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Xrr'^^^ '^Sr? m ^^^^^^^-^ UKl^ xi^ P^A^^' •/ u jm esuHKrtuB bas 3^ r,A ELookcnit ,t7., fTeor *7/ , .^jQr\.^\ X'',K'htiu> ■■^=^3 / i IT A \StimJ / maxu i '.''■•'■<■ my :■ J.enJUnvIlM'ihelJb^ y ;.« - 1 'JWRJW-' 1^ I I: \ 0^ $ 4 t IBtmniiSai .■3--S- c^^ n J ^^ v ^ •S^ •/ ■I ^^ and tile ^^nfen^. tTjviTBjD States :north America, Coast ofZjLB^Anojf i<»i Sritisk Statute afiles GJJ'a to a Degree to 4(1 go 8o 200 '^ii 65 XangitudefTVest irom. LondaD. ^^SUKp^lteiieBru^ Sii-eet. X T30 XYtASaipAnmi. i'. ^■ m im ■ tmadt^maiau 1 »»»• - ■>..' BI( DON 't^tmitmm 1 TRAVELS THROUGH CANADA, AND THB UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA, IN THE TEARS * 1806, 1807, ^ 1808. TO WHICB AKB ADDED, BIOGRAPHICAL MOTICBS AND ANBCDOTB8 OF SOlfB OF TBI LBAOIN6 CHARACTBRS IN THB UNITBD tTATBS. 1 BY JOHN LAMBERT. IN TWO VOLUMES. WITH A MAP AND NUMEROUS ENORjmrGS. VOL. I. ^11 • SECOND EDITION, CORRECTED AND IMPBOVED, LONDON^ PRINTED FOR C CRADOCK AND W. JCT, Itt, rATBMonBa-Bow; DOXO AKB MriRUNO} IDIITBiniOB; AMD M. SBBNI, OiaUir. 1813. ■, ! t / i-rAMtt^^l^ "^ .■•"4'^ « I ■* v • • 1 1 8€ rc fritttd by Bkhari T^jflar and Co., Printm' Cmtrlt SktfUmi, Ltmi^. ' ( .■ « 'It tfLminn. PREFACE TO THB SECOND EDITION. 1 HE obstacles which for nearly three years have retarded the publication of a second edition of these Travels being now removed, the work is again presented to the Pubkc with such emendations and improvements as opportunity add further information have rendered available. Its publication also at this particular moment will no doubt prove acceptable, as it af- fords a more recent account of those parts ' of North America which have lately been, orare likelyto become, the seat of war, than any other work of the kind. It will enable the British reader to form a just opinion of the Canadian colonies, and to appre- ciate the character of the neighbouring enemies who threaten their existence. The various manners, customs, and dispositions of the several classes of inhabitants, both a2 \ u IV PRBFAGK TO THl SECOND EDITION. in Canada and the United States, are given with fidelity and truth; and tiie distinguishing features of society are de- picted in their natural colours. It has been the author's object to describe things not as he had read or heard of them, but as he found them ; and to exhibit to the European world the vast and rapid strides which the American continent is making towards wealth, power, and dominion. Few men thirty years ago would have believed the United States capable of at- taining such a rank among nations as she holds at this day ; and yet it is nothing to that which might be expected from her, were her councils guided by wisdom. The two Canadas have also rapidly improved, but not in proportion to their neighbours, for colonies have not the vigour and spirit of independent states. The genius and dis- position of the French Canadians, who form so large a proportion of the inhabi- tants of the Lower Province, are of so pe- culiar a nature that they require more than an ordinary attention on the part of their Goviernment. Much, however, has cer^ I m PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. ▼ tainly been accomplished in the manage- ment of a people so opposite to ourselves both in religious and political feelings. T{\€ wise and beneficial measures which have bet'P pursued towards the Canadians reHecf the highest credit on the British Government. French as well as English, Catholics as well as Protestants, are all unanimous in defence of their country. Every man throughout the Canadas is a soldier; and not one of them but has cheerfully attended the call to arms. This interesting fact cannot but convey to the mind the most pleasing sensations ; since we find a nation of ancient foes both in politics and religion now united in the strictest friendship, and vying with each other who shall display the greatest ardour in'protecting that Government under which they have enjoyed so much happiness. The character and manners of the Ca- nadians, as well as the people of the United States, are even at this day but Kttle understood bj us; and the most vague notions and ideas are entertained 43oth of the countries and their inhabi- :*■:■ -J .' VI mBrACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. tapts; Prejudice and animosity have con- tributed to warp the judgement of some writers; while others, seeing every thing with interested or partial eyes, have pre- sented to the world the most flattering and deceptive accounts. The true cha- racter of a people, and particularly such a one as that of the United States, is of a very mixed nature, and can never be gathered from this or that remarkable feature. Manners and customs are all more or less subservient to local circum- stances and situation, and may perhaps carry a nationality about them ; but the mind, the disposition, and humours of men are ascertained with difficulty. The Canadians have less variety in their com- position, being separated into French and English, and partaking of the peculiari- ties incident to each of those nations. The inhabitants of the United States, on the contrary, are composed of people from almost every nation in Europe, though by far the greater part are descended of British parents. The establishment of their independence has created an evident (>. »N. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. fit ave cdn- of some ry thing lave pre- lattering ue cba- irly such tes, is of lever be narkable are all circum* perhaps but the lours of ty. The eir com- nch and eculiari- )ns. The » on the Je from ough by ided of ment of evident » * change in their moral as well as political character ; and from this no doubt arises that self-consequence and conceit in the young American, which gives such an air of rude licentious liberty to the mass of the people. This kind of liberty frequently proves more tyrannical in society than the occa- sional abuse of magisterial power in a mo- narchical government ; for a man in the American States, if he does not happen to be on the popular side of the question, is often afraid to speak his sentiments, lest he should be abused and ill treated. These political animosities and arbitrary conduct extend even to courts of justice, where the Judges on the bench too often feel their contagious effects. It is such coarseness and vulgarity in their political disputes which render the American man- ners so repulsive to Europeans, and have raised in their minds so great a prejudice against them. There is, nevertheless, much real worth in the American character. The United States can boast of having produced many excellent men, who have $4 VHl riUBKACaS TO THE SBCOND EDITION. ^ t i reflected the greatest credit oh their coun^ tr^. Many- aliithi9> day coukl be found wha would pro?« distinguished ornaments in the councils o^ their nation, did not the virulence of party- faction, and the in* trigues of a foreign despot, render their services abortive* ^.iJ4i^^*^f . -The war with this country has been commenced on the part of the Americans in total disregard of their own interests, as well as those of honour and humanity. They have voluntarily enrolled themselves in the cause of universal despotism, and, could they receive his assistance, would put themselves under the banners of one of the greatest tyrants that ever swayed a sceptre. Yet these people talk loudly of their republican liberty ,-r*»their love of Areedom and virtue. If their Government possessed one spark of either, it would have lent itsielf to a better cause. The American naMe is degraded under such rulers; The #hole people are stigmatized for the Sottish ignorance of a few dema- gogues ; and they are regarded by Euro- peans with distrust and contempt^ for the . PRBf ACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. IX i J r coun*- found aments lid not the in* )T their 9 been lericans restSy as [nanity. mselves n, and, , would of one swayed udly of ove of Tnment would The^ ;r suchi . natizedi dema-''^ Euro^V for the! paJtry equivocation and shufflihg which have marked their official character. Had a Washington or a Hamilton presided at this eventful period, how different would have been their conduct ! .i.t t^-^ --i^ii- - luThe misfortunes which have attended the American arms in Upper Canada will most likely contribute to check the pride and insolence of the populace, though it may not convince an ignorant Government of its errors. Their ill success on land was as unexpected by th6 gene- rality of the Canadians, as their tempo- rary success at sea was unlooked for by the British nation. The invasion and re- duction of the Upper Province, at least, was considered almost inevitable, from^ the superior numbers which it was thought would be brought against it. Lower Ca- nada might be overrun ; but while Quebec and the navigation of the St. Lawrence remained to us, it was not likely that it would be conquered. i The ignorance and imbecility of thef American Government have, however, f completely baffled the expectations of all -:> 1*1 ^, vij. FRBFACX TO THK 8BC0NO EDITION. ties ; for it cannot be imputed to the wisdom of its councils, that its tiaval cap- tains fought with skill and bravery. Se- veral of those officers were educated in the British navy, and acquired their knowledge in a school which it was not in the power of the United States to create. The generals and officers commanding their land forces have displayed every thing but knowledge^ conduct, and valour; and their troops^ every thing but discipline and subordina- tion^ One army, after a march of so^e hundred miles into the interior, turns short round, and runs home frightened at an enemy which it had never seen ; and leaves its unfortunate commander behind it, lamenting his hard fate, and a trou- blesome diarrhoea. Another sets out on a contrary direction ; but, instead of pur- suing its enemies, is employed in running after pigs and poultry, and plundering the houses of its countrymen. One officer and his corps are surrounded and taken by a handful of British; another sur- renders a fort without firing a shot ; and a third, who is no less a person than the •« FEBFACE to THE SECOND EDITION. El <.V to the iral cap- py. Se- !d in the owlcdge )ower of generals d forces >w ledge J troopfS) bordina* of so»iie ms short id at an n ; and r behind a trou- ) out on I of pur- running iring the B officer d taken her sur- lot ; and than the commandef-in-chief ^, winds up the cam- paign by going distracted!! > The province of Upper Canada, which has borne the chief brunt of this unna- tural contest, was before the former waif, nearly one vast wilderness : a few forts and small settlements for the convenience of the fur trade, were all that relieved the gloomy appearance of interminable fo- rests and immense lakes. Since thei con- clusion of that war, the settlement and GUi ' vation of Upper Canada have been an object of much attention on the part of the British Government. The Loyalists who were driven from the United States found here a comfortable asylum^ and^ together with numerous families who emi- grated from Scotland, soon formed a re- spectable colony. The settlements were also considerably increased by the dis- banded officers and soldiers who had served in America. These people received large grants of land from Government as a reward for their services; and either cul-; tivated the spots themselves, or sold them • General Dearborn, Secretary at War. ^iV^ , . / 111 PREFACE TO THE SECOND SDITIOW. 1^: i to others who did. This zeal for peopling the Upper Province met with every en- couragement from home, ns it tended to form a strong barrier against any future inva- sion from the neighbouring States. Towns of considerable magnitude were in a few years constructed upon the sites of old forts and blockhouses ; and the shouts of hunters and the Indian warhoop now gave place to the busy hum of trade and com- merce. The Lakes became covered with ships instead of canoes ; and every town resembled a sea-port. i^m i« 43*>iu pi dly destroying them. The forests abound with animals of every kind capable of yield- ing food and raiment : and the Indians, who reside here in great numbers, live al- most entirely on the profits arising from the chase. The skins of the animals are sold for considerable sums, and the bodies serve them ^ for food. The commerce of Upper Canada has within these few years increased amazingly ; and targe quantities of flour, potash, timber, and other na- tive productions, have been exported to England. The English laws entirely pre- vail in this province. Direct taxation is but trifling; and any man with a mode- rate sum of money, has it in his power to acquire a very handsome competency. The manners, customs, and amusements of the people resemble those of the Bri- tish nation ; and though society is yet in its infancy, it is not wanting in those re- quisites that make it agreeable to strangers, i The Upper Province is indeed a valu- able appendage to the British empire, and, in connexion with Lower Canada, is es- sentially necessary to the maintenance of ■•\i -■*. PRIFACB TO THE SECOND EDITION. sr its power ia North America. It is the magazine from whence this country de- rives considerable resources, in some of which it even excels the Lower Province. Without the latter, however, it would have no opening for the diffusion of its com- merce and productions to foreign parts. The St. Lawrence is the great outlet for Upper Canada. Quebec is the key of all our possessions in that quarter, and is the only port through which the productions of the two provinces can find their way to Europe. While ' we keep possession of this strong hold, which is now become al- most a second Gibraltar, and have the pre-eminence on the lakes and rivers of Canada, neither province can be wrested from us. These prefatory observations respecting Upper Canada have been called for by the events which have pc^urred since the publication of the first edition of these Travels. At that time the war was only in embryo, and no particular interest could attach to any place from military events. Since then it has acquired a greater in- terest by the operations of the war with lyi PRSrACB TO THB SICOMD BDITIOM. 1 the United States, though they have by no means been confined entirely to that province ^Lal^eChaiBpls^ftiamtf the neigh- bourhood of Montreal have felt their in- fluence : and it is probable that the Ame- ricans, finding' ithktehseWes'i baffled in all their attempts to subjugate the Upper Pfovi n c e,' may-be induccdTir the ensuilkg tenttipaigfl t(* inrst^' Dotret GaAjkd1|;^[in Which case thescS yblvmes w^jll^^ ^m^i^^ po|#8esa a gf;^teff.*!t?^iflp.te rtlfiriP^i^^i***. jlK^ntiion (than »An^ (K^iiiaQooUi|t<^of i North America extant* * •" ^ ^*^ J /iW I Abv. 1st, 1813. ; M,^ , n ,^i < fl'jiffv; al^imi '^?oil.f *. f »• ii r in I r ■•j Ui] ^ , ,^ ^* What a large volume of adventurer may be grasped within this little span of life, by him who interests his heart in every thing; and who having eyes to see what time and chance are perpetually holding out to him> as he journeyeth on his way, misses notlung he can fairly lay his hands on ! " Stbrnb. I HAD long entertained a desire to visit the American continent, and to explore those parts which have been rendered in- teresting by the glories of a Wolfe and a Washington. In the one I had to see the effect of a foreign government upon the minds and manners of a people widely differing from ourselves : and in the other, the effect of a new government upon those who a few years ago were British subjects, but who now hold a distinguished rank in the scale of independent nations. In short, VOL.1, b V- • •♦ STiii itmoBucnoK to thb riii«r bditiok< m 'i '■ ■!■-! to see the new world, and to tread on that ground which little more than three cen- turies before was unknown, was an object which I ardently longed to accomplish. , My wishes iu)4;his respect were at length gratified ; and I arrived at Quebec in the autumn of 1806. I had previously read se- veral authors who had written on Canada ;, but I had not been long arrived, before I found that a considerable alteration and improvement had taken place within the last twenty years. The descriptions then given, were no longer perfect. Many in- teresting particulars had likewise never been noticed ; and Lower Canada seemed to be as little known to the people of England, as the deserts of Siberia^' wnal . I therefore availed myself of this* fa vour-^ able opportunity to collect information^ and to make myself acquainted with the present state of Canada. Every thing was of an interesting nature ; for though the province belonged to the British Govern^ ment, yet the majority of the people wer^ totally different from those whom I had been accustomed to see; their mannensr .Si-'4J nmtODUcnoN TO TRi nnvr I0ITION. xix customs; language, and religion, were all new to me ; and I found myself at once upon a strange soil, and among a foreign people. ' I Atlter residing a twelvemonth in Candda^ I visited the United States, a country, whose rea/ state and condition is almost as little known in England, as that of Cana- dr ; and the manners and disposition of whose* inhabitants are seldom viewed but through the false medium of popular pre- judice. Wiiiitcvef truth there may htive been in ihe accounts given of the United States by fomwr writers, they present at tins day, but imperfect or distorted pic- tures of the country and its inhabiUmts^ Those who have not seen the United States ibr the ■ last twenty years, would be asto- nished at the alteration that has taken place* No country, perhaps, ever increased in population and wealth, or rose intaim-* portance among other nations, more rapid- ly than the United States. Within the* space of thirty years they have emerged> from the obscurity of colonies, into thai rank of independent States ; governed by^ b 2 ' . lit INTRODUCTION TO TBI FIRST EOITfOlf* I t a constitution altogether novel in the pre* sent times, but which, whatever defects it may contain, has proved the source of all their prosperity. The people of England are too apt to hold the character of the Americans in trifling estimation ; but when it is known that their country is fast ap- proaching to importance, that their im- ports and exports already amount to onC" half of those of Great Britain, while their annual expenditure is not a twentieth, and their national debt not a fortieth part of burs, we cannot avoid giving them our oieed of admiration. It is to be hoped that the two nations will no longer give way to blind and acrimonious prejudices against each other, but endeavour to cul- tivate the blessings of peace, instead of the horrors of war. . .^ * . . I certainly felt a lively interest in visiting the United States, with which I was but imperfectly acquainted from written ac- counts. My eyes and ears were open to every thing I saw or heard ; and though I met with a people whose manners and customs differed but little from those of : i IKTRODUCTION TO;TB£ FIRST SDinON. XXl my own countrymen, yj^t there was a noveJty in many things ,^Jiich arrested my attention, and was not always unworthy of notice. .U^l^f^, .v-The result of my labours I now lay be- fore the public, and trust tliat their libe- rality and candour will make allowances for the errors and deficiencies of a first at- tempt If I have been too prolix in some things, it has been occasioned by a desire to impart all the information which I con- sidered useful or interesting, and by look- ing upon a variety of subjects, new to me, with more interest perhaps than they really deserved. If I may have said but little upon other subjects, it is because much has been before s^id of them, and I wished only to touch most upon such things as were possessed of the greatest degree of novelty or importance ; not but that it is a difficult task to speak only of what others have omitted ; for, as Dr. Johnson truly observes, "to oblige the most fertile genius to say only what is new, would be to con- tract his volumes to a very few pages." In the course of my tour through Lower t-; 1(X11 IMTflODUCtlON TO THE FIUST EDITIOK: Canada^ and part of the United States, my object has been to describe the people as I found them ; to .remove the veil of un-f just prejudice, and the gloss of flatteryj If in some places it may be supposed that I have spoken; with too much freedom, I can only say, that it is the freedom of truth; yet, where truth has obliged me to speak freely, 1 have done it only from a con^ciou^jpess of its being of public utility, and not from a desire to hurt the feelings^ of any individual. In expressing my opi- nion of such things as offered themselves to my notice, I hope that I shall not be accused of presumption by those who may ditfer from me: we are ail anxious to leanv the thoughts of each other, and a man writes to little purpose who is afraid of speaking his real sentiments. A traveller who visits foreign nations should bring home that knowledge and information which may be of service to his own coun-N try; such as ipay supply some want, or mitigate some evil ; but he would ill per- form the duty incumbent upon him, were J^e servilely to flatter the errors and pre* IMTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EDITION. XXlH judicea, which he should endeavour to correct, v?*'' ''^'•* r ■- --f 4<^fh-%f''T»-At, t fc.j,;,((.rf-*.i.7 i«, I Amidst the variety of manners and dis- positions which distinguish the natives of every country, a stranger meets with cha- racters of all descriptions, and often of the inost contradictory nature. 'Hence, even his owii opinions are, at times, rendered almost irreconcileable; and he himself is at a loss how to judge bf the pe^le whom he wishes to describe. In most'bountries there are certain*traits and peculiarities in the natives, which may, in sbrtie measXire, form wh^t is called a national character ; yet to designate a people thus ihdiscrirrii- nately, is as erroneous in judgement, aS to sum up the total^ of a niati's disposition from particular lineaments of his counte- nance. If, therefore, opposite qualities are found, and seemingly contradictory characters displayed, in^ the people ^vhom I have attempted to delineate, they are such as characterize human nature more or less: for perfection is unattainable in this life ; and virtue may predominate where vice exists. ^^ **' ••■'&, ,*- ZXiv INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST EDITION. V Upon the same principle, every coun- try has its advantages and defects; and whether it be the frozen deserts of the Eskimaux, or the luxurious plains of the Italian, each prefers that country which gave him birth. Hence, while I acknow- ledged and admired the easy indepenaence „ and happiness of the Can^ians, the rising prosperity and freedom of the Americans, I could not look back on the country I had left, without sentiments of greater venera-» tion and attachment than any I had before felt. I compared the advantages and de- fects which each country possessed, and the result was decidedly in favour of my own. I have considered it indispensable to say thus much in explanation of my sen- timentSv not for the purpose of laying claim to merit which I do not deserVe, but because I venture before the public as a stranger, whose principles are unknown, and may therefore be misconceived. As to the work itself, I submit it to the im- partial judgement of the public, with the utmost deference to their opinion, by which it must stand or fall. i» m'l. f. s-A iZ4X t ^^^. . -■i > :. > V .A *:■« -^ , . CONTENTS. i I •^li^.vA«*J^.f^i**i^i''4i VOL. I. PxBFACB to the Second EdfHon Iktroouctioh to the First Edition JPage ii >xvii Xi^f ■.ii^i CHAPTER L Pauage to the Grnnd Bank. Fine Weather. Trepasse Bay. Newfoundland. Description of that Island. Dearness of Provisions. Gale of Wind. Alarming Night. Capt. Cook's Charts. Dreadful Shipwreck. Uncertainty of a Sailor's life. The protecting Power of a Snprenae Being. Mag. dalen Islands. Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin. Passage through the Galf. Island of Anticosti. Father Point. Facetjoos Pilot. Confession of the I.adies. Cannot keep a Secret. Story of the Priest and the Bibte. Arrival at Quebec. B^aU' tiful Appearance of that City and the surrounding Country. 1 CHAPTER U. Hire of Houses at Quebec. Roofs. Chimney sweepers. Narrow Streets of the Lower Town. Cape Diamond. Dread< All Accidents. Mountain-street. Steep Ascent. Breaknedc Stairs. Singular Escape of a Boy. Canadian Stores. Ta- verns. Unbn Hotel. Irish Landlord. General Mont- gomery's Attack on Quebec. Sudden Defeat and Death. Application to the Canadian Government for his Bones. General Arnold. Intendant's Palace. - • - 14 ^^- SX?i CONTBMTI,: '»"■ . '. CHAPTER III. ^ »!n T/ aliW Origin of the Name of Quebec, Its strong natural Situation and Advantages. Capability of Defence in case of War with the United States. Origio of the War between the Iroquois and Algonqiains. Impolitic Conduct of Champlain. fortifications of Quebec. Expedition of Sir W illiam Phipps. New Improvements, Martello Towers. Wq^e's Cove. Battle of the Plains of Abraham. Death of General Wolfe. Ingratitude of his Countryipep in C ~ - ^» • - 49 ■ -) CHAPTER V. Upper Town of Quebec. New Buildings. Butchers* Market. Show of Meat the Day after Good Friday. Feasting after Lent. Price of Provisions. Frozen Provisions kept for five IMonths. Extravagant Price of European Goods. Tommy Cods. Fish. Wild Pigeons. A Market Scene. Poor Mulrooney. llie Habitant outwitted. Stinking Cheese aa t COKTBNTS. axvH .' Epicurean Delicacjr. Butter from Green Island. Fro«eii * Milk. Maple Sugar. Origin of eating sweet Things -i \«rith Meat. Price of Articles at Market. Canadian Cur- rency - - 'T , ■', ■ ' i ■ r /i*«g«^7 CHAFTEH VJ."" '•'■■'' A:^^^ Curious Jargon in the Market^15 Climate of Lower Canada. Severity of the Cold. DriAingf of the Snow in the Streets up to the Garret Windows. Frozen Channel. Pa^Kige oyer the broken Masses of Ice. Canoes. Noise of the floating Ice. Travelling in Winter. Warm Clothing. Frost-bitten Cheeks. Clear Sky. Supposed Alter- ation in the Climate. . Journals of the Weather in 1 745 snd I8O7. Canadian Exaggeration. Use of Stoves. Open Fire- places. Observationsupon the Change x)f Climate. Longevity in Canada. Breaking up of the ia. Arrival of the first Vessel. Progress of Vegetation. Wev Months. Thunder and Lightning. Severe Storm at Quebec. State of the Thermometer. Plagues of Canada. Scorching Summers. Agreeable Autumns. .... iqq >viau CHAPTER VIIL ^i Soil of Lower Canada. Meadows. Cultivated Lands. Mode of Farming. Few Urchards. Indian Corn. Tobacco. c«irTfeRn. CuKnary Rooti. Seigniory of Grondinei. Barren Soil. Price of Land. Gradual Improvement. Want of Enter- prise among the Canadians. Formed themselves on the Model of their Forefathers. View of the Shores of the St. Lawrence. Extensive Chain of Settlements. Beautiful Scene. Settlement at Stoueham Township. Clearing of I«and. Canadian Cattle. The first Horse seen in Canada. Poultry. American Horse«DeaIer8. Rough Treatment of C a n adian Hones* . . , , . i^gg I29 CHAPTER IX, Populatioh of Lower Cansla, Differeii! S(atem)»tits recoik^fed. Census of the Province. Preaent Number of Inhabitants. Statistical Statement for 1808. Iilsli and Scotch Emigfahts. French Settlers. Acadians. Charter of the French H^bi- tans, or Countrymen. Description of their Houses. Clealily Maxims. Picture of fhe Interior of a Habitant House. Mode of Living among the Canadian Peasantry. Anecdote • of a Dish of Tea. Pernicious Effects of Rum. Fracas in the Market-Plaqe. Drunkenoess of the Market-Pe(^le. . J^rtrait of the i^abitant. Old-fashioned Dress of the /Women. R,esources of the Habitans - - • ]41 Id si^jc|«ta *ft'fe ;> CHAPTER X. Handsome Children. Peri^icious Effects of the Stove. Man- ners of the Ha^tans. Modesty. Genius. General Defi- ciency of Education. Necessity for diffusing a. Knowledge of the English Language more geueratly throughout the Pro- . vince. Marriages. Calashes. Berlins. Carioles. Covered Carioles. Laws of the Road. Civility of the Habitans. Partiality to Dancing and Feasting on certain Days. Vanity of a young Fellow in painting his Cheeks. Superstition of an okl Lady. Anecdote of the Holy Water. Corrupt FreQ(^ spoken in Canada. Observatiras npoi) the Habitans*. . :W2 > , -5.' '#^ OOMmiTI. xiux (government of l!!.ower Canada. CHAPTER XL Governors. E^xecutive and Legislative Councils. House of Assembly. Provincial Par- ' liaraent. Canadian Qrators. Oath of a Member. Debates. Ignorant Members. Anecdote of a Legislator. Laws of Lower Canada. Courts of Law. English and French Laws. The Rights of Seigniors. Feudal Tenures. Coutume de Paris. Fiefs. Succession to Estates. Division of Property. Wife's Dower. Community of Property by Marriage. Timely Interference of a Quarter Cask of Madeira, and . Piece of Russia Sheeting, in the Purchase of a House. Arrests. Canadian Lawyers. AnecdotQ of a Governor. Evil Consequences of being at j^w. Jedious Laws. Chief Jjistice Allcock. Attorney-General. Receipts and Expeases of the Government. Forges of St. Maurice. Taxes. Tum- »l?»j..„- - ---•!- page 179 CHAPTER XII. ,,'T' Commerce of Lower Canada. Settlement of the French in the Country. Situation of the Colony in 17(^. Improper Conduct of the British Traders. Dissatisfaction of the Ca- nadian Noblesse and Peasantry. General Murray's Letter to «he Lords of the Council. Table of Imports and Exports of Canada, from 1754 to I8O7. Progressive Increase of Com- merce. Wheat. Exports of 1806. Residence of the Go- vernor-general, necessary for the Welfare of the Colony. Fur- " Trade. Mr. M'Tavish. North-West Company. Michil- limakinak Company. Outrage conwnitted by the Americans on Lake Ontario - . . . ■ . 213 "'i t- CHAPTER XIIL Trade between Canada and the United States. Burlington Memorial to Congress. American Merchants settling at :-155 conniiTff; Montreal, interest for Money not allovtred to Catholici itf Canada. Rafls of Timber. Produclloni of Upper Canada. Prosperity of that Province. Necessity of having good Roads. Manufactures. Iron-works at Three Rivers and Batiscan. Ship-building. Seduction of the Imports of English and East India manufactured Goods. Balance of Trade in ftvour of the United States. Smugglers. Evasion of tlie Embargo ' Laws. Vermbntese in a State of Insurrection. Inferior Commodities preferred hy the Canadians. Ifiversity of Opiw ' Dion respecting the establishing a Bank in Lower Canada. Imports and Exports of I8O7 and 1808. Duties payable on imported Goods. Pbst-Ofiice Regulations. Roads and Di- f tanoes, &c. •« '^/i *i-"^'yn^h& ■* * Page 3^ Society 6/* the Towtii in Lower CAnada. tflflerent Cffafss^of Society. Education. Investigation of thei Causes of mental Disability. Defects of Education of the orfginal Settlers. Degrading Policy of the French Goveniment. State of the People before the Conquest. Levity of the Canadians. Extravagance and Dissipation. Igndrance of the British' Settlers. Change of Manners after the Conquest. The . Ledger and Waste Book preferred to splendid Entertain- ments. Rising Importance of the Rrifish Merchants. De- gradation of the French Noblesse. Female Boardi ng-Schools. Boarding-Scbool Misses. Manners of the French Canadian -Ladies in 1749, and in 1808. Anecdote of Mademoiselle '■•. Morals of Canadian Society. Female Servants. 3candal. North-west Mercbamts - - • 2^3 .CHAPTER XV.:/*- Jy-rii^ ■':^-l :..^ Amusements and Diversions. Quebec Assembly. Bal de Soci6t6. Private Tea and Card Parties. Routs at the Cha- teau. The Theatre. Present State of Canadian Theatricalf. Drunken Performers. Arrival of a Company from Boston. ♦r. CONTIMTI' xxxi Concerts. Freemaioni'Lodgei. The Duke of Kent. Baront* Club. Grand Entertainnoent on the Installation of the Knighti. Society of Rouitioouche. Canadian Bond-Street. Billiard!. Carioling. Dress of the Ladies and Gentleraen. Officers of the Army in Tippets. Mutations of Fashions. ,., Retrospect of British Fashions, Pyramidal Head-dresaes. Old and New Fashions compared. Long-toed Shoes, pro- hibited under pain of Cursing by the Clergy. Tapering ^, Waists. Races. Mode of Kissing on, New Year's Day. , Doors. Stoves. Boarding* Houses^. )., - Page 297 *R>.--^;— — 4 CHAPTER XVr. Literature, Arts, and Sciences.- Marquis de la Galissoniere. His extensive Knowledge. Literature in Canada. Almanacs. Quel)ec and Montreal Gazettes. Newspapers. Quebec Mercury. Canadian Courant. Le Canadien. Abuse of the Liberty of the Press. Public Peculation. Courier de Quebec. Newspaper Warfare. Public Library. Novels and, Romances. Amatory Poems. Modern Refinement in Writing. Tom Jones and Roderic Random. Novel Read- ing. Pictures of fictitious Life. Accomplishments of the Ca« nadian Ladies. Pfogress and Infiuence of Music on Society. " O, Lady Fair." Oilman's Daughter. America, Mistress j^thejy^l^,^ J^9^^of9^^ ... 3ig '•'^"^••'■■•''^^f'^^'afitAFrERxvn. Roman Catholic Clergy. Religious Orders. Tderation of the Catholic Religion. Character of the Canadian Priests. Zeal of the Nuns. Double Funeral. Fetes and Holidays.^ Num- ber of Clergy in Canada. Errors and Corruption of the Romish Church. Fallen State. Harmless at the present Day. Canadian Catholics. Irish Catholics. Catholic Emancipation. Disinterested Conduct iu the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. Unanimity. Religion of our Ancestors. "Reasons why it should be preferred. Variety of Religions. ->#■ M %xx\i •OMTiirrt. Exemplary Conduct of the Canadian Catholics. Conreriion. Anecdote of First Cousins. Protestant Clergy. Bishop of Quo- bee. Trafalgar Dinner. Protestant Religion in Danger 333 CHAPTER XVIII. Aborigines of North America. Domiciliated Indians. Indians of Lorette. French Peculiarities. Groups of Savages. Por- trait of the Indians. Squaws. Contrast between the Indians and the Squaws. Dwellings. Chapel at Lorette. Jesuit Missionaries. Indian Dress. Cradle Boards. Encampment at Point Levi. The Female Pugilists. Delivery of the Pre- sents. Indian Chief. Sagacity of the Indians. Wigwams. Bullock's Head. Night Scene. Indian Dance. Pretty Squaws. Distribution of Rum. Passage across the River at Night. Attempts to civilize the Indians. Trards in the Interior. Voyage up the Missouri. Anecdote of a Cree. Indian Population. Presents. Civilization. Deg e nerated State of the Indians. Wretched Appearance. Indian Phv- phet .-----. Page 343 CHAPTER XIX. Ta'ce of Lower Canada. Mountain of Quebec. Black Lime Slate. Minerals. Mineral Springs. Rock Stones. Re- markable Earthquake of l663. Particulars translated fiom the French Jesuits' Journal. Dreadful Night. Sickness and Giddiness of the Head. Wreck of Nature. Forests over- turned. Springs choked up. Rivers lost. Violent Shocks. Mountains swallowed up. General Devastation. New ' ' Lakes and Islands. Three extraordinary Circumstances. ' Wonderful Preservation. Extraordinary Protection of Divine Providence. Natural Curiosities. Falls of Saguenay, Mont- ' morency, and Chaudiere. An Excursion up the River. ' Through the Woods. Melancholy Accident. Anecdote of two young Ladies. Arrival at the Falls of Chaudiere. The ■J Cataract. Return to Quebec. Rapids of Ricblieu. Cas- 'cades. Rapids of the Cedars - - - - iaS eoirtRWTi. txifil Cartadlan Animnls. Anecdote of n yoang Man. AMmats of the Forest. AmpftiMif^ AWr^^^' ^Canadian Hare. Birds. . Turkey. BirtiMge. ¥kW IHiptllM/^ 'HiiMt^n. Bdn Fi^. ., ixcoUept FrioMw o«UMI.^tBxttiArdJiimy'i)i>va#t4K9(l|(ifr.l^ ,:niB!»s. ...Tlw EplK(fn^i!*jbr DayiWjK^^ 'Fire Fly'.n^I'hbspfiofes- r (lisntJrij^wbkhiflettMreseRibfcJsdiytMlt Htm, 6t9^kt ^.fH^ ^c«» Forattiiatt.^ Nvndioas'Insed*' 'Fft^4l3 fj ..;■ ni Mift ■ t • •■■ ' '■'■"-'' ^'- ■'• •1' .0'^' LleHids. Sf nguiar^ Aaventure. of Miss Van C ■■ , Aoae- ' fcijWffwrr. Silmac^i.' ".PQisqhbaV/$ui ree. Cedar. Ginseng* _ umach, ^ Herb ^ la Pi^». Oiyilf ^rtfes. <^rttf()n"'Aanf, orCotonier, yields Su^r re- ^^ijferiSWiljg Honey.' Onion free. ' Sweet Gnrlic. Wild Turnip. Tripe de 9fKl|Kr« llfidHJ Tea. Aromatic Grau. 3iS?"W Mm 5^sii!)n.^w ^yim> Oil *xti«cta ..F"',??.'c^.S^^ *l?^lftepfi?.^/^ Hew wf^ Flax «7 tmoQndbdb. .MoKiarof(Tni«@«ttieiv>i'Rapid)tEiMMht.^ imtWSl^liJ P6st House. .il^sip^irjC^fdbilii 4tteiBlackMttiiEm'^ ^KkftfambilQlt. Seig- ,^iVRfy qfl)Gq«ndtoesuj;:>ffil Aatoe. '-draiM Lanirodiei%, Bsq. j.p^jcb.y^yerjofiDttn/vFrovincsi BaiiseaA. Iron Works. .g|P{ian]^9'm(j<.iRlvtiletku:HBriUglMjOaABdiafi Farms. Aottan ^^hoiioX?r«Mesv foft^Houaeat Gape Madelaine. Arrival ,.f|ThreeBiver» . ♦. - i,- ' Jii^'^o -i* ^v\ 4g$ Vol. I. • it » • xxxiv -CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXIII. 1 Town of Tbree Rivera. Houses. Streets. Mosquitoes, fleas. Baron La Hontan. Public Buildings. Fire at the Convent. Intrepidity of a Soldier. Escape of a Nun with r an Em^ant Priest. New Convent. Visit to the Nuns of St. Ursule. Abbe de Calonne, Cur6 of the Convent. Por- trait of the Grand Vicar. Setting Watches during the j^y Litany. Monastery. Billiard Room. Canadian Fencibles. peserters. Death of a Canadian. The Irish Landlady. Anecdote of Colonel T . Trade of Three Riven. Store'keepers. Visit to the Forges of St. Maurice. Iron Works. Brickmaker. Society. Party Spirit. The Elec- tion of Mr. Ezekiel Hart. Amusements. Scuilie in the Market-Place. Swelled Necks. Mad Girl. Foundlings 4^5 CHAPTER XXIV. * ' Leave Three Rivers. Voyage to Montreal. Point du Lac. Baron de Be9ancour. Lake St. Peter. Machiche. River du Loup. Richlieu Islands. Town of Sorel. Komd Murders. Captain Sorel. Chambly. Boochervi^e. Eagle Island. Island of Montreal. Rapids. Incredible Anecdote. Island of St. Helen. City of Montreal. Ignorance of a Pilot. Interior of Montreal. Dillon's Hotel. Parade. M'Tavish't Monument. Convents. Franciscan Friars. Paul-Street. Notre Dame-street. View of Montreal Theatre. Public Amusements. Hospitality. Ship-building. Advice to Gen- tlemen respecting European Servants. Useful Hints. Markets. Turnpike Road. Visit to La Chine. Indian Department. - Visit to the Indians at Cachenonaga. Indian Doll. Cheva- lier Lorimier. Distressing Event. Providential Deliverance. Adventures of Captain John. His Daughter. Love and Revenge. Roman Catholic Funerals. Leave Montreal 503 a J ^90 U). h''' ■ /-■, . * ■ ' ^ ■ ■ • .'^^ ■-'' ' ■ » ^ - :•^' • "'■; ■ : " ' ■ ■^ , v ^-.- .-^n^ ■•+T-:W „Si'V' '--'^ firt'? i^"^ >'..''* 1 J 1 K AVE rs, ■ CHAPTER I. Passage to the Grand Bank — Fine Weather-^ Trepass6 Bay — Newfoundland — Description of i that Island — Deamess of Provisions — Gale of : Wind — Alarming Nig ht — Capt, Cook's Charts—^ Dreadful Shipwreck — Uncertainty of a Sailor's Life — The protecting Power of a Supreme Being — Magdalen Islands — Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin — Passage through the Gulf'— Island ofAnticosti — Father Point — Facetious Pilot— Confession of the Ladies — Cannot keep a Secret— Story of the Priest and the Bible — Arrival at Quebec-'^ Beautiful Appearance of that City and the sur^ . rounding Country, L/uK passage to the Banks of Newfoundland was not attended with any remarkable circtim- stance. We met with the usual squalls and gales so frequent on the Atlantic Ocean in the fall of VOL. I. B *, NEWFOUNDLAND. ,!': the year, and the winds were sufficiently capri- cious to give me a tolerable notion of traverse sailing. I was told that we slipuld certainly meet with very foggy weather on the Banks, and have to ring the ship's bell, and rattle our tin kettles, to prevent being run down by other vessels: but to the surprise of all on board we had finer wea- ther on the Grand Bank, than we had ex[)er}. enced during the passage. Nqt the least haine was visible, and the sea, for a day or two, was as calm and as smooth as a canal. We caught about a dozen cod, and should have taken many more, had not an easterly breeze sprung up and wafted us over the Bank. The season for fishing being over, we did not meet with a single vessel ; all around us was therefore a clear expanse of sky and water, and we the centre of our heavenly arch and liquid plain. I shall not detain my readers with a long account of the mode of catch- ing fish, and other ])eculiarities of this immense Bank, as they have been repeatedly mentioned by every writer of voyages, who has sailed over op near it since the days of Cabot. The first land we made was Trepass^ Bay, on the south coast of Newfoundland, in the after- noon of the llth October. Our reckoning must liave been remarkably correct, as we were within* two hours sail of the spot laid down on the Capr NEWFOUNDLAND. tain's chart, and which agreed exactly with the bearings of the coast. We stood a considerable way into the bay, the shores of which are bold and rugged. As it was the first portion of the New World that regaled my eyes after a tedious passage, it was on that account doubly acceptable; and, barren as it appeared, I gazed oti it with pleasure, while my imagination wandered from the trifling privations and difficulties of my own voyage, to those which the great Columbus en- countered in search of a new hemisphere. Newfoundland is an immense island, abound- ing with numerous harbours, fome of wliich are very capacious, and extend a great distance into the country ; but the interior having never been perfectly explored, the greatest part of the island remains an unknown wilderness. A small part only is cultivated, and even that scarcely repays the labour of the husbandman. Potatoes and a few other vegetables, are all that the soil is capable of producing in any perfection ; for the season is too short for wheat, and oats seldom ripen. In May the winter breaks up, and till September the air is temperate. During this perio<) vegeta- tion is rapid ; but the poverty of the soil is such, that it requires a supply of manure to produce what, in other countries, would be regarded as very inadequate to the trouble and expense be- *towed upon it. Small quantities of hay are »2 tVBWfOUNDtAND. iiii ill. ^df ri made, but of an indifTerent quality. St. John's is the capital town of the island, and the p1ac6 where all the iish caught on the Banks is dried, and packed up for Europe* The streets are nar- row and dirty, the buildings low and inelegant* Every other kind of provision, but fish, is scarce and dear. The town is supplied with poultryi meat, and vegetables, by the Canadians and Ame- ricans, who are sure to find a good market for their productions* A turkey often sells for a guinea, and a leg of mutton for fifteen shillings. in short, the situation of the inhabitants at St. John*s seems very much to resemble that of the people of St. Helena; and were it not for the abundant supply of fish, which is procured at both those places, their fare would be extremely scanty. At St. Helena, the inhabitants are al* lowed fresh meat only four times a year ; and no man is permitted to kill a sheep or an ox of his own, without an order from the Governor. The inhabitants of Newfoundland are robust and healthy, and though enveloped the greatest part of the year in the dense vapours of the Grand Bank, yet possess the jolly, ruddy countenance of the English; which thus seems to be congenial with a foggy atmosphere. The women are said to be extremely prolific; but, as Sterne says, * There is nothing wonderful in that, since it may be ac- counted for in the principles of their diet.' I'll % w GALE OF WIND. The bleak and rugged shores of Newfoundland impress their beholders with no favourable opi* nion of the country; while the boldness of the coast, and the raging of the ocean, make them tremble for their safety. The night we passed between Cape Kay and the island of St. Paul was pregnant with danger and alarm. It blew a gale of wind; and such was the darkness of the night, that even if the vessel had been driven ashore, I question whether we should have seen the land. Four days had elapsed since our depar- ture from Trepass^ Bay, during which time no observation could be taken, in consequence of the fogs and hazy weather that prevail upon the Small Banks, over which we had been sailing. By tha Captain's reckoning, we were within a few miles of Cape Ray; and though we had every reason to be satisfied with its correctness, yet few on board could easily divest themselves of their ap- prehensions. We were going at the rate of twelve miles an hour before the wind, and a fault in the compass, or the want of a light in the binnacle, might in less than twenty minutes have proved our destruction. Fortunately, the gale was ir) our favour; but the howling of the wind, and the beating of the sea over the stern of the vessel, were far from alleviating the uneasiness we felt at being unable to ascertain our distance from land. Upon deck all was * pitchy darkness,* while we .. X 'f :^ . ■♦ DREADFUL SHIPWRECK. flew through the water with amazing velocity, uncertain of our situation. We however assem- bled in the cabin, and employed ourselves, during the night, in looking over the charts of the coast; and it was some satisfaction to see the name* of Captain Cook engraved upon them, having been taken from surveys made by that enterprising navigator soon after the conquest of Quebec. ei It is most likely that we should have been much easier, had not the circumstance of a trans- port with troops on board being wrecked on Cape Ray the year before, presiented itself in frightful colours to our imaginations. That vessel, in company with several others, was going from Halifax to Quebec in the month of October, 1805 ; but encountering a violent gale of wind, nearly in the same place as we then were passing, she was driven ashore on Ca{)e Ray, and Major Bertram, with upwards of two hundred officers and soldiers belonging to the lOOdth regiment, lost their lives. Those who escaped from the wreck found themselves in the midst of a dreary forest, far from any human habitation. Some of them endeavoured to reach the nearest settlement along the coast, but they perished in the attempt. A few only, who remained behind, survived to tell the melancholy tale. They were taken off a considerable time after by a vessel that heard of their distress, and carried them t'^ Quebec ; but .»' t tJNCERTAlMTY OF A SAILOR*S LIFE. 7 in such an emaciated state, that they have never yet recovered from the effects of that disaster. Our apprehensions were therefore not without some foundation: fortunately, however, they were dispelled as the dawn of day broke through the diaotic darkness of the night, and we found that we had passed within a very short distance of our so much dreaded Cape. How chequered is the life of a seaman! and what a variety of dangers and hardships does he encounter ! One nioment he is basking in all the security of a clear sky and unruffled ocean — the next, he is tossed about at the mercy of the winds and waves, expecting every moment to be his last. At the best of times, there is but a short distance between him and the grave, and a thou- sand dangers menace him, of which the landsman has no conception, and of which he himself is often unaware.' Yet though he is thus continually sailing on the brink of destruction, he frequently is the most careless being in existence; and it is astonishing that he' so seldom suffers from that danger into which his own thoughtlessness repeat- edly precipitates him. Notwithstanding, how- ever, that apparent levity and carelessness which distinguish the sailor*s character, he has perhaps a higher notion of the Supreme Being, than those who pass the whole of their lives on shore ; and * ' '♦• f 4„a^, MAGDALEN ISLANDS. ,^^0 , I have often found more real piety under his rough husk, than under the smooth exterior of him who professed greater devotion. Indeed, it is almost impossible for a man to traverse such an immense expanse of ocean, and not have a lively sense of the protecting power of an Almighty Being, whose care and attention are for ever exi> tended to the very meanest of his creatures. Yet his ways are inscrutable, and far beyond the reach of human comprehension : for while some are rescued from destruction in a marvellous manner, others are doomed to perish by the most simple means. The guilty too are often saved, while the innocent are lost : and some people live in unin- terrupted prosperity and happiness, while others, who perhaps appear to us more deserving, are exposed to a series of misery and disasters, seem- ingly incompatible with an impartial distribution of divine justice. After passing Cape Ray, we entered the Gulf of St Lawrence, and about noon were in sight of the Magdalen Islands. The wind changing, we were obliged to run down along the coast of these Islands, which presents the same dreary view as the coast of Newfoundland, though not so bold and lofty. At this season of the year, the trees with which these islands, and the mountains and rugged shores of Newfoundland, were covered. * ADMIRAL SIR ISAAC COFFIN. '$ had lost their verdant foliage, and presented no- thing to the eyf but the brown and gloomy tint of barrenness. The Magdalen Islands, situated near the en- trance of the Gulf, are seven in number, and be- long to Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin. The number of inhabitants is about a thousand, of whom four hundred and 6fty are men. Each settler pays two quintals of fish per annum to the Admiral, whose brother resides on one of the principal islands, with a collector. The latter receives 100/. per annum from Sir Isaac, and is also a justice of the peace. No cultivation is carried on here, except in potatoes, and that but trifling. I'he Americans carry on a small lucrative trade with the inhabitants, in articles chiefly contraband ; and pay a certain annual sum for drying their fish on the islands. The Admiral is of a very specu- lative turn, and has expended a considerable sum of money in endeavouring to make these islands of some importance ; but except as a depdt for the flsheries, they are not likely to become of any material consequence. The inhabitants are sup- plied with provisions and manufactured goods from Canada. During the remainder of our passage through the Gulf, for nearly eight days, we experienced contrary winds and indifierent weather : nor did we meet with any thing worthy of particular re- n FATHER POINT. '^•'»^. m mark. Whales, porpoises, and seals, were all that we saw of the aquatic tribe; and of the feathered race we saw only wild geese, ducks, and gulls. We had but a distant view of the island of Anticosti, which separates the mouth of the river St. Lawrence into two channels, as we kept close over to the shores of Gaspe and Cape Rosieres, along which we coasted for four days, until we arrived off Cape Chat. The island of Anticosti is of very considerable size, being one hundred and twenty miles long, and thirty broad. The French formerly had a settlement on this island, but at present it is uninhabited ; nor can it ever become of much importance, as it does not possess a single harbour where a vessel can ride in safety. The wood which grows upon it is small, and the soil is reckoned unfruitful; which, added to the severity of the winter, will ever prove serious obstacles to its colonization. On the 23rd October we took a pilot on board off Father I'oint, about 200 miles below Quebec. This place is inhabited chiefly by pilots, who, by a regulation of the Trinity House at Quebec, are restricted from going further down the river to meet ships. Formerly they were in the habit of cruizing as far as Chaleur Bay ; but, to prevent an enemy taking advantage of them, they were not allowed to board vessels below Father Point. Indeed they are not absolutely wanted before, as *!?,- FACITIOUS PILOT. t 11 the navigation is very clear and open to tliat place. We had a very good view of this little settlement, which is extremely pretty: and the white cottages of the Canadians scattered over the cleared land, which appeared neatly fenced in, had a very pleasing effect, amidst such a wild and dreary scene as the surrounding country presented, of trackless forests, and gloomy moun* tains. Our pilot, Louis Le Clair, was an old French Canadian, possessed, like the rest of his country- men, of a tolerable opinion of himself; yet was a good-humoured, friendly fellow. It was not long before we found that his predilection for the clevgy was not excessive. He entertained us with many of his whimsical opinions, and de- clared, that for his own part, he never went to confession, though he allowed his wife and daughters to go. " Women," says he, *'can never be happy until they let out their secrets, and on that account it is necessary they should have a confessor; 1 therefore pay him his fees, which is only justice: but for myself I consider it all as a mere farce ; and it must be so, since the women say that they only tell the priests a part, and conceal the rest." — A few years ago the pilot picked up an English Bible, wnicli had been thrown asiiore from the wreck of a ship: as he understood the language, he read it through. t A 19 PRIEST AND THB BIBLE. III!'! and it opened his eyes so much, that he could not forbear, soon after, disputing with hia curd upon certain points of religion. The latter was much surprised to find hiiii so knowing, and in- quired how he had obtained his information; upon which the old man showed him the Bible. The priest declared it was not a fit book for him to read, and desired he would give it into his charge. This the pilot refused, and the cur6 threatened to write to the bishop and have him excom- municated as a heretic: but finding that neither threats nor entreaties had any effect, he was necessitated to request that he would keep it to himself, and not let any of his neighbours know that he had such a book. The old pilot declared that he considered the finding of that Bible the happiest event of^his life, in consequence of the comfort and consolation which he derived from perusing it. ■» Our passage up the river was extremely plia- sant; the weather was fine; and the shores studded with white farm-houses, and neat churches, con- trasted with the cultivated lands, and the sur^- rounding scenery of islands and mountains covered with immense forests, formed a succession of the most beautiful and sublime landscapes. On entering the basin formed by the shores of Point Levi and the Island of Orleans, the view of puebec and the surrounding country suddenly APPIARAKCt or aUBBIC. 13 arrests the attention of the spectator, and dis- plays, at onre, an assemblage of every thing that is grand and beautiful In the front is seen an immense projecting rock, covered with houses, churches, and warehouses, of stone, rising gradu- ally one above another in the form of an amphi- theatre: above th«?^e are the glittering spires of the cathedrals, convents, and other religious build- ings, whose refulgence dazzles the eye ; while below is seen a crowd of shipping, whose masts sink into insignificance against the nnountain which towers above them. On the left is Point Levi, adorned with its little cluster of houses, and neat church, which, as the vessel moves along, emerges gradually out of a thick wood. To the right, is the fruitful island of Orleans, with its neat dwellings, cultivated slopes, high grounds, and its yet uncultivated forests. Beyond, is the majestic chasm of Montmorency, and its snow white falls, seen in an opening upon the elevated shores of Beauport, which rise in the form of terraces, until they reach the huge and lofty mountains that form the back ground, and extend far beyond the ken of mortal vision. It was the most beautiful combination of scenery I had ever beheld ; and the vessel had come to an anchor off the town, before I quitted the contemplation of such a variety of charming objects. : 4 m HIRE OF HOUSES AT QUEBEC. i^l»^|( ix l»jr;»: >>iiJ ^ *f I I At il: /y/re o/* Houses at Quebec — Roofs — Chimney- sweepers — Narroiv Streets of the Lower Town •h — Cape Diamond — Dreadful jlccidents — Moun- *i tain-street — Steep Ascent^^Breaknech Stairs-^ ?* Singular Escape of a Boy — Canadian Stores — I U Taverns — Union Hotel — Irish Landlord — Ge- ti' neral Montgomery s Attack on Quebfc — Sudden ,'& Defeat and Death — Application to the Canadian " Government for his Bones^^ General Arnold-^ JntendanCs Palace, 4 The season of the year in which we arrit'cd, was by no means favourable for procuring good lodgings at Quebec. Houses are seldom to be obtained except in the month of May, when the term for which they are taken expres ; besides this, the House of Assembly was to meet shortly, and the influx of its members, from different parts of the country, rendered it very difficult to pro. cure either a house or apartment. We were therefore obliged to he contented with a very in- different house in Champlain-street, one of the most disagreeable parts of the Lower Town. The building itself had nothing to recommend it to • ' CHIMNEY-SWEEPERS. ,i,j: tf i-K 15 oar favour, and the situation was extremely re- pulsive. ]t was some consolation, however, to have Mr. Mure, one of the most distinguished merchants in Quebec, as our next door neigh- bour; the house we occupied belonged to that gentleman, who also owned an extensive wharf and range of large store-houses adjoining. The houses in Quebec are, with few exceptions, built of stone ; the roofs of the better sort are generally covered with sheets of iron, or tin, and those of an inferior description with clap-boards. Shingles have been prohibited; though many old buildings have them. In case of fire, the burning shingles, scattered about by the wind, spread the destructive flames to a great extent : it was the danger apprehended on this account, that caused the provincial parliament to prohibit, in future, the covering of houses with them ; but the boarded roofs which are at present chiefly in use, jare equally dangerous in catching fire, thougU perhaps not so likely to communicate it to di- stant parts of the town. On the -roofs of the houses, two or three ladders are placed near the garret windows, for the purpose of assisting the chimney-sweepers to get on the roof, and clean the chimneys. Boys do not -go up as in England, but two men perform the work with a bundle of twigs, or fgrze, tied to a rope, which they pull up find down till the phimney is sufficiently clean; 3- 16 NARROW STREETS Of THE LOWER TOWN. one man goes upon the roof, and the other re* mains below: a similar mode fs practised m Scot-* land. The streets of the Lower Town, with the ex- ception of two or three in the vicinity of thtf market-place, are scarcely deserving of that ap- pellation; they are rugged, narrow, and irregular, and can be compared only to the dirtiest lanes of London. St. Peter*s- street is the best paved and widest of the Lower Town : it contains several good substantial houses, which are chirfly occu- pied by the principal merchants and traders. It has a very gloomy appearance; yet the attention of foot passengers is constantly kept alive by the continual noise and bustle of the carters, whose vehicles are drawn up on one side of the street, near the market-place, for the purpose of being hiced: carts are therefore continually on the move along this street ; and the adjoining wharfs afford them constant occupation in the summer season, during which period this place is a complete Thames, street. The Lower Town is built along the base of the mountain by the water side^ extending on the ^ south as far as L*Ance des Meres, and to the north as far as the suburbs of St. Rocque, a length of nearly two miles. That part which comprises the market-place, St. PeterVstreet, and the wharfs adjacent which extend a considerable C f T re- Scot* eex- F the t ap- jular, [les of i and 2veral occu- s. It ^njion ►y the whose street, being move afford easoD, nplete of the n the north gth of I prises f i the ierable , I . I |v¥^ K.''' ^fcN|#^/->^^%|»^ -;.-^ K«^^'^' ■ ■''■.^r*'' 1 W ' W "■*:: 1 A ' 1 ■L g^ ■ , ;,K-.^ t S^ ,1 f *1 L ^E #^' I^^S^^oDba ■', 1 I^^^^^^^^Bb ^ -^1* ^^^^^^^^H^^^R. ' ^.ii ^H^^^- J ^^K"^ i ^H^'i • ' J Hf ''A- ^ 1 ^Iw 'a ^H'^r ^ mni'- '^- ^ -N^ V V V \ \ ft < iL%' idi \; CAPE DIAMOND. 17 way into the river, is the widest part of the Lower Town, and the chief seat of commerce. The ex- tremities are very little more than narrow lanes, winding round the foot of the stupendous rock, upon the summit of which the Upper Town is situated. The highest part of this rock is on. the south towards L'Ance des M^res, and is called Cape Diamond, in consequence of a considera-^ ble number of transparent quartz crj'stals, resem- bling diamonds, being found between the fissures and cracks of what is regularly called " black lime slate,** of which the rock consists. Cape Diamond is stated by Mr. Weld, in his Travels, to be upwards of one thousand feet above the level of the river: this account is, however^ extremely erroneous ; its utmost height being only three hundred and fifty feet perpendicular, which an officer of the engineers informed me was the actual measurement. From this altitude it subsides, towards the northorn extremity, into a height of little more than two hundred and fifty feet. The aspect o^ this immense body of rock is steep, and nigget. *n several places it projects in a Very dange manner over the houses of the Lower Towr ind has occasi<*ned many serious accidents. Li ihe winter time the ;fissures and cavities of the rock are filled up with «now, which as it freezes into ice expand:* be- ''yond its usual bounds, and splits many of the VOL. I. c 18 DREADFUL ACClDEl^TS. h projecting parts into fragments ; these are loosened by the warm son of March and April, and often precipitated upon the unwary passenger below. While I remained at Quebec in the spring of tSOf, one man was killed upon the spot, and several others had their arms, legs, or thighs broken by these loose fragments. It has long been a cause of general con^plaint, that the rock has not been shaped so as to prevent such serious accidents. It is hardly possible, at present, to walk in certain parts of the Lower Town in safety during the thaw which takes place in the spring. Along the end of Sault au Matelot-street, Cano- trie, and some other parts of Champlain-street, the houses are built within a few feet of t^^ rock^ leaving barely room enough for a cart to pass. ' The heavy sameness which pervades all the houses in Quebec, is seldom relieved by any beauty or elegance in the public buildings. The Lower Town is, in this respect, particularly defi- cient. It contains but one small church, of mean appearance, situated in the market-plaee, and be- longing to the Catholics : it is called the church of Notre Dame, and was founded in consequence of a vow made during tho siege of Quebec in 1690, and dedicated to " Our Lady of Victory." The street leading to the Upper Town, called Mountain-street, winds in a serpentine direction from the market-place, up the hill ; passes througb H 1/ i' i; 1 11 i |m .^ l!m 4 4 I MOUMTAiN-'StREET. «9 Prescot-gate, and terminates near the French ca- thedral, within a short distance of the Upper Towninarket'place. In its present winding form, it is very steep, and requires strength to ascend it. The little Canadian horses have a laborious task to drag up the heavy loads which their masters impose upon them. The carts used i^ Quebec are light, and usually drawn by one horse ; their loads are not excessive, when draw- ing upon even ground; but the carters seldom make any allowance up Mountain-street, though half the ordinary load is more than their horse can manage ; and they are obliged to make fre- quent stoppages on their way up» For a pedestrian^ it is very fatiguing^ if hid business requires a frequent intercourse between the upper and lower towns; otherwise, I conceive that twd or three excursions up this hill in the course of a day are extremely conducive to health, and I believe the benefit of them is generally felt by the inhabitants. This hill is not paved mortt than half way, the upper part, I supix>8e, being thought too steep for that purpose: if that is the case, 1 do not, , however, see the necessity of keeping the foot-paths and the road in such a rugged state : Mountain-street requires more at- tention than any other in Quebec, yet it is neg- lected the most. In winter time it is extremely dangerous ; the quantity of snow and ice, which c3 r 30 VREXKNECR STAIRS. aecumnlate in large masses, renders it absobiteljr necessary for the inhabitants to provide' them* selves with outer shoes shod with iron spikes or creepers. These they call ^o/ojAoe^ and are most frequently used in the fall or spring of the year, when it generally freezes and thaws in succession for two or three weeks. After the snow is well settled on the ground, and it becomes dry walk- ing, they make use of Shetland hose and list shoes, which are worn over their boots and shoes, and have the efiect of keeping the feet both warm ' and dry, while they prevent them slipping about. There is another communication between the two towns. This is by a long flight of steps^ from the head of Champlain-street up to Moun- tain-street, nearly opposite Neilson's printing- office, which is situate about half way up the hill. , This communication saves foot passengers a considerable round by the foot of the hill, which the winding of the street would otherwise occa* aion: by these steps they ascend into the Upper Town in a few seconds. In the winter, however, this is a very dangerous. place, particularly if the people who reside in the houses on each side neglect to keep the stairs clear from the ice and snow. Many a person has made a somerset from top to bottom, or, missing the first step> has slid down upon his back the whole length of the stairs. Tlie frequency of such accidents h^s given 1 ' i'V? • . BREAKNECK STAIRS. 