinct districts that the great Columbia river takes its course, fed by the large arms of its several tributaries, all the principal branches of which take their rise, to- gether with the main stream, from the Rocky Mountains. It commences its course in about la- titude 50°, and flows north-westerly beyond latitude 52" where it curves southerly at its junction with Canoe river. It is near this angle, between Mounts Hooker and Brown, where the most northern pass opens to the Eastern country watered by the Saskat- chawan. It now takes its course, flowing in a di- rect line south and forming a string of lakes on the eastern side of the Blue Mountains, as far as parallel 49% where it receives its first tributary, in Flatbow THE URUGON TERRITORY. jf^^fK, River, which lias just expanded into a wide lake, and which from its source near that of the Co- lumbia had taken a southerly range along the foot of those mountains and a subsequent curvature northwards, as it were, the duplication of that taken by the Columbia itself. It is now speedily joined by Clarke's, or Flathead river, which, after a devious curve from its origin in latitude 46° in the Rocky Mountains, runs nearly parallel with the return of the Flatbow, and joins the Columbia about 30 miles below that river. The Columbia then proceeds due south, and forming an angle round the base of the Blue Mountains, rushes pre- cipitously eastward through a gorge of that chain, when curving round their western slopes it receives the Okanagan, which is rather a succession of lakes than a river, that derive their influx of waters from the western defiles of the range. The two rivers, about the place of their confluence, are bor- dered by immense prairies, covered with herbage, but destitute of trees ; and the point itself is orna- mented with wild flowers of every hue, in which innumerable humming-birds banquet the live-long day. '- • ■'-•' • ' ■ ■- "- "■■ ■' "• ■•• '-' -' Thus speeded onward, it undulates in a tortuous course, along the western base of the Blue Moun- tains, and it is at the angle here formed, of which the point of juncture with the Okanagan may be considered the apex, that that remarkable feature called the Grande Coulee occurs, the conforma- tion of which plainly indicates that the course c 26 THE OHfiQON TERRITORY. k> : ■ of the stream was once in its bed, but by some violent orgasm of nature it has been forcibly conveyed through a different defile, to its pre- sent channel on the opposite side of the moun- tains. The Coulee is a broad chasm, between basaltic palisades, about 800 feet high. It varies from two to three miles in width, and is about fifty miles long. Its bottom is plain, apparently level; but to the north there are several granite knolls resembling islands, about 700 feet high, which are called the lies des Pierres, A gently undulating prairie country leads to the Coulee des Pierres, which in its peculiarities resembles the Grande Coulee, but it is on a smaller scale. This turns off at right angles, and joins the Columbia. What tends to confirm the opinion that this once formed the channel of the Columbia is the appear- ance of boulders of grftnite being found at its south- ern extremity, whilst no rock of that substance is found nearer than its northern commencement. The river, still proceeding in its southerly course with considerable sinuosity, receives near lat. 46** its great southern branch, the Saptin, or Lewis' River. This river has its origin near the south pass of the Rocky Mountains, and there called the Snake River. It flows north-westerly through the wide and elevated prairie or steppe-land lying between the Rocky and the Blue Mountains, receiving many tributaries, chiefly from the west, deducing their origin from the Blue Mountains. The largest of these is Malheur River, exceedingly THE OREGON TERRITORY. it by some n forcibly to its pre- the moun- 1, between It varies id is about apparently eral granite feet bigh, A gently I Coulee des sembles tbe jcale. This e Columbia. Bit this once the appear- at its south- lubstance is mencement. lerly course lear lat. 46** or Lewis* le south pass called the rly through s-land lying Mountains, m the west. Mountains, exceedingly tortuous in its course. It is next joined by Salmon River, the largest of its eastern tributaries, and subsequently by the Kooskooskee, both of which spring from the Rocky Mountains. It is through- out the prairies watered by these rivers that buf- faloes still range in enormous herds, but which are daily decreasing in consequence of the indiscri- minate slaughter of them by the Indians. Clarke's River now joins the Columbia, by a direct easterly course, having first precipitated itself over the falls and obstructions of the Blue Mountains. From this point of juncture, flowing a short distance fur- ther south, the Colombia receives the waters of the Walla Walla, and then takes at right angles a course due west, turbulently precipitating itself in a suc- cession of rapids, first through the Dalles, which name is given to that portion of the river where its channel lies within the compressed space of about 300 feet, confined within basaltic perpendicular walls, through which the river appears to have worn gradually its present deep course. Just above these Dalles it receives John Day*s River, and Shuter's River from the south ; and at their junction with it the country is flat and sandy, with loose grass and cacti distributed over it, affording shelter for the hares and game with which it abounds. It is now impelled forward through the broken country and precipitous declivities of the Cascade range of moun- tains, which derives its name from the succession of rapids over which the Columbia tears and boils. c2 M THE OREGON TERRITORY. u These falls or rapids are situated about one hun- dred and eighty miles above the mouth of the river. The first is a perpendicular cascade of twenty feet, after which there is a swift descent for a mile, be- tween islands of hard black rock, to another pitch of eight feet divided by two rocks. About two miles and a half below this the river expands into a wide basin, seemingly dammed up by a perpendicular ridge of black rock. A current, however, sets diagonally to the left of this rocky barrier where there is a chasm forty-five yards in width. Through this the whole body of the river roars along, swell- ing and whirling and boiling for some distance in the wildest confusion ; and here, in descending this turbulent stream, the chief danger arises, not from the rocks but from the great surges and whirlpools. At a distance of a mile and a half from the foot of th -s narrow channel is a rapid, formed by two rocky islands ; and two miles beyond is a second great fall, over a ledge of rocks twenty feet high, ex- tending nearly from shore to shore. The river is again compressed into a channel from fifty to a hundred feet wide, worn through a rough bed of hard black rock, along which it boils and roars with great fury for the distance of three miles. This portion is called the " long narrows." Be- fore it again expands into the usual amplitude of its st^^ream, it is bordered by stupendous precipices, clothed with fir and white cedar. One of these precipices or cliffs is curiously worn by time and THE OREGON TERRITOIIY. at one hun- ^f the river. :,wenty feet, a mile, be- other pitch It two miles into a wide rpendicular iwever, sets jrier where h. Through long, swell- distance in sending this ;s, not from whirlpools, the foot of Y two rocky jcond great it high, ex- 'he river is n fifty to a ugh bed of s and roars hree miles, ows." Be- litude of its precipices, le of these y time and the weather, which have given it the appearance of a ruined fortress, with tower and battlements beetling high above the river ; while two small cascades, one hundred and fifty feet in height, pitch down from the fissures of the rocks. Between this its last descent and the sea, it re- ceives the Wallemette from tho south at the point where its own tides cease, which at its estuary have a rise and fall of about eight feet ; and this estuary, with its facilities for navigation, and with that its prospect of ever forming a large commercial depot, has been already described. ,4 ... The agricultural capabilities of a new country must necessarily determine the prospective advan- tages to be derived from its extensive colonisation ; and as the country we have thus rapidly traversed has been carefully inspected with this view by a very competent judge, Mr. Famham, we will briefly state the result of his investigation, whence it appears that the whole of the elevated land lying between the Blue Mountains and the Rocky Moun- tains, through which the Upper Columbia and the Saptin or Lewis River flow, is an alternation of vast iracts of desert and prairie, scored by volcanic ravines and chasms, occupied by nomadic tribes of ferocious Indians, essentially hunters from the nature of the soil and climate, and changing their position with the migrations of the animals which they pursue. The next interval, lying between the Blue Mountains and the Cascade Range, is also but a succession of deserts, dotted it is true here aad Mi) \M I iirJ 30 THE OREGON TERBITOEY. there with habitable spots, but still p'ossessing no feature sufficiently indicative of being capable of wide agricultural exertions, although in the im- mediate vicinity of the streams grain and fruit may thrive. The remainder of the territory, commonly called the " Low Country," is the only portion of it that bears any claim to an agricultural character. It is bounded on the north by the Straits of Fuca and Puget's Sound, in lat. 48 ; on the east by the Cascade Range, on the south by the parallel of 42, and on the west by the Ocean ; thus comprising seven degrees of latitude and about one hundred miles of longitude, equal to about 49,000 square miles, whJch is equivalent to 31,000,000 acres. About one third of this may be ploughed and another third pastured. The remainder consists of irreclaimable ridges of minor mountains crossing the country in all directions. To this should be added Vancouver's Island, 200 miles long by 30 in average width ; and Queen Charlotte's Island, 100 miles long by an average of 15 in width ; in both which may be supposed to be the same ratio of arable, pasture, and irreclaimable land, viz. 1,500,000 acres of each. And thus we have a rough, but, I believe, a generally correct estimate of the agricultural capacities of Lower Oregon — about 12,000,000 of acres of arable, and 12,000,000 of acres of pasture land. The arable land of other parts of the territory is so inconsiderable as to be scarcely worthy of mention. At a rough calcula- tion there are about 10,000,000 of acres of pasture THE C lEGON TERRITORY. lessing no ;apable of 1 the im- fruit may commonly portion of character. 3 of Fuca ast by the llel of 42, omprising B himdred lOO square 100 acres, ighed and consists of s crossing should be mg by 30 's Island, width; in same ratio and, viz. have a estimate Oregon — 2,000,000 i of other as to be calcula- of pasture e land in all the region east of the Cascade Range. Thus, throughout Oregon, there are but 12,000,000 of acres of arable country. And within the limits described we have a surface of 215,000,000 of acres ; deducting from this 32,000,000, as the ha- bitable portion, leaves 183,000,000 of acres of deserts and mountains. Howsoever arid and barren the general features of a large country may be, and as unprofitable as its aspect is to the eye that views it, solely with regard to its promise of utility to large communi- ties of civilized man, yet nature is never so niggard of attractive charms as not to present a pleasing picture, when these, which are widely disseminated over a large surface, are brought into close and compact conjunction. Therefore in the brief sur- vey we shall take of the productions of this country, it must be borne in mind that many of them are procured severally from very distant localities, and combined in one apparent cornucopia. They seem even already to have allured numerous bands of emigrants to toil, sanguine with the hope of pro- spective advantage, across wide and desolate deserts^ from the industrious and thriving communities of civilization, into the heart of the wilderness. Man's chief necessaries are food and shelter, and the co- lonist, in selecting a new and distant country for habitation, must waive all idea of the stores he may convey with him, or the supplies he may con- ceive himself able to command, and first ascertain if, in^defauU of these, the new home will furnish IW 32 THE OREGON TERRITORY. J i ' II! I ! !: ■ . ill ,'w vt him with his absolute wants. The e&tth is some- times, yet rarely, the parent who, when she is asked for bread, gives a stone ; and here, by the computa- tion we have just shown, she would thus prove herself. Yet is the land diversified in its produce. Many edible roots are found upon which whole tribes of aborigines feed, and when we remember that the potato and the yam are both natives of America, we see no reason why other roots as be- neficial to man might not occur amongst the varied vegetation of that prolific region. In a country so much intersected by rivers as is the heart of Oregon, their immediate vicinity will of course present a luxuriant vegetation, and it is chiefly in the line of the watercourses that it has been inspected. The aridity of the climate arising from the great elevation of the largest portion of the land, and the absence of refreshing rains, are the chief causes of its general barrenness. No rain falls between April and October, and a temperature, which during the middle of the day at this season fluc- tuates between 75 and 93 degrees, must necessarily parch up the whole surface of the land, which gapes in fissures for refreshing irrigation. But so free a compensator is Nature, that the bunch grass, pe« culiar to the wide steppes, thus burnt up, retains, unlike other grasses, its nutritious qualities, even when dried upon the soil. Fertile spots alone pro- duce the roots to which we have alluded, the chief of which is the Wappatoo, which gives its name to an island where it abounds, dividing the Walle- THE OREGON TERRITORY. 