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BY IIENBlf TAYIiOB, AUTHOR OF THE SYSTEM OF CREATION, CONSlDERA'flONS ON THi: CANADAS, &C. ■ ^ h - \y cc ^ <■ L QUEBEC^ Printed by \Vm. Cowan S» Son. 1840. ) i i) • < • * • • • • • • • • • • • • • t * • • • • • * • ■' • • • • • . • •• • * , • • • • • • • • • • • • • * ■• ♦ • » * • * Having Township! titled "a dition of tl of convers this intere of their In my Journe the means and somi Agricultui tiful secti( Their Ir two solid 1 that zeal i merits and wealth an But as mation to and export interestin; reader of i in it, but Tour, wr: part of thi loyalty ar • « « « PREFACE. i Having had occasion to pass thro' the principal of these Townships, to offer my work lately published in Montreal en- titled « a Consideration of the past, present and future con- dition of the Canadas," and having thereby had opportunity of conversing with a number of the Inhabitants of the Town- xuipo, «n,T hPin? also much delighted with the appearance of this interesting young Country ; I now, at the request of some of their Inhabitants, present to the Public, a concise narrative of my Journey, and have been chiefly led so to do, as it will afford the means of offering some reflections on subjects of importance and iome ideas which may perhaps tend to advance the Agriculture Commerce, and public improvements of this beau- tiful section of the Lower Province. Their Inhabitants are in general intelligent and industrious, two solid foundations for securing the grov.th and nouiishmcnt of that zeal and emulation in the practice of agricultural improve- ments and discovery, which have seldom failed to increase the wealth and prosperity of countries. But as my Time did not allow me to acquire sufficient infor- mation to form a complete statistical account of the products and exports of each Township, which will indeed be more interesting in the course of some years than at present \ the reader of this Essay will not look for such statistical account in it, but may consider it chiefly, as a namtive of the author's Tour, written in order to call the attention of the Public to a part of this Province which, (if its Inhabitants preserve their loyalty and attachment to the British GoTcrnroent and Coni- I:' 1:^ i ; i i IV titulion ; and thus avail themselves of the solid advantages it 'vill procure them,) will very probably become populous, fertile, .md prosperous, and afford an example to their Canadian neigh- *)ours in the vSeigniories, of what agricultural industry and zeal, Jirocted by agricultural science, can effect. At the close of the work, I have given some account of two meetings held lately in Quebec, on the interesting subject of the Public improvements of the Provinces, and have earnestly sollicited the attention of the Inhabitants of the Townships towards adopting such measures respecting their representation in the united House of Assembly, as may enable these North American Provinces to acquirft a vpjy impArf««4 biuucu ui i rade md Commerce which will probably furnish a good market for the agricultural produce of the Townships. 1 will observe that from the short period of my journey thro' them, some Topographical errors may perhaps be found in the following pages, yet I trust that the main object of the work, the promoting their interests and advancement will compen- sate it, and my object in writing this work be obtained. HENRY TAYLOR. »: rel. prcvio Town; Auc situate marke near tl Canad anotlie there, an Aci those Queb( Englij and 5 featur tant, his ha( wheel the tei the eh fore til ^ I OF A TOUR & Ilavlrijx started from Montreal for Bertliier and So- rel. I first give a short account of my trip there, previous to beginning my Journal thro' tiie above Townshi})s. August IGtli 1839. — Berthier is a small village situated op[)()site Sorel. In it I found a pretty good market and several wharves, and saw a field of wheat near the Vilhige apparently all eat up by the tly ; a Canadian told me it was all eat up round Berthier ; another living {2 miles oil", said it was not much cat there. Put u[) at an Inn kept by a man named Lord, an Acadian by descent, his grandfather being one of those French Settlers in Nova Scotia who came to Quebec at the time. Nova Scotia was taken by the English. This Landlord had a fine family, of wife and 5 or 6 children, and exhibited in his conduct the feature which is characteristic of the Canadian habi- tant, great fondness for his children ; a poor infant of his had been run over by a cart, but escaped with the wheel grazing its head, and it was surprising to see the tenderness of the Father, mother and the rest of the children to it ; the accident happened a week be- fore this date, the child was still ill and irritable but 'i G the patience with whicli it was nursed did the heart good lo see it. Tlie soil about this ViUage is far better than that at the opposite side of the river, at Sorel ; and the fields adjoining are in -x good state of cultivation at loasl for Canadian farmers. The vSeigneur Mr. Cnth- bort hasa iine Farm and seat on tlio river Berthior. There is a very neat Canadian Church with two Steeples : Several handsome Houses, to say, Doctor Baby's, Mr. Ferries, &c., and several old country settlers a few miles off tlic Village. August 12tl), — Crossed over to Sorel in a canoe. This is a handsome little yilla<>e situated on the junction of the river Riclielieu or Chambly with the Si. Lawrence. Col. Well's cottage, is at the mouth of the llicholieii. There was a Camp of Indians at the River's edge, and the sight of many neat and white habitant farm Houses u[) the river looked de- lightful. There is a ship yard with several decayed Steam Boats opposite the Village, among v/hich is the John Bull, just burnt, supposed by accident, many porsons said to have perished, which it is to be hoped will serve as a warning to all others to keep up strict regulations on the subject of fire. The Village is well laid out on a dry level spot, and lias a neat looking Fort for its protection. The Gov- ernor's Country residence a little distance up the Chambly with a farm attached. The Blue Mountain opposite the Village has a good effect on the Landscape. Asked an Indian if it was Berthier opposite. He could not tell me ; The march of intellect not having reach- ed all oyer the world, yet. I Sunt East, j)lenty i potatoe here foi habitan ofthe J mostly ing to " bonm had nee it. T quite n out, m; standin: glishCi the Goi people mon (A Anders two mi cut do The sand ba of varic Beure make ll six mi!( duced 1 by the too nigl to the^d \ Sunday, 13tli. — T'*" clay took a walk about a mile East, down tlic St. x^wvrcncc ; was glad to find plenty of rye, Indian corn, and buck wheat, oats and potatoes, arrowing. The soil is too light and Sandy liere for wheat, but it has turned out this year, the habitans areas well, or better otT, than in other parts of the Province, where wheat has been sown, and mostly eat up by the lly. Went into a house observ- ing to the man 1 was glad ho appeared to have a " honne recolte" (good crop) his wife replied they had need, for they had thirteen children to feed out of it. There is a handsome stone Canadian Church quite nigh the Town. The congregation just coming out, many dressed in old country clothes not witli- standing Mr. Papineau's advice. Went to the En- glish Church, a small neat building well attended by the Governor Sir John Colborne's family, and many people genteely dressed. An excellent original ser- mon given by Mr. Anderson, son of the late Mr. John Anderson, of Quebec. In the afternoon took a walk two miles up the Richelieu, saw plenty of rye just cut down which T find they sow in the fall of the year. Tlie Geology of this Village is alluvial. An entire sand bank in some places nigh 40 feet high all in layers of various thickness. It is said to extend about a mile East; a Canadian told me it extended to Poteau de Beurc about a league and a half to West, which would make the sand bank in which the Villaf^e is built, about six miles long from East to West. Has this bee'i pro- duced by an ancient lake, by^ the Mosaic deluge, or by the St. Lawrence waters ? The bank is perhaps too nigh the surface of the earth to require a reference to the deluge for its cause. It seems difficult to con- ■li 8 I. f • >., « "s ceive so tliick a body of sand should be deposited from the waters of a tranquil lake ; I am therefore in- clined to think it has been formed gradually by the current of tlie St. Laurence having formerly flowed over the spot the bank stands on, and deposited its sand on it. 14th. Monday went to see Capt. Boyd's ship yard who is building a fine ship there. In my walk met a poor Canadian with only one leg ; having had the other cai ried away by a cable on board a steam boat. There is a steam Mill here for grinding grain with a fulling and carding Mill, trip hammer, all for sale. There is also a small beer brewerv and a Methodist Chapel building. Met with a Canadian woman wiio had a curious affection of the nerves of tlie face, every part of which was in perpetual motion, asked the woman of the house if she had her senses. She said she wis very reasonable ; but it hurt her to talk much, thus it wouid appear that the external nerves may entirely lose their tone, and the internal, yet remain tolerably sound. 15th. Met with a man who told me the Canadians here were the lowest race of any in Canada, as they were mostly intermarried with Indians who had been employed in the North West trade, they live in small huts, each having a small emplacement for which they pay the Seigneur Mr. ^^^ells one dollar a year ; the labourer here gets only is. 6d. or 2s. a day in Sum- mer. 16th. Weather bright and sultry. Breakfasted with a respectable o'd Canadian lady going to hex agn part he the not woi stbll I Si Cai thai whi 9 i? deposited -efore in- by the \y flowed )osited its ship yard Ik met a had the earn boat, in with a for sale. Methodist a curious :t of which lan of the WIS very ill, thus it ly entirely 1 tolerably Canadians da, as they had been ^e in small which they year ; the y in Sum- Breakfasted oing to her farm 4-| leagues down the St. Lawrence. She says in contradiction to what i was told as above ; that the whole of the road along the river, the country is sand except'afew spots, till coming to her farm 4| leagues off, but that back in the concessions the soil is strong and good " terre jaune et grise," grey and yellow soil. A french Canadian gentleman breakfasted here,, a man of some extended ideas and information ; convers- ing with him on the SUbiect of thp fntnro Q-mrommont of t]!io piOVmce, he said hp rlid nnt ♦liink a union oi' the provinces would take place that the general wish of the people was for responsible government. I ob- served I did not think ihey would get that, the Colonial Minister Lord John Russel had said it could not be, as long as this was a colony of Great Britain, and I observed that if the Union did not take place, the pro- vince would probably remain under the Government of the Governor and Council, and that 1 had heard old Canadians say, the country was never better off than when formerly under such government ; to this he agreed, and said there had been great oppositon on the part of the Canadians CO the representative form; but he was of opinion that great changes must be made in the future government or there would be serious times ; not he said that the Canadians would revolt ; but they would not be satisfied without a government respon- sible to the people which be added, it ought to be. I said that was true, but it was not to the people of Canada only, but to the people of the Empire ; and that thro' the channel of the Imperial Parliament which is the Constitutional Court for that respoiisibi- 1.^ n m. ! 10 lity, appointed and agreed to by the British nation. That every Governor was responsible to the people in this sense, through the means of the Imperial Par- liament to whom the people of these colonies could apply in case Oi" any important occasion arising, to render that application and complaint necessary, and which indeed should only be resorted to on very urgent and important necessity ; for instance in case of very great misconduct or incapacity of the Governor •-^nrl his Council ; and the conviction of a great Mel- jority of tiip ppopip. of" the province uiul he oKonlr] be recalled. In proof that redress could be obtained against the misconduct of a Governor of a Colony, I instanced the case of the late trial of the Governor of Gibraltar for forcibly entering a citizen's house there, where damages were recc/ered by civil action in En- gland, He said Gibraltar was only a fort. The fact is, there is party yet remaining among the Canadians who would wish to throw off their independence on Great Britain ; and it is very easy to see what blind- ness, they labour under in this respect. They would consider themselves as a nation of themselves "Na- tion Canadienne," which they have no right what- ever to do, being an integral part of the British Nation. They do not foresee the obstacles that would pre- vent their *naintaining their independence if thev had it ; without an armed force, without money, or surplus produce, sufficient to raise and pay one, without a^ single ship to protect their river and coast how easily would F^jiae one of the Grer4t European powers be tempted to invade the province. France in particujar whot and u] power views nadian berty j grant t People trial bj moreo' forget British protect 15th He sa reacheis after w Ihac for the of abou of my " mucl: " them " callir " will of the French fly wa? serable years, dians vj the pla 11 li ition. eople Par- could and very 1 case ^ernor , Ma- id be tained )ny, I lor of there, ti En- e fact adians ice on l»lind- would "Na- what- British d pre- )y hdd lurplus hout a^ easily VQVs be ticu'ar who had once possession of it, who has a numerous and unoccupied army, who could probably obta in a powerful party among the Canadians favorable to her views would probably soon get possession ; and the Ca- nadians soon iir 1 cause to regret the loss of British Li- berty and protection. It is not likely France would grant the Canadians more liberty than she does to the People of France itself ; and we know that there the trial by Jury for political offences is done away with ; moreover the leading men of the Canadians appear to forget there is a large population in the province of British descent who claim and will insist on British protection. 15th. Conversed with Mr. Dixon of Three Rivers. He says tlie block of sand in which Sorel stands reaches down the Lake Ct. Peter, nigh three leagues, after which the soil is alluvial to St. Francis. I had this day a curious conversation with the agent for the Seigneurie of Sorel, a good looking fat man of about 65 years, not married. I offered him copies of my work on the Canadas, says he, " I know so *' much of the Canadas, I want to know no more of *' them ; I was born in them ; and I hear they are re- *' calling Sir John Colborne, and I do not know what ** will be the conr>equenco." I told him the intention of the work was to advance the agriculture of the French Canadians, that I was of opinion the wheat fly wap occasioned or retained in the soil by the mi- serable system of agriculture followed by them for 200 years. He seemed to agree to this, but said the Cana- dians would not improve their agriculture ; I told him the plan was approved of by Sir John Colborne's Gcv- ) > \i '1 / 12 i eniment ; and that I believed it would so meet the interest of the Canadians, that they would assist and forward it. I have since reflected that the very cir- cumstance of this destruction of most of the wheat crops in the province by the fly will probably, if it continue, open their eyes to see the necessity of adopting a better system, and providence which generally brings good out of bad, may probably effect the introduction of it by this very means. — This day returned to Montreal. 