91 the occasion to the inhabitants to style them Break* neck stairs ; certainly a very appropriate and ex« pressive title. During the winter of ISOjr, I one day saw t little boy in a small sleigh, in which was a dog completely harnessed, driving with great rapidity down the hill from Prescot-gate, and endeavour- ing to keep the dog (who was turning off every now and then) in the profier road. Just as they came to Breakneck stairs, the dog, I suppose, considering that to be the shortest way into the Lower Town, bolted out of his coarse, and down he went with the boy and sleigb it his heels. I immediately ran to the head of the stairs, ex])ect- ing that the boy's neck was broke, but was most agreeably surprised to find that the dog bad car* ried him safe down, without even upsetting the sleigh. The boy kept his seat, but hollaed most lustily. On recovering from his fright, he smacked his whip over the dog's back, and turned the corner of a house at the bottom of the stairs, with as much apparent dexterity as some of our noble coachmen would have displayed in turning Hyde Park Corner. The boys at Quebec have also a peculiar amuse- ment in the winter season, of laying themselves at full length, with their breast upon a small sleigh, and sUding down from the top of the hill to the bottom: they glide along with surprising fs CANADIAN ITTORIS, V velocity, yet cad guide, and stop themielvet with their feet, at pleasure. A few years ago, one of them amusing himself in this way, and n«glect- iiig to stop in time, was dashed against a house at the turning near the printing-office, and killed upon the spot. The shops, or stores, of the traders in the Lower Town do not exhibit that diversified and pleasing exhibition which is seen in London, of bow windows crowded with every description of goods, from the most trifling article of domestic manufecture, to the most costly productions of foreign countries. Here the stranger sees nothing but heavy stone buildings, gloomy casements, and iron-cased shutters painted red. If any show is made at the window, it is with paltry articles of crockery, earthen, and hardware: on one side may be seen pans, mugs, tea.cups and saucers^ tureens, and pots de chambre: on the other, saws, files, knives and forks, jars, pots, hammers, and axes. These, with a tolerable dbplay of bear- skins, seal-skins, foxes* tails, and buffalo robes, form the invariable exhibition of a Canadian store. Even the British store-keepers make little or no show of their goods ; and the merchants, all of whom have stores and' warehouses for the disposal of their commodities, by wholesale or retail, content themselves with advertising every weeki " their few pipes of London prticular-" CANADIAK fTORES. hogftheadt of claret of luperior quality— fine old port— prime French brandy— >iuperfine flours- capital pickled pork and salmon— excellent rous- covado— good pine and oak tinber, pine boards and heading, all for cash or short notes.** • i^ The French store-keepers purchase their goods mostly at the auctions, where they sometimes buy things very cheap; but in general, I believe, they pay more than they would at the merchants* stores, independent of the time they lose in at* tending the sale« The cargo of a vessel that was lost in the river St. Lawrence, in I807, was sold by auction at Quebec, in a damaged state: it amount- ed to upwards of sixty thousand pounds ; and, 1 am told, cleared more than ten per cent, profit upon the prime cost I'he eagerness of the people to purchase at auctions, and the number of sates that takes place every week, considerably lessen the trade of the regular store-keepers, and render the profession of the auctioneers extremely lucrative: they are already numerous in Quebec, and con- trive to realise very handsome incomes: they receive two and a half per cent, on large sales, and five per cent, upon the smaller ones. The taverns in Quebec are very numerous, and yet a stranger is much surprised to find, on his arrival, only two houses which deserve that high- sounding name. This arises from the vanity that has taken possession of all our Transatlantic bre- 24 ,>-^ TAVERNS. thren, from the confines of Florida to the co^st of Labrador, to designate their paltry public-houset, or spirit-shops, by the more sonorous and digni- fied title of Taverns. Every little dirty hole, where>a few glasses of rum, gin, or whiskey, are sold, is a Tavern, The better sort are of course ffdtels; and so ignorant are the painters who be- daub their signs, that the " Ship Tavren,** Suchr- a- one's " Tavernne^ constantly meet your eye. Some few French Canadians keep tQ the good old titles of " Aaberge^^ and ^yAubergisie^ and now and then take care to inform the public in bad French orthography, thai they sell their liquors. *' Aujourd'hut pour Targent, Demain pour rien." I The only taverns or hotels in Quebec that are really respectable, are the Union Hotel on the Parade near the Governor's chateau, and Sturch's in John-street. The Union Hotel, formerly kept by a half-pay officer of the name of Holmes, now ])roprietor of Hamilton's Tavern at Montreal, was built by a subscription raised among the principal merchants and inhabitants of Quebec, Though the shares were only twenty-five pounds, yet it w^s a considerable time before a suffi-p cient sum was raised to complete the building, which appears to have been plann^ with little) judgement. UNION HOTEL. 35 -J. , The whole house comprises only four large rooms. On the ground floor is a coflfee-room, much too large for the company who frequent it, and two dining-rooms. The other apartment is above them, and has been fitted up for a ball- room : it contains a good orchestra, and other requisites for the assemblies and concerts which are held there in the winter season. This is the only part of the plan that has been laid out with success ; for the room is lofty and exten- sive, well furnished, and excellently adapted for its intended purposes. A small house at the back of, and adjoining to, the new building, has been converted into bed-chambers, kitchens, and apart- ments for the master of the hotel ; but not more than twenty or thirty persons can be accouimo- yated with beds, though, from appearances, the house ou^ht to contain accommodation for four times that number. The principal support of the house, at first, . was by an annual subscription of two guineas ; all who chose to pay that sum were entitled to fre- quent the coiTee-room, but no others: this dis- gusted a great many of the original subscribers, who refused to contribute beyond their share of twenty- five pounds; in consequence of which it was laid aside, and the room thrown open to all without distinction. Matters were, however, but little improved by this proceeding; for it com- 96 GENERAL MONTGOMERY. pelled the gentry and principal merchants to keep away, because it hurt their pride to mix with the plebeians. ^ About three hundred yards from our residence, in Champlain-street, the American General Montgomery perished in his attempt to surprise the Lower Town, in the early part of the American war. Several persons have claimed the merit of having defeated that enterprise: it is generally thought to have been effected by a detachment of soldiers and sailors ; yet I have heard it posi- tively asserted, that no regular military force was near the spot at the time the attack commenced ; but that at the n^oment General Montgomery and his party were passing, in apparent security, along the foot of the rock, where there was then only a very narrow path, a brisk fire of musketry, and a piece of cannon, immediately opened upon their flank, out of the window of a small house, situated at the water's edge, where a small party of the inhabitants and a few sailors had posted themselves. The suprise and alarm whioh this unexpected attack created, together with a heavy fall of snow, under cover of which General Montgomery had commenced his march, threw the Americans into confusion ; and seeing their general, his two aides-du-camp, and a number of men, killed by iha first fire, they retreated in the greatest dis- 81B62 OF aUEBEC IN 1775. tt7 order. The general's body, in which no less than eleven balls were found, was carried into the town, and buried within the fortification, near the citadel.*— No stone or monument distinguishes his grave; but the place is remarkable, being within the walls which inclose a powder-maga- zine, and was pointed out to me by Colonel Glas- gow of the artillery. A man of the name of M'Quarter, who keeps a tavern in Cham plain-street, has the credit of being the person who resided in the house, and headed the small party that so suddenly 8toj)ped the progress of General Montgomery, by their brisk fire from the window. I know not how far this account may be entitled to belief, amidst the various contradictory statements that I have heard ; but more credit is generally given to it than to any other. An extensive brewery is now situated nearly upon the spot where that memo- rable affair took place. - Arnold, the other American general, made his attack upon the Upper Town, Mr. Weld has said at St. John's Gate ; which occasions him to re- mttrk upon the absurdity of Arnold's attacking one of the strongest parts of the fortification. This, I have been informed, was not the case, but that he made his attack in person upon that part now called Hope's Gate, leading to St. Hoc(|ue*s Suburb, at that time merely a barrier 91 SUGE OF ftUEBEC IN 1775; hi hi of .picketing. Two or three other places were, however, attacked at the same time ; and it is most likely that a feint was made at St. John*s Gate, as well as at Palace Gate : but the points where Ar- nold principally depended for success were the place where he attacked in person, and at a picket guard, now called Prescot Gate, a short distance from the top of Mountain-street, which commands the entrance into the Lower Town. This barrier is now strongly fortified, and surmounted with a kind of block- house, with loop-holes for mus- ketry, beneath which is an archway of stone se- cured with double gates. On one side of the gate are embrasures, with two pieces of cannon of large calibre; on the other are powerful works of stone, within which is situated a large building, called the Bishop's Palace : it was formerly the abode of the French catholic bishop ; but at pre- sent it is occupied for public offices on one side, and for the house of assembly, legislative and executive councils, on the other. It is generally thought that Arnold would have succeeded in entering with his party, had he'not been wounded. The Americans kept possession of the Lower Town for three or four days after the attack. Many of them stieltered themselves from the fire of the garrison in a large stone building, called the Intendant*s Palace, situated just with- out the walls adjoining the suburb of St. Rocque, I18TENDAMT 5 PALACE. i9 In the time of the French government, it was the residence of the intendant, an officer of secondary rank to the governor, though fi^equently pos- sessed of much greater power and influence. For some time this building was spared by the garrison; but finding the Americans annoyed them very much with their rifles, being defended only by a wooden picketing along the rock, they soon reduced it to a heap of ruins, and compelled the Americaos to shift their quarters. In this state the building remains at this day : but massy stone walls have been erected upon the opposite rock where the picketing formerly stood ; and loop'holes for musketry are left at short di- stances, so that in future the garrison can never be annoyed in that quarter, except by heavy artillery, an article which the Americans did not possess, and without which it is the very height of folly to attempt to besiege 'Quebec. The house of the intendant was called the Pa- lace, because the council of the French govern- ment of North America was held there. It was a very handsome stone building, and contained several large, elegant apartments, which were furnished with magniHcence and splendour. To the northward there was a spacious garden, well sto^V.ed with every variety of fruit-trees, shrubs, phnts, &c. On one side of the court-yard were placed the king's stores, and on the other the m INTEMDAMT tf PALACE* li priion. In this house all the delibeiationi oon« cerning the province were held, and those ma* gistrates who had the management of the police and civil power also met here. The intendant generally presided, but in affairs of importance the govemor*general was present. This building had been burnt down no less than three times, previous to its demolition in the American war. The walls are all that are now left of it, and it it not likely that it will ever be rebuilt. »» ^;i I V ■»■* ORIGIN OF TBI NAMB OF AUEBEC. 31 h CHAPTER III. f Origin of the Name of Quebeo^Iit strong natural Situation and Aduantagei-^Capability of De» fence in case of War with the United States-^ Origin of the War between the Iroquois and Algonqtuns'— Impolitic Conduct of Champlain ^^Fortifications of Qftebec — Expedition qf Sir William Phipps — New Improvements — Martello Tower s^ Wolf e*s Cove— Battle of the Plains of Abraham — Death qf General Wolfe — Ingrati* tude of his Countrymen in Canada — Statue in St, Johns Street — Garrison Troops — Colonel Glasgow Commandant — Inspecting Field Offi* cers of the Canadian Militia, ' The name of Quebec is said to have originated from the Norman language, and that one of the persons who accompanied M. de Champlain in his expedition up the river, on his arriving in light of the peninsula formed by the rivers St. Lawrence itnd St. Charles, exclaimed '' Quel- bec!'* *• What a point!" — Others, however, as- sert that the name is derived from the Algonquin word Quebeio or Quebec, which signifies contraC" iion, because the St. Lawrence becomes con* 33 ORIGIN OF TH£ NAME OF AUfiBBC^ I*' tracted between Quebec and Point Levi, where it is scarcely three quarters of a mile across, which is very narrow when compared with other parts of the river. The Abenaquis word Quelibec, signifying shut up, has also beenthought to have given rise to the. name, because the Abenaquis Indians, who lived over at Claudiere, about three leagues from Quebec, coming from thence, could see nothing of the two channels formed by the island of Orleans, that to the southward being hid by Point Levi, and the northern one by the island. , The port of Quebec, thus inclosed, appears like a great bay or lake* From which pf these three languages the name of Quebec has originated, is yet undecided ; though I think the Algonquin word has a prefer- ence over the Norman, because the language of the Algonquins, at one time the most powerful, nation in Canada, was universally spoken by the Indians of that country. The Abenaquis expres- sion Queliliec, is nothing more than a corruption of the Algonquin Quebeio or Quebec: this is the more evident, as their significations are nearly synonymous. Another reason why 1 think the , Indian appellation was more likely to have origi- nated the name than the Norman, is the irppro^ bability that ^Lde Champlain should have de- nominated that remarkable spot, where he after- wards built a city, merely from the casual excla« NATURAL ADVANTAGES OF AUEBEC. 33 Ynation of one of his men. It is most likely that he preserved the Indian name, as he did in several other places ; not wishing, {lerhaps, totally to de- Mroy the only vestige of antiquity that he found in the country. The rage for altering ancient names was as prevalent in his age as it is in ours; and kings, princes, and saints, received their full share of that species of honour. It is not proba- ble, therefore, that Champlain would have neg- I lected such an excellent opportunity as the foun- dation of a new city afforded him, of honouring the memory of some favourite saint, king, or prince of the blood royal, without some better reason than that one of his attendants exclaimed " What a point!** The near affinity, however, of the Norman expression to the Indian name^ has no doubt furnished the Jesuit missionaries with a plausible pretext for their assertion. • The strong natural situation of Quebec, and the apparent strength of its fortifications, have led many people to look upon it as another Gi- braltar. Nothing however can be more errone- ous^ Within these few years, great additions and improvements have certainly been made, which have strengthened many of its former weak points: but there yet remains much to accomplish before it ever can rank even second to that celebrated fortress. Nature has, indeed, done more for it than art will ever accomplish. Besides its local VOL. I. * # Bi VAllnUL AOVAMTAOVf ^ «|I«9f e. P'l J' t I*' Si ' •dVftntaget, it it lepanited by tminenw foirettf Mid rivers frooi an invftding army pf the United States, the only country from which Quebec hai any thing to dread while it remains In the handi of the English. An expedition from France wjU never be undertakeui while we keep possesiion of the ocean. Should a war ever take place between Great Britain and the United States, it it more tlian probable that the latter would attempt to conquer Canada* Their great ol^ect would be to drivt us froeri the American continent, at much at t9 obtain an equivalent in the event of peace. Great Bgertiont would undoubtedly bo mMk; and ui immense army transported acroat Lake ChinH plain would moit likely carry all before it, till it anived in the neighbourhood of Quobcc, The difficulty of bringing with it a Urge battering timn would, I think, prove iniurmountable; «nd without that all their attempts to get possession of the city mutt fail, provided the works wero weW manned^ At long at we retain the capital in our hands the country can never be conquered: it nay be overrun and desolated; but the enemy must eventually retreat, if we keep up any telo- rable force of regulars and militia. I When the French first settled in Canada, their only object of defence was against the hottite Idbes of Indians, who OfHnmiftod Q9iitiliap4 , ... , 4 .1 aIO t iRoauoit A1ID ALoovaum wah. 9ft predfitiont upon their perioni and proptrtf . Tht karaising and destructive attacks which those savages made upon the new settlers, compelled the latter to fortify their different posts, and for upwards of a century the annals of Canada pre- sent a continued scene of warfare between the French and Iroquois : an unceasing round of treachery, cruelty, and bloodshed. On Cham* plain's arrival in Canada, he found the Iroquois at war with the Hurons, Algonquins, and other Indian nations. How long the contest hisid con** tinned was unknown, but it was generally thought to have existed for many years ; its origio only could be learnt from the Indians. It arose in tke foHowing manner: the Algonquins, who ara now extirpated, were formerty the gi ^tte a t hmkttra and warriors in Canada: the Iroquoit, on the oontrary, followed agrionltural and domestic pun* suits ; and being of course liable to the attacks of those Indian nations who were of a more warliks disposition, they, in order to live in security, entered into a confederacy with the Algonquins^ by which it was stipulated that the ptoduce of the harvests and the chase should be mutually divided between both parties : the Iroquois were also to perform the more menial duties of domestic lii% as flaying the animals caught in the chase, pre-^ paring the food, &c. in retuni for whiob the Algonquins were to defend them ft'om the violeooc D 3 . IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) '^'^,^ 1.0 1.1 liilM 12^ ■48 «T ■■■ ut Ui ■2.2 ■^ liA !■■ :^ L& 12.0 |l.25 IJU |L6 ^ 6" ► w. V vV ^1» FhotogFa^diic Sciences CorporatiGn 23 VWBT MAIN STMIT WnSTiR,N.Y. MSM (716) •72-4903 o 'i 39 IRQQ,UOIS AMD ALGONCLUIir WAR. of other Indian hations. This compact lasted for < an unknown length of time; till the IroquoiaC imbibing a portion of the Algonquin courage and> intrepidity, some of their young men ventured to enter into a competition with a party of the young Algonqurns. The pride of the latter was: alarmed, and they bade the Iroquois to stay at. hom.e and flay the beasts which Me^ would kill. The Algonquin boasters went out to hunt^ but in two or three days returned home unsuccessful; upon which the young Iroquois stole out at night,' arid the next day came hoiiie laden with the ani*:. mals which they had killed in their excunion.., This'daring enterprise provoked the others alknost. ' to madnessi' and they soon after took an oppor*. ttinity to murder their rivals. ' crji^br^ > The Iroquois nation immediately resented thW. outrage, and demanded that. the murderers shonld< be delivered into th^ir hands: this was refused :hy: the:Algonquins, who knowing their own power, treated the others with conteniipt. The IriMpois, however swore : eternal enmity, and were deter-> min<^ to be revenged. For this purpose th^ re- moved' to the opposite side of the river St Law-: renoe, and settled on the spot where the remi^sis. of their nation yet reside^ From that period open wftr ; ^mmenced between ' the two nations^; and the Algonquintj asr.niight naturally; be ex«, pected,l^ing then the okost renowned, were jpinedj \ 1 IMPOLITIC COKDUCT OF CBAHPLAIN. »t * by tlie smaller nalionsj as the Hurons, the Abe« naquis, &c. The Iroquois however had no sooner tasted blood, than their prowess became irresisti- ble; ^nd at the time of ChamplainV arrival, they were greatly superior in courage and militaty skill to their former masters, whom they bad nearly exterminated. The conduct of these two rud<3 and unpolished nations may afford a serioui lesson to their more civilised brethren, as it shdwt that though a people may be degraded into a state of slavery, yeti4io wepe looked upon as deliverers for saving the* inhabitants from starvation. It is also a curioda &ct that the French court, at the peace of l6»9, ins deubtfult whether they should reclaim Cknada> from the English or lettve it in their possession, sat'lifttb vahie diii they set upon the colony at tlMt time« Many pcfsons wem of opinion that it; vnM prove ^evy injnrions to France to keep. it> that, Hm ^cald being so intense it ooald nciif» ba> poRTiFicAnoNs or avBMur. ii f«itiered a profittbte oolonf. Otberi, amon^ whom was M. de Ciiamplaiii, were hofrever of a contrary opinion, and took into account the greal profits that would accrue. Irom the trade in peltry^ the herring, whale, and ood-fiiheries; ship-buitd* ing, and the prodatfc of its immense forests* The arguments of the latter weighed dowp the more confined viewi of the former, and the colony was recovered by Fnuiee in the treaty of 16$% In 16^ tlie English made an uosifcceMftil attempt to rc-conqUer guebee t the expedition^ which was commalMied by Sir William Pbipps^ arrived so late in the season, that several of the ships were lost, and the design raiicarried. i^ Frnm that period the fortifications of Quebec havse gfadually risen into iropoftance. At thai time of its capture by General Wolfo*s army it was considered as « place of remarkable strength. Since then rirpairs and improvements have be^ yeariy goii^ on 9 and at the present day, if ft itf not actually a ifibniltBr, it is at least a fortress of considerable streoglii and lemarkablje for its natntal ^nd toed advantages. « ;4!.^e*nio8t elevated part of the fortifications on €i^ Piamond is called the Citadel^ which i always understood to be a sort of fortress or castle^ for the purpose of affording the last retreat to iSm .garnsoB in case of attack; but there is noappeafi^ anoa el aoybuiliing. of that description; -Am 4K rORTlFICi^TJONS OV UUilBSCi ' \^n engineer may very possibly be able to detail^ in technical terms, t^e construction .of the present works on Cape Diamond ; he may be able to de« ^cribe it8 bastions, curtains, and half* bastions.; its ditch, counter-guard, coverednway, and glacis ; but my unprofessional eye could discern, nothing but a.. heap of ruins and rubbish ; a iheterogeneoua cpUection of old wooden log-houses and broken^ down walls. T^e arrival of Sir James Craig hasy however, caused a vast alteration in the garrison. The old works,: vyhich were falling to decay, are; Qow repairing. with the utmost expedition. .New walls, bastions, and curtains ; half-moon batteries, and martelJo towers, are rising in all directions. Mines are sprung, rocks blown up, and the artil- lerymen frequently with them, occasioned by theid own carelessness. . •^:l4 ^ The heights about a quarter of a mile from St. Louis* gate, formerly commanded the highest part of the citadel, so. that an enemy having posv session of that elevated position, would be able to. silence the 5re of the garrison in that quarter. > To counteract the ill effects apprehended fromx such an evient, a large battery has been raised on ttie' highest spot within the fortifications, in a^ \il)e with those heights. Its construction,. how^r ev^, is. not generally approved,, being exposed in^the rear itip^.an enemy on the opposite banka of the river St. Lawrence. It is said that ^.the^ v.^ MAIITXLLO TOWERS. .V.!I 41 'it General disapproves it, and that one of adiffer* ent description is to be erected in its place. Four martello towers are erecting on the heights, about half a mile from the garrison ; they run in a line with each other, across the plains, from the ele- vated position which I mentioned, to where the mountain subsides into the valley to the nbrth*^ ward, beyond St John's suburb. These towert must all be carried by storm, or demolished, ise* fore an enemy can approach near enough to injure the garrison. i 'V Beyond these towers are the celebrated plains of Abraham, where our gallant Wolfe so dearly purchased that honour and renown which: will ever accompany his name. The place where the British troops ianded is about three miles fVom 'HCape Diamond, and forms a sort of smallbay, now generally known by the name of WolfeV Cove. The path up the side of the mountain to the heights above was, at that time, very st^ep and narrow, and much obstructed by feMed tim- ber, and a battery which the Freiich had raised at the top: at present it is wide enough .for carts to go up. On that memorable occasion, the m^n of war and transports got under weigh 'earl)ria the morning, anid sailed up as far as Capie Rouge; about nine miles above Quebec. Montcalm b&i lieving their intentions were to land there, dei tached Bougainville, with eight battalions aiid 49 BATTLE OF THE PLAINS Off ABEAHAM. •onie artillery, to oppose them. In the meftn time the British squadron silently put about, and dropped down with the tide to Wolfe's Cove^ while Mons. Bougainville kept marching with bis detachment in a contrary direction. The landing commenced about four o'clock io the morning, and ended before eight. By that time the British had scaled the heights, and Ibrmed their line, with two field-pieces in fronti and the 48th regiment as a body of reserve » the light infantry to cover the rear, the 15th regiment and the royal Americans to cover the landing- place. ..The Marquis de Montcalm, who was witb th« pnrin body of his army on the shores of Bca»*' pevt^ bearing that the English had gained tiM heights of Abfaham, could scarcely credit his senses. He immediately hurried across the river St. Charles, and formed bis line on the plains between eight and nine o'clock, with one field* piece^ and bis irtegolars posted in flying parties ta attack the British flanks. i 'i The Frcncb line began to charge about nine^ advancing briskly, and for soooe little time in l^sod order: a port of the line began to fise too soouy which immediately oaugbt through ; the whole. They then begun to waver, but kept ad« vaiscifig withia scattered fiie^ When they had got ^ithiik about a hii;idred jrar^s e£ |be British Une| DSATB or GENERAL WOLFI. 4» •f- *' the latter moved up regularly with a steady fire^ and when within twenty or thirty yards of closing gave a general volley ; upon which a total rout of the enemy ensued. Bougainville*8 detachment appeared in sight just before the conclusion of the battle; but being satisfied that there were no laurels for him to gain, he decamped, in double quick timci to Point au Tremble, from thence to Three Rivera, and afterwards to Montreal ; a distance of one hundred and eighty miles. This decisive battle was fought on the 13th Sept. 1759, and on the 18th Quebec surendered by capitulation. The terms granted were ho^ nourable to the garrison and advantageous to tht itibabitanta, who were to be protected in the full enjoyment of their civil righta, and the free exetw cise of their religion. Until a general peace should decide their fiiture condition* Wolfe, like Epaminondas, breathed out bit Houl in the arms of victory. His deith Was a na» tional loss, f. >! "^s greatly lamemed as thai of Nel«> son, who also ^ell in the moiQ^t of victory^ and died with nearly th« same words upon hialips^ The memory of suob Qiti can- never be prised too moeh, since it requires ages to replace^hem* The spot where Wolfe died I have often vi* sited with a sort of pleasing raelsMoly. It ie the eomcv of a small redoubt, which i» ye| I -.* ''' 44 DEATH Ot GENERAL WOLfE. visiMe, aiid i^ns formerly drstinguished by a large tock-stone, upon which it is said he was sup- ported after he received, the fatal wound. Ffoni this stono strangers were frequently prompted^ by their feelings^ t6 break otf a small piece to keep' as a memento of the fate' of that gallant hero ; but the sacrilegious hands 6f moderti u[k vtart innovators have removed that sacred reli^ I>ecau8e it came within the inclosure of a c^rtaii^ Commtssary-generai, ^ho had erected what' he called a pavilion, and Would, probably, bate soon |>lanted potatoes and cabbages in the redoubt/ had he not been discharjged from his office by th^ present Govemoc^geiierEd, for a tri/lirig diblbnitnty in his aecounli. '^ ^>« ^^ f f s >tli ot • i i 1 neHrei» could cdQtemplate the rock, the fortii fletftidtis bf jjiiebeC) the plains of Abraham^ and Ifie little- red battle, without reft^et^ Ui^ bn the iiigmtitifde ^of his cohntry mek^ in €a* i)ada,'wh6^hikve nbt oifly shAmeArilf negieked his raeijidiy, By Wi«tob6lding from him a monued %he klit sadyenidins of the spani^s(fureindiv-fdiiaK'>> His ebdi^tryniei^ ' in £figlatid h|v^ honoiirecl bis* ta^ Ibciry'wiib^^tf eUgafii ttonnment in tbeii> v^^* tp :i -at STATUE Of WOLFB IN 9T« JOHN- STREET. 4§ ■•:<■ , i-'- ^^'■r\-:>tf. ble mausolemn for distinguished characters ; but the only nrark of respect which his countrymen in Canada have vouchsafed to bestow, is a (itkry wooden statue, about four feet high, stuck up at the comer of a house in St. John-street. This humble (or I should rather say elegant) specimen' of Canadian carving represents the general in the uniform of a common soldier,' with his musket, belts, cart ouch-box, and bayonet; a little three- cornered hat, and long-skirted coat reaching halfrway down his legs. It is possible this may be a correct delineation of the general, as he went into battle at the head of his army. As such it is not unworthy a stranger's notice ; but surely it is not a statue worthy of commemorating such ex- traordinary talents, courage, and perseverance, as our gallant hero possessed and displayed at the siege and conquest of Quebec. I hope, therefore, that under the administration of the present Go- vernor-general, himself so celebrated for his mi- litary services, the inhabitants of Canada will display their generosity and spirit^ by erecting a suitable monument to the memory of General Wolfe. The commerce of the country was never so great as at present, nor the people better able to defray the expenses attending a design far more: worthy of their munificence than that hideous! structure of wood and stone which at present 4« fir3 RT» OAii^seir or autnc^ a'trt'At?! disgraees the Upper Town mirket-piMe, mid of which I thsll aoon have occaeion to speak. \ To garrison Qiliebed in a complete inanner, it ia said that ten thousand troops are requisite* Thoiigh the nuuiber »ually kept there falls very abort of that amount^ yet it is si^cieatfor all the purposes of garri«v. duty. In oase of an attick being apprehended^ the difierent regiments of the line tod feneibles, ivhich in war-time are gene* rally distributed at Three Rivers, Moritred, and other posts, can be transported to Quebec in a few hours, if necessary ; besides which, the militia regiments ibrmef^ by its inhabitants are always on the spot to assi«t the regular troops. a ^;> The troops are lodged in a large building finw merly belonging to the Jesuits, situate in the Upper Ton -n market-place^ the apartments of which have, been turned into excellent barcack« rooms. This ^uilding will accommodate iipwairdt of two thousa d soldiers. Before this house and property app taining to the society of Jesus came into the pot si'ion of the English Government^ the troops Wy.. ~ partly lodged in block^hooaes on, Capc; Diamond. Those buildings, composed en- tirely of wood, have been suffered to remain i» a ruinous sti^e for several years, highly dangeroua, in case of fire, to the neighbouring storehouse* sod powder magazines. They were in ezittencii OOLOKSL /CLAIfiOWa ^ ivli^ I visited th« Cipe, but it was intended verf shortly to pull them down. . i- The present Goyernor-genertl possesHt the largest staff that has been known in Canada foe several years; and there are upwards often regie nents of the line and £mciUcs, with about sis hundred artillery. The latter are commanded byr Colonel Glasgow, who is alsa commandant of th« garrison. This officer, whose acquaintance I shall eiver est^m, served, under the gallant Elliot during Uie siege of Gibraltar. Hq has been upwarda •f twenty years in- Canada, and is respected by all who kndw him, for the amiableness of his private life, and for.theability and integrity which he displays in bis public character. - The British Government seems at present dii4 posed to maintain its possessions in Canada npon^^ a tespectable footing. Many, new appointnieBtt have taken place in that country, particularly ia :. the military department. Six inspecting field«, officers of militia are among the number ; but it is not^yet known Upon what plan the militia is to ; b« QfgaiuMd* At present there are not above one thousand militia, or rather voluntearv, i^ther ia Quebec, Three Rivers, or Montreal, that are armed ; and they have furnished themselves with clothing and accoutrements at their own ezpensei and are in every respect like our volunteers^ ^^* I cept that the latter are superior to them in disci* u CANADUN ItlLfflU; pfmiti ' At the tione that a vrar wmi expected^ in I807, between Great Britain and the United Sttftes, the Ganaidiaii people universally offered to embody themselves, for: the defehoe of the country < The services of on|y five thousand wera accepted^ and they' were neveri anbeid, as :fcbe nedessity of the base, was not; veiy urgent, l^iv^l alftcrit)t; aQfi United Sts||p, has declared war flgunst Great Britain; and the brave Canadiuu, in the campaign of 1812> mider'Sir O.'PreTt^t^ have nob^| oonfirihed my opinion, hy iknttUliitihg tkr^ AlbJ^kih ioibt^' lebt to wnquOT Uiem. • ^J ' '"-'-^ • , i > U'i& .■,; 1 »• t, -olt* --) U . i il^iH , .: l<|}5 CHATEAU nr. LOUU. CHAPTER IV. Chateau St, Louis — Improvements — Public Build- ings of the Upper Town — Court House — Eng- lish Cathedral — Fire at the Monastery of Fran- - ciscan Friars-— College of Jesuits^^Mode of t Living of the Jesuits — Canadian Prwerb-r^In" \ defiuigable JRerseverance — Genius and Ability — % Anecdote of a German Jesuit— -Jean Joseph *■ Casotf the last of the Canadian Jesuits — Hdtel * IM0Ur-T$eminary— Remarkable Anecdote of a ^ young Liody— ^Convent of St. Ursule—Gtifieral s Hospital — Uieful AvdcatunH, of the Nuns~^ ^rBmiiffit of Monastic Institutions in Canada-'* T? Begging Friars— Homan Catholic Clergy, ^ The residence of the Governor is a large plain stone building, erected, 1 believe, by Geneiral HaU. dimand, and forming one side of the open plaoe or square called the Parade. Opposite to it stand the English Cathedral Church and the Court House, both handsome buildings of modern construction. The other sides of the Parade are formed by the (loion Hotel, in a line with some large dwelling* hotfaes-^and opposite by a row of buildings VOL. I. s 90 fMPROVlBffinTf. which forms the commencement of St. Louis- street. The old chateau, or castle of St. Louis, is built upon the vei^e of an inaccessible part of the rock, and separated by a court-yard from the new building which fronts the parade. 4i It was formerly occupied by tjhe Governor, for his residence ; but, on the erection of the other, was converted into public offices. It is now un- dergoing considerable improvements, for the use of Sir James Craig. It is to be raised one story higher, and the expenses are to be defrayed -by the colony, agreeable to an act passed for ^at purpose by the provincial Piflirliameat. -When jfikiished, it will possess every requisite for the abode of the most distinguished person in the coloiiy. Its situation for tine prospects and ex- tensive views of the river and surrounding country cannot be surpassed in any part of the Upper Town. . Behind the building is a large stone gal- lery or balcony, even with the lower apartments-^ This gi^Uery, which serves as a very agreeable pro* , menade, is situated more than two hundred atid fifty feet above the level of the river, And com*> mands a beautiful panorama view of the Lower Town — the shipping in the river — Point L«vi— - the Island of Orleans — shores of JBeauport and distant mountains, a so^ne as gr^nd and extentiv^ PUBLIC BUILDINGS OF fSS UPPER TOWN. ^1 as it is possible for the iinagination to conceive, or the eye to survey. i To complete the plan upon which the old chateau is rebuilding, the guard-house on the right has been pulled doWn, and a new one of stone is constructing on a larger scale. The back part of this building and the sides, which will open into the court-yard, are to contain the Go- vernor's horses and carriages, and a part is to be appropriated for a riding-school. The other cha- teau on thie left, it is said, is also coming down in part, for the purpose of making both wings uni* form, and enlarging the entrance to the grand chateau. When this plan is completed, thai side of the parade will be greatly improved, and will give a more regular feature to the square. Th6 situation, however, of the cathedral and of the new court-house on the opposite side are but very iH adapted to render the square complete, as the gable end only of the latter comes into view; the front of it opermg into St. Louis-street, ianik not acquainted with the ny>tives which occasioned the court-house to be erected on its present site, when 80 favourable an opportunity seemi to have offered for building it with its front ojiposite the chateau, as there is a considerable space of unoc- copied ground between it ahd the cathedral. But fhe public buildings of Quebec se^ih nevel* to have been constructed with any view to improve E 3 J &f M0NA8TBRY OF FRANCISCAN FRIARS. the appearance of the town; and if we ezcepfe: the English church, we shall not And one at present that can excite our applause. The plan ^ of the cathedral church is said to have been takea from St. Martin*8 in the Fields, London. It ia built of a light-coloured gray stone, with a hand* Some steeple and spire of proportionate height^ covered as well as the roof with sheets of tin, which give it a remarkable light and brilliant appearance; for the tin-covered roofs of houses and churches in Canada never rust, but constant- ly maintain their shining appearance, in conse- quence of a particular method of doubling down the tin over the nails. Sheets of iron painted black or red are sometimes used for covering roofti, instead of tin. ' *' ^ ' The Union Hotel is the only building besides those which I have mentioned, that contributes to adorn the Parade. It is a very neat house, one -story above the ground floor. I'he rooms are lofty and spacious. The building is partly of stone and of wood, covered with a sloping roof of clapboard, painted of a slate colour. The front is ornamented with a handsome portico and steps, and the whole has a pretty effect. - The gfound upon which the court-house and cathedral stand, was formerly occupied by a mo^ nastery of Franciscan; friars or recollets, which was burnt down a few years ago by accident, and CX>LLI6B OF JisbrM. $$ did considerable damage in that quarter of the town. Many other parts were also much endan- gered, particularly the Lo^er Town, into which the blazing shingles were carried by the wind; they even fell into the river, and obliged a frigate lying at anchor to slip her cable and run down to the Island of Orleans. This order of friars, of whom there were then but few, being by pro- fession very poor, and subsisting only upon the , charity of the inhabitants, were unable to rebuild • their house, and became distributed in different parts of the country. There are only two now alive, and they reside at Montreal; they continue to go about habited in the dress of their order. '^t^ The college of the Jesuits is situated in the market, and now makes veiy excellent barracks for the soldiers. As the Jesuits in Canada, as well as in difierent parts of the world; were once a very powerful body of men, and possessed more influence for a time over the people among whom they lived than even the sovereigns themselves, it may be amusing, and perhaps instructive, to describe them as they existed in that country about sixty years ago, at which period their power, though on the decline, was yet considerable. At this day not an individual of that society is alive 'hi Canada, the British Government having wisely prohibited the religious male orders, the priestt excepted, from augmenting their numbers. The ^ ■^./ •^4 COLLEOB OF JBSUITf. Government faithfully allowed the orders to etij^ the whole of their revenues, as long as there ex- isted a single individual of the body ; but on his death the property reverted to the crown. tr The building in which the Jesuits resided is well laid out ; and when occupied by them, ;anii in good order and repair, must have been the handsomest building in Canada. It consists of stone, and is three stories high, above which are garrets with a sloping roof covered with slat«, even at this day in a good state of preservation; a circumstance which I am surprised has not in- duced the inhabitants to cover 1|heir houses with slate, as they could import it from Scotland cheaper than tin. The college is built in a square form, and includes a large court-yard within. In every story there is a long walk, on both sides of which the brethren had their private cells or rooms, exclusive of the public halls, refectory, library, apothecary*s shop, and other apartments for general use. A large orchard and kitchen garden were situated on the south side of the , buildings A part of the trees in the former were the remains of the forest which covered the moun- tain when the French began to build the city, )^i|nd ^rejn existence at the present day » The interior oecofjiomy of the college was w:eU ^regulated. The Jesuits used to dine in a great . hall, around which were placed long tables with DBSCRimON OF THE JESUITS. m teats between them and the walls, but not on the opposite side. On one side the refectory was a pulpit, in which, during meals, one of the fathers used t6 read some religious book ; but when yisitors dined with them, this practice was omit- ted ; the time being generally employed in con- versation. Their dinners were always good ; and when company was present, their dishes were as numerous as at a great feast. They never per- mitted a woman to reside among them. All wert iathers or brothers, the latter of whom were young men brought up to be Jesuits ; they used to pre- pare every thing for dinner in the hall, and bring it on table; the common servants not being admitted. There were three kinds of clergy in Canada: the Jesuits, the priests, and the recollects. Thei first were considered so much superior to the rest, that the Canadians had the following proverb to show how much the one surpassed the other. *' Pour faire un Kecollet, il faut une bachette, pour un PrStre un ciseau, mais pour un Jesuite, il faut un pinceau.** ^ " To make a recollect you must have an axe, for a priest a chisel, -but for a Jesuit you must have a pencil." The Jesuits were generally very learned and studious, and very agreeable company. In their whole deportment there was something so pleas^ ing and irresistible, that it is not surprising they \ 4. i6 DvscRirnoN or thi jisuits. % coptivated the minds of the people. In mix'xl company they never spoke of religious matters^ and if the subject by chance was introduced, they generally avoided disputes.: They had the cha* racter of being always ready to render assistance, often even before it was required of them;, and thcirconversation was so entertaining and learned, that a person seldom could be tired of their .com- pany. They never cared to become preachers to a congregation in town or country, but always left those places and the emoluments arising from them to the priests. All their business in Canada was to convert .the Indians, and with that view their missionaries were. scattered over every part of the country. These missionaries were so zeal- ous in their cause, that in winter they accom- panied the Indians, in their great hunt^ing parties, when they were frequently obliged to suffer all imaginable inconveniences: walking in the snow all day, and at night lying in the open air, regard^ less of gciod.or.bad weather, and what was ofteil worse, lying in the Indian wigwams, huddled together with the savages; who were frequently awarming with fleas and other vermin. These hardships, sometimes aggravated. by hunger, did thft Jesuits undergo for the sake of converting the ns; but as much perhaps for political as re* ous. reasons. Yet what an indefatigable body of men must they have been! for though they H* *%i osscRipnoN or the jiiumr. ffy were seeking their own aj;gran(Kseinent, ai well as to further the political views of their own coun- try, one would think that the life of hardships which they led, would have cooled their zeal ; and no doubt but it would, had they been any other people than Jesuits. This body of men must have been of great service to their country ; for they were often able to persuade the Indians to break their treaties with the English, and make war upon them, to bring their furs to the French, and not permit the English to come amongst them. Sometimes the Indians, when in liquor, would kill the Jesuits, calling them spies, or excuse themselves by saying that the brandy had killed them. :. The Jesuits never attended at funerals, nor visited the sick, nor heard confessions ; those of- fices they left for the priests. They were reck- oned a most cunning set of people, who generally succeeded in their undertakings, and surpassed all others in acuteness and understanding ; they were therefore not without jealous enemies in Canada. It was their custom never to receive any amongst them, but persons of veiry promis- ing parts; so that no blockheads ever crept into their society. An anecdote to this efiect is re^* lated of Christopher Clavius, a German Jesuit^ distinguished for his mathematical knowledge^. .#» ^ 58 DESCRIPTION or THE JESUITS. ^^^b<*« and employed by Gregory XIII. in th^ reformat tion of the calendar. He died at Rome in ]6l9j at the age of seventy-five. I'his learned charac^ ter, when a boy, was entered in a college of Je- suits t and, after having been tried at several parts of learning, was upon the point of being dismissed as a hopeless blockhead, until one of the fathers took it in his head to make an essay of his parts in geometry, which it seems hit his genius so luckily, that he afterwards became one of the greatest mathematicians of the age. It is commonly thought that the sagacity of the fathers in discovering the talent of a young student, has not a little contributed to thfe distinction which their order has obtained in tho world. On the other hand, the priests received the best kind of people they could meet, and the re*- collects were yet less careful. They never endea^ voured to get cunning fellows among them, but took all that offered ; and so far from tormenting their bi^ilhs with much learning, they, on putting on the^ Monastic habit, often forgot what little they knew. As they had made vows of poverty, they subsisted by begging, and the young monks or brothers used to carry a bag from house to house to receive alms. Such an order of men in a new country, like Canada, was most destruc^ tive to society, and to the prosperity of the co* «1 ■**%i. JBAN J08IPH CASOT. .->« iPP^**^^ W^fl!^^ instead of religion, bound her to him. Ttieir" affection was mutual, and as long as she reflected* upon that, she dreaded not the infatuated vow oi her mother. " * • It happened that her lover was obliged to go abroad for some time. Imperious circumstances delayed his return, and the time lipproaehed when she was to be sacrificed ^t the altar.' It was now two years since he had left her, add for a long time she had h^rd no tidings of him. Hope, fear, and despair^ alternately took pos- iession of her mind. She could not believe that he was faithless, yet knew not hol^ to account for his absence and neglect; at a. period loo wheii' he must be acquainted with her unfortunate de« stination. The father persisted in bis determin*i^ lion to make her renounce the world, and the day arrived when this distrtesing scene Was td take place. Her story ^as weH known in Qoe^ hecy a&f^ crowds were dt^the convent at aif^ariy <• 1 4|pK CONVENT OF IT. JUASULEj fi^ # hour to witliess the sight* Like a }amb led tr« be sacrificed^ she approached the altar. The bifihop commenced tlie ceremony, which gene^* rally lasts a considerable time. At length he came to that part where she is asked whethev she will accept the veil, that is to wed. her to Christ ? At this moment all eyes were fixed upon her pale and death.like countenance. Her eyes were drowned in tears, and her. frame was nearly sinking under such a weight of woe, when, look- ing round the crowd, she suddenly started, and immediately tiirning to the bishop, declared^ with much firmness, that she would be wedded to no one on earth but that young maii, pointing to her lover. In an instant all eyes were turned upon the fortunate youth, who had providentially arrived that day at Quebec, and, on hearing the inelancholy tale, immediately hurried to the con-^ vent ; and, pushing his way through the cro^d^ arrived just in time to pre^rentthe unibrtunats catastrophe. It i^as a joyfiil scenCj and the bishop, without hesitation, married the young f!ouple on the spot. -.ti The convent of Ursuiioes was instituted in tBsg, by a rich young widow in France, Ma* dame de la Peltrie, for the education 6f female children. It belongs to a superior and thirty-six nuns, who instruct the girls in reading, emb^oi* derVy and fine work s no men areallowed to imiit %> 64 CONVENT OF ST. UR8ULX. this or any of the convents, without permission froni the bishop. The sisters of St. Ursule are more strict and recluse than those of the other convents. They 'have a large garden adjoining their house, which supplies them wUh a variety of fruit, herbs, and vegetables, a portion of which they sell to the inhabitants ; for their institution is not very rich. They also employ themselves with embroidery, pickling and preserving of fruits and vegetables, which are disposed of for the benefit of the society. This convent, like the rest of the public buildings in Canada, has suffered two or three times by fire. It is now substantially built of stone, and the roof covered with tin. Aiiw The general hospital, which is situated some distance out of the town, on the banks of the river St; Charles, surrounded by meadow-lands. Is the. third convient belonging to Quebec. It was founded abbut the year 1693, by M. de St* Vallier, bishop of Quebec, for the purpose of affording support and relief to the infirm, the rged, the sick, and wounded poor, of both sexes, and in this charitable and praise- worthy service it continues to this day. A superior and thirty* seven sisters fulfil the duties of the institution, in a manner that does them the highest honour, and entitles them to the gratitude and thanks of the public. Theit religious duties are performed >*:'- • V' -*■:■ MONASTIC lirSTnUTIOMS. •^ without reteixing tbosie of humanity, 'and their leisttfe Riomenti are spent in useful and ornamen- tal works, the profits of whioh assist the revenues of the hospital. "t> I cannot quit thb cursory notice of the female religious institutions at Quebec, without paying them a tribute of applause to which they are justly entitled. Few, it is true, go into those holy receptacles, hut such as are tjced of the world. They are either satiated with its plieasures, x>r disgusted with its cares. Put the objects for which they leave the world, are n^t p} live in easy idleness, or careless indifTerence. Two out of three institutions bestow their time, attention, and property, upon the sick and aged poor. The other devotes the services of its sisters to the education and instruction of young females. Such are the charitable offices performed by the Ca- nadian nuns, whose religious duties are equally meritorious. i The existence, therefore, of these religious orders I conceive to be highly advantageous to the people of Canada, and serviceable to the Go. vernment. In a catholic country governed and i^ulated by the liberal constitution of England^ those institutions are rendered of public utility. The suppression of the male orders was wise and politic, because, however useful the Jesuits might have been to their own Government, it is hardly VOL. I. F €6 . ^' ■ ' PRIESTO- ■ - %1f «til*'. possible that they could have ever been recon- ciled to act in favour of one whose religious tenets clashed with their own. As to the begging friars, no nation could be benefited by them. The priests or catholic clergy, at present so nu- merous, and who have received the support and protection of the English Government, are en- titled to particular notice. From the great in-, fluence which they possess over the minds of the Canadians, their importance cannot be questioned. In a subsequent chapter! shall offer some obser- ^ipations up : a ■ . .rsntXi,:i j:.t^kii-^ » r . i i •1. •^ k § -l '-' .1 .J07 *>', UPPER TOWN OF AUEBSC. t T.' V i) CHAPTER V. VpperTown of Quebec — New BuildingS'^Butcher** p Market — Show of Meat the Day after Good Friday— ^Feasting after Lent^'Price of Provi' ^ sions-^Frozen Provisions kept for Jive Months-^ ^ Extravagant Price of European Goods — Tommy Cods^FUh-^Wild Pigeons—'A Market Scene •^^ -^Poor Mulrooney — The Habitant outwitted^-^ ^ . Stinking Cheese an Epicurean Delicacy-^Butter ^ from Green Island — Frozen Milk — Maple Sugar I -^Origin of eating sweet Things with Meat-" J,, Price of. Articles at Market — Canadian Cur' ^, rency. I ( }{■- The Upper Town n certainly the most agree- able part of Quebec both in summer and winter. In the former season, the heat is not so intense as in many parts of the Lower Town, nor in winter is it so dreary and dull. The cold is, however, severer by several degrees. Even be« tween Cape Diamond and the Upper Town, there is frequently a difference in the weather of nearly 10 degrees. The thermometer in February ISOjr was 30 degrees below o in St. Louis-street, and ?3 -., ..^ sit VPPfeR tOWM OF aUEBfeC. »?«'f.i on the Cape 30 below ; the tatter being ete- vated upwards of 70 feet above the former. The streets in the Upper Town are not remark- able for width ; but many of them are tolerably paved, yet a considerable part of the town remains without that beneficial improvement. A fortified town, (Confined like Quebec to the summit and htiib of a ^teep rock, is not very Well adapted Isither for convenient fttreefcb or elegant buiMings^ Ih^y must always be rej^lated by the focalities bf its situation. But mUch more might certarnly * iiajve been effected ht general comfort and cfen- venience/ had thvs place fal^eti into the hatids of kny Other than ^ Rotnan Catholic people, whose iiumerous religions instituttons have occtipied "aeatly one-half the town. Their large buihttngs, iihd extensive gardens, were not of so thuch (ion- ,sequence in the eai-ly settlement of Queb^; but when population increased, those who Would otherwise ha^e lived withm thie Walls, wet^ obli- ged for 'Want of room to reside without; and haVe formed Whsit ate called the stiburbs of St. Johh, St. Rocque, &c.''' '^ ' ^^•' I X'- ^^ «^ «*• <' Since the conquest, improveiAents hav^ gaak Old bdt sdowly, owing to the fluctuating sts(te cff t:oMmerce ; froih which sbtirce aloile the me2Lm '^n be provided. Of late yeats, 'howevier, seV^rsA ^tdetations have takien 'plaice in cohstequende bf (his: %ktinction of the ma^e tdigiottis orders^ whos^ NKW BUILDING. ..{ §f houses and lands have devolved to the crown, ^nd made room for the erection of new edi(icesr Some pubUc buildings have been erected, but ex- cept the English church, with very little taste; and even that is not yet complete, for it requiref to be inclosed with an iron railing, instead of the old rotten wall which at present degrades th^ building. Several streets have been paved, and private houses built upon more improved print <;iple8 than those which before occupied their sites. There is yet room enough, in different parts of the town, for many more houses, whict^ will no doubt be erected as comQierqe and popu-r lation increase. iv In speaking of 4 he new buildings, I cannot avoid observing, that of all those which have dis- graced the public taste, the circMlar building erected in the jlJpper Town market-place h^f disgraced it the most. This «di^e, tq which I have hefpre alluded, is ^ kind of aniphitbeatre of ^one, surmounted hy an immense domie or cupol^ of wooden frame-work, covered on the outside with planks. On the top is a sort of lant;em, or circular chamber, with planked roof. The sid(es of this lantern are glazed lor the admit- tance of light into the interior, but they have very jlittle eflfect in sutih an extensive building. The/ frame-work inside the dome is ingenious ^enoiigh, and dojes more credit to the artist |vh9 ¥> ^, BUfeif JEIL AiARKEf . eren During Lent the French people live upon fish artd tegctables^ which they contrive to dress in the most palatable manner. The day after Good Friday the butchers make a show of their meat, somewhat similar to our butchers before Christ- mas. The former decorate their meat with ftimers and ribbands in order to tempt their customers^ though one Would thinic that but little induce- ment was necessary to invite them to eat after so long a fast. The Catholics at the close of Lent have a regale, and the butchers do tiot neglect to .take advantage of that propitious moment. The finest quarters and joints are ticketed with th6 names of those happy people, who are alert enough to rise at three or four o'clock in the morning and get to market before their neighbours. ^ The dogs in little carts, which are mentioned by Mr. Weld and former writers, are now not much in use, except by boys; every thing is brought to market in carts, or sleighs, drawn by horses. The markets of Qaebec are well supplied with eVery thing the country ajQfordft* Iii summet PRICE OF PROVISIONS. 73 the following articles are brought to market by the Hahitatis^ and generally sold at the prices affixed to them. |, Sterling money. ^ rBeefperlb. H<;. to4rf. Mutton per lb. 4rf. to 6rf.j per sheep Ss, to lOs, Meat. \ Lamb per quarter 3s, 6d* to 4s. 6d, Veal 6d, to ^d^ per lb. i Pork 5d, to 6^ per lb. ^ LSausages '^Turkeys per couple 3s. Sd, to 5*. Fowls do. U, 3d, to 3^. Poultry and Game. ^m "fd, to \(id. Sf . Qd, to As* 6d, lOd, to 15d. Is. 6d, to 4*,' 6d. to 9 r t . » ' i4^f4.4i^ Fruit ^ Leeks per bnndle 4d. Carrots but very little cheaper than in London. Turnips do. Peas "?"^ do. Beans ■'^^■^ do. ^^"^ Beet do. Celery ^ ^ do. Sallad ^ " do. Asparagus per bundle Cotonnier do. Parsnips ^Boiled Corn, Herbs, &c. Apples 18*. per barrel Pears but few at market Strawberries about 6d. per quart Currants Gooseberries ■uH: 'i-f- i^^-, X sSt <'*• : Raspberries , ^,. i. .«.; ... , Blueberries '^ ^ * ■■'"'^^'***^^^'^' tM^npf^. Blackberries '^^^^^^^^^H'^^^M4^^,k ■i,^A^' -Sun- dries. Plums .Melons Maple sugar Flour per cwt. Lard . . Tallow , , Tobacco , . Butter . , Oats per minot 2*. 6'rf. to 3*. Hay per bundle 6(L to 7rf. Straw per do. 2rfi to 3d, Wood per cord 12*. to 15*. Stinking Cheese, Soap, Mogasins, ,Fur, &c. 2d, to 3d. per lb. 4 18*. to 25*. Bd, to Qd. per lb. / 9rf. to-lOd. do. **^ . . . 9(/. do. *♦'< ♦ . 9d, to I4d, do. ^rmi V V Ui^ij.^ ,t»i-^,!,4J \ FROZEN PROVISIONS. "t» In winter a portion only of the preceding ar-> tides are brought to market. As soon as the river between Quebec and the Island of Orleans is frozen over^ a large supply of provisions is re- ceived from that island. The Canadians at the commencement of winter kill the greatest part of their stock, which they carry to market in A frozen state. The inhabitants of the towns then supply themselves with a sufficient quantity of poultry and vegetables till spring, and keep them in garrets or cellars. As long as they remain frozen, they preserve their goodness, but they will not keep long after they have thawed. 1 have eaten turkeys in April which have been kept in this manner all the winter, and found thf^m , remarkably good. Before the firozen provisions are dressed, they are always laid for some hourg in cold water, which extracts the ice ; otherwise, by a sudden immersion in hot water, they would be spoiled. ^ The articles of life are certainly very reasonable in Canada ; but the high price of house rent and European goods, together with the high wages of servants, more than counterbalances that advan- tage. A person must pay at least 70 or 100 per cent, upon the London price, for every article of wearing apparel, furniture, &c., unless he attends ihe public sales, which are pretty frequent, and where articles are sometimes sold very low; but < ?fi .?»Sf«ft»i>^\"»H« "^nr ft there he is often liable to be deceived, and many a keen oeconomist has been confoundedly b*t. ^., The Lower Town market-place is reckoned cheaper than the other. It is not so large, but is generally well supplied. Fish is at certain seasons abundant, particularly salmon and shad; the latter is classed among the herrings, which it somewhal: resembles in flavour, though widely differing i^ size, the shad being as large as a moderate-sized salmon. They are a great relief to the poor people in the months of May and June, as at that season they are taken in shoals in the river of St. Lawrence from the entrance to more than two hundred miles above Quebec: large quantities are salted down for the use of the upper province. Fresh cod are very rarely brought to market. A merchant in the Upper Town usually gets a sup- ply once during the summer season, which he keeps in an ice>house, and retails to the inhabi- tants at nearly the London price. Montreal re- ceives a supply from the United States during the winter season; they are packed up iu ice, and^ few of them find their way to Quebec. .>n,,,t«i. ^rr^ The maskinong^ is a fish of the pike specieai, with a long hooked snout projecting over thie mouth. U is caught in the small river of Maskir nonge, about a hundred and thirty miles above Quebec. Trout, perch, and otlier small fish aiie jpl^Qtiful. The stuigeon, Jthe J)asse, the Achig>J]|> WISH* and d large species of ed, are all favourite fis^ ivith the Canadians ; bnt the pickerel, or poisson doreCf is reckoned the best that comes to market. It is a smatl fish, seldom exceeding the siz'i oF ai haddock, which I think it much resembles in flavour. In speaking of the fish I must not omit a curious species^ about the size and appearance of large smelts, but far inferfor to them iik quality. They are called by the inhabitants tommy codsy and are caught in the St. Lawrence, during the winter season, in little holes which are made in the ice. Small huts are erected over these holes, and in them the Canadians fish (br the tommy cods with hooks and lines. They generally obtain enough to reward them for tfceir trouble. Many sit irp all night at this work; fok it is found that the fish bite better at that tim^ than in the day. 'Great quantities are brought to ntorket, ^nd are rery serviceable during Lent. In many places «p the river, where they are taken in great abundance, tind no sufficient sale is fbund*^ the country people feed their cattle with them. The eels of this country are all large, and by no means inviting to a refined taste. They have a Mrong rancid flavour, and contain a great tleal of *• Considering the vast quantities of fish, with WhtcJi the river and gulf of St. Lawrence abound, f Hrink the markets in Canada are very ill sup*- 7« MARKBTS. I plied. Though the gulf is full of mackerel, yet none ever appear at Quebec. Oysters are some- times brought from Chaleur Bay, but so seldom, and in such small quantities, that an oyster feast is consider(.d by the inhabitants as a very rare treat. Th^y are, however, but of an indifferent quality ; and though of large size when taken out of the shell, yitlL tiaye so little subtaqce in them, that, when cut with a knife, the water runs out, and they diminish at least a fourth. The shells are large, and adhere to each other in great clus- ters. The herrings of Canada are large, but of indifierent quality. Sprats there are none ; at least none ever appear on shore. >,i| ^f. In the spring the markets are abundantly sup- plied with wild pigeons, which are sometimes sold much lower than the price I have mentioned: this happens in plentiful seasons; but the im- mense flocks that formerly passed over the coun- try^ are now cont^iderably diminished ; or, as the )pmd becomes cleared, they retire further back. / ' The beef of Canada is in general poor, and tough eating. The Canadians have not got into a proper method of fattening their cattle, which are for the most part lean and ill fed. The butchers however contrive to furnish a better sort, which they fatten on their own farms. The veal is killed too young to please an English taste, and the pork is overgrown. Mutton. and lamb 1 1 H^ 4 A MAKKET SCENB» l# are very good ; and the latter, on its first coming in, is sold at a price which would not disgrace a London market. The Habitans sell their meat by the quarter, half, or whole carcase; which accounts for the different prices I have afiized to those articles. The butchers retail them by the pound. 