33 h is some- he is asked e computa- khus prove ts produce, lich whole remember L natives of )ots as be- . the varied rivers as is Lcinity will I, and it is that it has late arising portion of y rains, are B. No rain mperature, season fluc- necessarily rhich gapes it so free a I grass, pe- ip, retains, lities, even alone pro- , the chief its name to the Walle* mette into two branches at its conjunction with the Columbia. , The forest timbers are white oak, hemlock, spruce, fir, yellow pine, ash, white and red cedar, maple, willow, and a few walnut; of which the fir and cedar, should the country eventually be- come colonized, will be among its most valuable articles of export. Flax, hemp, and cotton grow in the lower country. It numbers many aromatic shrubs, and the forests are rendered almost impene- trable by clambering vines and parasites. It pro- duces fruits in great abundance and of various kinds, such as gooseberries, both yellow and purple, the former growing on a stalk free from thorns. There are also three kinds of currants, one very large and well tasted, purple, and growing on a bush eight or nine feet high ; another of a yellow colour, and of the size and taste of the large red currant, on a bush four or five feet high ; and the third a beautiful scarlet, resembling the strawberry in sweetness, though rather insipid, and growing on a low bush. Strawberries are found in profusion, as also are raspberries, both red and yellow ; very large and finely flavoured whortleberries, cran- berries, service-berries, blackberries, sloes, and wild and choke cherries. Among the flowering vines is one deserving of particular notice. Each' flower is composed of six leaves or petals, about three inches in length, of a beautiful crimson, the inside spotted with white. Its leaves, of a fine green, are oval and disposed in threes. This plant 34 THE OREGON TERRITORY. climbs upon trees without attaching itself to them ; when it has reached the topmost branches, it de- scends perpendicularly, and as it continues to grow, extends from tree to tree, until its various stalks interlace the grove like the rigging of a ship. The stems or trunks of this vine are tougher and more flexible than willow, and are from fifty to one hundred fathoms in length. From the fibres the Indians manufacture baskets of such close texture as to hold water. This country teems also with innumerable flowers, which enamel the pastures with the varied beauties of their tints. Just {IS the geological constitution of a country influences its vegetation will the latter affect its zoo- logy ; thus the frugivorous birds and animals follow fruits, as the gramnivorous do the grains and roots ; and the wide prairie lands and forests afford sus- tenance to those which pasture and browse ; and where these abound we invariably find the carni- vorous tribes in their track. Thus nature, by its succession of links both of conformation and appe^ tite, is universally held together, and its choral dance of destruction and reproduction is kept in incessant action and reaction throughout the alter- nation of its seasons. Among the birds of this country we find eagles, vultures, crows, ravens, and magpies, in large flocks; wookpeckers, pigeons, partridges, grouse, and a very extensive variety of singing-birds. Birds, of course, from their greater powers of locomotion, are less tied to a soil than any other description of creature ; and , » THE OREGON TERRITORY. from the multitudes of migratory kinds we are prepared to expect a greater variety of these than the existing lists announce, which at due and con* genial seasons will visit this large tract of country. Aquatic hirds abound in a country intersected by so many streams, and we accordingly find swans, geese of many kinds, brant and ducks of every description, as well as herons and cranes. And on its seaward coasts we observe pelicans, gulls, cur-, lews, guillemots, and divers of vast varieties. Its coasts are visited, and the mouths of its rivers swarm, with shoals of nutritious fish, sufficient to form extensive fisheries, and a prime staple for commercial activity and enterprise : among these we may enumerate the sturgeon, the sardine, and the salmon, which are apparently inexhaustible in their prolific abundance. The sardine, called uthlecan by the natives, makes its appearance about the beginning of February, and is six inches long ; it very much resembles a smtlt, and is of a de- licious flavour, and so fat as to burn like a candle, for which it is often used by the savages. It enters the rivers in immense shoals, like solid columns, often extending to the depth of five or more feet, and is scooped up in small nets, by which means a canoe is soon filled, or the shore heaped with them, and they are then dried and strung for subsequent use. But though salmon is the chief fish that visit these rivers, ascending them in its season, which extends from May to August, in large quantities, when the peculiar character of t J 11 ,'t i THE OREGON TERRITORY. the Columbia admirably adapts it for their capture in the succession of rapids whereby its course is precipitated. These form a succession of leaps, at which points the piscatory tribes of natives post themselves for the purpose of laying in their stores, as well as for barter with other tribes, who ex- change dried buffalo-flesh and game of different kinds for salmon cured by these. An inferior species of salmon succeeds this, and continues to be caught from August to December. It is re- markable for having a double row of teeth, half an inch long, and extremely sharp, from whence it has received the name of the dog-toothed salmon. The quadrupeds which are found, and which as yet constitute the only riches it has produced in the large quantities of furs that have been collected and trafficked away, and to which trade, as we shall sub- sequently recur, will detain us now merely in their rapid enumeration, consist of panthers, of rare oc- currence, and only in the southern parts ; the black and grizzly bear, the antelope, the ahsahta, or big- horn, the stag, elk, hart, fallow-deer, argali, beaver, the sea and river otter, the muskwash, or musk-rat, the fox, wolf, mink, a small kind of otter, raccoon, lyax, v&riouB kinds of the weasel tribes, squirrels of different descriptions; and almost exclusively restricted to the upland region, the buffalo, or bison, in innumerable herds. The horse and the dog are found domesticated among the natives ; some tribes of whom keep the latter for food, and it is found both palatable and nutritious. THE OREGON TERRITORY. leir capture s course is of leaps, at latives post their stores, s, who ex- of different ^n inferior ontinues to . It is re- eth, half an hence it has Imon. id which as luced in the oUected and e shall sub- ely in their of rare oc- the black hta, or big: ;ali, beaver, r musk-rat, r, raccoon, 8, squirrels exclusively buffalo, or ■ge and the le natives ; )r food, and Of these animals the muskwash, or musk-rat, famishes the greatest number of skins yearly ex- ported from that teeming country. It is one of the gnawing animals, as its name indicates, and its habits are very much allied to those of the beaver, being social and very prolific. It is of about the size of a rabbit, and is of a reddish-grey colour; it constructs little huts composed of grass and rushes, on the edge of streams, cemented with clay, in which several families live together, and its food consists of roots. But although thus partaking of the nature of the beaver, yet do they neither swim nor dive well. As the natural history of the beaver may not be familiar to all our readers, and as its skin constitutes a staple article in the export of fur, and besides being extremely interesting, we will give a brief notice of it. It is of about the size of a badger, with a thick round head, short small ears, diminutive eyes, an obtuse muzzle, and vertical fissure, like a rabbit, and hare in the upper lip. It has two large cutting teeth in each jaw, which enables it to strip off and divide the bark of trees, and to gnaw through trunks of consider- able thickness. They are as sharp as chisels, strongly enamelled on the anterior surface, and with the peculiar faculty of growing as fast from the base as they are worn down at the extremity. Their fore limbs are shorter than their hinder, and these possess great strength and muscularity. They have five toes on each foot, and, to adapt them to the element in which they chiefly reside, the '1 38 THE OBEOON TERRITORY. hinder ones are webbed, and in further corre- spondence, as every thing in nature harmonises, their tail, which serves them as a rudder, is large and flat and oval, half as long as the body, and covered with scales in lieu of fur. They are of a bright brown colour, and their fur consists of two kinds, the hair in front being soft, short, and silky, and behind long and coarse. During summer they live in holes on the banks of rivers, which they quit only to seek food, which consists of the bark of young trees, herbage or berries. In the autumn they assemble in communities, sometimes two or three hundred strong, to prepare conjunctively a winter dwelling. They usually choose a stream not likely to be frozen to the bottom, the current of which yields them the advantage of water-car- riage for their materials, and they prefer the northern bank for the sake of enjoying the sun, and an island usually for the sake of security. If, as is often the case, the spot selected be the bank of a river where the water is rather shallow, they construct a dam with considerable ingenuity and industry, "by carrying a mole across in a straight line if the stream be slow, but curved if the cur- rent be rapid. This they form convex and per- pendicular on the side opposite the current, but declining on the other from a summit three feet thick to a base ten or twelve feet broad. They frame it of timber, stones, and clay, for which purpose the trees nearest the water's edge and above the site of their structure are chosen. They THE OIIEOON TERRITORY. 39 ther corre- harmonises, ler, is large ; body, and ley are of a isists of two t, and silky, lummer they , which they of the bark the autumn imes two or ijunctively a ise a stream , the current if water- car- prefer the ing the sun, ecurity. If, be the bank ihallow, they Qgenuity and n a straight d if the cur- ex and per- current, but it three feet road. They , for which "'s edge and losen. They gnaw these wilh the instinctive sagacity which in- structs them to induce them to fall towards the stream ; they then lop off the branches, which with the trunks they cut into the lengths they require, and float them down to their destination. Here they are secured by stones brought by these extra- ordinary animals in their paws from the bottom, and a succession of layers compacted by mud com- pletes the work. Their huts vary in number from ten to thirty, and are built of the same materials, six or seven feet above the water, of an oval or round shape, and coped in with a dome or roof. The entrance is made beneath a projection which advances several feet into the stream, with a re- gular descent at least three feet below the surface, to guard against its being frozen up. This the hunters call the angle, and a single dwelling is sometimes furnished with two or more. Near the entrance, and on the outside of the houses, the beavers store up the branches of trees, the bark of which forms their chief subsistence during the winter ; and these magazines sometimes contain more than a cartload of provisions. Their work is all performed at night, and with great expedi- tion. The numbers in each individual dwelling seldom exceed two or four old ones, and thrice as many young ones. The females produce once a year from two to four at a birth, who quit their parents at the age of three years. Their flesh is usually esteemed by the hunters and trappers, who live chiefly upon it during their expeditions, and be- d2 40 THE OREGON TERRITOBT. ;i I Htl I i sides their skins, which supply fur for hats, which is now being rapidly superseded by silk, both on account of its greater expense and the decrease of the number of animals, this creature produces a secretion known by the name of castor, a substance used in medicine. Of the furs produced in this country, that of the silver fox is perhaps the rarest and most valuable. This animal is a native of the woody country below the Columbia River. It has a long, thick, deep, lead-coloured fur, intermingled with long hairs, invariably white at the top, forming a bright, lus- trous, silver grey. The skin of the grizzly bear is also a very valuable fur, worA usually, at whole- sale price, more than a thousand dollars. This animal is of the size of a cow, and of prodigious strength. His speed exceeds that of a man, but is inferior to that of the horse. In attacking, it rears itself on its hind legs and springs the length of its body, and it possesses terrific claws, which are some- times nine inches in length, capable of tearing everything before them. The bison, or, as it is more usually called, the buffalo ^ is also an animal of great importance in the interior of the country, where its range rarely extends so far as the Blu« Mountains, nor much higher north than Flat Head or Clarke's River. This animal is larger than the ox, being usually six feet high at the shoulder, and will sometimes reach the weight of two thousand pounds. In front he is large and strong, and co- rered with long woolly hair of a uniform dun THE OREGON TEBBITORY. 