16th. This day set off for the Eastern Townships and in order to give the reader a general idea of thera, I insert an Extract from a Tract called, " Information respecting the Eastern Townships." " The Eastern Townships are situate inland, on the south side of the River St. T.aurence, and are com- prised within the 45th and 47th degrees of north lat- titude, and the 70th and 73d degrees of west longitude, their boundaries being the seigniories bordering the St. Lawrence and Richelieu Rivers, on the north and west ; the line, dividing the Province from the States of Vermont and New-Hampshire, on the south; and the River Chaudiere on the east. " This tract is easily accessible from Quebec, Three Rivers or Montreal, by the several roads from those places, its distance being, in many points, not more than thirty miles from the River St. Lawrence, while the center of the country may be reached by a journey of less than seventy miles of land travelling from the ports at which passengers from Europe are landed, There is also easy communication with New- York, by way of the Hudson River and Lake Champlain, or with Boston, by the great mail route from that place. "Th about o acres ej I of acre? ■ Francis I andThi I Couniit I Ibid, S I mention prospecl ofSholi; well mh very sm; {\iQ conn pictures! tfjc fj"ee where \\ vera] coi 1 Francis, J nnd llje I wliich jj: I iidvantiif^ I being, aj I ncls of ^\j ] " Tliel ^ flio mo^.t i fVcqucnt, in Uppef wholly u| has heen Icurred, d [Other porl 13 eet the st and ry cir- it crops ntinue, a better ;s good n of it ontreal. ►vnships f them, rmalion " The number of Townsliips is Eighty ; containing about one hundred square iijiles, or sixty-four thousand acres each, forming a total of upwards of five million of acres of land. They compose the District of St. Francis, and parts of the districts of Montreal, Quebec and Three Rivers ; and are further divided into the Counties of Megantic, Drummond, Missisquoi, Shef- ford, Stanstead, and Sherbrookc. The diree last mentioned are those whicli at present oOcr the best prospects to llie enterprising settler. The Counties of Sliollbrd, Stanstead, and Sherhrooke, are generally well adapted for ('ultivalion, the waste lands heing in , f very small proportion ; and although the features of I the country are such as to present the most varied and ''^/^^^' ! ])ictures(|ue scenery, they, in few cases only, prohibit .. ? the free use of the plough. The lands are every where well watered by S})rings and brooks, and se- veral considerable rivers traverse the tract. Tlie St. Francis, and trihutaries, the Nicolet, the Eecancour, on ngitude, ^ the St. f irth and e States th ; and and the Chaudirre, with numerous lakes, some of wliich are of considerable extent, afford their natural advantages at present, and clTer tlio prospect of their j heing, at a future time, converted into extensive chan- nels of water communication with the sea. " The climate of the Eastern Townships is one of the most healthy of the continent, disease being un- 1^-^ I frequent, and the intermittent fevers, so destructive 1 rf 1'^^ Upper Canada, and [)arts of the United States, ,,,' Iwhollv' unknown. From Cholera also, this district , . M lias l)een entnely tree ; no one instance having oc- f^^P\^'"; Icurred, although, in the summers of 1832 and 1834, ^' ther portions of the Province were visited with great B c, Three m those ot more e, while journey trom li r I'! I / \l f' 1! ■ If f 14 severity. The winter is similar to that of Upper Ca- nada in the degree of cold experienced ; but the wea- ther is less changeable, and more snow falls in the course of the season, preserving the ground from the effects of the frost, and furnishing excellent roads for the transport of agricultural produce from the most distant and least settled parts of the country. Field- operations commence in April, and are usually con- tinued until December ; and both summer and winter are remarkable for the small number of days on which work cannot be performed out oi' doors. "The soil is generally a loam in its varieties, with a substratum of gravel ; and the surface is every where covered with a vegetable mould of some depth, formed from the decayed timber and leaves of the forest, and precluding the necessity for artificial manure for many years. All the crops usually cultivated in Great Bri- tain and Ireland, are found to succeed here, and to yield large returns to the farmer. Wheat, Barley, Rye, Oats, Beans and Pease, Indian Corn, Turnips, Potatoes, Hemp, Flax, Clover, and Meadow Hay, are all raised in abundance ; and the country is natu- rally adapted for grazing Horned Cattle, Sheep, and Horses of the best breeds. " The principal Exports have hitherto been Horned Cattle, Horses, Pork, Butter, Cheese, and Pot-ash, the last of which is manufactured by the settler, in the progress of clearing his land, affording an early return for his labour, and the means of procuring supplies of provisions and necessaries for continuing his im- provements. he markets of Quebec and Montreal, either of I a which J a ready that the clothes, at price Great 1 " TJ] ships, ( are thre to Sherl real, th or Stan ticable j of the B Melbou Quehec tliat rou is eight eight mi Ibrty-foL dover, Melbou ty-four three ti three pe hut wa^ veyance reasona weight shillingj to Sherl nine per 15 Ca- wea- i the 1 the IS for most B^ield- con- I vjnter | which \ i with a ' where rormed ;t, and • many at Bri- and to 3arley, iirni ps, Hay, natu- ep, and Horned ot-ash, in the return supplies his im- jither of which is within a very easy distance, ofTer, irj g neral, a ready sale for all kinds of produce, at the same time the settler to h his stc'k that they permit clothes, tools, and otiier articles of home manufactu.'c,, at prices, in many instances, lower than those paid i:i Great Britain. " The roads communicating whh the Eastern Town- sliips, on the south side of the River St. Lawrence, are three : — the first fiom Quehec, hy St. Nicholas, to Slierbrooke, or to Shiptun ; the second from Mont- real, through Chambly and Granby, to Sherbrooke, or Stanstead ; and thirdly, the shortest and most prac- ticable route, from Port St. Francis, along the banks of the River St. Francis, through Drummondville and Melbourne, also to Sherbrooke. The distance from Quebec to Nelson, the first Township reached by that route, is forty miles ; from thence to Sherbrooke is eighty miles. From Montreal to Granby is forty- eis:ht miles ; thence to Sherbrooke bv the new line, forty-four miles. From Port St. Francis to Wen- dover, the distance is thirty miles ; from thence to Melbourne twenty-seven ; thence to Sherbrooke twen- ty-four miles. On the two last routes mail sxages ply three times a week, carrying passengers for about three pence per mile, including a portion of luggage ; hut waggons and carts may be procured for the con- veyance of families and heavy luggage, at much more reasonable rates. A cart to carry eight hundred weight may generally be engaged for one pound ten shillings, for the whole distance, from Port St. Francis to Sherbrooke, or at the rate of three shillings and I nine pence per hundred weight. These rates are ex- ii u M f;l /' !l 16 I J :, > I ■ })cctecl to be very much reduced ; and such measures are proposed to be taken as will secure Emigrant's, proceeding to the Company's Lands, from dece[)tion and fraud upon the road. " With the view of providing a Port for the Eastern Townships, at tlie i)oint most eligible for the landing of passengers and goods, and for the exportation of the ])roductions of the Country, the Company have erected W])arves, Stores, and Houses for tiie r'cccption of Emigrants, together vrith a large Inn, Blacksmiths' Shops, &c. at Port St. Francis, situate on the south shore of the St. Lawrence, and at the distance of nine miles from Three Rivers. Vessels from sea, and the steam boats plying between Quebec and Montreal, may land passengers and luggage at this place, with great facility, and with the shortest possible detention. Houses have been provided for affording temporary shelter to such Families as may land here on their way to the Company's Lands ; and means will thus be furnished of makino- their arrano'cments for the performance of die remainder of the journey, without being subjocted to extra ex])ense. An Inn is already established, and further accomodations will shortly be afforded at this place, for the better classes of Settlers. The wharves, and otlier works in progress, will ofl'er immediate employment to such as may I'equire it. " Emigrants proposing to proceed to the Eastern Towmships, are recommended to land at Port St, Francis, as the most convenient point from which to proceed inland, otherwise tliey may reach that place from Quebec, by steam boat, in twelye,hours. From Port St. Francis they will take either the stages or other other I generf parts venien at re as can be IGtl soil is { Hay n by the J i)argair] and his there w he wou Boat, cheap tj lived ll said th( a Farm! 30,000 1 .30 loni Ma ska 5 only,— owino- i\ that in good by| covery 'M Scoi Noblei tensive use but I ^asuros 2;i'aiit's, ception i^astoni I audi no- li oflbi; elected )lion of ismitlis' ic south I of nine and the Montreal, ;e, with itcntion. uporary on ibcir n\\ thus for the \vitho\u s aheady liortly be Settlers, will oiler | e it. 3 Eastern Port St. which tci at place From >• stages or | 17 other conveyances by land to Sherhroohe., or to any other part ofthe country. The Road will be found generally good, and much superior to those in other partsof the Province. Inns will be met with at con- venient distances, affording excellent accommodations at reasonable charges, and the means of conveyance can be procured at almost every point." IGtli. On the road from Longueil to Chambly, the soil is strong and clayey (terre grise,) all along I found Hay not yet cut, Oats, Barley, Wueat, the last eat up by \hc. fly, and some rusted, farms both sides the road ; bargained while on the Horse Boat with a Man and his wife to take nie to Chambly, the wife said there was no room \n the cart ; but a looker on said he would take me there if I Avould pay his fare for tlic Boat, one shilling, for which he carried mo 12 miles ; cheap travelling ; found him a clear headed Canadian, lived 14 leagues from Montreal, at Petit Maska, said the land there was very bad and sandy ; told me a Farm in Longeuil could not be bouj^lit for less than 30,000 francs, which at lOd. is £1250 3 arpents by 30 long is 90. He said a Farm of same size at Little Maska, could be bought lor 2000 francs, about £84 only, — amazing difference, as great part of it must be owing to the inferiority of the soil. Now we know that in Eno'land sandv Lands have been made verv good by carting clay on them. This agricultural dis- covery was made, I believe about 70 years ago by an old Scotchman, a Steward on the Estate of an English Nobleman in Lincolnshire. There was a very ex- tensive tract of sand in the Estate, which was of no use but as a Rabbit Warren. The old Steward, hav- B2 ' 'i p ^1' i 1- f, I 18 occasion to make a Garden there, be tliouglit himself uf efTccting this h) mixing the sand with clay, found it to answer well, and having convinced himself of the discovery by trying it on a small Fi'eld for Grain, which completely answered his expectations ; and having; saved some money, he applied to the owner of tli(i Estate; to know wliat he wouki take for the Rabbit Warren. What in the name of Wonder can you do with the Rahhit Warren John ? said his Lordship. AV^ell my Lord, says tlic keen Scotchman, that is an allair that beloni»;s to none hut mijsel. I ha' served your Lordship faithfully mony a year and would wish to know ofye'U sell me the Warren ? — His Lordship sold it to him at a fair price, and the story which I heard nianv years aoo from an old au;ricultural friend ! Mr. John Patterson, of London, goes onto say, the (:»!d Steward not only succeeded in making a very lu- cr'ative concern of his purchase ; but w^as the means of improving tlie Lands of a great part of the County, niany parts of which being too sanely, the Farmers followed the exam{)le of the sagacious Scotchman. The same good elTects have heen found from ma- nuring Land with clay in the Parish of Batiscan in this Province. The people ther^ some years ago found their light soil so exhausted, no doubt by their mode of Canadian farming, that they could not raise Wheat enough for their Families, and whether by ac- cident or by information I do not know ; finding clay banks in the Parish thev tried it on the Land, and f)und it produced as tine crops of wheat as they could wish for. I have here related the story of tbis discovery at I ] length Eastern I by it, ai j that pai 1! Slept an A me , tilled wi * tance of I do not t( i bahly h; f half the Rail Ro runs inti This that nan the Villi is on the Canal A This (hi the Can conceri I wore li rcn (ly that 111 the Co I iht^y w r hotter I I elective I of the C ] in the C ign >ran nada if Membe < 19 i i msclf found ol'tlie J rain, , and [10 r of labbit oil do •dsliip. is an served \ wish )rdship v'liich I friend ! \y, the ivy lu- means younty, 'aimers an. )m ma- scan in ars ago >y their ot raise r by ac- neo})le of both Countries to the lowest and most disoraceful slate of Society until they were glad to tlnd repose and secu- rity in their former forms of Government. fnth ese Provinces there is no >t tl le siiadow of a cause for brinixinc!; their Societv into sucli a dan2;erous situation ; and it will probably require the strong and determined eneri>:v of the Government, assisted bv the lovers of the peace and advancement of these Provinces to prevent it. There is one Canadian and one English Cliurch here. The Artillery Barracks is a fine stone Building. There is another Barracks building of wood adjoining it ; an the JJi (cers H VVc, Canal. I ween ( withiu neaily lianks Boats a tlie St. will be lately h purpose complot the Cha Boats hi water \^ sea, au( will be which a the Lov Calli some ()i Canada! rencc oJ saw Cof , higmjiti |criptinn| 'iiig liitJij vard ull Proviij( 21 was of )C (lis- it that las tlicl shoultl Uniteil would uld ap- e l)cen \s tliro' nadians n some the ge- l SCCU' :1 cxpe- arid of licw the ervative of hoth . slate of id secu- nv of a angcrons 'ong and ed hy the Provinces , Churcii Bulldinu'. adjoining * it ; and several handsome houses. The; IJanacks of the Diagoun Guards contains 2M) I)rai;o(>iis ami Otli- cers Marrai'ks, (Jol. Cathcart, conniiandinu;. Wednesday. I wen( to see the Lex l;s of the new Canah There are eight or nine, a rise; of nine f(}et het- wecn each stone Lock. The water is in the ('anal to wilhin a gun shot of the Basin, the ground to which is nearly excavated, a (juantity of wood is piletluj) on the Banks of the Canal having heen hrought down it. Thus Boats and small Schooneis will he enahled to get to the St. Lawrence, from Lake Champlain as there will Le G feet water in the Canal. At a Meeting lately held hy the ^ferchants in (^uehcc for the express par[)os(i of ado[)ting measures for encouraging the completion of the Canals from U[)per Canada, and also the Chamhly Canal ; we were imlormed tliat Steam Boats have hecn lately l/uilt drawiiig only four feet water which have even made long voyages in 0})en sea, and there is no douht tlierei'ore. Steam Boats will he constructed for navigating the Canal from which as was stated at these Meetings, the trade of tlie Lower Province will be greatly increased. Called one morning at the Artillery Barracks, saw some Ollicers, oflered them copies of my Work on the Canadas, and was sur[)rised to fnid their total inditfe- rence on the subject. Went to the Dragoon Barrack, saw Col. Cathcart a very respectable intelligent look- ing man, after looking into the Title Page, and subs- cription List ; he bougljt the work directly ; on quit- ing him olleredit to three other Ollicers in the Barrack yard who appeared equally inchllerent respecting the Province as the above mentioned, adding that if" I ii I ^1* 1 ' ( I 22 i' ■,-! could publish a Book which would occasion their be- ing recalled, they would buy a hundred of them. I observed I was a little surprise^they did not like the Country, asked if they did not find it a healthy one, one observed it was healtliy enough. This dislike would appear to be owing to the natural love of home, for certainly the service and hardship they have seen here is nothing compared to what British armies have seen elswhere. Is this love of home intended by na- ture to keep men confined to their place of na.