'X - It is curious in winter time to see the stiff* head- less carcases of the sheep stuck upon their hind legs in different parts of the market-place. It is also . highly amusing to behold the various groups of people, of all descriptions, that sur round the Habitans, looking over and scrambling for meat, poultry, and vegetables. Here may be seen men, women, and children; masters, mis* tresses, and servants ; judges and members of the council; colonels, captains, and private soldiers; all promiscuously huddled together round the Ha- bitant's cart, his basket, or his sack. One with a couple of turkeys in his hand; another with agoose; a third snatching it out of her hand, exclaiming '^t That's my goose, ma'am ;" a fourth smelling at a brace of partrid^^es ; a fifth throwing the fellow's potatoes, cabbages, onions, apples, &c. into a littte basket which, she carries on her arm ; a sixth mov- ing off* with a ^/mAm^ cAee^e in his pocket; a se- venth putting a mutton carcase under his arm, and bawling to the Habitant to take his money f9r it _In the n^idst of ,%11 this cr9wd8ta.Q.4s the «0 FOOl MULROONftt. pobv fellow, telling the price of half a docen dif- ferei^ things in a breath, taking the money of tome, and refuiiog it of others. Yet it very sel- dom happens that he loses any of his articles, or suffers himself to be cheated. v> A19 anecdote is however told of a soldier, a few years ago, who stole a mutton carcase from one of the Habitans, and carried it into the adjoiriing barracks. The countryman got information of it, and applied to the officer on, duty for leave to search the barrack-rooms for his mutton. The offi- cer aocordingiy a^xx>mpanied him ;. and alter going through several of the apartments they came in^o one where two or three women were crying and ^oaning lamentably over a dead body, stretdied out on the bed and covered with a sheet. 'Hbe officer asked who was de^d ? *^ Ah, plase y^ur honour, it*a poor Mulrooney, who 'died suddenly with the gripes this morning." The Habitant^, however, began to suspect that poor Mulrooney ipight be no other than his mutlion, and therefore requestted to see the corpse. The officer was upon the point of complying with his wishes, when the women immed^|»ly «et up Hhe Irish howl, shrieking and tearing their hair most piteously, asd failing 09 tlie^body, dedared that they never would Buffisr poor dear Mulrooney to he itken for t^e caroaae of a sheep, and would scratch the iWnebman's eyes Among the articles brought to market is one of a peculiar description called stinking cheese, which, from the richness of its flavour, is worthy of a place at any of our city feasts. It only re- quires to be known in order to be sought after by all the lovers of highly-ilavoured dainties ; by all who can feast upon venison and wild fowl in a state of putridity; for this cheese exactly resembles those epicurean delicacies in the odours which it exhales. It is a kind of new cheese made into small flat cakes ; but to reduce it to a rich pala- .^ table state, the country people wrap it up in wet hay or straw, and place it under a dunghill, where after it has lain a sufliicient time to putrefy, it is taken out and carried to market for sale. I have frequently, on passing these cheeses, been obliged to hold my nose ; yet gentlemen reckon them a great delicacy, and put two or three with the wet musty hay into their pockets! The best butter is brought from Green Island^ about one hundred andtilty milps below Quebec. That sold by the Canadians in the market-place is generally of a cheesy or sour flavour ; owing to the cream being kept so long before it is churned. o* :.»l MAPLE SUGAR. -i^ 0^ Milk 18 brought to market in the winter time in large frozen cakes. A Large quantities of maple sugdFKare soldatahout half the price of the West India sugar. The manufacturing of this article takes place early in the spring, when the sap or juice rises in the maple trees. It is very laborious work, as at that time the snow is just melting, and the Ca- nadians suffer great hardships in procuring the liquor from an immense number of trees dispersed over many hundred acres of land. The liquor is boiled down, and often adulterated with flour, which thickens, and renders it heavy : after it is boiled d sufficient time, it is poured into tureens, and, when cold, forms a thick hard cake of the shape of the vessel. These cakes are of a dark brown colour, for the Canadians do not trouble themselves about refining it. The people in Upper Canada make it very White ; and it may be easily clarified' equal to the finest loaf sugar made in England. It is very hard, and requires to be scraped with a knife when used for tea, otherwise llle lumps would be a considerable time dissolving. Its flavour strongly resembles the candied bore- hound sold by the druggists in England, and the Canadians say that it possesses medicinal qualities, for which they eat it in large lumps. It very possibly acts as a corrective to the vast quantity G 2 84 HAY, WOOD, AMD ^ALS. of fat pork which they consume, as it possesses i greater degree of acidity than the West India ^ sugar. Before salt was in use, sugar was eaten with meat in order to correct its putrescency. Hence, probably, the custom of eating sweet apple sauce with pork and goose ; and currant jelly with bare and venison. Hay is sold at market in bundles of 17lb8. weight each, at 50s, the hundred bundles. Straw is sold in the same manner, at about half the price. Wood is brought to market in carts or sleighs ; three loads make one cord, which sells for from 13«. to 1 5s. Most people at Quebec, how- ever, lay in their wood from the water side, near the Lower Town market-place. It is brought down the river in summer, in cribs of six cords each. A cord of wood is six feet long, four feet high, and two feet deep, and is sold at the water side for from Ss, to Qs, The expense of carting, piling, and sawing the wood is about 4s» 6d, more. Coals are generally brought by the vessels as ballast, and sell from SOf. to 30^. per chaldron at Quebec ; they are a cheaper fuel than wood, but the latter is better adapted for the stoves which are used in Canada. The French people fell their commodities by the minot, a measure which is one twelfth more than the Winchester bushel. They also measure land by the arpent, which is four- fifths of a statute acre. CANADIAN CURRBNCY. W Money in Canada is reckoned at the following weight and currency, agreeably to an act passed by the provincial parliament in April 1808:— Dwtt. Grs. £. t. d. British Guinea *. . . . 5 6 Troy 1 3 4 Joannes of Portugal . .18 ... 4 Moidore of do. . . , . 6 18 ... 1 10 American Eagle « « .11 6 ... 3 10 When weighed in bulk, the rate ii currency, 41. Qs. per oz. Troy. 17 o 5 4 4 4 3 14 G 12 8 IS 3 Milled Doubloon, or four ") Pistole piece . . . j French Lou is d*or, coined 1 before 1793. . . .J French Pistole, coined 1 before the same period j When weighed in bulk, the rate it currency, 4/. fs. 6^. per oz. Troy J and in the same proportion for all the higher and lower denonainations of the said gold coins. For every grain which the British, Portugal, and American coins weigh more than the stand- ard, there is to be allowed and added 2^d, cur- rency; and for every grain less 2^d. is to be deduct- ed. And for every grain which the Spanish and French gold coins weigh more or less than the standard, there is to be an allowance of 2^(1, cur- rency. In every payment exceeding the sum of twenty pounds, where one of the parties requires it, gold is to be weighed in bulk, and pass at the above rates ; and a deduction of half a grain Troy is to 86 CANADIAN CURRENCY. rt he made on every piece of coin so weighed, as a compensation to the receiver for. the loss he may sustain in paying away the same by the single piece. f* The silver coins are as follow : Canadian currency. jB' it dm Spanish Piastre or Dollar . . « 4 & O English Crown ...<... 5 6 Frencii Crown, of 6 livres tournois .036 > French do. of 4 livres 10 sols tournois 4 2 English Shilling . . .... .0 1 1 French piece of 34 sols tournois • . 1 1 L*Escalin, or Pistoreen . . .... 0« 1 O French piece of 36 sols tournois ..018 The copper coin in circulation is English. The halfpence are called sols by the French, and cop- pers by the British. To bring sterling money into Canadian currency, one«ninth must be added; and to bring currency into sterling one-tenth must be deducted. him <0 ii ,. -^ i _ I. /■; CURIOUS JARGON. CHAPTER VI. m.. Curious Jargon in the Market-place — Bon Tabac , '—An Anecdote of an Irishman and a Habitant i -—Moccasins — Swamp Boots — Strawberries — f Raspberries — Fruit brought to Market--^ Fege* tables — Potatoes formerly looked upon as poi- sonous by the French — Rows of Cabbages and Onions — Bread — Price regulated by the Magis* cj trates — Large Exportation of Wheat — Colonel < Caldwell — Breweries established at Quebec— ~ • Hop Plantation at Sillery — Settlement of the Algonquins — Emily Montague' — Wines drunk in * Canq/ li—Rum — Sugars — Quantity of Tea re- 09*'hed from the United States — TobaccO'-^Salt ^ — Trades and Professions. -^ * I A CURIOUS sort of jargon is carried on in the market-place, between the French who do not understand English, and the English who do not understand French. Each endeavours to meet the other halfway, in his own tongue; by which means they contrive to comprehend one another, by broken phrases, for the common French mar* keting terms are soon picked up. This inter- course between the French and English ha^ occa- S8 BON TABAC. siohed the former to ingraft many anglicisms in their language, which to a stranger arriving from England, and speaking only boarding-school French, is at first rather puzzling. The Cana- dians have had the character of speaking the purest French ; but I question whether they d^ serve it at the present day. J A laughable anecdote ia related of an Irishman and one of the Habitans, occasioned rather by a play upon words, than from any misunderstand- ing between the parties. An Irish soldier one day bought a large quan- tity of Canadian tobacco, and wishing to dispose of a part of itj he divided it into smaller rolls, similar to those which are sold in the market. He then posted himself in a crowded place and offered his tobacco for sale. A Habua.^t came up, and taking one of the rolls in his rv'ind, asked if it was " bon tabac'*-^" Oh, by Jasu^*^ says Pat, " you will find it bone enough.** Upon which the Frenchman and the Irishman struck a bargain for it; and the tobacco was sold at a very good profit. Tl.e next day, however, the Habitant happening to espy Pat in the market- place, immediately accused him of cheating, and complained to an ofiicer who was passing at the time of the Irishman's roguery, and produced the bargain which he had purchased. The Irishman, on being interrogated respecting his conduct, de- ir \ ■m' 4" I- ^ / \ "'T\ti^:if^ MOCCASINS*. Jtr'^r^Htr dared that it was a fair and honest sale. '' Plase your honour, I would not chate a Christian for all the world : he asked ipe if it was ' bone tahacy and sure enough^ your honour, it was $ for I had wrapped round it a large marrow bone** The Frenchman, when he came to understand the joke, which was explained to him by the officer, enjoyed it so highly, that he agreed to compro- mise the matter at the tavern. Pat joyfully ac- ceded to the proposal, and swore it was a pity that such a jewel of a fellow was not born in sweet little Ireland. -('f'lj'tct. i>fiR>t.: ' H Besides arti'?i<'s of provisions, a quantity of furs, skins, moccasins, and baskets of birch bark, are brought to market by the Indians, from the neigh* boui'^g village of Lorette, whose chief subsistence re%ts more upon these commodities than upon ^e culture of the ground. Straw hats, moccasins, and baskets, are also offered for sale by the Cana- dians. The moccasins are in genei'al use among the country people as shoes. They are of Indian origin, and vvell adapted for dry weather, or when the snow is hard on the ground ; but they are not calculated to resist the wet, being made of a spongy sort of leather, slightly tanned, and with- out the thick soles which shoes possess. Thick woollen socks are worn inside, and partly remedy their defects. Bools of the same leather, with moccasin feet, are much worn by the Habitans, t 9d STRATA BERRIES AMD RASPBERRIES. and are also worn over others, as swamp boots^ by those who are fond of shooting. < - * ^^- ; ^^The fruit of Canada is not remarkable either jpor goodness or cheapness, except strawberries and raspberries, which are brought to market in great abundance during the season. They are gathered on the plains at the back of 'Quebec, and in the neighbouring woods, where they grow upon the ground, or among the shrubs, in wild luxuriance. The poor Canadians send their chil- dren to gather them, and afterwards sell'them to the inhabitants at a moderate price. It is an agreeable sight to view the fields covered with strawberries, in blossom or ripe; and few persons keep them in gardens. The raspberry b.S^hes are intermingled with the underwood of the k^'ests, and affi:>rd an agreeable treat to those who ^re fond of rambling in the woods. That pleasure is however more than counterbalanced by the mos- quitoes and sand flies, which never fail, for three or four months in the summer, to annoy those who venture to penetrate their abode. Apples and pears are procured from Montreal^ where they grow in more abundance and in greater perfection than in any other part of Lower Ca- nada. They are sold for much the same price as in England. The apple which is most prized is what they call the " pomme gris,^* a small light browa apple, somewhat resembling the russetin '^ .\ \ \ FRUIT. 91 %. » n d I. n li s e '» e #■ \ \ in appearance. Many persons say that it is su- perior to any English apple, but 1 never could agree with them in that particular. In my opinion it is not equal to many of our apples, and cannot be compared with the nonpareil, an apple which is unknown in Canada. Several species of wild apples and pears are found in the woods, but they are of inferior quality to those cultivated in the gardens and orchards. lu The grapes brought to market are mostly of the wild species, which are gathered in the woods, * or from vines that have been planted near the houses. Little care has been taken to improve the latter, so that very trifling alteration is discernible. They are scarcely larger than currants, but when ^^ ripe have a pleasant flavour, though rather sharp and. pungent. There are a few European vines cultivated in the gardens, but the grapes are sel- dom to be purchased. Oranges and lemons are imported from En- gland, and are always extremely scarce ; for the damage which they sustain on the voyage renders them a very unprofitable article for sale. They frequently sell (particularly oranges) at one or two shillings each. The lemons, which generally keep better, are sometimes as low as sixpence; but they are often not to be purchased at any price. 3 Gooseberries, blackberries, and blueberries, are r in great abundance, and grow wild in the woods. l| 94 FRUIT. Those cultivated in gardens are much superior. Currants came originally from Europe, and are to be found only in gardens; there is, of course, but a scanty supply of them at market. Plums are plentiful in the market; they are of the wild species, though often introduced into gardens. They are generally of two sorts, the white and black, and resemble the most common of our plums. Walnuts and filberts are by no means common in Canada, and are procured principally by im- portation fronn England. Hickory and hazel nuts are met with in the forests. The English walnut- trees do not thrive well in Canada ; and it has been remarked by naturalists, that the European trees were always more forward in their leaves and flowers than the native trees of America; in consequence of which they were very often blight- *'ed by the cold nights, which are frequent in the early part of the spring; while the American trees, which did not leaf or flower so soon, were generally preserved. Many days of an American spring are often hotter than English summers ; V consequently, our trees feeling a certain degree of warmth so early, aind which in their own country brings them to maturity, are not prepared for the sudden changes to which the American climate is liable. The English walnut-tree seems particu- larly subject to the variableness and severity of FRUIT. 93 that climate. Even in the more southern parts of North America, it has been repeatedly killed by the frost. There is a species of black walnut- tree, a native of the country, the fruit of which is called, by the inhabitants, butter'imts; they are, however, very inferior to the English walnut* The inhabitants pickle them in the same manner as we do the latter, but they do not possess their flavour. Cherries are seldom seen in the markets ; they are the production only of gentlemen*s gardens. Two sorts of wild cherries are plentifully scat- tered over the country. They are, probably, mere varieties, though they differ materially in flavour. They are called choke cherries by the inhabitants, and seldom applied to any other pur- pose than the making of liqueur. I'he berries with their stones are bruised, and put into bottles of rum, brandy, or gin, with sugar, and in the course of a fortnight they make a very agreeable liqueur, resembling noyau. Melons of various kinds are cultivated in great plenty in Canada. The water and musk melon are most general. They do not thrive so well about Quebec, as at Three Rivers and Montreal. They are sown frequently on hot-beds, but oflener in the open fields and gardens, and the summer heat is sufiicient to ripen them without the aid of glases. A species of yellow fly is often very i 94 VEGETABLES. destructive to the early plants, and sometimes totally destroys them. The Indians are as partial^ to melons as the French Canadians. It is how- ever a subject of disputation, whether that fruit is a native of the country, or was introduced by Europeans. Gourds, pumpions, and cucumbers, are equally esteemed by the Habitans. The lat- ter particularly are great favourites with them, and with a little salt and a piece of bread the cucumber often constitutes the dinner of the poorer class. • Vegetables of every description thrive well in Canada, and are in tolerable abundance at tfael markets. Those lyiost in request by the French Canadians are onions, leaks, peas, beans, cab- bages, and potatoes. I'he latter vegetable is now^ cultivated in large quantities all oyer Canada,' but was scarcely known in the country before the conquest. The English settlers could not remain long without their favourite root^ and- soon commenced planting it. The French, who before that time declared they could find no relish in that vegetable, no sooner found that 9 good market was to be obtained for it, than they immediately followed their example, and by de- grees came to relish what they had before looked upon as poisonous. The Habitans are as poor gardeners as they are farmers. Those vegetables which require ■ ' BREAD. 9» some care, and management are seldom brought to market in any perfection ; and are conse- quently far inferior to ours, notwithstanding the soil and climate of Canada are aa well adapted to them as that of England. The Canadians lay in a stock of vegetables and herbs, just before, the winter sets in, which lasts their family tijl the following spring. Potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, and beets, are preserved in the cellars,, in sand. Cabbages, onions, &c., are hung up in the garrets of the gentry, and in the kitchens an4 sitting-rooms of the lower orders. A common Habitants house, bX that season of the year, ex- hibits regular rows of onions, leeks, cabbages, and paper bags of dried herbs, all which regale the nose, as well as the eye, and render a night'a lodging in one of their apartments by no m^ans enviable. - ,. .h^^n'-^'fj' t ■ !.':n''.:*ji.v{!?j' Bread is not cheap in Canada, and generally of very indi^rent quality, though several Scotch bakers have emigrated to that country. The}'' complain of the want of yeast at certain seasons ; but 1 believe thejr bad bread is oftener occa- sioned by the indifferent flour which they pur- chase of the Habitans in the market-place at a low price, and which they mix with the better sort of flour supplied from the mills of Colonel Caldwell, Messrs. Coltman, and others. Con- siderable quantities of flour also come from I ) ! ';i I ■ V)< r I > I* > ti!' I ffil WHEAT. Upper Canada, but they are generally fdf export tation. * The price of bread is regulated every month by the magistrates, who affix it according to the price of flour the preceding month. The white loaf of 4 lbs. and the brown loaf of 6 lbs. are sold at one price, which, upon an average, during^ the time I remained in Canada, was about ten- pence sterling, nearly equal to the English quar- tern loaf at eleven-pence, a price which cannot be called reasonable in a country that produces such an abundance of wheat for exportation; though that is most likely the cause of its high price. t'!. . . Within the last twenty years great quantities of wheat have been raised in Canada, and ex- ported to Great Britain. The temporary scarcity experienced in England, at certain periods, in* creased the demand for that article, and encou- raged the Canadians to cultivate with more spirit than, till then, they had been accustomed to. The demand did not always answer their expectations, and has been for some years in a decreasing state. In 1796 only 3,106 bushels were exported, in 1803 the exports of wheat had increased to 1,010,033 bushels, and in 1808 it had fallen to 186,708 bushels. The average price of wheat September 1808 was seven shillings and sixpence sterling per bushel. * \ his 1 i COLONEL CALDWELL* (^ Colonel Caldwell has four or five large mills, in the district of Quebec, for grinding wheat. They are reckoned the best in the province, and are superintended by his son, who possesses considerable mechanical abilities, a great portion of the machinery having been improved under his direction. They employ European and Ca- nadian workmen, and several Americans from the States, whom they engage for a certain term. The Colonel is possessed of large property, con^ sisting clyiefly of seignories and townships. It is said that he obtained the greatest part of his landed property, by purchasing, at a very cheap rate, the lots which fell to the share of the soldiers belonging to several regiments that were dis- banded in Canada. It was certainly a very poor remuneration for long services, for the Canadian governoieot to grant lots of land to the soldiers, upon which fees of four or five pounds each were to be paid to the government clerks. The'^ men <:ould not raise the money, and were obliged to dispose of their lots> consisting of two hundred acres each, for not more than thirty or forty shillings the lot. Colonel Caldwell is receiver- " general of Lower Canada, and receives a salary of four hundred pounds per annupi. He was an eniign in Wolfe's army at the capture of Quebec, and a( the .conclusion of the war settled in the VOL.1. H l{ tl s« "f ■ i^ BtRW£R1lES. •n-j 1 1 M country. He it a very respectable old gentleniani and much esteemed throughout the province. ' Within these few years, three or four extensi^ breweries have been established at Quebec. The first, I believe, was begun by Messrs. Young and Ainslie, who had also a very large distillery at Beauport. The success of these gentlemen, it is said, prompted Messrs. Lester and Morrogh to aet up the Cape Diamond Brewiery ; which un- fortunate opposition ended in the failure of both. Some smaller concerns have also risen into no- tice, and with the two former, which are now in ^the possession of other proprietors, supply Que- bec and the rest of the country with ale, porter, and table beer. That which is called mild ale if in most request, and sells for sixty shillings the hogshead. Table beer is twenty shillings. A 'few years ago very little barley was raised in Canada. At present there is more than sufficient to supply the breweries ; a circumstance which ^^ihows that the Canadians are not disinclined to ^ exert themselves, ivhen their efforts are likely to turn ta a good account. Hops are supplied by a Mr. Hullett, whore- sides at Sillery, about four miles above Quebec. ■He purchased the beach between the mountain ( and the water side, as for as Wolfe*s Cove. Fart of this he inclosed, and converted it into an '^ <. HOP PLAKTXTION. ^§§ AtMllent hop.gfound ; the remainder he rents out to the merchants^ for culttng and stowing their timber and staves. It is on this shore, from his house down to L*Ance des M^res, that the Ame- rivans lay all their rafts of timber, planks, and staves, which they bring from Lake Champlain down the river Chambly. Here it is culled and sold to the merchants, who contract with govern- ment, or otherwise dispooe of it to their agents in England. Mr. Hullett was fortunate enough to purchase this property for a very trifling sum, and from his improvements it is now become ektr^mely valuable. His hop-plantation succeeds to the utmost of his wishes, and is as extensive as the ground will peritiit. It is sheltered from the bleak N.W. blasts by the lofty and extensive mountain, or high land, which commences at Quebec, and continues along the river to Cape Rouge, where it subsides into a valley. This spot was formerly occupied by a French religious institution for the conversion and instruction of the Indians.' It was founded in 16*37, and at onetime was inhabited by twelve French fiimilies. Two bid stone houses^ and the remains of a small chapel^ arie all that exist of that settlement. This spot' is remarkablefbr the interest given to it by Mrs. Brookes, in her Emily Montague. The Algoittquini once had a village in the neighbour^ hood of this place ; and hieroglyphics cut on irees, H 3 'f: lit: ; ( . ' 1: 100 WIVES. f. ' I' |r| : I' m • \ as well as several of their burying- places, arfe 5^ visible in different parts pf the woods. The hiopt produced here are equal to those of English growth, and the soil and climate appear to be extremely well adapted to their cultivation. Exclusive of ' the quantity supplied by Mr. Hullett, hops are also imported into Canada from England, and the United States, and sell for eighteen pence per pound. The generality of the wine drunk in Canada is of an inferior quality. A few of the principal people who do not regard the expense, import a better sort for their own consumption ; but the best wines would never answer the purposes of the merchants. Madeira is the favourite wine of the inhabitants; but, unfortunately for them, they seldom or never drink it in perfection. The excellent London particular, which they prize so highly, and which the merchant)) puff off so much, is nothing more than a compound of Tenerifie, Sicilian, or Lisbon wines, with a few gallons of new Madeira. This choice wine is sold at sixty or seventy pounds per pipe. Their Port, which sells at about seventy pounds, is equally bad ; and if by chance a pipe or two of superior quality arrive^ it becomes a mere drug in the merchant's store; for their taste is so vitiated by the bad wine in common use, that they do not know how lo ap- preciate the good when il is offered them. Their SPIRITS. — SUGARS. — TEAS. 101 spirits are very little better than their wines. Braildy and hollands are not worth noticing, ex- cept that the former is most execrable Spanish, and sells for ten shillings per gallon. Their rum is new and of a very indifferent quality, yet it is drunk the most of any other liquor. Old rum is unknown. In the year I807, 380,130 gallons were imported from Great Britain and her colo- nies, and were retailed at five shillings and six- pence per gallon. An article has only to be cheap to recommend it for sale in Canada; it is of little consequence what its qualities may be, if it is high priced ; as in that case it will never answer for a Canadian market; that is, it will never bring the merchants fifty or one hundred per cent. Refined and coarse sugars are reasonable. Loaf sugar is frequently to be bought at ninepence, and moist sugar at fourpence per lb. Teas are high, considering there is no duty upon them. Nearly the whole of the tea drunk in Canada is green, and is retailed from five to ten shillings per lb. The best hyson is sometimes twelve or fourteen. Souchong tea, so much used in En- gland, is scarcely known: execrable bohea sells for from two shillings to three and sixpence. Teas are brought in large quantities from the United States. In 180)^ the importation of that article was 43,000lbs., yvhile the importation from En- i/;land was only 4^500lbs. This is occasioned by ♦ 1? I.. !* I If 10^ COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE. m 'I their procuring teas cheaper from the United' States than from England, though they are greatly inferior in quahty. Coflfee and chocolate are drunk principally by the French inhabitants. The quantity imported in IS07 was 19,598 lbs. of coffee from Great Bri- tain and her colonies, and 8,070 lbs. chocolate from the United States, where manufactories of it are established. Both these articles are of inferior quality, and are retailed upon an average at two shillings per lb. Manufactories of soap and candles are esta- blished at Quebec, and those articles are ^sojd nearly at the same price as in London; if any thing, rather higher. The country people make their own soap and candles. . English cheese, in consequence of the loss fre- quently sustained on the voyage, bears a high price ; and the small quantity which arrives 9afe, sells at two shillings, and two shillings and six- pence per lb. The-deficiency is supplied by Ame- rican cheese, some of which is tolerably good, but the greatest part is little better than our Suffolk cheese. It is imported in considerable qoaniitieai from the States, and is retailed at from sixpence to ninepence per lb. In 1807) 97, 188 lbs. were brought into Canada. Tobacco, notwithstanding it is cultivated by alpiost every farmer in Canada, yet is imported V '* • * TOBACCO.— SALT. loa lA large quantities both from England and the, United States. In IS07, the following quantity, was imported ftom those countries. ^«0 From Great Britain and her colonies ,: Leaf Tobacco . . . 16l>5/'8lbs. ^ Manufactured dQ. • ••r. 1,1 45 lbs. 153,723 From the United States: Leaf Tobacco . . . 150,747 lbs. Manufactured dp. , . 5 1,082 lbs. $nu^ • A all ^ " f l6,058lbs. 187,887 Pi 1^ 'I 3i Pifierence in favour of the United States 35,164 Thus it appears that the United States have the advantage of Great Britain in the expc/rtation pf manufactured tobacco and snu^T, to the amount of ^5,9:^5 lbs., and upon the whole article of to- bacco to the amouqt of 35,l6<^)s. Leaf tobacco sells from 9i/. to U., and the manufactured from ]l8d to 2*. Salt is procured chiefly from Liverpool. In J$P7, upwards of 220,000 bus^hels were imported. The preceding winter there was a great scarcity of that article; and the last ship which arrived with it sold her cargo at ^s. 6d, per bushel. At one time during the winter it was as high aa \2s, and I4sr, but the next spring it fell ioSs.Qd^ 1! 1; I H>4 TRADES AND PROFE8SI6N8. which 18 ^nerally the price at which it it retiiiled* Ships from Liverpool are most commonly baU lasted with salt ; and during the season of their arrival at Quebec some of the merchants pur- chase it from I bd.. to 20.d. per bushel, and mono^ polize it until the season is overi when no morQ supplied can be procured till the following spring. A considerable quantity is annually exported tq the United States. The Vermontese, on the con^ fines of Canada, depend wholly qn that country for their supply of salt, as they procure it much cheaper than from the sea-port towns in the New England states. These people salt large quanti- ties of beef, pork, and butter; a great part of whicl^ they export to Canada. More than S.HO.OOOlbs. were received in 1807 ^^^ ^he United States. Trades and professions, though not so nume- rous in Quebec and the other towns of Canada as in those of England, or even the United States^, yet are much more so than is generally known; and there are few articles requisite for use in that country but what may be easily procured. Ther^ are saddlers, blacksmiths, carpenters, miU-wrights^ potters, brewers, distillers, wheel-wrights, ca- lash and cariole-builders, boat-buildetv, ship- builders, tanners, cabinet* makers, house-painter8, bakers, tailors, tinmen, hatters, shoe-makers and sail-makers, block- and mast-makers, barbers and perfumers, auctioneers and brokers, spruce-beer t I I i TRADES AND PROFBSSIONB. lOS inerchant9> a hop-planter, a dancing-master, a few school- masters, and two music-masters; besides a quantum sqfficit of physicians, surgeons, and practitioners in pharmacy; one of whom, who resides at Quebec, has " one of the neatest and best provided shops for the three branches in the province.** There is no paucity of store-keepers and merchants; neither is there any lack of bishops, priests and curates, judges, advocates, notaries and magistrates, military men and tavern- keepers. m H r^h I) f" H)6 CLIMATE OF tOWER CANADA. Climate of Lower Canada — Severity of the Cold—^ I^ri/ting of the Snow in tlie Streets up to the ; Garret fVindoivs^^ Frozen Channel — Passage ., ever the broken Masses of Ice — Canoes — Noise of the floating Ice — Travelling in JVinter—^ IVarm Clothing — Frost-bitten Cheeks — Clear^ Sky — Supposed Alteration in the Climate — Jouf' nals of the fVeqther in 1/45 and I807 — Cana^ dian Exaggeration — U^e of Stoves — Open Fire- .- places — Observations upon the Change of Climate — Longevity in Canada, — Breaking up of the Ice • — Arrival ofthefirU Vessel — Progress of Fege» tation — IVct Months — Thunder and Lightning — Severe Storm at Quebec — State of the TheV' mometer — Plagues of Canada — Scorching Suvsh mers — Agreeable Autumns, , The climate of Lower Canada is liable to vio- lent extremes of heat and cold; the thermometer is sometimes up to 103° of Fahrenheit in summer, and in winter 36 degrees below 0: these extremes do not, however, last above two or three days at a time. The average of summer heat is, in gene* SEVERITY OF THE COLD. 107 ral, from 7^ to 80 degrees, and the mean of the cold in winter about 0. During ten months which I remained in Quebec, from November 1806 to August 1807) I paid par- ticular attention to the weather. We arrived at the latter end of October, at which time there was a very sharp frost, but no snow had fallen. During the early part of November the weather was at times very mild, with frequent rain and snow ; the latter, however, never settled till the last week in that month, when scarce a day passed without a heavy fall of snow, sleet, or hail, which rendered this period extremely unpleasant, and generally confined us to the house. -^* When business obliged me to go out, I found the leveritv of the weather was excessive. The sleet and snow frequently froze as it beat in my lace, and almost prevented me from walking along. Large bodies of snow drifted in the streets, in several places above the height of a man, and frequently rendered the passage impassable. In the narrow streets the snow reached up to the garret windows of the small houses ; but, by the exertions of the inhabitants, was kept in the mid- dle of the street, so as to leave a narrow passage between their houses and the high mound of snow. This weather continued till about the middle of December, when the clouds dispersed, and the If I ill; i. '11. I ?i II y|f m 108 FROZBTf CHANNEL. rough boisterous snow storms were succeeded by a fine, clear, frosty air. The sky became serene, and assumed a bright azure hue, which, witli little alteration, lasted till the month of March. > The last ship sailed from Quebec on the 5th December, at which time there was scarcely any ice in that part of the river ; but so rapidly did it accumulate, that in less than two davs after heir departure, large masses were floating up and tlown with the tide. The vessel did not get fur- ther than- Kamouraska, about 100 miles below Quebec, having been overtaken by a snow storm, which drove her on shore, where she was obliged tb'r^main all the winter. ^ i>It is very hazardous for vessels to stay so late lb the season before they leave Quebec ; for the iiee increases so incredibly fast in the course of a night, that the navigation of the river, which i» clear one day, becomes the next morning im* practicable. ' The river, from Montreal downwards, generally freezeis across as far as the rapids of Richlieu, which are situated about 45 iniles above Quebec. •Frotn Richlieu to Quebec, the river is seldom completely frozen over. The ice continues all the winter to float i\p and down with the tide, increasing or diminishing with the severity or mildness of the weather. ' The Island of Orleans, which divides tlie river FROZEN CHANNEL. 109 into two channels, contributes greatly to the ac- cumulation of the ice in the neighbourhood of Quebec. On the north side of that island the channel is much narrower, and the tide less rapid than on the south side. The vast masses of ice which are therefore collected together in the basin that is formed by the end of the islands, the shores of Beauport, Point Levi, and Quebec, generally block up the north channel about the first week in January, and open a communication between the inhabitants of the island and Quebec. This bridge of ice is always anxiously looked for by both parties ; the one to sell, and the other to buy, the large stock of provisions which the islanders prepare for market at the commence- ment of winter. The people of Orleans, besides the advantage of a more fruitful soil, are reckoned better iarnieri than their neighbours; their provisions are there- fore more prized than those of the other Habitans. 4 Another part of the river between Quebec and the opposite shore of Point Levi is sometimes, though very rarely, frozen over. This is occa- sioned more by accident than the severity of the weather, and happened only for a few hours one day, during my residence in Canada. The Ca- nadians call this the pont or bridge, as it affords the inhabitants of the south shore the same con- yenience as the islanders enjoy, of canning their !'■ i ■,, I m llv :s < I» no CANOCI. i"i provisions to the Quebec market' in sleighs acrow the ice. As this so seldom occurs, they cannot* of course, often enjoy that convenierfcc ; but it only serves to stimulate them to greater exertionsi and it is wonderful to see with what dexterity they bring over their prbvisTons in canoes across the large bodies of floating ice. ^ Eight or ten men, accompanied frequently by two or three women, with a canoe laden with meat and vegetables, seize a favourable moment when the tide is slack, and paddle from the shore to the nearest mass of ice; there they disembark, haul the canoe across, and launch it in the largest space of water adjoining. When all are em- barked, they paddle to the next floating body of ke, and disembarking again, drag their canoe to the opposite side, wiiere they once more reimbark, and pursue the same course, perhaps, over a dozen other pieces of ice, and intermediate spaces of water, until they arrive at Quebec, where they dispose of their provisions, aiid return at the next slack tide in the same manner. The canoes are hollowed out of the trunks of la'ilge elni trees. The larger sort are made of two trees, properly shaped and hollowed, and secured together in the centre. The seam is caulked and ^tched, and the bottom and sides strengthened with thwarts. They are capable of carrying up^ wards'of a dozen people, besides large stockt ci ♦ rkAVftLLIHG IN WINTtll. fit ^ovisions. The French Canadiaiu never makt . use of any other than these wooden canoen. 'VUn Indians use canoes of bark taken from the birch* tree. They are extremely hght, and very liable to be upset, and perforated, by persons unac» quainted with the management of them. , » The ice floating up and down opposite Quebec,^ makes a hollow crashing noise in its progress, extremely well suited to, and in unison with, the gloomy splendour of the scene. This continuea till the latter end of April, >vhen the ice disap* pears as suddenly as it c§me. After the ice from Lake St. Pe^er has passed, it is gone in the course of a night: not a vestige remains. When the snow ceases to fall, about the. last week in December, it then hardens into a solid body, and horses, sleighs, and cariole8,,pa8sovet it with great facility. Rut as the snaw only x:over8 thirdly the elevated parts of. the ground over which it drives, and settles in hollows and declivities to a great depth, as well as drifting into heaps at every little obstacle in its way; the people at the commencemcRt of winter level all their fences on the r6ad side with the ground, except the standard posts, into which, the rails are again put in the spring. The snow has , thua a free passage between, and lies even upon the ground. If it was not foe this precaution, vtlie ..roads jwould be intolen^ly bad,, and perhapt>jsnr rX « ' ''' ■ 5.i' M. '•I I.: 1 « ' h: lis TRAVBLLING IN WINTBt* pitnble. The fields tnd roads covered with th« tnow, present a dreary and vacant scene to the eye. The fences and rail posts are buried under- neathj which obliges the inhabitants to stick up small branches of fir and pine in the snow, in order to mark out the road, as one fall of snow in the night would obliterate the track of the carioles, and people might lose their way. These ever* greens at equal distances have a pleasant effect, and atfbrd some relief to the white and monotonous appearance of the snowy plains. The cold at certain periods is excessive, and would be often dangerous if the people were not so well guarded against its effects by warm cloth* ing. When travelling, they wrap themselves up in buffalo robes, exclusive of the great coats, fur caps, mittens, and Shetland hose, which they wear whenever they go oat of doors. T\w warmest clothing, indeed, is absolutely necessary, as they are exposed to the inclemency of the weather in open carioles or sleighs, and the tiitua* tion of the driver, who sits or stands up in front, is by no means enviable. On some of the coldest days, when walking, 1 have found my English surtout sufficient ; but, when sitting in an open cariole, exposed to the keen and piercing wind, the severity of which was increased by the velo- city of the horse and vehicle, a thick great coat with a lining of shamois leather was not suft- t ». ,-# nUMT-BITrBN CHECKS. lis cient to keep warmth within me, without the aid of a large buflblo robe. Theie robe», at they are called by the Canadians, are merely the hidet of buffaloes, which are dressed, and lined with green baize ; they are very thick, and with the hair on them effectually prevent the cold air from penetrating. The greatest degree of cold experienced during the winter I remained at Quebec, was on the 15th February, when the thermometer fell 30 degrees below O. The preceding month it had been se- veral times as low as 15 and 18, and at one time S6 degrees below O. The greatest degree of cold which I have heard of in Canada was 36 below O. On the coldest days 1 have walked through the town, and with the wind at my back sufTered very little inconvenience ; but when i turned uijrilt, I found, as the keen air blew on my fade, that my cheeks became numbed and insensible, and would most likely have been frost-bitten, had I not rubbed them briskly with my hands, and restored the circulation of the blood. It is not uncommon on those severe days fbr people to have their cheeks, nose, or ears, frost-bitten ; and often before they are aware of it. It is then dan* gerous to approach the fire hastily. The frosts bitten parts must he rubbed with snow until the blood circulates, otherwise mortification would in all probability ensue. \OL. I. I ^ . |l: t i f I : ■ 3: 114 ALTERATION OF CUMATE* The winter from Christmas to Ljidy-day is almost always remarkable for a fine, clear, azure •ky seldom obscured by fogs or clouds ; and the dry frosty weather is rarely interrupted by falls of snow, sleet, or rain. These advantages render a Canadian winter so agreeable and pleasant, that the inhabitants are never under the necessity of changing their dress, from any sudden alteration of the weather, unless it is to discard their great coats and fur caps, which is rendered necessary sometimes by the powerful warmth of the sun, whose beams are scarcely ever intercepted by a single cloud. I'he aurora borealis is common in Canada, and frequently illuminates the winter evening with its playful light. On my return to Canada from the United States in May 1808, I was informed that the pre- ceding winter had been unusually mild, the* wea- ther open, and subject to frequent falls of snow and rain ; so much so, that the inhabitants were repeatedly deprived of the pleasures of carjoling. This remarkable exception to the general cha- racter of the Canadian winters is a singular cir- cumstance, but it is no proof that the severity of the climate is abating. I shall offer a few obser* vations upon that subject. It is the general opinion of the inhabitants that the winters are milder, and that less snow falls now than formerly ; that the lummers are I! JOURNAL OF THE WEATHER. tl5 also hotter. This might be easily accounted for by the improved state of the country. The clearing of the woods, and cultivation of the lands, together with the increased population, must naturally have a considerable effect upon the climate. The immense forests, which before interposed their thick foliage between the sun and the earth, and prevented the latter from re- ceiving that genial warmth which was necessary to qualify its rigorous atmosphere, are now con- siderably thinned, or entirely destroyed, in various parts of the country. The powerful rays of the sun now meet with little obstruction ; the culti- vated soil imbibes its heat, and returns it again to the surrounding air in warm and humid vapours. Added to this, the exhalations arising from so many thousands of men and cattle, together with the burning of so many combustibles, must greatly contribute to soften the severity of the climate. Yet with all these truths, which amount nearly to a demonstration of the fact, and apparently sub- stantiated by the opinion of the inhabitants, I do not find, upon reference to a meteorological journal, that so great an alteration has taken place, at least within the last sixty years, as the circumstances I have mentioned would seem to justify. In this old journal for the year 1745 it is ob- served^ that on the 2)9th January of that year the ti 4- n I . 3 ^ 116 JOUKNAL OF THE WEATHER. river St. Lawrence near Quebec was covered with ice, but that in preceding years it had frequently been covered in the beginning of that month, or about the end of December. Now, during my stay at Quebec in I806, the river was covered with ice by the^r^t week in December, and a ship was prevented from going to Europe. Thus the winter commenced at least three weeks sooner in 1806than in 1745. In March 1745 the journal mentions, that it had been a very mild winter, that the snow was only two feet deep, and the ice in the river of the same thickness. In I806 the snow was upon an average, in the vicinity of Quebec, at least four feet in depth, and the ice in the river more or less as it accumulated in floating with the tide. Many pieces were from twelve to sixteen feet in depth, and others still more. On the 20th April 1745 the ice in the river broke near Quebec, and went down. It is ob- served, however, in the journal, that it seldom happened so soon, for the river opposite Quebec was sometimes covered with ice on the 10th of May. On the 7th April that year the gardeners had begun to make hot beds, and on the 20tli many of the farmers had begun to sow their earn. In April I807 the ice began to break up about the third week. On the 28th the 'ce from Lake St. Peter, above Three Rivers, came down, and ■r ■> >», 'J^ i. JOURNAL OF THE WBATHEft. lit «' crowded the river and shores in the neighbour- hood of Quebec with large masses. In the midst of this, with the flood tide, a vessel arrived at Quebec from Liver{K)ol, being tbe first of th« season. It was a very dangerous experiment, and excited the surprise of the inhabitants, who said that such an early arrival was very uncom* mon. By the 3rd of May the ice was entirely gone. Strawberries were to be had at Quebec on the ^3nd June 1745. But in 160* we could not procure them till about the 15th or 20th of July; and while I remained at Three Rivers, in the summer of 1808, it was the second week of July before the strawberries were ripe in that neigh- bourhood. On 23nd August 1^45 the harvest began in the vicinity of Quebec. In I8O7 and 1808 it was above a week or ten days later, though the summer of the latter year was remarkably hot. An obser<.'ation in the old journal states, that the (orn was never ripe in years preceding 1746 till aboiit the 15th September ;.«and that com seldom arrives at its proper maturity in Canada, except in very hot summers. ' The Habitans continued to plough in 1745 till the 10th November. As late as the 18th the cattle went out of doors ; and on the 34th there was no ice in th'^ St. Lawrence. ).\ r » n ?: r ft 118 JOURNAL OF THE WEATHER. On the 1st December of the same year, the journal mentions bs remarkable, that a ship could set sail for France, the river being then so clear of ice; that on the l6th the river was covered with ire on both sides, but open in the middle, and on the .36th the ice was all washed away by a heavy rain ; but on the 28th part of the river was again covered with it. ^ Now, in the first week of December in 1806 and 1807 vessels were obliged to^ leave Quebec on account of the vast bodies of floating ice with which the river was covered, and which continued during those winters. . i From these statements it appears evident, that an improvement in the climate of Canada is ex* tremely doubtful. It has also been observed by some of the religious orders who were in the practice of keeping meteorological journals, that the winters half a century agr) were as hard as in former years, though somewhat shorter, and the summers rather longer, but not hotter, than they used to be. The winters sometimes differ so materially from each other, as well as the summers, that no accurate estimate can be formed, sufficient to ascertiiin whether the changes that take place are occasioned by any increase or diminution of the severity of the climate. It is possible that a very hot summer, by heating the soil beyond CAlif ADIAN WINTER. 119 the usual depth, may occasion the mildness of the subsequent winter. As to the statements of the inhabitants, they are influenced more by their own feelings, than by any accurate obser- vation. They are also fond of exaggerating the rigour of their winters to strangers; and when I observed to several that neither the cold nor the quantity of snow and ice answered my expecta- tions, they replied, that the winters were milder than formerly : yet it appears that the winter of I806-7 was severer and longer than that of 1 745-6. The Canadians, however, feel the cold more than Europeans on their first arrival. The constant use of stoves renders them very little better than hot house plants during winter, and in summer they are exposed to a burning sun. These things do not affect the European constitution for the first two or three years, but afterwards it becomes as sensible to the heat and cold as that of the Ca- nadians. It may astonish those who have heard such dreadful accounts of a Canadian winter, when I assert it as a fact, that the people of Great Britain suffer more from the cold than the people of Canada ; or at least they are more exposed to ^ it ; for they seldom make any material alteration * in their dress, either summer or winter ; and, [ with their open fire-places, they are burning on > one side and freezing on the other. This, how- ever^ hardens the constitution of an Englishman,) Ill If- I t. H ; ;| '.■< • fi; .1 V I .J i I ISO f. CLIMATE. r.-Jr ^ile the stoves and warm clothing of Canada, Which often heat the body beyond what the cli- mate requires, weaken and debilitate the framet of those who reside in that country. A proper attention, however, to heat and cold is all that it requisite for an European to enjoy the most jier- feet health in Lower Canada. By the same mode of life that he enjoys health in England, he may> live to a good old age in that country. During my stay in Canada I was careful in noting those periods at which the winter began and finished ; and also those circumstances at particular seasons, which denote the mildness or severity of the weather. 1 have not judged of the climate merely by my own feelings, as to heat and cold, because such conclusions must be incor- rect, when applied to the feelings of others whose • constitutions and temperaments may be totally^ different from mine. I have stated facts which:' came immediately under my own observation ; i> and by comparing them with the observations of others who had attended minutely to the subject,.; the reader will be better able to form a correct judgement for himself, as to the melioration of > climate \yhich is generally supposed to have taken U> place in Canada. It is an interesting question, be* t cause it involves the truth of that universally-re- *>' ceived opinion, that the clearing and cultivation of lands effect a very considerable improvement in t ^ MELTITfG OF THE SNOW. rst the climate. Were I to form an opinion on the subject, it would be, that the clearing and cultiva- tion of land in Canada have occasioned a certain degree of alteration in the chmate without imfirov' ing it; that the winters are as cold, and the sum- mers as hot, as they were before the settlement of the country, but that the weather is more variable and inconstant. The country, however, is yet new, and the cultivated parts bear but a small proportion to the immense wildernesses that yet exist. It is too much, therefore, to expect that any very important change can have taken place in the climate of that country. The months of March and April ttr6 in general very hot, and the sun then begins to have great power, which is considerably heightened by the reflection of the snow and ice. The inhabitants are more tanned by the reflection of the snow in these months than they are at any other season of the year by the sun. It is likewise so very hurt- ful to the eyes, that they are obli;:;ed to wear shades of green gauze fastened to their hats. The snow begins to melt early in April, and b;' the second or third week it is generally all ;,o^ ;. During this period it is dreadful walking in ':ovsn^ and as bad travelling in the country. The streets of Quebec are inundated with snow-water, and the kennels have the appearance and sound of so many little r^ids. The ice in the river is seldom totally' I 15 i 1 U2 PROGRESS OF VEGBTATION. gone before the first week in May. The breaking up of the ice in the vicinity of Quebec is not at- tended with any remarlcable noise or appearance ; but at Montreal, and the upper parts of the river, where it is frozen quite across, 1 am told it has a grand appearance, and breaks up with loud reports. The lake ice comes down in prodigious quantities for several days, bringing with it the roots and branches of trees which it tears from the islands and shores in its progress. Until these have passed, none of the river vessels can leave Quebec for Montreal. Vessels, however, sometimes arrive from Europe in the midst of them, as was the case in 1807> The first vessel that arrived from Europe in 1808 came up to Quebec on the 19th of April, nine days earlier than the preceding year. The ' river however was full of ice, which floated with the tide in large masses. The vessel was forced ashore on the island a few days before she got up to the town, and was near being lost. The progress of vegetation, as soon as the winter < is over, is exceedingly rapid. The trees obtain their verdant foliage in less than three weeks The fields, which the autumn before were apparently burnt upi are now adorned with the richest verdure. f Nature seems anxious to arouse from the lethargy into whicl^ she had been thrown by the chilling blasts of winter, and to exchange her hoary raiment for one more splendid and magnificent. Spring can 'il THUNDER 8T0RM AT «kUEB£C. 193 scarcely be said to exist before summer is at band. The productions of the field and the garden are brought in quick succession to the markets ; and fresh meat, p)ultry, and vegetables, now regale the inhabitant!), who for so many months had been confined to their frozen provisions. The months of May and June are often wet ; sometimes greatly to the detriment of husbandry. In the spring of I8O7 the weather was unusually wet from the latter end of April until the 10th of June, when it cleared up, after a most violent thunder storm which happened on the 9th. During May, scarcely a day passed without ruin, and the weather was excessively changeable : Fahrenheit's thermometer was sometimes as high as 7^t and at other times as low as 20, in the course of four-and twenty hours. The farmers had not finished sowing by the middle of June, though they in general get all their wheat into the ground by the 20th of May. Some people are of opinion, that sowing late answers best in Canada, as the ground has then time to imbibe the heat of the sun after the snow has melted ; and that wheat sown in June is ripe as soon as that sown in May. The practice of the Canadian farmers is, however, contrary to thin tlieiiry. Thunder and lightning do not very often visit Canada ; but when they do, thtir violence is great^ and damage generally ensues. The storm i ■Si 124 THUNDKR ftTORM AT aUEBCC. <>n the 9tl) of June 180;r was the most violent combination of thunder) lightning, and rain, thttt 1 ever witnessed. It began in the foren')on, and continued without internii«8ion till midnight. The weather had been very sultry, an(l the thunder 4ind lightning followed each other in quick succession all day, accompanied by heavy '"•showers of rain. But when night came on, the lightning was uncommonly strong and vivid. The whole sky was illuminated every moment, while it played in forky mazes through the air. The thunder rolled in long and dreadful pealfi over the lofty chain of mountains in the vicinity of Quebec ; while the valleys echoed with the fulminating voice of Nature, which seemed to threaten the dissolution of all her works. Up- wards of sixty vesvS^s were in the river, and 1 was greatly alarmed for their safety. Our house being situated close to the water-side, I had an extensive view of this sublime and awful specta- cle, for many miles distant over the south shore, the island of Orleans, and the mountains to the . northward. Fortunately, no accident of conse- quence happened, though the electric fluid darted io the earth in all directions, and from eight to ten o*clock at night its action was so rapid and incessant, that my eyes became painful in be- holding such a continued glare of light. "^*'\ In 18o6 a house near the ramparts was struck PLAGUB8 or CANADA. 139 in by lightning, and one side contiderebly damaged. No lives were lost : but a few years ago a child was struck dead in one of the streets of Quebec, and several cattle destroyed. This violent storm had a good effect upon the weather, which before then had been very wet and changeable. It now became dry, mild, and serene, and afforded the farmers an opportunity of completing their sowing. The following is*' a tolerably correct state of Fahrenheit's thermo* meter in the shade during the summer of I8O7: Loumt. May . • 90 • June - - 50 • July - - 55 • August • 6S ' September 46 • Hightit. • 75 continual rain. • go rain the first week, afterwards dry & warm. • 96 dry and sultry. - 90 fine warm weather with little raili. - 78 fine mild weather. The spring, summer, and autumn of Canada are all comprised in these five months. The rest of the year may be said to consist wholly of winter. The month of October is sometimes agreeable; but Nature has then put on her gloomy mantle, and the chilling blasts from the north- west remind the Canadians of the approach of snow and ice. November and April are the two most disagreeable months. In the one the snow is falling, in tli& other it is going away. Both of them confine the people to their houses, and ren- der travelling uncomfortable, and even danger- ous : nor can the inhabitants of Canada enjoy i i ■m m IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) €< ^.5^^ 1.0 I.I UilM 12.5 itt lii 12.2 u 14.0 u IL25 iu '^. 7 Photographic Sdmces CorpcaBliQn n WiST MAIN STRIIT WnSTH,N.Y. M5M (716)S7a-4S03 ^^ ^\ ^r>N 136 PLAGUES OF CANADA. their fine summer months, with that comfort and pleasure experienced in Europe. One of the greatest plagues to which they are subject, is in my opinion the common house- flies. It is not decided whether they are natives of the country or were imported ; I think, how* ever, that their boldness and assurance exceed their European brethren. The torment which these insects occasion in the months of June, July, and August, is beyond conception. Your room must be entirely darkened, or it is impose . sible to remain undisturbed ; the warmer and lighter it is, the more numerous and active the 'flies will be, and the greater will be your sufier- ing. The stoves keep them alive in winter, but the sun restores them to their full vigour and power of annoying in the summer. I have sat down to write, and have been obliged to throw my pen away in consequence of their irritating bite, which has obliged me every moment to raise my hand to my eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, in constant succession. When I could no longer write, I began to read, and was always obliged to keep one hand constantly oh the move towards my head. Sometimes in the course of a few minutes I would take half a dozen of my torment tors from my lips, between which I caught them just as they perched. In short, while sittings quiet in a chair, I was <:ontinualIy worried by ^4i SCORCHING SUMMERS. 12^ them ; and as it has been justly observed of the same insects in Russia, none but those who have suffered could believe them capable of so much torment. At length, when my patience was exhausted within doors, I would put on my hat and walk out^ thinking to enjoy the delightful zephyrs which often frolic in the atmosphere at that season of the year; but in less than five minutes I was oppressed by the scorching beams of the meridian sun. To avoid a coup de soleil, I retreated to a thick shady grove, which seemed inviting me to take shelter under its umbrageous foliage ; but as if to bring my sufferings to a climax, I was im- mediately surrounded by myriads of musquitoes, sand'flies, and other venomous insects, whose re- peated attacks upon my face, hands, and Ic^, compelled me reluctantly to return to my okl tormentors at home, who, though equally teasing, are certainly not so venomous as their long*legged brethren. * The sting of the musquito is trifling at first, but the next day is extremely painful, and some- times dangerous if violently rubbed. The best remedy is to wash the part with some powerful acid. Lemon-juice, or vinegar, has relieved me frequently from the painful irritation which its venom excites. The bruldts, or sand-flies, are so very small as to be hardly perceptible in their % 11 ^1 m ■I - . * ■ }^ AGRBEABbK 9BA9QN9« . attacks; and your forehead will be streaming with blood before you are sensible of being aqiongst them. These are the only disagreeable things which are attached to a Canadian summer: were it free froni them, it would be equal to that of any other country in the world ; but as it is, a burning sun, house-flies, musquitoes, and sand-flies, cer- tainly prevent the finest months of the year from being enjoyed in full perfection. The summer of 1808 was the hottest that has been known for several years in Canada. In the months of July and August the thermometer was jseveral times at go and 95, and one or two days it rose to 103 in the shade, at Montreal and Three Rivers. At Quebec it was 101 or 103. I was at Three Rivers during those mouths: the soil of that town is sandy, and I think I never experienced in my life such an oppressive heat. It appears that it was unusually hot about that time in England, and I suppose it was the samQ upon the Continent. ^^^ The fall of the year is the most agreeable season in Canada, '^^he sultry weather is then gone, and the night frosts have entirely destroyed or pal' sied the efforts of the venomous insects. The inhabitant of Canada has then no house- flies^ nq sand- flies, musquitoes, nor coups de soleil to fear. He can then, and then only, walk abroad, range the woods, or sit at home, with ease and comforl 10 himself. \ SOIL OF LOWER CANADA. m 14 19 ^h- 139 ^^;4^.^ffi;'-»v^' CHAPTER VIII. J^*^'^ ^''*^*^*^*^">v I'H^ f "A^r. .#'«, Soil of Lower Canada — Meadows — Cultivated Lands — Mode of Farming — Few Orchards — !