41 lats, which k, both on lecrease of produces a I substance that of the It valuable, mtry below hick, deep, long hairs, bright, lus- zzlybear is ', at whole- liars. This prodigious (nan, but is ing, it rears ngth of its 1 are some- of tearing or, as it is in animal of le country, IS the Blu« lat Head or ban the ox, oulder, and thousand ig, and co- nform dun colour, although they are said to occur sometimes, yet rarely, spotted. It has a long and shaggy mane on the neck and shoulders. The hinder parts are comparatively slender. His head is prone, and his small eyes glancing from beneath his rugged locks give him a fierce and sinister look. The horns are short, sharp, curved, and turn backward. The tail, which is not much more than a foot long, is nearly naked except at the tip, which has a tuft of long black hair. The bulls and cows live in separate herds, except during the rutting season ; but at all times one or two old bulls accompany a large herd of cows ; and these herds are sometimes so numerous, that Lewis and Clarke tell us, that on the banks of the Missouri, for the width of a mile, these animals densely covered it, including also an island over which they passed — crossing as thickly as they could swim ; and we find by a traveller on the western side of the Rocky Mountains, that he found them moving in countless droves, traversing plains, pouring through the intricate defiles of mountains, swimming rivers, having their here- ditary paths and highways worn deep through the country, and making for the surest passes of the mountains and the most practicable fords of the rivers. When once a great column is in full career, it goes straight forward regardless of all obstacles, those in front being impelled by the moving mass behind, and trampling down everything in their course. It was the lot of this traveller and his compa- nions one night to encamp on one of these buffalo 42 THE OREGON TERRITORY. landing places, exactly on the trail. They had not been long asleep, when they were awakened by a great bellowing and tramping, and the rush and splash and snorting of animals in the river. They had just time to ascertain that a buffalo army was entering the river on the opposite side and making towards the landing place; by the time they had shifted their camp the head of the column had reached the shore, and came pressing up the bank. It was singular to behold by moonlight this countless throng, making their way across the river, blowing, bellowing, and splashing. Sometimes they pass in such dense and continuous columns as to form a temporary dam across the river, the waters of which rise and rush over their backs, or between their squadrons. The roaring and rush- ing sounds of one of these vast herds crossing a river may sometimes, in a still night, be heard for miles. In pursuing a herd of buffaloes a strong odour of musk is emitted and is left in their wake, and their feet make the grass crackle as if it were on fire. They are peculiarly susceptible of the scent of a man, and will wind him at a distance of even two or three miles when' to the leeward of him, and they then commence galloping in great alarm, and with the greatest speed. They take great pleasure in wallowing and throwing up the dust, which at a distance resembles the spouting of a whale. Buffaloes and elks are sometimes seen on the same prairies, and do not appear to be affected by each other's presence ; but they will not herd THE OREGON TERRITORY. 4^ They had awakened d the rush the river, uflfalo army ;e side and y the time the column [ng up the onlight this ss the river, Sometimes columns as i river, the jir hacks, or b and rush- j crossing a 3e heard for es a strong their wake, s if it were ible of the distance of leeward of ing in great ly take great lip the dust, outing of a nes seen on be affected ill not herd together. The buffalo will not intermix with any but its own kind, and all attempts to cross it with the common cow have proved hitherto abortive. These migratory wanderings of large herds of buf- faloes is always accompanied by packs of wolves, which harass them on the rear and flank, and the raven, and the crow, and the vulture are not very distant, to revel in the mortality which accompa- nies from various causes, but chiefly the indiscri- minate slaughter by the savages, of these vast herds of animals. Having thus far progressed on a rapid and im- perfect survey of this country and its native pro- ductions, those at least which we may consider as most indigenous, we may proceed to glance at its autochthones, or aborigines, who at a period beyond the reach of tradition must have migrated to these regions, where the gradual influence of local cir- cumstances and climate have stamped an indelible and permanent character upon their habits and manners, and broken them into distinct tribes, which seem in their broadest features to be deduced from two sources — the squalid Esquimaux of the north-west and arctic circles, and the fiery, irfts- cible, and warlike race of coppery-red Indians of the eastern and Atlantic plains. Their numbers, in as far as a rough calculation may approximate, would seem to be somewhere about 40,000 ; but of course this must necessarily be a very vague esti- mate. They are thus distributed :— along the coast, about 14,000; and of these the greatest re- 44 THE OBEOON TERRITORY. lative proportion inhabit Vancouver's and Queen Charlotte's Island, In the interior of the " Lower Country,'* as far as the Cascade range, and about the Cascades, there may be 4000. Between the Cascade range and the Blue Mountains occur per- haps about 3500, and the nomadic tribes which wander about the Rocky Mountains and on the steppes intervening between them and the Blue Mountains make up the rest. The effect of different modes of life upon the human frame and human character is strikingly instanced in the contrast between the hunting Indians of the prairies and the piscatory Indians of the sea-coasts. The former, continually on horse- back scouring the plains, gaining their food by hardy exercise, and subsisting chiefly on flesh,, are generally tall, sinewy, meagre, but well-formed, and of bold and fierce deportment: the latter, lounging about the river-banks, or squatted and curved up in their canoes, are generally low in stature, ill-shaped, with crooked legs, thick ankles, and broad flat feet. They are inferior also in muscular power and activity, and in energetic qUiilities and appearance, to the hard-riding savages of the prairies. The most prevalent and universal character, and which, although with modifications, pervades almost all the tribes, is ferocity and faith- lessness, and the instinctive cunning which is uni- versally characteristic of man in his uncultivated state, whether his skin be white, red, or black. ^ The tribes frequenting the most northerly shores m THE OREGON TERBITORT. 45 of this region exhibit, as has been shown by Cook, who described fully the habits of those dwelling in the vicinity of Nootka Sound, considerable me- chanical ingenuity in the construction of their matted and plaited clothing, made of the inner bark of several trees, their carved arras, the con- struction of their canoes and of their dwellings. All tribes are universally fond of painting them- selves with the gaudiest colours, and a similar un- couth taste is exhibited in their adornments and clothing. Before] the introduction of iron tools amongst them their ingenuity was necessarily taxed to make instruments to fell timber for the construction of their dwellings and the various requirements for which sharp tools were needed ; and the specimens that have been brought to Europe of their beautiful carving are the surest proof of their having overcome this diflSculty. Their dwellings were framed upon centre posts about twenty feet high, upon which a long pole rests, which forms the keel of the roof; from this trans- verse rafters descend to another similar one placed lengthwise, forming the eaves, and about five feet from the ground ; and this frame is skirted with a sort of wainscoting enclosuig it, the whole tied to- gether at the angles with cords of cedar bark ; withhi, the sides are subdivided, like the stalls of a stable, and these they occupy as sleeping-places. Those inhabiting the vicinity of the mouth of the Columbia consist of four tribes, the Chinooks, the Clatsops, the Wahkiacums, and the Cathlamahs. D 3 ~i 1 h m¥' r \'i 1 ' I* 46 THE OREGON TERRITORY. They resemble each other in person, dress, lan- guage, and manner, and were probably from the same stock, but broken into tribes, or rather hordes, by the feuds and schisms frequent among the Indians, and which originate either in personal jealousies or the rancour of the violent passions of our common nature. These people generally live by fishing, but they occasionally hunt the elk and deer, and ensnare the waterfowl of the ponds and rivers. These piscatory tribes of the coast excel in the management of canoes, and are never more at home than when riding upon the waves. Their canoes vary in form and size. Some are upwards of fifty feet long, cut out of a single tree, either fir or white cedar, and capable of carrying thirty per- sons. They have thwart pieces from side to side, about three inches thick, and their gunwales flare outwards, so as to cast off the surges of the waves. The bow and stern are decorated with grotesque figures of men and animals, sometimes five feet in length. In managing their canoes they kneel two and two along the bottom, sitting on their heels, and wielding paddles from four to five feet long, while one sits on the stem and steers with a paddle of the same kind. The women are equally expert with the men in managing the canoe, and generally take the helm. It is surprising with what fearless unconcern the savagf^ venture in their light barks upon the roughest and most tempestuous seas. They seem to ride upon the waves like sea-fowl. Should a surge throw the canoe upon its side, and THE OREGON TERRITORY. 47 endanger its overthrow, those to windward lean over the upper gunwale, thrust their paddles deep into the wave, apparently catch the water and force it under the canoe, and by this action not merely regain an equilibrium, but give the bark a vigorous impulse forward. These tribes are rather a diminutive race, ge- nerally below five feet five inches, with crooked legs and thick ankles, the causes of which we have already alluded to. The women increase the de- formity by wearing tight bandages round the ankles, which prevent the circulation of the blood, and cause a swelling of the muscles of the leg. Neither sex can boast of personal beauty; their faces are round, with small but animated eyes. Their noses are broad and flat at top, and fleshy at the end, with large nostrils. They have wide mouths, thick lips, and short, irregular, and dirty teeth. In summer time, previous to the arrival of the whites, the men were entirely naked ; in the winter and in bad weather they wore a small robe reaching o the middle of the thigh, made of the skins of animals, or of the wool of the mountain sheep. Occasionally they wore a kind of mantle of matting, to keep ofi" the rain ; but having thus protected the back and shoulders, they left the rest of the body naked. The women wore similar robes, though shorter, not reaching below the waist ; besides which they had a kind of petticoat or fringe, reaching from the waist to the knee, formed of the fibres of cedar bark, broken into strands, or "! / 48 THE OREGON TERRITORY. a tissue of silk grass, twisted and knotted at the ends. This was the usual dress of the women in summer ; in inclement weather they added a vest of skins similar to the rohe. The men eradicated every vestige of a beard, considering it a great de- formity. Both sexes, on the other hand, cherished the hair of the head, which with them is generally black and rather coarse. They allowed it to grow to a great length, and were very proud and careful of it, sometimes wearing it plaited, sometimes wound round the head in fanciful tresses. No greater affront could be offered to them than to cut off their treasured locks. They had conical hat» with narrow brims, woven of bear grass, or of the fibres of cedar bark, interwoven with designs of various shapes and colours. These hats were nearly waterproof, and very durable. The favourite orna- ments of the men were collars of bears* claws, the trophies of hunting exploits ; and the women and children wore similar decorations of elks' tusks. The men, who carry a passion for personal decora- tion further than the females, did not think their gala equipments complete unless they had a jewel of haiqua or wampum dangling at the nose. Thus arrayed, their hair besmeared with fish oil, and their bodies bedaubed with red clay, they con- sidered themselves irresistible. When on warlike expeditions, they painted their faces and bodies in the most hideous and grotesque manner. Their arms were bows and arrows, spears and war-clubs. Some wore a corslet formed of pieces of hard THE OREGON TERR. >RY. 49 wood, laced together with hear-grass, so as to form a light coat of mail pliant to the body ; and a kind of casque of cedar bark, leather, and bear- grass, sufficient to protect the head from an arrow or war- club. A more complete article of defensive armour was a buff jerkin or shirt of great thick- ness, made of doublings of elk-skin, and reaching to the feet, holes being left for the head and arms. This was perfectly arrow-proof, and it was besides endowed with charmed virtues by the spells and mystic ceremonials of the medicine-man or con- juror. The religious belief of these savages was extremely limited and confined, or rather, in all probability, their explpnations were little under- stood by their visitors. They had an idea of a benevolent and omnipotent Spirit, the creator of all things. They represent him as assuming various shapes at pleasure, but generally that of an im- mense bird. He usually inhabits the sun, but oc- casionally wings his way through the aerial regions, and sees all that is doing upon the earth. Should anything displease him, he vents his wrath in ter- rific storms and tempests, the lightning being the flashes of his eyes and the thunder the clapping of his wings. To propitiate his favour they offer to him annual sacrifices of salmon and venison, the first fruits of their fishing and hunting. Besides this aerial spirit, they believe in an inferior one, who inhabits the fire, and of whom they are in per- petual dread, as, though he possessed equally the power of good and evil, the evil is apt to pre- i 50 THE OREGON TERBITORY. dominate. They endeavour therefor^ to keep him in a good humour by frequent offerings. He is supposed also to have great influence with the winged spirit, their sovereign protector and benefac- tor. They implore him consequently to act as their interpreter, and procure them all desirable things, such as success in fishing and hunting, abundance of game, obedient wives, and male children. These Indians have likewise their priests or conjurors, or medicine-men, who pretend to be in the confidence of the deities and the expounders and enforcers of their will. Each of these medicine-men has his idols carved in wood, representing the spirits of the air and of the fire under some rude and gro- tesque form of a bear or beaver or other quadruped, or that of a bird or fish. These idols are hung round with amulets or votive offerings, such as beavers' teeth and bears* and eagles' claws. When any chief personage is dangerously ill, the medicine-man is sent for. Each brings with him his idols, with which he retires into a canoe to hold a consultation. As doctors are prone to dis- agree, so