^Jvity^? this cannot be, or so many would not roam to all parts of the World. This dislike then is probably owing to the restlessness of human nature which until it finds an immortal and satisfactory existence in the next world ; must seek to pacify this restlessness in the present, by active employment or hy continual change of scenery. This day August 29th. Walked to the East end of the Village to see Mr. Hall's Flour Mill, it goes by water on the Chambly ; above stairs is a Cloth Ma- nufactory, carried on by Mr. Wolletf. He makes about 12000 yards Cloth per annum, sells it from 3s. to 7s. per yard. Makes also fine Cloth. Mr. Hall is a member of the Council; he is said to have made a large fortune by Mills, Lands, &c., in this place. The family of the late Col. De Sallebery, who distin- guished himself in defeating an American corps hij t war, is also here. Mr. Hall is Seigneur of Chambly, Madame De Sallebery's Seigneurie is on the opposite shore where their Mill is, A gentleman supped at the Inn I was at, who said it was 2() years since he had been in Chambly, and 'e pcar U " Terres n the r( ne (I tone Ca -^alley o 23 ir be- jm. I ke the y one, dislike [ home, 'e seen 3S have by na- es not seem to prevail much beyond Chambly. lis place. lAbout Rougemont, this side of St. Cesaire, several ho distin- lAmericans are settled, under good cultivation. They corps iajt iM'Pcar to prefer high dry soils to the lower lands or Chamblv, f ' Terres planches," the favorite of the Canadians. ? opposite f^^^ the road to St. Cesaire is a french Chapel, and |Dne (I heleive) Methodist, at St. Cesaire, and a who said f tone Canadian Church building : The soil at the y and 'e F alley of St. Cesaire is good and strong, much the 'i ' 1 1 -h n^' M 24 I \ pame as that round CIiamMy. — Pnt up at Garden's Tavern, a confortablo Irishman with a decent wife and small familv of 3 or 4 cliildren, two grownup. He has two Farms, and owns the house he lives in, Jias been J 8 vears in tlie Province, and is huildino- a new hirge Tavern next tlie old one, a proof that pa- tient industry will work its way in this Country, as in most others, and presents a good lesson to some of less patience tlian my landlord. August, 30th. Took a walk to Rougcmont, sold four co[)ies of the Considerations on the Canadas to the American Settlers; they appear to haVe acted loyalty, during the late disturbance. One of them told me, that about 150 Canadians rose at that time, | and C()min?>' down th.e road m.aking dradful yellinii^s. I insisted on all the Americans joinino; them. But liaY ing heard of their design, and being unable to resist i such numbers ; he, and tlu^ other Americans had con- cealed tliemseh es ; and (he Canadians retired. Afterwards about 4(30 soldiers, came into the Vil- lage, disarmed the rebels, and took tiieir proA isions from them : He says they std I feel very sore t/iere at; and some said if the iVmericans from the States- came to hob,) them, tliev would rise apjain. On my enquiring of a Canadian woman at a Farm in the Village, as to the cause of the coniplaints of the Canadians, .she said the Seigneurs and the Priests took almost everv thinj>' tliev had from them, and that iheir Seigneur at St. Charles was particularly rigid in his demand. She added that if these thinos could be redressed, they would rather live under the £n- Hsh Government than under the Americans. I told ill I 'arden's nt wife 'own up. lives in, ilding a that pa- ry, as in Tie of less ont, sold mailas to ive acted of them hat time, yellings, ButhaY- to resist s had con- k1. the Vil- pro\ isions sore there he States- it a Farm \ints of t,h(j I he Priests , and tliat larly rigid inii'.s could r'thc En- ns. I told her the Lots et Ventes would probably be soon done away with. She said she should be very " content." This day three deserters from the 66th Regt. ap- peared in the woods, near St. Cesaire ; the Police stationed there, went out after them, but did not find them ; they w^ere however afterwards taken at Pointe aux Pele, on information of a Canadian. This evening, hired a Canadian cart to take me to Yamaska Mountain, 6^- miles, paid him 3s. 6d. This man made the same complaint about the Seigneurs, as the woman before mentioned, he said the 26me or 26th part to the Priest added to the demand of tlie Seigneur, hurt the poor much. I told him the Tithe in England was one tenth part, at which he appeared much surprized. The soil, most part of the way to Yamaska, where settled, is strong and good ; there is however about 60 arpents of woods and swam^py land. At 7 o'clock in the evening arrived at the Mountain. 31st. This day morning, on waking found it quite close to mv window, a romantic sisjht. The farms are beautifully settled round it, mostly Americans. Went to the Enolish Church ; heard a sound and o;ood Seimon Irom Mr. Johnston, the Minister ; afterwards took a walk up to the Mountain till I came to a great rocky precipice ; vast bodies of the rock having disintegrated and slipt down, probably occasioned by fissures and frozen water in them ; the power of frost being well known in Geology to have that elTect. Sept. 4th. Wednesday, Arrived at Granby, first Village in the Eastern Townships ; had a companion in the Stage, a right down loyal volunteer, Capt. or C I a ii 26 ^ ! Major Gordon ; appeared a man of well informed mind had been in the army ; he spoke highly of the youth in the Townships, was >varm in the just praise of the courage and resolution of the British population of Lower Canada ; says tlie Townships are fast increas- ing in settlement but liad few Emigrants this year, the cause of which was I believe chiefly owing to the late disturbances. Conversing on the United States he was of opinion, tliat things will come lO a crisis there bye and bye, as the people cf propcity are tired uf the growing dominion of iMob Government ; That no real freedom of opinion tljere can be openly ex- ])ressed, except on one side of the question, which confirms the same idea I bad toretold in tbe 2nd number of my ConsideraHons of the Canadasln Chapter 5th. page 44, on tbe advantages of representative union, namely " Tbe U. States may ceitainly be considered as liaving presented to tlje World a prominent instance of tbe advantages of representative Union; although it must be confessed that tbe rise and gradual increase oi late years of a luost licentious spirit among ibat people both in tbeir domestic toncerns and most especially in tbe late treatment of these provinces by a purt of her population, gives strong indications to beliov^, that unless tliey retrace their stops, by tbe enactment ol wise and salutary laws for ilie accomplishment of that end, some disastrc.is events must ensue in that country proving that even liberty itself, tlie greatest gift of Heaven, may be abused, and if not preserved witliin tbe bounds of reason, moderation and religion, mav produce lie misery or ruin as well as the weltarc and prosperity of a nation." Maj rather clayey road fr be so ; timber Tbe in ratli the rig! Potashi two mi Irish ar large sj even bi from he fly, Oa iiitOCS ] only tw two son and loo 8 yeari their as to make |of the jacre o !or clirr. 27 Major Gordon allows the soil of tlic Townships in rather gravelly and stony, but that there are some clayey tracts of land among them. The soil on the road from Yamaska while day light lasted appeared to he so ; hut the road to Granhy is mostly wood land, timber mixed. The Village ol Granhy is small but well situated in rather elevated ground with a fi»io land-slope on the right side of it, one Grist, one Saw Mill, and two Potasherics. Took a walk to the Scotch settlement two miles to the left of the Village ; found five or six Irish and Scotch settlers, soil all the way to the Vil- large san fy and slaty ; the cultivated lands very un- even but the crops of Wheat far less rusted than any from here to Montreal, and not much attacked by the fly, Oats allowed by the settlers very good crop, Po- tatoes large and mealy. One old Scotchman was only two years fi om Scotland ; first year, he and his two sons cleared ahout 8 acres land, now under Oats and looking well ; two relations of his had been here 8 years ; had about 50 acres cleared. They turn their ashes into blacksalts and find the leached ashes to make good manure. They allow the usual produce |of the land ( new) is, only 10 to 12 bushels per [acre of Wheat ; a proof of the weakness of the soil or clitTiate for this grain, in this part of the Town- ships at least. In the Village of Granby are three or four good Stores. — Last night the sky was covered (with streamers, say Hydrogen Gas burning. The [night was very hot probably increased by this cause ; [speaking to a French Canadian on the subject of this ippearance he said it was " signe de Guerre" " sign 1.^ li 28 f I ^ , I ^ \ f * -' % of War." I told liim it was more likely " signe cle Pluie" "sign of Rain", that it was Hydrogen Gas in tlie air burning and that it must produce watery V'aj)ours. He said enquiringly " Qui" is it so? There is I believe an idea of having a rail road from Granby to Montreal, which if easily practicable, would no doubt greatly facilitate the transport of the produce of the Townships there, and the same advantage wouhl also tend to increase their settlement, as that (►fall new Countries is much in proportion to the faci- litv of o-cttinii: to it market. Thursday, Sept. 5th. 4 o'clock in the morning, t|uit Granby in the Stage lor Waterloo, fare 2s. 6d. after a lew miles of cleared farms with good Crops, Oats and Potatoes, found the land wooded for the most part till within a few miles of Waterloo. The air from Granby to the Mountain had been rather chilly but on arriving at tlie Mountain a most remarkable and sudden increase of temperature took place ; the Coachman said he believed it was owino- to burninsf some Timber in tlie woods, bnt we were at least a couple of miles without seeing any smoke or smelling any, and I conclude it must have been owing to some shelter aflbrded by the Mountain to the cold Easterly morning wind. If so it would perhaps designate this small tract of land as possessing some advantage for cultivation and settlement. The soil within a few miles of Waterloo improves, becomes more of a yellow loam, gravelly indeed, but not so stony as round Gran- by. The Timber much improved in hard wood, and as the Coachman observed the Country around here ^vas splendid ; fine Crops of Wheat, but unluckily 29 ntage for n a few ■ a yellow md Gran- ^oofl, and I und here unluckily nistod ; Oats fine, ami pDiatocs jdenly : at Cutler's Farm, took in a young -^-oman and a child at her breast, she was a Canadian,^ of English or Ameri- can extraction ; said she Iiad been married 20 years being- only 14 when mari'ied ; bad nine cbildren, ber busband an American lives a mile or two from tbe road had 200 acres of Land 100 cleared, 9 or 10 liea;! i»f Cattle ; felt an agreeable sensation at riding in a <^arria2:e with a Countrv woman of mine, especial] v one so productive ; and was particularly pleased witb die care and f^ars she seemed to have for tbe safety of ber child. Sbo watched tbe Coacbman's driving all along tbe road, always telling him that if he npsel, >be would not pay him his fare. At 7 o'clock. I came in sigbt of the neat little Vil- lage of Waterloo, wbicb is partly surrounded ap[)a- rently by a Pond or small Lake, and has several waiter privileges. Friday, 6 lb. Took a walk thro' the Village, there is a water Mill, and clothing Manufactory, a Tan- nery, three Potasheries, Saw^ Mill, &c. On the ris- ing ground above and beyond it, called at a house, and found a Man makinu: Sboes. Said he had been 30 years in tlie Canadas, but was going to Ohio, that he found the climate too severe and the Crops so bad, tbat he had sold one half ids Farm, which half corn- [prised 80 acres a house & barn nigh 40 feet for £200, nd was willing to sell the remainder at same rate. IWe shall presently contrast this man's account of the |Canadas with that of an old settler at Stukeley wbo ;ives a very different one of them. On the top of this Hill, I saw as fine a prospect as I C2 M I ' 41 30 » i Lave yet met witli ; on the right side of tlie road the view is hounded by what is called here. Mountains, some of tliem cultivated halfway up. The Village of Frost is just helow in the Valley, and the adjaceiit Country is interspersed with Farms. This dav took a walk to llie Villaoe of Frost. It has as tine a little Church as I have seen in either of the Canadas : The fine steeple resemhles that of the New Church huilding 2 years ago in Hamilton, U. C. : Called at the Guard House or Barracks for the Volunteeri, saw Captain Wood who shewed me the arms of the Cavalry arran- ged in fine order. Walking hack to Waterloo I oh- served on the Iiill ahove it in the distance among the Mountains on tlic right, a small Lake in the Village ofBroomo. As far as our Journey has proceeded the reader will o])serve the Wlieat lias heen pretty generally rusted thiv)^ the Countrv, from tliis side of Chamhlv and I have met with hut few complaints of the fly as yet in this Township, hut whether it is owing to want of suffi- cient closeness of observation to detect the fly, or that it has not reached thus far, is hard to say; in either case the circumstance of the Wheat being so injured thro' | the Country is indeed not very pleasant, and seems to diminish the cheerfulness occasioned by good Crops. I believe however the loss will not exceed in general one third the entire Crop, and if the other grain. Corn and Potatoes prove abundant the loss will not be much lelt here. On Monday 9th Sept. Walked to the next line of Settlement, East of VV^aterloo about two miles thro' a well wooded Country, and apparently good sail, 31 :\d the ntains, lage of IjacGiit took a I little ; The uilding I Guard Village der will rusted mostly of a red colour formed