• Indian Corn — Tobacco -r- Culinary Roots — \ Seigniory of Grondines — Barren Soil — Price of 'Land — Gradual Improvemtnt — IVant of Enter- i prise among the Canadians — Formed themselves f on the Model of their Forefathers — Ftew of the f Shores of the St, Lawrence — Extensive Chain of * Settlements — Beautiful Scene — Settlement at' ^ Stoneham Township — Clearing of Land — Ca- «^ nadian Cattle — The first Horse seen in Canada T — 'Poultry-^American Horse-Dealers — Rough ' ^' Treatment of Canadian Horses. if , f The soil of Lower Canada is very various, and is more or less fertile as it approaches to the north or south. From Father Pjint (the lowest settlement on the south shdre) to Kamou- raska but little is cultivated, and that little yields a crop only with considerable labour. From Ramouraska to the Island of Orleans, both on the north and south shores, tne soil gradually improves, and in some parishes on the south side jgfeat quantities of grain are produced. The VOL. I. K ""'WP^, i . ^^. f.*-;' ^- I3Q .4^ MEA0OWS» ,lii « average crop is about 12 bushels an acre. Of the soil in the vicinity of Quebec, the island of Orleans is reckoned the best. This island is di- versified with higb amd (o\t fcands, steep and slop- ing shores, covered with wood or converted into meadows and conft-fiietds. The 9oil is sufirciently, fertile to adbrd the inhabitants a large surpUis of productions beyond their own con^^unption^wb^ch they dispose of at Quebec. \ ^ ....■>.; Oil the north and south shores in the neigh- bourhood of Quebec, the soil on the elevated parts but thinly covers an immense bed of black )im»3 slate, which as it becomes exposed to the air shivers into thin pieces, or crumbles into dost. There are, however, some excellent pasture and meadow lands on the borders of the river of St. Charles ; and they indeed extend generally over that low land or valley which lies between the heights of Quebec and the villages of Beauport^ Charlesbourgf and Lorette. The meadows of Canada, which have most cosn- tnonly been corn-6«lds, are reckoned superior to those in the more southern parts of America. They possess a fine close turf, well covered at the roots with clover. They cannot be mown more than once a year, in consequence of the spring commencirg so late. In autumn they exchange their beautifoi green for a light brown hue, which gif(ra them the appearaiiqe.of being soprohed . Ji .1 .ao7 Ct;LttVAT£6 LAltb. 131 to ca. the Itore bed By the sUfi. It is tito ot ttitee v^eeki nPter the snow h gone before they fecover theii" riatuml cb\oiit This is the (case all ovet- AtntricA, whose pastures, daring the autumfial atid winter tnotith^, n^Ver possess th&t rich and lii^elj Vei-dcire i^hich they do rn Engltind. The high IdndS With good itiatiageihent Wotild yield very tolerable crops, but the Cansidians are iifiset^ble farmers^ l^hey seldom or never tiiantire tbei^ land, and pldrigh io tery Slight and careless^ that they continue, year aftef year, to turn over the same clbds which lie at the surface. Without pen^traiting ail inch deeper into the soil. Hencd their gi'otinds become exhausted, ovei'ftin with Weeds, and yield but very scanty crops. The ^dds of Wheat Which I have seen in different parts of the country, were often tnuch choked^ with weeds, and appeared to bt stihted in their growth. Wheh cut dbwn, the straw was seldotfi tiiore than IS dt do inches long, the ears statill, dind the wheiit itself discoloured, and little more than tWo-thi^ds of the sijse of our English Wheat. The wfneat about Montreal appeared to be thd best which came under my observation^ It was gefterally clesir of weeds, and seen^ed to have att&in^ its fitfl growth. It mffst howeter be pbsei^ed, that there is nearly a month difTetence in the diMnite between Mdntreal atnd Quebec, the former i^ situated in latitude 45" BO y Thi^ a k2 li .ii %■. • .,' ■■*^ ^v. # \ \jtA. ~ *K _-^- .*■ 132 MODE OF FARMING. Rivers in 46° 25', and Quebec in 46° 66'. The French Canadians sow only summer wheat, though I should think that winter wheat might be sown in autumn with success. Peas, oats, rye, and barley, are sown more or less by every farmer ; though the Inrgest crops of these, as well as wheat, appeared to be in the island of Mon- treal and its vicinity. <> The French Canadians seldom trouble them- selves with gardens or orchards ; while their neighbours in the United States would not feel, happy without a large plantation of apple-, pear-, and peach-trees adjoining their houses. Except in the Island of Montreal, very little fruit is grown ; and that island, for its fertility in every production, may justly be called the garden of Lower Canada. The farmers assist each other at harvest time, labourers being in some places very scarce, and in others not to be procured. The wheat is sown early in May, and is ripe generally about the latter end of August. The Canadians sow small quantities of maize or Indian corn ; they, how- ever, do not make such general use of it as the people of the United States, who feed their cattle upon it, and make hominy and bread of it for themselves. The Canadians cultivate it more as an article of luxury than of necessity. They are cxtrayagantly fond of the. corn cobs boiled SElGNtORY OF GRONDINES. ih or roasted, and rubbed over with a little butter and salt. I'hey pirk the corn off the cob in the same style, and .with as much goiitj as an alder- man picks the wing of a fowl at a city feast. Tobacco is grown in small quantities, and at- tended chiefly by the womert, who are also fully employed iu the other parts of husbandry. Each Habitant cultivates enough for his own consump- tion, and a small quantity generally for market. The Canadian tobacco possesses a very mild and agreeable flavour, totally devoid of those strong pungent qualities for which the Virginian tobacco is remarkable. It is grown on a small spot of ground close to the house: the roots are hoed and attended by the children or the females of the family. It might no doubt become an article of some importance, if properly attended to; but the scanty population is at present a check upon its being cultivated to any great extent. Culinary vegetables are raised in tolerable plenty. The favourite roots of the Elabitans s onions, garlic^ and leeks; of these they eat lar :.^y, and conse- quently smell abominably. The disagreeable effects of these strong esculents are, however, some- what checked by the fumes of the tobacco plant, which they are smoking from morning to night. . : With the exception of the seigniory of Gron- dines, the lands between Quebec and Three. Rivers are remarkable neither for sterility nor IT 'i i i !*? f. 134 PRICE OF LAND. 'V. • f -/ ettraordiiiary fruitfulness. They are cultivated much in the same careless manner as the jandl below them. Qrondines, which is about 50 milei from Quebec, on the same side of the river, is a remarkable exception to the genera) quality of land in this part of the country. Tl^is seigniory, which is upwards of ten miles square, consists of one vast bed of gray rock or lime-stone, slightly covered with a poor soil about half a dozen inches in depth, intermingled with an immense c^uantity of loose stones, from which it ia labour in vain to attempt to dear it. I'he people who reside on this barren spot, which gives birth only to pines and firs, are of course extremely pooi*, an4 scarcely able to procure enough far their subsistence, Xhough the soil for some miles in the neigh-. > bourhood of Three Rivers is sandy and barren, yet the adjoining seigniories upwards, of Machi- che and Riyer du LouP), are extremely fertile, and yield abundant crops^ of grain. The lands on the south shore of the district of Three Bivers ar^ also very good. The price of land varies ac-? cording to its quality and state of cultivatioQu Good arable land, in the best siituatiouA, sella in Lower Canada for about 5i per acren^ indtLiTer^nt land for 4 and 5 dollars ; wood latid at 3 dplltrs per acre ; but in th^e back townships it may be at the shtri^s' sales for less than 6d, .. I>11ICC 4>r LAUD* 131 The land continues io ifoprove as you approach Montreal, from wi^ich district the greatest quan- titj of grain is iiroouKd. This gradual iaijirovc- ment in the soil contiMuee aM tltrough Uf)per Canada, where it as much surpasses that of the knver province in fertility, as Montreal surpasses Kamouraska. The French Canadians are not possessed of any agricultural enterprise or spirit, 'i'hey are a per- fect contrast to ence> without attempting to reoioire ^om the spot, or esiplore the isecdsses -of the forests ^which aurround tiiem. Wis close assoeiation -of the i^rsft setUerir ^was no do«ibt occasioned by a ^variety G(f •circum- stances. Exposed at an earty period to repeated attacks ffom the IiidianS) their safety depended on numbers, whicii a ^eattered «eti4enient oouki not fumisfh in proper tinae. Their religion ex- acted 4rofn them wJiiiierous ceremonials, whie4t required a strict and frequent observance. No situation coidd therefore be so wd4 ada|)ted for settlement, as the rshores of a 'large and noAille river, H^hich, besides the ridhness of ii\e soil and inviting prospects, afforded them a ready com-' muflication with eadi other, and, what was of ,5^' f m (t n -_i 136 BBAUTIFUL SCENE. equal importance, the means of observing certain religious formalities, and providing subsistence at a time when their lands were yet uncultivated. The present inhabitants, who have formed themselves on the model of their forefathers, con^ ceive, either from affection for their parents or from an habitual indolence, that the same neces- sity exists for their adherence to each other. Few therefore ever think of emigrating from their pa- ternal abode. The farm is separated by the father among his children, as long as it will last, and when its divisions can be no longer sub-divided, they reluctantly part. The view which this extensive chain of farma exhibits along the lofty shores of the St. Law* rence, for more than 400 miles, is beautifully picturesque, and carries with it the appearance of one immense town : corn-Belds, pasture and meadow lands, embellished at intervals with clumps of trees, snow-white cottages, and neatly adorned churehes, alternately present themselves to the eye, in the midst of the rich and verdant foliage which shades the steep banks or sloping shores of that noble river; while the back ground of this rich landscape is closed by a chain of enormous mountains, or lengthened out beyond the compass of the human eye by interminable forests. -\i y The interior of the country, from the settle- ^: . SETTLEMENT AT STONBHAM. 137 s ments on the north shore of the River St. Law- rence to tlie confines of Hndson's Bay, is en- tirely uncultivated, and uninhahited except by the fur trailers, and some few Indian tribes or Esquimaux. No roads, no villages, nor towns, enliven that dreary and immense waste. The woodman's axe is never heard, nor the silent monotony which reigns in that lonely space ever disturbed except by the birds and beasts of the forest, or the solitary wanderings of the fur-trader and his party. About fifteen years ago, an enterprising clergy- man of the name of Toosey commenced a settle- ment on that side, in the township of Stoneham, about 1 5 miles north of Quebec. For a few years it flourished under the fostering care of its projector, but when he died the settlement fell into decays ' At this day the ruins of the house, and corn- fields overrun with rank grass and weeds, are all that remain of the* fond hopes and expectations of their sanguine owner. Mr. Weld speaks of this settlement in his Travels : at that period it was in the height of its prosperity; and though several persons at Quebec joined Mr. Toosey in procuring the township, none of them were in- duced to settle there. One cause of complaint was the distance, which they consider too far from town. On the south side, adjoining the boundaries of It ■i-y ^-x a^*" 1 ISH CANADIAN CATTLE. the fJnked States, the interior is settling fast; not fiow€V€r by the French Canadians, bat by A»Tierioan« frcwn the States, who set themselves down with very little ceremony 4ipt>n the di#erent towfMihips bordering on their coi>ntry, atjd be«;i« to clear the woods, and cultivate tlie land, oftert without the knowledge or consent of '> proprie- tors. The Canadian (loverflment seems to *««• courage tlicir emigration from the Statca. Whe- ther it is good policy or not, is extrenrK4y doufytful. They are certainly enterprising settlers, afid im- prove a coun^ more in two or Hnee yearis than tile Frenc*! C^anadiansdo m acetrtu ^. <• 'Ij^oodl The cattfe in Caf»ada are rather dtnrifiatiire, being mostly of the «iBall Norfariafi bi^eed. 4f they have not degenerated in size fey their em i* gration; they have certainly «• t improved. The horses tMpe scrong and swift, ra ny'ofl^emhand- flome; btrt they are tneise ponies, ^omj>ared in ^ize wfth 4l*e Ekiglish horse. Then i? a larger breed sfbout ^ miles below Quebec, v^hidh are gene- rally bought up for heavy work 1'he first horse Seen in Canada arrived in thv, hip Le Havre on the l6th of July l-Ob'S, '!t appears that neither sheep nor horned cattle were in the i>ro- vifjce long before ihat time. ^rheir cows tmd oxen are smaH, lean, and poor: keeping them so many months confined in stalls j durifig which they are poo»4y fed, contributes i\- AMBRICAN HOMP-PKAIflWIK 139 much to their meagre appearance. The oxen are sooietinief u^ed for the plough, or in cart9 ; in whiqh service they always draw with their horni. The sheep are small, and have but little fleece. European breeds have degenerated very, much in the course of time, in Canada, as well as in other parts of America. The wool is coarse, but an^ swers th;3 purposes of the Habitans, who clothe themselves Yf'itU it, . 3wine are very numerous in Canada, for they <:onstitute the chief subsistence of the French Canadians. The breed is but very indifferentf though many attain to considerable siee. They are a long-leggedi narrow- backed species, ysry inferior to the English bree()» pf which there are but few in th^t country. Serine are such a hardy race of animals, that I do not think they could have degenertited much in Canada : I have very little doubt, therefore, that the breed was origi* oally poor. The poultry are in general very good, and con* ftist of turkeys, geese, ducks, and fowls. The turkeys are particularly hardy, and frequ^lly roost upon tl^ trees, exposed to the severity of the winter. The farmers keep only a sufficient number of cattle for their own ceoisumption, and for breeding during the winter; the rest they kill, and take to market. The Americans from the States carry on a 'K 140 AftfSRICAN HORSE-DEAIERS. lucrative traffic with the Canadians for their horses. The latter are very fond of a horve which runs with a quick shuffling pace, and the Americans bring in with them a parcel of rickety animals which possess that accomplishment. The Canadian wiiiingly exchanges his fine little horse for the pacer, and often gives a few pounds to boot. The Americans return with the Cana- dian horses to Boston or New York, and there obtain 30 or 40/. for each, according to their value, while in Canada they rarely sell for more than 10 or 12/. The Canadians are reckoned very adroit at a bargain, and even fond of over- reaching ; but they sink in comparison with an American horse-dealer. ' The horses are treated very roughly in Canada. The Habitans suffer them to stand in the markets, or at places where they stop to drink, in the severest weather, without any covering, while they are often wet with perspiration. Some- times they are covered with hoar-frost, and long icicles hang from their nostrils to the ground. I have seen a horse in a cariole stand in the Quebec market-place till its two fore-fetlock joints were frozen stiff, and the hoofs turned in. The driver afterwards came out of the tavern, and drov^ away at a round troti 'ViMi ^../'W^^:' M^ir ii^aU ■^i■iMiJ:U'■Jli.li^ '^tn i I? POPULATION OF LOW£R CANADA. 141 IT le le y le le o e ir e d » a 1. -*■ ¥'". s* CHAPTER IX. !> im- Population of Lower Canada — Different State- ments reconciled-'Census of the Province — Pre- 1 sent Number of Inhabitants — Statistical State- p. , ■ ' ment for 1808 — Irish and Scotch Emigrants — French Settlers — jicadians^^Charucter of the French ffabitans, or Countrymen — Descrip- tion of their Houses — Cleanly Maxims — Picture f of the Interior of a Habitant House- — Mode of f Living among the Canadian Peasantry— 'j^nec- V dote of a Dish of Tea — Pernicious Effects of i Rum — Fracas in the Market- Place — Drunken* f ness of the Market-People-— Portrait of the Ha- I bitant — Oldfashioned Dress of the Wbmen-^^ ^ Resources of the Hahitans, I The population of Canada has in the course of the last forty years more than trebled itself. The first census after the English conquered the country was made by General Murray in 1/65. This estimate falls considerably short of the po- pulation of 17^8, as mentioned by Mr. Heriot in his recent work. Mr. H. states, that " the white inhabitants of Canada amounted in 1758 to 91,000, exclusive of the. regular troops, who were augmented or diminished as the circum- I 1A2 yapi7LATio»*' iiH ; stances or exigencies of the country might require; that the domiciliated Indians, who were collected into villages in different situations in the colony, Wer^ about l6,0^; and the number of French and Canadians, resident in Quebet;^ was riearljit ddOO.^ tf the Indians 9nd f inhabitants of )2*^^c are not included in ^ first ftumber^ and I sup- pose thj0 Indians are noty ad Mr. H, paftieularly mentions white inbat^ita^itSy the total ^pulktion, exclusive of regular triiiDps, would th^n be 1 15|000. The province of Canada was ifdt divided into Upper and Lower t4l the yeat 1709 ; the cefnsus thercforeytbat wa$ taken antecedent ta that period, included the population of the whotft colony* I am not acquait^ted with tlie source flPom whence Mr* Heriot derived bit iiifbriDstfon ^ but the census of General Murray^ seven years stib^ sequent to l/dS, stated the entire popnlatioti of the province to be^ exclusive of the king's troops^ 7^,275. This nsmber included tht^ Indittnd, #ho were stated to smoiint oniy to 1,100: llefe is tf vast and surprising decreetsi of the ii^babitftiiti iA the cdtirse of seven years i and npoin the suppo^ sition that the numbers in 1758 v^ere Ilft^oor/y tiiere is a loss of no less* thm 3€,7 2^5 : bat taking if Ofily at 91,000} still lihere is a decrease of 14,739 of the colonists and native hihabi«a«iffis* WetHAf easily suppose that a long wttf^ md ftfiUlly thil subjugation of the eociiitry by a j^oMi^r totttdy ^ a CENSUS OF TBB PROVINCE 01 CANADA* w posite in nflttonal mannersy character, and prin' cipkS) must bare occasioned a considerable dinii-< nation of its* population ; for, besides those who viKere lost in battle^ numbers no doubt emigrated to- u4d France, or to otlier euuntries where they migjht 6nd a government more congenial to theiit habits and sentiments. i If we took at the nnmrber of Indians !tvh0m Mr. H. states to- bare been dom^ici hated in the prorince in< (/^^r **^^ ^^ number given in by tbe eensu^of 1/65, we shall there alone find a lost of 8,6oa« It is possible that the ravages of war might occasion this great loss ; for in the course of a campaign tlie Indians are oftener opposed to enemies of their own descripj:ion than to the Eu^' ropean armies ; and their mode of fighting oeca^^ sion9 a greater slaughter. .|r I hate no doubt, therefore, that this remarkabWf decrease of the population of Canada in the course of so short a period may be sati'^factorily accounted for, when we consider the war thrrt preceded^ the conquest, and the very unsettled state of the country for a considerable time after that event. The dissentions between the army and civil power of the British government, and the disgust which the French noblesse, the clergy, and inhabitants felt at being subjected to the wilt of a foreign poopi*, most have strongly tended to 0migratt6n> and oontributcd, with the lotaet snttainMl by the il 144 CENSUS OF THE PROVIMCE OF CANADA. war, to thin the ])opuIation of the colony, which was for from being recruited by British settlers, who in six years after the conquest did not amount to more than 500 persons. In no other way (if Mr. Heriot's statement be correct) can we account for.the difference between the population of 1758 and the census of 1765. >H •»^ In 1783 another census was taken by order of the Canadian government : since then, no other has been made,^ nor have we any data upon wbtch we can rely for forming a correct estimate of " the state of the country and its ixxpulation at the present day. But by a comparison of the census of 1765 and 1783 we may be enabled to judge of tl>e benefits which Canada has received from its new government, and perhaps form some ' notion of its progress for the last twenty years : . for this purpose I shall present them in detail. CENSUS OF THE PROVINCE OF CANADA. Date of the Ceasu«< 1765 1783 lacrciK ii iSYcari. Number of Inha> bitants. 76,275 113,012 36,737 Acres of Land in Cultiva- tion- 764,604 1,569,818 805,214 Bushels of Grain sown yearly. 194,724^ 383,349§ 188,625 Horses 13,757 30,096 16,339 Oxen, Cows, and young horned Cattle 50,: 98,591 48,262 Sheep. ,329 37/)64 88 84,666 57,602 Swine. ,976 70,466 41,490 These statistical accounts are highly satisfac-- ■% tory ; and exhibit, in a clear and convincing man-^ KUMUER OF INHABITANTS. 145 ipf^ tier, the beneftts that hav^ resulted to the colony under the excellent constitution of Oreat Britain. No sooner was a regular form of government esta- blished, and the minds of the people tranquillized, than British subjects were induced to emigrate to Canada, and embark their property in agricultural or commercial speculations. These enterprising settlers communicated their spirit, in a certain degree, to the old inhabitants; and hence the surprising increase of population, commerce, and agriculture, which took place in the short period of eighteen years. Since the year 1/83 the colony ha» been gradually advancing in improvement. Its com- .merce has at times fluctuated considerably ; but population and agriculture have rapidly aug- mented. 1? The number of inhabitants in Lower Canada, at the present day, is computed by Mr. Heriot at 850,000; but I think his estimate is much ex*- a^erated; for, if we calculate the population agreeably to the ratio of its increase frona 17^5 to 1783, during which period of eighteen years it augmented nearly one half, we shall iind that in twenty-five years, from 1783 to 1808, the total amount will not exceed 200,000; and this number^ I 9m t>f opinion, is nearest the truth. Upper Ca- nadii is stated by Mr, H. to have 80,000 inhabi- tai^ft;..t^8 m»^ possibly be eorreet; but from VOL. Ik L 4 n 146 BMIGtAKT SETTUniS. every inquiry that I made on the subject, I never could learn that it contained more than 6o,000. But the truth may, perhaps, be found in the me- dium between the two, as is often the case when statements are made from vagiie report. ; v The prosperity of a country cannot be better exempli Bed than by a regular and continued in- crease of its population and resources. That this is the case with respect to Canada, has been already shown by the statements which I have laid before my readers. There is every reason also to sup- pose, that no diminution whatever has taken place in any part of those details ; but that the augmentation which occurred between 1765 and 1733 has continued with little variation, in the : same regular manner, for the last thirty years, and even greatly increased in 1810 and 1811. ■ Upon this hypothesis I shall offer the following statistical statement for the year 1808. In the absence of official documents, it may afford some idea of the resources of Lower Canada at the pre^ sent day. f ;HS - 1808. ^ Popula- tion. 900,000 Effec- tiTe Mili- tia. 160,000 Acre* of Land in Cultiva- tion. 3,760,000 Bushel* of Grain *own yearly. nojKO Hortc*. 79XX)0 Oxen, Cow*, and younj homed Cattls. 236/)00 Sheep. Swint, 886,000 •213,000 ' Of the inhabitants of Lower Canada not more than one-tenth are British, or American tettltrs EMIGRAKT SITTLSRt. 147 M- ^ from the United States. In Upper Canada the population is almost entirely composed of the latter, and of British subjects who have emigrated from various parts of the United Kingdom. Very few French people reside in that province ; and it is a remarkable circumstance, that among all the British residents in the two colonies, not two hundred Englishmenf perhaps, can be found. I was told that at Quebec there were not more than twelve or fourteen of that country. The rest are either Irish or Scotch ; though the former bear no proportion to the latter, who are distributed from one end of the Canadas to the other. The Irish emigrate more to the United States than to Canada, and no less than 30,000 are said to have emigrated thither in 1801. Being discontented with their own government, they endeavour t6 seek relief under a foreign one whose virtues have been so greatly exaggerated, and whose excellent properties have been extolled to the skies. A few months, however, convince them of their error, and those who are not sold to their American masters generally find their way into Upper Canada. Of all British emigrants, the Scotch are the most indefatigable and persevering. In poverty they leave their native home, yet seldom return to it without a handsome competency. Their patient diligence and submiasion in the putsuit of l3 148 IHIORAMt SETTtEHS. / • richei, togtther with th^ir general knowl^cig^ and g0od teiisie, render them highly beneticial to the iinother country; while their natural partiality f^r their ancient soil seciires their steady attach- ment and adherence to the British government* . The French settlers form a distinct class from » and in the course of half « century erected this bleak portion of the new henfuipl^reintQ^ valuable and extensive <;olony« m A CHARACTER OF THE HABITANt. 1*9 ' V S # \. ^ Those who settled in Acadia, now ctlled Nova Scotia, formed a sort of independent community uneontrolied by the mother country. They poa- sesMd the interior, while the English occupied the •ea-coast. In the course of time these people in- termingled with each other, and their offspring possessed a mixed character, which at this day strongly marks those who are now settled in Ca- nada and Louisiana, and distinguishes them from the French inhabitants of those colonies. They however partake more of the French than the British peculiarities* The Acadians of Louisiana are said to be rude nnd'sluggish, without Ambition, living miserably on their sorry plantatioiit, where they cultivate Indiai^ com, raise pigs, aud get children. Around their houses one sees nothing but hogs, and before their doors great rustic boyt and big strapping girls, stiff as bars of iron, gap- ing, for want of thought or len^ething to do, al^ the stranger who is passing. Their brethren of Canada differ very little from them. They are equally sluggish and inactive ; but as they live in a better regulated country, where slavery is not allowed, they are obliged to exert themselves in a greater degree than the Ijouisianian Acadians, and instead of the sorry plantations of the latter they possess very re- spectable farms» ^ The French Canadians are an inoffensive quiet 4 160 CHARACTER OF THE UABlTANf. people/ possessed of little industry and lets am- bition. Yet from the love of gain, mere vanity, or that restlessness which indolence frequently occasions, they will undergo the greatest hard- ships. There cannot be a stronger proof of this than in those who labour in the spring to collect the sap of the maple tree : their exertions for five or six weeks while the snow is on the ground are excessive. None also uinfdergo severer trials than those who are employed in the fur trade. They penetrate the immense forests of the north-west for thousands of miles, exposed to all the severities of the climate, and often to famine and disease. The Habitans content themselves with follow* ing the footsteps of their forefathers. They are , satisfied with a little, because a little satisfies their wants. They are quiet and obedient subjects, be- cause they feel the value and benefit of the go- vernment under which they live. They trouble themselves not with useless arguments concerning its good or bad qualities, bedAUse they feel them- selves protpted, and not oppressed, by its laws. They are religimis from education and habit more than from principle. They observe its ceremonies and formalities, not because they are necessary to their salvation, but because it gratifies their vanity and superstition. They live in happy mediocrity, without a wish or endeavour to better their con- dition, though many of them are amply possessed '8^.. ■'.\. F'. HABITAN6 HOUSES. 161 ^•- > of the means. Yet they love money, and are sel- dom on the wrong side of a bargain. From jk)- ▼erty anc* oppresbion they have been raised, since the conquest, fo independent affluence* They now know and feel the value of money and free- dom, and are not willing to part with either. Their parsimonious frugality is visible in their habitations, their dress, and their meals ; and had they been as industrious and enterprising as they have been frugal and saving, they would have been the richest peasantry in the world. h^ Their houses are composed of logs slightfy smoothed with the axe, laid upon each other, and dove-tailed at the corners. Sometimes a frame- work is first constructed, and the logs laid upon each other between two grooves. The interstices are filled with clay or mud, and the sides of the building washed outside and in with Ijme dis- solved in water. This, they say, has the property ' of preserving the wood better than paint from the effects of the weather and vermin ; at all events it has the property of being cheaper, which is a consideration of more importance to them than weather or vermin. The roof is constructed with boards, and gene- rally covered with shingles. Sometimes they are white-washed, but oftener allowed to remain in their natural state. In a few months the weather changes: the colour of the wood^ and gives the 1591 HABITANS HOUSES^' shingles the appearance of slate, which, with the' white sides, have a pleasing eflect. The whole,' however, falls very short of the neat wooden farmw houses in the United States, which are generally* clapboarded over the rough logs, and neatly painted. They present a more complete and finished appearance than the rough outsides c^ the Canadian farm -houses. > ,. , . - The Canadian habitations consist of only one^ story or ground floor, which is generally divided into four rooms. Over them is a garret, or loft, formed by the sloping roof. Some of the small houses have only one or two apartments, accord- ing to the affluence or poverty of their owners. The better sort of farmers have always four rooms. Their houses, however, never exceed what Dr. Johnson distinguishes by the name of huts. " By & house (says that learned character) I mean a building with one story over another ; by a hut^ a dwelling with only one floor.** According to this distinction, a house is very rarely to be met with in Canada, except in the towns. ^|. The chimney is built in the centre of the house; and the room which contains the flre-place is the kitchen. The rest are bed-rooms ; for it matters not how many apartments a house consists of, they are seldom without one or two beds in each, aceordtng ta the size of the family. This in- dispensable piece of furniture, which is always ■ lis? •■.. -<-m ,m. CLIAVLT MAXIMS. Jl^l^ 15^ placed in one corner of the room, is a lort of four-' post bedstead without the pillars, and raised three or four feet from the ground. At the head there is generally a canopy or tester fixed against the wall, under which the bed stands. Cpon the bed- stead is placed a feather or straw bed, with the usual clothes, and covered with a patchwork coun- terpane, or green r.tuflT quilt. In winter, the men frequently lay themselves along the hearth, or by the stove, wrapped up in a buffalo robe. In th^ middle of the night they will get up, stir the fire, smoke their pipe, and lie down again till morning. The French women have adopted more cleanly maxims since the English have settled in the country. Formerly, it is said, they would suffer their rooms to remain for a twelvemonth before they were swept, or scoured; and to prevent the dust or dirt from rising, they sprinkled their apartments with water several times a day. That constant scouring of rooms and remarkable clean- liness, which are the peculiar character of the En- glish, theCanadian women afiirmed to be injurious •iheakh, and therefore they neglected the greatest comfort of life. But in all nations there is a great diversity of dispositions and manners; and though, from the combination of certain traits and pecu-^ liarities in the people, a country may appropriate to itself a national character, yet individuals of that nation often exhibit a direct contrast to it* -»-n IM PICTURE or A HABITANT HOUSE. >'i » i General rules are not without partial exceptions ; ' and there are French women in Canada as re- markable for cleanliness as there are others re* markable for the opposite extreme. i*i The furniture of the Habitans is plain and simple, and most commonly of their own work- manship. A few wooden chairs with twig or rush bottoms, and two or three deal tables, are placed in each room, and are seldom very orna- mental ; they however suffice, with a proper number of wooden bowls, trenchers, and spoons, for the use of the family at meals. A press, and two or three lai^e chests, contain their wearing- apparel and other property. A buffet in one corner contains their small display of cups,. saucers, glasses, and tea-pots, while a few broken sets may perhaps grace the mantle-piece. A large clock is often found m their best apartment, and the sides of the room are ornamented with little pictures of the holy virgin and her son, or waxen images of saints and crucifixes. An iron stove is gene- rally placed in the largest apartment, with a pipe passing through the others into the chimney. Tk||v kitchen displays very little more than kettles of soup, tureens of milk, a table, a dresser, and a few chairs. Thefire-placeiswide, and large logs of wood are placed on old-fashioned iron dogs. A wooden crane supports the large kettlfi, of soup, which is^; for ever on the fire. ^m^m^^. v- ^-^i- ^^i^ ' :< ANBCDOnS or A DISH OF TEA. 15S Their chief article of food is pork, as fat as they can procure it. They all keep a great number of swine, which they fatten to their liki ng. Pea-soup, with a small quantity of pork boiled in it, consti- tutes their breakfast, dinner, and supper, day after day, with very little alteration, except what is oc- casioned by a few sausages, and puddings made of the entrails when a hog is killed ; or during Lent, when fish and vegetables only will suffice. They are extremely fond of thick sour milk, and will often treat themselves with a dish of it after their pork. Milk, soup, and other spoon-meat, are eaten out of a general dish, each taking a spoonful after the other. Knives and forks are seldom in request. The old people will sometimes treat themselves with tea or coffee, in which case they generally have to boil their water in the frying-i)an ; for it rarely happens that th^ have a tea>kettle in the house. — ^An anecdote is related of a gentleman ^ who was travelling on the road to Montreal several years ago, when tea was almost unknown to the Habitans, and when accommodation on the road .was even worse than it is now. — He carried with him his provisions, and among the rest he had a pound of tea. On his arrival at one of the post- houses in the evening, he told the mistress of the house to make him some tea, and gave her the parcel for that purpose. In the mean time, the woman spread out her plates and dishes, 156 A FRACAS IN THE MABRET.l>LAeE. knives and forks, upon the table, and the gentle* man took hig meat and loaf out of the basket (for tea, without something more substantial, is poor fare when travelling ; and I always found, iii such cases, that a beef steak, or a slice of cold meat, *was a considerable imjirovement to the tea-table). After waiting a longer time than the gentlemart thought necessary to make a cup of tea, the wo* man came into the room ; but how shall I describe his astonishment, when he beheld the whole pound of tea nicely boiled, and spread out on a dish, with a lump of butter in the middle ! The good woman had boiled it all in the chauderon, and was placing it on the table as a Bne dish of greens to accompany the gentleman's cold beef. Milk and water is the usual drink of the females and younger part of the family. Hum is, how* ever, the cordial balm which relieves the men from all their cares and anxieties. They are pas- sionately fond of this pernicious liquor, and often have a debauch when they go to market with their commodities. I have seen in the Upper Town market-place, at (juebec, a father and his son both drunk. The young one, however, was not so bad but that he was sensible of the impropriety : so he tumbled the old man out of the spirit shop into the street, and endeavoured to force him into the berlin, to carry him home. The old fellow, how- ever, pulled his son down by the hair, and began ^"'7.* DIlUNKENNESS OF THB HABITANS. Ibf to tQlaboqr him with his fist, uttering ten thou- sand sacres and b- rs upon his undutiful head4 The young man could not extricate himself; and b«ing pretty much in that state which is called ** crying drunk/' he began to weep, calling out at the same time, " ^h, mt/ father, you do not know me I My God, you do not know me J ** The tears ran down his cheeks, though as much most likely from the blows and tugs of the hair which he received, as from the idea of his father not knowing him. His exclamations, however^ caused he old man to weep with him, and the scene became truly ludicrous ; for the old fellow would not let go his hold, but continued his curses, his blows, and his tears, until the son was assisted by some other Habitans, who forced the father into the berlin ; upon which the young man got in, and drove him home. Very few of the country people who frequent lihe markets in the towns return home sober; and in winter time, when there is not room for more than one cariole on the road without plun- ging the horse four or five feet deep in snow, iUese people, having lost their usual politeness by intoxication, do not feel inclined to make way for the gentry in carioles, and will often run their •leighs aboard and upset them. The Canadian country people hake their own bread, which is iii&de of wheat-flour and rye- ^^ ■:- ■* 166 •PORTRAIT OF THi BABrtlVT^ meal ;'but for the want of yeast it has a sour taste, and is coarse and heavy. Their ovens are built of wicker-work, plastered inside and out with a thick coating of clay or mortar. Some are built of bricks or stones, but the former are more general. They are situate at a short distance from the house, to prevent accidents from fire, and are raised about four feet from the ground, covered with a roof of boards, supported by four posts, to keep off the rain. The dress of the Habitant is simple and homely; it consists of a 1ong*8kirted cloth coat or frock, of a dark gray colour, with a hood attached to if, ; which in winter time or wet weather he puts ^er bis head. His coat is tied round the waist by i iforsted sash of various colours ornamented with bisads. His waistcoat and trowsers are of the same cloth. A pair of moccasins, or swamp- boots, complete the lower part of his dress. His hair is ttedl in a thick long queue behind^ with an eelskin ; and on each side of his fiatce a few straight locks hang down like what are vulgarly 'Called ''rat's tails.** Upon his heeil is a bonnet rouge, or, in other woriH, a red nightcap. The ^ tout ensemble of his figure is completed by a short pipe, which he has in his mouth from morning till night. A Dutchman is not a greater smoker than a French Canadian. The visage of th^ Habitant '^ ic^ng and thin^ % ■*■:; o, ^ (2y^^^/?^/y^^^J^^M^ ^^ C.^!?ti/^mme^, »«•■ # •¥■■* '"V 1^ • v,-:* PORTRAIT OF THK HABITANT. 159 i ^ his complexion sunburnt and swarthy, and not unfi'equently of a darker hue than that of the In- dian. Hid eyes, though rather small, are dark and lively ; his nose prominent, and inclined to the aquiline or Roman form; his cheeks lank and meagre; his lips small and thin; his chin sharp and projecting. Such is the almost invariable portrait of a Ca- nadian Habitant, or countryman, and more or less of the lower order of French people in the • towns. It is, in fact, a portrait of five-sixths of the male inhabitants of Lower Canada. It is very seldom that any alteration takes place in the dress of the men; unless in summer the long coat is exchanged for a jacket, and the bonnet rouge for a straw hat ; but it oftener happens that the dress which I have described is worn ^e whole year round. The dress of the women is old-fashioned; for the articles which compose it never find their way into Canada until they have become Stale in England. I am now speaking of those who deck themselves out in printed cotton gowns, muslin aprons, shawls, and handkerchiefs; but there are numbers who wear only cloth of their own manufacture, the same as worn by the men. A petticoat and short jacket is the most pre- vailing dress; though some frequently decorate themselves in all the trappings of modern finery, 1^ RJSSOURCIS or THE HABITAMS. but which, in point of fashion, are g^erally « few yean behind those of Europe. The elderly women still adhere to long waists, full caps, and large clubs of hair behind. Some of the younger branches of the countrywomen are becoming more modern, having imbibed a spirit for dress from the French girls who live in the towns as servants* act '^IdimRi TheHttbitans have almost every resource within their owii families. They cultivate flax, which they manufacture into linen; and their sheep, •upl^ly them with thewool of which their gar- ments are formied. They tan the ludeB of their cat^e, and meke them into moccasin $ and boots* From wodl^n yarn they knit their ov7n stockingt and bonnets rouges : and from straw they make their summer hats and bonnets. Besides articles of wearing apparel, they make their own bread, butter, and cheese ; theik' soap, candles, and su* gar ; all which are supplied from the productions of their farm. They build their own houses, barns, stables, and ovens ; make their own carts^ wheels, ploughs, harrows, and canoes. In shorty their ingenuity, prompted as much by parsimony M Uie isolated situation in which they lire, has provided them with every article of utility and every necessary of life. A Canadian will seldom or never purchase that which he can make him- self; and I am of opinion that it is this saving ,r, ■ # .^Lmdk//^ mMmrcC/i^y (/ym/m^r a^r^ i 1 I I! V- 1 1 HByOUECIII Of TUB H4BITANS. 16| Spirit of frugality ^lone, which has induced them to follow the footsteps of their fathers, and which has prevented them from profiting by the modem improvements in husbandry, and the new imple- ments of agriculture introduced by the English ^eUlers* -^ '■■■.••' \ J . 'r-; .[■;■ ,',(fi,-»i» vol- I, M . ■ ' ' K l63 HANDSOME CHILDREN. Ji. y CHAPTER X. .:';'''i; 'iO <<';i;„.^ #• Handsome Children — Pernicious Effects of the Stove — Manners of the Habitans — Modesty — Genius — General Deficiency of Education — iVe- cessity for diffusing a Knowledge of the En- glish Language more generally throughout the Province — Marriages — Calashes — Berlins — Carioles — Covered Car ioles — Laws of the Road — Civility of the Habitans — Partiality to Dancing and Feasting on certain Days — Vanity of a young Fellow in painting his Cheeks — Supersti- tion of an Old Lady — Anecdote of the Holy JVater — Corrupt French spoken in Canada'^ Observations upon the Habitans, ^1 , .;v The children of the Habitana are generally pretty, when young; but from sitting over the stoves in winter, and labouring in the fields in summer, their complexion becomes swarthy, and their features ordinary and coarse. The boys adopt the pernicious habit of smoking) almost as soon as they have strength to hold a pipe in their mouth: this must insensibly injure the constitu- tion, though from the mildness of their tobacco ■^*' , J . i '..« .'.* y * I>ERNICI0US EFFECTS OF THS STOVE. 163 its effects must be less deleterious than that of the United States, or the British West Indies. The girls, from manual labour, become strong, bony, and masculine, and after thirty years of age have every appearance of early decrepitude ; yet their constitutions frequently remain robust and healthy, and some few live to a considerable age. ' When I have entered a Canadian house in the winter, I always felt a violent oppression on my lungs, occasioned by the insufferable heat from the stove ; while the inhabitants would perhaps be huddled round it, replenishing the fire in order to make their chauderon or saucepan of soup boil, which stood on the top of the stove. It may therefore be easily conceived what a de- gree of heat it is necessary to create in these furnaces, for the purpose of penetrating through the iron plate at top, and the bottom of the sauce- pan which is placed upon it. In fact, I have seen them red hot, and two or three gallons of soup in full boil. The men will also frequently stand over a stove till they are in a violent perspiration, and then go into the o|>en air on the coldest days, even sometimes with their breast uncovered. Extremes like these must hurt the constitution ; and though some live to enjoy old age, yet their numbers cannot be compared with those who are cut off iu the prime of life. The climate is h^ M 2 J ... t -m 164 V MANNERS OF THB HABITANS. 1 ,* ♦ vourable to longevity, and it is the fault of th^ people if they do not live beyond the age oif fifty. The women are prolific, and fat chubby chiK dren may be seen at every Habitant's door. I have never heard, however, that the St. Lawrence possesses such properties as are ascribed to the waters of the Missis8ip[^, which are said to feci*^ litate procreation in the Louisianian females. . It is even said that women, who in other parts of the world could never breed, have become preg- nant in a year after their arrival in Louisiana. The manners of the Habitans are easy and po- lite. Their behaviour to strangers is never in- fluenced by the cut of a coat, or a fine periwig. It is civil and respectful to ail, without distinction of persons. They treat their superiors with that polite deference which neither debases |j|ie one nor exalts the other. They are never rude to their inferiors because they are poor,' for if they do Yiot relieve poverty they will not insult it. Their carriage and deportment are easy and un- restrained; and they have the air of men who have lived all their days in d town rather than in the country. ; ..They live on good terms with each other; pa^ rents and children to the third generation residing frequently in ooe house. I'he farm is ^vided as long as there is an acre to divide ; and their de* ]>SFICIENCY OF EDUCATION. 165 9Ate of living together is a proof that they live happy* otherwise they would be anxious to part. They are Universally modest in their behaviour; the women from natural causes, the men from custom 4 The latter never bathe in the river without their trowsers, or a handkerchief tied lound their middle. « They marry young, and are seldom without a numerous family. Hence their passions are kept within proper bounds, and seldom become liable to those excesses which too often stigmatize and degrade the human character. ^ The men are possessed of strong natural genius, and good common sense; both of which are how- ever but seldom improved by education^ owing to the paucity of schools in Canada. The women are better instructed, or at least better inforn^ed, for thisy are more attended to by the priests. Hence they generally acquire an influence over their husbands, which those who are gay and coquetish know how to turn to their own advan- tage. '"-^^ The general deficiency of education and team- tng among the great body of the people in Ca* nada has long been a subject of newspaper-com« plaint in that country. But it is extremely doubtftj whether the condition of the people would be meliorated, or the country benefited, by th6 distribution of learning and inform$tion , I I. ' f 166 DEFICIENCY OF EbVCATtOIT. -■.■•■* among them. The means of obtaining instruction, at present, are undoubtedly very limited; but it is occasioned, in a great measure, by their own parsimonious frugality; for, if they were willing^ to spare a suflficient sum far the education of their children, plenty of masters would be found, and plenty of schools opened. The British or American settlers in the back townships tea^ch their own children the common rudiments ol education ; but the Canadians are themselves un^ educated, and ignorant even of the smallest des' gree of learning; therefore they have it not in their power to supply the want of a school in their owfi family, and thus do they propagate from ago to age the ignorance of their ancestors : '/"? ' ** For, as refinement stops, from sire to son, ^ Unalter'd, unimproved, tt^ir manners run." '^ With reisipect to their obtaining a knowledge of the English language, I agree with those who are of opinion that so desirable an object might, to a certain extent, be attained by the interference of the government, and the establishing of paro? chial Sunday schools. The number who under, stand, or speak, English in Lower Canada does not amount to one-fiftti of the whole population, including the British subjects. Few of the French clergy understand it ; for in the seminary at Quebec, where it ought to form an indispensa- bly part of the student*9 educt^tion, :t is totally t .'.•** NEOf:s»ITV CF ENGLISH. i^Z neglected; in consequence of which, a great many French children who are educated there, besides those that are designed fpr the church, lose a favourable opportunity of becoming ac- quainted with it; and that which is omitted io youth is neither easily nor willingly acquired in manhood. It is possible that the French clergy may look with jealousy upon the diffusion of the English language among their parishioners; they may think that, as the intercourse between the British and French Canadians will be facilitated by such a measure, the eyes of the latter would be opened to many of the inconsistencies and de- fects of their religion ; and that, in consequence^ they may be induced to change their faith, and throw off the dominion of their priests. These, however, are but groundless fears; for as long as vanity -retains its hold in the breasts of the Cana- dians, and while the clergy continue that inde* fatigable perseverance in their ministry, and that unblemished character and reputation, which di- stinguish them at present, it is not probable that their parishioners will depart from the religion of their forefathers. The instruction of the French children in the English language is therefore peither difficult nor Jiable to any serious objection. That it is a desirable object, and highly necesss^ry for political as well as private reasons, is without doubt ; that it is necessary for the dispatch ^pf t 'J* I* ■ i I 168 MARRIAOES.-— CALASHES; business^ iind for the impartial adminisiratton df justice, every man who has been in a Canadijtri court of law must acknowledge without hesita-^ tion. ;i :*(«* The marriages df the Canadians dre reiharkabk for the numbers of friends, delations, and acquaint- ance, who attend the young couple to the altari They are all dressed in their Sunday attire; and ride to church in calashes or Carioles, according to the season of the year in which it take;* placer. 1 have sometimes Counted upwards of thirty of these vehicles, each containing three or four people, one of whom drives. Those who live in the toWns^ and are married ih the mornings often parade thd streets with their friends in the afterhoon. The carriages made use of in Canada are ca- lashes for the Summer, and carioles and berlins for the winter. The calash is in general use all over the country^ and is used alike by the jgentry and Habitans ; Only that those belonging to the former are of a superior description. The ealash is a sort of one-horse chaise capable of holding two persons besides the driver, who sits in front upon a low seat, with his feet resting upon the shafts. This carriage has no spring, but it is suspended by two broad leather straps; Upon which the body is fixed. These straps are secured behind by two iron rollers, by which they are tightened when too loose; The body of M bALAiHEfi; 169 tk^ balasii hflc ^ iving on each side, to prevent ih^ mud frbni beitig thrown in by the wheels. Those of the bettei* sort are handsomely varnished and fitted u[i With hnings and cushions similar to an English bbaise; the inferior sort used by the country people are roughly built and mise^ I'ably painted ; blit as they are often the workman-, ithipof the Habitant himself, much elegance can- hot be expected ; he has, indeed, considerable merit in accomplishing i$o much without the aid bf proper instrltctibn. The harness is sometimes very heavy, and studded with a great number of brass nails, but that is now nearly exploded, and has given place to a much lightei* and simpler caparison. It is used as well for carts as for the calash, and is Several pounds lighter than the cumbersome En- glish cellar and hartaess. Plated harness is used for the best calashes^ though made in the same simple form, and requires merely a ring and a bolt, which fastened to each shaft secures the horse in the cart bf calash, the sleigh or the cariole. This kind bf harness, being in general use all over the country, is extremely convenient in case of accident ; and as the horses are nearly of a size, there is little difficulty in borrowing a horse that will fit your carriage, or a carriage that Will fit vbur horse, and harness that will suit both. The post calashes, which are the very worst of ^tt ^m^ . Tf m 170 CARIOLES. the kind used in the country, are moftt abominti" ble machines for a long journey. They are most commonly driven by boys; but if you are un for* tunate enough to have. a fat, unwieldy driver sitting in front, which is sometimes unavoidable, the body of the calash leans forward, and renders your seat not only extremely irksome, but also difficult to maintain ; added to which, your shouK ders and hips are jolted against its sides without mercy, and your journey, for that stage at least, becomes completely painful and distressing. The carioles nearly resemble the body of a one- horse chaise, placed upon two runners, like the irons of a pair of skates^ Th^y are painted, varnished, and lined like, the better sort of ca- lashes. The driver generally stands up in front, though there is a seat for him similar to that in the calash. Between hint ^nd the horse there is a high pannel wHioh^ ,r■- 4 t-*- COVERED CARIOLES. 171 The Habitans make u^^e of an old-fashioned lort of cariole, called a berlin; it is better adapted for long journey?, as the sides are higher, and keep the traveller warmer than the other descrip- tion of canoles. Sleighs are used in the winter, as carts are in the summer, fur the transportation of goods. Tiiey are formed of a couple of low runners, with boards fastened across. The goods are kept from falling off by half-a-dozen sticks, which are fixed at the sides and corners of the (»leigh, and fastened together at top by a rope or twisted twigs. The horses are obliged to have several little bells fastened to their harness in winter, in order to give notice to others of their approach; for the qarioles and sleighs proceed with such rapidity, and makje so little noise over the snow, that many accidents might occur in turning the corner of a street, or on a dark night, if the alarm was not given by the jingling of the bells. Covered carioles resemble the body of a post- chaise or chariot placed upon runners ; they have doors at the sides and glasses in the front, but are never used* except for the purpose of going to an evening ball or entertainment; for the pleasure of carioling consists principally in seeing and being seen ; and therefore the open one, though it exposes the persoi^ to the severest wea- ^hjsr, is always preferred* ) >* ■<; 172 Laws or THC ROAD. There is hardly a Habitant in Canada who does not keep his horse and cart, calash and berlin. Carters are also numerous in the towns^ and calashes or carioles, &c., may be hired of them at a moderate! price. They stand in the market-places both winter and summer, looking out for employments Their horses are generally in goojd condition^ though their labour is hard and their treatment severe. ' ^' '' In Canada^ as well as in some parts of the United States, it is a custom among the people to drive on the right side of the road, which to the eye of an Englishman has a very awkward appearance; for in his country ^j'.. »• \ V i ' i-- " The laws of the road are a paradox quite ; ' For, when you are trav'lling along, If you keep to the left you are sure lo be rights If you keep to the right you'll be wrong.** From what cause the custom originated in America I cannot say; but 1 have observed that in the winter season the driver frequently jumps out of the cariole on the right side, in order to prevent it from upsetting in places where the road is narrow and the snow uneven : this may possibly have given rise to their driving on the right side of the road, though I think the same thing might be accomplished as easily on the left* That which from necessity had become a habit in the winter, was not easily laid aside in the • * .• r POLITBNE89. — JOURi ORAf. 173 lummer ; and consequently settled into a general custom, which was afterwards fully established by law. Acts of the legislature in the United States AS well as in Canada, now compel people to drive on the right hand side of the road. The French Canadians are remarkably civil to each other, and bow and scrape as they pass along the streets. When I have seen a couple of carmen, or peasanti), cap in hand, with bodies bent to each other, 1 have often pictured to my imagination the curious effect which such a scene would have in the streets of London between two of our coal-porters or dray-men. Sometimes 1 have seen the men kiss each other on the cheek ; but the practice is not in general use. They are /extremely civil and polite to strangers, and take otF their cap to every person, indifferently, whom they pass on the road. They seldom quarrel but when intoxicated ; at other times they are good* huTnoured, peaceable, and friendly. ' They are fond of dancing and entertainments at particular seasons and festivals, on which occa- sions they eat, drink, and dance in constant suc- cession. When their long fast in Lent is con- eluded, they have their " jours gras," or days of feasting. Then it is that every production of their farm is presented for the gratification of their appetites ; immense turkey- pies; huge joints .■J- ■'*■. vr \'\' i3 ■''^ ' ' JOUR GRAS. — FACE PAlNTiyC. l! I: of pork, beef, and muttdn ; spacious tureens of soup, or thick milk; besides fish, fowl, and a plentiful supply of fruit-pies, decorate the board. Perhaps fifty or a hundred sit down to dinner; rum is drunk by the ha1f~pint, often without water ; the tables groan with their load, and the room resounds with jollity and merriment. No sooner however does the clash of the knives and forks cease, than the violin strikes up and the dances commence. Minuets, and a sort of reels or jigs, rudely performed to the discordant scrap ings of a couple of vile fidier^, conclude the fes<- tival, or "jour gras." «kj4£o'i -lao lO o»vvi On Sundays and festivals every one is drcftst in his best suit, and the females will occasionally ]K>wder their hair and paint their cheeks. Iil this respect they differ but little from their supei> riors, except that they use beet-root instead of rouge. Even the men are sometimes vain enough to beantify their cheeks with thaf vegetable. A young fellow who had enlivened his swarthy complexion by a fine glow from the beet- root, most probably to captivate the heart of some fair nymph on a " jour gras," was unfortunately so jeered and laughed at by several of his compa* nions, that 'the next day he went to his priest, to inquire if it was a sin to paint his face ; think- ing, no doubt, to obtain the sanction of his con- _■* w - ANECDOTE OV THE KOLt WATER. Jf3 lessor. The priest however told him that though it wa^ no sin, yet it was a very ridiculous vanity, and advised him to discontinue it» Sujjerstition is the offspring of the Romaii catholic religion, and the Canadians are conse- quently not exempt from its influence. The women, particularly, have a much larger share of it than the men, who trouhle themselves less than tlieir wiveS' with its peculiarities. Their ladies, in great emergencies, put more faith in holy water, candles, saints, and crucifixes, than confi- dence in the Saviour himself. A friend of mine was once present at the house of a French lady, when a violent thunder-storm commenced. The shutters were immediately closed, and the room darkened. The lady of the house, not willing to leave the safety of herself and company to chance, began to search her closets for the bottle of holy water, which, by a sudden flash of light- ning, she fortfinately found. The bottle was uncorked, and its contents immediately sprinkled over the ladies and gentlemen. It was a most drehdful storm, and lasted a considerable time; she therefore redoubled her sprinklings and be- nedictions at every clap of thunder, or flash of lightning. At length the storm abated, and the party were providentially saved from its effects ; which the good lady attributed solely to the pre- cious water. But when the shutters were opened, \f§ OB8S»VAT|ONA QM TIi|ri{A91TA>ISr and the light admiUed, the pompany found, to the destruction of their i^hite ^ovirns and mus- lin handkerchiefs, their coau,^ waistcoats, and breeches, that instiead of holy Wftt^i the pious lady had sprinkled them with in/^. The Habitans are said to have as little rusticity in their language as in their deportment. Thi9 colony was originally peopled by so many of the noblesse, disbanded officers and soldiers, and pfsr-^ sons of good, condition, that correct language and easy and unembarrassed manners were more likely to prevail among the Canadian peasantry than among the common rustics of other countries* Previous to the conquest fof the countiy by the English, the inhabitants are said to have spoken as pure and correct French as in old France ; sinee then they have adopted many anglicisms in their language, and have also several ant^uated phrases, which xn^y probably have arisen out pf their intercourse«wi.th the new setilers. For/rgid (cold) they pronounce/re^e. For ici (here) they pronounce kite. For pret (ready) they pror nounce /icrr^; besides several other obsolete words which I do not at present recollect. Anc^er cor- rupt practice is very common among them, of pro- nouncing the ^nal letter of their words, which is contrary to the custom of the European French^ This perhaps may also have been acquired in the course of fifty years communication with th« OBSERVATIONS ON THE HABITANS. 177 British settlers ; if not, they never merited the praise of speaking pure French. Upon a review of the preceding sketch of the character and manners of the Habitans, who constitute the great body of the Canadian people, it wili be found that few peasantry in the world are blest with such a happy mediocrity of pro- perty, and such a mild form of government as they universally enjoy. They possess every ne- cessary of life in abundance, and, when inclined, may enjoy many of its luxuries. They have no taxes to pay, but such as their religion demands. Th^ revenues of the province arc raised, in an indirect manner, upoik those articles which are rather pernicious than beneficial to them ; and therefore it is their own fault if they feel the weight of the impost. They are contented and happy among themselves, and protected by a well regulated government. The laws are severe, but tempered in tbTeir administration with so much lenity and indulgence for human failings, that it has occasioned a singular proverbial saying among the people, that " it requires great interest for a man to be hung in Canada ;** so few in that coun- try ever meet with such an ignominious fate. They have now enjoyed an almost uninter- rupted pefice for half a century, for they were so little disturbed in the American war, that that event can hardly be considered as an interrup- VOL. r. N tl« OBSERVATIONS ON TM HABITANS. tion. l^is has increased the population, agri- culture, commerce, and prosperity of the country; and while it has raised the people to all the com- forts of moderate possessions, of freedom, and independence, it has strengthened their attach- ment to the constitution and government under which they have thus prospered. GOVERNMENT OF LOWER CANADA. 