these medicine-men have now and then a violent altercation as to the malady of the patient or the treatment of it. To settle this tliey beat their idols soundly against each other, and which- ever first loses a tooth or a claw is considered as confuted, and his votary retires from the field. Polygamy is not only allowed, but considered honourable ; and tlie greater number of wives a man can maintain the more important is he in the eyes THE OREGON TERRITORT. of the tribe. The first wife however takes rank of all the others, and is considered mistress of the house. He also who exceeds his neighbours in the number of his wives, male children, and slaves, is elected chief of the village. Feuds are frequent among them, but are not very deadly ; thus totally differing from the warlike races in the vicinity of the Rocky Mountains, but, with the ferocity of the latter, if they fall upon an inferior force or village weakly defended, they slay all the men and carry off the women and children as slaves. They are mean and paltry as warriors, and altogether inferior in heroic qualities to the truly equestrian savages of the buffalo plains. A great portion of their time is passed in revelry, music, dancing, and gambling. Their music scarcely deserves the name, the instruments being of the rudest kind. Their singing is harsh and discordant; the songs are chiefly extempore, relating to passing circum- stances, the persons present, or any trifling subject that strikes the attention of the singer. They have several kinds of dances, some of them lively and pleasing. The women are rarely permitted to dance with the men, but form groups apart, dancing to the same instrument and song. They are also notorious thieves, and proud^of their dexterity; and frequent success gains them applause, but the clumsy thief is scoffed at and despised. ' Each village forms a petty sovereignty governed by its own chief, who, however, possesses but little authority unless he be a man of wealth and substance, 52 THE OREGON TERRITORY. — that 18, possessed of canoes, slaves, and wives. The greater number of these the greater is the chief. We thus here see a further proof of slavery being a customary feature of the primitive con- dition of mankind, and its abolition the greatest test of the progresLive advancement of civilization, promoted beneath the genial and benign influence of the moral and religiouj doctrines of Christianity and its inspiriting philanthropy. And if anything could reconcile us to the prospect of a war with the United States to determine the disputed pos- session of this territory, it would only be the hope- ful consideration, that this mighty empire would, when once armed and in the field, and on the waves, and arrayed with the awful attributes of an aveng- ing Nemesis, never consent to withdraw her over- whelming energies until, as a condition for her acceptance of the submissively-tendered palm and olive, the total abrogation and abolition of slavery in the States, where the lustre of the starred standard is dimmed by its red stripes. These slaves are the women and children of other either subjugated or defeated tribes taken in , war. They are well treated while in good health, but occupied in all kinds of drudgery. Should they become useless, however, by sickness or old age, they are totally neglected and left to perish ; nor is any respect paid to their bodies after death. "With respect to the dead, all tribes of Indians have a very reverential feeling for their remains. A proof of this is shown by the description of an THE OBEOON TERRITORY. 58 , and wives. ir is the chief, f of slavery imitive con- the greatest * civilization, ^ influence Christianity if anything a war with isputed pos- be the hope- ipire would, )n the waves, ►f an aveng- w her over- ion for her d palm and i of slavery red standard children of •es taken in ;ood health, T- Should ness or old to perish; after death, ndians have !mains. A >tion of an Indian Sepulchre, now destroyed by an accidental fire which took place during Captain Wilkes's ex- ploring expedition. This place of sepulture was called Mount Coffin by the Europeans who first visited that part of the Columbia, a place held in great reverence by the Indians ; it is seated near the part where the Cowlitz river falls into the Colum- bia. It was an isolated rock about one hundred and fifty feet high, rising from a low marshy soil, and totally disconnected with the adjacent moun- tains. Their preparation for interment is this: the dead body is wrapped in a mantle of skins, laid in his canoe, with his paddle, his fishing spear, and other implements beside him, and placed aloft on some rocky eminence, overlooking the river, bay, or lake he has frequented : he is thus fitted to launch away upon those placid streams and sunny lakes, stocked with all kinds of fish and waterfowl, which are prepared in the next world for those who have acquitted themselves as good sons, good fathers, good husbands, and above all good fishermen, during their mortal sojourn. This isolated rock presented a spectacle of this kind, numerous dead bodies being deposited in canoes on its summit ; while on poles around were trophies, or rather funereal offerings of trinkets, garments, baskets of roots, and other articles for the use of the deceased. The frJorids of the deceased, especially the women, repaired thivher at sunrise and sunset for some time after a burial, singing a funeral dirge, accom* panied by loud wailings and lamentations. H 54 THE OREGON TERRITORY. hv I il A remarkable custom prevails among many tribes of Indians of flattening the forehead. The process by which this deformity is effected com- mences immediately after birth. The infant is laid in a wooden trough by way of cradle. The end on which the head reposes is higher than the rest. A padding is placed on the forehead of the infant, with a piece of bark above it, and is pressed down by cords which pass through holes on each side of the trough. As the tightening of the pad- ding and the pressing of the head to the board is gradual, the process is said not to be attended with much pain. The appearance of the infant, however, while in this state of compression is whimsically hideous, and its little black eyes being forced out by the tightness of the bandages resemble those of a mouse choked in a trap. About a year's pressure is sufficient to produce the desired effect, at the end of which time the child emerges from its bandages a complete flathead, and continues so through life. This flattening has an aristocratical significancy, and is a sign of freedom, as no slave is periiiitted to bestow this enviable deformity on his child. There is inherent in all Indian tribes the spirit and sagacity of traffic, and its most prominent feature, the desire to overreach. But the only in- stance of commercial enterprise b<»ing methodically and systematically carried out at a regular dep6t is the village of Wishram, at the head of the Long Narrows, on the Columbia, in the Cascade Range .-■i i. THE OREGON TERRITORY. 55 of Mountains. Their trade consists in the salmon which are caught at these falls. In the early part of the season, when the water is high, the salmon ascend the river in incredible numbers. As they pass through this narrow strait, the Indians, stand- ing on the rocks, or on the ends of wooden stages projecting from the banks, scoop them up with small i.9.t° distended on hoops and attached to long handles, and cast them on shore. They are then cured and packed in a peculiar manner. After having been disembowelled, they are exposed to the sun on scaffolds, erected on the river banks. When sufficiently dry, they are pounded fine be- tween two stones, pressed into the smallest com- pass, and packed in baskets or bales of grass matting, about two feet long and one in diameter, lined with the cured skin of a salmon. The top is likewise covered with fish skins, secured by cords passing through holes in the edge of the basket. Packages are then made, each containing twelve of these bales, seven at bottom and five at top, pressed closely to each other with the corded side upwards, wrapped in mats and corded. These are placed in dry situations, and again covered with matting. Each of these packages contains from ninety to a hundred pounds of dried fish, which, in this state, will keep. The dwellings at Wishram are very like those we have described, as being built by the native tribes along shore, towards the northern portions of the territory, indicating, possibly, a further affinity of common origin. The houses are f) H I 56 THE OREGON TEBRITOBY. built of wood with long sloping roofs, the floor is sunk about six feet below the surface of the ground, with a low door at the gabel end, extremely narrow and partly sunk. Through this it is neces- sary to crawl and then to descend a short ladder. This inconvenient entrance is probably for the purpose of defence. There were also loopholes be- neath the eaves, apparently for the discharge of arrows. The houses are sufficiently large to con- tain two or three families : just within the door are the sleeping places ranged along the walls, like berths in a ship, and furnished with pallets of mat- ting. These extended along one half of the building ; the remaining hulf was appropriated to the storing of dried fish. It is to this place that the tribes from the mouth of the Columbia repaired with the fish of the sea coast, the roots, berries, and especially the Wappatoo, gathered in the lower parts of the river, together with goods and trinkets, obtained from the ships which casually visited the coast. Hither also the tribes from the Rocky Mountains brought down horses, beargrass, quamash, and Other commodities of the interior. The merchant fishermen at the falls acted as middlemen or factors, and passed the objects of traffic as it were cross- handed, trading away part of the wares received from the mountain tribe, to those of the river and the plains, and via versa; their packages of pounded salmon entered largely into the system of barter, and being carried off in opposite directions, found their way to the savage hunting camps far i THE OREGON TERRITORY. 57 ifs, the floor rface of the id, extremely is it is neces- short ladder, ably for the loopholes be- discharge of irge to con- the door are 3 walls, like lUets of raat- the building ; ) the storing 3 tribes from rith. the fish d especially parts of the its, obtained the coast. Mountains amash, and le merchant n or factors, were cross- es received e river and ackages of B system of i directions, camps far in the interior, and to the casual white traders, who touched upon the coast. The habits of trade and the avidity of gain have their corrupting effects, even in the wilderness, as may be instanced in the members of this aboriginal emporium ; for they are denounced by the same traveller, from whom we derive the above sketch of the place, as saucy, impudent rascals, who will steal when they can, and pillage whenever a weak party falls into their power. Further in the interior we find the equestrian race. It is a remarkable fact that the horse, which is not a native of the soil, should have become so identified with the habits and manners of these children of the wilderness, as to be an almost essential portion of their existence. It is also a singular fact that from the period of its first intro- duction by the Spaniards it should have propagated so rapidly and spread so widely as to reassume throughout the prairie land of both South and North America its primitive state of freedom, whence it was first subjugated by the wandering hordes of the steppes of Tartary. Congeniality of climate and similarity of country are without doubt the causes of the comparatively rapid distribution of this noble and useful animal throughout this vast continent. Among these Indians it is the chief proof of wealth, and a constant source of war to acquire its possession. Tribes which are essen- tially nomadic do not, of course, build durably like those who have settlft4 residences. We thus 'M 58 THE OREGON TERRITORY. find the habitations of the majority of these to be mere tents and cabins, or lodges of mats, or skins, or straw, one cause of which is possibly the pecu- liar nature of the country they occupy, which is very destitute of timber. Yet each tribe has a different mode of shaping or arranging them, so that it is easy to tell, on seeing a lodge or encamp- ment at a distance, to what tribe the inhabitants belong. They sometimes present a gay and fan- ciful appearance, being painted with undulating bands of red or yellow, or decorated with rude figures of horses, deer and buffaloes, and with human faces painted like full moons four and five feet broad. We thus see art in its infancy prac- tised by these savages, its first principles being thus natively inherent to humanity. These tribes are in continual war with each other, and their wars are of the most harassing kind, consisting not merely of conflicts and expe- ditions of moment, involving the sacking, burn- ing, and massacre of villages, but of individual acts of treachery, murder, and cold-blooded cru- elty ; or of the vaunting and foolhardy exploits of single warriors, either to avenge some personal wrong, or to gain the vain-glorious trophy of a scalp. The lonely hunter, the wandering way- farer, the poor squaw cutting wood or gathering straw, is liable to be surprised and slaughtered. In this way tribes are either swept away at once, or gradually thinned out, and savage life is thus surrounded with constant horrors and alarms. h\ THE OREGON TERRITORY. 