by the decomposition of the red Slate or Tufa Rock. There is here a Grist Mill and Saw Mill owned by a woman in the States. Mr. Dampier an English gentleman has a very good Farm on the hill above, on the Sherbrooke road, con- sisting of 250 acres Land, 150 of which are cleared, and under cultivation. Was treated very politely by him, and apparently an amiable family growing well up. Has two fine Boys who appear to make them- selves serviceable on the farm. He savs the great drawback and impediment to farming here, is the cost of labour ; pays ten dollars per month and found, and that he will lose twenty -five pounds this year by rusted Wheat. This gentleman is respectably situated in this County, and I believe is distantly related to the cele- brated Adml. Dampier. It certainly is a thing well calculated to uphold the estimation of the Townships, that such men form es- tablishments in them, which must serve to attract other Settlers round them, and as they have besides greater means of information as to the most modern improvements in agricultural science, they may set a good example therein to their poorer neighbours in agricuUural affairs. Tuesday, 10th. Quit Waterloo for Stukely, 6 miles per Stage, after passing Frost Village, pretty well set- tled Country to Stukeley ; passed a Tannery this side the Village, soil, loamy sand and gravelly, the road pretty good. The Post Office is opposite the little Village " if Village it may be called which size has none," and no Tavern, therefore I applied to the first man I met after leaving the Stage, for lodging. He :1 ^i HI •J V \h i agreoil tol)()ai(l mo for \\\\oc\\ ponce a «lay till tlio S(agG camo tliro' ai:;ain. 3 moals, tea &c., found him a gooil (juiet creature but had met ^vith misfortunes, ilad been (brtv years with his wile settled in the IVo- vinco, living" at Stan.stead where they had a farm, but like too many others wishinL!; to go " VV^est" he sold it, and some thini;- having- detained him, he took a con- tract on the Sherbrooko road and lost all the money bv it, that his Farm sold fi)r, tlius, Aerifying the old proverb of th.e rolling stono. S:iw a go(^d crop of (jats in a lieldjiere better stacked up to save from rain tlian usual. Walked this day up the Stanstead road toward the outlet, called at one of the richest Farmers in the Townships, a relation of Col. Knoultons ; has winter- ed 100 head Cattle. By perse\ering industry in farm- inii; and in brecfling Cattle, he acquired the command of money, and is said to hold a number of Farms in the Country on Mortijau'c havimj; lent money on them. I mention this anc dote as a conterpart of Aviiat 1 have heard on tfiis road, that many persons are about or have quittctl the Province being dissatisfied with it, and probably deficient in the qualities of industry and prudence possessed by Mr. Knoulton. We Iiave stated ■ an anecdote on this subject in page 24. Mr. Knoulton has been above 40 years in the Townships. There is a tine Saw Mill at Stukely owned by a man who has a Grist Mill at the outlet. Friday, 13th Sept. Rode on from Stukely, G miles, sandy soil begins here and extends about half a mile, then Gravelly red soil returns, and after passing 33 liir a l»ro- , but ; sold L con- ey by old rop of 1 rain (1 the in the ^inter- far m- amand in the Tl. I 1 have mit or ith it, ry and have Mr. n ships. I by a miles, mile, passing VVillard's Farm, mostly woods. End of six mile from Stukely entered the Township of Bolton. The man who is driving me from Stukely is a man of fifty years of age, a demure reserved lo(>king person full of the " antique" lives a few miles oH* the road at the outlet. On seeing the Considerations of the Canadas he immediately said he would drive me there for a set of the work. On my getting into the Cart he said there were now two Autliors in it ; as he had composed and got printed 1000 copies of Hymns which he sold for lOd. a piece, and he had nigh 1000 more ready in manuscript for printing. If this man is a sample of the religious disposition of the Townships they are not deficient. About midway to tlie outlet, he stopt at a Farm to give water to his horse and to get a bite for ourselves : found the woman of the house ill of the dropsy. My carrier after taking his meal very patiently, said he was anxious to learn from the woman if she had yet felt the change of heart so desi- rable in a Christian ? she answered she believed she had ; thatduringher illness she had suffered much pain, but had prayed for Grace to enable her to support her existence during it. The old man gave her a le cture on futurity ^and we took leave. While riding up a very steep hill where the road is cut thro' the rock, I said I would alight and walk, but he said he had loaded his cart too much behind and wished'me to stay in the cart to balance the load which I did accordingly. The horse after great exertion stopt, and was backing fast down the hill. In a short time the old man chock- ed the wheels apd stopt the Cart. When the horse got over the height I observed this was rather a dan- ^t 34 i!;orous place; lio saiM it was, for a IVfan was killed iIkto some yaws since while driving a Sleigli load of Pearl Ash to Montreal. He jumped twenty feet over the precipice and was followed hv a harrcd of the Pearl Ash which killed him out right, so I consider I had a pretty nai row escape, an»l ought to have taken the adviie of an Irish Hawker hehind us who hollowed out to me to get oil' the Cart, and I would recommend all Travellers to keep a sharp look out on such oc- casions, and to judge for themselves, whetljer it is safest to ride or walk, as I mean to do in future what- ever may he my opinion of the driver, as mine, how religious soever he may have heen might have sent me to my account in the world to come. The indifference of the Carrier in this occasion re- minds me of an anecdote I learnt from a worth v friend of mine liviniv in London. lie had laid in his stock of Coals, and wishing to see if he had good measure, he was proceeding to the stairs, but they having been removed to put in the Coals he fell about ten feet into the cellar, and calling out to his Housekeeper, she came to the head of the stairs, saying " oh ! the cat fell over there to day too.'^ So easily do many bear the accidents of others occttaioned by their negligence. Advancing on the road nigh the outlet, on emerging from the woods, my Carrier shewed me a large clear- ance which he said had formerly been inhabited, but owing to the drunken habits of one troublesome man, the settlement was broken up. I afterwards saw this man at a farm adjoining: His countenance betokened his habit, and the spots of disease appeared to be upon 35 Ticrging 3 clear- eJ, but He man, aw this tokened be upon ])im, and will possibly reward liim for his misconduct to himself and his neighbours. Saturday, 14th Se[)t. Rode in a Farmers Waggon nnd pair of line horses to the Outlet. Soil stil! the same, red gravelly, and some-what sandy, and little cultivated. The land from thii! to the outlet nigh two miles appeared to liavo been formerly settled and grown up, much timber burnt, when making the new road. Tlie ViIIiis. The service of the E|)iscopal Church certainly |cannot be surpassed in the elegance and purity of its language, religious sentiments and eilusions, and I lave often heard part of its expressions repeat xl by virions denominations ; but tljere is evidently some jealousy of superior power or authority about the minds )f these sects, which if soothed by ])roper means on Ihe part of the Church of England would probably be In part done away with. The Roman Catholic /■ y. 36 Churches are I beleive always open to receive the devotions of its Members. The Methodists have ser- vice several times in the week. If a more frequent service were performed by the Ministers of the Church of England, and especially, if another thing which I consider of great weight, to produce the above effect, were added, namely, that Eloquence in these Ministers should determine their appointment to these Country places; I should conceive many dis- senters would return to the Bosom of the Church they had seceded from. The cause assigned by the Revd. Mr. Wesley if I recollect right for his having at first founded the sect of Methodists was a desire to see a more constant and uniform piety prevail. Why should the Church of England not have yielded to, and facilitated these desires in a great part of her people when it was first observed ? Why should she not flow allow them to have more frequent opportunities of devotion in her own sanctuaries ? The immense variety of sects into which Protestanism has been split and divided, has perhaps tended to weaken its force and extension, or will do so if these continue to multiply and its opponents probably desire to see nothing better. A reunion therefore, if it could be effected, would in my humble opinion be of powerful service to Protestant Christianity. Whether this reunion be as yet practicable, 1 am uncertain, but for the present, I will here beg leave to state one idea that has for many years suggested itself to my reflec- tior, tending as I believe it would to conciliate ami harmonize all sects of Christians. TI agree form respei Chris great Fathe praye upon, separa an apj chara( Thi know ( promoi its aut] than tq casion nothim judices the en he mo united one or proposi conside is but t all Chi this apf tian pef Satu Ayre's 37 ;, ]H live the tve ser- frequent Church y which e above ence in ointment any dis- irch they le Revel. laving at ;ii*e to see I. Why elded to, ler peopk I she not lortunities immense nas beer, eaken its] ntinue to] •e to see could he I powerful ther this tain, but e one idea] tny reflec- iliate and I The idea is, that one day in each year should be agreed upon by all the sects, to put up together such a form of prayer to the Almighty on that day, as their respective Ministers might agree upon : All sects of Christians, Catholic and Protestant are agreed on the great and fundamental points. They all worhip Father, Son & Holy Ghost. Might not a form of prayer and thanks-giving, be therefore easily agreed upon, which should not in the least touch upon their separate and inferior articles ofbelief and doctrine ; and an appropriate sermon be also delivered of the same character ? This it appears to me is very practicable, and 1 know of nothing that would lead more to strengthen and promote the true spirit of Christianity as designed by its author ; certainly nothing could be more rejoicing than to see all sects of Christians agreed on one oc- casion at least, in offering up their united adoration ; nothing perhaps v/ould more remove unfounded pre- judices, intimidate and perhaps recal the Infidel from the errors of his thoughts ; nothing perhaps would be more acceptable to the Divine Creator, than this united adoration. Should it however happen that one or more of the sects might not consent to the above proposition ; it need not prevent those sects wlio may consider it likely to do good, from trying it. One day is but the 365th pait of the year, and it appears (o me all Christians might well consent to consecrate it by this approved and united homage, as a bond of Chris- tian peace and charity. Saturday, 14th Sept. Took the stage to go to Ayre's tavern on the Stanstead road. The road is D v IP 38 .,i^ not quite so hilly as hitherto. Some good farms, soil still the same ; saw some Schisti rocks which I should suppose would do for making tiling slates. It is mentioned in a late paper that an invention has been found for sawing slate into slabs for paying out liouses, yards, &c. which may likely be of use in this Country. Found more Indian Corn than at Stukeley. The Lake Memphramagog, the outlet of which we have just come from, lies a few miles west of it. It is thirty miles long, twenty of which is in Lower Ca- nada, the remaining ten on the other side the line. The 20 miles is not much cultivated round the Lake, which is said to be very deep : nigh Mr. Ay re's tavern : came to the shore of Lake Tomefobi, supposed Indian name, laid down on the plan of the Townships as Lake Missiwippi, we had a fine view of it coming overrtlie hills above it, it was calm when I passed and appears a beautiful piece of Water, 10 miles long lays nigh N. East and S. West. The road winds round the West side of it below the rocks which have a fear- ful over-hanging appearance. Fish caught in the Lake weighing 1 cwt. The vale in which Ayre's Tavern is situated is beautifully level and well cul- tivated, Oats, Corn, Potatoes and some Wheat. Sunday 15th Sept. Took a walk to go to the only place o^ Divine Service here, the Universalists ; was too late for service but had a delightful walk thro' fine meadows with hardly a stone or a stump, Oats, Corn &c. growing across the river which runs from Stanstead into the Lake Missiwippi. These Townships when cleared and settled, will certainly present as beautiful prospects as can be seen even in Old England, such intercharge there is of hill and dale. ij ^ 39 farms, r^liich I slates, ion has ino; out ill this ukeley. ich we t. It is 7eY Ca- (he line. 3 Lake. ^ tavern: supposed )wnships t coming I passed les lono- ds round e a fear- t in the Ayre's veil cul- at. tiie only Is ; was hro' fine ts, Corn 5tanstead ps when heautiful nd, such This afternoon took a walk to the Lake Tomefobi where the road runs at the foot of the Rocks which overhang it precipitously, large trees on the edge of the precipice with hardly eartii enough to hold them and as the rock decomposes, masses will fall in the road ; some of these rocks I observed have been forced up almost to the peipendicular by Igneous and Volcanic action. The layers dip N. E. generally. The rock is chiefly blue slate and apparently well formed for making slate tiles, the slate dillers from that round Granby in not having any appearance of mica. The soil of most Countties is formed by the decomposition of the rock below it which shews how useful some knowledge of Geology and Agricultural Chemistry would be to farmers. The soil adjoining the decaying slate rock, I observed this day has a sandy feel, shewing that the rock has a large proportion of silex in its composition. I am intbrmed this day by a Farmer that one and a half ton of hav is o;cnerailv cut on an acre of low mea- dow land, up lands some times more. Wheat, gene- rally 12 to 15 bu^hels per acre, but Ayres' father says he has reaped 32 bushels from one acre of good rich land. I was also informed that farmers in this and neighbouring Townships at an average raise 25 head Cattle per year ; good size oxen now sell here at $80 per pair for cash ; tlie Americans have hought up at least 5000 head of Cattle in the Townships and Sei- gneuries this year paying cash for the same. And nigh 2000 head have been driven by Mr. Longley, Cattle dealer, from hence to Montreal. Thus a ready and good market is offered to the 40 U : \lv farmers here at their own doors, for a staple article of the produce of the Townships : no Country could desire more, and it clearly proves that the complaints of some who are to, or have quit them, must have some other cause than either soil or markets. I have found the people on my journey hitherto well disposed to the British Government generally, and rather anxious to know if the Canadian war was to go on again; some however, appear jealous of those called by one at least " Yankee Tories," but the body of the People is reasonably disposed for moderate