179 CHAPTER XI. Government of Lower Canada-^Governors — ExecU' live and Legislative Councils^-' House of Assembly -^-Provincial Parliament— Canadian Orators-" Oath of a Member — Debates — Ignorant Mem- bers — Anecdote of a Legislator — Laws qf Lower Canada^Courts of Law-'— English and Frenck Laws — T/i^ Rights of Seigniors — Feudal Tenures '—Coutume de Paris — Fiefs-— ^Succession to Es^ tates — Division of Property — Wtfe^s Dower— f- Community of Property by Marriage— Timely Interference of a Quarter Cask of Madeira^ and Piece of Russia Sheetings in the Purchase ofQ House — Arrests — CanadianLawyers— 'Anecdote of a Governor—Evil Consequences of being at Law— Tedious Laws — Chief Justice Allcock—^ Attorney-General — Receipts and Expenses oj the Govemment'^Forges qfSt, Md^nce-^Twes ■r^T\impikes, The form of government in Canada is an epi* tooie of the British constitution. In th« upper jMrovince it assimilates itself nearer to that of the old country than in Lower Canada, the laws of N3 '•i 14) -t, 1 180 GOVERNMENT OF LOWER CANADA. which have unavoidably been obliged to admit of some local alterations, in order to adapt ^|iiem to the majority of the people whom they govern, and who differ in so many respects from those of Upper Canada. The civil government of the province consists of a governor, who is also a military man, and commander-in-chief of the forces : a lieutenant- governor, an executive and legislative council, and house of assembly. In the absence of the governor and lieutenant-governor, the president of the executive council succeeds to the head of affairs, as was the case when we arrived in Ca- nada ; Mr. Dunn being then president of the province, in the absence of General Prescott,- the governor, and Sir Robert Milnes, the lieutenant- governor. On such occasions the powers of the president are more circumscribed than those of the governor, and even the executive council is timorous, and reluctant to take any responsi. bility upon itself. The ill consequences, there- fore, of the absence of the governor and lieutenant- governor may be easily perceived in cases of urgency and importance; and its mischievous effects were sufficiently felt by us soon after our arrival. Misapprehension, delay, and irresolution marked the conduct of the government at that period, frustrated the plans of the board of trade for the cultivation of hemp, and involved my PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT. 181 relation in losses and difficulties from which he has not yet recovered. The Executive Council, like the privy council of England, has the management of the executive part of the government, and is apjiointed by His Majesty. The Legislative Council, and House of Assembly, form the provincial parliament. ^ The governor, or person administering tlie go- vernment, represents the sovereign, and opens, prorogues, or dissolves, tl^e assembly; gives or refuses his assent to bills, or reserves them for His Majesty *8 jileasure. The bills to which he as- sents are put in force immediately, and true copies transmitted to the British government for the approbation of the king in council. Certain acts of the provmcial parliament which go to repeal or vary the laws that were in exist- ence at the time the present constitution was established, respecting tythes ; the appropriation of land for the support of the protestant clergy ; the constituting and endowing of parsonages and rectories ; the right of presentation to the same ; the enjoyment and exercise of any mode of worship ; the imposing of any burthens or dis- qualifications on account of the same ; the rights of the clergy to recover their accustomed dues or emoluments to any ecclesiastics; the establish- ment and discipline of the church of England ; •*\ V 183 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY. i< I 4' 'It III. p li the king's prerogative concerning xUm grantiitg Df waste lands of the crown within the proViia66 ; are to be laid before the British parliament b€(bre they receive the royal assent. The acts of the provincial parliament are merely of a local nature, regulating the interior of the country, and cre- ating a revenue for the maintenance of the govern- ment. * The Legislative Council consists of fifteen members, appointed for life by the governor, who is invested with powers for that purpose by His Majesty. No one can be a counsellor who is not twenty-one years of age,and a natural-born subject, or naturalized according to act of parliament. The House of Assenibly consists of fifty mem- bers, who are chosen for districts and counties by those who are possessed of freehold property of the clear yearly value of 40 /. The members for cities and towns are chosen by voters whose property consists of a dwelling-house and lot of ground of the yearly value of five pounds ster- ling ; or who have resided in the town for twelve months previous to the writ of summons, and shall have paid one year's rent for a dwelling or lodging, at the rate of 10/. sterling per annum. tf'No person is eligible to a seat in the House of Assembly who belongs to the Legislative Council, or that is a minister of religion, or not a natural* THE OATH or A MIMBKR. 183 born subject, or naturalized according; to law or conquest : nor any person that has been attainted of treason, or diiiquaiified by any act of the pro- vincial parliament. All religions are tolerated in Canada in the fullest extent ; and no disqualifi- cation on that account exists for the purpose of preventing any person from a seat in the provin- cial parliament. Catholics, Jews, and Protest- ants have all an equal right to sit, provided they are not disqualified from any other cause. The assembly is not to last longer than four years, but may be dissolved sooner; and the governor is bound to call it at least once in each year. ■'' The oath of a member taking his seat is com- prised in a few words. He promises to bear true allegiance to the king, as lawful sovereign of Great Britain, and the province of Canada dependent upon it; to .defend him against all traitorous con^ spiracies and attempts against his person, and to make known to him all such conspiracies and at- tempts which he may at any time be acquainted with : alt which he promises without mental eva- sion, reservation, or equivocation, at the sanie time renouncing all pardons and dispensations frcmi any person or power whatsoever. The provincial parliament is held in the old building called the Bishop's Palace, situate be- tween the Grand Battery and Prescot Gate, at the top of Mountain Street. The assembly remains ^1 1^ 184 IGNORANT MEMBERS. II r sitting for about three montlis in the winter, and out of fifty members seldom more than twenty attend : one or other contrive to elude their duty- by pleas of illness or unavoidable business. The French have a large majority in the House of Assembly, their number being thirty-six to four- teen British. The speeches are therefore mostly in French ; for the English members all under- stand and speak that language, while very few of the French members have any knowledge of ^;^The debates are seldom interesting, and never remarkable for learning, eloquence, or profound argument. The orators of Canada never confuse their brains with logical reasoning, or learned disputations. They never delight their hearers with beauty of expression, masterly conceptions, or Ciceronian eloquence. Yet some few of the English members are tolerable speakers, and po&!s$ss very respectable abilities. Nothing how- ever of very great importance, or that requires much ability to discuss, ever presents itself' for debate. The regulation of the post-houses, the construction of bridges, jails, court-houses, &c., and the levying of duties for the support of the revenue, are nearly all that ever come under their consideration. The establishing of banks in the province has lately attracted their attention, and l^s becm brought forward, by Mr. Richardson in IGNORANT MEMBERS. '♦'''^ -^^>^ ' 185 [he ielr Ihe ificl in :% a very able manner : but there are several in the hduniy^who are perfectly ignorant both of fi(;ures and letters: howr these gentlemen will be able to judge of the utility or inutility of banks remains to be seen. In England, we look upon a member of parlia- ment as a man of superior ability ; at least we respect and venerate him for the high and digni- fied situation which he fills : but in Canada, a member of the provincial parliament acquires no respect, no additional honour with his situation, because neither learning nor ability is requisite to qualify him for a seat in that assembly. If every member, when the oath is administered, was also obliged to write a few lines, and read a page or two in the journals of the house, the assembly would become honoured and respected ; its members would be exalted in the opinion of its constituents ; and several French gentlemen, who now sit there, would be sent back to their farms, where they might employ themselves more usefully in feeding pigs than in legislation. It was wittily enough proposed in the Quebec Mercury in May last, just after the election, to open a seminary, or college, for the instruction of tbose members who were deficient in the neces- sary qualifications of reading, writing, and arith- metic. ,. A friend of mine toM me that he once asked a 186 ANECDOTE. — ACTS OF PARLIAMENT. ! *■ )^' French member of the provincial parliament for an order : I forget upon what occasion he. wanted it, but the member replied that he could not write : " Oh,'* says my friend, " 1 will write it out, and you can make your cross** — " Ah, mon Dieu !** says the legislator, *' that vvill not do.** Previous to the year 177^^ the country was go- verned by the ordinances of the governor alone : but the Quebec bill of that year extended Canada to its ancient limits; and its original system of civil law, the " Coutume de Paris,** was restored. A new form of government was introduced, and the Roman catholic clergy, except the monks and Jesuits, were secured in the legal enjoyment of their estates, and of their tythes from all who were of the Romish religion. No person pro< fessing the protestant religion was to be subject to the payment of tythes, their clergy being sup- ported by the government. The French laws were introduced in civil cases, and the English law, and trial by jury, in criminal cases. In 1 79 1 another bill was passed, which repealed the Quebec bill of 177'^) <^"d divided Canada into two separate provinces, the one called Lower, and the other Upper Canada. By this bill the present form of government was established ; and the Canadians now enjoy all the advantages of the British constitution. In 1794 an act was passed for dividing the province of Lower Canada into ,i COURTS OF LAW. /;;. { 187 three districts, and for augmenting the number of judges. The laws are now administered by two chief justices, and six puisne judges, who are divided equally between Quebec and Mont- real. The chief justice of Quebec has, however, the largest salary, and the title of chief justice of the province. There is also a provincial judge for the district of Three Rivers, who resides there, and is assisted at the two superior terms by the chief justice of Quebec and one of the puisne judges. The chief presides there only in criminal causes. There is also a judge of the court of Vice- admiralty, who resides at Quebec; and a provincial judge for the inferior district of Gasp^, who resides on that government. Besides the judges, there are an attorney-general resident at Quebec, and a solicitor general resident at Montreal. • I Exclusive of the Courts of King's Bench and Common Pleas, there is a Court of Appeal, which sits the Brst Monday in every month, as long as business requires. This court is composed of the governor, or jjerson administering the govern- ment, and (ive or more members of the executive council, with those judges who have not previ> ously heard or decided upon the causes which are appealed. A further appeal may be made to His Majesty in council. h The courts of Quarter Sessions of the peace arc held four times a year. The police of Quebec, f 188 LAWS OF LOW£R CAKADA. hi ■ -1 »l( .1 I l;' • ■^i Montreal, and Three Rivers, is in ttie hailds of the justices of the peace : they also regulate the price of bread every month, and meet once a week to determine petty causes and offences under ten pounds. Counsellors attend, and argue for their clients, who are put to great expense for sum- monses, fees, &c. The whole of the business has devolved into the hands of the three magistrates who erected the edifice for the butchers in the Upper Town market-place; and though there are upwards of thirty justices of the peace in Quebec, yet few except the triumvirate ever act as such. I should have had no other opportunity of judging of these gentlemen, but by their abili- ties as surveyors, had not our men frequently obligjed us to attend their weekly sittings, where we very soon discovered that they decide causes with as much judgment as they design build- ings. ; ,. The laws of Lower Canada are, I. The ** Cou- tume de Paris,** or Custom of Paris, as it existed in France in the year l666, in which year the custom was reformed. II. The civil or Roman law in cases where the custom of Paris is silent. III. The edicts, declarations, and ordinances of the French governors of Canada. IV. The acts of the British parliament made concerning Ca- nada. V. The English criminal law in toto, and the acts of the provincial parliament. • v;-.. *. I; LAWS OF LOWER CANADA. 189 H This complication of French and Efnglish laws is rendered necessary by the two different com- munities which exist in Canada,, and may be di- vided into four distinct parts, viz. The criininal, civil, commercial, and maritime laws. The criminal law is wholly English, and in its administration all are universally subject to its operations without distinction of persons. . The civil law, or compound of laws regarding property, is taken from the " Coutume de Paris,'* from the civil law of the Romans, or from such edicts, declarations, and ordinances concerning property, as have been made at any time by the French governors of Canada. To this civil juris- prudence both the British and French Canadians, in certain cases, are subject. Thf*«e laws embrace a variety of subjects, particularly the feudal te- nures, seigniories, fiefs, and estates, held nobly or by villainage ; moveable or immoveable pro- perty, marriage dowers, and community of pro- perty between man and wife. n The commercial laws relate to mercantile trans- actions, and are regulated nearly in the same man- ner as in England ; except that in such cases there are no trials by jury, which are confined only to the criminal law. The maritime law, or Court of Vice^admiralty, is wholly English. Law proceedings are carried on both in Enghv^h and French. «. it t. 190 RIGHTS OF SEIGNIORS. U I !1 « I ii * i III 1 At the first settling of the colony a great error was committed, in granting to officers of the army, and gentlemen-adventurers, extensive lots of land called seigniories, many of them from one to five hundred square miles in size, which were situated on the borders of the river St. Lawrence, from Ka- mouraska to several leagues beyond Montreal, comprehending a distance of more than three hundred miles. These great proprietors, who were generally men of moderate or small fortunes, and unskilled in agriculture, were unable to manage such vast estates : they were, therefore, under the necessity of making over their lands to soldiers or planters, on condition that they should receive a quit rent and certain services for ever. This was introducing into America a species of tenure similar to that of the feudal government, which had so long been fatal to Europe. The su- perior ceded a portion of land to each of his vassals, of about three acres in breadth, and from 70 to 80 in depth, commencing from the banks of the river, and running back into the woods ; thus forming that immense chain of settlements which now exists along the shores of St. Lawrence. The vassal, on his part, engaged to work at certain periods in the seignior's mill, to pay him annually one or two sols per acre, and a bushel and half of corn, for the whole grant. This tax, though but a small one, maintained a considerable number FIBfS. 19; of idle people, at' the expense of the only class with which the colony ought to have been peopled ; and the truly useful inhabitants, those engaged in laborious employments, found the burden of maintaining a lazy noblesse increased by the additional exactions of the clergy. The tythes were imposed in 1667 ; and though this grievous tax upon industry was reduced to a twenty-Hfth part of the produce of the soil, yet even that was an oppression in an infant colony, and a grievance in a country where the clergy had property allotted them sufficient for their maintenance. '* There are two kinds of tenure in Lower Canada, viz. the feudal tenure, and the tenure in free and common soccage. By the first all the French Canadians hold their lands, under certain distiiio> tions. ^y fre and common soccage are held those lands which the British settlers have received from the crown, few of them holding lands under the feudal tenure. In order to give some idea of the feudal tenure in this country, it will be necessary to give a sketch of the principal chapters of the " Custom of Paris.** The first and most difficult chapter treats of fiefs, the origin of which is uncertain. Before we come to the definition of the nature and the different kinds of fiefs, it must be observed that estates are divided into two kinds in the Cus- \f^ e; I.. I! I I I 'I irt I I ■III* ii'i i d 192 jisrs. **,• tom of Paris : First, Those beldnobly ; and, SC' condfy, Those held by villainage.. The estates held nobly are the fiefs and Franc aleu noble ; and the estates held by villainage are those held subject to cens or censive, and Franc aleu villain ^ . . 4 y[. Fief is an estate held and possessed on condition of fealty and homage, and certain rights, payable generally by the new possessor to the lord of whom the fief is held : these rights are quint and reiiqf. The quint is the fifth part of the purchase-money^ and must be paid by the purchaser : this is some- what similar to the fine of alienation, wb,ich, by the ancient English tenure, was paid to the lord upop every mutation of the tenant's property. In England it was only strictly exacted by the |(ing*s tenants in capite, common person^ being exempted by stat. 18 Edward I. Relief \9 the revenue of one year due to the lord for certiiin mutations, as if a fief comes to a vassal by succession in the direct line, there is nothing due to the seignior but fealjiy, and homage ; but if in the collateral l^ine, th^^ fine or composition is paid to the lord upon tak* ing up the estate, which has lapsed or fallen by the death of the last tenant. The feudal lord, within 40 days after the pur- chase of a fief has been made known to him, can take it to himself by paying to the purchaser the price which he gave for it, with all lawful charges, t»,. %w When there are only two heirs coming to the succession, the eldest son takes, besides the manor- VOL. I. o 1$4 Fllff. ! hoiMe,icc., two-thirdi of the fief; »nd the youngest son takes the other third : but when there tire more than two heirs, the elder son takes the one half, and the other heirs take the remaining half. When there are only daughters coming to tlie succession, the fief is equally divided among them, the eldesit daughter having no birth-right. In successions to fiefs, in the collateral line, females do not succeed vvith males io the same degree. If the eldest son dies, the next doe^ not succeed to his birth-right; but the estate must be equally divided among the h*irt. ill «■'*:• {Ji;n;i u •'■ii ^ Franc aleu is a freehold estate, held subject to no neigniorial rights or duties, acknowledging np lord but the king. : HI . Censive is an estate held in the feudal manner, charged with a certain annual rent, which ia paid by the possessor of it. It consists of money, fowls, or grain. It is thus that most of the HaUtans hold theirfarms. The Uxk et venteSjOt fines of alienation, are one twelfth part of the purchase-money, and are paid by the purchaser on all mutations of pro- perty en roture (or soccage) to the seig^iior, in the same manner as the quint is paid upon mutatiotis of fiefs. The seignior has also the same right of purchasing the property within forty dayi, in case he suspects that there is any collusion between ,t^ parties to defraud him of his dues. The Miceession to estates held tn rotwre is re^- #^ SUCCISSIOH TO ESTATIS. 19^ thp m- gulated diflferently from the successions to fiefs, that is to say, the heirs all succeed equally to estates en roture. The seignior, whenever he finds it necessary, may cut down timber for the purpose of bttilditig mills and making*roads which are con^ sidered of general benefit to his tenants* He is' also allowed one tenth of all the fish caught on his ' property, besides an exclusive right to the profits'* of his grist mills, to which all his vassals are obliged '^ to carry their corn, and pay a certain portion for^ the grinding it. Some of the rents paid by the' Habitans to their seigniors amount to ten or fi(^ - teen 'shillings per annum ; others pay no more than a sol, a capon, or a bushel of wheat* But^ from the lods et ventes upon the sale of farms th^ seigniors often derive from fifty pounds to two or three hundred per annnm; even the baiTen seigni*^ ory of Grondines brought the seignior, in one year, upwards of eighty pounds. Farms on good land will sell according to their size, from one to five hundred pounds. The Canadian government paid upwards of 500/. for the farm which they pur chased for my uncle, though it only consisted of sixty acres clear, and twenty acres wood land. It is situated on the seigniory of Bei^aucour !n the district of Three Rivers. Mr. Hart, the seignior, received between forty and fifty pounds from th$ government j as his lods et ventes » It will be per^ ceived| by the practice of dividing the seigniories^ o 3 196 Hl^H 1 SUCCESSICnr to XStATES. -i % * .■* ffefs, and fariili; atliofig the children of their pfo- prietors,how much the power of the seigniors must be reduced, and the people involved in litigation and disputes. Hence the noblesse are now nearly reduced to the common mass of the vulgar,and the Habitans make but little progress towards the ac- quisition of property and power, ft^' With respect to the division of property in ^general, according to the civil law of Canada, it consists of moveable and immoveable property. Moveable property is any thing that can be moved without fraction. Immoveable property is any thing that cannot be moved, and is divided into two kinds, propres (personal), and acquits (acquired). ^' Propre is an estate which is inherited by succes- sion in the direct or collateral line; and acquit is an estate or property that is acquired by any other 'means. H-f^k^ . ,> -f ^'trt ■ - - - ^'' Community of property is the partnership which husband and wife contract on marrying ; but they may stipulate in their marriage- contract that there shall be no community of property between them. 1- The dot, or ddwry, is all the property which the wife puts into the community ^ whether moveable or immoveable. But immoveable property falling to her in a direct or collateral line is a propre or personal estate to her, and does not. fall intQ the community. Ati^f^^-y*^" [f Xhe dower is a certain right given to the wife \' #■■, COMMUNITY or PROPERTY BY MARRIAGE. 19/ hf law, or by particular agreement: it it of two kinds, the customary dower, and the stipulated dower. The former consists of half the property which the husband was possessed of at, the time of their marriage, and half of all property which may come to him in a direct line. The stipulated dower is a certain sum of money, or portion of property, which the husband gives instead of the customary dower. The widow has only the use of the customary dower during her lifetime; at her death it falls to the children, who did not accept the succession of their father ; but her heirs succeed to the stipulated dower. Hence, by the commu- nity, which exists in marriage, no man can dispose of any part of his property without the consent of his wife; and some compensation or present is generally made to the lady on those occasions. A gentleman of my acquaintance was once nearly prevented from purchasing a house, had not the fortunate interference of a quarter-cask of Madeira ' and a piece of tine Russia sheeting created a con- siderable change in the sentiments of the lady. - fU Xhe custom of allowing community of property in marriages has frequently proved injurious to the - survivor. If the wife died without a will, the chil- * dren, when of age, would demand their mother's share ; and it has often happened that the father has been obliged to sell off all his property,in order - to ascertain its value, and divide it among the u 1,'? Ul } I ''i A ■■■! ! U i. I- 198' COMMUNITY or l>hOt*KRtY BY MARRIAGE, datirifitv. Th^ loss of ai good bosineir, w afl« estate, hds sometimes been the cotiscquence of tim IftW. The parents now get wiser, and make witls which regulate the disposal of their property agreeable to the wishes of the survivor. The law of dowers has also given rise, frequently, to fraud* Some of the Canadians have opened a store with goods purchased on credit, and made over perhaps one half to the wife as her dower ; they have then failed, and their creditors have lost their money. Some alterations and improvements have, however, > been introduced of late, which render collusion in such cases less practicable. s^ irmfuvmi v,wmt No pro|)erty in Lower Canada is secure to the purchaser, unless advertised and sold by the sheriff, whidi clears it from all encumbrances and after- claims. Sometimes a written agreement is entered into betwen the buyer and seller, in which the lat* ter exonerates the former from all claims upon the property ; but this is far from being safe, and n I'elying wholly upon the honour of another \ for the buildings, lands, &c. may be seized by the creditors of the estate, even though it might have passed through twenty private sales since the debts were contracted. The sale of property advertised by the sheriff may be delayed, by an opposition pnt in for the wife's dower, or on account of an illegal seizure. ^i^e power of arrests in Canada is limited. If •*riii"H' AREItTt. r r 199 an affidaf it it made that a nan it about to leave the province in debt, for a sum exceeding 10/. sterhng, the debtor may be arrested, and detained in prison until the debt is paid. But if he will swear that he is not worth 10/. sterling, the court will order the creditor to pay him five shillingf currency per week. *•» From the foregoing sketch of Canadian juris* prudence, it may be easily conceived how puz- zling and intricate some parts of the civil law must prove, and how much the Habitans are exposed and laid open to oppression from their seigniors under the feudal tenures. This subject was for- merly canvassed in the provincial assembly, by some of the English members ; who were for having proper bounds fixed to the power of the seigniors, and having all the fines and services due from their vassals accurately ascertained, and made generally known. But the French members, who had a great majority in the house, strongly opposed it, and the subject was dropped. Instances of oppression on the part of the seigni- ors are, however, fortunately very rare, and the Habitans enjoy their property quiet and unmo- lested. Yet, in case of violent outrage, they can always come under the protecting power of the British laws, which will afford them thftt security of which their own are incapable* . *.i If I 900 ABUSES UEFOUE TUK COMAUEST. T^e CanadMips have no reason to cpniplain of the change of government. Before the conqueit they were often unacquainted with that protection which the lat^s now aflfurd them. The will of the governor, or of his delegates, was an oracle which they were not at liberty even to interpret. They were completely at the mercy of their seigniors and the government people. All favours^ penal- ties, rewards, and punishments almost entirely depended upon the will of the chief, who had the power of impirisoning without the semblance of a crime ; and the still more formidable power of en- forcing a reverence for hi| own decrees, as so many acts of justice, though in reality but the irregular sallies of a capricious imagination. The military, the people of the government, and others in power, took the provisions and cattle from the farmers at whatever price they condescended to give. These were, no doubt, abuses which the law for- bade ; but whenever the chief himself was guilty of oppression, there were always plenty to follow his example ; and redress is not easily obtained by the weak, when it is the interest of the powerful to be corrupt. It is related of one of their governors, that when a poor countryman once fell upon \m knees, and complained th9,trb|0th.his liorses had died of fatigue in the service of le Grand Monarquef he e^cbimedj while he twirled his ^•*: A*" ■** « WA ,?*?=■ ..W^lS CANADIAN LAWYBR8. .,.,,,, 301 cromde St. Louis, " My God I but you have got the skinSf and what more do you want ? They are too much for you ; they are too much.** The lawyers who practise in Lower Canada are nearly all French; not more than one-fifth at most are English. They are styled advocates, and act in the double capacity of counsellor and attor- ney. Formerly they included the profession of notary public ; but that is now separated from the rest, and forms a distinct profession. Lawsuits are numerous, and are daily increasing; as may be ascertained by the duties upon them, for the purpose of erecjLing the new court-house at Quebec. In 1800 this tax produced dOO/. per annum ; and in I8O7 it had increased nearly to 1000/. per annum. The duty is now discontinued, as the object for which it was levied is accomplished. The buiid« ing cost about 5000/. currency. The French lawyers are not possessed of very shining abilities. Their education is narrow and contracted, and they have but few opportunities of becoming acquainted with those intricacies and nice discriminations of the law that prevail in the English courts. The English advocates are gene- rally better informed ; and some of them either study law in England, or under the attorney, and solicitor* generals in Canada, who are generally men of considerable ability and extensive practice. The Canadian lawyers are not excelled in the art 209 EVIL CONtfEaUBNCES Ot BEING AT LAW. •-■( of chafgirtg eteti by their brethren in Engtand. I'heir fees are liigh, though regulated in some mea* sure by the court. Notaries charge 25j. merely for making a protest. They are always accompanied by a brother notary, who receives 7^* 6d. for his walk^ and for attesting the signature to the protest. Tenacious as the Habitans are of their money, they are often involved in litigation, and the young advocates know how to avail themselves of the ignorance of their clients. " To be at law," says Montesquieu, " is a wretched condition of life ; the title accompanies a man to his last moment; it descends to his poste* rity, and passes from one descendant to another, nntil the final extinction of the unfortunatefamily. Poverty seems always attached to that melancholy title. The strictest ju&tice can prevent only a part of its misfortunes ; and such is the state of things, that the formalities introduced for the preservation . pf public order are now become the scourge of individuals. Legal industry is become the scourge of fortune as well as commerce and agriculture ; oppression there looks for food, and chicane brings on the ruin of the iinfortunate litigant. The in- justice, frequently, is not in the judgment but in the delay : the gaining of a suit often does more injury than would a contrary prompt decision. Honest men, heretofore, brought rogues before tlie tribunals, but now the rogues there si^e honest . CHIEF JUnrCE ALLCOCK. 203 nleti. The trustee denies his trast, in the hope that timid right will soon cease to demand justice } and the ravisher acquaints the object of his vio> lence, that it would be imprudent to call him to an account for his transgression.** ^ The truth of the preceding observations will be readily admitted by every man who has had any thing to do witli the law. It is, however, easier to^ expose evils than to remove them ; and it ts but a poor consolation to grieve over that which we cannot remedy. The law in Canada is extremely tedious; but, to compare it with the law of Scot" land, and the English court of Chancery, is to compare the fleetness of the hare with the slug-' gish motion of the snail. Among the judges in Canada, the late chief justice Allcock shone conspicuously for learning and profound knowledge of jurisprudence. Hit abilities as a lawyer were equalled only by his upright conduct as a judge. In all his decisions he tempered the law with equity ; a proceeding highly necessary in such a country as Canada, where, from the anomalies of the French civil law^ and the illiteracy of the great body of the people, it is difficult to render justice to whom it is due. Mr. Sewell) this late attorney-general, succeeded to Mr. Allcock*s situation. He is a gentleman of considerable talents, and thoroughly conversanjt \%'ith the practice of the Canadian laws. The atr* ao4 EXPENSES OF THE G07ERNMENT. torney-generaUhip being thus vacated, it was not found a very easy matter to fill it with abilities equal to Mr. Se well's ; and for some time the so- licitor-general and all the £nglish advocates were upon the qui vive, each expecting that he should be the happy man : but his excellency Sir James Craig, to the confusion of many, and the astonish- ment of all, appointed Mr. Bo wen, one of the youngest advocates of Quebec, of course not an experienced civilian, but possessed of very respect- able talents and acquirements. The salary is not more than 300/. per annum ; but the govern- ment-practice attached to the situation is consi- dered worth more than 3000/. a year, inde- pendent of the private practice. Mr. fiowen, however, received the situation only upon the con- dition of his giving up the latter, and atteiiding for three years wholly to the government business^ after which he was at liberty to resume it. This appointment, and the conditions upon which it was given, afTord a certain proof of his excellency's desire to encourage merit and to benefit the public service *. jn?The expenses of the civil list, in Lower Canada, amounted in the year I807 to 44,410/. 3s. \^d. sterling; about three-fourths of this sum are de- * Since that time a new attorney general has been sent out by Ijox^ Castlereagh to supersede Mr. Boweo i RECEIPTS, ETC. OF THE GOVERNMENT. 209 ^ t.i frayed by the province out of the king's domains, and duties payable on the importation of certain articles into Lower Canada ; the remainder is supplied by Great Britain, which also supports the protestant clergy, the military, and Indian esta- blishments. In order to afford a clear idea of the expenses of the government of Lower Canada, I shall present the reader with the following state- ment of receipts and expenses upon an average of three years, from the time the new constitution took place in 1791 to 1803. The civil expenses have augmented but little since the latter period, although the receipts have greatly increased in consequence of the non-intercourse laws of the United States. ^ 1 1 "7 i 3f . '.-.^■Jt Ai • f vt •■'•*•■ ll\ 1 V if So6 RECEIPTS, ETC. OF LOWER CANADA. V: .! ^■% ' 40000 I r« O ^ A o CO •-■ (n eo u) go o (o ^ m »■ »N -< — « — 00 to |» Q CO 9 00 -< en 00 9 >^ 0> M ei 3?y ♦ 1 41.180 2,099 or) « FORGES OF AT. MIURICK. SO7 f 1 'oe CO 1 H By the preceding table of receipts and expenses of the civil government, it appears that the forges of St. Maurice, at Three Rivers, which belong to the king, have risen considerably in value, and that in 179S they brought no more than 20/. l6s. Sd. per annum, whereas in 1803 they let to Messrs. Munro and Bell, merchants of Quebec, for 850/. per annum: these gentlemen had a lease for three years, and the concern answered so well, that they laid out large sums of money upon the proj>erty. In I8O6 the lease expired, and was again put up to public sale, when the same gentlemen received the forges with a lease of twenty years for the paltry sum of 60/. per annum ; they were the only bidders, through some accident which prevented another merchant from attending the sale; but I was told that they intended to have bid as far as 1200/. per annum for it, rather than have let it go out of their hands. How this transaction has been managed, is yet a mystery ; the fault can attach only to those who disposed of the property in such a shameful manner, by which the public will sustain a loss of 22,800/. The fluctuation of the droits de quint, or fifths, upon the sale of fiefs, which I have before noticed, is fully exemplified in those of the royal domains mentioned in the table, where it appears that no less than 3,828/. 13*. lid, were received in 1/98, and in the year 1803 only 263/. 0*. The king's i 308 ;5"^ s^AAiES* '.-uioti .vr^i (!' ••<»>»; posts are trading places for furs, and are now in the ; hands of the North-west Company; they have also risen in value far above the' annual rent paid for them, and when the leases are out will no doubt bring a very considerable sum, provided they are not disposed of like the forges of St. Maurice. : 'l^ Among the articles upon which duties have been laid, both by the provincial and imperial parliaments, rum is the most productive ; and in the course of eight years the duty has more than doubled itself. It is iVequently retailed at 5s, per gallon, and might yet bear an additional duty that would make up the deficiency in the reve- nue, for the support of the civil government, which is at present supplied by Great Britain, j Salaries of the different Officers belonging to the Government of • r.i. Lower Canada, in Sterling Money. a Governor General, if absent, 2,000/.— resident iw^i» 4,000 Lieutenant Governor, ditto 2>000/. — ditto - 4,000 Lieutenant Governor of Gaspe - - - - 400 The Members of the Executive Council, each - 100 Chief Justice of Quebec and the Province - - 1,500 Chief Justice of Montreal - - -» - . 1,100 Seven pmsne Judges, including their Salaries as Coun- .f $60 500 200 ice 2,000 1,500 200 3,500 200 to 500 sellors, each - - , c< - Provincial Judge of Three Rivers Provincial Jud.;c of Gaspe - . - Attorney-General— salary 300/.— Government Pract Solicitor General— salary 200/. — Ditto Judge of the Vice Admiralty Cour|yt Protestant Bishop of Canada . - - Twelve Protestant Clergymen, each from - ^. SALARIES* i ' . - 1^ _ > - ■ • * t • Provincial Secretary -.««•- Secretary to the Governor, Clerk to the Crown in Chan- ^ eery, and Clerk to the Execative Council ; which three to places are held by one person .4^i«tant Secretary - * • Clerk ija thet Chateau Otiice • French Trj^inslator to tlic Goremqaent Frovinciil Aide de Camp - Ad^tatit General of the MilHiii • Aeoeiver General ... j^uperintendant General of the Indian Department Storekeeper General of the Indian Department Inspectors and Cultivators of Hemp, each Inspector (Greneral of Accounts . . - Snrveyor General . . . - - Defatj Surveyor General . • . Grand Voyer of the Province ... Grand Voyer of Quebec, and Superintendant of Houses ...... Grand Voyer of Montreal, 150^— Three Rivers, Gasp6 Inspector General of Forests, and Inspector of Police at Quebec Inspector of Police at Montreal ... Inspector of Chimneys at Quebec, 6o/.— Montreal ^ Three Rivers Naval Officer at Quebec .... Harbour Master of Quebec . . Interpreters , tha Indians, each Sheriffs ai Qr.ljec and Montreal, 100/. each, supposed perquisites Sheriff at Three Rivers, 50/. perquisites Sheriff at Gaspi, 40/. perquisites Coroners at Quebec and Montreal, each Pensions to various persons^ about VOL. I. p 209 ■si 400 Post- go/. 601. 800 200 120 200 290 200 400 1^000 350 200 360 300 150 500 250 50 300 100 15 100 100 100 1,500 500 200 50 3,000 ;*,' >'l 'if ,210 TAXESi. ti Exclusive of the expenses for the civil esta- bliihment of Lower Canada, which are chiefly defrayed by the province, the British government is at considerable expense for the maintenance of the English clergy, the distribution of presents to the Indians, and the military force and fortifi- cations requisite for the security of thtf^colony. As I am without the official documents necessary to ascertain the actual sum expended by Great Britain annually on account of the two pro- vinces, I can only form a probable estimate of the amount, which, according to the best infor- mation I have been able to procure, cannot be less than 500,000/. sterling. It must, however, be observed, that the expenses of the colony are always in a fluctuating state, in consequence of ^ the increase or diminution of the military force, and the extraordinary repairs of fortifications. The military expenses alone for 1808 must be very great, and together with I8O9, most likely, be near a million sterling. ' ', ' '. The expenses of the civil government in Upper Canada are defrayed by direct taxes ; by duties upon articles im])orted from the United States ; and a sum granted by the Lower province out of certain duties. In Upper Canada, lands, houses, and mills; horses, cows, pigs, and other pro- perty are valued, and taxed at the rate of one penny in the pound. Wood-lands are valued at one shilling per acre, and cultivated lands at bOs, .«0^' ' TURNPIKES. 9U per acre. A house with only one chimhey payi no tax ; but with two it is charged at the rate of 40/. per annum, though it may be but a mere hovel. The inhabitants of Lower Canada pay no direct taxes, except for the repair of roads, highways, paving streets, &c., and then tliey have the choice of Working themselves, or sending one of their labourers with a horse and cart, &c. The revenue is raised, as stated in the table of receipts and expenses. The French Canadians are very averse from taxation iii a direct way, and much opposition is always ex|)erienced from the French members of the House of Assembly, whenever any proposi- tion, however beneficial, may be offered, which involves a direct cess. The utility of turnpikes has often been agitated in the provincial parlia- ment ; and though^jthe country would be greatly improved by the opening of new roads and com- munications with distant settlements, yet the measure has always been violently opposed by the French party. The communication between Canada and the United States, by the way of Lake Champlain, is extremely difficult; the roads are execrable, and will never be improved until turnpikes are established upon them. A very considerable trade is Carried on between the two countries, and would increase with the facility of P 3 'V' I It iiW >a I ilf ^*^^ 1R>ADB/ eommunication. The ignorance and obitinacy, bowevftr, of sercral of the Prencli members have hitherto baffled the more enlarged and liberal viewB of the British merchants, who are ever deairouR of afibrding the utmost facility to trade •nd oommeroe. "^^- ' '■ ^s ,■ tiji- >^-i^hi' ■ #^*.. '' •■4v. • ■ ■ • ■/ tt>^v>«*) tifi^rtiiM/ ■ .. » .♦1>: » * .,, i^*t^\l:^'-^f.\ COMMIRCI or LOWIR CANASAo W« »#|*Mk ;ti' CHAPTER XII^ ^lij Ju r *t»(t Commerce of Lower Canada — Settlement of th^ French in the Country — Situation of the Co' lony in 1 ^ii^ — Improper Conduct of the Bri" tish Traders-^Dissatisfaction of the Canadian Noblesse and Peasantry -^General Murray's Letter to the Lords of the Council-^Table of Imports and Exports of Canada^ from 1754 to 1807 — Progressive Increase qf Commerce"^ JVheat — Exports of 1808 — Residence of the Govemor-getieralf necessary for the Welfare of the Colony-^Fur-Trade^Mr, M'Tavish^ North- fFest Company — Michiliimakinak Com* pany — Outrage committed by the American* on Lake Ontario, » . , The commerce of Canada, previous to the con- quest of the country by the English, was trifling and unimportant, and the balance of trade con- siderably against the colony. It is only within the last thirty years that it has become of suffi- cient magnitude to claim the attention of enter- prising individuals, and to be of political import- ance to the mother^country. It was, perhaps, an unfortunate circumstance IMAGS EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ^^ 1.0 Km lii itt fM 122 1.1 S lis 12.0 IK Sdmces Corporation m ^v ^-'''edit of the colony to a very low ebb. i^i A variety of expedients were pro]K>sed and adopted, to remedy this defect; among the rest was the issuing of paper-money, which in a few years accumulated so rapidly, that scarcely any coin was to be found in the couyntry. French sols, consisting of brass and a iiery small mix- ture of bilver, which passed for rather less than a penny, were all that was circulated. The paper- currency, having no stability in itself, in conse- quence of its payment being protracted from year to year, fell at length into disrepute, and at the period of the conquest more than 200^000/. were due to the colony by the French nation on ac- count of bills of «kchange and paper currency. This sum was afterwards liquidated by France, Ihrough the interference of Great Britain ; but the colonists sustained a very considerable loss. h, When the English took possession of Canada, both commerce and agriculture were in a very $■ ;.,5# I filf siTUAnovror THEcoiovrin if6&. low states «tid it wii8> Jtverl^l yetrt before' eittiei became of sufficient value to iateirest thegorera^- tnent, or rei«ard the ex€rtiont«f individuals^ Of the situation of the colony in 1 765, about> nx ytears after the capture of Quebec, a very accurate account has been given by General Murray^ at that time gbvernor attd commander>^in<^bief| in a letter to the lords' of trade and plantations^ A long warfare, and the Subsequent conquest <)fth The noblesse and clergy felt their pidr hovt, Jiliance with the will of the conquerors can hardly t>e expected from the conquered. Time, which generally annihilates or softens all anin^oeity and discopiteiit, affords the only chance of succesf^^ ••»■ ■-,-*■" r, ,.■1. «.!>.- GENEmiL MURHAT S LITTEE. 917 "■•♦«' The peculiaritiet of temper and opinion are gni^ dually worn sway by promiscuoui converse, as angular bodies and uneven surfaces lose their points and asperities by frequent attrition against each other, and approach by degree? to uniform rotundity. . . ^« ;. The letter to which I have alluded was writteft by General Murray, soon after his arrival in England, in 17^> in which year he left the government of Canada^ As it is an official paper, its accuracy of course may be depended on. I therefore avail myself of the opportunity to lay it before my readers, as it aflTords a better picture of the situation of affairs in the province at that period, than any other account 1 have met with* -. "My Lords, " In Mr. Secretarj Conwa3f*s letter to me of tba 24th Ot» fobdr, 1764, I aib ordered to prepare for my return to Bn* glan4> in order to gives full and distinct account of the preieot ftate of the province of Quebec ; of the nature and aboount of the disordars which hare happened there j and of my conduct and proceedings ii| the administration of the government. lo obedience to that command, I have the honour to report as lUlowg ;-r-ahd first the state of the province : <• " It consists of oae htindred and ten parishes, eacki^va of the towns of duebec and MontreaL These parishes, a^itiiia 9>722 Rouses, and 54,57ii Christian soulf 1 tfa^ ocoujiy, of arable hmd, 955,754 arpents. They sowed intfae year I765, .]80,300| minots of grain, and that year they poMesseJ 12,44i| oxen, 22,724 c6#i, I5,03g young homed cattle, 27>0(94'dieiepk 28,976 swine, and 1S,757 horses, as appeals by tlm > ; )^- - : "I S18 GivBRAL Murray's litter. r^capitulfHoo freeensemtntj taken by my orders m the year 1765. The towns of Quebec and Montreal contain aboat 14,700 inhabitants. The Savages, who are called Roman- catholics, living within the limits of the province, consist of 7,400 aouls : so that the whole, exclusive of the king's iroopSj do amount to 7G,275 souls; of which, in the parishes are 19 protestant families } the rest, of that persuasion (a few half- pay officers excepted) are traders, mechanics, and publicans, who reside in the low towns of Quebec and Montreal Most of them were followers, of the army, of mean education, or soldiers disbanded at the reduction of the troops. All have their fortunes to make, and, I fear, few' are solicitous aiout the means, when the end cun he attained. I report them to be, in general, ^e most immoral collection of men I ever knew : of course, little calculated to make the new subjects enamoured with our laws, religion, and customs ; and far less adapted to enforce these laws, which are to govern, .^rf^ On the othor hand, the CanttlianB, accustomed to an arbi- trary and asort c^ military government, are a frugal, industrious, and moral race of men, who, from the just and mild treatment th^ met with from His Majesty's military officers, that ruled the country for four years, until itbe establii^ment of civil go- vemment, had greatly got the better of the natural antipathy they .had to their conquerors. 1 /f Thqy consist of a noblesse, who are numerous, and who pique themselves much upon the antiquity of their families, 4hdr own military gbry, and that of their ancestors. These noblesse are seigniors of the whole country, and, though not rich, are ina situation inlbat plentiful part of the world, where money is scarce, and luxory^stHl unknown, to support their dig- nity. Their tenants, who p^ only an annual quit-rent^ about a dcAlar for one hiuidred acnes, are at their ease, and comfort- able. They have been accustomed to respect and obey thei^ npblessiB, ; their tenures being military in the feudal mamier, they hn« shared, with them the dangers of the field, and patu- OBKftAAL Sf UIIRAY*9 LETTER. tl^ w*;^^,, oaki- Tal flffeotion has been increased in proportion to the calamitiea which have been common to lx)th, from the conquest of the country. As tliey have been taught to respect tlieir superiors, and are not yet intoxicated with the abuse of liberty, they are shocked at the insults which their noblesse and the king's offl. cers have received from the English traders, an *' I am really ignorant of any remarkable disorders whfdi have happened in the colony, while I commanded there ; the outrage committed on Mr. Walker, magistrate at Montreal, excepted. A thorough detail of that horrid affair I have d- retfdy laid before the king's servants, in my letter to the lords of trade, of the 2d March 1765. I have annexed a copy of that letter, in case it may not have fallen into youi lotdshipt* Jiands. -^■■■. •' Disorders and divisions, fnm the nature of things, couM not be avoided in attempting to establish the civil govern, ment^ Canada, agreeable to my instructions, while the same troops who conquered and governed the country for fotir yean remained in it. They were commanded by an officer, . who by the ciyil establishment had been deprived of the go. vernment of half the province, and who remained, in every ri* 830 -iiirvii AIM, ' •BTfERAL MURRAY 9 LEITER. . ipect, independent of the civil eilnbyshnoept. Magiatratet wore > tP be made> and jaries to be composed, out of 450 couteti^p> lible settlern and traders, It is eayy to conceive how the nar- row ideas and ignorant of such men n^ust olfend any troopa* more espcciaUy those who had so long governed them, and knew the means from which they were elevated. I,t would be very lUiifasonaUe to suppo.se that such men would not be intoai- fated vith the unexpected, fK>wer put ioito their hands, and •that tbey wou)0 noi be e^ger to sho\i^ how amply they pos^saed it. As there were noJ>arracks in the country, the quartering Df the troops furnished perpetual opportunities of displaying -their importance and rancour. The Caoadian noblesse were ;)iated» beciiujie ^h^ir birth and behayipur entitled thepn tore- ipftct} and the pe^nts ^ere abhprred, because they were saved from the oppression th^y were threatened with. ^1^ j^seniment of the grj^nd^ury a^. (JluefaiBC put thie truth of Hof^ vfemarks beyond doubt*. The silence of the king's servants to ; the governor's repaonstrancea m oofnseqnence of their pr^nt* mcnts, though hi^fecretary w{u sent to them ori pv/ppse to exr pedit^ ^n (iiHplanation^ . q()|ntribut^ toenpowrage the di^turbert Vfthepeace.;.^^^^,^, . , ^^^ ., ' /\Z„.,;, ; - ', ,'' ' , , " The ipiprop^r choice and numbers of the civil officers seot , !pv>t froip England increased the .inquietudes of the colony. .Instead of men of genius and tmtainted morals, tbf very re* ver^te were apppinted to the most important i^ces; and it was impossible, to communi^tte, through thei9, those impress 'aions of the dignity of government, by which alone mankind can be held together in society. The judge fixed upon to con- 1 ciliate the minds of 7^»0OO foreigners to the laws and govern- ment of Great Britain w^ taken irom a. gao}^ entirely igoo- ^ rant of civU law, and of the hinguage of the peopkk. The • ittorney-general, with rrgard to the language of the people, . I ' ll t i I I > I I I ii I I H i l l ■ I ... ■ .< — ■ • I ' .: r - I I I I I . , * 11i»^ju)d' jiiry pmmted tho lUtoun Cathelica as a auiwnc*, oa account uf their reli^on, StQ, . 6IKERAL JiURttAT't LB1TSR. nai wni not better quslified. The offices of secretary of the province, register, cferk of the council, comroistary of ttoreii and prpvisiona, provost martial, &c., were given by patent to men of interest in England, who let tHem out to the best bilkers; 'and so little did tHey donsiJer the capacity of their re- presentative, that not oni6 of them understood thei langua^o cif* the nttivea. Af no salary was annexed to these patent places, the value of them depended upon the feeiif," which by my ia> ■tractions I was ordered to establish, equal to thdse of the rictieslt ancient cotohy. Iliis heavy tax, and the rapacity of the English lawyers, were severely felt' by the poor iCana^ans; bnt they patiently stibmifted ; and though stimulated to disputii it by Bom^ of the' licentious traders firoro New-York, tbejr cheerfully obeyed the stamp-act, in hopes that their good bd- hiavjour would recommend them to the favour and protection of their sovereign. . ** As the council-books of the province, and likewise my answers to the comptaintt made against my administration, have been laid before your lordships, it is needless to presume to say any thiku; furlber on that subject, than that I glory in Saving been accQised of wairthth and firmness in protecting th«( king's Canadian subjects, and of doing the utmost in tny powei* to gam to my royal master tMti^ctionsof'ihtit throve, hardy puple, whoas tmigration^, ^ ever ii s%auli happen, mUheam irreparallt lass to ihis empire j to prevent which, I dedaie to your Ibrdships, I would cheerfully submit to gre^tter calumnies and bdignities (if grc' t can be devised) than hitherto I have undergone. ; ^ . ,« ' ■?•; f,-./rt s>gb^ oiit , -t^^s' . , .!^ . "I have the honour to be, &c.'* , ^ From the contents of this letter, it appears evi- dent that much cordiality could not exist between the French inhabitants and the British settlers. The former were a people who prided themselves 99a TABLK OF IMP0BT8 MUD IXPORTS. on their ancestry, and consequently despised the latter, who were of mean birth, and possessed of still meaner abilities. The mutual disgust and jealousy which were thus created, tended very* considerably to depreciate the state of the colonjF^ for some years: commerce declined rather thanp increased; nor did she raise her drooping head' till order and regularity were introduced intc^ (he^ government, and its affairs were conducted by. men of talent and worth : British subjects were then induced to emigrate to Canada, and embark' their property in speculations which have sinc^' raised the colony to an unexampled state of pro^ sperity. *' The following table of imports and exports will exhibit the progressive augmentation of oom«^ merce from the year 1754 to the present period^ I have only enumerated the principal staple com*^ modities which are exported ; the other colonial produce is included with the furs, which have always formed the chief -support of the colony^ if' 'k TABLl OP lyPORTS AND IXP0RT8. 903 s. CO § . s ^ «» SS-g. 41 I »a * ©Bis 2 II .1 I 3 ■•8 e fa nxa in 8 b.&b 1 it 1 ,^ I I I J] I I s s I I in ^4 W |1 III I W" r I §1141 I gim I TAULI of IICPORfi and EkPOWTi.*^ 935 ) A 1. '•■ '■ • ■J h 'T ,- * S «i o 00 I I I s [I o ss I o to o i>»*^ o OD e •<) •^ 01 o •q CO W "O -^ mm §i 1 a S 6> I B a a t^ O c« o I - as «*<•§* II ii'gg' 5- § I I MM I A M h 1 i I "8 I* I 00 ■4» ll I I I I I I 1 I I I 4 VOL. I. ||mm i H M 1 i W •f^- "f I « J fi2^ Txm Of iMPARts AvrD exports. M H < : ii S o . Q t^ O o CO to 6 o o o 1 ssS^ S-r gjC S'O I i ill i i s Si I I iiil I 11 I 11 t^ROGRESSIVE INCREASE Ot COMMERCE. 92 f . This table of imports and exports is derived from official documents, but for the years 1797* 1807) and 1808, the amount of the exports waa iMift mentioned in the lists published by the Cus-* torn-house at jjuebec : 1 have, however, been able to ascertain the sums by the price-current for those y«acf^ and I have reason to believe there are but a few pounds difference, either one way or the other^ when the amount of the exports is taken in the aggregate. The progressive improvement of com- merce is strikingly exemplified in the exports for I807 and 1808, and, when compared with those of former years, must clearly show what the pro- vince is capable of, provided that her resources are properly brought into action. : It appears that in 17^4, under the French go- vernment, there was a balance against the colony- of 141,309/. bs, 4d. sterling: this great deficiency oould have been supplied only by the large sums expended for the military establishment, the sup- port of the government, and the building of ships for the service of the French government in Eu" rope, which were paid for by hills drawn on the treasury of France. In If 69 commerce appears to halve increased more rapidly than could < have been expected ; and if the amount c^ exports for t^at year can be depended on, a balance remained in favour of the colony of 61,600/. sterling. At that period^ and for several years subsequent^ o 2 i\ ^ I f ;*!.-; V' 328 PROGRESSIVE INCREASE OF COMMERCE. the principal articles of expprt consisted of fieliry, lumber, oil, and fish, with a small quantity of gin* seng and capilkire : these were shipped from Quebec, Labrador, and Gasp^. Within the last twenty years new staples have arisen^ which have been exported to very large amounts, and proaiise . to enrich the country equally with the fur t||dei. These articles are wheat, biscuit, and flour; 'pot* ^ and pearUashes ; which in 1 807 amounted to one half the total exports of 1 797* It m ust be allowed, however, that considerable quantities of pot- and pearl-ash are brought intoCan^a by the Ame- ricans from the United States; yet the clearing of the lands in Upper Canada and the Back settle- ments of the Lower Province produces annually a much greater quantity than what is obtained from the States. The French (Canadians within these two or three years titvie begun to make ashes: they have seen the facility with which their brethren of the United States clear their knds and pay their expenses ; and though late, yet are willing to profit by the example. The^ir' poverty, or parsimony, had prevented them from paying 20/. for a pot-ash kettle, though they might, like the Americans^ have made the salts ia smaller quantities, and with little trouble or est* pense. But it requires a series of years to ^ect a change in the sentiments or actions of the Freudi Hatitans. ,', > WHIAT. SS9 The great demand for wheat, which prevailed in Great Britain, and generally throughout Eu- rope, in' 1793-4 and 5, gave a sudden stimulus to the exertions of the Canadians, who during those years exported considerable quantities of wheat, as well as flour and biscuit The increased price eiven for those articles tempted the inhabitants to continue as large a cultivation of grain in the subsequent years; but the demand declining, they experienced a sensible reduction in their exports, and a consequent curtailment of their incomes. The following statement will exhibit the fluctu- ating demand for wheat^ biscuit, and flour, from 1796 to 1808. V fi The unsettled state of the mar^^et for the above articles renders it necessary to establish some other of a more permanent nature, which might also be derived from agriculture, and would be the meant of enriching the mother country as well as the co- lony. The only article which could ejQTectually supply this want is hemp ; and that alone, if cul- tivated to a sufficient extent, would be more than adequate to meet the whole expense of the im- portt. 1796 179» 18Ut2 1807 1808 Wheat— Bushels Flour — Barrels Biscuit— rwt. 3.K6 128,870 4,X'iti 14,475 S.SR'i aO,.535 1,010,033 JW.rtOl '22.051 234,54r> 20,424 28.047 186,708 42,462 32,587 * ' . it.A aso EXPORTS or 1808. I The quantity of wheat exported in 1802^ was unusually great, being one million ten thousand and thirty-three bushels; but in 1807 it had fatlea - to less than a fourth of that quantity, and in 180B to less than a fifth : yet the general aggregate of the exports has augmented, as well as the number of ships and seamen. The exportation of almost every other aftkile iti 1808 greatly exceeded that of the preceding year, in consequence of the embargo in the United States. The number of shipping that cleared out from Quebec in 1608 amounted to 334, and were laden principally with timber, pot-ash, pitch, tar, and turpentine; wheat, flax-seeds, staves, &c. Tlie tonnage was 70,275, and the number of seatnen 3,330. The greatest part of these vessels were sent by government, the usual supplies from the ; Bailie being in a great measure cut oflT bythe war with Russia and Denmark; and the impor- tations from the United States being totally stop>- ped by the embargo. The advantage, therefore, •of Great Britain deriving her 8uj)plies of hemp, as *frell as every other description of naval storec, from Canada, cannot for a moirient be doubted. Even in time of peace they would encourage and enrich the British colonists, and the competitioh in the market with the productions of the United States^ and the northern parts of Europe, woulfl RESIDENCE OF THEOOVERKOR-GENERAL. 931 ^ inevitably tend to lessen the expenses of our navy and commercial marine. t^ : The unusual demand for the natural productions of Canada, during 1808, enhanced the price of every article in proportion; and in spite of the enh- bargo laws, abundance of timber and staves, pot- and pearl-ashes, and provisions of every desorip- tion found their way across the boundary-line into Canada, and were shipped off to Europe or the West Indies. Tlie Canadian merchants rejoiced at the embargo, which enriched them while it tnade their neighbours poor indeed. It has* truly been a harvest for them ; but I question whether this year will abouncl with such iavourable oppor^ ^unities for speculation as. the last. A very great object to the welfare of the colony is the residence of the governor- general. His pre^ sence stimulates the inhabitants to extraordinary exertions ; while the large establishment he is ob> liged to support, added to the increased number of troops generally maintained in the colony du- ring his residence, circulates a very considerable sum of money among the people, and creates throughout the community an universal spirit of activity. The laws are then better observiedi>and delay and irresolution in the actions of government tan find no excuse : but when the principal is ab- sent, aRd,as it has frequently happened, his deputy also, tlie other membera of the government' never °1 I 9^S fintlVRADI. in liketOitake wny nnponiibility upon thcmielvcti jthey would rather, I believe, tbat the roost beaci*> ificialplant.shpuld miscarry, or even an euemy be Allowed ^> ravage tlie country, than they would attempt to Wit ^vfUhoiU positive instructions from ikomCf . . . > . The arrival. Df Sir James Crajg diffused new life and activity through the province : tbit ink fbecility and irresolution which before cliarao ;terized the government,, instantly vanished; large liums of money were circulated by the troopit .and the construction of new works, with .the ^repairs of the old, gave full eifiployment to the labouring part of the community ; the ^iiriiqe of . vi^siouM became proportionally enhanced, chiefly «t Quebec, where an unusual numbei; of seamen ^and soldiers had taken up their residence: hence the. country people were enrichedj.and encQU-» isnged to greater exertions. .< Tlie price of every thing , has been nearly trebled within the last 60jrear8; but the cploqy has risen into importance { agriculture and com- merce continue to improve and augment; numy of its inhabitants possess handsome fortunes^iuid nenrly all of them a moderate independence^ or income, from trade. j? The fur trade has been the principal source of all the wealth which has for many years been ac- cuombted in thie pjrovince. Hhia branch of Com^ fUR TRADi. $33 Bterce, which ftW into the' hand» of the English after the conquest, was carried on for several yean by individuals on their ovi^n separate aci- eount; but about S5 years ago, the enterprising and active spii*it of a Mr. M*Tavi$h laid tlie foundation of that association, at present knovm under the title of The North-west Company, for the pdrposeof exteilding that trade to its utmost limits. Thi« was more likely to be accomplished 1^ the joint stock ^f a company than the small properties of individual merchants, and the result has justified the expectations of its author* Much jealousy and competition was, however, excited hy those nortlu west traders, who did not associate With Mr. M*Tavi»h and his friends, and for seve- ral years the greatest animosity subsisted between them. This opi)osition naturally gave rise to ia second company, consisting of the individu^Tn opposed to Mr. M'Tavish. Among the most oonspieuous of the second association was Mr. M*Kenzie, now Sir Alexander. The enterprising spirit of this gentleman is well known, since the jHiblication of his Travels across the North west Continent to the Pacifi<; Ocean. The concerns of his company were, therefore, managed with as much ability as the other, which made tli^ir op- ponents seriously wish to combine the two asso- ciations i|^6ne; but the proud and haughty ,^irit of fir. M'Tuvish woQid not allow it: he 934 KORT|iwest^>. They engage for a term of five, or seven years,t after which they have a certain yearly allowance,, or become partners in the company. The hard-i ships and fatigue which they undergo, frequently^ tend to the enervation of their frame. and the destruction of their liealth; so that at the periods of fifteen or twenty years it is .not uncQmmon« for them to retire from tiie company with a for^ tune of 90,000/. and a broken constitution* > Of late years the profits of Uie company havei ^HmTH-WEVt CfWPitNy. 