59 i ' these to be its, or skins, ly the pecu- py, which is tribe has a ing them, so e or encamp- e inhabitants gay and fan- h undulating jd with rude es, and with four and five infancy prac- nciples being ar with each lost harassing icts and expe- icking, burn- of individual blooded cru- dy exploits of lome personal trophy of a ndering way- or gathering slaughtered. away at once, e life is thus and alarms. Tliat the race of red men should diminish from year to year, and so few should survive of the numerous nations which evidently once peopled the vast regions of the West, is therefore not sur- prising ; it is rather a matter of surprise that so many should still survive, for the existence of a savage in these parts seems little better than a prolonged and all-besetting death. The life of an Indian when at home in his village is a life of indolence and amusement. To the women are consigned the labours of the household and the field. She arranges the lodge, brings wood for the fire, cooks, jerks venison and buffalo meat, dresses the skins of animals killed' in the chace, and cultivates the little patch of maize, pump- kins, and pulse, which furnishes a great part of their provisions. Their time for repose and recre- ation is at sunset, when, the labour of the day being ended, they gather together to amuse themselves with petty games, or to hold gossiping convoca- tions on the tops of their lodges. The Indian is not to be degraded by useful or menial toil. It is enough that he exposes himself to the hardships of the chace and the perils of war, that he brings home food for his family, and watches and fights for its protection. Everything else is beneath his attention. When at home, he attends only to his weapons and his horses, preparing the means of future exploit, or he engages with his comrades in games of dexterity, agility, and strength, or in gambling games in which everything is put at ik 60 THE OREGON TERRITORY. \ i fri f |!;! It 'I m I' I? I ' hazard with a recklessness seldom witnessed in civilized life. A great part of the idle leisure of the Indians when at home is passed in groups, squatted toge- ther on the bank of a river, on the top of a mound on the prairie, or on the roof of one of their earth- covered lodges, talking over the news of the day, the affairs of the tribe, the events and exploits of their last hunting or fishing expedition, or listening to the stories of old times, told by some veteran chronicler. As to the Indian women, they are far from complaining of their lot. On the contrary, they would despise their husbands could they stoop to any menial office, and would think it conveyed an imputation upon their own conduct. It is the worst insult one virago can cast upon another in a moment of altercation: " Infamous woman! I have seen your husband carrying wood into his lodge to make the fire. Where was his squaw, that he should be obliged to make a woman of himself?" - .^v i These predatory tribes universally use scouts to be on the look-out, a precaution absolutely neces- sary to secure them from foray and destruction. The immense plains they usually inhabit present a horizon like the ocean, so that any object of im- portance can be seen at a great distance, owing to the extreme purity and elasticity of the atmosphere. The sky has that delicious blue for which the sky of Italy is renowned ; the sun shines with a splen- dour unobscured by any cloud or vapour, and their THE OREGON TERRITORY. m itnessed in the Indians aatted toge- of a mound their earth- } of the day, exploits of , or listening ome veteran they are far the contrary, Id they stoop : it conveyed ct. It is the another in a woman ! I ood into his 3 his squaw, a woman of use scouts to )lutely neces- destruction. labit present Dbject of im- ice, owing to atmosphere, vhich the sky with a splen- our, and their starlight nights are glorious. It is by these nights that the Indians compute time. This purity of the air increases nearer the mountains and on the more elevated prairies; and thus information may be communicated to a great distance. The scouts are stationed on the hills to look out for game and for enemies, and are in a manner living telegraphs, conveying their intelligence by concerted signals. If they wish to give notice of a herd of bufFalos in the plain beyond, they gallop backwards and for- wards abreast on the summit of the hill. If they perceive an enemy at hand, they gallop to and fro, crossing each other, at sight of which the whole village flies to arms< In case of such an alarm the village is in an in- stant in a state of uproar : men, women, and chil- dren are brawling and shouting, dogs barking, yelping, and howling. Some of the warriors run to gather in their horses from the prairies, and others for their weapons. As fast as they could arm and equip they sally forth, some on horse- back, some on foot — some hastily arrayed in their war-dress, with coronets of fluttering feathers, and their bodies smeared with paint ; others naked, and only furnished with the weapons they had snatched up. The women and children gather on the slope of the lodges, and heighten the confusion of the scene by their vociferation. Old men who can no longer bear arms take similar positions, and harangue the warriors as they pass, exhorting them to valorous E H I ) i U .; i 62 THE OREGON TERRITORY. :\.\ , \ I ! i \l\ ! ', I -I deeds. Some of the veterans take arms them- selves, and sally forth with tottering steps. In this way they pour forth helter-skelter, riding and run- ning with hideous yells and war-whoops, like so many bedlamites or demoniacs let loose. On the return of a war-party from a successful expedition, a warrior, usually the leader, gallops homeward to announce the fact, and to prepare the village for their reception by going forth to meet them on their approach. Preparations are imme- diately made for this great martial ceremony. All the finery and equipments of the warriors are sent forth to them that they may appear to the greatest advantage. In suitable seasons some tribes of these savages go naked, but they have their gala dress, of which they are not a little vain. This usually consists of a gay surcoat and leggings of the dressed skin of the antelope, resembling chamois' leather, and embroidered with porcupine quills brilliantly dyed. A buffalo robe is thrown over the right shoulder, and across the left is slung a quiver of arrows. They wear gay coronets of plumes, particularly those of the swan; but the feathers of the black eagle are considered the most worthy, being a sacred bird among the Indian warriors. He who has killed an enemy in his own land is entitled to drag at his • heels a fox-skin attached to each mocassin ; and he who has slain a grizzly bear wears a necklace of his claws, the most glorious trophy that a hunter can exhibit ; >.ii THE OREGON TERRITORY. 63 .rms them- 38. In this ig and run- ps, like so ■ 1 successful ler, gallops ' prepare the )rth to meet are imme- emony. All iors are sent the greatest le tribes of re their gala vain. This leggings of resembling h porcupine )e is thrown left is slung coronets of an; but the red the most the Indian y in his own a fox-skin ho has slain hs claws, the jan exhibit; and may we not also see in these distinctions something analogous to the origin of armorial bear- ings in the feudal period of European civilization ? An Indian toilet is an operation of some toil and trouble; the warrior has often to paint himself from head to foot, and is extremely capricious and difficult to please as to the hideous distribution of streaks and colours. During the interval of sus- pense occupied in these preparations all sports and business are at a stand-still, excepting that in the lodges the pains-taking squaws are silently busied getting ready the repasts for the warriors. At last a mingled sound of voices and rude music is faintly heard in the distance, giving] notice that the pro- cession is on its march. The old men and such of the squaws as can leave their employments hasten forth to meet it. It has a wild and picturesque effect as it moves along with measured step to the cadence of songs and savage instruments; the warlike standards and trophies flaunting aloft, and the feathers and paint and silver ornaments of the warriors glaring and glittering in the sunshine. The bands march in separate bodies under their several leaders. The warriors on foot come first in platoons of ten or twelve abreast; then the horsemen. Each bears its trophies of scalps, ele- vated on poles, their long black locks streaming in the wind ; and each is accompanied by its rude music and minstrelsy. The warriors are variously armed with bows and arrows and war-clubs, and all have shields of buffalo hide, a kind of defence ge- £ 2 11 w 64 THE OREGON TERRITORY. nerally used by the Indians of the otien prairieg, who have not the covert of trees and forests to pro- te'jt them. They are painted in the most savage Style, and some have the stamp of a red hand across their mouths, a sign that they had drunk the life- blood of a foe. As they approach the village, the old men and women go forth to meet them, and the scene which now ensues disproves the accounts of Indian [apathy and stoicism. Parents and chil- dren, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, tht bridegroom and his bride, meet with the most rapturous expressions of joy, while wailings and lamentations are heard from the relatives of the killed and wounded. The procession however i on- tinues on with slow and measured step in cadence to the solemn chant, and the warriors maintain their fixed and stern demeanour. The vil?.age soon be- comes a scene of festivity and triumph. The ban- ners and trophies and scalps and painted shields are elevated on poles near the lodges. Then commence the war-feasts and scalp-dances, with warlike songs and savage music, while the old heralds go round from lodge to lodge, promulgating with loud voices the events of the battle and the exploits of the different warriors. But in the intervals of the boisterous revelry of the village other sounds are heard from the surrounding hills, the piteous wailings of the women, who retire thither to mourn in darkness and solitude for those who have fallen in battle. Thus the same passions and the same feelings animate humanity under every condition. TUB OREGON TERRITORY. 65 n prairiea, jsts to pro- lost savage land across k the life- irillage, the them, and he accounts ts and chil- sisters. tht I the most ailings and ives of the )wever i on- in cadence intain their je soon be- The ban- l shields are I commence ;h warlike heralds go rating with the exploits ntervals of ther sounds the piteous r to mourn have fallen the same f condition, howsoever modified by circumstance and civiliza- tion, for — " One touch of Nature Makes the whole world kin." Their ardent nature is not only exhibited in war, but wherever excitement elicits it : thus in the pur- suit of the elk and the buffalo, in the heat of the chace, they spare neither themselves nor their steeds, for they course along the prairies at full speed, plunging down precipices and frightful ravines, that threaten the necks of both horse and horseman. The Indian steed, well trained to the chace, seems as mad as his rider, and pursues the game as ea- gerly as if it were his natural prey, on the flesh of which he was to banquet. In hunting the deer they ring or surround it, and run them down in a circle. Their mode of capturing the antelope is somewhat similar : the women go into the thickest fields of wormwood, and pulling it up in great quantities, construct a hedge with it, about three feet high, enclosing about a hundred acres. A single opening is left for the admission of the game. This done, the women conceal themselves behind the wormwood, and wait patiently for the coming of the antelopes, which sometimes enter this spacious trap in considerable numbers. As soon as they are in, the women give the signal, and the men hasten to play their part. One only of them enters the pen at a time, and after chasing the terrified animals round the enclosure, he is re- lieved by one of his companions. In this way they E 3 M ^1 66 THE OREGON TERRITORY. take turns, relieving each other, and keeping up a continued pursuit, without fatigue to themselves. The poor antelopes in the end are so wearied down that the whole party of men enter and de- spp.tch them with clubs, not one escaping that has entered the enclosure. The most curious circum- stance in this chace is, that an animal so fleet and agile as the antelope, and straining for its life, should range round and round this enclosure with- out attempting to overleap the low barrier which surrounds it : such however is said to be the fact, and such their only mode of hunting the ante- lope. • . ' I ^ In their religious notions there appears somt degree of resemblance with those of the tribes fre- quenting the lower parts of the Columbia. Thus they believe in the existence of a good and evil spirit, and consequently in a future state of rewards and punishments. They hold, that after death the good Indian goes to a country in which there will be a perpetual summer ; that he will meet his wife and children ; that the rivers will abound with fish, and the plains with the much-loved buffalo ; and that he will spend his time in hunting and fishing, free from the terrors of war, or the apprehension of cold and famine. The bad man they believe will go to a place covered with eternal snow ; that he will always be shivering with cold, and will see fires ^'at a distance that he cannot enjoy ; water which he cannot procure to quench his thirst ; and buffalo and deer which he cannot kill to appease THE OREGON TERRITORY. 67 his hunger. An impenetrable wood, full of wolves, panthers, and serpents, separates these poor wretches from their fortunate brethren in the meadows of ease. Their punishment is not, however, eternal, and according ta the different shades of their crimes they are sooner or later emancipated, and permitted to join their friends in the abodes of tranquillity. Their code of morality, although short, is comprehensive. They say that bravery, love of truth, attention to parents, obedience to their chiefs, and affection for their wives and children, are the principal virtues which entitle them to the place of happiness, while the opposite vices condemn them to that of misery. They have a curious tradition with respect to beavers, which they firmly believe are a fallen race of Indians, who, in consequence of their wickedness, vexed the Good Spirit, and were condemned by him to their present shape, but that, in due time, they will be restored to their humanity. They allege, that he- beavers have the power of speech, and that they have heard them talk with each other, and seen them sitting in council on an offending member. These are more or less the habits of the several tribes which frequent the sources and course of all the branches of the Columbia, and who are thus distributed. In the vicinity of its upper waters, near Mount Brown and Mount Hooker, we find the Carrier Indians, and about the sources of the Okanagan, the tribe of the Soushwaps ; the Flat- heads along its course, and about the vicinity of its 68 THE OBEOON TERRITOBY. I t _ ■f hi III :J| p.