mea- sures towards the French Canadians, and appear de- birous that Peace should prevail, and public improve- ments go on. Found several french Canadians work- ing on wages at from 10 to 12 dollars per month in the Townships I have passed. The greatest part of th e farms 1 have visited are possessed hy Americans or tlicir decendants. Their families are good looking in general ; but do not appear very nun ;ous, tho^ I have been told there are families of 12 or 14 children. The children I have seen are generally handsome and pretty shrewd in their dialect and manners. In I'cgard to a desire for the improvements advo- cated in the Considerations on the Canadas^ the public mind here is not much awakened, the distance of time between the late disturbances and the present time is too short, they do not yet appear to be in that state of security which the mind requires bgfore it looks out for advancement. They in fact are yet in doubt whether it will be peace or war, but I trust the feeling of security will increase, and I am happy to find th now V( many \ of the I Public .Moi of Ayr Ibund s (lisinte; the soil silox tL iibove t plough Oats fr and pla zines u it. 1 1 to gain be able his neii there is nor wil in trod ui provem had so Asce the fine an Hor slopes, prising 8 miles. Stanstej 41 iincl tliat tliis expectation written on nay journey is now verified and trust there will W't now arise for many years any such obstruction to the advancement oithe Canadas in their gAriculturc, Commerce and Public Im[)rovcments as iias lately occurred. Monday Sept. IGtIi. Walked up the hills, west of Ayres' tavern iu a settlement called Brown's Hill, lound some black soil formed by the decomposition and disinteoration of the black slalv rock. The leel of the soil is sandy, proving (he Rock contains more silox than allumine in its composii'on. Saw one field above the hill all of this black vSoil. The owner's son ploughing in it, said he had taken fifty bushels of Oats from an acre. Next vtar incenderl to dunj^; it and plant Corn. 1 olfered him one of Evans's Maga- zines upon Agriculture, lie said he did not care to read it. I told him as a vouni» Farmer he should endeavom' to gain all the information he could as he might then be able to proiluce more on one acre of ground than his neighbours, at which he smiled. It would appear there is yet no stimulus ior emulation existing here, nor will there probably, until some method is found of introducing a zeal for the |)ractice of Agricutural Im- provement among the rising generation. His motiier had sold a pair of Steers for 40 dollars cash, Ascendinir the hill towards Ayres' Farm. I enjoyed the finest prospect I had yet seen in the Townships, an Horizon of Hilly Country with the most beautiful slopes, about 25 miles in circumference ; and com- prising a "^emi diameter from where I stood of about 8 miles. This view comprized 4 Townships, Hatley, Stanstead, Compton and Barnston. The view is D2 H 42 I* t 'i interspersof] with many cleared and cultivated Farms. Tiie Village Church of Hatley is also visible. In some 30 or 40 years this pr jspect will not be surpassed by the prospect from St. Foy's Church. Ascended to Brown's Hill, the land rising all the way and saews the Lake Tomefobi. In short it appears to me these Eastern Townships will very soon deserve the name of the Garden of Lower Canada. It is true the seasons have lately been unfavorable for Wheat, but that has been the case this year all thro' Upper Canada and almost the whole of the United States for I believe the two last vears before this. Indeed the Farmers of Lower Ca- liada may well put up with the loss of a Crop of Wheat now and !hen, when they remember that almost all over Ireland and a great part of Scotland and the North of England the grain consumed by xhe Farmers is I believe mostly Oats, R\q and Barley. Coming down from Brown's crossed a field of Wheat laying on the ground, the ears not more than \\ inches long, and hardly any thing in them. Was informed it got rusted very early. It appears to me the soil here is harJly strono; enough for Wheat. Oats, Barley, Pota- toes, Corn, Buckwheat, Gras and Hay probably suit it better, but the Farmers provided they can find a clay bank nioh enouoh can alwavs strenojthen a field for iirowino; Wheat, bv cartins; clav on it and on which subject I refer them to page 17, and feel convinced that their lands can be by this means made to pro- duce as rich Crops of Wheat as any soil in the Caiiadas. AValking home, called at a Farm and offered the 't-.t arms. is In passed ill the nships len of lately m the ist the TO last jr Ca- VVheat almost md the armers oming laying s long, 1 it got here is , Pota- suit it clay eld for ^vhich vinced o pro- in the red the a 43 Considerations ; conversing on the subject with the owner of the Farm whom I found sound and constitu- tional. He asked me if I thought there would be moie disturbance next Winter ? I said I could not think there would be ; that most of the Canadians J had con- versed with, said they had been misled and ill treated by their leaders and would not be so again, but I heard at Rougemont some of them had said, if the Americans came to help them they would rise. He said he did not believe the Americans would come ; on my ob- serving 1 believed the Americans had been misled by the refugees and made to think we were all slaves here ; his wife an American woman, said we were as free as they were. Crossed a field that had not been ploughed for 30 years having been all that time in Grass and Hay. The soil was red and sandy, and a little stoney but deep, light and powdery. They intended to sow Wheat next without any manure. Tuesday 17th Sept. Walked to the Lake on the new road, sat down by a spring of very cold water issuing from the solid rock, taste rather brackish. The air without a zephyr, the Lake a looking glass, Fish sporting. Observed some of the Strata upraised entirely to the perpendicular by some volcanic force from below ; one piece of the rock was projected beyond the perpendi- cular ; at the top of these vertical strata there is a singular apnearanoe : About five feet square of the rock lays quite horizontal which the volcanic force has not reached, all stratified rocks having been originally deposited horizontally. 'ij H H I. 44 At three o'tilock rode in the Stage from Ayre's Tavern to Stunstead phiin. The soil for 2 or 3 miles mucli as before, sandy jrravelly k)am; further on passed thro' a lew miles of wood lands, rather swampy. Coachman said it was a ecdd wet soil, but little large timber in it, hut it seems to me if (day lays below the black soil, (as is frequently the case) and could be ploughed in with the surface, this little tract wouhl receive great im[)rovement and probably be well cal- culated for Wheat ; and this observation will apply to all similar tracts. Hiding on a few mih s, came to a fhie settled Countrv, Ut U]f week of the There lanic's Son. En- rently about 40 head Cattle. I saw one pair, for which he had been offered thirty five pounds and refused it ; dined with him from a plentiful table. The land here about still good. Col. Kilborne has a fine Farm, but he having met with a serious accident, I had not the honor of conversing with him. Walked to what i» called the Island ; so formed by being surrounded with a fine run and fall of water, just on the lines* The little Village on it consists of various manufactories, Grist Mill, Saw Mill, Clothing and Carding ; Chair making an(^ a Paper Mill, which I believe sends 'U a good deal ol Paper thro' the Province. Severa ..tores and some tolerable dwelling houses make up the Village. Went into'a taylor's shop, saw several women making clothes for Americans over the lines who theieby save the duty on our cloths. Passed to the American Vil- lage opposite, was treated politely. Offered for sale copies of the Considerations on the Canadas at Mr. Baxters a fine looking young man who immediately bought a sett, conversing with another of the Store keepers on Canadian affairs he said he by no means approved either of interfering in them himself or of those that did, he believed the Canadas from the nature of their population being so discordant were not calculated to govern themselves and agreed with an observation I made that it was very probable if Lower Canada was given up by the British Government, it would not be able to maintain its independence long against some of the Foreign powers of Europe ; and as I have before observed, France would very like- ly be able to form a paity in the Province, and obtain possession of it and possibly of Upper CanacV. also. ^■1 46 • 1 Then adioii to llborly ; these Colonics would not have moie than France itself now has, and that is now much diminished. Sept. 21st Saturday. Walked to the Church two miles norlhof the Village of Stanstead, in the way found an inlolliocnt man ploughing ; the field had been in pasture thirty years, fine powdery soil, red and gre^ mlxt, owing to the decomposition of black slate and ?;ranite stones. Mr. M. saiil the black soil in this neighbourhood was formed by the decomposi- tion of black Slate. Conversed on Canadian politics explaining him the object of the Considerations of the Canadas^ vi::. of introducing the modern system of agriculture, among tlie French Canadians ; he said he believed agriculture would never be improved in this Province, till the land Tenure was changed, that he could brino- a i>;reat manv American Agriculturists of some ca[)ital into it, l»ut for that, and the dread of more disturbances ; said he could in that case sell his Farm for double what he gave for it. But a question would tlien aiise would those Americans prove good loyal subjects ? If they met with good treatment it is probable they would become so. The Church is a neat buildino- inside and out, but no service is performed in it. It is owned by different con^gregationc who it ap[)ears do not agree as to the time of the se|)arate services. To my surprize found the Church door open, and it is so night and day. — Called in a house wliere a poor lad is laying with his leg amputated for a white swelling nine years since. And he has had another bone taken out lately, and had been in his bed for the last .six months. One cannot travel long without finding 47 ot liave ^v much cli two le way ad been [cd and ck slate ck soil ;omposi- politics tions of system he said oved in ;ed, that ultiirists h-ead of sell his question ve good nt it is out, hut different to the )en, and ^vhero a a white ler bone the last finding what the Canadians call " mipcre." Turned up the road leading to Capt. Roses' Farm, he told me he had been on the farm forty years, it consits of 900 acres about 300 cleared, he winters nigh 50 bend cattle ; says he never saw a worse year for Wbeat than the present ; has frequently raised twenty live bushels on an acre, finds that he can produce as much as an acre now (in good seasons) as he could forty years ago; a pretty clear proof the Captain is a good Farmer. In iact it is almost laughable to hear some talk here of the lands falling oil' in a few years ; when we know tliat in the old Country the lands have been hard worked for hundreds of years, :\i\d yet by proper agriculture yield perhaps as much as ever. Twenty five bushels of Wheat per acre is said to he the average produce of all England. High rents and taxes there- fore, how much soever they are to be deplored ; have yet the effect of exciting the Cultivators of the soil to discover and to practise the most productive systems of agriculture ; enabling the Farmers to pay these high charges and yet I believe in general to enjoy abundance. And altho' our Cultivators here are happily exempt from those large demands, yet it is to be wished that a zeal for agriculture (one of the healthest and most in- dependent pursuits of life,) will ere long lead them to adopt those discoveries in that science and tho improv- ments in it which have hitherto enabled English and Scotch Agriculturists to bear up against the so much heavier charges attendant on Agricultural pursuits in the old Country. The Farmers in these Townships are in general shrew^d and intelligent, and will easily see how far i -3 ir 48 I •. these improvments can be adapted to their soil and climate ; and thus enable them to increase the value of their lands and properties. Before coming to Capt. Roses' farm, I passed a wood nearly all hard timber, Birch, Maple, Beech &c. soil much as usual, sandy and rather stony loam. There are in the walk round to the road coming out at Chamberlains, a surprising number of tine fields on the hills, almost without a stump or stone, past Chamberlain's Mill (say Grist and Saw Mill,) and a Clothing Establishment for dressing. Sept. 23d Monday. Saw the first Catholic Chapel, frame raised that has yet been in this County. It is said to be put up chietly by Irish Catholics. The Country round the plain is well studded with fine farms, and I believe this County is allowed to be one of the finest in the Townships. 24th Tuesday. Walked round by the field and farms east of the plains. Countetl on a farm adjoining the road being the last but one in Canada 70 or 80 Sheep, all belonging to the farm. Passed by a few American farms on east side the road, and came to the Island before described. The people in the Village of Stanstead or the plains appear to be all in a comfortable condition, no appea- rance of distressing poverty or as a french Canadian woman who with her husband came here from Three Rivers, said to me " there is not so much " misere" here. Many french Canadians have come here to find work, they get from lO.to 12 dollars per month and well found. One old man yesterday sent 70 dollars of his earnings to his brother in the Seigneuries ; some of {liese 1 to ser\ Tin Indian ship 4( owned Town? well 01 to obse ad vane Hov Indian above Bear ?J the des noblest This Metho( platr)ri them ii; last ac( 3000, was d y Weci i ode in miles f usual ; found s as befoi before j wood : week. I! HI - ■ I 49 and the sere' re to 1 and ars of me Of JliGse labourers actually keep a horse and chaise to ridf to service on the ^' Dimanche" Sunday. This morning saw in the Village two caieslies \vith Indians in them, they were going to Durham Town- ship 40 miles o(V, whore they lived. The two horses owned by the same Indian ; ho said he had land in the Townships. I obseived to him that '' Indian" was well o(V, to which he nodded assent. It is interesting to observe the gradual stej)s by whicli human nature advances thro' the savae forefathers of this poor Indian existed in a state of societv little elevated above his co-tenants of the forest the Wolf and the BearPJ Now, following the example of the white man, the descendant of these Savages has compelled the noblest of the animals to do him service. This day there was a Centenar\ Meeting of the Methodists attended by five Preachers seated on a platf)rm before the Pulpit in the Chapel. One of them in his address stated, that the Methodists by the last accounts from England had gained an accession of 3000, to their numbers, since the Centenary Meeting was d ^termined on, (as I understood him.) Wednesday 25th Sept. At four o'clock this mornino; lode in the Stage from Stanstead plain to Hatley 14 miles for 3s. 6d. the road up hill and down dale as usual ; but too dark and foggy to see much ; at sun rise found some good farms and orchards, soil much the same as before, saw lake Missiwippi or Tomefobisome miles