9H been comidenihly diminisbed by the rettrictiooi on our commerce on the continent of Em-ope^ vrhere tlie chief demand for furs exist*. Contif derftbte quantities are however tent to the United States, from whence they are exported to Europe under their neutral flag : an opening is thus created for the company's peltry, which would otherwise have heen very much contracted du^ ring the wan The number of skins exported to England in 1807 was 4^,000, and to the United States 2^6,703 ; but the embargo in 1808 must have much lessened the demand from tliat quarter* Upwards of 30,000/. is annually paid in England for the duties on furs from Canada. The capital employed by the North-west comeen rectified, as that gentle* man set off again for Washington, immediately after the violence had been committed againit the company. • I shall perhaps be hardly credited, when I say that manufactured furs can be obtained consider- ably cheaper in England than in Canada; that mufl^, tippets, caps, and hats, are all much in- ferior, in their appearance, to those articles in London, and above a third higher in price. The Canadian furriers do not yet possess the art of tnrning their furs to the most advantage } their muffs and caps are heavy and cumbersome; and I hazard little in saying that a London furrier would make three muffs out of the quantity which a Canadian puts into one* The people of jCanada, howeyer, tell you that a London muff would not be warm enough in their country. As it is not yet the fashion for gentlemen to wear that comfortable appendage, I cannot refute their assertion ; but I have no doubt that, if a furrier from London was to settle in Quebec, he would be preferred to every others He must not, however^ expect to .make a rapid fortune;, for ia^hioni are not lo inconstant in Canada at jn TRADE BETWmi CAHADA AND UNITID STATES. 339 »i CHAl^ER Xni. Trade between Canada and the United States^^ Burlington Memorial to Congress — American Merchants settling at Montreal — Interest for Money not allowed to Catholics in Canada — Rajls of Timber — Productions of Upper Canada ? — Prosperity of that Province — Necessity of having good Roads^— Manufactures — Iron'Work* - at Three Rivers and Batiscan'—Ship-'building I '^-^Reduction of the Imports of English and East • India manufactured Goods"^ Balance of Trade in favour of the United States — Smugglers-— ' Evasion of the Embargo Laws-^Vermontese b% • a State of Insurrection — Inferior Commodities . preferred by the Canadians^-^Diversily of Opi- nion respecting the establishing a Bank in Lower , Canada— Imports and Exports of 1 807 and 1 808 — Duties payable on imported Goods — Pos^ • Qjffice Regulations^^Roads and Distances, i^Ci^ A VERT considerable trade is now carried on between Canada, and the United States across Lake Cbamplain. The importations into Lower Canada tconsist of various articles of merchandise, oak and pine timber, staves, pearUa&ba, provi- i^ imitLIKfiTON fifEMOliUL« fi^Q mkMT sionii, &c., and amounted in 180/ to upwardi of 160,000/. sterling. The exports from Lower Canada to the United States do not amount to half the value of the imports. They consist chiefly of peltry and salt: the other articles are of a trifling nature. The balance is therefore greatly in fatpur of the States, and they receive the dif- ference in specie. '" When the flrst embargo-lavr took place, it did not affect those states bordering on Canada ; but in order to put all the states upon a level, the American government passed several supplemen- tary acts, strictly prohibiting all trade and com- merce with foreign places. The impolicy ofsuch a measure, and the detriment likely to accrue to the newly-settled states oh the confines of Canada, were ably set forth by the inhabitants •f the town' of Burlington, in Vermont, in their memorial to Congress, praying a repeal of that jMirt of the law which related to their state. The whole of the memorial is well drawn up^ iikd exhibits, in glowing colours, the distresses which the stagnation of their trade with Canada must entail upon ^the inhabitants of the newly settled states. Biit this, as welt as innumerable other memorials for the repeal of the embargo, which arrived from. all parts of the Union, made no impression upon Congress : the president an- swered them all in a very soft and insinuating AlfftllCAK M£ttClIAKfS. Ml Btyl^i regretting that the outrages cotkimitted on the United States by the belligerent powers of Europe should render such sacrilioes necessary. Several Americans have of late years settled in Montreal, and carry on a lucrative trade through* out the country. Since the embargo, two or three merchants from Boston have opened large stores of British merchandise. I went to NevT York in company with one of them, Mr. Storrow, a gentleman of respectable family ap4 connexions at Boston* where he has a partner who fH>iiduct8 his concerns during his residence in Canada. On my return to Canada, in the spring of 1808, he had brought his wife and fkmily with him, and intended to take up his abode in the pro- vince for some time. He has met with great en- couragement; and what is rather remarkable, t^e merchants, of Montreal do not eye his exertions with jealousy; on the contrary, he has experi- enced a very h<^pitable and kind reception JProm them. The people of the United States are certainly the most active and enterprising of any that in- habit the continent of Ameri^ft ; they far surpass the British merchants resident in Canada, who, either from the inactivity produced by a long winter, or that they imbibe the languor of the FVench Canadians, have no great inclination to spe- culate to any considerable extent beyond 4he cus- vol. I, « / I\ 949 INTERE^JKOTALLplKK^Tf^CATHOLICI. fcojoiaiy routine of bu8iact9>i I mmt, howejner, ex<^pt the cofppanies emplQjted in the fur trade, who have ej^hvhitecl .ao indefatigable exertion^ > ^^d spirit of speculfitive, enterpriser tliat cannot he surpiissed hy the people of any natioa in th^ world. . . Q One great cause of the want of spirit and; enters- prise among the .Habitans, or Canadian le who have spare .c^sb, lock it up, year after yeaiE, in their qoffers, where it Ue9 an useless burthen. In np country is there a, greater variety of old coins to be met with than i^ in Canada; for, as the old people die ofi^ the.^.^ young /wep bring their hoards, of specie into dr- ; culation* > |A A MUBfEROtJil COMMERCIAL FAICURES. 3^ ley to If a banic was establislhed' under the aQtfiority of flie British governmeht, it would, I coneeiv^^ be of cbnsiderable utility, inastnuch as it would prove a sttfe depoxit for money, even if the prieitff continued to (brbid their people from receiving interest ibr it: in that case a particular fund migbt^ provided for vesting of sUch moneys, the Becuril^^ of which should be guarantied by the British Government ; and in return for the bene*, fit 'they would derive from the use thereof, the people should not be liable to the smallest loss iti the' disposal of siich property, whatever might be thef price of stocks at tbe time of sale. Some of the British merchants, who were in favdul^ with the Fren(ch clergy, iiave sometimes obtained considerable sums fi'om the Habitans on loan, and have kept them for several years without paying a farthing interest : whether they made any J&re- senis in return, 1 do not know; but the Habitant hav^ln one or two instances been great losers by their generosity* A merchant's house at Quebec, that broke ^bout thr^ years ago, was in posses-^ sion of a great deal of m^ney obtained in this way, most of which their creditors will tiever recover* In consequence of these losses, theHa-^ bitans will now put confidence only in their strong b6x<^; ^-^ ' '^ The merchants of Canada are almost wholly British t they derive their resources from En^ r3 U4 NUMEROUS FAILURES* gland, and in general have established themsehres upon small capitals and large credits. This may perhaps in some measure account for the nume* rous failures that have taken place amongst them; and it is positively asserted as a fact, that sinc^ the country has been in our possession not more; than Jive in a hundred have paid their debts. A variety of causes, no doubt, have contributed to ibis ex- traordinary defalcation : a tedious winter of vif, months, during which no business can be carri^ on with Europe, while interest upon their Euror pean debts is charged after a certain period, and continues winter as well s^s summer, is certainly a great drawback in mercantile concerns: the long credit also which the Canadian merchants are obliged to give the country store-keepers, tends very considerably to impede their rennit* tances in due season, unless the utmost regularity is maintained. The Canadian merchants cannot in general be charged with extravagance ; yet, from the appear- ance which many of thetn maintain, they are often looked upon as men of fortune, when they are on the verge of bankruptcy. , Protested bills coming back with the extravagant addition of twenty or twenty-five per cent, are also hjghly injurious to the merchant, and tend greatly to in- crease his difficulties. There are, however, no bankrupt laws in Canada, and perhaps the want^ <•< r II ,f.a).v:^ RAITS OE TIMJilR. ;i.«f ua^ of ^em has rendered nien in business less punc- tual in their transactions than they would other- wise have been. A man in debt cannot be arrested, unlesa he is going to leave the province; nor can |icibe> prevented from disposing of his propert^^ ifott'i may go to law with him ; but that only makes him spend your money the fastei^. The timber and staves which are brought into Canada from the States are cut down in winter or spriifg, and collected into large rafts on lake Champlain, .from whence they are floated down , the river Ricblieu into the St. Lawrence, and de- posited along the shores of SiUeri and Wolfe's Cove for an extent of more than five miles. There they &re culled and 'sorted for the mer* chan^, and then taken into the ships which lie Qfllhtf^'^tthey h^ye several little sheds or huts, ^ected with boards for the accommodation iof the rowers, whose number on large rafts fre- quclntly- eouMst^ %f upwards of 100 or 1 50. The men employed in this business are chiefly Ame- #idiin8 ftiim the state of Vermont: they live upon Uit rafl» iitttil they are separated for sale, wheh W: 94^ BRODUcnoifs or vnm Canada. they remove their huts tcrtthe shore, where tlie3r reside during the remainder of the season; at the end of which they return home. . / Sevfral rafts of timber, and scows laden with staves, flour, pork, and pot-ash, arrive annually, fitim Upper Canada, at Montreal and Quebec. The trade between the Upper and Lower Pro* vinces has been important only within a very few years. The rapid increase of population and Agriculture in the new settlements of Upper Ca- nada has produced a large surplus of those arti^ des for exportation, and the demand for them has risen in proportion. The following is a re- turn of the productions that passed the rapids firom Chateauguay to Montreal, between the 97th of April and the 28th of November 180f, the only period in which the St. L&wren^ isiiaviga<* hie diiring the year t ^ '■ FliMir WKMf Pot-ash Pork Fiirs Oak Timber Pine Ditto Staves Boards H Planks | 985 - - Masts 19,893 barrels 1,460 bushels 127 barrels 48 ditto 8 pecks Q77>01Q fifet 4,300 ditto (^1,200 - w 72^440 - I 39Scpwi. »io340lUlfU. <;,300 9at4» of Fire-woctd, in 701 CuJm. This statement affords an agreeable presage of th^ future prosperity »nd. apulenoe of thi Upii^ UJkWiStACTVtLMi, 947 Provitice. Those persons with whom I have con* veraed concerning the state of Upper Canada generally ^peak of it as the garden of America, subjected neither to the tedious freezing winters of Lower Canada, nor the scorching suk timers of the more southern parts of the continent of North America* Tlie principal inconveniences to which the Upper Province is subject are the falls and mptds^ which impede the navigation of the St. LawrenoCj between Kingston and Montreal, and its distance from any commercial or shipping- town from whence its productions maiy be ex- ported to Europe. These are, however, in some measure removed, and a considerable abundance of ibe surplus produce of that province is now ibrwardcd to Montreal and Quebec. If good Tosda wcr6 made between tire two provinces, regu- lar waggons might be established as in England, and goods conveyed up the country with more security and expedition than they can at present by water ; n nfiore regular communication would be then opened between the two seats of govern- ment, which would be the means of expediting the public business, and facilitating the commerce of both countries, : < ' The manufactures of Lower Canada ate cfarried on chiefly by individuals for their own domestic use s* theMe And some others df- a ihore gen^l nature I •have eiiumerated'iiA i preceding chapter. $4B •HIP-BUlLMWai A jqaanufactory of iron wa» established byiitht Frepch, «t Ti^ree Uivere, aoon after the settle* vapnt pf tb^ country. 'in this estimate, the defi«> ciency of imports from Great Britain appears to be accounted for; but then no allowance is made for the increasing wants of the people, whose number must have greatly increased within the last twenty years: this, however, is to be found in the great latitude that is given to tl^ intro* duction of goods from the United States, without passing through the custom-house at St. John*8« The means of conveying them into Canada^ acrosa the extensive boundary line which divides the two countries, are so easy, and require so little exertion to avoid the Argus eyes of a custom* house offioeri \ SMUOGLIII. — BVASIOH OP EMBARGO LAWS. 95.1 that every temptation i« offered to introduce ar-* tides which are either prohibited, or pay any con- # ftiderable duty. ^•The facilities afforded to smuggling between Canada and the United States have been suffi- ciently exemplified since the promulgation of the Embargo-act; for, in spite of the armed militia and cuitom-house officers stationed along the American side of the line to enforce the laws, the timber, pot-atih, provisions, and almost every other article brouglit into the province in 1808 has more than doubled the quantity received from thence in 1 807. A variety of curious expedients were resorted to by the Americans in smuggling their produce over the line : buildings were erect* ed exactly upon the boundary line, one half in Canada, the other half in the States ; the goods were put in at night, and before morning were safe in Canada* Additional laws, however, put a stop to this proceeding, and the officers were empowered to seize all property which they sum spected was intended to be run into Canada : but the ingenuity of the Vermpntese still evaded even these rigorous mandates. They constructed a great number of timber^rafts, fastened them together, and formed immense bodies of floating wood ; one of them even covered ten acres ; and from its size, find in ridicule of Mr. Jefferson, was called the M<^fnmoth Raft^ These were manned wholly by S'i 35^ INSURRECTION or tttfi V£RMONT£SE. 'JM« French Canadians collected for that purpose, and' were rowed within a «hort distance of the line; when the custom-house officers, aided by a de- tnchment of the mihtia, immediately took pos- session, and obliged the {people on board to cas^ anchor: this was accordingly complied with, and for a few days the rafts remained quietly moored. There were immense quantities of provisions, pot- ash, and staves on hoard; and the people were con- veniently lodged in their wooden hut8,whicb,witb the great number of men employed to row thenH;' formed a very extraordinary spectacle. It was not long, however, before the whole were soon in action again ; for a violent gale of wind coming on one night, blew the unwieldy rafts with all their civil and military heroes on board completely over the line. The American officers and militia no sooner found themselves in Canada, than they hastily took to their boats and rowed back to the States, sorely chagrined at losing so many valuable prizes. Strong remonstrances were made by the com- manding officers on these expeditions; and infor- mation was sent to Mr. President Jefferson, who at length was pleased to issue a proclamation de- claring the inhabitants of Vermont to be in a state of rebellion and insurrection, and ordered out re- inforcements of the militia to quell the disturb- ances. The Vermontese were much enraged at the idea of being considered and denounced as rebels^ .g^ VERMONTESE TRADE* ^{ 358 in t:onsequence of a few frays between the custom- house officers and smugglers ; and many of them, as I passed through that stute on my return to Canada, declared to me that the disturbance ex- isted only in the president's brain. Nothing in- deed very serious took place ; a few broken heads were all that resulted from the opposition to the laws. A great and serious inconvenience was felt at this period by the British settlers in Missisqui Bay, the entrance from which into Lake Cham- plain is cut by the boundary line, and several rafts were thus prevented from passing down the Rich- lieu river into the St. Lawrence; they having no outlet but by way of the States. The lucrative trade which is carried on between Canada and the adjoining States has rendered the Americans very adverse to a war between the tvyp /countries, as the prosperity of their respective States almost entirely depends upon that opening for the disposal of their surplus produce. Greater facility and advantages are afforded by the expor« tation to Canada than to any of the maritime towns in New England : nothing, therefore, but absolute necessity would drive them into a war with the British settlements. They also lay a duty of nearly 15 per cent, on goods from Canada, while t|ieir pro- ductions sent into thjat country pay, but a mere trifle. ^^.,The Canadians are more inclined to encourage W4 INFlRKfll CIO0D9*— 2-BAltK8. the importation of goods from the States, tfaatt from Great Britain, because they are obtained i^ a much cheaper rate, though generally of an in^-*^ ferior quality. The intrinsic worth of an article is, however, of less consideration to the inhabitants of Canada than the price; the best kind is seldom or never to be procured in that country : the mef<' ■ chants find their own advantage in the vending of inferior commodities, upon which they obtaiA i- much larger profits than they could procure upon the better sort ; and the people are now so accu^ tomed to the use of these goods, that they scarcely know how to appreciate those of a superior quality. Much diversity- of opinion has existed of late in '• Canada upon the propriety of establishing a bank in that country, llie British merchants of coursd ^- are eiiger for the creation of such an establishments-s- having before their eyes the example of Great Bri^ ^ tain and the United States, where the banking ^^ system is carried on with so much success and ad* " vantage. The subject was discussed in 1608 in the house of assembly ; and Mr. Richardson of Mont- real, one of the members, answered the several ob^ jections that were urged against the establishment * of a bank in Lower Canada. It was said that the people were illiterate, and therefore liable to be^ imposed on; that it would encourage a spirit of gambling, and speculation founded upon fiilsd capitals ; and that it wcmld occasion the small por- ■i,:: BAN]£Sb 2^5 tton of specie' at present in the province to disap:- pear. In reply to these objections it was urged^ that the inconvenience to be apprehended from the illiteracy of the people had certainly some wdght, but was capable of being remedied by de- vices upon the bank-notes which should point out to them, on view thereof, the relative value. Forge- ries might be guarded against^ or at least rendered difficult, by additional precautions in the paper issued for the notes, and the plates from which the impressions were made: an advantage over the United States would also be had in the punishment of forgery, which would be death! whereas in that country it was merely imprisonment: be- «ides,,goId and silver are liable to be counterfeited, and it would be strange to argue from thence that the use of coin ought to be abandoned. With respect to speculating upon a false capital, such might be practised to a certain extent : but all credit, whether given to a bank or to individuals, is a species of false capital, and of course liable to A bill was then brought into the house : the following are its principal fccitures : '■ The stock is not to exceed 250,000/. currency^ unless the government of the province see fit to take an interest therein, in which case it may be .50,000/. more. This stock is to consist of shares ?i of 35/. each. There are to be 34 directors, who are to choose out of their number a president and vice-president, whereof half are to be for Quebec and half for Montreal, at which cities the two su- -i perior branches of the bank are to be held, with , a power of erecting offices of deposit and discount 4 in other parts of the Canadas when found advise- r .able. If government take an interest, they are to Appoint two directors. The dividends are to be payable half-yearly. A deposit of 10 per cent, is to be paid down for each share on subscribing, which will be forfeited if the first instalment there- after of 10 \ier cent, be not paid in due season. The shares are put at a low rate, that they may be more generally diff'ised over the province* Fo* "♦■i BANK»^ i57 i V i^eignert may hold sharei, but cannot be directors; they may, however, vote at general meetings by proxy, if the proxy be one of His Majesty's sub- JClCtS*' ' - •*iif- *itr"f»»»" ' • ■' - The, votes are endeavoured to be established on f,uch a scale of proportion as ^all exclude an ^ pvier-bearing preponderance in those who shall hold a large inter^t in the concern, and yet as* sure to property therein, that influence which it ought to possess in every well regulated institu- tjpi^., It is proposed. that there. shall .be no other corporate bank in Canada during the continuance of the CQ^templated one ; but there is a power of revocation thereof, under certain limitations and formalities, if found to be hurtful in practice, '^he stock of the bank may be increased when re- quisite, and its notes are proposed to be receivable in pa^^ent of duties imposed on, or to be imposed by the provincial legislature. ; Jx is doubtful wliether the French party in the House of i^ifsembly yi/iU cqinoide with the ideas .of the BrijLish merchants ; the old French pa|)er ^currency is. no^ yetf forgotten, and will naturally prejudice a great many. of them against the intro- duction 9f a simiia^^ ^ic^ium. I'he numerous gangs of forgers wj^p., i,nfest the boundary line, and counterfeit imo^eo^i^ qqantities of the United States* p^per money ; ,^iid ti^einpumerable paltry . notes for a few cep^s or h^f>doIlars, which are in circulation all over the Northern States, are cer- VOL. I. i y.. S5» BANkS* tainly nd great inducements to create a similar establishment in Canada, whieh would most likely give rise to the same evils. In short, it involves considerations of a very serious nature : what may suit Great Britain and the United States may not answer in Canada, and the mischievous eflfects of & paper medium have already been felt in that pro- vince ; though it must he allowed that the colony is at present in a better condition for the establish- ing of a bank than at any former period ; the ba- lance of trade upon the aggregate being greatly in its fftvour. As a secure place of de|>osit for the people's money, which is now locked up in their chests, it would also be of considerable Utility. At aH events the experiment of the banking system could do very little harm, provided that, in case it was likely to entail upon the communrty any evils of a momentous nature, it was immediately dropped. ^^ I sihall conclude this chapter upon the com- teefce of Lower Canada, with the tables of inr- j)ort8 jirideitports for the years lit>7 and f8<)8, at received IVonti the custom-houses at Quebec and St. Johfl'S. The imports and exports at the custom-house of Quebec are firom Irt May to lit December 1808. Those at St. John's are ^firom the 5th January I807 to 6th January 1808. I have ako subjoined some useful tables respect. >ifig the duties on imported goods, post-office r^- ^ttlationiy Toads and distances^ ^c ^ > i ^ li I OJ f ,« . ■•*$<>»>• S3 ••Oc<)iV>o^OOOOOOO>->c4iccoic'4*'HOt>^coOc4e^ C||^0000000000000000>^OOc400-400 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I i I I I I I I I I o I i r I I I I I ( *>.>o « "O •^ 8R8S^S8a iC « Tf IC 00 q « rr CO -^ c< •-' — cJ « CO "^ ^ S' w* " CO « M "C «>. s 'uoO)OTi<(ooe4OOQ0O t o 2 •>«ocicoco«»eoO»oOO« OO .«S2ooooooo-#r ••# 9) -M O O O O O -< »o O «> »o O Oi p •* ;u's; <2|j^CO -- ^ « O O GO I I I I I « CO en ^ I V3 O ^ M .« >Vw. a> O O O -H^ O O O O O U I i I 1.^ ^ n r" -w .E bo .1 o I — s e- as U C CO S S SS2 5£5£^£-cgcSc^2JJcSo = «? o o«oo«'>eoooe«« EXPORTS FSOM QUEBEC. 263 Exports from Quebec. — 1808. W^ Wheat - Criblings - Peas Oats Barley Indian Corn Hayseed - Flour Biscuit - Pork . Ditto - Beef - Oak Timber PIneditto - Maple and Walnut 186,708 52,934 2,669 5,994 3,467 J 3,830 42,462 32,587 179 732 1,509 12,372 14,510 188 Staves and Heading 1,824,861 Ditto Ends - 62,453 Boards and planks 194,467 Oak Planks - 2(^ Handspikes • 4,144 Oars • . 6,723 Masts - - 3,994 Bowsprits .»-,,. 373 Yards - - 6 Spars - - . 1,612 Hoops - ; * 215,500 Latbwood -^ - 130,215 Scantling ' - 2,426 Punch . and hhd. packs 1 ,469 Madeira ditto - 2,026 Cod-fish > • 3,949 Salmon • • ■ - • ' 794 bushels ditto ditto ditto ClllCO* •••••• •••••• ditto uarrt^i3« ••••••••»• quintals tierces barrels QillO* #••••••••••• piCCcSi •••••••• •• ditto : , 8 Oil 9.260 Hops - . r l,3ig Mats -0/ ^,, - 143 Birch - 30 Castor Oil - 2 Castoreum , . ;*i; 9 Capillaire 17 Ditto 9 Malt 9,263 Pot- and pearl-ashes i 107,652 ( 30,838 New Ships . r 3,750 Beer 29 Ditto . 300 barrels ^terlii £ s. 2 10 12 ..1 ^0 ..1 ..5 6 ..2 ..2 ..1 12 ..1 ..2 15 ..1 10 12 17 .4 1 15 10 5 15 10 15 2 5 4 10 1 1 10 10 2 2 5 3 5 5 2 15 10 4 7 '5: ■ ditto 6 tierces each. . . . bbls ditto kegs do. and firkins. . * boxes keg. boxes kegs puncheons bbls kegs tierces pieces each ' 6 casks ' per 1000 1 ♦ bbls ditto... bales. .1 lbs 4 bbls gallons lbs ' 6 boards cases puncheons. .... casks bushels cwt. Oqrs. 71b. "1 barrels ;. J tons hhds } per cwt. • • bbls • • • 6 EXPORTS FROM LABRADOR, ETC. QG5 Beaver • Martin - Otters Mink . Fishers Foxes Bears and cubs • Deer Cased and open Cat Racoons - Musk Cats Wolf . Elk Woblvereens Seals IkifTalo - Sterling. FURS. £ s. d 126.927 O 18 9 9.530 3 4 ;,230 1 O O 9J08 O 2 O 3,866 O 4 1,038 O 5 O 1,298 1 5 O 103,873 3 4 .5,718 O 3 4 123,307 O 2 O 6,313 O 1 6 18 076 662 O 13 O 39 O 3 O JO O 4 O 1 1 O O "t.^t 334 Vessels cleared at the Custom-house. 70,275 Tons. 3,330 Men. . «i i*| ' The Exports from Labrador, Gasp^, and Chaleur Bay, con- sist of Cod*fish, Salmon, Herrings, and other pickled Fish, besides Lumber, Oil, &c. the whole amounting to upwards of 1 30,000/. sterling. The Exports from Quebec in 1 8 1 1 amounted to 97-4 >798/., the Imports 962,230/.; above the half of which were goods not dutiahle. V . ' " ■ Tonnage, &c. of Skipping trading to Canada, in 1806 I607 1808 1809 \9n Ships. 193 239 334 434 557 Tons. Men. . 33,996 1,603 . 42,295 2,039 . 70,275 3,330 . 87,825 .118,899 ...... 5,653 .>. 366 XnJTIES OK IMPORTS. Duties on Imports, 1808. Duties payable in Lower Canada, on Imports^ under several Acts of the British Parliament. i Stirling. se 5 1 2 O 2 19 4Geo.III.c.l5.-< ffv- g5 14Geo.nLc.88.< Brandy, or other spirits, manu-l factured in Britain, per gallon J Rum, or other spirits, imported l _ from the West Indies, per ditto J Ditto from Colonies in America Brandy, or other foreign spirits, "i imported from Britain -/ Rum« or Spirit, the produce oP) Colonies in America, not un- I tier the dominion of His Ma- >0 jesty, imported from an^ Other I place than Great Britam -J Molasses, in British bottoms - O Ditto, in any other -> - O O 1 (L O o 6 9 6 Geo. II. c. IS. Foreign Sugars, per cwt. 'Ditto, white or c!ayed, per cwt, Foreign Indigo, per lb. Ditto Coffee, per cwt. •<- Madeira '\ Fayal > Wines, per tun -700 teneriffej Fortugal.Spanish, & other Wines 1 . ._ _ from Great Britain, per tan j r British Plantation coffee, per cwt. 0^0 6 Geo. III. c. 85. < Molasses, per gallon - -001 (.British Pimento, per lb. -000^ 3 O O 6 9 I 3 AtioiriovAL DtrriES. fl$; Additional Duties laid on by the Provincial Parlia^ ment. Acts 33 Geo, III. cap, 8. — 35 Geo, IIL c, 9. — and 41 Geo, III. c, 14. Sterling. Foreign Brandy, or other foreign tpirits, per gallon Rum, per gallon - . • . Molasses and syrupi, per gallon - - Madeira Wine, by one act 4d. and by another 2d. Other wines, by one act 2d. by another Id. - Loaf or Lump Sugar, per lb. - — - Muscovado or Clayed Sugar, per lb. - •- Coffee, per lb. •• - — - Leaf Tobacco, per lb. - - - Playing Cards, per pack - — - Salt, per minot - . - . . Snuff, per lb. - -. - « Tobacco manufactured in any other way •» £ s. d. 3 3 3 tf 3 1 o| 2 % 4 4 4 3 Duties imposed by a Provincial Act, for building GaolSj to continue six Years from the 25th March 1805. Bohea Tea, per lb. - - - - a Souchong, black, per ditto - - - 4 Hyson ., - » m. ->o 5 Green Teas - - - - - 4 Spirits,* or otherstrong liquors, per gallon - 3 Wines - - , - - 3 Molassei and Syrups « -. « - 9 3(?8 POaT-OFFICE REGULATIONS. i 4 t Allowances at the Custom-house, Deduction of Weight. . On Coffise, in bales or bags, 3 lbs. for every cwt X' . in casks, 12 lbs. per ditto. ^> Loaf Sugar, in casks or boxes, 15 lbs. per cwt. Leaf tobacco, in casks, 12 lbs. per cwt. Leakage on Wines, Spirits, and Molasses, 3 gallons on every hundred. For waste of articles, subject to duty by weight, an al- lowance of three pounds on every hundred pounds. On Salt, an allowance of 3 minots per hundred. The import duty on Salt is 4d. per minot. Salt landed be- low the east bank of the river Saguenay, on the north side of the St. Lawrence, and below the east bank of the river Grand Mitis, on the south side, is not subject to duty. There shall be drawn back, at the Custom-house, 4d. on every bushel of Salt exported from the port of Quebec, to any place beyond the above limits ; Jd. on every tierce of Salmon ; and Ad. on every • barrel of salted Beef or Pork, or salted Fish of any sort ex«> ported from this province. Goods sold at auction are subject to a duty of 2\ per cent. .: The minot is about 8 per cent, larger than the Winchester bushel. I The par of exchange is 111/. 2s. 3d. currency, for 100/. sterling, or dollar at 5^. Current-exchange for bills on London at GO days sight, y 4 per cent, discount, 7^h Sept. 1808. 10 per cent, is added to all bills drawn in Canada on foreign places, and returned dishonoured: this with the charges makes an increase of 20 or 25 per cent, on all protested bills. Post" Office Regulations, ^ At the b^inning of every month a packet .sails from Fal- mouth for North America, haxing on board a mail for. Quebec. LIST OF GOVERNORS Of CANADA. 369 la the summer months she puts in at Halifax, 00 her way ta New York, and there delivers the mail for Canada. From Halifax it is forwarded by land to Quebec. In the months of November, December, January, and February, the packets pass Halifax, and deliver the mails for Canada to the Agent for British packets at New York, who forwards them through the United States by post to Montreal. A mail for England is dispatched firom Quebec once every fortnight in summer, and 6nce a m(»ith in winter, to be sent by the first packet for England. A mail for Burlington, in the United States, it made up at Quebec every Thursday, and at Montreal every Saturday, by which conveyance letters may be sent for Europe, under cover, to a friend at New York, on paying the Canadian postage. The post for Montreal leaves Quebec ev&ry Monday and Thursday, and leaves Montreal for Quebec on the same days. The post arrives at these places on Wednesdays and Saturdays. A monthly communication, by post, betweeu.Lower and Upper Canada, has been lately opeped. , (^' Lht of Governors cf Canada, from the Conqueit, with the Date of their j4ppomt merits, James Murray, 21st November - - ,_ P. M. Irvine, "President, 30th June Guy Carleton, Lieutenant Governor aud Commander > in Chief, 24th September - - -J Ditto, 26th October - - - - H. T. Cramah6, President, Qth August - Guy Carleton, 11th October - - - F. Haldiman - - - _ - H. Hamilton, Lieutenant Governor and Commander > in Chief - - - -. -S H. Hope, Lieutenant Governor and Commander in > Chief -----} Lord Dorchester, Governor General - A. Clarke, Lieutenant Governor and Cemmander in Chief - - -. - -} 1763 1766 176S 176$ 1770 1774 177« 1784 1765 1786 1791 170 UST OF COUNTIES IM LOWER CANADA. Lord Dordieiter, 24th September —. •» Robert Preicott - - - - Sir Robert Milnes, Lieutenant Governor - - Thomas Dunn, President, and superseded by - > Sir James Craig, Governor and Captain General -^ Sir George Prevost, bart., Capt.-Gen. and Governor 1?9* 1796 J 799 I807 List of ike Counties in Lower Canada^^the Nunu ber of Representatives in the Provincial jlssem^ hly — and the Number of Parishes, Gaspe - - — , - Comwallia — - -• . Devon - - - Hertford - - - Dorchester — ,- — Buckinghamshire - •> Richelieu _ -. « And for the town of Sorel, in ditto Bedford - ^ , ^ Surrey - - - Kent - - - - Huntingdon ^ -. ^ York - - - - Montreal - - - Effingham - - - Leinster - - — Warwick - - - ' St. Maurice - » - Hampshire m,. , m. . Quebec • - « Northumberland -^ , - Orleans - - ^ rish es. Meniben. 1 11 2 6 2 7 2 4 2 12 2 7 2 1 1 1 5 2 4 2 7 2 5 2 fortown4 [county 2 3 2 8 2 4 2 ( "county 2 ^\ Three-J ^Rivers J * \ 7 2 (connty 2 j town 4 •r 1 2 1 30 HOADS AND DISTANCBS. 97% . ^ . Boads and Distances in Canada. From Quebec to Halifax, From Quebec to Point Levi, cross the river -• Thence to the Pottage at Riviere da Cap - Thence to Timiskuata - - - Thence to the settlement of Maduaska - Thence to the great Falls in river St. John Tlience to Frederick Town - - * Thence to St. John's - - - Thence to Halifax - - - Milei. : 1 t 30 45 180 go From Quebec to Michillimakinakt at the Entrance of Lake Huron, To Montreal - - * ^ To Ck>teau du Lac - - •. ToCorawall - - - - 184 225 ■»O^W'o:r To Matilda Tb Augosttt >- To Ki*^ton ^ To Niagara -. To Fort Erie To Detroit To MiehUlimakinak 301 335 8i5 99sy I1Q7 'it i¥ W JT From Quebec to New York, by way of MontreaL To Cape Rouge - - - - g ToStAugustin - - - - 9 To JbcqvMs Cartter « - si- 15 ToSt,Anne'8 - - • * 30 To Three Riven *)» » «. 22 Carried over 8# 373 KOADS AND DISTANCES.' MUes. Brought over 85 To Riviere du Loup - ■ - - 27 ToBerthier _ _ - - 22 ToRependgni - , -q:»il-. ' -- ' 32 ToMoDtreal - - - •" IB 99 To Lapnitrie - • - ' - 9 To St. John's - '■ - - - ' ■ '14 ^ To Isle au Noix - - , — - 14 '' To WindmUl Point - - nw To Savage's Point - ^ - G To Sandbar - - - - 20 To Burlington^ the first post town in the States 14 1 '' ! — b9 - To Skenesborough - -i . * , 78 To Fort Anne, south side of the Hudson - ■1»R41\ To Dunaont Ferry, ditto, ditto - • 24 <'i' ToWaterford, ditto, ditto -' 24 To Albany City, ditto, ditto * 13' . — fi,— 156 To Hudson City, north of the Hudson •- ^ 34w— '- ToRhinebeck - - ^ - 31 ■ ' ' To Poughkeepsie » - ■■• 17 ToPfeckskill - - - - 34 To KingBbp;idge -r ^ - :^ 34V: g1' To New York - -^ . - - - Iff— 16s 589 The expense of travelling post in LowAr Canada is U.cur<> rency per league. The American packets on Lake Champlain charge frona, three to four dollars for the passage from Si. John's to Skenes- borough, a distance of nearly 160 nailes. i'" ! > V From Skenesborough the traveller proceeds to New York, in a w^oa or stage, at the rate of 3d. sterling per su'ile. DIFFERENT CLASSES OF SOCIETY. 373 '?^5-=r5'ivfj;^m •■ •? fir •^•* dians were bom in the colony, and consequently very little difference in person, dress, or manners, is discernible between them and the inhabitants of the mother-couiitry. The French have also assimilated themselves so nearly to the British in dress, manners, and amusements, especially the younger branches, that, if it was not for their language, there would be little to distinguish their respective coteries. : The Creoles* of Canada, both French and English, who inhabit the towns, are generally of a middle stature, rather slender than robust, and very rarely possess the blooming and ruddy complexion of the British; a pale, sallow, or swarthy countenance characterizes the natives of Canada, and, with few exceptions, the whole of the American continent. It is rather singular, that a foggy atmosphere should be conducive to that bloom of health which glows on the cheek of a British islander; yet the fact is corroborated by the appearance of the inhabitants of New- * By Creoles, I mean the descendants of Europeans^ born in Canada, in contradtstincnon to natives of Europe, who may be settled there ; and not (as many persons imagine) the offspring of black and white people, who are properly called people <^ m!our, or muhltoes. T 2 *■ h 276 m CANADIAN BEAUTY. foundland, of the shores of Nova Scotia and the New England states ; who, enveloped in fogs more than one-half the year, enjoy the same ruddy complexion as the English ; while those who live in the interior, under a clear sky, are universally distinguished hy sallow or swarthy complexions. Lower Canada cannot boast of much superlative beauty among its females ; but there are many who possess very pleasing and interesting countenances. Montreal is allowed to have the advantage over the other towns for female beauty ; but I have seen two or three at Quebec and Three Rivers, who surpassed any that I met with in the former city. The country girls, who are nearly all French, (with the exception of those who reside in the back townships,) are pretty when very young, but from hard work and exposure to the sun they grow up coarse-featured and swarthy, and have all the sturdiness but none of the beauty of our Welch girls. Upon the whole, if the generality of the Ca- nadian females are not remarkable for beautiful faces or elegant figures, there is nothing in either that can offend, and both are certainly as good as the men are entitled to. Education having a natural influence upon the moral at\d social character of a people, it is greatly to be regretted that so little attention is EDUCATION. 277 pftid to it by the Canadians. 1 have before no- ticed the great ignorance or rather illiterateness of the Habitans or country people, and 1 am sorry that I cannot say much in favour of their supe- riors who live in the towns, though possessing the advantages of public seminaries and private schools. The Canadians are generally accused of pre- ferring to live in ignorance rather than pay for knowledge : this accusation, however, I do not think will apply to the Canadian gentry. A cer- tain levity of disposition, and fulse indulgence of their children, are rather to be ascribed as the cause of that paucity of learning and accomplish- ed education, which exists among the liiglier classes of the people. The public seminaries and private schooU are certainly deficient in all the superior branches of education, yet they are ca- pable of affording a moderate share of learning to those who have any moderate share of genius or ability. To investigate the physical causfe of mental disability, which has heretofore distinguished, and at present distinguishes, the Creoles of Canada, it will be necessary to trace its ori^;in from tlie first settlement of the country. The first adven- -turers who took up their abode in Canada, were liiore gifted with romantic genius and a wander- ing disposition, tlian a taste for learning, or the t vP 278 EDUCATIOH. •teady habits of domestic life. The soldiery whoi ' at various periods settled in the country, did not increase the general stock of knowledge, and the officers and noblesse were too idle and dissipated to extend to their children the learning which ihey themselves might possess ; and the semina> ries at that period were too poor and imperfect, to render much service to the rising generation. The clergy were the only people who cowld be said to ])ossess kny competent share of know- ledge and learning; and among this order of men the Jesuits were most conspicuous. Their in- formation, however, was confined to tlieir own body, for they possessed a selfish pride and co. vetousness, which impelled them to aggrandize themselves by keeping the other classes of the community in ignorance. This, indeed, was the policy of the Roman Catholic system ; it wi\s the policy also of the despotic government under which they lived. Little benefit, therefore, could accrue to the people from the learning and infor- mation of their priests ; and their own levity or prodigality, their poverty, or parsimony, pre- vented them from profiting by the few ojipor- tunities that presented themselves for the educa- tion of their children : hence they involuntarily aided the despotic views of their priests and their government, whose interest was to keep them in ignorance and subjection. ^:. *■*.. STATE OF THE PEOPLE BEFORE THE CONQUEST. 9^9 The manners of the Canfidians in the most flourishing periods of the French governnient 9re represerited to have been by no means favour- able to literature and the arts, or to the pron^o- tion of knowledge among the rising generation. Those who lived in the country are said to have spent the greater part of the winter in idleness, thoughtlessly sitting by the fire; and when the re- turn of spring called them out to the indispen- sable labours of the field, they ploughed the ground superficially, without manuring it, sowed it carelessly, and then relapsed into their former indolent course of life till the approach of har« vest. Even then, as the common people were too proud or too lazy to work by the day, and every family was obliged to gather in its own crops, nothing was to be seen of that sprightly joy which enlivens the reaping season in Europe: this languor and negligence might be owing to several causes. During the excessive cold, which •by freezing up the rivers prevented all the exer- tions of industry, and produced a winter of near seven months, tbey contracted such a habit of idleness, that labour appeared insurmountable to them even in the finest weather; and this in- dolence was increased by the numerous festivals prescribed by their religion, which Battered a disposition to which they were themselves but too much inclined. ^i^^^., ^ ^ I 1.1 380 f-trt LEVITY OF THE CA*NADIANS. ^ The inhabitants of the towns, especially those of the capital, ftpent the winter as well as the summer in a perpetual round of dissipation. They were alike insensible to the beauties of na- ture and to the pleasures of imagination: they bad no taste for arts and sciences, reading, or in- struction ; their only passion was amusement ; and persons of all ages and sexes were seized with the rage of dancing at assemblies. This mode of life naturally increased the influence of the women, who possessed every attraction ex* cept those gentle graces, those soft emotionls of the soul, which alone constitute the chief merit and the ineffable charm of beauty. Lively, gay, coquettish, and addicted to gallantry, they were more fond of inspiring than capable of feeling the tender passions. In both sexes there appear- ed a greater share of devotion thaVi virtue, more religion than probity, sHnd a higher sense of ho- nour than of real honesty. Giddiness took place of rational amusement, and superstition of mo- rality ; which will always be the case where men are tsiught that ceremonies will compensate for good works, and that crimes may be expiated by money and prayers. The extravagance and dissipation which thus reigned throughout society, previous to the con- < ^uest of the country, while they obstructed the agriculture and commerce of the colony, tended »>i ¥ CHANCE OF MANNERS. 28t% also to check the progrress of learning and the arts. The education of their children was neglected^ and, with but few exceptions, ignorance and iU literateness characterized the whole community; their deHciencies are noticed by General Murray, in his letter soon after the cotiquest. ** They are very ignorant (says the General) : it was the policy of the French government to keep them so. Printing was never permitted in Canada till we got possession of it, and few or none can read." The British settlers who at this period esta- blished themselves in the province were so few, and withal so mean, both in birth and education^ that little or no improvement could be expected from them : even the civil officers who were sent out to administer the government, were ill iterate and dissipated characters ; they were ignorant of the language of those whom they were sent to govern; and as they had obtained their places by purchase from those who possessed the patents, tiiey had no other object in view but to accumu- late a fortune, which could be done only by rapa- city and extortion. The immoral conduct of these men, the natural levity and dissipation of the military, as well as the inhabitants themselves, could not fail to have a baneful influence upon the morals and manners l9f iQciety in Canada. The injurious eiiects were 383 FRENCH NOBLESSE. ./f experienced for years after, and are not eradicated even at the present day. ■^ '" It was a considerable time before agriculture and commerce began to improve; of course know- ledge and learning made a still slower progress ; nor did they quicken their pace, even when the credit and prosperity c^ the colony were esta- blished upon a respectable footing, and were prd« ductive of riches and affluence to the colonists beyond the precedent of any former period. It might naturally have been ::xpected, that the arts and sciences would have flourished as the prosperity of the country increased: but this does i:u)t appear to have been the case ; for trade and commerce, instead of illuminating the minds of their followers, begat in them only a sordid spirit of gain. With the augmentation of the British colonists, and the diminution of the old French nobility and gentry, much of that polite gaiety of manners, and that social dissipation which before characterized th^ society of the towns, gave place to the more steady, ploddingj and uncouth habits of business. The merchants and traders were more amused in consulting their waste book and ledger, than in figuring away at a splendid entertainment. Their whole happiness was centred in acquiring riches ; and their chil- dren, who were to follow in the same path^ received no more education than was necessary FRENCH NOBLESSB. 283 to qualify them for the attainment of that object. As agriculture and commerce have increased, the British settlers have risen into consequence, lind men of respectability been sent over to go- vern the country. The Frencli inhabitants have however degenerated in pro)X)rtioii as the British have acquired impoitance. The nobless: and seigniors have- almost dwindled into the common mass of the vulgar ; their estates and seigniories have been divided among their children, or have fallen into the hands of the opulent British mer- chants. The few who still possess an estate or seigniory seldom live upon it, but reside wholly in the towns, equally averse from agriculture, com- inerce, and the arts.' They visit their estates merely to pick up their rents ; and in collect'ng ^hese, they often have many broils with their ienants, whose contributions in kind are not al* ways of the best quality ; and R*y far do they sometimes carry their contempt of their seignior, that the latter has frequently been obliged to throw the corn and the poultry at their heads. These little frays, however, arise oftener from the irritability of the seigniofs temper than from the insolence of the tenant. i I have before mentioned, that the education given by the British inhabitants to their children is no more than is necessary for mercantile aiiairs. S84 FRENCH SEMINARIES. I I' I 111! I I I frill' It. A few are bred up to the law, and are sometimes sent home to England for education in that im- portant branch of the government. Some 6f the young Frenchmen have been educated at our public schoolfi, but on their return to Canada they soon forgot their knowledge and erudition.^ The French inhabitants send their boys to the French seminary, where there is just sufficient taught to make a priest, a clerk, an advocate, or a notary. These professions, however, must not be understood as requiring the same quantum of knowledge and learning as they do in England. A much smaller share of either will suffice for ' Canadian practice., As to the rest of the Cana- dian people, it is said that not more than five in a parish can read or write : I cannot vouch for the accuracy of this assertion, but I should think it cannot be far from the truth, when it is known that some of the members of the provincial par- liament are deficient in those necessary qualifica- tions. Such are the defects in the education of youth in Canada, though there are hopes that informa- tion, however slow, is daily gaining ground. Se- veral new schools have within these few years been opened at Quebec, Montreal, and Three Bivers; and there is a seminary at Montreal dig- nified by the name of College, where Latin, French, English, and the common rudiments of ^ vT BOARDING-SCHOOL MISSES. US iearning are taught to upwards of two hundred boys. Though the inferior parts of education only are attended to in these estabhshments, yet they are perhaps sufficient for all the purposes of agriculture and commerce, which in the present •late of the colony are of more immediate utility than the arts and sciences. The plough and the desk will in time introduce the inhabitants to the study of nature, and the cultivation of th^ mind. The French send their daughters to the nun- neries, where reading, embroidery, and supersti- tion are taught at a trifling expense. The Bri- tish inhabitants send their children to boarding- schools which have lately been established in the two principal towns ; but whether their mental and moral faculties have been improved in pro- portion, is a question difficult to determine. The schools which have been opened in Canada are upon the style of many of our female boarding, schools in the vicinity of London, where more attention is paid by the governesses to notoriety and fashion, than to the improvement of their pupils. A gentleman of my acquaintance sent two of his daughters, the eldest not twelve years old, to one of these boarding-schools at Quebec: when the young ladies went home at the vacation, instead of their needles or books, their whole conversation ran upon the officers of the army ; 1 S86 tlOAU>lNG->8CHOOL MISSES. i li: *' what hancUome young men they were, and thll charming things that captain or lieutenant such- a-one said to Miss so-atidso.*' Their parents were confounded, and inquired how they came to be acquainted with so many officers ? " Why, papa, they used to come and dance with us every week, when the dancing- master came ; it was so delightful, for you cannot think how charmingly they dance ; and they are so handsome too!" The gentleman never sent his daughters to school again, but procured a person to educate them at home, as the only means of preserving their morals from contamination. The education of females in Canada is slight and superficial ; more attention is paid to exter- nal ornament than to internal improvement; and the mistaken indulgence of their parents tends very much to increase the general levity and fri- volity which prevail among the Canadian ladies. The presence also of so many military officers^ who have very little other employment than to flirt and toy with the women, flatters>the vanity of the young ladies, and renders them very ami- able coquettes, but often very indiiTerent wive84 "The thoughtless sex is caught by outward form And empty noise, and loves itself in roan." It may be amusing to compare the manners of the Canadian females at the present day, with tfc'. MANHBRS of THC PRfiMCH LADIES. 387 the account given of them by Professor Kalni sixty years ago, while under the French govern- ment. *' The ladies in Canada," says the Professor, ** are generally of two kinds j some come over from France, the rest are natives. The former possess the politeness peculiar to the French nation ; the latter may be divided into those of Quebec and Montreal. The first of these are equal to the French ladies in good breed- ing, having the advantage of frequently conversing with the French gentlemen and ladies who come every summer with tlie king's ships, and stay several weeks at Quebec, but seldom go to Montreal. The ladies of this last place are accused by the French of partaking too much of the pride of the Indians, and of being much wanting in French good-breeding. What I have mentioned above, of their dressing their head too assiduously, is the case with all the ladies throughout Canada. They dress out very fine on Sundays j and though on other days they do not take much pains with other parts of their dress, yet they are very fond of adorning their heads, the hair of which is always curled and powdered^ and ornamented with glittering bodkins and ai- grettes. * * lu *' On those days when they pay or Receive visits, they dress so gaily, that one is almost induced to think their parents possessed the greatest digr.\ities in the state. The Frenchmen who con- sidered things in their true light, complained very much that a great part of the ladies in Canada had got into the pernicious custom of taking too much care of their dress, and squandering all their fortunes, and more, upon it, instead of sparing something for future times. They are no less attentive to have the newest fashions, and they laugh at each other's fancy : but what they get as new fashions,, are grown old and laid aside in France ; for the ships coming but once every year from thence, the people of Canada consider that as the new fashion for tl)e whole year^ which the people on board brought with ihem, or which they imposed on them as new. :W , * SS8 MANNERS OF THE FftSNCH LADIES. h k i, " The ladies of Canada, and especially at Montreal, are very ready to laugh at any blunders strangers make in speaking. In Canada nobody ever hears the French language spoken by any but Frenchitien } for strangers seldom come hither, and the In- dians are naturally too proud to learn French, but oblige the French to learn their language. From hence it naturally follows, that the nice Canada ladies cannot hear any thing uncommon vithout laughing at it. One of the first questions they propose to a stranger is, whether he is married ; the next, how he likes the ladieH of the country j and the third, whether he wiU take one home with him ? " There is some diiFerence between the ladies of Quebec and those of Montreal ; those of the last place seem to be handsomer than those of the former. Their behaviour, likewise, seemed to me to be something too free at Quebec, and of a more be- coming modesty at Montreal. The ladies of Quebec, especially the unmarried ones, are not very industrious. A girl ofaghteM is reckoned poorly off if she cannot enumerate at least twenty lovers. These young ladies, especially those of a higher rank, get up at teven, and dress till nine, drinking their coffee at the same time. When they are dressed, they place themselves near a window that opens into the street, take up some needle- work, and sew a stitch now and then, but turn their eyes into the street most of the time. When a young fellow comes In, whether they are acquainted with him or not, they immediately lay aside their work, sit down by him, and be^n to chat, laugh, joke, and invent doubles entendres ; and this is reckoned being very wittj/i. In this manner they frequently pass the whole day, leaving their mothers to do all the business of the house. " In Montreal the girls are not quite so volatile, but more industrious. They are always at their needle-work, or doing some useful butiness in the house They are likewise cheerful and content ; nobo 'y can say that they want either wit or charms. They are apt to tliink too well of themselves. However, the daughters of people of all ranks, without exception, go to market ^ and carry home what they have bought. They rise as soon, and ANECDOTE OF MADEMOISELLE 28^ go to bed at late at any people in the house. I have been assured that in general their fortunes are not considerable, which are rendered still more scanty by the number of cbililren, and the small revenues of a house. The girls at Montreal are very much displeased that those of Quebec get husbiinds sooner th^n they. The reason of this is, that many young gentlemen who come over from France with the ships are captivated by the ladies at Que- bec, and marry them^^ but as these gentlemen seldom go up to Montreal, the girls thereVrp not often so happy as those of the former place." The professor has been very severe in some of his remarks upon the Canadian ladies ; hut I have every reason to believe they are just. The alter- ation which has talcen place since that period, has arisen from the settling of so many of the British people in the colony. The manners of the English females are more reserved than tho^^e of the French, and they have consequently intro- duced some of that gravity into society. The French girls, however, continue nearly the satiie as described by Kalm. Many of them dress be- yond what their situation in life demands, or the pocket of their parents^ can afford. Some will also flirt, joke, and laugh at doubles entendres with a very good grace, and, if you offend them, will not be very choice in the epithets they be- stow upon you. They are also as fond of dis- playing themselves at the window as ever ; and, to my knowledge, this mode of attraction has proved successful in one instance. While I remained at Quebec, I noticed^ in walking from the Lower to VOL. I. y. }. 890 MORALS OF CANADIAN tOCIITY. the Upper Town, a young French mademoiselle sitting at the window of a house near Breakneck' stairs, affecting to work, but evidently sitting there for the purpose of drawing upon her the gaze of, the pasters-by. She possessed a pretty but inex- pressive countenance, which she heightened by a considerable quantity of rouge ; and her dress was more calculated for the ball-room than for a morning chamber. I had gazed for several months upon this pretty figure, in my peregri- nations up Mountain* street, when all at once I missed her ; and it was not till my return from the United States the following year that I heard she had won the heart of a youth from Prince JSd ward's Island, who accidentally passing the window where she e3(hibited her charms, was so struck (I suppose with her beauty) that he mar- ried her in less than a week after, though previous to that he had been a perfect stjranger to her. Many of the British females are not exempt from the weakness and volatility ascribed to the French fair. There are, however, several young ladies, French as well as English, who possess superior accomplishments, and better cultivated minds, than the generality of their sex in the co- lony, y There is nothing to boast of in the morals of the higher classes of the people in Canada. The little blackening accounts of scs^ndal are sought CANADIAN LICENTIOUSNESS. 3dt I I for, promulgated, and listened to with avidity; while good actions are often mangled, distorted, and heard with secret envy. Those most guilty of calumny are themselves most deserving of the condemnation they pass upon others. Tiie fe^ male parties compose a school for scandal ; and, as a French gentleman once observed of the ladies of New Orleans, they would be much better em- ployed in household affairs than in slandering the absent, and even each other wiien they have se- parated. For a small society like that of Canada, the numbers of unfaithful wives, kept mistresses, and girls of easy virtue, exceed in proportion those of the old country; and it is supposed that in the towns more child reit are born illegitimalely than in wedlock. The frequent infidelity of wives and husbands creates much animosity and discord in some of. the higher circles of Canadian society ; and the ladies often run to each other's houses to inquire the truth of the scandalous re- ports that fly about. Their passions have been roused, mutual recriminations have taken place, and it is known that they have sometimes pro- ceeded to blows. Trials for crim. con, are, how- ever, unknown ; neither are duels ever resortetl to by the Canadian gentry to avenge their injured honour. The husbands generally wink at the frailties of their wives, and either content them- u 2 I ti p *_ 902 FEMALE SB RVAKTf. ^9 'V V my tl^: selves with increasing the number of their horned brethren, or fly for comfort into the arms of a^lle de chambrc. The female servants follow the example of their mistresses, and very fevv can be found who are free fi-om the fashionable vices of the age. Attendance is, therefore, bad in proportion as the difficulty of procuring good servants is increased. Their wa^e* are from 12 to 20/. per annum ; but their abilities do not deserve a fourth part of the sum : they seldom stay in a place above a month, and are never engaged for a longer period. A servant that remains in her place four or five mohths is con- sidered as a pattern of excellence. The character of a servant, which in London is always strictly investigated before tlie person is hired, is never considered of any consequence in Canada^ no in- quiries are made by the gentry as to the honesty, sobriety or virtue of the servants they take into their houses ; and the consequence is, that those good qualities are very rare among that class of people. The female servant^ are for the most part ignorant French country girls, or the wives of the soldiers who arrive in the country : they soon get porrupted by the dissolute manners prevalent among the lower classes of Europeans in the ^wn ; nor have they very often a better example pven from the higher orders. The ladies of Ca- pada are not celebrated for possessing much of .} .NMNffNn^' dCANDAL. 24)a that domeitic knowledge which constitutes the comfort and happiness oF families in England. What the servants are ignorant of their niistressei n can seldom supply ; so tiiat the order and oeco- nomy of the English table are very rarely to be seen in that country. The society of the towns in Canada has been represented by some writers as so extremely gay, lively, and agreeable, and possessing such friendly unanimity and generous hospitality, that a stranger might fancy the inhabitants formed only one large family. I am sorry that it is not in my power to furnish a similar representation. At the period when I visited Canada, its society was split into parties : scandal was the order of the day ; and calumny, misrepresentation, and envy, seemed to have erected their standards among the greater portion of the inhabitants. The weekly papers teemed with abusive scurrility and malicious insi- '; nuations ; and all that gaiety and happiness which I had been led to exjiect in Canada, seemed either to have totally deserted the country, or to have existed only in the imaginations of former writers. It is true, I afterwards met with individuals whose amiable character arid private virtues would do i honour to any society ; but ihe general character and dii^posilion of the people very ill accorded with the jiattering accounts which had been giv«Q Hi 294 SCANDAL. ._^.., k. of them. In jliort, the same jealousy, pridfe, and party feuds exist in the society of the towns in Canada to whicli all small communities are liable. They are engendered by the knowledge of each other^s origin and private history. Those who cannot trace their genealogy beyond a private soldier or a sutler in the army which conquered the country, are of course treated with contemp- tuous pride by others, who can boast of a long line of ancestors that sprung, perhaps, from the illegitimate offspring of some nobleman*8 valet de chambre or cast-off mistress » No great cordiality can be expected to exist between such opposite and heterogeneous materials, especially in a small community, where full scope is given to the ope- ration of petty competition and private malignity. In a large metropolis these contentions could not be felt, they would be lost in the crowd ; but in a small town, where every one knows his neigh- bour, and generously interests himself in his con- cerns, they act like the fire of a volcano, which at one time convulses the surrounding neigh- bourhood, and at another time preys upon its own vitals. ^ The increase of agriculture and commerce has caused several (amiiies to rise from poverty and obscurity into opulence and notoriety ; and the standard of individual merit in Canada is too often NORTH-WEST MERCHAKTS. flgS' a man*8 riches or his rank : virtue and talents ob^ tain but Uttle respect* The large fortunes acquired by some of the merchants have tended to raise the envy of many who would wish, but have not the means, to emulate them in their style of living. The North-west merchants, particularly, have, been subjected to the jealous and malignant ob« servations even of those who have partaken of their hospitality ; who have drunk their wine and smiled in their face: but I never could discover that these gentlemen possessed any other fault than spending freely what they had earned labo- riously. One of them, who resides at Quebec, is often the butt of thefrieyids that dine at his table: yet he is one that has returned from the Upper country with a broken constitution, and surely lias a right to enjoy the property which he has gained by so great a sacrifice, in whatever way is agreeable to his taste. But his friends tax him with pride, ostentation, and extravagance, be- cause he is fond of giving them good dinners, and because he keeps two or three horses ; entertains the officers of the army often at his house, and receives those of the navy with hospitality whenever they arrive at Quebec. It is, to be sure, too much the custom among the fashionables of Canada to consider a stranger newly arrived as an object of curiosity and wonder, as a being whom !il 'I fl 29^. NORTH- W£bT MERCHANTS.: they have a right to appropriate in their own manner. ' They survey him from head to foot, compliment, feast, and caress him ; but when the novelty of the thing has subsided, he is, however rare and transcendent his merit, a mere nonentity, unless his opulence excites in them aa interested deference.