-r junction with the Columbia, and ^spreading also about the confluence of Clarke's River with the Columbia. In the prairies, embraced within the converging arms of the Columbia and the Flatbow river, and along the base of that portion of the Rocky Mountains, we find the Kootanie tribe, and the tribe of Nez Perees, Shahaptans, or Chip- anish, occupying the country lying between Clarke's River and the Salmon River. To the west of these, and in the angle formed by the Co- lumbia, adjacent to where it is joined by the Saptin, the country is occupied by the tribe of Walla Walla, who give their name to a river which flows into the Columbia, just below where it receives the waters of the Saptin. The country [through which this river, called also Snake, or South Co- lumbia River, and its numerous tributaries, flow, is inhabited about the middle of its course by the Shoshones, or Snake Indians, and to the south of them is posted the Boonaek tribe. West of these, and south of the Walla Walla tribe, we find the Cayuse, and variously along the southern defiles and acclivities and table-lands at the feet of this southern portion of 'the Rocky Mountain ridge. Changing place occasionally to) both slopes of the range the country is harassed by the predatory tribes of Crow Indians and Blackfeet Indians, who thus occupy it at its most accessible pass from landward, that to which Fremont's name has been given, near the source of the Sweet Water. There appears to be no consistent reason why jading also r with the within the le Flathow tion of the e tribe, and , or Chip- g between r. To the [ by the Co- r the Saptin, B of Walla ■ which flows it receives try [through )r South Co- taries, flow, ourse by the the south of ''est of these, we find the hern defiles feet of this mtain ridge, .opes of the le predatory feet Indians, )le pass from ime has been ater. reason why THE OREGON TERRITORY. / one of these tribes should be called Blackfeet, or another Flatheads, for the feet of the former are no blacker than those of the other tribes, and the custom of flattening the head, the process of which we have previously described, appears to be re- stricted to some of the piscatory tribes of the coast. The Shoshones are also called Snake Indians from their dwelling upon the Saptin or Snake River, which has received that name from the multitude of rattlesnakes with which its course abounds. Of these tribes, the Blackfeet and Crows appear to be the most ferocious, waging incessant and exterminating war against the ad- joining' clans. But the Snake Indians bear the highest character of all, in their unaffected piety and general kindliness and hospitality. The chief curb to the ferocious disposition of the Blackfeet is found in the Boonack tribe, who, though not of a revengeful disposition, have a deadly enmity to that tribe, possibly implanted by their unprovoked aggressions ; and are usually more than masters for them when their forces are equal. Although we have thus located the several tribes in distinct quarters, v/e must still understand these Indians to be restless, roving beings, continually intent on enterprises of war, traflSc, and hunting. Clarke's River or the Shahaptan appears to be the great thoroughfare for their migrations to and from the Rocky Mountains, whither they repair 7a THE OREGON TERRITORY. to hunt the buffalo in that vicinity, or to make war upon their inveterate antagonists. These appear to be the principal features of the country and its inhabitants at the period of its exploration. Its first discovery would seem to have been made by the great circumnavigator, Sir Francis Drake, between 1578 and 80, when he gave to it the name of New Albion ; and this confirmed must certainly determine the right of possession. In 1776, Captain Cook more closely inspected a portion of the coast, and Captain Vancouver in 1792 sailed thither to make a survey of it, and this he accomplished for the Straits of Fuc?., ' 9 dis- covery of which inlet we have alluded t .. che commencement of this brief description. In 1793, immediately after Vancouver had sailed past the mouth of the Columbia or Oregon without detecting it, Captain Gray, in the ship Columbia, discovered its entrance, and sailed into it, navi- gating its estuary for some distance upwards. It appears that the large prices procured by the furs conveyed by accident by Captain King to Canton, drew the attention of the fur companies to this region, and since which period exploration has tended thither from Canada and the United States by the successive fur companies which have collected those commodities in the Northern parts of Ame- rica All these distinct trading associations seem now to have merged in the prevalence of the Hudson's Bay Comy)any, which holds its monopoly THE OREGON TERRITORY* 71 or to make itures of the eriod of its Id seem to avigator, Sir rhen he gave lis confirmed f possession. ' inspected a '^ancouver in )f it, and this tic? , ' e dis- ed t ^ che jriptioii. In • had sailed egon without ip Columbia, into it, navi- upwards. It by the furs ig to Canton, lanies to this ploration has ited States by ave collected arts of Ame- iations seem ilence of the its monopoly from the crown of England, and is thus » somewhat parallel instance of a state within a state to that of the dominion of the East India Company on the opposite side of the Pacific. Our prolonged de- scription of the evanescent race of native tribes leaves us but little space to dilate upon the chief allurement of the white men to that inhospitable region. But we cannot forbear a passing glance at the fur trade, which, when we consider the enor- mous quantity of animal life it annually destroys, must even become still more evanescent than the races which the expansive populousness of civi- lization threatens eventually to chase from their fastnesses in the wildness and mountains, and ex- punge totally from the face of the earth. But if this has been hitherto the tendency of European development throughout America, we have but to reflect that a mutual war of extermination is being carried on by these tribes amongst themselves, and we may indulge the hope that the humanising influences fostered by the Hudson's Bay Company, whose sway over this region will, without doubt, be retained by the omnipotent arm of the powerful empire under whose patronage they enjoy it, will tend to check the devastating principles at work. We also sincerely trust that the predominance of the Christian religion as inculcated by its emis- saries, sanctioned and stimulated by that body, may eventually curb the entire sanguinary spirit of all these tribes, even as it seems already to have worked some effect upon several of them, and i 72 THE OREGON TERRITORY. that its precepts and doctrines, by their benign spirit, may render them capable of the full enjoy- ment of all its cheering prospects, and with these conjunctively of the highest condition and hap- piness of civilization. The fur trade, like all large branches of com- merce, has peculiar and distinctive features, which are enhanced in this instance by the nature of the occupation. It has to do with the wild natives of the woods, and the mountains, and the plains, and the lakes, and the rivers ; and its produce is the skins of animals who will not bear man's yoke, and must therefore be sought in their native haunts and re- treats. The pride and ostentation of man seek gratification on every hand, and whatever can lend lustre to his vanity is prized, and bears its price in relation to the difficulty of obtaining it, especially where beauty is combined with rarity. Thus the skins of those animals which are most difficult to find bear the highest price, and of course are sought for with the greatest eagerness by those who hunt them. Collecting these skins has given rise to four distinct classes of men, whose lives are a suc- cession of romantic incidents passed as they are in the fastnesses of primitive nature, or in intercourse with the scarcely less primitive savages, who are their only occasional occupants. These men are technically called voyageurs, hunters, trappers, and mountaineers, according to the nature of the peculiar branch of the trade they pursue. They we usually in the pay of a fur company, or some- THE OREGON TERRITORY. 73 times traffic with it on their own account ; but even so their accumulation of skine comes thus into the general depot. These voyageurs are a species of carriers, who have sprung out of the fur trade as conveyancers of these precious merchan- dise along the interior waters to their final place of deposit ; but being little occupied in the trade of the Oregon territory, and as we must hasten to a conclusion, we shall not enlarge upon their de- scription. The trappers are, as their name indi- cates, occupied in trapping animals, and especially beavers, upon the different streams which intersect this country. Wanderers of the wilderness, ac- cording to the vicissitudes of the seasons, the mi- grations of animals, and the plenty or scarcity of game, they lead a precarious and unsettled ex- istence, exposed to sun and storm, and all kinds of hardships, until they resemble the Indians in com- plexion as well as in tastes and habits. From time to time they bring the peltries — the technical name derived from the French for furs — to the trading- houses of the Company, in whose employ they have been brought up ; and here they traffic them away for such articles of merchandise or ammuni- tion as they may stand in need of. Being con- stantly exposed to the casualties of Indian foray, they have been taught by necessity, that parent of invention, to conceal the produce of their success, as well as their necessaries of ammunition, pro- vision, &c., whilst upon prolonged expeditions, far, far away in the heart of the wilderness, to pre- F 74 THE OREGON TERRITORY. y vent their being carried off by the Indians, with whom they are usually in a state of incessant hos- tility, in places called technically caches^ from the French verb cacher^ to hide; but although a European term has been applied to these places of deposit, they were in use by the natives long before the intrusion of the white men upon their soil. It is in fact the only mode that migratory hordes have of preserving their valuables from robbery during their long absences from their villages or accustomed haunts on hunting expeditions, or during the vicissitudes of war. The utmost skill and caution are required to render these places of con- cealment invisible to the lynx eye of an Indian. The first care is to seek out a proper situation, which is generally some dry low bank of clay, on the margin of a water-course. As soon as the pre- cise spot is pitched upon, blankets, saddlecloths, and other coverings are spread over the surround- ing grass and bushes, to prevent foot tracks or any other derangement. A circle of about two feet in diameter is then nicely cut in the sod, which is carefully removed, with the loose soil immediately beneath it, and laid aside in a place where it will be safe from anything that may change its appear- ance. It is then dug down and enlarged within to the size required. The cave being thus formed, it is well lined with dry grass, bark, sticks, and poles, and occasionally a dried hide. The property in- tended to be hidden is then laid in, and it is covered over by the sod previously removed. All tracks THE OREGON TERRITORY. it- n ■A are carefully obliterated, and it is frequently sprinkled with water to destroy the scent lest the wolves and bears should be attracted to the place and root up the concealed treasure ; and the place 18 not revisited until there be a necessity fur 'T)ening the cacb> . To the hunter his horse is as essential as to the mountaineer his rifle. In the daytime, while engaged on the prairie cutting up the deer or buffalo he has slain, he depends upon his faithful horse as a sentinel. The sagacious animal sees and smells all around him, and by his starting and whinnying gives notice of the approach of strangers. There seems to be a dumb commu- nion and fellowship between the hunter and his horse. They mutually rely upon each other for company and protection, and nothing is more diffi- cult, it is said, than to surprise an experienced hunter on the prairie, while his old and favourite steed is at his side. The mountaineer has equally his companion in his rifle, for it is essential to his security in the vicissitudes of his hazardous life. On going from lodge to lodge to visit his comrades he takes it with him. On seating himself in a lodge he lays it beside him ready to be snatched up ; when he goes out, he takes it up as regularly as a citizen would his walking-staff. His rifle is his constant friend and protector. These moun- taineers have sprung up from the nature of the trade they pursue. Trading and trapping they scale the vast mountain chains, and pursue their hazardous vocations amidst these wild recesses. 76 THE OREGON TERRITORY. They move from place to place on horseback. The equestrian exercise in which they are continually ng&ged, the nature of the countries they traverse, vast plains and mountains, pure and exhilarating in their atmosphere, seem to make them physically and mentally a lively and mercurial race. They are hardy, lithe, vigorous, and active, extravagant in word and thought and deed ; heedless of hard- ships, daring of danger, prodigal of the present, and thoughtless of the future. / \ The following table gives an account of one year's produce of furs, obtained either through the instru- mentality of these men, or by direct trade with the Indians, who have learnt by degrees the advantages that result from commercial intercourse with the white men who have settled among them : — Bear . 2,100 Beaver 106,000 Bufialo 500 Deer . 750 Ditto, dresse i 1,200 Elk . 700 Fisher 1,650 Fox . 1,000 Kitt fox 4,000 Lynx 6,000 Marten 32,000 Muskwash , 17,000 Mink . 1,800 Otter . 4,600 Raccoon 100 Wolverine 600 Wolf . 3,800 This country, known but so short a time, is now sprinkled with stations, and posts, and forts by the Hudson's Bay Company, for the conjoint purposes THE OREGON TERRITORY. 