before arriving at Hatley. The forests mostly are hard wood : put up at Child's tavern at tw^o dollars per week. The* Village has a very prettv appearance* E 50 i ■;;,; There is an Episcopal Church ami an Academy nigh it, a Methodist Chapel building, and two or three small stores. Walked on the Stanstead road, and was informed of an establishment on the west road. Thursday, 26th. Walked towards lake Tomefobi passed a Potashery, and a low tract of land nigh the Village, with two or three French Canadian settlers, they said the land was good and yielded well '' terre noir" one of tiiem paid 30 dollars a year for 150 acres land and expected to be able to buy it next spring. I found this man on my return, playing a violin very musically ; had made it himself. His mother told me she had a terre (farm) at Three rivers which they had quit because it yielded nothings said her son got 5s. per day in harvest time on the lake shore. Unless some better system of agriculture be introduced a- mon^^: the french Canadians in the vSeioneurios, I Jiave n> doubt manv of them will ere lono^ find them- selves in the same situation as this poor woman. They have crone on for more than 200 vears wearino- out the soil by continual Wheat Cropping, with- out sufficient manure, until it appears to be quite heart broken, and I have some idea, this want of a sound and healthv mode of aj^riculture has occasioned the generation of that pest of the Country the Wheat fly. We know that in the human body a long con- tinuation of poor and low living will generate disease, and it may be the case with poor husbandry. On the lake shore nln^h Hitchcocks found a retired little Village, 2 Grist Mills, Saw Mills and several houses and a very good sized tavern. Friday, 27th. Walked on the north road Towards r nigh three id was mefohi ^•h the }|tlers, ' terre ) acres nir. 1 1 very >Ic] me ey had got 5s. Unless iced a- PS, I them- oman, earing with- 3 heart sound Bd the Wheat g con- iseasc, retired ieveral )\vards 51 Deacon Littles, soil as usual^ some good clearances and farms. Went into a house where a woman told me she had reared eleven children, all girls. On my of- fering the hook for sale she said she did not know much of politics, hut thought the Countiy would do hetter if there were not so many diflferent kind of people in it, among the rest she mentioned (he English ; I told her the Country helonged to the English, at which she smiled and said " true." She was an American and I mention this to shew how nationality adheres to us all, gentle and simple. Dined at a jolly looking Yankee born farmers hut had been in the Province nigh forty years. He said the Country w^anted Ma- nufactures like the States, that there was not enough freec >m of s|)eech here, that a person stating opinions against the Government was hkely to be informed against and cast into prison without evidence ; that, this had been done with respect to Lee who was con- fined som.e months, and had just been acquitted for want of evidence. But it should be remembered this was done during the rebellion, which does not admit of the same nicety as in quiet times. Mine host told me he had wintered 70 head of Cattle, that some farmers in the Townships raised from three to four hundred bushels of Wheat ; thought the average of Cattle raised by all the farmers was twenty five head ; the average of W^heri perhaps 50 bushels. He said it was no use to raise more Wheat than the Township could consume, for they could not send it to tlie St. Lawrence, being too far oft*: a sound, observation. It is indeed to be laniented that the agriculture of 4 '^'f 5^ these Townships should be impeded by a cause of this kind, and it is to be hoped that before many years a communication by rail road or canal down the St. Francis, may be effected for that end. Went into another house, the owner, or a neighbour of his apparently opposed to Government, as he said he thought they would not do any thing for the Town- ships : he was opposed to the union of the Canadas be- cause he thought there would be less liberality then than ever ; and that they woul I do nothing but seek their own interests. I told him their true interests consisted in the prosperity of tlie Province, to which he assented. Called in at a house where I saw a very old man ; told him of the plan of improving the french Canadian agriculture ; he said he did not think there was any necessity for that ; the Canadians w^ould adopt a better system in time themselves. 1 observed they would not change unless it could be proved to them it was their interest so to do ; that they had continued to wear out the lands till at length they yielded almost nothing ; that the design of the plan was to hire a certain number of their farms, to say one in every fifth Parish, the farm to be changed in a certain number of years ; which would give them an interest in the success of the plan and effectively introduce a know- ledge of its superior yield all over the Seigniories which knowledge w^as now only acquired, and that very partially, in the neighbourhood of the Towns. This old man is an evidence that old age is not the season for making improvements ; rest and tranquillity is all it seeks. In my w^alk along the lake found much the same soil, excepting the Valley in the hollow above n\entioned occupied by Mr. Hall of Hatley. Tue mornin Con asHatl Churcl shops week : Major , the V' il of his fi liavo SG tlie wh( ciime. ^Yorm. I found had bee it vras n States 1 an inch hetweei who ent next y( soil bef; soino-tii told me iiatl obsi waters ( hour Ca which s the wori believed almost a 53 Tuesday, Oct. 1st. Arrived at Compton yesterdiiv morning paid Is. Sd. Stage fair. Compton is a pretty li'lle V^illagc nearly same size asHatley, but no water privilege; there is an Episcopal Church, two or three stores, a Potashery and two smiths shops and two taverns ; put up at 12s. 6d. per week : found the soil rather less sandy. Walked to Major Jones' farm who is settled in the Valley below the V'illago on 600 acres fme land ; passing over or.'^ of his fields, found it far less sandy than any land I have seen since 1 left Montreal. lie had cut dowii tlie wheat wdiich he says looked very w^ell till the ruh^t rame. It is almost destroved bv it and the ih' or worm. Conversing with him respecting his whoa% I found him a vcrv intelli^jent o-entleman. He said it had been destroyed by what is called the fly, but that it vras not a flv but a worm : savs a man in the United States had proved it to bo a worm of nigh a quarter oi an inch long wdiich comes out of the ground, gets up between the blades of the Wheat and deposits its young who eat the wheat and then return to tlie eartli till the next year. Asked him if he did not tldnk burning the soil before sowing would destroy ll}em ; he said he had sonje-times tfiouo'ht of that and it mioht answer. He told me tbe soil round his farm was alluvial, that he had observed the marks in the hills where the tide or waters of tbe lake formerly rose to; said bis neigh- bour Captain Snow had a tract of valley next his f\^rm which surpassed any land he had seen in any part of the world .On the subject of raising cattle, he said he believed more protit could be made by selling Hay at almost any price than by feeding it to cattle. The E2 ^ \^ M 54 forests round liim are mostly hard wood; said there was a oreat deal of elm which was always a sign of the best land. Had raised m some seasons three or four liimdred bushels of wlieat ; he paid a great compli- ment to the climate in his neiohbourhood, for that in l;is travels over a gieat part of the world, he liad never met with a more healthy Country. He mentioned also that a neiiihbour of his had raised near sixty bushels of wheat in a year on an acre of ground. I have heard of one farmer only in Upper Canada hav- ing produced tlie same yield ; hut it was got by un- common pains, sowing every inch of the ground up to tiic stumps by the lioe. Octr. 9th Friday. Having met with the son of an old friend Vvh) commanded a sloop of war in Hali- fax in 181 L and bcirj invited to oo and see him at Compton, i called and found him possessed of a fine Family of Eleven Cliildren two fine young men, his sons well grown u(). He is a Lieut, in the Navy, ov»'ns a farm of 120 acres in Compton Township with ()0 acres cleared, and he takes the most efiective mode of miakin<>: farmino; answer in this Countrv for he works it himself with his sons. I much hope and be- lieve he will prosper. This morn i no- ho conveved me to Lennoxville tluo' a very good road equal to any in England. The land tliro' Compton and Ascot is not nigh so rocky as what I have gone through. On the road we passed two Saw and Grist Mills. The Village of Lennoxville has an EpiscDpa! Church and is situated nigh tlie Missiwippi River. It has a Brewery, two 'averus and several stores, Capt. Crispo's larm is e was )f the ■ four )mpU- lat in never tioned sixty and. I I hav- >y un- 11 p to of an Ilali- lim at a fine m, his Navv, > with 3 mode br he nd be- oxville gh so road lage of ituated two ■arm is I 55 for sale at Compton. It has a house and barn, and the soil appears a good sandy loam. The house stands on a fine eminence nigh the road. We passed a farm formerly owned by a man who has exhibited an un- common instance of parental affection for his daughter who died in the States, having brought her remains thence and buried them in his own ground. The people in the Townships I have passed thro' are a majority of them Americans or their decendants, but I have found them generally well disposed to the British Government, with some exceptions. It is true j^that several Gentlemen from England have quit the Town- ships perhaps from this cause and the dissimilarity of English and American manners ; but it appears to me that people should endeavour to assimilate to the Country they come to reside in ; by which they would in a short period of time render themselves much more comfortable. It is probable in fact, that the peculiar state of manners in every community is produced gra- dually by the peculiar circumstances of every descrip- tion in which the community finds itself, and has pro- duced the same effect in this. I was therefore happy to observe much of this conciliating conduct in my friends' son above mentioned and accordingly I found him Well liked and well spoken of by his neighbours. Tho' the chief part of tho population here are of American descent, it is to be considered they were mostly American loyalists who quitted their Country on account of their political attachment to Great Bri- tain ; I cannot therefore subscribe to the sweeping opinion, the Montreal Herald has expressed of these r > < 1 1*1 t i1 Townships, namely tliat they could not be depended on, in case of an invasion from the Americans. It is hut fair to judge of men by their past conduct, now (luring the last American war and the late rebellions, tlie Townships I believe generally shelved themselves ready to defend the Province from attacks external and internal, and I have not a doubt that if fairly and liberallv treated by the British Government thev will continue to increase in that attachment which every people owes to their political duties. This morning walked to sec the River St. Francis ;br the first time, at its junction with the Missiwipj)i outlet stream. The St, Francis is a tolerably wide stream below the junction, and runs rapidly. Boats loaded with pearl ash have been sent down Irom Stan- stead even, at certain seasons to the St. Lawrence, being drawn over the portages ; but when the roads are good tlie french Canadians take goods up and down in their carts at a cheaper rate. Saw this morning some carts loaded with salt from Three Rivers. The driver sellinir it on his own account. It is much to be hoped ihere will be a navio-ijtion or conveyance pfiected alon^- the St. Francis by which the produce of a large tract of settled Country might then be brought down to the St. Lawrence thro' the lake Missiwippi and the two Magogs ; and possibly might occasion a considerable trade to and from the parts of the United States on tlie lines ; and this improvrrient, after peace and quietness is restored will probably be attempted by the Legisla- ture and the Land Company and more especially by the energy of the Inhabitants of the Townships them- selves. Thjj round ; hard r the soi this da; nigh S' rage of ships ci so that Octr. the roa Ont inform( from ar escapee farmer; ed so s( cause o him, X\ strew t] formed would } saved it this lad of this protect worm, i of dama ships, I year of third w lime du 57 i4, iver This day walked to Col. Morris' farm, llie soil round about the village seems to contain more of the hard mica slale rock than usual and no doubt it aftects the soil by its disintegration. Heard of u farm selling this day at ten dollars per acre for 100 acres £2500 cy. nigh Sherbrooke, Learnt at Lennoxville that the ave- rage of the cattle wintered in each farm in the Town- ships could not be more than twenty live head each, so that opinions vary here as elswhere on this head. Octr. 9th. Quit Lennoxville /or Sherbrooke found the road nigh ^the village more rocky than usual. On the road to it we passed a lady's farm who I am informed gathered at the rate of 480 bushels Potatoes from an acre of ground. It appears also her wheat escaped the rust and fly not withstanding most of the farmers in the Townships I have visited, have suffer- ed so severely from them. On my enquiring into the cause of this, was told by her farmer she had directed him, that when the wheat came to flower he should strew the ears with lime dust, she having been in* formed by an intelligent American Farmer, that it would protect it from the rust, and it seems it has saved it from both fly and rust. I afterwards learnt this lady reaped at the rate of twenty bushels per acre of this wheat. I had often heard that lime dust would protect from rust and if it will also from the fly or worm, it is a valuable discovery. By all the accounts of damage sustained from rust this year thro' the Town- ships^ I should say there will be an average loss this year of nigh one third the crops; and certainly this third would well pay all the expence attending the lime dusting of any number of acres of wheat. i i t H >' 'i M U 58 W Tiie Town of Slierbrooke is not well seen until you ride thro' some part of it, on turninj^ up the liillto cross the outlet biidge, passed some good stores and ta- verns and the Barracks or Guard room of the Volun- teers. 