* ,. «HVit- J, .,T *)N^ 1 ' k •m AMUSEMENTS AND DIVERSIONS. 297 ^tH ^■■vA-^xr t^j ; * c ,;-i-r4 •• ■ •< ^ «• tTi t [i . CHAPTER XV. Amusements and Diversions — Quebec Assembly — \yBal de SociHi — Private Tea and Card Parties L -—Routs at the Chateau — The Theatre — Pre^ i; sent State of Canadian Theatricals— Drunken •^ Performers'^ Arrival of a Company from Boston ^ -—Concerts — Freemasons* Lodges — The Duke of i^ Kent — Barons* Club — Grand Entertainment on ^ the Installation of the Knights — Canadian Bond- street — Billiards— Carioling — Dress of the La- „ dies and Gentlemen — Officers of the Army in Tippets — Mutations of Fashion — Retrospect of ,i British Fashions — Pyramidal Head-dresses— 4 Old and New Fashions compared — Long- toed 1^ Shoes, prohibited under pain of Cursing by the J, Clergy — Tapering Waists — Races — Mode of ^ Kissing on New Years Day — Doors — StoujlS—' Boarding-Houses, • * V The natural gaiety and sprightliness of man^ ners peculiar to tiie French people, no doubt gave rise to the fascinating accounts which have been given of society in Canada. The long win- ters were particularly favourable to dancing, an amusement of which the French are passionately t? * ^$s . tl aUKBEC AftSBMBLt. ^^ ' ' ^ »■ I i ^^4 fond ; and, till within these few years, parties used to meet at each o^her*s houses, or at some convenient place a few miles out of town, for the purpose of enjoying that rational amusement. At those periods when the inhabitants were more upon a par in point of property, I have no doubt but there was more real friendship and sociability than at the present day, when riches and luxury have created greater distinctions in society. The French, in whatever station they may be, posses' a certain aifabitity and easy po- liteness of manners, that can readily unbend the pride of ancestry ; but the natural reserve of the British is by no means calculated to unbend the pride of opulence^ While the latter were accu- mulating riches, the former were falling to decay, and at length were deprived of the means of main- taining their usual appearance. Hence the so- ciable little dances and entertainments which formerly kept the inhabitants in continual motion during a long and tedious winter, and made the town resemble one large family, are now dwin- dled down to one solitary, formal assembly; and even the unanimity of that is often disturbed by the arrogance of some and the jealousy of others. The assembly at Quebec is kept at the Union Hotel, on the Parade. There are about six dances in the course of the season, for which the subscribers pay eight doUarit. A £ew of the uu II, aUEBEC ASSEMBLY. 299 ferior merchants and storekeepers are admitted to this assembly as a very great favour; but none of them are noticed by the fashionablesy and indeed some of the latter refuse to subscribe, ber cause (as they observe) the assembly is not telect. Hostilities ran so high at one time, between the great Liiile and the little Great, that the twe parties separated, and formed each an assembly for itself. It was, however, soon found that the £al de Societe of the middling classes was more agreeable than the Grand Assembly of the fashion- ables, and that even several of the latter had be^* come subscribers to it, and danced with the pretty Bourgeoises, Upon this, a negotiation was opened, the preliminaries settled ; and when the new ball-room was finished, the definitive treaty was ratified by the re-union of the two parties. Since then it has been called the Quebec Assem- bly ; but though it is held at the Union Hotel, there is little union of sentiment among the visitors even now. The private entertainments are very few, and are mere formal tea- and card- parties, in which frivolous remarks upon the wea- ther, their household furniture, or their neigh- bours* follies, form the chief subjects of evening conversation. If the governor or lieutenant-go- vernor is not in the country, the place is then ex- tremely dull. During their residence at Quebec, routs, levees, and assemblies enliven the towii -' II 300 THEATRE. once or twice h week. But tliose are entertain* ments which interest only a select few. The majority of the inhabitants have little else but carioling to drive away the tedium of winter, i There is, indeed, a building at Quebec called a Theatre, and also one at Montreal; but the persons who perform, or rather attempt to per- form there, are as bad as the worst of our strolling actors; yet they have the conscience to charge the same price nearly as the London theatres. Sometimes the officers of the army lend their assistance to the company; but I have seen none, except Colonel Pye, and Captain Clark of the 49th, who did not murder the best scenes of our dramatic poets. It may be easily conceived how despicably low the Canadian theatricals must be, ■when boys are obliged to perform the female cha- racters : the only actress being an old super- annuated demirep, whose drunken Belvideras, Desdemonas, and Isabellas, have often enraptured a Canadian audience. Last year an attempt was made at Montreal to introduce a company from Boston, in conjunction with the Canadian performers. The embargo had partly driven them into Canada, where tliey wisely thought they might pick up a few dollars until better times. I went one hot summer^s evening to see them perform in Catherine and Tetruchio; but the abilities of tbc Bostonians TIIEATRF. 301 were totally eclipsed by the vulgarity and mis- takes of tlie drunken Catherine, who walked the stage with devious ^teps, and convulsed the audit ence with lau<;hter, which was all the entertain- ment we experienced in witnessing the mangled drama of our immortal bard. A Mr. and Mrs. Usher afterwards arrived from Boston, and per- formed several nights with consi'k .^f-ll-. 304 CANADIAN BOMD-STREET. coriim that would have done credit to any similar entertainment in London. We sat down to sup- per about two o'clock, and it was nearly five o'clock before the company began to depart. By that time some of the gentlemen were pretty merry, and I left them dancing what they called Bacchanalian reels.^ This entertainment is said to have cost upwards of 350 guineas, and was reckoned to have been the most splendid one given in Canada for many years. The summer in Canada is devoted to business; a few parties of pleasure to the Falls or Lakes in the neighbourhood of the towns are all that en- liven that season of commercial bustl^e. The winter is devoted to the amusements of the as- sembly; entertainments at the chateau; and the private tea and card parties mentioned before. The diversion of carioling at this season of the year is the greatest pleasure the inhabitants enjoy,, and it is certainly a very delightful amusement, as well as a healthy exercise. •^ The fashionable youths of Quebec generally drive in the tandem style. Some of their carioles are extremely neat, and have a seat for the ser- vant behind. They usually display their skill in carioling from twelve to three o'clock, through the principal streets of the Up[)er Town, parti- cularly John>8treet, where these savans of the whip, and the gentry, who often parade between DRIS8 or THE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. 305 those hours, render the Rue St, Jean a sort of Canadian Bond*street. Since the arrival of Sir James Craig, and the great increase of the civil and military officers belonging to the government and the staff, the fashionable society of Quebec is considerably improved, and the town rendered more lively and cheerful than during the presi- dency of Mr. Dunn. There are two or three billiard- tables in Que- bec, which are frequented by all ranks of people. Fishing and shooting may be enjoyed in Canada to the greatest extent. There are no game laws in that country to obstruct the pleasures of the 8])ortsman. The diversion of skaiting is very little enjoyed in Lower Canada, in consequence of the abundance of snow that falls, and covers the ice to the depth of four or five feet; but the pleasures of carioHng fully compensate for this loss. The rapidity with which the carioles glide along good roads is uncommonly agreeable ; but over roads that are indifferent, or have been much worn by the carters' sleighs, the motion resem- bles the pitching of a vessel at sea, and is occa- sioned by what are called cahots, or ridges of snow in a transverse position across the roads. These cahots are formed after a heavy fall of snow by the sleighs, which gather up and deposit th^ snow in furrows. At this season of the year the men wrap them- voi« I. X y; IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /> ^/ ^ >. ^y ^^; ^ ^ 1.0 1.1 12.5 lis S? U£ 12.0 u U& II 1:25 |U,J^ ^ 6" ^ Hiotographic Sdenoes Corporation !•' ** I-:' 306 WINTER DRESSES. iU it<*,a,^ii.A selves up in thick Bath great coats, with several large capes that cover their shoulders, above which is a collar of fur. They fasten their coats round their waist with a sash ornamented with beads. A fur cap fashioned in the helmet style, and list shoes or Shetland hose outside their boots, complete the remainder of their winter's dress. When riding in a cariole they are wrapped up in a buffalo robe, which with a bear-skin apron in front effectually prevents the intrusion of the cold. The ladies wear fur caps, muffs and tippets, velvet or cloth pelisses or great coats ; with list shoes or Shetland hose, the same as the gentle- men. I have seen several French country-womeu come into town on the severest days without either fur cap or bonnet. Their heads were dressed in the old-fashioned style with a long braid behind, and above that a large stiff muslin cap. They wore printed cotton gowns, orna- mented with large flowers similar to a bed pat- tern, of which they are generally very fond, with long waists. Over their neck was a white musliki handkerchief or coloured shawl: their appear- ance altogether put me more in mind of summer than winter. In contrast to these ladies, who were walking about in the coldest weather in all. the airy .gaiety of the month of June, 1 have seen the HO li i i' ■ 'V r •i. 'T ".*V ... .' •. .,? . ii" '■■il r1 i\ , ■ [ if II V • r < ^ ■ < . I- ^\ If ''*'?'■"■ MILITARY OFFICBRS IN TIPPETS. 307 young officers of the British army wrapped up in fur caps, large great coats, and immense tip* pets of fur round their necks, nearly touching the ground, as represented in the annexed en- graving, from a* drawing which I made' on the •pot. I should not be surprised if those delicate young soldiers were to introduce muffs: they were in general use among the men under the French government, and are still worn by two or three old gentlemen. It is said that half a century ago the gentlemen used to walk the streets in winter with fine powdered heads, and their ckapeau bras under their arm : this, however, is a fashion of too petrifying a nature for our mo- dern beaux, and therefore not likdly to be intror duced again. < The dress of the Canadian ladies at the present day is in every respect similar to the English fashions which are exported annually to Canada. They have a better opportunity now of receiving them earlier than under the French government, as ships arrive every month as long as the navi- gation is open. Little novelty or variety is to be found in the dress of the men, who for the most part are very careless of that ornament to the person ; and even many of those who arrive from Europe get into the same negligent and sloyeoily habits, after residing a year or two in the colony. The winter is particularly favour- X 2 I, il ! t t ' I. 11 c » 308 HORSE-RACINC AT AVEBEC. able to the wearing of indifferent clothes ; for, except in the house, the great coat is the only garment that is visible. * The mutations of fashion among the ladies of the colony are not so frequeilt as in the old country. Those that are adopted as new^ are generally a twelvemonth old in England, and often continue in vogue for several seaso. s after their arrival. The country people are very little influenced by fashion ; for with few exceptions they wear the same dress as was in existence a century ago. Some of their children are however beginning to dress in a more modern style ; but the change proceeds slowly, and is confined chi^y to those who have intercourse with the towns. Horse-racing has been introduced at Quebec since the arrival of Sir James Craig. The races took place for the first time in J^ly 180T, upon the plains of Abraham; several of the mi- litary and mercantile gentlemen rode their oyna. horses, and were dressed in the true jockey style. The races continued nearly a, week, and purses -were made up by subscription. The governor gave a purse of ten guineas, together with a cer^ tain number of saddks and bridles, to be run for x>n the last day by Cani^dian horses only. It. was a curious sight to -see the Habitans in their long- skirted frocks^: iHtb R pipe in their mputb, Mid a bonnet-rouge up^a their head, riding over tiie HORSE-RACING AT AUEBEC. 30^ course, many of them without a saddle; flogging, kicking, and hallooing, in order to come in first for the prize: but their horses, though in general very fleet, were unused to the exertion of a race, and most of them foundered, or bolted from the course. The pursc^ and the saddles and bridles, were however delivered to the successful riders, by the governor, with whom the Habitans were highly delighted for his condescension. His ex- cellency advised them to be careful of their breed of horses, and assured them that they should meet with every encourpgement from him. ** The races answered the views of this governor, who wished to conciliate the esteem of the Cana- dian Habitans, as well as to improve the breed of horses. They also gratified the inhabitants with a sight to which they had been unaccustomed. The present governor-general seems to be aware of the predilection of the people for shows and entertainments. The French have loi^ been deprived of that outward pomp and parade of which they are^ so fond. His excellency has ac- cordingly adopted a more splendid establishment than his predecessors, and has set up several handsome carriages which he took over with him. He also received some fine horses from England, and besides his usual attendants, has introduced two orderly dragoons into his establishment, who attend him whenever he rides out. Two or three ♦ * I II ! -A 310 MODS OF LIVING IN THI TOWNS. of his staff officers have also sported their cha-» riots, besides splendid carioles for the winter. These equipages enliven the town, ,and please the people, who are fond of seeing the govern- ment sup|K>rted with proper dignity* ^ Sir James Craig resided in summer at a country house about four or five miles from Quebec, and went to town every morning to transact business. This residence is called Powel-Place, and is de* lightfuily situated in a neat plantation, on the border of the steep bank which overlooks the St. Lawrence, not- far from the spot where Gene* ral Wolfe landed, and ascended to the heights of Abraham. Sir James gave a splendid public breakfast, al fresco, at this place, in 1807) to all the principal inhabitants of Quebec; and the following day he allowed his servants, and their acquaintance, to partake of a similar entertain-r' ment at his expense. ' - The mode of living in Canada, among the 'genteel people, resembles in every respect that of England ; and, except in such seasons as telt^6a interferes with, the French inhabitants cfifivr very little in their meals from the British settlers, The country people use very early hours, which oblige the people in the towm to be up earlier than they otherwise would, to purchase prbvi* •ions at the markets. The Habitans are generally there by break of day, and the best of their aitt. MODE or LIVING IN THE TOWNS. 311 : ; S . U- cles are often sold before eight o*clock. At noon the market closes. This early rising induces the inhabitants to retire to rest soon, which is usually about ten o*clock. Sixty years ago, the governor-general held his levee at seven o*clock in the morning, and the gentry dined exactly at noon. Their dinner consisted of soups, ragouts, and the usual French dishes, with a dessert of fruits and sweetmeats. Silver forks and spoons only were laid on the table, the ladies and gentlemen being provided with their own knives. Claret and spruce beer were the liquors usually drunk, and immediately after dinner coffee was brought upon table ; after which they had no other meal till supper: this took place between seven and eight o*clock, and was Oimposed of similar dishes as the dinner;^^' The pr^ent French and £nglish gentry now dine at four o*clock, upon substantial joints of meat, fish^ fowl, and game, with pu^in]^ and pies ; drink their Madeira, Port, and Tenerifie after dinner ; have their tea and card part^'^s at seven, and conclude wilh a sandwich o» ; iiit S9itper in the true fashionable style. , The French inhabitants have certain fifttes and holidays prescribed by their religion; on those days they visit their friends, and give themselves up to pleasure and merriment. Before the set* tlement of thc^ English in the colony, thete f^tet 1 1 313 KEGLECT OF HOLIDAVd. I ' >. '^(' were very numerous, and of course detrimental" to'bustness, as well as to the morals of the lower order of the people. Since then tiie number has been considerably diminished, and the good effects are visible in the diminution of the number of poor people and beggars who formerly inhabited the towns. - There are yet a few beggars and idiots who are> allowed to disgrace Quebec and Montreal) when thitjrtmight be amply provided for in some of. the hospitals. * '.t) •■.!!. '! \ Among the British inhabitants, the festivals of Easter, Whitsuntide, Michaelmas, and Christ- mas, are not noticed as theyiiare in £ngland. The only, holiday which ^ is /kept: with any degree of festivity is- Newryear's day. On. this day, it is at present a very general custom thrQughout Canada, for the gentlemen to go roi|»d) to all their friends and Acquaintance, to reciptbcate the coroplilDents ^of the season, and a happy new year; wiiwi< and cake are laid out for the visiton, who continiie their peregrinations for three days. It was formerly the practice on these occasions, for the gentlemen, when paying their respect* to the ladies, to salute them with a chaste kiss. The, French ladies presented their cheek to tlie gentlemen, but the British ladies were saluted on the lips. This fashion prevailed until within these few years, when it most likely was dropped on account of the visitors being sa|Uinierou8, . it KISSING ON NEW-TKAR'S DAT. could not always have been a very agreeable custom for the ladies, particularly the British, whose manner of kissing was not so well adapted to a large company as that of the French, with whom the custom originated. . The ceremony of kissing on New-year*s day was not, however, confined to Canada, but was also practised in former times in the then British colonies. That it is now^fal^n into disrepute in those parts, as well as in Canada, may be ga» thered from a passage in a recent periodical work published at New York, entitled Salmagundi. » " Only one thing (says Launcelot I^ngstaflT, speaking of the new-year festivities) was wanting to make every part of the celebration accord with its ancient simplicity. The ladies, who (I wri|e it, with tlie most piercing regret) are generally It the head of all domestic innovations, most fitfti- diously refused that mark of good will, tii|t chaste and holy salute which was so fashionable in the happy days of Governor Rip and the Patriarchs. £ven the Miss Cocklofts, who belong to a family Alhat is the last intrenchment behind which the manners of the good old school have retreated, .^i^isade violent opposition^ and, whenever a gentle- Ainan entered the room, immediately put them- d selves in a posture of defence! this, Will Wizard, ;with bis V usual shrewdness, insists was only to give the visi^OFS a hint, that they expected an * n ■1l *''■ "I W' ■■*,'; dOUBLl WINDOWS AND DOORS. *>- attack, and declares, he has uniformly observed, that the reststance of those ladies who make the greatest noise and bustle is most easily overcome. This sad innovation originated with my good aunt Charity, who was as arrant a tabby as ever wore whiskers ; and I am not a little afflicted to find that she has so many followers among the young and beautiful*.** ' -^ The houses of the Canadians, though always sufficiently heated by stoves, yet are often very indifTerently secured against the entrance of the cold. The number that have double windows and doors are very few, and the folding case- ments in use, with so inany small panes of glass, by no means succeed in wholly excluding the cold. The houses are also frequently very ill built, and the rooms awkwardly situaied. To the street-door of some of the houses there is a kind ' of ilMiter door, meanly built, and covered in like a watch-box for the purpose of sheltering persons from 'the weather, while knocking at the inner door. They have a shabby appearance, especially if placed (as they often are) against the entrance of a respectable house; besides which, they are scarcely big enough to hold one person, I 1 1 I 1 1 III ■ I * This very entertaining collection of Essays, entitled Sal- magunidi, has been reprinted in London, with an Introductory £ssay and Explanatory Notes^ and pubHshed by J. M. Richard- ten, ComhIUi - ■- ^ \'J^ iHJuiiovs UFBcn or tbi trovi. tu until the other door it opened. A portieo, or double entrance of some kind or other, it abso- lutely wanted for the houses in Canada, where it is necessary to be sheltered from the severity of the cold, the rain, or the snow, until you get ad- mittance into the house ; and it would be very easy to build them with some little taste, td cor• • .ff'v*! (^' A few of the British inhabitants have intro- duced open fire-places with grates as in England i but they hare also one or more stoves, the pipes of which pass through the different rooms in the house. iuThe stove which stands in the kitchen often answers the double purpose of cooking for the family, and heating several other rooms of the house. Stoves have the advantage of open tire- places, by diffusing the warmth more general y throughout the room; but they are neither so cheerful to the eye, nor so beneficial to the con- stitutioQ. It is true that in England we fre- (^uently roait on one side^ and freeze on the 8 A ii s I I ^iS IMJimrOVS EFFECTS or THE STOV£# ifdier:; bat I would rather endure those extreme*, than hve in many of the Canadian houses, the heat of which is as oppressive as that of a vapour bath. . ' ^ For the first two or three months after my ar- tivat in Canada, vrhile I remained in the house, I ■was continually oppressed with the heat that iisued firom the stove'. It was very severe wea- ther; and our flfmily bad had, I suppose, such a dread of a CanadSah wint^r^ from the reports they bad heard, that they believed they coi:Id not keep the itove too hot, so that we often had the heat up to 90 or 1 00; The consequence was, tha*" t experienced violent head-aches., afid bleeding at the nose; and I Was glad to walk out even in the coldest weather^ rdther tlian be stewed ir a'hiim* mums at home. ^ - » j ' ^^ ; _ ,^% I have very little doubt but these 4tL '^''M the cause of the consumptions of which so nany of the Canadian females are the victims; r the ladies, rather than spoil their shape by adr Uonal clothing, will hover over the stove in thf r thin habiliments, by which means they inhale ai. un- wholesome vapour that proves injurious to their health, and renders their complexion pale and sickly. The furniture of the houses is generally made in Canada, for that brought from England iklls to pieces in a room where there is a stove. The ^■ BOARDING-HOUSEg AT OUSBEC. m chairs are mostly like our tvindsor chairs, painted green, and made of well seasoned wood; the tables and other kinds of furniture are made of the beech- or the maple-tree: mahogany is not very common in Canada. > » i The houses are very badly painted, and it is not often that they are fitted up and finished in « very complete style. The neat and cleanly ap- pearance of an English dwelling is very rarely met with in the Canadian towns. The boarding-houses in Quebec are but few, and those few are kept by French ladies. They have nothing to recoftimend them to an English taste. The price of boarding is from one guinea to eight dollars per week. At the taverns they charge a dollar per day. The Union Hotel on the Parade and Sturch's in St. John-street are the two best for strangers. ♦|.i if i| If ;■ "I f •i ■^ 'Vat^ 618 ARTS AMD SCIBNCSfll. ^V1.:i;|vi^:^^*.W^«t>J*i«f'%7rf\ . >• i gHAFTER XVI. '*«•}#* Zdteralure, jirts, and Sciences — Marquis de la ^. i , Galissoniere — His extensive Knowledge-^ Li- i, ieraiur^ in Canada — Almanacs — Quebec and \. Montreal Qauettes^'^ewspaper* — Quebec Mer- i, cury — Canadian Courant — Le Canadieri-— 'Abuse .:, qf the Liberty of the Press — Public Peculation 1. — Courier de Quebec — Newspaper IVarfare-^ I Public Library — Novels and Romances — Ama^ ^. twry Poems — Modern R^nement in Writing"^ y Tom Jones and Roderic Random'^Novel Read* u ing — Pictures of fictitious Life-^Accomplish' ■■), ments qf the Canadian Ladies^^Progress and , Influence of Music on Society^^" 0, Lady Fair" -■^ Oilman's Daughter-^ America, Mistress qf the tVorld — Model of Quebec, The state of literature, the arts, and sciencesy in Canada, can scarcely be said to be at a low ebb, because they were never known to flow; and, from what I have mentioned concerning the de* fects in education which exist in the colony, it is not likely that they will, in our time at least, rise much above their present level. The policy of the French government kept the p^ple in a t ^^• MARttUIS DB LA GAUSSONIERE. '319 state of ignorance, printing presses were un- known, and books were procured with difficulty and expense from France. Tiie general levity and dissipation which prevailed in society tended also to the depreciation of learning. The Jesuits and their missionaries were the only people pos- sessed of a taste for the sciences, or that possessed the means and opportunities of cultivating that taste. They investigated with ardour the natural history of the country and its inhabitants, and from them we derive the greatest part of the know- ledge and information we have of the interior of North America. « If the Canadian Creoles, under the French go* vernment, had ever possessed a disposition to cul- tivate the arts and sciences, it would have dis- played itself under the admininistration of the Marquis de la Galissoniere, who was the most active and enterprising governor that had ever been sent out, and possessed a very extensive knowledge of every branch of science. He was in every respect a complete statesman, and his acquirements in natural liistory, philosophy, and mathematics were made subservient to the views of his government. He procured informatiott from the remotest parts of the colony, Tes[)ecting its inhabitants, animals, trees, plants, earths, and minerals ; and the lakes^ rivers, and oceans, that water the extensive portion of - the Americaii .f 1 !t !iP k& I'. that polite and useful accomplishment of society. At all events, the publishing of six newspapers weekly, is a proof of the progressive improvement ; and prosperity of the country, though it may be but a (kllacious symptom of literary improve- ment. '-?*?v " ■ . . .' 'iiti . ■■^ Four of the newspapers are published in Que- bec, and two in Montreal. These, with an almanac, aqd t*he acts of the provincial parliament, are all the works that are printed tn Lower Canada* Two of these niew«papers have been estab) i shed ilf^ teen or sixteen yearst one of them is the Montreal G«f;ette, and the other the Quebec Gazette. They ^^ are published in French and English, and contain ' the governor*ft proclamations and edicts— the ad- vertisement* of the sheriff's sales—- merchants* ^ stores — ^public auctions^ &c.—-4ogether with a s^^ I lection of tlie earliest inteUigenoe extracted from ^ the English and American papers. The subscrip-'^ tion to each is twenty shillings pev anmint', and '* the price of advertisements is nearly the same as in England. #«^;^. The Gazettes seldom interim with the morals or manners of society ; those subjects are left for the other weekly papers which are published on VOL.1. Y \ # t I ii* f I ■ -■S^^ '■^' ■" r t; ♦ ' ^^^ ' i ■ 1 1! 1 . ' 1 392 LE CANADIBN. Saturdfiys and Mondays. These papers consist of the Quebec Mercury, published entirely in English, by Gary, on Monday afternoon, and, has been estabKshed about eight years. The Canadian Couranty also published in English at Montreal every Monday by Nahum Mower, an American from the States, who set up the paper about ^ six years ago. The other papers are wholly : French, and have been established since the, year ^18o6. . ..:■:: * The one called Le Canadien is conducted by some disaffected or rather dissatisfied French lawyers and members of the House of Assembly- It is the only opposition paper in the province i ^ but the Habitans either cannot read it, or pay very little attention to the complaints which it contains against the government. It is enough for them that they feel not the burthens and ca- lamities of which others complain. Thewri^w in Ze Canadien, however, abused the liberty of the press to such a degree, in the course of the year ;i8p8, that Sir James Craig thought proper to di- vest some of those gentlemen of the commissions which they held in the French militia, one of whom was a Colonel. It was said that the At* torney-general had received directions to prosecute the editors and publishers of that paper, but I. have not learnt that it has beenci^rried into executjion. The paper is still continued, and the writers stjU • *• i ' • LITERARY SOCIETY. 323 insist \y in dhas \adian ntreal erican about wholly ^Q^yjeac ■••:' ted by French embly. »vinqe • or pay hich it enough jtnd ca- iv- in of the he year r to di- nissioni one of the At* rosecut^ 1 1 have ecutjiop. ers still cbintiriu^ t6 complain ; they are 6n1y m'6rfe <*atf- tious ifi what they say. ' • i ■ It must be allowed that a watchful eye should be kept upon the public expenditure of every country ; and the defection of the late Com- mis8ary>general in Canada, as well as the shamefiil sale of the St. Maurice forges, &c. fully justify a censorial scrutiny into the conduct of public officers. I have also heard that abuses exist to a very alarming degree in the government pf Upper Canada, which call for immediate inves- tigation. Even the pure, republicans of the United States, who are continually speaking with reproach of the old and vicious governments of Europe, confess that they lately had a Vice- president on trial for treason — a Senator of Con- gress on trial for ^conspiracy — a Commander-in- cnief of the navy on trial for cowardice— and ATI *^ 1 a Commander-in-chief of the army on trial for bribery and corruption ! ! ! The other French paper, called Le Courier d& Quebec, is of very small size, and published every Saturday at two dollars per annum. This little paper is conducted by two or three young French Canadians, for the purpose of inserting their fu- gitive pieces. These gentlemen have recently established a literary society, which, though it may not contain the talents of a National Insti- tute, or of a Royal Society, is notwithstanding Y2 l;li i ft' III 11 >fr- dQ4 NEWSPAPER WARFaUE. ■"> !^deserving of all the encouragement that can be given to it by the Canadian government. The fiirst dawn of genius in such a country should be hailed with pleasure. 1 The Mercury and Canadian Courant are de- voted to news, and all the various ephemera which usually appear in periodical works of that descrip- tion. The original essays which appear are merely ,of a local ndture, and are generally the oflTspring of party disputation, acrimony, and slander ; and are of course generally written in ' Wit, and .Sense, and Nature*8 spite.* The writers in these Canadian papers are, likb their brethren of England and the United Sta<;es, in constant warfare with each other. ' Volumes of words have been expended, oceans of ink have been shed, nor has any m^rcy been shown to age, sex, or condition.' This scribbling warfare is no doubt necessary to the existence of some of these papers, which are often supported by the desire that^ieople have to know what one says of the other, and what both say of them^ I have fre- quently noticed in I^ondon, that whenever a news- paper is published, it is not out three days before the warhoop is raised, and it begins an attack upon some old established journal \ this draws on a retort, and to it they go pell mell ; discharging volumes of abuse at each other, and scatterii^ ft?ir dirt ^Bi the fuces pf their customers, lyjtll MOVILS AND ROMANCES. dSd the fame of the new one is fully established, or tlie other is tired : they then both agree to a sus- pension of their inky arms, and compromise their differences by a coalition for or against the mini- stry, as they find most convenient. ^ The only public library in Canada is kept at Quebec, in one of the apartments at the Bishop's palace. It is small, and very indiflPerently sup- plied with new publications. The books circu- late only in that city among those inhabitants who subscribe. Novels and romances are most in request among the Canadian ladies, as they iildeed are among the ladies of Europe. Ibese are the only books which seem to have any charms for the modern fair sex, and it is of little consequence in the opinion of many, how they are written or what they contain. The depart-*' ment of noveUwriting, which, like all other works of fancy, requires taste, judgement, and ability, has of late years fallen off considerably from its wonted spirit and originality, though it must be confessed that the language is in general less offensive to delicacy than the celebrated novels of Smollett and Fielding. But small is the number that are written with the abilities of those writers, or that have any claims to pre-eminence over the heterogeneous mass which the press so abun- dantly lavishes on the public ; and it is a lament- able fact, that the few which are superior to the I 336 MODERN REFINEMENT. rest, have too often been made the vehicle! of immoral sentiment, or of dangerous philosophy. Through the medium of a novel or romance, the voluptuary has conveyed in the most insinuating language his impure and libidinous sentiments, and the sophister has infused his dangerous and insidious opinions. But to amuse is the object of these writers ; and they care not how much the heart of the reader is inflamed by voluptuous de- scriptions, revolutionary tenets, or impious dog-' mas, if they can but accommodate themselves to* the reigning t&ste, which they themselves have, contributed so largely to vitiate and deprave. »'t* The writers and publishers of obscene pam*; phlets and prints have of late been punished in England with laudable severity, and few of the low and vulgar magazines and periodical publica-: tiouH that prevailed about thirty years agd are. now to be met with. This would certainly appear^ to augur well of the improvement of the national ' taste, and the depreciation of vice, was it not that; the form only is changed, and that coarse wit and vulgar obscenity are merely laid aside for soft non- sense and genteel voluptuousness. The licentious^, and lustful descriptions of modern writers have probably done more injury to the rising genera-f tion than the plain and open avowal of vice. Fori the impure sentiments of an elegant author are# more likely to undermine the morals of youth,. MODIRN R£riNKMCKr. 337 than the coarse ribaldry or low obscenity of a Grub- street writer. The on6 is fascinating, but the other is disgusting. The former may contaminate vir- tue, but the latter can administer pleasure only to vice.;»?T'?t':'; When in New York, 1 was told that The Monk made its first appearance in that city in a weekly ^ magazine; and such was the rage to peruse the' detached parts of that elegantly-written but im- pure novel, that the servants were waiting at the publishers several hours before the delivery of the magazine, in order to convey it to their masters or* mistresses as early as possible. '-The mischievous effects which the amatory novels and poetry of the present day have upon^ the minds of the young and inexperienced are in« calculable; and, if it was not possible to find proper books for the instruction and amusement of youth, I would approve the choice of a lady of my acquaintance, who allowed her daughters to read Tom Jones and Roderic Random, rather than sutfer them to look into a novel, romance, or poem written by our refined but licentious modern au- thors. . Few, indeed, can sit down to read them, without fancying themselves the heroes or hero-t ines of the tale; aiid the fictitious picture of life, which is there represented in such glowing colours, creates in them a feeling of disgust at their own! situation. ' When they cast the book aside, they ■ (; II i !? I j. Mi U lii 1,1 U.i I :-#rV; 398 tfOVEL-RlADlNO. find theittMelfei to be common morttli , inetptble of realiting, in the {Mnetent Ktatc of society, thoi« romantic attachments of which they were ena* moufed in the novel. They perceive that the virtues of mankind, instead of being carried to ejtoess, are often sullied by failings, and even vice; and that the vicious part are not totally exempt from good qualities. In short, the characters in real life are seldom or never liable to thoee ex* tremes which are to be found in novels ( and the abiurd ideas and impure centiments which are continually broached in works of that description, have often been the means of csrrying some ef their fair readers to the Magdalen or Doctors* CoQimons* *'H.m .The ladies of Canada have not, however, so ibatiy temptations thrown in their way as the ladies of Britain; very few new publications, good or bad, ever make their appearance in that country. The printing-offices at Quebec and Montreal are the only book stores in the country, and those collections consist chiefly of school books and a few old histories. Reading is not altogether so general an amusement as it ,is in Engltind ; and I believe that the Canadian ladies 9pend the greatest portion of their time in doing nothing, or at least in doing that which amounts lo nothing. The polite accomplishments of draw* ing tnd music ere almost strangers in Canada* . I THE OlUf AM I DAUGHTER. 339 ntfrer heard of more than half a dozen who un- derstood either, and they were but moderate pro- ficients. But the Canadian ladies labour under the disadvantage of indr^erent tr^cherS) in almost every branch of poiite education ; it would, there- fore, be severe to censure them for not possessing^ extraordinary talents and accomplishments. Many of them, however, have natural genius and abili« ties, that only require to be properly cultivated to render them in every respect equal to the Euro* pean females. w > It would be a curious subject for research to investigate the progress and influence of music upon the morals, manners, and disposition of so- ciety in England, for it never was so much in vogue as at the present day : it almost seems to supersede many other branches of female educa- tion, which are more necessary to the cultivation of tht mind. A fine shape, a good voice, and a sufficient knowledge of the piano for " O lady fair,** appear to be the chief requisites for young ladies, and all that engross the attention, of indul- gent parents and fashionable governesses. Young ladies of all ranks mix together at the el^ant se- minaries in the vicinity of London ; though, wheo their education is finished, some go behind the counter, or into the kitchen, while others step into a chariot. On entering a small oil-shop once, near London, my attention was suddenly tt'.i ii i I Si! t ! »30. \Si ■ MUSIC MANIA. arrested by the dulcet strains of the oilmafi*g daughter, who was practising her lessons on the piano in a httio room adjoining the shop. I could not help admiring the whimsical circumstance of having three of my senses brought into action at once by such opposite materials. My sight was regaled by the mops, brushes, and brooms that hung over my head ; my nose was asailed by the effluvia of train oil, turpentine, and varnish ; while ' my ears were delighted with the melodious sounds of vocal and instrumental nu^ic. .r^t^*^ Refinement is the shrine at which all classes of the community now sacrifice, and it will most likely, in course of time, be carried to the same extent as it was in the most splendid aeras of Egyptian, Grecian, and Roman grandeur; till,/ like the refinement of those nations, it reverts to its almost primitive state of barbarism. The Americans, no doubt, flatter tliemselves that, as ^ improvement has been travelling westward since ; the beginning of the world, their quarter of the globe will prove to be the phoenix that 'shall rise out of the ashes of European luxury and refine- $ ment ; that it shall survive the wreck of nations^ k and reign in future ages mistress of the world. li Before I quit the subject of the arts in Canada,! a country seemingly more capable of supportingi^ than creating genius, I must not omit to mention,^**, with the approbation he deservedly merits, a gen- < Vi MODEL OF aUEBEC. 331 tleinan of the liame of Daberger^ a native of that country, and an officer in the corps of engineers: and mihtary draughtsmen. He is a self-taught genius, and has had no other advantage than what the province afforded him, for he has never been out of the country. He excels in the mechanical ' arts, and the drawing of military surveys^ &c. He had the politeness to show me setreral of his large draughts of the country, and many other draw- ings, some of which were beautifully done, and are deposited in the Engineer's office. The only correct chart of Lower Canada, and which was published in London, by Faden, in the name of Mr. Vondenvelden, was taken by Mr. Duberger and another gentleman, whose names had a much greater right to appear on the chart than the one which is at present there. But the most important of his labours is a beau- tiful model of Quebec, upon which he is at present employed, in conjunction with a school- fellow of mine. Captain By of the engineers, whom I had the unexpected pleasure of meeting in Canada after an absence of ten veari. I'he whole of the model is sketched out, and a great part is finished, particularly the fortifications and public buildings. It is upwards of 35 feet in length, and comprises a considerable portion of the plains of Abraham, as far as the spot where Wolfe died. That which is done is finished with exquisite neatness ; cut > ii I '■-#- - ! !«' S32 BfODEL OF aUBBEC. #.# entirely out of wood, and modelled to a certain • scale, so that every part will be completed with singular correctness, even to the very shape and projection of the rock, the elevations and descents in the city, and on the plains, particularly those eminences which command the garrison. It is to be sent to England when finished, a,nd will, no doubt, be received by the British government with the approbation it merits*. r.4->f»«'i - * It 18 now deposited at Wo<4wicb, 1813. 'I. ■*•».»»» it* •'.'■Jit*: ?m^' JuthM'^i'Mii'mi. »T pP>M*W- »:V 'it^) H:f,:0*-'f^l*'it '^^fii'h'^ rH •*'#. »>J^>..jSi» .■■-*'**' M 'U '^ v^J ,j.^i :i^''ft(8»4;vS;-5,^^:TjSiJ?^^ «>fei© «*- ■;XU ,-..j^.: f.'-: .VJ •-*■ ;^ ROMAN CATHOLIC CLERGY. 333 ■i^s, CHAPTER XVil. M^ Roman Catholic Clergy — Religious Xhders^-^Tok' ration of the Catholic Religion — Character tf the Canadian Priests — Zeal of the Abw— • Double Funeral — F^ies and Holidays — Number of Clergy in Canada— Errors and Corruption of the Romish Church-^Fallen State-^^Harmless ^; a< the present Day — Canadian Catholics-^ Irish || Catholics — Catholic Emancipation — Disinter^ ested Conduct in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth-^ Unanimity^^ Religion of our Ancestors — Reasons' why it should be preferred — Variety of Religions ^•^ Exemplary Conduct of the Canadian Catholics •"-^Conversion— 'Anecdote of First Cousins— 'Pro* testant Clergy — Bishop of Quebec — Trafalgar Dinner— Protestant Religion in Danger, ti (i (1 ill I II ii ;: I When C^'uada surrendered to the English, the free exercise of the Roman Catholic religion was stipulated for, and granted. Its ministers were also to be protected and supported as they had formerly been ; the Jesuits and Recollets only excepted, whose orders were to remain as they then were, without receiving in future any aug- mentation of thf^r nuroben. While there existed -^ #■ 334 TOLERATION OF THE CATHOLIC RELIGION. m an individual of their order, the revenues and pro- perty belonging to it were to be at his disposal s but at his death they reverted to the king, and the order became extinct. "^ • * Of the three religious male orders at that time in Existence, the priests alone were allowed to in- crease their numbers, and to ofBciate in every re- spect as they had been accustomed to under the French government. The female orders being charitable institutions, and beneficial to the co- lony, were also allowed to exist, and were per- mitted to fill up their vacancies and increase their establishments as they had formerly done. They were to be protected in their persons and property upon the same footing as under the French go- vernment. ' .. • This toleration of the Catholic religion, and of its monastic institutions, was a measure of neces- sity rather than of choice. In a conquered coun- try where the whole population was of one faith, it would have been a dangerous experiment to have attempted, or even t6 have shown a wish, to subvert the established religion. Nothing more than what was done could be done with propriety or safety. It would have b^cn worse than Quix- otism to have forced 80,000 people to adopt the religion and form of worship of 500, who, exclusive of the king's troops, were all theBritish subjects that settled in the prbvince for more than fourteen years •t,- TOLERATION OF THB CATHOLIC RELIGION. 335 ! li !?■ after the conquest. Hence it appears that the to- leration of the Catholic reHgion, and of the female institutions belonging to it, was a matter not only of necessity but of sound policy. It was necessary to obtain the confidence of the ])eople, and their affection for the new government. It was a mea- sure of policy, because, as long as the priests found that they enjoyed the same rights and privileges as they possessed before the conquest, it was of little consequence to them under what govern- ment they lived I and in return for the protection which they recei\'^d, they would incite the people to obedience. ' They perhaps felt themselves rather elevated than depressed by the change ; for, on the extinc- tion of the other ecclesiastical establishmentb, their order became the only male one in existence. Whereas, when they lived under the French go- vernment, the priesthood was only second in rank, the Jesuits taking the lead in all affairs of impor- tance ; and no little degree of jealousy existed be- >yeen those two powerful bodies. The priests, therefore, gained a certain degree of importance by the change, without having their property, their rights, or immunities the least impaired. That they are sensible of the protection they receive from the English government, and the benefits they derive from the constitution under which they live, is sufficiently demonstrated by ' .1 ii Ml $■ 336 CHARACTER OF TMS CANADIAN PRIESTS. their conduct and behaviour, which have ever been highly honourable to their character as men and as Christian pastors. I have read that the priests of Canada were, in the time of the French government, meddling and officious people, violent enthusiasts, and in- tolerant fanatics, all which, as might naturally be supposed, was exceeded only by their ignorance. Whether the priests in those days deserved this severe character, which has been given them by some of tlie old writers, it is now impossible to say ; but I can safely answer for the Roman clergy of the present day, that they are distinguished by conduct totally the reverste of that attributed to their predecessors, and that the character which they universally hear throughout Canada, is that which is required of every man who undertakes to dispense the benefits of Christianity to his iellow-creatures. Their lives are CKemplary ; ^d it is seldom that any of them can be accused of giving advice which they themselves do not follow. If the British government is reproachable ffr exhibiting such a tolerant spirit towards the Ca- rbolic religion in Canada, it should, at least, be some mitigation of that reproach, when it is kndwn tliat the Catholic clergy have imbibed the sam^ spirit of toleration ; and that they have not only cQued to persecute for the sake of religion, but they forbear to importune, even though they M^t li''\ ' I ■•I v A ^ . .(4* ^.«t^-».' ,. ..tal ZKAI. OF THE NUNS. 337 •hould gain a convert by it. It is no doubt in grateful return for the tenderness with which their faith has been treated, that in Canada we hear nothing of that enthusiastic spirit of prose- lytism, for which the priests in other Catholic countries are so celebrated. The Canadian priests concern themselves only with their Catholic pa- rishioners, with the Indians, or with those who have no religion at all. But the Protestant sub- jects, as far as I have understood, they seldom or never interfere with ; and if ever any of the Protestants do exchange their faith for that of the Romish church, it is more owing to the negli- gence of their own clergy than to the persuasions of the French priests. The nuns, however, appear to be uKire desirous of gaining converts, though I never heard of their being very successful. A v( singular instance occurred about the year 1807> upon the death of Dr. Syms of Montreal, who had attended the Hotel Dim of that city, as physician, for upwards of sixteen years. At his ' decease the nuns of the Hospital claimed and took possession of his body, for the purpose of burying it in their chapel, declaring that they had con* verted him to their communion, and that he diect a Roman Catholic. Mr. M'G ^, the intimate friend of "Dr. Syms, resolutely opposed these zeal- ous ladies, and demanded the Doctor's body, in iorder that it might be interred in the Protestant VOL. I, z ^ -US FITBS AVD HOUOATS. burying-ground. The amis vtood out for somfe time, but were «t length reluetantly obfliged to jMrt with their dear Doctor. They were, how- ever, determined not to be deprived of doing ho- nour to the soul of their convert, though his body was not in th^ir possession. A coffin was accord- ingly procQred, and carried with much pomp and ceremony into their chapel, where mass was said for the repose of his soul; after which the empty coffin was buried with great solemnity, the bdls of the cathedral and chapel toKing during ■the whole of the funeral service. The holy sisters declared they had saved his soul, and it was of ao consequence "what became of his body. 1^. was told that the Doctor had left a sum of money to the Hospital in his will. At all events the ladies yirere determined to honour his niemory. The multitude df fetes and holidays, which under the French government cbwked the indus- try and increaised the poverty of the people, are iiOw nearly abolished. A few only of the prin- <2i pal saints* days are enjoined by the chUrch, the rest haVe sunk into oblivion , so that a P6pish proceisidn is how a 'very rare sight in that country. There are seldom more than two or three in the course -of the 3^ftF, oAe of vi^bich is the Fdte Dieu, (On Trinity-Thursday) : and was it not for the acci- dental sight of a priest, or a funeral now and then, • stranger in Canada would scarcely know that he COKBUPnON Off THB ROMI&H CHURCH. 339 lived in a Gitliblic country ; yet the number of Catholics, conipai-ed to that of the Protestants, is as ten to one. There are about 180 Catholic priests and 1^2 Protesta«)t ministers, includin{^ those df the dissenting profee^sions. Among the Pro« testants the churches of England and Scotland are most numerous. Notwithstanding the Ca* tholic priests are so many, I am told there are •several parishes in want of them. ^ The errors, superstition, and corruption of the Romish faith originated chiefly from the anohition of its ministers in the early ages of Christianity. They were not satisfied with teaching the mild apd peaceful doctrines of that holy religion, but :they must aspire to spiritual dominion over their "Votaries: they had totally forgotten the pattern of humility set them by their heavenly master. In courseof time they erected themselves into tem^ ^ral as well as spiritual sovereigns, and at one ,period gave law to all Europe. Instead of en- ilightening their disciples, and removing that cloud tof ignorance and superstition which overshadowed th6 minds of the people during the Gothic age; they sought only how they might increase the darkness of that period, andciead the people blind- fold through the intricate mazes which they had woven into their religious system. Hence, the divine precepts of Christianity, which breathed ,only peace and good will towards man, were ren- 340 FALLEN STATE OF THE ROMISH CHURCH. dered subservient to the diabolical airts and ma' chinations of a set of villains ; and instead of tending to the welfare and happinens of mankind, they were made the horrid and blasphemous in- struments of tyranny, persecution, and blood- shed. The Romish religion, as being the mine from whence those evils sprang with which the Chris- tian faith overwhelmed the civilized parts of the globe, came in process of time to be viewed with that horror which it so justly deserved. As the minds of the people became enlightened, they gradually threw off the fetters of superstition. Their eyes were opened to the errors and corrup- tion of their faith, and reformation then dawned upon the world. Christianity was once more re- stored to its primitive simplicity, and Popish fop- peries were avoided with horror and detestation. At the present day the Roman Catholic reli- gion, compared with its most flourishing periods, is humbled to the dust. With the exception of Spain and Portugal, it is in every other nation as harmless as many of those branches of the reformed religion, which are stalking with rapid strides over every quarter of the globe ; and whose missionaries, with all the fanaticism but with none of the genius and ability of the Jesuits, are wan- dering about in search of converts. The Romish religion at this day is a serpent without a sting ; * CAM ADUN CATH0UC8. 341 jind lik« thoie which the jugglers of India carry about, it may come out of its box to amuse the people, but it can do them no iryury. It is a sin- gular fact, that religions of every denomination prosper more under a state of persecution than of toleration. On those occasions the enthusiasm of their votaries is wrought un to the highest pitch ; hut when they are living in ease and plenty, and allowed the same rights and privileges which others enjoy, the effervescence of their holy zeal subsides like the violent passion of a hasty man. The Catholics of Canada are a living evidence of the beneficial effects of religious toleration, re- gulated by the prudent measures of a mild and liberal government, though professing a contrary faith, and one too that was formerly viewed by the Papists with as much horror as we looked upon theirs. But the Canadian Catholics never concern themselves about the religion of those who hold the reins of government. It is sufficient for them that they are allowed every privilege which the Protestants enjoy ; that they sit in the executive and legislative councils, in the House of Assembly, and upon the Bench. It is true, a Catholic has never yet been governor of the colony since it has been under the £nglish government ; but that is of little consequence to them, because none ever aspire to that high and distinguished post, while £very other of consequence and iinportance is Iff Ir lit #. ^42 iifitt»i^ t/ittiOLici,^ ^r»>. 6pen to' theiti. An English br f rish Aottiati Clfi- thoHc, upoii the same pptneiple, would care vtry little whether a Protestant or Catholic prince filled the throne, as long ^9 he enjoyed the same honours and confidence as his Protestant brethren, iind hi^d nothing to gain by the change. But while their passions are roused, and their pride infiacned, by contumacious treatment, they will never cease to resent it, and to wish for such a change as may turn the scale against their oppressors. Do away their grievances, and they will have nothing to complain of: put them upon the same footing as ourselves, and they will have nothing to hope for, nothing to ejcpect, beyond what they are lawfully entitled to, . »? ' We seem to have forgotten the unanimity which prevailed among all ranks of people, Catholics as well as Protestants, in the days of Queen Eliza*- beth, when the Spanish annada threatened to subv' vert the Protestant power, and raise the Catholics to pre-eminence. It is recorded of the latter, that they voluntarily came forward and contributed^ ships and money towards the defence of the kin^ dom, delicately forbearing to offer their own per*- sonal services, lest the sincerity of their motives might be suspected : nor is there one solitary in^. stance of plot, riot, or insurrection oris^inating with the Catholics of the kingdom at that mo^ mentous period. But if ancient times are too rp*^' FREfiOOM on THB CATHQtlCS. 34ar # mote for onr notice, or le&t there should be any perversion of fact in our history, l«t us hook to our own times, when the scarlet monster is somewbat more harmless tKan she was a century and a half stigfK Here we may see with our own eyes tbe unanimity that prevaiis in many parts of Europe, in the United States of Nnrth America, and more particularly in our own colony of Lower Canada, between Catholics and Protestants, and between Christians and Pagans of every denomination. There we hear of no disputes, no persecutions i hood to take up with any plausible doctrine thiK may be broached in his presence by the artful or ignorant enthusiast ; unless, indeed, that his con- science really revolts at the errors or absurdities of his own religion:-— 'then it is praise-worthy to de- part from them. Independent of the veneration which we feel for the religion of our ancestors^ we are more likely to keep to that in which we have always been bred ; because, ^ were it even Pa« ganism, no sin can attach to us on that accouQt. M ^^* VARIETY OF RELIGIONS. ::'i: 345 How far the sin rests upon theTead of those who originally departed from the worship of the true God, is a matter which surely cannot affect their offspring for thousands of generations. We are told that the sins of the fathers are visited upon their children, unto the third and fourth genera- tions ; but we are not told that punishment con- tinues for a series of ages.. A man, therefore, cannot be said to be accountable for the errors and defects of that religion which originated cen- turies before he was born, and in which he was initiated by his parents. The main precepts of every religion tend to the adoration of a supreme Being, though the forms under which he is wor- shipped are nearly as various as the people who worship him. While, therefore, a man acts strictly up to the precepts inculcated by his faith, no matter whether Pagan, Christian, Jew, or Mo^ hammedan, he '.s, according to my humble ideas, as much, entitled to admission into Heaven as one of a contrary religion, though the latter should arro- gate to himself and others of his sect exclusive right and title to that holy place. >^* If we were not guided by the religion of our fathers, and were left when of age to choose one for ourselves, what a variety would be laid before us from which to pick and choose! What a mul- titude of creeds, opinions, and forms of worahip, should we be urged to acccept by the zealous mis- • ■ - » f.'T* 946 VARIETY OF AELIGI0N9. '^*- ',« ..i sionafies of Jews, Tupks, Christians, and Pagans ; of Chinese, Hindoos, Peruvians and Otaheitans ; of typists, Presbyterians, Jansenists, and Metbod^ iftts ; of Quakers, Shakers, Swadlers, and Jumpers; of Lutherans, Caivinists, Arians, and Socinlansj^^ of Moravians, Hugonots, Muggletonians, and Anabaptists ; and of their innumerable branches and ramifications, each of which has a distinct form of its own I Were a person, possessing no sort of faith or form of worship whatever, one^ in short, who never had an idea of going to heaven through such means, were he, I say, to have his choice of such a motley collection, how difficult would he find it to select the right one! But when be was told that each of these separate sects abso. lutely declared that its faith was the only true re* Ugion — that its followers were the only elect people of God — and that all ethers would be everlastingly damncd^-^he must be so staggered by the inf(»r« mation, that he would naturally decline having any thing to do with either; and would most likely prefer tlie dictates of bis own conscience to all the invitations held out to him by the missionaries of such a variety of contradictory religions. It is better, however, to have an imperfect faith and form of worship, than to have no reli« gion at all; for a man*s mind is seldom ^nw enough to carry him safe through the alliiremonts ttf V^iOfii wilhyiJt the g»*ide and support of io:iiie'^ I / -«: CONDUCT or CilNlIMAVCATHOLTCS. 34^ thih)^ stronger than his own conscfeiice, which ma/ be lulled to sleep wlven it interferes with hit pleasures* A man without religioa is like a ship without a rudder : he is left at large on the ocean of ODcertainty, tost about at the mercy of a trou* bled mind, nor does he gain the peaceful haven until Religion comes to his aid. For fifty years the Roman Catholics of Canada have lived under a Protestant government. — They have been dutiful and obedient subjects; and when our other colonies shook off the yoke of Great Britain, they remained true and faithful, notwithstanding great inducements were held out to them by their neighbours to follow their ex* ample. This steady adherence of the Canadians to their conquerors can be attributed only to their due sense of the benefits they had received from then)) and to the firm attachment of the clergy to the British government; for had the latter been inimical, either firom religious or political causes, they could with the greatest ease have stirred up the whole body of the people to rebellion. There were only 500 British settlers in the colony, and sometimes not a thousand troops ; and it is well known that General Carlelon saved Quebec, when besieged by General Montgomery, chiefly by thQ exertions of the inhabitants. Tlie Roman Catholic religion has been no way ir\jurious to the Protestant establishment in that ■Ji' -mm- Ud .?;)?. conversion; D«pua^o.) 11: i country; for though their number has increased ' from 80,000 to 18O,O0o, yet the British have in* . creased from 500 to 30,000. Some few instances, it is true, have occurred, in which Protestants ; have renounced their faith for that of the Romish church; but this possibly happened in those places where there was no Protestant minister or place of worship, and where they must have neglected re- ligion entirely, had they not gone to the Catholic . church. The few British subjects that were then in the province were, according to General Mur* ray*s account, a most immoral set of men ; it was, therefore, of little consequence what^fVA they professed, when their works tended so little to the credit of themselves or the edification of others. If such men entered the Romish communion, it Was more owing to the inattention of the Pro- testant clergy than to the officiousness of the French priests. It is possible^ however, that some of the latter may have been guided by a desire to make proselytes, but it was by no means general ; «nd indeed the Canadian priests have seemed anx- ious to discharge only their own (iinctions, with- out interfering with those of the English ministers. As to the latter, they cannot be charged with even the most distant wish to convert the Roman Ca- tholics into Protestants ; nor perhaps are they sufficiently qualified for the task. It is not a haughty, supercilious behaviour that will win the ANECDOTE OF FIRST COUSINS. 