7T of trading and protecting its servants. The chief settlement is Fort Vancouver, on the north bank of the Columbia, ninety miles from the sea. Dr. M*Loughlin, the Governor of the territory, resides here. It is an enclosure thirty-seven rods long, and eighteen wide, strongly stockaded, within which are eight substantial buildings and many smaller ones. This place has a considerable farm- ing establishment. There are large fertile prairies which they occupy for tillage and pasture, and forests for fencing materials and other purposes. They have a garden of five acres, abounding with vegetables and fruit, as peaches, apples, grapes, strawberries; and figs, oranges, and lemons have also been introduced. They have a flour mill worked by ox-power, and a saw mill from which boards are sent even to the Sandwich Islands. There is a chapel for divine service, a school for children belonging to the establishment, and shops for blacksmiths, joiners, carpenters, and other me- chanical trades. Fort George, or Astoria, is eight miles from the mouth of the Columbia. It has two buildings and a garden of two acres. Fort Walla Walla is on the south side of the Colum- bia, ten miles below the entrance of Lewis's River. Fort Colvin, on the south side of Clarke's River, below the Kettle falls, just before it enters the Co- lumbia. This also has a considerable farming establishment. Fort Okonagan, at the entrance into the Columbia, of the river of that name, 100 miles below Clarke's River. The Hudson's Bay 1 1 fS THE OREGON TERRITORY. Company have also several other trading ports in this territory. And on the Wallemette, fifty-five miles above its entrance into the Columbia, is M'Kay's settlement ; and twelve miles above is Jarvis's settlement, which contains numerous fami- lies, which consist mostly of retiring servants of the Hudson's Bay Company, with their half-breed families and a few Americans. It is to this river, and the valley watered by it, that the course of American emigration has tended. The American Missionary board has also several stations in this country, one at Astoria, another at Multnomia, a third on the Columbia about 140 miles from its mouth, a fourth at Puget's Sound, a fifth at Walle- mette, another at Clatsop, and another at the Umqua, a river which empties itself into the Pa- cific, about 200 miles below the Columbia. To compress into so close a compass the various features of so large a country, renders inevitable the omission of some ; but such have been selected as were thought would give the best idea of the nature of the region, combined with what should also prove most interesting and instructive in the perusal. London : Printed by William Clowes and Sons, Stamford Street. A IVew and Cheap Issue of that Hiyhly Popular and Favourite Work, ITBB XiZBSAltT OV BWTBSTAZirZirO BBOHTliBDOB. ling ports in tte, fifty-five Columbia, is les above is nerous fami- servants of ir half-breed :o this river, he course of 'he American ations in this Vlultnomia, a lies from its ifth at Walle- ather at the [ into the Pa- mbia. }s the various rs inevitable jeen selected t idea of the what should ructive in the , Stamford Street. This work is intended to combine the two objects of iNSTBurxioN and Amusement, comprising as much entertaining matter as can be given along with useful knowledge, and as much knowledge as can be conveyed in an amusing form. Independent of the great variety which these volumes otfer, there is, per- haps, no SiMiLAB Series of Works which is so well calculated for all Classes. The rich and the poor, the learned and the unliahned, will find here an unceasing source of instruction and amusement. Each Volume, containing nearly 500 pages handsomely printed, 12mo,, and abundantly Ulustrated with Cuts, Bound and Gilt, for only Two Shillinoh and Threepence each Volume. The following have already appeared : — The Backwoods of Canada and Oregon Territory, with a Map of the Territory. 22 Illustrations. THE OREGON TERRITORY Separately, with the Map, price Threepence. Planche's (J. R.) British Costume, a complete History of the Dress of tlie Inhabitants of the British Islands. 136 Woodcuts. The Secret Societies of the Middle Ages. The Assassins — Tlie KNIGHTS TEMPLARS— and SECRET TRIBUN/U^ OF WEST- PHALIA. With Illustrations. Lanes (E. W.) Account of the Manners and Customs of the MODERN EGYPTIANS. 107 Woodcuts, 2 vols, for 4ii. i\d. " Flis work is a record of unquestionable value, containing everytiiing re- specting the manners and customs of the Egyptians that could be desired." — Quarterly Review. 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The History of the rise and progress of the Encyclopaedia Britannica fro».% a small Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, in three voluines, compiled by Smellie, the Naturalist, in 1771, to the publication of the present edition, incorporating the labours of Reid, Dugald Stewart, Siu John Leslie, Play- fair, Sir David Brewster, Dr. Browne, Sir Walter Scott, THE Lord Jeffery, and a host of others, all equally eminent in their particular walks of literature, in twenty-one large quarto VoluTMSf is THE HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENt OF THE HUMAN MIND, during a period of nearly eighty years, in which the gigantic strides, made in all branches of knowledge, when viewed through the medium of similar publications, cannot fail to impress the most superficial observer how indispensable sucl^ a work, as the Enctclop^dia Britannica, is in every library of reference, both public and private. ;f The great advantage which the Encyclopaedia Britannica possesses over all its rivals, is the very admirable plan it early adopted, of collecting together into an alphabetical arrange- ment, a large number of general treatises on all subjects requiring continuous discussion, intermixed with the more subordinate heads, and instead of referring back to the main essay itself from each particular head, as is the case with its most costly competitors, each head itself is accompanied by a short explanation, embracing all that is requisite for a general knowledge of the subject, upon which information is sought. 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Small Paper, the Prints folio, half-bound morocco elegant, with gilt leaves The Proofs, Polio, half-bound morocco elegant, with gilt LEAVES The First Proofs, Large Paper, Royal Folio, half-bouno mo- rocco ELEGANT, WITH OILT LEAVES Offered at £. s. d. 1 4 14 6 5 15 6 7 Published at £. s, d. 12 12 18 18 31 10 The English School of Painting has ever been celebrated for the success of its votaries, as delineators of individual character, in the class of Portrait Painting. Sir Joshua Reynjlds, however, merits the praise of having successfully raised this interesting branch of art to the level of its elder sister, combining in many of his portraits all the spirituality of High Art. But like all men who seek to reform abuses in any branch of art, his canons were promulgated with too much of the spirit of the Medes and Persians, and the consequence was, that Mannerism usurped the place of Nature in the school, which sprung up in this country on the establishment of the Royal Academy. This state of things continued, with slight exceptions, all our Academicians following in the wake of the first President, till Law- rence, self-educated, and himself the child of Nature, udopted her as his guide, and, throwing all mannerism aside, boldly introduced the Natural School, which never fails to charm by its simplicity. But simplicity in painting, like simplicity in writing, is only the result of unwearied labour and research ; of deep study of older and purer models, and an intimate knowledge of the workings uf the mind. No man, perhaps, in the whole annals of Art possessed these great requi- sites in a higher degree than the late Sir Thomas Lawrence, and hence the unrivalled series of portraits with which he adorned his native land. He, in fact, combined in his portraits the distinguishing merits of Rubens and Vandyck, — freedom and accuracy, with extreme deli- cacy of touch. M tu H! < Elegantly printed in Royal Folio, price £3. 13s. 6d. Half Bound Morocco Elegant, Gilt Edges, WANDERINGS AND PENCILLINGS AMONGST a^ums; of tfte d^ften Cime, IN ENGLAND AND WALES. BY A SERIES OF SEVENTY-THREE ETCHINGS, GEORGE CUITT, ESQ. WITH DBSCUIPTIVE LETTER-rUESS, AltCH^OLOOICAL, LEGENDARY, AND ARCHITECTURAL. OPINIONS OP THE PRESS. " These Plates are etched with great freedom, and will remind the spectator of them, or reader of the boolc, of the Etchings of Home (Aj/ Piranesi), to which they come nearer than any modern woik of British Art of a similar class. Etching represents rugged grandeur, decay, dilapidation, and ruin admirably well, and has been happily chosen by the artist to depict what he had «een. Tiie letter-jjress is well written, and the worli is an addition to the Fine Arts, and the knowledge of the antiquary."— yrnea, July 20, 1848. 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The reprint, beingj about one half the size of its precursor, is admirably adapted to adorn the drawing room table. elegant volume for the style in ^d to be amongst The very limited ch was purchased conf"tion. The rsor, is admirably 0it. 35n'ttou*s; ^uftU'cationsf, ' AND OTHER ARCHITECTURAL WORKS. Britton's Cathedrals of England. Three Hundred Plates, 5 vols. 4to. half bound morocco elegant, gilt leaves, (published at 35/.) for 7/. 17^. 6d. The Cathedral* are told separately, in cloth, at Reduced Price*. Salisbury Norwich Winchester York Lichfield Oxford . Canterbury a 31 25 30 34 10 11 26 Re- Pub. duced. at. £. s. d. £. s. d. 16 3 3 15 2 10 16 3 3 I 1 3 15 12 1 18 9 1 4 16 3 3 3 cs K Wells . . 24 Exeter . . 22 Peterborough 16 Gloucester . 22 Bristol . . 12 Hereford . 16 Worcester . 16 Re- duced. £. K. d 15 15 12 14 Pub. at. £. *. d. ^ 10 10 18 12 12 02 10 01 4 18 18 On Large Paper only the following can he had :■ Reduced Pub. Oxford Salisbury . 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(published at 11. 68.) mj- i Fielding's Art of Engraving, with the Modes of Operation, Ten Plates, and Eight Wood- cuts, Svo. cloth gilt, 9«. (published at 12*.) 11 lUufiitratett Wioxiisi, TOPOGRAPHICAL, ANTIQUARIAN, HUMOROUS, AND PICTURESQUE. J. M. W. TUllXr£R'S BOUTKBRXr COAST OF BNOZiAND NEW EDITION. AN ANTIQUARIAN and PICTURESQUE TOUR, by Land and Sea, round the Southern Coast of Enj;- ]and, illustrated with 84 Plates, by J. M. W. Tamer, R.A., William Collins, R.A., P. Dewint, S.Owen, W. Wettall, R.A., Prout, and others, engraved by George Cooke, W. B. Cooke, E. Flnden, and other Eminent Engravers. The new Descriptive Letter- press, is Archeeological, IiCgendary, and Architec- tural, and contains every information that can be useful to the Tourist; 4to. half-bound morocco un- cut, £3. — OR wrTH oiLT LEAVES, 32. 8«. Lond. 1849 " It has been said, with some little show of justice, that as a nation we do not possess a love of High Art, though, as painters of Landscape Scenery, no other school approaches the English. But there is one branch of this department of Art, that may be considered exclusively English, the power of delineating the beauties of Nature in water colours. The greatest master of this branch of his profession, made the Southern Coast the principal field of his illustration, and in the present volume no less than fortyv subjects, nearly one-half of the whole, are fi-om drawings by Mr. Turner, llie remainder were furnished by , Messrs. Collins, Owen, Prout, Westall, De Wint, filore, HakewiU, ^ Clennell, and others, who all have earned, and ei\joy a well- merited celebrity, in this new and beautiful department of Art. The engravings, all in the line manner, are by Messrs. Cooke, Ctoodall, Finden, Wallis, Miller, Allen, Horsburgh, Freebairn, and Shasr."— Preface. 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CLOTH ELEGANT, GILT LEAVES, 124. 1849 This is the only work which connects the Rail-roads and the Turnpil(e-rouds. It is a complete Guide to Brighton, Hast- ings, St. Leonard's, Follistone, Dover, and the Isle of Thanet ; to Southampton, Portsmouth, and the Isle of Wight; to Ply- mouth, Devonport, and the Land's End ; and to all the Watering Places on the Southern Coast, including Bognor, Lymlngton, and Weymouth. V Mrs. S. C. Hall's Sketches of Irish Character, Five Plates by Maclise, and Fifty-nine Woodcuts, imperial Svo. elegantly bound, cloth gilt, ., with gilt leaves. Reduced to lOt. 6d. (publiphed at 1 1. 5«. ) ; or half morocco elegant, top edges gil t, 1 4«., or with gilt leaves, 1 d». Fosbroke's British Monachism, or the Manners and Customs of thr Monks and Nuns of England, 15 Plates and Cuts, new Edition, enlarged, royal 8vo. cloth gilt, (pub. at 12. Is.) reduced to 14«. Fosbroke's Encyclopaedia of Antiquities and Archaeology, Enlarged Edition, One Hundred and Forty-five Plates and Cuts, 2 large vols, royal 8vo. (1100 pages) cloth gilt, (published at 22. 12«. 6d.) reduced to 12. Is. The Ecclesiologist will find these volumes of Mr. Fosbroke an inexhaustible storehouse on all matters connected with Church Antiquities, Rites, Ceremonies, and Costume. Bering's (G. E.) Views and Scenery ^iBn the Danube, Hungary, and Transylvania. Twenty- six Plates by Hullmandel. Folio, half-bound mo- rocco, reduced to 22. 8s. (pub. at 42. 4s.) ; or hf. bd. morocco elegant, with gilt edges, 22. 14s. Hering's Mountains and the Lakes in Switzerland, the Tyrol, and Italy. Twenty Plates in Lithography, with Descriptions. Imperial 4to. cloth elegant, (pub. at 21. I2s. 6d.) reduced to 12. Is. Or Copies Coloured to im;itate Drawings, Halp- BOCXD morocco ELEGANT, GILT LEAVES, 22. 2s. 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(published at 21. 12s. 6ef.)— Half morocco, elegant, 11. 6s. — Large Paper, imperial 4to. cloth, S2. 2s. (published at 62. 58.) — Only a few copies, on Large Paper, for sale, "Blake is a real name, I assure you, and a most extraor- dinary man he is, if he still be living. He is the Blakb whose wild designs accompany a splendid edition of ' Bl&ir's Grave.' He paints in water-colours marvellous strange pic- tures — visions of his brain which he asserts he has seen. They have great merit." — Charlet Lamb. *' Full of feeling and delicacy, and looked on with wonder and respect by the world." — Pilkitigton'g Diet, of Painters. A neat miniature and cheap edition of that highly popular mm'kf Syntax's Tours. Dr. Syntax's Three Tours. In Search of the Picturesque, in Search of a Wife, and in Search of Consolation. 78 Plates, coloured, from Rowland- son's Designs. 3 vols. 18mo. bound in cloth gilt, reduced to lO^r. 6d. (pub. at 12. Is.) Syntax's Tour in Search of the Pictu- resque. 31 Col. 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Wood's (Henry) Series of Designs of Furniture and Decorations in the Styles of Louis the XIV., Francis 1., Elizabeth, and Gothic, Twenty- four Plates, beautifully coloured, elephant 4to. cloth lettered, (pub. at 6Z. 6s.) reduced to 2/. 