'J'he bridge is a fine large one, and high, anil the waters of the outlet rush impetuously down the rocks through i(, into the St. Francis. There is an Episcopal Church, a Dissenting Chapel and Catholic Church ; and the Company hav^e here their establishment ; large Grist Mill, Saw Mill and Clothing establishment which last is not now at work. There is also another Saw Mill a smithery and plough making Forge, in the Village of the Magog ouilet. This outlet it is said could be made navigable by locks which would produce a conveyance from the lakes to the St. Francis comprising a great tract of fine Coun- try which will no doubt become populous enough by and by to bear tlio expcnce. The operations of the Company appear at present to proceed but rather languidly ; to vvhich we are no doubt obliged by the sagacious promoters of the late foolish disturbances, which have occasioned the loss of nigh 18,000 emigrants to the two Provinces. But thank God we have weathered those gales and have to look out now for more prosperous ones. It appears that oy the latest accounts from England and Scotland there are great intentions and preparation for sending out ^^ttlers. The Highlands of Scotland especially, will furnish a hardy and valuable body and as Government intends to assist their emigration ; it appears to me they could not do more wisely than to locate them in some of the Eastern of Townships be twee industi derers trouble loyal h offer a pulatio The in the 1 liouses. I lea habit of by the ^ passed a 8 miles navicrati liver c( Frida the Jud about 7< supposec subject c found he vinces, (lians a j might pr the parei wcrkrel idea of g tical maj sion of tl sentation 59 » ,; tli» IK) late loss But and II and n for )tland y and n ; it in to iships between Sherbrooke and the lines. They are a loyal industrious set of people and would make good bor- derers to resist the encroachments of our sometime troublesome neighbours. The introduction also of a loyal home population of this kind is the true way to ofter a countorpoise to the increase of the French po- pulation in this Province. The Town of Sherbrooke is the largest I have seen in the Townships. Several good stores and genteel jiouses. I learnt to day from a person who has been in the habit of taking down pearl ashes to the St. Lawrence by the St. Francis, that there are four portages to be passed going down all of which do not make more than 8 miles of portages. If so, I should suppose a canal navigation for small vessels in conjunction with the 1 iver could not be very expensive. Friday, Octr. 10th. This day called on his honor the Judge a venerable looking old gentleman of about 70 years of age, very intelligent as may bo supposed, and energetic. Conversing with him on the subject of my Considerations on the Canada s^ I found he did not approve of the Union of the two Pro- vinces, he said he believed it would give the Cana- dians a great majority in the House of Assembly and might prove to be the separation of the Provinces from the parent State. I observed to him that part of the wcrk relating to the Union was groundec^, not on the idea of giving to the frcnch Canadians i\\e same poli- tical majority i hey formerly had, but on a new revi- sion of the Signeuries, on an increase of the repre- sentation of the British parts of the Provinces which ?■• i: H eo joined to the representation of the Upper Province should effect the return of" a Constitutional House ot Assembly. That this was a sinequa ncn of the phm of Union; that the fiench Canadians couid not reasonably expect, after two suppressed rebellions to be entrusted with the same de!L];ree of political power they had before; and could ordy expect to be rllowed as many repre- sentatives as would be necessary to give the required N cal information, and to advocate the proper sums to be voted for their roads and bridges, and education of their children, and other public services. The Judge did rne the honor to purchase a set of the work. Walking nigh the Town I was informed by a man that he would get 200 bushels Potatoes from half an acre of ground in which bricks had been burnt for- merly, and to which this much greater yield than is customary this season, was owing, which is probable ; I burnt clay being known as a ^^ood manure, most like- ly acting mechanically by retaining the rain. Another farmer said he had raised 500 bushels on an acre. On asking him whether the stronger land in the Valleys would not answer for wheat, and telling him I had known sandy lands in the Seigneuries greatly improved by manuring with clay ; he said shrewdly, by thai means they made their land equal to the Township lands, a sandy loam ; and he added that clay lands were too cold for wheat in this Country. This is I think likely enougli ; still the variety of proportion of clay that may be mixed in soils is very great ; and I think it probable that the addition ot more clay to much of the Township soils would enable them to produce a richer yield of wheat; what that increa by c\ thus c for its The kind Page'.* and en called Inns \\ nerall) Sherbi years t der the and its time, V craft, plus pr increa J and prr we ma Whi ofcatti drover to 100 the pre that alt so read especia saying that the and a g Gl DVincc Lise ot plan of onably rusted before ; repre- quired ims to ion of Judge a man lalf an it for- ihan is bable ; it like- els on and in telling leuries le said qual to ed that )untry. etv of |s verv ion of enable It that increased proportion of clay should be, must be learnt by experiments, but each farm vvouhi be enabled by thus claying a few acres, to have a good crop of wheat, for its own' supply at least. The people of Sherbrooke appear to me to be a kind sort of people, sociably livinu; together. Mr. Page's Inn at which I put up is an uncommon good and comfortable one, and for a small Town may be called an eh'oant estal)lishment. [r.deed at all the Inns thro' the Townships I have yet visiled, 1 have ge- nerally found kindness and atteiinon. The Town of Sherbrooke is possibly destined in no great number of years to become large and populous : when we consi- der the extent of the County, its numerous Townships* and its communication by waters which in course of time, will probably be made navigable nt least for small craft, and will (hen atford a conveyance for the sur- plus produce by two lakes, of a Country continually increasing in population, all the way from Stanstead and probably a gojd distance into the adjoining States, we may I think, venture to predict as above. Whilst residins: in Sherbrooke sjnv niiih 200 head of cattle drove in from tfie Seigniories by a Canadian drover for sale ; a good yoke is said to be worth 80 to 100 dollars. The drover told me that 80 dollars was the prevailing cost in the Seij>niories. It is remarkable that altho' the farmers of the Townships find at present so ready a market for their cattle, yet some persons, especially among the h)wer classes complain of this, saying it makes meat dear. They do not consider that the farmer getting a ready sale at his own door and a good price, is thereby enabled to hire more ped- !^ 62 pie to cultivate more land, and to increase his stock oi provender lor more cattle, and also to alTonl the better U) pay the price of lahour to the [)oor man. Thursthiy 17th Octr. Quit Sherhrooke for Mel- hourne and arrived there this night, putting u[) at EllioU'sat 12s. G(L j)er week, an Irm about a mile this side the viUage. Two or three miles from Sherhrooke stopt at an Fnii; the landlord was ploughing a .hill on his farm which appeared very samly. I observed to him it was veiy light soil lor wheat, but sup[)osed it would give good Oats ; he said ho had raised nigh 20 bushels of Wheat to an acre in it, and was to sow wheat next s[)ring ; In a verv productive season this might he the case. when the haul is well supplied with rains, any soil v/ill produce, if these showers be continued during the season of growth ; but the advantage arising from strong huids is, that they retain the rains in case of drought. Ti)e Country from Sherhrooke to a few miles this side Melbourne appears more sandy than 1 have met with from Montreal and the timber accordingly is mostly soft wood, spruce, fir, &c. Friday 18th Octr. Walked to Capt. Aylmer's farm, a relation of the late Governor General of the Canadas. The Caj)t. told me he had 500 acres land here and appears tt> be (like my friend Capt. Crispo's son of Compton) taking the true way to succeed in farming in this Country, attending to the working and manage- ment of his farm himself; he observed he did not ap- prove of looking for those comforts or luxuries which p'^plo may have been accustomed to in England until this i met Iv is miiig 63 thoy coiilil aflord, tlio tnoansof ohlaininij; thorn without obstructing thoir proirress in farming ; a cause which ho said had |)ro(hic(Ml the ill success of many cominu; out to fiirm from that Country ; and that they often houijht old farms which had hoen nii>;h exhausted hv over tdlaf^e, and then required manv years to restore thein. 1 mentioned the usinii* of lime in composts for that purpose, and was told by him there was abundance of limestone in the neighbourhood, lie owns a Mill in or near the Village. Shewed me a book published by Lord Br(Mi<.!;ham and others on agriculture, and I will here repeat an observation I made on the sul»ject of Mr. Dampier's farm, namely the advantage arising lo a Township from having inen of this description settling in it. Here, this Gentlemen introduces a book on the most a[)proved systems of agriculture in the (dd Countries, containing perhaps many valuable discoveries and practices ; which other- wise might never be heard of in the woods of Canada ; but whi(di may ultimat«dy prove of great service in their cultivation. Nothing is more likely to diffuse that zeal and emulation in agriculture, thro' a Country and nothing more likely than such zeal to render the agriculture of a Country prosperous and profitable. It appears to mc iherofore these kind of agricultural set- tlers deserve and are entitled to the respect and consi- deralion of the population of the Townships. On rising up the hill leading to the Captain's farm found the soil much improved as compared to the road to Sherbrooke. Called in this morning and saw a turning machine going by water. Next to a black- smiths shop nigh Elliotts observed a bank nigh fifteen i p. r I i I "i ' Ml 64 teet high dug into, which consists of strata of Pebbles of all sizes rounded byi'olling in water, being evidence of alluvial formation by aniMent inundation of the land, or at least that the St. Francis has formerly flowed over the spot for a long period of time. Mr. Elliott informs me lime could be burnt here at 3d. per bushel prime cost to the owner. Saturday I9th Octr. Walked to Page's Saw Mill IJ mile south of the village. The Mill is worked by a dam from a river ; on the road there^ found a rock of fine blue lime stone and a man burning lime from the rock which ho blasts with gun powder. The lime is brown and sells at 7^d. per bushel slacked. Sher- brooke and this place are supplied with white lime from Dunville at lOd. per bushel at the kiln there. Just below where the mim was burning the lime, I walked thro' a field of very fine clay soil without any fe»>iing of sandy grit at all, probably well suited for fine bricks or pottery work. Octr. 20th. took a walk back of the Scotch Meet- ing House on the hill west of the village, found the soil good loam, fields well cleared of stumps and stones. BackofCapt. Rose's farm, called at a farm house, the owner a young Irishman from north of Ireland, had been settled there eighteen years, said he had sown three bushels v;heat and expected to get thirty or forty bushels from it. It was not much rusted. Octr. 21st. Walked toward the Village of Mel- bourne ; nigh it there is a slaty lime stone rock from which they were burning lime. Instead of build- ing a regular lime Kiln, they dis; an oblong cavity in the bank, build up walls on each side with the lime 65 s^tone witliout mortar, loavini^ two or three flues all the length of the cavity for the fuel (wood) cover ever the flues with stone and fill up to some feet above the top of the cavity made in the hank; then walls and all are burnt into lime, (brown.) This lime stone rock is very abundant round the Village. Tho Methodists are baildin<>; a lino brick Chapel in this village of Mel- bourne. The bricks of which it is built have been partly made from a clay bank in front of the Chapel. They have thus hmo and bricks in plenty, and there is a bank of sand only ten feet from the clay bank. Timber of all kinds is also cheap ; thus they have all the materials fbi buildmg and indeed in most o^ the Townships I have past, this would appear to be the case from the convenience and size of their houses and taverns. The village of Melbourne is partly built on a fine slope of land along the St. Francis. It has five places of public worship, three good large taverns where boarding may be got at 10s. to 12s. Qd. per week and very goxl fine. There are several handsome dwelling houses all white which adds much to the neatness of the village, and there is one store, ^^r. Taits apparently completely furnished, and two or three others partly so. This day 23d. Octr. Passed over the ferry to see Richmond village Township of Shiptcm. The little village of Richmond has some fine large houses and one good roomy Tavern and a Store. Tie soil has much the same appearance as the other side. Was told in ^lelbourne by some one that the lime stone rock here is not so good for lime as there ; but this is denied in Richmond. " Esprit de corps." F2 I 66 ttad a conversation with a gentlemen settled on a farm here, a Lieut, in the Navy who has built an ele- ^i;ant brick cottage. He asked my opinion as to fallowing land in order to renovate the soil ; said he m tended to plougl, in grass sward for that purpose and liaped that would destroy the moss that has collected in <;he lield by being too long unploughed. Recom- iiionded him to dress it v/ith some lime or rather to iorm a compost of swamp black earthy dung and ijinc altemately, and any kind of rubbish, stumps &c.. lio comIc] collect. He said he believed he could get lime very clieap at the kilns at Dunville. I' appears they have no particular system of farming in ^ho Townships, that is^ as to regular rotating crops 1 am iiUbimod tliey take only one crop of wheat from ti](; grouiul and seed it dowu next season for hay or t^rass leaving It so some years ; and clear fresh land lor wheat. To restore worn out lands they summer laliow, losing by that means an annual return of crop whiclt I conceive they miglit avoid by sowing a green crop. But undoubtedly, the best way of restoring such worn out lands would be by a rich and plentiful <{ressing of good lime compost, made of black vegeta- ble soil as above mentioned. The only wav I should consider, bv which a fallow or resting of the land can produce the effect of benefiting the soil, is, therc'bv i^-ivins: time to the vegetable matter the soil yat contains to decompose and pro- duce the <>:asses which are now known to act as the food of vegetables. But the vegetable matter remain- ing in over worn soils can be but small, whereas by the dressing above mentioned, an abundant supply is , r^ 67 pro- the given to the lands. The black swamp soil contains much vegetable matter, whose organization is not yet thorughly destroyed ; and the lime immediately acts on it, and produces this effect, disengaging the car- bonic acid gas and probably a portion of azotic gass which both form the most nutritive food of vegetables. But we must not expect perhaps in the Canadas, to see the most productive system of husbandry in general use, until the farmer shall have cleared off his farm all the wood land he intends to clear, having then no new lands to resort to, he will have to look out for modes of keeping his old lands in good heart. But it is true that the general practice of grazing and alter- nately ploughing up the grass land in these Townships, will render this necessity of restoring worn land, by compost dressing less urgent here than it is in the Sei- gneuries, as lands long in grass are generally suffi- ciently productive, if they have been occasionally well dressed with manure in a proper manner ; that is by exposing the dressing as short a time as possible to have its nutritious gasses exhaled by the sun and wind. Oct. 25th. Passed over the ferry from Melbourne to Richmond village to go to Danville, ten miles east of it. On the entrance of the road to it there is a po- tashery and had been a grist mill burnt down by care- lessness; it went by water. The soil on the road much as usual ; found there was plenty lime stone rock and had been a lime kiln there. The man told me it made as good lime as any in Melbourne. Passed the rest of the road to Danville in the dark, thus had no opportunity of observing the Country. C8 '...f It is, as the driver told me interspersed with small farms of 100 to 200 acres, with some wild land, some parts of the road uncommonly rocky. Hut they talk of removing it a mile or two from Danv informed me th*.; iV ones decayed and the young ones took tlieir place J .St hi said as we do ourselves, from which indeed a ^ jd r\ mento rnori may be drawn. This farmer had been heie 19 years had a fine fvimily ofsix or seven cJiildrer., said he had taken 30 bushels wheat from an acre of new lund. The present year expected about 18 bu>hels per acre, the wheat not being much rusted, had sown early, and as the Townships are not so much infected with the fly as the Seigneiories, it would perhaps be pruilent to sow early. The Captain has a fine large clearance nigh 50 acres ; cleared it in four years by hired labourers. He is an old German otficer served in the British Army many years, and is a vuliiHl)Ie settler for the Township. I am told he winters on ihis and other farms about 30 head cattle, has a Potashery and is building a neat brick cottage ; seemed glad on buying a sett of my work on the Canadas. Novbr. 