2s. These original disigns are executed in beautiful taste in the fine style of the different periods, and are coloured in a highly flninhed manner to imitate drawing!!. Miles's Royal Naval Service of England, with Eight Plates of Ships, coloured, royal 8vo. cloth gilt, 10s. 6d. (pub. at IBs.) WESTWOOD'S (J. O.) CABINET OF ORIENTAL ENTOMOLOGY J BEING A SELECTION of the BARER and MORE BEAUTIFUL SPECIES of INSECTS, Natives of India and the adjacent Islands ; the greater portion of which are now, for the first time, described and figured. 42 BEAUTiPuiiLY coloured plates, 4to. CLOTH ELEGANT, with gilt leaves, (published at 2/. I2«.6d.) —REDUCED TO H. 1G«. Zonrf. 1848 The object of the Worlc now offered to the Entomologist, and lover of Nature in general, is to present a Series of Figures of some of the rarest and more splendid species of Insects which have within these last few years been forwarded to England, from the various districts of India and the adjacent islands. It is indeed surprising that, notwithstanding the vast extent of our Indian territories, and the extraordinary brilliancy of many of the Entomological productions of that portion of the glube,we should hitherto have had no work expressly devoted to the Insects of India, except the single volume published by Mr. Donovan, nearly fifty years ago; whilst, nevertheless, our cabinets, owing to the zeal with which this branch of Zoology is pursued by many Entomologists in those regions, teem with novelties which would alone form the ma- terials of many volumes. The present work, is rather a pictorial illustration of the larger and more splendid species ; and, as such, it is hoped, tiiat, by finding its way to the table of the Indian drawing room, it may gain additional converts to the stiirty of a science full of curiosity, and awaken an interest in the objects of pursuit., thus supplying an engaging occupa- tion to our Indian friends. ( : is A eotnpleU Mid elegant Library tuitablefor all Clauet FOR ONLY FOUR GUINEAS. OF SNTSRTAZNZNa HNOWZiBDOB, ILLUSTRATED WITH Two thousand Engravings on Wood or Steel, In 43 Vols. 12mo. Bound, Cloth Elegant, ? < For only Four Ouineas. " In this Series the object has been to give as much USEFUL information A8 CAN BE CONVEYED IN AN AMl'SINO FORM ; and it is hoped that, by presenting to those who are desirous of occupying their vacant time a book containing some of the most attractive parts of knowledge, they will be gradually led to appreciate the value of a fuller and more gjptematic pursuit of studies, which, instead of being dry and repulsive, shall be capable of affording delight as well as improvement. '' Independent of the great variety which these volumes offer, thete is perhaps no similar series of works which is 80 well calculated for all classes. The rich and the poor, the learned and the unlearned, will find here an unceasing source fo instruction and amusement. " It is not wonderful that the circulation should be extensive ; it is said to be twenty thousand monthly. We own that our expectations are unbounded of the good to be done by this Series of Works." — Edinh. Rev. " Books that you may carry to the fire, and hold readily in your hand, are the most useful after all. a man will oftf.n look at them, and be tempted to go on, when he would have been frightened at books of a larger size and of a more erudite appearance." ^^^ Dr. Johnson. The various WorJis are thus classified to suit Purchasers, and are sold separately at the very moderate Price qf Two Shillings and Threepence Each Volume, hound, cloth elegant. THE SERIES CONTAINS Class Z.— Descriptive Geography. Paris and its Historical Scenes, a His- tory of the Revolutions in 1789 and 1830— The Mas- sacre of St. Bartholomew, the Louvre, &c. 15 steel plates and 26 woodcuts. 2 vols. I 10 ! LIBRARY OF ENTERTAINING KNOWLEDGE. Classified Contekts — continued. China and the Chinese. — A General Description of the Empire of China and its Inhabi- tants. By Sir John Francis Dayis, F.R.S. 60 Illustrations. 2 vols. " In Mr. Davis's account of China, we And every subject brought forward that can throw light on the laws and institu- tions of a people co \,hom, we think, that justice has not been rendered by foreip^ners which is their due. Mr. Davis brings to his task advantaj^es which have fallen to the lot of few Europeans. We have a right, therefore, to consider the statements which he has now submitted to the public cs containing as full and cor- rect a view of this singular people, of tbeir government, laws, and institutions — and, in short, of the whole frame of their society — as the many difficulties with which the subject is beset will admit." — Quarterly Review. Pompeii — its Past and Present State, its Public and Private Buildings, &c. compiled from the great work of M. Mazois ; the Museo Borbonico ; Sir Wra. Gell, &c. ; but chiefly from the MS. Jour- nals and Drawings of Wm. Clnrke, Esq. Architect. 8 plates and 280 woodcuts. 2 vols. The Backwoods of Canada and Oregon Territory. By the Wife of an Emigrant British Officer. The Author has given a lively Description of the Country and its Products, of the State of its Society, with correct and sober Views of the general prospects of Emigi'ants, and useful direc- tions for their conduct. " The simple truth, founded entirely upon personal knowledge of the facts related, is the basis of the work ; to have had recourse to Action might have rendered it riure acceptable to many readers, but would have made it less useful lo that class for whom it i» intended." The New Zealanders is a volume de- voted to an Account of that interesting People and the island which they inhabit, and embodies the per- sonal Narrative of a Sailor, who was detained by them for many years, and who was adopted into their Society, and conformed to their Customs and Man- ners. It is illustrated by a Map of the Island, a Portrait of the Individual above mentioned, and 45 other engravings on wood. 1 vol. The Hindoos. — This work gives a Ge- neral Description of India, an Account ol the Origin and Antiquity of the Hindoos, of their Heligion, Cha- racter, Manners, Customs, Literature, &c. and is illustrated by 24 engravings on wood, from drawings by W. Westall, Esq. R.A. 2 vols. LIBRARY OF ENTERTAINING KNOWLEDGE. Classified Contents — continued. An Account of the Manners and Cus- toms of the Modern Egyptians. Written in E^ypt during the years 1 833*34, and 36, partly from Notes made during a former visit to that country in the years 1825-26-27 and 28. By Edward Williabi LaItb. 107 woodcut illustrations. 2 vols. " His work ia a record of unquestionable value, containing every tiling respecting the manners and customs of the Egyptians that could be desired." — Quarterly Review. Class II.— Arts and Antijiuities. Egyptian Antiquities in the British Mu- seum — The Colossal Statues — The Obelisks— The Pyramids — Sculpture, &c. By Professor Long. 96 cuts. 2 vols. The Townley Gallery of Classic Sculp- ture, in the British Museum. Described by Sir Henry Ellis. 160 cuts. 2 vols. The Elgin and Phigaleian Marbles of the Classic Ages, in the British Museum, Describe \ by Sir Henry Ellis. 200 cuts. 2 vols. British Costume. — A complete History of the Dress of the Inhabitants of the British Islands from the earliest period. By J. B. Planche. 136 woodcuts. Class III.— Histoiy and Biography. The Pursuit of Knowledge under Dif- ficnltiet.. By G. L. Craik. A Collection of valua- ble examples of the enthusiasm which has excited and supported individuals of every rank, in their efforts to obtain I nowledge, even under circum- stances which would appear to present almost insur- mountable impediments. 7 Portraits, engraved on steel. 2 volsu Secret Societies of the Middle Ages. — An Account of the Rise and Progress of the cele- brated Eastern Association, known as The Assas- sins ; of the Foundation, History, and violent Sup- pression of the Knights Templars, and of the Origin, Proceedings, and Decline of the Fehmoe- RiCHTB, or Secret Societies op Westphalia, Illustrated with many woodcuts. J 18 LIBRARY OF ENTERTAINING KNOWLEDGE. Classified Contents — continued. Criminal Trials. — Sir N.Throckmorton —The Duke of Norfolk— The Earl of Essex— Sir Walter Raleigh — Dr. Parry and the celebrated Gun- powder Plot. By David Jakdinb, Esq. With Illustrations. 2 vols. " There are few books which furni6.li a larger fund of in- struction and entertainment than the UtaU; Trials." Historical Parallels. — The Plagues of London, Florence, and Constantinople. — Massacre of the De Witts. From the Original Historians, illus- trating the most celebrated events in Grecian and Roman History: comparing or contrwting them with other Incidents of Ancient or Modern Times. By J. H. Malkin, and others. With 34 wood engravings. 2 vols. Biographical Memoirs of the most Emi- nent Men, in Literature, Arts, and Arms, from the Xlllth Century to the Present Time. A Series of complete and authentic Biographies, referring to fuller sources of information, of One Hundred and Sixty-eight Persons of all Countries, illustrious as great originators or inventors in Arts, Sciences, and Literature, and of Statesmen and Warriors who have had the greatest influence on the destinies of man- kind. The Biographies in this collection are chro- nologically arranged. Embellished with numerous woodcuts. 4 vols. Class XV.— Natural History. Menageries. — Theso volumes contain accounts of the different varieties of the Dog, Wolf, Hyena, Lion, Tiger, Camel, Llama, Giraffe, Antelope, and Deer ; the Elephant, the Monkey tribe ; the dif- ferent species and varieties of the Ox, Sheep, and Goat. By Ogilby, Martin, and Charles Knight. Illustrated with numerous woodcuts by Harvey. 4 vols. " In this popular Zoology there is no attempt at scientific arrangement. The object is rather to lead the reader to a gradual acquaintance with the Science, by instructing him in the peculiarities of individual AnimaU, than to make these peculiarities subordinate to classification." 19 LIBRARY OF ENTERTAINING KNOWLEDGE. Classified Con tekts — continued. Birds. — The Architecture of Birds, the Habits of Birds, and the Faculties of Birds, complete the Subject of Ornithology. By Rev. J. Renme. Illustrated by about 224 woodcuts. 3 vols. Insects. — Insect Architecture, Insect Miscellanies, and Insect Transfprmations, form a complete Work on Entomology, comprising the most interesting and important facts of that branch of Na- tural History, derived cither from personal observa- tion, or the statements of the most valuable autho- ritips. By the Rev. J. Rennie and J.O. West- wood. The volumes are illustrated with above 400 woodcuts. 3 vols. " A subject of the most curious an-l interesting nature, full of science, and yet as amusing as anovel."— JSdmft. Review. Vegetable Substances. — Timber Trees and Fruits ; of Substances used for the Food of Man ; and of Substances used in Manufactures. By Dr. Lankester, G. R. Porter, and others. With upwards of 200 woodcuts. 3 vols. i^lisftdl^ueous Eiterature* Gary's (Rev. Ikiiryj Memoirs, with his Literary Joui jnl and Diary, portrait, 2 vols. 8vo. bound in cloth, reduced ':o ?8. (published at \l. \s.) London, 1847 " The Translator of Dante hnlds no mean position in the literature of his country ; but till tlr publication of these vo- lumes, containing many of his familiar letters, and his own private journals, no renl . -^^timate could be formed of his cha- racter. The numerous poetical .tiusions, which in his earlier career were scattered throiigh the pages of our periodical litera- ture, are here collected for the first time ; but the great charm in the book is to be found in fhc Letters and Diary. They who have read Moore's Life of Ryron, Walpole's Letters to Mann, and the gossiping volumes of E^ .lyn and Pepys, will iiol be disappointed in the perusal of the Memoirs of Mr. Cary, which ranks midway between those wnrk^., and the ' Diary of a Lover of Literature,' by the late Mr. Gretri," Martineau's (Miss Harriett) Game-Law Tales, 3 vols. 12mo. cloth gilt, reduced to ^s. (pub- lished at 12«.) Moxon, 1845 20 Harris's (George) Secret and Political AnnalH of the House of Hanover. — Life and Times, with Diary and Correspondence of Lord Chancellor Hardwicke, fine portrait and plates, 3 vols. 8vo, cloth lettered, reduced to 18«. (published at 22. 8«.) Moxon, 1847 " Books like these are the latellites of History, which they both illustrate and adorn." Burke. — The Wisdom and Genius of the Right Hon. Edmund Burke, illustrated in a Se- ries of Extracts from his Writings and Speeches. To which is prefixed a Memoir of his Life, by Peter Burke, Barrister-at-Law, portrait aftei Hickey, 8vo. bound in cloth, reduced to 4«. Qd. (pub. at 10a. Qd.) London, 1845 " There is no writer o/ the age of George the Third, that, for force and pur'ty of diction, can be compared to Burke, and none wliose opinions, on the political changes of the period, are entitled to greater respeet. The leading men of all parties are fully aware of this, and to them the 20 vols, which his works consist of, are an inexhaustible storehouse, to be made avaflabie, on all occasions, in the Debates of Pukliament, the Hustings, or Public Meetings. To gather the most precious gems of thought out of this mass into a small compass, to meet the wants of the general reader, is the object of the present, judiciously selected, bnd well executed publication." Knowles's (J. Sheridan) Fortescue, a Novel, 3 vols. 8vo. cloth lettered, reduced to 10<. Gd. (published at \L Us. 6d.) Moxon, 1847 Knowles's (J. Sheridan) George Loveiil, a Novel, 3 vols. 8vo. cloth lettered, reduced to, ''Os.Gd. (published at II. lis. Gd.) Mc.^n, 1847 Dyce's (Rev. A.) Remarks on J. P. Collier's and C. Knight's editions of Shakspeare, 8vo. cloth, reduced to Aa Gd (published at 9s) Moxon, 184/^ ...,*^ oJJ^, and Political er. — Life and Times, of Lord Chancellor plates, 3 vols. 8vo, >ublished at 21. Ss.) Moxon, 1847 I of History, which they nd Genius of , illustrated in a Se- tings and Speeches. >f his Life, by Peter t aftei Hickey, 8vo. ;. (pub. at 10«. 6rf.) London, 1845 Jorge the Third, that, for tared to Burlie, and none iges of the period, are % men of all parties are 20 vols, which his worlcs 86, to be made avaHab't, tk'liament, the Hustings, most precious gems of ipass, to meet the wants the present, judiciously Fortescue, a reduced to \Q$. Qd. Moxon, 1847 eorge Loveil, educed to ^.i)s.Gd. McLion, 1847 Ks on J. P. tis of Shakspeare, shed at Qs) Moxon, 184/^ 'KLitr,'.!^.'