2nd. Embarked from Mauce as good wheat crops as any land whatever. Jt is true I the Colonel is said to have raised a good crop of wheat on another part of his farm, which probably was a bet- ter quality soil, and the crop was not much rusted nor weavel eaten. But the advantages above mentioned would certainly repay the expense of claying these san- dy soils. It is further to be observed that clay has been found to last on lands nigh thirty years which greatly diminishes the cost. Passed on to Major Menzie's farm. The ploughed land, much the same nature and quality as the Colo- nels, uncommon sandy compared to all the Townships I have passed through. Yet it appears both the Major's and the Colonel's crops have been good, both for wheat and oats. There must be some cause for this effect which I presume to be, that finding their lands of this sandy nature, they have made up for that by plenty of i ''4i J ! r w manure and hcUor husbandry than is found in other j)arts of (ho 'J'ownships. The Major tohl mo he foUowed (he rotation system of cropping, exactly. I ohsorved to him f thought cart- ing good chiy on (hese sandy hinds, if he fiad any not too far away, wouhl bo of much service. lie said all the hind bolow his house towards the river was a chiy bank. 1 told him if he usod it, it would [)robably prove a mine of wealth to him, as it had boon Ibund to be in Enoland and in some parts of this Province. He said he know claying sandy lands was good, and su[)posed about thirty loads to the acre would bo cnouiih. I observed that 1 should consider 2 to 300 loads was not too much and would pay, for it would last on the groiiml thirty years. He said he had this spring sown four acres of tliis sandy land with 2.\ l)ushels seed wheat per acre, ant^ expected to get more than ten bushels to the acre, say twelve bushels. Of ])case he said he had a most abun- dant crop on the same land. Now, if the above field of wlieat had been well clayed, j)loughe{l and harrowed in, it is [)robable that it would have produced twenty to twenty-five bushels, perhaps more. The Mnjor honored me by the purchase of a set ot my wc^rk on the Canadas. Between Col. Herriott's and Mnjor Menzie's there is a fine Saw Mill consisting of eleven saws. Pine logs only are sawed for the Quebec Market. This Saw Mill goes by water power of the Black River. Nov. 5, Tuesday — Rode in a Canadian cart to Ni- colet, 30 to 32 miles crossing the St. Francis a few miles below Drummondville. The soil on the road stilll a fc two] rat 111 seig Riv for som^ ved 77 still very sandy ; notliino- but soft wood in the woods ; a few miles afler crossinii- the ferrv found a mile or two bott 79 A mile higher up, the river expands into the Lake St. Peter, with an intricate channel and shallow water. Viewed with these considerations, and also as being the only Port on the south shore of the St. Lawrence, for more than 100 miles, it is not too much to expect that at some future period Port St. Francis will become a place of in»portance. The land about it to some small extent has been purchased by the Britibih Land Company, and is laid out into building lots. When- ever emiojration to the Eastern Townships is resumed, Port St. Francis as the nearest point of debarkation, and as having the best roadi of communication, will encrease in importance. It is already the stage and mail route, and the cost of transport per load to Mel- bourne, Sherbrooke, and oiher similar distances is one third less than via Sorel and St. Johns. Nearly the whole of the potash and other produce from those parts is shipped here. Having now finished this narrative of my jour- ney thro' these Townships, I shall here give a copy of a resolution that lately passed, in Quebec, on the subject of a road to the Townships ; also, some obser- vations on a meeting of the Merchants of this Cily, for adopting measures for procuring the speedy accomplish- ment of the Canal Navigation to form a junction with the Upper Canada Canal on the St. Lawrence, and conclude with some general observations on the advan- tages likely to result to the Townships from the same. At the meetmg on the subject of a direct road from Quebec to the Eastern Townships, the following reso- solution, being the 6th, was passed : ''That the leading road thro' the Townships of I 80 Lceds^ Ireland and Chester, first opened by the Mili- tary, under Sir James Craig, upon which scttlenaent has subsequently taken place, n^^as in some parts inju- diciously carried straight over lofty hills which might in several instances have been avoided ; in conse- quence of which the inhabitants in such localities, thinly scattered thereon, have never been able, and from the fruitless prospect of doing it with adv^antage, are little (lis[)osed to attempt to keep such portions in a state of repair ; and they are fast relapsing into a state of nature and thereby rendered impassable. " And that from the nature of the country thro' which this road passes, it cannot be so advantageously made the main road from Quebec to the Eastern Town- ships, as the road leading from Richardson',-, in the Seigniory o( St. Giles, thro' fSte. Croix, Nelson and Inverness, which latter road this meeting recommends with such slight (hiviations from its present line, as may be found expedient to avoid hills, swamps and other obtructions as far as may be practicable to do so. Which resolution was passed with an amendment by Mr. V/ickham. There are to be applications to Government made on this sul)ject by the Committee appointed by the above Meeti'ig, ami some of the Townships themselves. A gentleman at the meeting justly observed it was unrefjsonable to expert people to settle on lands when they had no road to get to them. The same gentleman instanced a remarkable case of the beneficial effects of opening roads in promoting settlement of lands. He had purchased a seigniory in 1830, and had opened n/tids to it, while owners of the neighbouring seignio- m ries had not done so, the consequence was that in his seigniory upwards of 150 lots were settled, while in the adjoining seigniories there were not 20. As respects the old Craig road, it, in conjunction with the Dudswell road, leads so directly into the heart of the more Southern Townships of the St. Francis district, and will thus offer them the means of commu- nication with the Quebec market, that there cannot be a doubt as these Towships increase in population and settlement, these roads will then be put and kept in good repair. On the 27th March last, a very numerous and respect- able meeting of the Merchants and Citizens of Quebec, without reference to politics, was held at the Exchange Room, in. Quebec, to take into con^^ideration wliat mca- surr-.-^ should be adopted to further tbe completion of the St. I^awrence and Chambly Canals, and otlier matters connected with the internal improvements of the British North American Colonies, the Hon. John Neilson, was called to the chair, who opened the meet- ing with a few remarks on the great advantages tliat would accrue to the country by the outlet for goods by the St. Law^rence, being facilitated, by which an immense trade now> diverted into other channels would pass thro' Lower Canada. Jas. Bell Forsyth, Esq., then addressed the meeting, and concluded with saying that the resolution he had the honor of being entrusted with was in the following terms : ' " That in the opinion of this meeting, nothing will tend more to the public tranqui"ity of the Canadas, and the rapid improvement of Her Majesty's Posses- sion in North America, than the continuation ol the I ♦ 82 T.V St. Lawrence Canal in Lower Canada, the enlarge- ment of the Welland Canal in the Upper Province, and the carrying into eflToct of the projected Canal between the Bay Verte and the Bay of Fundy, thus opening an uninterrupted inland communication of upwards of 3,000 miles." The resolution was unanimously carried. J. W. Woolsey, Esq., moved the 2nd resulution. " That ill the event of these great internal imj)rove- ments taking place, the inhabitants of the neighbouring States living on the shores of Lakes Ontario, Erie, St. Clair, Huron, and Michigan, would naturally look at the St. Lawrence as the most economical high road to the sea, and from the immense extent of coast conse- (|uently opened to British commerce, would cultivate a trade that would be most beneficially felt by the manu- facturing and shipping interests of the mother country as well as by these Provinces." Mr. Bristow seconded the above resolution and supported it with appropriate remarks : resolution passed nem. con. On motion of Ed. Glackemeyer, Esq., (wlio also made a few remarks,) seconded by Chs. Tu'v:'..or, Esq., it was resolved — " That a Committee of seven be named to take such steps as they may deem most proper for the furtherance of these great objects." The following gentlemen were then, on motion of F. X. Paradis, Esq., seconded by Etienne Parent, Esq., a[)pointed on the Committee : — Messrs. John Neilson, J. B. Forsyth, P. Pelletier, W. Bristow, E. Glackemeyer, .:K?tj^>; Gibb, and H. J. Noad. 'M* was 83 I shall now observe respecting these resolutions that in Chapter 2nd, No. 44 and 54, of my Work called, Considerations on the Canadas, I have pointed out some advantages which would accrue to Lower Canada from the completion of the St. Lawrence Canal, and it was with great satisfaction I found this measure approved of and supported by the respectable and intel- ligent commercial body of Quebec, the labours of whose Committee appointed for this purpose will, I ardently hope, meet with due success. I have now to call the attention of the inhabitants of the Eastern Townsfiips to the advantages which will probably result to them from the completion of this Can-d, and also that of Chambly. It is probable that in this case, Montreal and Quebec will bi'come large depots of provisions of all kinds, and that the Trade to the West Indies will be curried on from these cities on a much larger scale than has been yet the case. In my Considerations on the Canadas^ of whfch I distributed five hundred copies in Montreal, and two hundred in the Eastern Townships, I have, in No. 2, given a chapter on the expediency of an application being made to the Home Government or to the Impe- rial Parliament for the exclusive supply of the British West India Islands and settlements, with wheat, flour, bread stutls and salted provisions, &c., &c., whenever it shall be made evident to the British Go- vernment, that the mother country and the said North American Colonies are competent to furnish the full quantity of such supplies as are annually wanted for those West India Islands and settlements ; to this 84 t chapter then, I refer my readers inhabitants of the Eastern Townships who, I have no doubt, will concur in the reasonableness of this application, and in the great advantages which will probably result to these Provinces by this branch of Trade, if we can get it established. The Eastern Townships are well calculated for producing all or most of the articles w^anted to make up a well assorted cargo for the West India markets, especially salted provisions of all kinds. The Cities of Quebec and Montreal will therefore offer a valuable market to them in case the canals are completed and the above Trade to our West India Islands obtained. And as it is probable these highly important concerns w^ili be taken up by the United House of Assembly, which it is now very probable will have place ; I would here earnestly recommend to the inhabitants of the Townships to choose, for their Representatives, men of sufficient commercial knowledge, and of general intelligenco of the interests of the Province, as will lead them to support or advocate these measures which, I have not a doubt, will produce a general spirit of in- du./.ry and enterprize in the Agriculture, Commerce, Trade and Navigation of these Provinces, and thereby ultimately conilrm their tranquility security, prosperity and happiness. HENRY TAYLOR. > ERRATA.— Page 24, line 13th, fo^> '• laj-Aliy " -ead «' loyally." Pa2:e 28. line 21st, for ^' we>'« '^ reiul ** rode ^'. Page 32', line 25th, for page ^^ '^4 '' rend *' 29 ". Page ^7, line 5th, for '' £2'»y' y. *' read « JE250 cy.' Page 70, line 2Gth, for ^^ at en ,el. "' read " almost en tirely ". al ■■:'^ *fcj% f f A "•^ LIST OP 'SIJBSCRIBERS TO A CONSISTING OT TKOM 75 TO t tipAGES, IN I2ll0^ 8£WED } AS PXB FRtfinsCTOS. Antiobus, E. W.R. Anderson, Anthony Alpoft, L. W. AylmckIe,Th08. Bowes, Wm. Bowles, W. Cochran, Judge Clapham, John Cannon, L. A. Campbell, Arch. Coyle, D. Claribue, James Cbant, Edw. Harwell, H. Cazean, C . J. . Cumming, R. J^ CaroD, the Hon. R. E Daly, D. Desbarats, George Dedn, James Desbarats, —7- , Eglinton, Geo. Futvoye, George Fraser, A. GP'T^our, R. GiL , G. Gillespie, Jas. Glnckemeyer, E. Green, J. Uossack, W. Goi-don, Mr. Hyde, H. Uutton, G. henderison, Mr. Irvine, J. G. Jones, J. D. N. Jeftery, - — Kendall, Wia. King, J. Kirkwood, Jos. Le Cheminant, W. Lindsay, M <^ Leggo, W. X- Leay craft, J. Lloyd, Thos. W. Lent e sty, A. Lowndes, James J. Landry, J. B. Lindsay, VV. B. Marsden, Dr. Murray, Hugh Mechanics' Institute. Mcl^ aster, Wm. Muccarthy.. D. McEvran. George Massue, Louis M^rt n, Miss Morrin^ Dr. may, Mr. v- ■ !Mao4iic, Rev. George Morgan, C.D.A>C.G. Nesbitt, J.J. Oliver, E. Panet, the Hon. Louig Peroberton, the Hon. G Patterson, Peter Phillips, Win. Power, Wntt. Phillips, Mr. ttacey, Dr". ... Rusi^eil, Andrew l! Kuthven, Wm. KUssett,, A. J. Rourke, Ray side, W. It. Richardson, H. Robertson, A. Synies, R. Stewart, C Smillie, Jameft,,; Stewart, Chs. Stewart, G- O. Sj^ayner, T-A. Smith, C. Treinain, W. Tod,*A«ohir-,"«'.'.^ *rigg;fe,/B.. . >|| Vivian, Richarcl Wilson, Mr. Wainwrigh!, Richard WiUon, J T. Wilkie, Daniel Wade. EU. Young, A. Youiig, James M ■Ff #V fmmmm . Louis Hon. 6 MP