349 esteem of the Canadians; on the contrary, they are a people of such polite and easy demeanour themselves, that they are rather repulsed than invited by the manners of some of the English clergy. ? ' '' It is a misfortune for the Protestant interest in general, and for the English church in particular, that any of its ministers in Canada should be de- ficient in those qualifications which might engage the afiection and esteem of the people of that country ; but it is yet worse when they are defi- cient in the very duties of their profession. The blunders that some of them make in the church service are not only painful to hear, but must tend considerably to lessen the dignity of our religion in the eyes of the Canadians. I have been told also, that besides their regular salaries, of frotii two to five hundred a year, they charge very high fees for christenings, &c. and it has been known that poor people, unable to pay the Protestant minister l'2s. 6d. for baptizing their children, have taken them to the Catholic church, where they have been christened for a few pence. As a set-cfT, however, to the subject of high fees in christenings, I must mention an anecdote in favour of our clergy respecting marriage fees. A poor Habitant had fallen in love with his first cousin, and matters had proceeded to such a length, that nothing but marriage could make her an honest woman. The \ ,* ■i^- 11 » i t60 »> PK0T£8TANT CLERGT* !A lit . ' mao applied to his priest to be married ; bet it being contrary to the Githolic religion for pevsont to marry when ao nearly rekited, the priest told him that he could not obtain a dispensation from the bishop under 1 50 dollars. The poor fellow oF-« fered 6o dollars, which was all that he was worth ID the world, but the iprieat refused it. The tn'an then applied to the Pi'otestsnt minister at Three Rivers, Who readily ofiered to marry the Habitant and hk cousin, upon paying the customary fees, which did not amount to more than three H IMDIAHS OF LORATTB. ' # where the native Iiulians are seldom or never met with, except in a degenerated state^ and in small societies, widely difiefing from the tribes situated in the interior of tlie North American continent. It is therefore unnecessary for me to wander from the arctic circle to Terra del Fut^o, .from the dog-ribbed Indians to the Patagonians^ aiRce very little additional information concerning, the aboriginal inhabitants of America can be ofiered to the public beyond what we have received from so many eminent writers. The state. of the In- dian tribes in the interior of America is nearly the same as described by the Jesuit missionaries, by Robertson, Raynal, Douglas, and Adair^ and .by Ofther historians and travellers who have penetMtd the American forests, and made tliemselves ac- quainted with the manners, customs, and amuse- ments ; the maxinu of legislation, polity, and warfare of the Indian tribes which are scatteied over- that immense continent. The remarks, therefore, which 7 shall have to make upon the Indians will be confined principally to those who are domiciliated in Canada, of whose real condi- tion but little is known, and that little but im- pierfectly. 'h The Indians who inhabit Lower Canada are a few wandering tribes near the entrance of • the St. Lawrence, and those who reside in the pil- lages of Lorette, Be9ancoar, St. Frani^ois, Lidte f\ i>. ,i iiiW ivDiAMt or LOREirr. 355 •f the Two Mountains, Cachenonaga, &c. The Indians of Lorette, about tliree leagues from • {Quebec, are for the most part descended from a nation which formerly resided in the vicinity of Lake Huron, from whence they take their name. The tribe was at that time very powerful, and • joined the Algonqbins in their war against the > Iroquois; but the latter, by one of those cun* • ntng* stratagems in which the I iHJian delights to excel, took the opportunity of entering the Huron viUage under pretence of forming an alliance with them; and no sooner found themselves in the midst of the unarmed inhabitants, than tliey commenced/ a horrid slaughter, sparing neither age, sef,! Tior conditiori> and burning every habi* tation inr the village: a few only of the Huront escaped < the general massacre, and fled to they^ French for protections Thtf latter seized this, favourable opportunity of civilisingthese savages, and established them in the village of Lorette, near the capital^ vnder the > care of a zealous mi9sionary<. « » i r r^'n For several years their dwellings were mere huts formed of the branches of trees, covered with birch bark, and they lived nearly in their usual style. '-But afterwards they laid aside their huts, and ^ erected houses after the French fashion ; -they also adopted many of the French customs, '4,tieir modes of dress,- &c.; and sevenrl Frenchmen 2 A a S56 FRENCH PXCULIARITIES. it. ._ settled among them, which tended stilt .pore t(> accelerate their conversion. t ' fi* It is a pecuhar trait in the character of the French, that they can unbend their dispositions, and assimilate themselves, more than any other people, to the manners and customs of the country where they reside; it is natural to them, whether prompted to it or not by inclination or interest* This accommodating disposition was of much service to the French government; for those indi- viduals who settled among the Indians intermar^ ried with many of the females, and by that means Sittached them still more closely to the French interest. This was more or less the case in all the se^Iements which the French governHient irt> tc!T5pir»d to civilize ; and, in consequence, the descendants of these people are at the present day almost wholly of a mixed blood. it is however remarkable^ that the Indians, though so closely allied by intermarriages, have never entered fully into tlie European mode of living; but follow, with few exceptions, the same indolent and erratic life which distinguished their ancestors. All the domiciliated Indians in Lower Canada employ themselves either in hunting or fishing; or are engaged by the merchants in the North-west fur trade; very few attend much to agriculture : what little corn they raise, is gene- rally cultivated by their wives. Some of them «• ti «> V.'H :fj. GROUPS OF SAVAGES. 357 keep ahorse filid cart, a cow and a few |>igs; but tlie greatest part of them depend upon Hshing and hunting for their subsistence, and often procure 9. Burphis to dispose of at market. The money whicli they procure from the sale of those articles, or from the furs which they carry to market, is always spent in rum, of which they are extra- vagantly fond. I have often stood a considerable time in the market-place at Quebec, admiring tlie whimsical appearance and gestures of a group of these sa-«> Vages, handing the rum bottle tci one another, examining the contents as they put it to their mouths, and then placing the bottle in their bosom pnder their blanket or coat, where it would not remain three minutes before it was handed about ' 9gain. During this while they shake hands, laugh ]oud« and talk vehemently; sometimes brandish- ing theifr fists in each other's face in such a me- nacing attitude that a stranger would fancy they were quarrelling: this, however, does not happen, unless they are very much intoxicated; at other times they appear good-humoured and friendly. Their external appearance is extremely forbid- cling, and often disgusting; a dark swarthy coun- \ tenance, with high cheek bones, prominent nose and chin, and long black coarse hair lian.;ing in disorder over their face. Their lanky limbs some- times wrapped up in an old ragged coat, dirty \ 358 sauAWs. pi: hi ': 111 ril! J^^^ I ! li>Iankel, or tattered shirty which mter h mofet commonly their sole covering, and is never taken off, changed, or washed, as long as there is a rag left. Such is the miserable garb and appearance of most of these half-civilized half-savage inha- bitants of the Indian villages, who roam about bare-legged and bare-headiid,- Exhibiting a de- graded picture of the Indian warrior, whose hit^h-minded pride and spirit have been so much extolled. The domesticated Indians, wandering about the •treets in such dirty, ragged habiliments, which are scarcely su^icient- to cover their nak(ediiess, with a bottle 6f rum in one hand and #«iir biil- hiik*s head in the other, do not give a stranger a HMff exalteck o{>inion of the Inc^i character, which has thus a great reseniblancd^ thd oUtcait race of wandering gipsies. Th^ latter, however, roam about in much better condition, though I believe with less innocent views^ than the poor Indians. ' The females, or squaws, as they are qpost com- monly called, are in general hetter dressecl^ though often very dirty. Some few take a pride in appearing to advantage; and'wH^n decorated in all their finery, which among the better sort is sometimes of considerable value, they look very -pretty and interesting: they are also more care- |U1 tb|ui the men of their money, and with thb - ■ ■ .-J^ f *«■ '*■■ • • "^J^B ^HHHHMHI^^' , * l*^-'-' , '■■■ HHN^BHPi^M. '^^' P^IRMHH^^HHHp^^^H Htfitn-^'' "^'^■^^^^1 « -i.' <]^H^H ^^^^^H ^^^^^^^H -f '>t!l-' 'mi.^'^H^^^I BUI »*'• ^IB 't'«^:< '. ^^^^^^^I ^B ^^H ,t'%t'>^H|r f^^^H 41 m \ |pi*^.--«ri^??g^K*. ..^ , , v"*? ■ ^^ J^^nma/?i/ am/i^ A/^ C/mtm^. //■ / t< J :»*. i! 1*1 f ■■ / t->1 >j :Jili ?:>l» ' >>/. 1 / // I.'. i itj.i'-af I I • -l i N , > .- / .j»< ; / U» 5iU, T.> inok ■i« . UJ' i • 'tiJ (K filjffl d...: J,.- 1 1 i> '* Ji *t >-' I. • ■J n.. k. » V" 1 •, ' .a --i,. - iV.J ' '• • *-'i|' uO , M.» i J. on • -SI. • .^1 .O.v .()j Iw III ailj J ■ ' > • J> a '< -1 ' I J i ; // ' ' t- '. '. .'. ' -J "T ' ' < '.I ,i. •> ^> i» », iJjIW ■' . ■'-»!/ K.I I, •- .,!j o; '/I jj •* i . * ' I ' '' ^ <>. il >i ii . i i • •■ .-. J Sj V' • / I M., )t;0 ' . '" wKf. . / .ii .1(1 (ii .rti> ': . ' - ) ."» • i In* J ':;0 CONTRAST BETWEEW INDIANS AND SAUAWS. 359 » > '■•'/ lid i Hi 6 I! .lt.> I JKl produce of their baskets and toys purchase clothes and victuals instead of rum. It is very seldom that they intoxicate or disgrace themselves as the men too often do. There is a wide and marked diflference between the persons and i.^a- tures of the Indians and their squaws. The former are universally tall, large-boned, and long- visaged, with very prominent features. The wo- men, on the contrary, are short, rather small- boned, and possess a round or oval visage, with very pleasing features rather broad than promi- nent. Their complexions are much aliV.e; and the hair of the women is as black and as coarse as that of the men, but they take more pains with it. They wear it long behind their back, combed smooth, and parted over the forehead. 'ft*: The contrast between the persons and features of the mtn and women struck me very forcibly; and I found that these characteristic differences prevailed generally among all the Indians I met with in Canada; nor was any alteration visible between those who were domesticated and those who existed in a rude state >v The females when young are generally pretty, but after twenty five or thirty they gradually fall off in beauty, and acquire every appearance of premature old age. 'i'liis early decay seems to be constitutional, or the effect of the climate, rather than the conse(|ueuce of a laborious lifti ; S6o Dwellings. s t*.' 1 \ for the women in the Indian villages appea#^ more indolent than industrious, and spend more time in sitting idly in their houses then working in- the fields. They also prefer sedentary to active employments, and like the making of baskets, moccasins, and other small articles, bet- ter than cultivating the field or garden. It does not therefore appear that an early decay is the result only of the laborious avocations in which they are employed : it may perhaps be the case with the uncivilized tribes, whose means of exist** ence ait, more precarious, and who are more ex- posed to the vicissitudes of the weather. The •constitutions of the women who reside much at home, must however be greatly injured by the constant use of stoves with which they warm their houses and cook their victuals; so that summer and winter they inhale the noxious vapours thait continually i&sue from the wood embers through the crevices of the stove and pipe. . '*>i^ ; The buildings of the Indian villages corre- spond with the miserable appearance of their owners. The houses are mere shells, devoid «f almost every necessary article of domestic use. A wretched bed in one corner, a stove in the middle, and a few broken utensils scattered about the room, form the whole furniture of an Indian dwelling. The apartments are abominably filthy, and with the broken casements present as ^ % CHAP£L AT I^OX^TTE*— "MISSIONARIES. 3^1 ^: fprlorn and repulsive an appearanpe as the per- sons of their iuhabitants. Tbtire is a chapel in the village of Lorette where mass is performed by the priest under whose care the Indians are placed. They are said to be very attentive to the performance of their religious ceremonies, the service of which appears to make a considerable impression upon them. The Roman Catholic religion is, perhaps, better adapted than any other to catch the attea« tion of untutored savages. The pomp and cere- mony with which it is conducted, while it pleases tiie eyej is calculated to make a more lasting impression on their minds than the plain and simple instruction of the reformed religion. We have sufficient evidence of its efficacy in the success of the Jesuit missionaries, who established themselves io various parts of the American con« tinentj but particularly in Paraguay, where they had gained over aa immense number of converts. This success may, however, be attributed as : inuch to the. indefatigable exertions and the ,, genius and abilities of the Jesuits, as to tiie pe- ' culiar advantages of the religion they taught. Oq the other hand, our methodists and anabap tists, whatever merit they may deserve for their zeal in the cause of the Gospel, have, it must be confessed, made but little progress among the Pa* gans in different quarters of the globe where their 3^ IlVOrAN DRSM. * dl\^< I mioBionaiies have beensent. i 'Their success has been confined chiefly to the lower <;1asses of civi- < lized society, all of whom have more or less knowledge of revealed religion. But among the 3llkmerican Indians, and the savages who inhabit the islands of the Soqth Sea^< their attempts have either entirely failed, or their jH'ogress has been very slow. .*«,.-.*'•* •—t»*p-« ' " >-/ f The greatest part of the Indians in Lower Ca*>t, nadft have the wretched ' appearance before de^*/ scribed; a few only, and those are principally chiefs and their families, paint and decorate themselves in a superior manner^ No fashion** able European can be prouder of his dress than the Indian chief. The'clothing which the In- dians receive annually consists chiefly of blanketst; t^r but cloths of the most gaudy colours are distri- buted to the chiefs and their fanfilies^ who also decorate themselves in a profusion of silver oi*^ tin ornaments; ear rings, bracelets, and medalsf which they procure either from the government,^ or from the produce of their furs. The women * wear a black beaver hat ornamented with fea- thers and bands of various- coloured ribbons, to% which are attached k number of small silver crosses or other ornaments. Sometimes they wear a curious peaked cap of cloth, very ingeniously worked with coloured elk hair. Their black glossy hair is combed smooth and parted over*? % 'Mi'' vn- iHmks uRtma ■¥■ their foreheads" 'They wrap themselves up in a mantle, or piece of -cloth, of a blue, green, or scarlet cobur, bordered at the bottom with broad stripes of yelbw and green silk^ In warm wea- ther they 'fasten it round their waist, and in eold weather tli^'put if orer their head. They also wear a jacket e*'shirf»'Of large pattern printed cotton, with a pair of blue or scarlet 'ltggini;s re- serAbling -pan^lobns^; 'and their -moccasins are ctt)riou8ly"^'u'orked with elk hair or porcupine qtirllsf' dy€tl "^cf various coloulrs. Some of the Women paint their facesyand load their persons urith^a profosion of siWer or tin ornaments, beads, tffld'feiffthersj" ' > ••• ' - - .i -"Thfe mten,'when dressed- In their best apparelj differ v#ry*l^ittle from' the women, except that they soitfetiraes wear ti long^icoat i nsteiafd^ of' tlie cloak or' Watiket. 1 have seen four or fife rows* of silver jpiecbs, resem-bling the Jingles of a tamboiFi- Hhe,''$trung close together., and hanging down from' the back of "their head to the- ground ; »t the top thdy wereof the size of a dollar, but di- minished gradually to the bottom, where they u^..J^ ^.^u* Jtix#iiik" rti While 1 remained aJb Quebec, I had an oppor<* tunity of seeing these Indians*! Tliey>difiered very little from those of Lorette,*! except that they; appeared to have less.iEuropeaii blood t in tiieir veins; but. thf^r appearance n was equally a» filthy and wretched* / On the day that. the pre* sents were delivered out, about the latter end. of August^ having' heard tbey were to have a dance in the camp, I went ov«r with two gentlemen of my acquaintance, in order to be present a(t tlie entertainment.. It u*as about five o^dock i^n the afternoon when we arrived on the opposite sido of the river, and by that time many dfithem were intoxicated, among .whom were< two iOtr three 8qiiaw8..The8e ladies were quarrelling and. abusing each other. most violently, tiJL.fcom akercatloii they at l^ngtli proceeded, to .blows ; in a^momenA the two combatantBiWiere down upon thegrouadi^ rolling, kicking, and tumbling about intheicand^ They held one another fast by the hair, by \%bicl) means they , pinioned their heads together upon tliet ground; kicking out their legs, and uttering the grossest ^abuse their tongues could, iavent. The other women endeavoured to part them, but to no^. purpose. The men walked •abautJifieoac* cerBrdered the women who sur- rounded the two amazons to force them asunder, and carry them to* their respective tents. The order was immedittely comphed with, and har- mony restored throughout the camp. > ^ The chief was a very respectable-looking mai^ about 40year9of'Rge, with a countenance and features very much resembling Mn John Kemble« His l^ure was noble and majestic, and his com- plexion nuich lighter than the generality of the Indians.' His disposition* seemed to be grave, oool> and deliberate, and perfectly well adapted fer the gnverjiment of the rude, uncivilized race wlHCh he had under his charge. We found hiih busily employed in distributing -to the men, wo*> men> and children, their, share of the presents whioh had been delivered into -his care from the stores at Quebec. A well-dressed Indian stood on one side, and at intervals handed him a pen and ink, with which he wrote down in a pocliej^ book the articles he delivered out. >, t: ] > vaVreC|^ of silver bracelets, ear-rings, arul trinkets/ They were prett}'^ gitb^ and the slight < tinge of roiig« with which they had heightened theivcom^ plexioBs rendered them hi^tly interesting. ' Th teasii«g him for more of the precious liquori^but' heint^ fused them with great good bum6ur^tellMigi them that they had already had too miieh^ and that hb must reserve the remainder for theidance/ii iM t^'- When they went away, he observed to>iiH,< what a pity it was that men should degrad^'themselvea in such a manner by th^r fondness for hquorltand that he considered a drunken man or> woman nkore despisable than the beasts of the format, beeailse the latter had no reason to guide them tman^^' thing they did ; but men and wonieii had ^;aiMl» they ought to put it to a better use than to stupefy: t their senses and destroy their constitutions with > intoxicating spirits. I was agreeably aurpriaeel'to ' hear so sensible an observation from an Indian, because he must have possessed great strength of mind to have resisted that partiality fer strong . liquors so prevalent among his countrymen^ par^ l}t .^J/S INDIAN CHIEF. 369 ticularly those who have much intercourse with the European settlements. He spoke English with great fluency, from which I was led to suppose that he was descended from European parents; but, on inquiry, I learnt that he was a real Indian, though, from his fre*- quent intercourse with the English settlements, he had acquired considerable knowledge and in- formation. 1 have little doubt, had his under* standing and natural genius been properly culti- vated, that he would have displayed extraordinary abilities. We had a good deal of conversation with him, and his remarks proved him to be a sensible and sagacious observer of nat ure. I could not help regretting that such a man should be lost to civilized society, to which he would have done so much credit; and that such an excellent natural , genius should be sunk in the petty chieftain of a , horde of wild savages. " I was, however, glad of the opportunity of meeting him, as it satihBed my mind concerning the truth of those relations which have been handed down to us by the Jesuit missionaries, and other writers, concerning the sensible and inge- nious remarks of the American Indians; many of which are so pertinent and sagacious, that I have been tem|)ted to doubt the veracity of the writers. But this chief, and several other Indians whom I afterwards met with, have v.x>mpletely verified VOL. I. - SB ^€- %■ mo WIG\rAM8. — ^NIGHT SCENE. , t-j the truth of their assertions respecting the meiw tal qualifications of those people, though clouded at times by rudeness and barbarism. Those who give themselves up to drunkenness and debauch- ery, which unfortunately form a great majority, .exhibit a depj'avity of mind, and stupid insensi^ bility, bordering upon a state of brutality. The few who resist the temptation of those odious yices, and preserve their constitutional and men- .tal faculties unimpaired, display such suj^erior talents and virtues, and astonish by such strength of invincible reasoning and argument, that one is almost tempted to doubt the superiority of civilized society over a state of nature. By the time the chief had delivered out the presents it was dark, and fires were lighted in almost every tent. Many of the Indians with ^heir squaws and children were huddled roun^d the fire, picking some pieces of dried salt fish, pr eating soup made of bullock*s head, of which they are remarkably fond. They are not very nice in their cooking, and will boil the heads with all t^e filth and dirt upon them, as they are brougjht home by the men, who have perhaps laid them down fifty times upon the dirty steps of doors, or on the pavement in Quebec, while they stop to drink with their friends. The tents or wigwams, under which they sat^ pr rather squatted, were extremely small, «nd (k •■iJiu' ' INDIAN DANCB. 571 ^^rmed of a number of sticks placed it proper distances and secured together at the top, leaving a small hole for the smoke to go out at. The sticks were covered from top to bottom with pieces of the birch bark, which, if they had beea properly secured, might have afforded a good shelter from the weather ; but it was then fine and dry, and the bark was carelessly put on. An opening was left between the sticks on one side for an entrance; but the whole wigwam appeared scarcely sufficient to allow of two men to lie at their ease; yet in many of them there were five or six in a family huddled together, leaving only a little space in the centre for the fire. They burn' the birch bark, which gives a good light, and consumes slowly. When they lie down to sleep, they crowd together like a litter of pigs, to keep themselves w'^rm. Sven the {^hief and his family must have followed a similar plan; for his tent was of the same materials, and afforded tiii better accommodation than the rest : yet his fa- mily consisted of a wife, two daughters, a son, and his mother, an old woman whose shrivelled face would have led me to suppose she was ninety years of age, instead of sixty. About nine o*clock atnight the dance com- menced, by the light of the birch bark, pieces of which were rolled up in the form of tapers, and held by some of the old squaws who could not 2B2 \ 373 INDIAN DANCE. ' mix with the dancers. A log of wood aboot eighteen o'r twenty feet long was < placed on the ground. On one end sat a man who rattled a calibash filled with small pebbles, and hummed a sort of monotonous cadence, in which he was joined by the dancers, who were about thirty -in -number, and moved slowly roiind 4he piece 6f timber in a sort of oblong oirciei >They followed one after the other, but so" crowded, that they had but just room to move their -feetj and were' in danger every moment bf treading upon each other*s (i^efs; Men and women were promvsou- ously intermixed, somb in gaudy dresees, others in dirtjl^ 'blankets, and many only in an old ragged shirt that reached but half way down their thighs. The squaws, and some of the » men, ^merely danced along in a sort of shuffling 'motion ; ibut t>thers moved their limbs violiffifly, clapped t^ir h^nds, and beat the ground forcibly with: 'thdt •fbet. All, however, preserved the most eUadt time to the monotonous' harmony of theJcahbash and the aspirating cadence of yo-he^waiw^, wht«^ they seemed to fetch from the bottom of Uieir 'breasts. The sameness of this rude species df music was now and then relieved by loud • shouts and yells, whicli, with the extravagant anticfr and gestures of some of the men, Vtrhose" brains had been well steeped in rum, together witht^e^x- .hibition of their swarthy Umbs and 4ishevelkd I -,' ■ rf-' « fi ■ " '-""-- w- CL '♦ t / %. ^'^u,■■^'.^ PHETTY saUAWS. I J • - .' ' 373 locks, which hung in wild disorder over their faces, made nie> at times fancy myself among a crowd of bedlamites, uu^^ntm Jtft» ts » .A^nmrn . This entertainment, I was informed., is very diflTerent from their war dance^ which I never had an opportunity of seeing during my stay in America. Mr. Detitimauvillc, a French gentler man, the agent ami interpreter for these Indians, was present with his daughters-^nd several other ladies and gentlemen from Quebec. The, Indiana artt very fond of (>! r. Desitimauvi lie, whom they have kyown many years, and to - please, tl|em, he and his daughters joined in the danq^.: Th^ young ladies borrowed the scarlet garmeipti of tb^ chiefs daughters, together with, tl^if rji^ts fiv^d feathers; And, having coloured their f^ces with^ tinge of tvermilioni shuffled away with a grea^ deaiof Hspinit iu the< ring of savages who forme4 tlie! moat /motley group of human bemgs 1 ever beheldw' TheiMiisesDe^timauvilles made exceed- ing pretty squaws, and were much admired by the gentlemen present. ' n. i.n ;- H) (The dancing had continued without interrup- tion >«ipwards of two hours, when we applied to tbeeliief to take u» across the river to Quebec, as Iwft did not like to trust ourselves at that late hoiir with tlie other Indians, most of whom were in- toxicated. He promisedito take us over imme- diately after he had given the dancers some ruui, ■#■ 1 ;»•» ■ Sy^t PASSAGE ACROSS THE RIVEIt AT NIGHT. find a(K:ordingly brought a large tin kettle full dtit of his tent; then standing at the head of the ring, he handed a glass full to each Indian, who drank it off, and moved round without interrupting the dance. I noticed that very few of the squaws took it; and in justice to the men, I must say, that though apparently much inebriated, and dancing frequently in extravagant attitudes, yet nothing indelicate, or offensive to modesty, oc- curred during the time I remahied there. The dance probably continued till near day -light; for, if the di&nbashman or any of the diincers are tired, they leW4 the ring, and their places are supplied bydtfifei?' As'sf^ti sk the rum had been handed abbut, fh^ chief ]liit the remainder into his teiit, arid ItHt bis son to guard it till his return. He then lifted his bark canoe upon his head, ^ahd carried it'fo the water side; wlrere having launched it, w^ *ftl got in, and squatted down at the bottom. The night was extremely dark, and there were several ships lying off the town, which with the strott^ tide that always sets in therie renders the pass^lg^ frequently very dangerous ; but our skilful chief carried us into the Cul de Sat without meeting with the least obstruction. Indeed little danger is to be apprehended from the Indians in the management of their canoes, when they are sober; to extremely dexterous are they even in the *%■ DOMICILIATED INDIANS. 3fb toughest weather, when their light and fragile ; bark floats hke a cork upon the surface of the vater. It requires, however, that the passengers should squat down, and move neither to tho right nor the left, otherwise they will be assuredly upset. >i Before the conquest of Canada by the English, the French had made considerable progress in civilizing the Indians, of whom there were up- wards of 16,000 ill the province. At the con- clusion of the war their numbers were reduced to 7,400; since which, they have coqfi^ued to diminish,, and at the present day the jpumber of domiciliated Indians in Lower Canada, dott: no^ exceed 3000. The rest of the Indiaii^ribiai wijthin tile Iwundaries of Christian populatiooin British America retain but a small glimpse of the religion which the Jesuit missionaries took such pains to implant in them : the attention which is at pre^ sent paid them by the British government, and the annual presents that are distributed, are merely for the purpose of preserving their friend- ship, and not for improving either their moral or political condition. The United States, on the contrary, have passed several laws, empowering the president to promote civilization among the Indians by distributing useful domestic animalsi implements of husbandry, money, and goods, as lie should think proper; and to prevent or re- i It? « 976 TRAVELS IN THE INTERIOR. strain at pleasure the vending and distributinpf.fif spirituous liquors amonj^ all or any of the Indioa: tribes. An ordinance similar to this was pasted by the governor and council of Quebec vn J777» b^t was never properly acted upon, and is now. totally neglected. »>tji,^^ aaioi'j ij>.viu Mr. Jefierson, indeed, seems to havchpaid paiv ticular attention, during bU' administration-^ it* cultivate the esteem and affection of the' Indiaa nations on the borders of tbejUni ted States;. and he has been successful bothi in^ improvnig ithei^ p eonditimi. land gaining their lriendship» Thie philosopdkloal spirit of the president,- and of trlie leailiigijnen in the government, is no. doubt -weU adapted^lio such pursuits; and we find that, they have rendnwd their talents subservient todihe public interest. Within the last four or ^veyeanA they have pushed their discoveries through' 4ih^ interior of the North American oontinent Jioitbtt •bores of the Pacific Ocean, > and thave eRplovc<| that immense tract at the back of theii* tevritony^ which appears likely to belong to (he«n by^the purchase of Louisiana ; for at present theibouifw daries are not definitively settled. The extannple of hir Alexander IVl'Keiizie most probably sttmu»- lated them to such an undertakings though bis travels have! not afforded -much' additional inlblf- mation to the stock we before possessed.- They |ver& undertaken more for ipercantilethanphilor VOYAGE UP THE MISSOURI. Sit m "^bphical views, yet are highly meritorious, at the exertions of an individaal unaided by govern- ment. I r' »»t.|r>! «.; (f <^«mii»4«>i'> M ^ ^1 v^ The discoveries of Captains Lewis and Clark up the Missouri have but very lately been pub^ ]ished by those gentlemen. The other accounts are by individuals employed in that expedition, whose inibrmation with regard to the inhabitants^ natural history, &c. must necessarily be very im- peHiect. Some letters from Captain Lewis and Messrs. Si bly and Dun bar, at the commencement of the journey, were laid before Congress, and bave been since printed: they containidbany in- teresting particulars of the Indian tribcBfiifj Loui- siana,! some of which are numerous, aUd^ others ocnsistii^ of only eight or ten persons. Many bavetotallydisappeared within the last fifty yearsi leaving behind tliem no other vestige of their baving existed than their name, which is possibly presecved by a river, or the tract of land which ^hey occupied. : This great dejiopulation of the Jodian nations is common in many parts of the ^merioain continent, more especially among those who have intercourse with the European isettle- wents, from, whence they procure spirituous liiquorsv or catch a variety of diseases of which t^ small- pox has proved the most fatal. Many ^ nations have been totally exterminated^ by that diseajse alone; and when I wras in Canada in the 97B V0YA6£ UP THE MISSOURI. 1^ tpring of 1803, a village of Mississagas, residing near Kingston in the Upper Province, was nearly depopulated by the small-pox; not more than twenty escaped out of five hundred. The cow- pox has been but partially introduced, and very lew of the Indians have been inoculated with it. It is rather singular, that such an admirable pre- ventive of the variolous disease should have been so much neglected in America, where the latter commits such dreadful ravages. ^ The more remote tribes appear also to decrease very rapidly: their irregular mode of living, in which they will sometimes fast for days, and •fterwM^s eat enormously; their constant eXf ]K>sure to all the vicissitudes of the climate^ and |he barbarous practice of destroying a considerable portion of their offspring by abortion, or taking away the lives of such as are sickly and deformed^ must tend greatly to the decrease of their popu^- lation. Their passion for the females is also of that cool, phlegmatic temperament, tthat their wives do not often labour under '* the pleasing punishment that women beavy* and the laborious lives which most of them lead are also but little calculated to promote the tender passion. The men and women of some of the tribes have a singular method of administering relief to each other when indisposed, as will appear by the following anecdote, extracted from a manuscript ANBCDOTE Of A CREB. ^79 journal of tr.iveU across the rocky tnounta'ns of the North-west in 1801. pi V ** June Uth, our guide, a Cree, whose spirits had visihly begun to droop ever since we entered the defiles of the mountains, was last night pre- sented by Mr. with some rum, to keep him hearty in the cause: upon this he made shift to get 'drunk with his wife. This morning he complained that his heud and stomach were out of order, and a^ked for a little medicine; whioh was given him: but finding it did liim neither good nor harm, he cdled his wife to him, where lie was ' sitting amidst us at a lar•'•>/ INDIAN PRESENTS. sm little pro((ress has been made in their conversion either froip fm^aniym or barbarism. Of the na^* ture of that settlement little more is known, than that it consisted of an immense population yield- ing obedience to the Jesuits, who erected a com- monwealth among the Indians, and trained them to agriculture, cooimerce, and the arts. In North America the European governments have been less successful; a few tribes only have of late years been 4>rought to forsake their erratic and precari- ous life, for the more certain and dome>tic one of agriculture. These people live chiefly in the ter- ri^>ry of the United States, who«e government bf^,, been indefatigable in its endeavours to make tjti^m^men as weJl as Christians, ]{.In the British settlements of Upper and Lower Canada, Jess attention seems to have been paid toj their civilization and conversion, than to main- tain their friendship and alliance for political pur- poses. Large sums are yearly expended in pre- sents* which the Indians receive more as their right than as a favour. They are well aware that the government gives them those things only to secure their services in case of war with the United Slates; they therefore consider themselves under no obligation, but look upon the presents as a retaining fee, which, like that given to a counsellor, is to keep them on the side of the dpQor in fase of necessity; and w.heneiver the gift 383 CIVILIZATION OF THE INDIANS. falls short of their expectations, th^y exhibit \hUntted States. '-•'^ " *' It would be therefore more to the interest of the British provinces, were the government t» follow the judicious and liberal policy of th« United States ; which, by civilizing and c6nverb' ing the Indians, and establishing them inwdl'- organized settlements, meliorates their condition'^ and attaches them more closely to the interest of the country in which they reside. They^ wtimM thus become settled and domesticated ; and ^ by attending to agricultural pursuits, under ' piK)per instructors, they would procure the comffdttft^df life, and realize property, which they wouM> i^ afterwards be willing to quit for a {^carfous existence in the woods, or ruinous and destructive warfare. If they ever did take up the tomahawfcv it would be to defend their property , and not for the purpope of procuring scalps, • • ifti^-'^ p It may be said, that there are already several doniciliated villages of Indians in Upper and Lower Canada ; but that they still prefer their wild and roving life; and, except when thcfy DEGBNBHATED STATB OF THE INDIANS. 88$ Ui <-J. X) veturn from the chase to sell their furs, few of them ever inhabit their dwellings. This is cer- tainly true; but the proper steps have never been taken to create in thone savages a Homestic spirit* The French government, it must be confessed, was more successful in its attempts than the British has been. The Jesuit missionaries were, as in South America, possessd of all the zeal and ability necessary for accomplishing so important an object, and at the period ol the conquest had made considerable progress in collecting together several tribes, and converting them to Christianity, From the exertions they displayed in this poli- tical as well as religious object of the French government, it may be inferred they would have proceeded with equal talents, and allowing for the difference of views, perhaps with as much success^ as their brethren in Paraguay, had not a long and destructive warfare, succeeded by the loss of the colony, disappointed their hopes and expectations. . The Jesuits, whose order as it then existed under the regulation of the British government, was to cease with the life of the last of that body, naturally lost their enthusiasm in the cause of a government which had determined upon their annihilation, and consequently neglected the im- portant objects that had before occupied their attention. From that period, the domiciliated Indians, whose number had been lessened more 384 DEGENERATED STATE OF THE INDIANS. |i u than one half by the war, were little thought of. It was conceived to be enough, if their souls were saved by a Roman Catholic priest, and their nakedness covered by a few Protestant blankets. Their pohtical, civil, and moral condition, their manners, customs, habits, and disposition, were left to their own care and management. It is not surprising, therefore, that at the conclusion of the war, instead of returning to their agricultural and domestic- pursuits, they launched out again into their former erratic and savage life. Their chil- dren, whose education was consequently neglect- ed, followed the footsteps of their parents, and fell into the same barbarous vices and debauchery. In this degenerated state we find all the iuha'» bitants of the Indian villages in Lower Canada at the present day. Instead of following agricul- ture, commerce, and the arts, they roam the woods in seaich o\ a precarious subsistence. The flesh of the animals which they kill in the chase serves tliem for food, and the skins to procure rum. They visit the villages, and the adjacent towns, for no other purp.se than to di^pose of their furs, and get drunk witli their tiavourite beverage. At those periods they wdl perhaps attend with their families at chapel, dressed in their best clothes, on Sundays; when they w.ll kneel, cross themselves, and sing hymns in the Indian language, with apparent devotion; but the «^ ^i^ WRETCHED APPEARANCE. ?./v^. 38!! \f and ., :hery. iuha^ aiiada Ticul- 1 the The chase focure acent >se of urite |rhaps d in w.U the t the rest of the week they give themselves up to savage amusements, to indolence, and inebriation. They may then be seen in groups, rambling through the streets half naked^ and in a continual state of drunkenness; exhibiting an emaciated, wretched, and 'forlorn appearlince, equally disgraceful to civiliBed^ society, aild the government under which > th^y live. They arie a living reproach to the European inhabitants, who, in taking pos- session- of their country, have introduced among theii^ disease, vice, and wretchedness, instead of Chri^an virtue, civilization, and happiness: and vf>eft it hot for the inscrutable measures of Divine Providence, in which good often arises out of evil, tb«idiso0v^i«y' of A'ns^rica might be deplored, as a ci«4Nimsl!iiiveetliat few mountains in the neighbourhood are Com- posed of a gray stone ; but they for the most part stand on a bed of lime slate. About a yard from the surface, this slate is quite compact, and without any cracks, so that one cannot perceive it is a slate, its laminae being imperceptible. It lies in strata, which vary from three or four to twenty inches thick and upwards. In Quebec the strata lie in some parts diagonally, in others almost perpendicular, but none horizontally; and bear every mark of having been violently agitated by some cohvulsion of nature, which must have shaken the mountain to its very foundation. Whether or not it lost its horizontal direction by the earthquake of l663, I have never been able to ascertain. In the unpaved streets of Quebec this slaty stone strikes out in corners at the surface, and injures the shoes extremely. The narrow crevices between the shivers, which are very thin, are commonly filled with a fibrous white gypsum: the larger cracks are, in particular parts of the rock, filled up with the transparent quartz crys- tals which I have before mentioned. The largest I have met with were about two inches in length, and three or four in circumference ; but, in ge- neral, they are extremely small, and many resem- ble well cut polished diamonds. A sort. of* black or gray spar is also frequently met with in the f» *^ o METALS. S69 rock. Most of tiie old houses are built of the lime slate; but it shivers into thin pieces on the outside, after being exposed to the air for some time: the masons, however, jiave a particular manner of placing^ the pieces of stone, which prevents them from cracking, except a little op the outside. The new public building!!, fortin- cations, and many of the private houses belong- ing to the gentry at Quebec, hifVv? of late years been built with the gray stone^, which has a light and handsome appearance, and is of a more du- rable nature. The moup.tains and high lands in the vicinity of ijuebec, and for many miles below, consist of dififerent species of the lime slate, and of the gray rock or limestone, more or less impregnated with gray and black glimmer and quartz, fibrous gypsum, and pierre au calumet. The latter has received its name from the French, who, as well as the Indians, frequently u^e it for the heads of their calumets or tobacco pipes. It is a lime- stone of rather a soft though compact texture, and may be cut with a knife. Iron, copper, and lead ore are found in dif- ferent parts of Lower (^anada, though not to any very great extent, iron is most abundant, and has been discovered chiefly on the north side of the St. Lawrence, about Batiscan and Three Rivers. n Jt vvas former]^ believed $,hatji iilv§r mine existed m MINERAL SPRINGS. pear St. Paurs Bay, about 54 miles below Quebec, on the north shore, several pieces of wre having been discoi'ered, which resembled that metal : it has since been found to consist only of lead, which lies in veins in a mountain of gray stone. No very important discoveries have hitherto 6een made in the mineral world of Lower Canada; though in that, as well as in every other branch of natural history, there is suflficient, in that country, to occupy the attention of the philoso- pher. Some mineral springs have been discovered in different parts of the province: one or two were found in the neighbourhood of Three Rivers, but are now either lost or remain unnoticed. Another was discovered in the suburb of St. John^ just without the walls of Quebec: this has been kept open for several years, and belongs to an old French woman, who has a small house adjoining it. Many of the gentry, 1 understand, walk out to this house \^ the summer about six o'clock in the morning, and drink the watersi which are reckoned extremely salubrious : they are almost tasteless, but have a very unplea&ant sulphureous smell. Several excellent springs of fresh water gush put of various parts of the rock. The inhabitants, however, chiefly use the river water, though it is no^ reckoned very healthful in winter. I do not recollefit seeing a puTiip at Quebec, nor o! .!««. DETACIIBD 9TONI9. 391 hearing tliat there is one in the town ; yet welU might be easily dug in the rock, and water might be obtained in many places for the use of the people, where it now runs to w»8te. The water is conveyed in barrels from the river to all parta of the Upper and Lower towns by the carters, who charge 8ix)3ence or eightpence per barrel ac- cording to the distance. In different parts of the country, and parti- cularly the vicinity of Quebec, are to be found atones of various shapes and sizes lying scattered in the fields, meadows, and plains. Some of them measure nine or ten feet in circumference, and from three to four feet high ; but 1 have met with many considerably larger. They are mostly of a gray colour, round shaped, and of a very close and hard substance, impregnated with black, red, and white glimmer and spar. They lie upon the soil, having no connexion with any rock or bed of stone; aiui a person cannot view them without asking himself the question. How, and in ^hat manner, came such large mas^tes of stone there r it wa»«upon one of these stones that General WoUe is said to have breathed his last. i The earthquake of l663 was one of the most remarkable phtenomena that has happened in North America, or perhaps any part of the globe, witUia the memory of man. It continued 393 REMARKABLE EARTHAUAKE. I n "n upwards of six months, with more or less violence, during which period it overturned a chain of free* stone mountains in Upper Canada of more than 300 miles in length, and levelled it with the plaiti. In Lower Canada it caused several rivers to change their course ; and the mountains in the vicinity, and for several miles below Quebec, were split and rent in a most extraordinary manner; several were overturned, or swallowed up, and some were even lifted from their foun- dations and plunged into the rivers, where they afterwards became islands. To the northward of Quebec there is a mountain which has every ap- pearance of having been a volcano. Its summit is covered with seven or eight inches of mossy substance, under which are stones consisting prin- cipally of granite impragnated with iron ore, and blackened by the effects of fire. The stones which are most burnt do not lie at the summit, but at a certain depth, and there arises a warm vapour from the spot, sufficient to melt the snow as it falls. It is singular that no •crater has been hitherto discovered, though, from the appearance of the stones, there is no doubt of one having for- merly existed : it was, most probably, filled up or totally destroyed by the earthquake. As the particulars of that remarkable event ar6 little known, and have never yet, I believe, been published in the English language, I have made a t REMARKAHLE EARTHAUAKE OF l663. 303 translation from the journal of the Frrnch Jesuits of {Quebec, an extract of which I procured in that city. The account nas written soon after the earthquake dad ceased, and is remarkable for the antiquity of its language and orthography. The effects of that unprecedented (vent are described in rather glowing colours, as might naturally be expected from the people who witnessed them, and whose imaginations were yet heated with such dreadful scenes, and the alarming sensations they must have produced. But there does not appear to be any exaggeration of the facts, which are strongly corroborated by the appearance of the mountains and rivers at the present day. ]|;, EARTHgUAKE OF l663. ** ' It was on the 6th «»f February, l663, about half-past five o*clock in tbe evening, that a great rushing noise was heard throughout the whole extent of Canada. This noise caused the fieople to run out of their houses into the streets, as if their habitation« ha. <9 / Sdmces Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STRHT VVnSTn,N.Y. U5M (71*) •73-4503 '^ ^> A* ^Z sation, or sickness at the stomach, was felt duril^ the shocks as is>.experienced in a vessel at sea^ * The violence of the earthquake was greatest in the forests, where it appeared as if there was a battle raging between the trees; for not only their branches were destroyed, but even their truhks are said to have been detached from their places. WRECK OF NATURE. 39^ and dashed against each other with inconceivable violence and confusion ; so much so, that the In« dians, in their figurative manner of speaking, declared that all the forests were c^runA. }~ » .^ The war also seemed to be carried on between the mountains; some of which were torn from their beds, and thrown upon others, leaving iai4 mense chasms in the places from whence they had issued, and the very trees with which they were covered sunk down, leaving only their topt above the surface of tl|e earth : others were com- pletely overturned, their branches buried in thd iMirth, and the roots only remained above ground. f During this general wreck of nature, the ice, upwards of six feet thick, was rent and thrown up in large pieces; and from the openings in many parts there issued thick clouds of smoke, or fountains of dirt and sand, which spouted up to a very considerable height. The springs n-ere either choked up, or impregnated with sulphuri Many rivers were totally lost; others were di* verted from their course, and their waters entirely coiirupted. Some of them became yeUow, others redy and tiie great river of St. Lawrence appeared eolirely white, as far down as Tadoussac. This extraordinary pheenomeoon must astonish those who know the si^e of the river, and the immense body of water in various parts, wliich must have required such an abundance of mutter to whiten it* 396 VIOLENT SHOCKS. '(^I* They write from Montreal, that during the earthquake they plainly saw the stakes of the picketing, or palisades, jump up, as if they had been dancing; that of two doors in the same room, one opened and the other shut of their own accord; that the chimneys and tops of the houses bent like the branches of trees agitated by the wind; that when they went to walk, they felt the earth following them, and rising at every step they took; sometimes striking against the sole of the foot and other Ihings, in a very forci- ble and surprising manner. vq * From Three Rivers they write, that the first shock was the most violent, and commenced with a noise resembling thunder. The houses were agitated in the same manner as the tops of trees during a tempest, with a noise as if fire was crackling in the garrets. tc t. * The first shock lasted half an hour, or ratheiP better, though its greatest force was properly not more than a quarter of an hour ; and we believe there was not a single shock which did not cause the earth to open more or less. As for the rest, we have remarked, that though this earthquake continued almost without intermission, yet it was not always of an equal violence. Sometimes it was like the pitching of a large vessel which dragged heavily at her anchors; and it was this motion which occasioned many to have a giddi- I .4. MOUNTAINS SWALLOWED UP. 397 fiess in their heads^ and qualmishness at their stomachs. At other times the motion was hur« Tied and irregular, creating sudden jerks^ some of which Were extremely violent; hut the most com- mon was a slight tremulous motion, which occurred frequently, with little noise. ' Many of the French inhabitants and Indians, who were eye-witnesses to the scene, state, that a great way up the river of * Trois Rivierejs,* about eighteen miles below Quebec, the hills which bordered the river on either side, and which were of a prodigious height, were torn from their foun- dations, and plunged into the river, causing it to change its course, and spread itself over a large tract of land recently cleared : the broken earth mixed with the waters, and for several months changed the colour of the great river St. Law- rence, into which that of ' Trois Rivieres* disem- bogued itself. • * In the course of this violent convulsion of nature, lakes appeared where none ever existed before; mountains were overthrown, swallowed up by the gaping earth, or precipitated into adja- cent rivers, leaving in their place frightful chasms or level plains. Falls and rapids were changed into gentle streams, and gentle streams into falls and rapids. Rivers in many parts of the country sought other beds, or totally disappeared. The earth and the mountains were violently split and 8SS FORESTS CIEARCD, tSLAVbg FORMED. rent in innumerable places^ creating chasms and precipices whose depths have never yet been as- certained. Such devastation was also occasioned in the woods, that more than a thousand acres in our neighbourhood were completely overturned ; and where, but a short time before, nothing met the eye but one immense forest of trees, now were to be seen extensive cleared lands apparently just turned up by the plough. ' At Tadoussac (about 1 50 miles below Que- bec on the north shore) the effect of the earth- quake was not less violent than in other places ; and such a heavy shower of volcanic ashes felt in that neighbourhood, particularly in the River St. Lawrence, that the waters were as violently agi- tated as during a tempest. * Near St. Paur^ Bay (about 50 miles below Quebec, on the north shore) a mountain about t quarter of a league in circumference, situated on the shore of the St. Lawrence, was precipitated iitto the river : but, as if it bad only made * plunge, it rose from the bottom, and becannea small island, forming, with the shore, a convex nient harbour well sheltered from alt winda. Lower down the river, towards Point Alloiiettes, an entire forest of considerable extent ivas loosened fit>iii the main land, and slid into the river St. Lawrence, where the trees took fresh root in tlic water. THREE EXtRAORDINART CIRCUMSTANCES. 3^9 * There are three circumstances, however, which have rendered this extraordinary earthquake par- ticularly remarkable. The first is its duration^ it having continued from February to August, that is to say, more than six months almost without intermission / It is true, the shocks were not al- ways equally violent. In several places, as towards the mountains l^hind Quebec, the thundering noise and trembling motion continued successively for a considerable time. In others, as towards Tadoussac, the shocks continued generally for two or three days at a time with much violence. * The second circumstaoce relates to tho extent of this earthquake, which we believe was univer- sal throughout tlie whole of New France, for we team that it was felt from L'Isle Percee and Gaspe, which are situated at the mouth of the St. Law-' H^ce, to beyond Montreal*, as also in New England, Acadia, and other places more remote. As far as it has come to our knowledge^ thi^ earthquake extended more > than 6*00 miles in length and about 300 in breadth. Hence^ 180,000 square miles of land were convulsed on the same day, and at the same moment. ' The third circumstance (which appeara the , * It appears from this, that the Jesuits at Quebec had not then received any account of the devastation which the earth- quake had conamitted in Upper Canadji, and of course wer« unacquainted with its real extent. ^% 400 TALL OF MONTMORENCY. most remarkable of all) regards the extraordinary protection of Divine Providence, which has been extended to us, and our habitations ; for we have seen near us the large openings and chasms which the earthquake occasioned, and the prodigious extent of country which has been either totally lost or hideously convulsed, without our losing either man, woman, or child, or ev(tn having a hair of their head touched* Few natural curiosities are to be founci in Lower Canada, except rapids, cascades, and falls. Among the latter, those of Saguenay, Montmo^ rency, and Chaudiere^ are the chief. The river Saguenay is situated about the entrance of the St. Lawrence on the north shore, and the falls are about 90 miles up the river. They are 50 feet high, and remarkable for the immense sheet of water which breaks over the rocks, and precj^ pitates itself with amazing velocity into the River St. Lawrence, where it causes a strong eddy or current that frequently carries a vessel out of its course. The fall of Montmorency, which is situated about eight miles to the north-east of Quebec^ derives its elegant and majestic appearance more from its height than from the body of Water that flows over the precipice. According to the most •ccurate computation, it is 250 feet high and 80 feet wide. Its breadth is, however, increased or \ • FALL or IfONTMORENCY* 401 lore that lost 80 or diminished, according to the quantity of water supplied by the river, which is a narrow stream and in many parts extremely shallow. In spring and autumn, when the melting of the snow, or much rain, swells the current, the fall is increased/ and is seen at those periods to great advantage. In winter but a small portion of the fall is visible, in consequence of the cones of ice which are formed by the rising spray, and intercept the view, nearly half way up. The river Montmorency falls between a large cleft in the mountain, which appears to have been formed by the shock of an earthquake. The waters thus precipitate themselves into a kind of basin, upwards of 300 yards wide, many parts of which are ibrdable towards the entrance at low water; but under the fall there is an immense chasm. The mountain consists of the black lime slate, which as iti becomes exposed to the air con- tinually moulders away. Near the summit of the falls, the banks of the cleft are ornamented with a variety of shrubs, fir-trees, and other evergreens, whose dark foliage forms an agreeable contrast to the snowy whiteness of the fall, and gives to the tout ensemble a pleasing and romantic appearance. The fall of Montmorency has, however, more of the elegant and beautiful in it, than of the '' awfully grand, or wonderfully sublime.*' • ? While I remained at Quebec, I took the op- voi- 1. 2d 409 EXCURSION UP THE RtVlH. portunity of yisiting the falls of Chaudiero, which' in my opinion are far superior to that of Mont- morency. They are situated about nine miles above Quebec on the opi^osite shore, and about three or four miles liack from the river St. Lavr* rence, into which the river Chaudiere disembogues itself. The excursion to Chaudiere was accom- panied with much more difliculty than that to Montmorency, being obliged to penetrate upwards of five miles through a thick wood, in which the path was not discernible without a guide* Accompanied by Mr» Hawdon, the present storekeeper-general of the Indian department, and Lieutenant Burke of the 100th regiment, 1 left Quebec one fine morning in the month of August, I8O7, in a birch canoe, conducted by two Indians from the opposite camp. We had applied to. our friend the chief for his services j but he being busily engaged in the camp, he re. commended two young Indians of the Mick mack tribe, who were brothers, as very steady sober characters: we hired them, and had no reason to repent it, for they behaved extremely well, and during the whole day would drink nothing but water. The eldest, who was not more than 2b, declared his abhorrence of all spirituous liquors, and assured us, that neither he nor his brother ever accustomed themselves to take any. By thh I perceived they bad adopted the excellent BXCURSIOlf UP T^B RITIR. 403 example of their chief; and I mention this trait in the Indian character as a very great novelty ; so extremely rare is it to meet with any who do not give themseWes up to inebriation. The eldest Indian spoke English remarkably well. He re- sided, he said, near St. John's in New Brunswick,'' and passed the greatest part of his time in that town. He seemed to be possessed of as much modesty as sobriety; for our friend Bnrke, having joked him rather freely about lying in the same tent with the young squaws, he became very serious, and told him that it was not good to talk of such things. The manner in which we sat in the canoe was curious enough to an European accustomed to boat» with good seats in them. The youngest Indian knelt down at the head of the canoe, and paddl'ed either on the right or left, as the current required. Mr. Hawdon sat next at the bottom, with his legs extended. I sat as close to him as possible, with my legs on each side of him ; and Lieutenant Burke behind me, with his leg» extended on my sides. The other Indian knelt down in the stern of the canoe, and with his paddle steered or impelled it forward. >^<'Naving arrived at a small bay, into which the riwr Chaudiere empties itself, and mingles vts waters with those of the St. Lawrence, we dilsenf^ barked, hauled the canoe upon the beach, iMl proceeded up a steep cliff that led to the house 2 D 2 V »' m •>^ M BLANCHOLT ACCI DIKT* f/ k of the guide, which was situated about a mile in the wood. This part of the country is but thinly settled by the Canadians; and from the rouph state of their farms, and the half cleared lands adjoining, it has a wild romantic appearance. We found the guide at home; and followed by our two Indians, who were also desirous of seeing the falls, we entered a very narrow path in a thick wood composed of almost every species and variety of trees and shrubs. The season of the year was well adapted for our excursion, as the musquito, sand-flies, and other disagreeable in- sects, had all disappeared; the cold mornings and evenings having palsied their limbs, and driven them into their retreats. The plums, blackberries, raspberries, and other wild fruit, though nearly on the decline, were yet in consi- derable abundance, and often tempted some of our pafty to stop and gather them. Fortunately, none of us ever lost sight of our guide, or the consequelnces might have been fatal. « A melancholy instance of this occurred a few years ago, in which the captain of a ship, who had accompanied a party to see the falls, was lost in the woods on his return home, and perished! It is supposed that he had stojij^d behind to gather fruit, by which means he lost tight of the rest of the company, who had gone on before with the guide. As soon as. they ■ \ ■»- ANBCOOTI OF TWO YOUNG LADIES. 405 gone they tiiissed him, they shouted and hollaed as loud as they could, but to no purpose ; they then turned back a considerable way, but could neither see nor hear any thing of him. The next day parties or Indians were dispatched in all directions, but they returned with as lUtle success ; and it was not till some months afterwards that his skeleton was found, by which it appeared that he had wan- dered a mile or two from the right path, which is so extremely narrow as to admit only one per- son to walk along at a- time, and therefore easily missed. iv ^^ It is a dangerous experiment to wander care- lessly in the woods in Canada without a guide, or a sufficient acquaintance with the paths ; and in- stances have occurred of people perishing even within a small distance of their own habitations. A few years ago two young ladies who were on a visit at the house of Mr. Nicholas Montour, formerly of the North-west Company, and who then resided at Point du Lac, near Three Rivers, strolled into the woods at the back of the house one morning after breakfast, for the purpose of re- galing themselves with the strawberries and other fruit which grew abundantly there, and were then io great perfection. One of them had an amusing novel in her hand, which she read to the other ; and so interested were they with the storyj and the scenery around them, that they, never thought I !{l «!•; rfy 406 ANECDOTB OF TWO TOUNG LADIES. of returning to dinner. In this manner thef strolled delightfully along, sometimes wrapt up in the charms of the novel, and at other times stopping to gather the fruit which lay luxuriantly scattered beneath their feet, or hung in clusters over their heads, when the declining sun at length warned them that it was late in the afternoon. They now began to think of returning ; but un- fortunately they had wandered from the path, and knew not which way to go. The sun, which an hour before might have afforded ttiem some assistance, was now obscured by the lofty trees of the forest; and as the evening closed in, they found themselves yet more bewildered. /| In the most distracted state they wandered about among the shrubs and underwood of the forest, wringing their hands, flind crying i iost bitterly at their melancholy situation. T. ^^ir clothes were nearly torn off their backs; a i their hair hung in a dishevelled manner upon th< r necks. In this wretched condition they wander i till nearly dark, when they came up to a sm .1 hut : their hearts beat high at the sight, but .' was empty ! They were, however, glftd to take refuge in it for the night, to shelter them from the heavy dews of the forest which were then falling. They collected a quantity of leaves, with which they made a bed, and lay down : but they qould not sleep, and spent the night in unavailing ■^.:h-;- -■ ,a..ANEGI>OTE OF TWO YOUNG LADIES. 40^ tears And reproaches at their own carelessness. They however at times endeavoured to console each other with the hope that people would be dispatched by Mr. Montour in search of them. The next morning, therefore, they wisely kept within the hut, or went out only to gather fruit to satisfy the cravings of appetite. Towards the close of the day they heard the Indian yell in the woods, but were afraid to call out, or stir from the hut, not knowing whether they might be sent in search of them, or were a party of strange Indians into whose hands they did not like to trust them> selves. / i A second night was passed in the same forlorn state ; though, singular as it may appear, one Of them became more composed, and, in some mea- sure, even reconciled to her situation ; which, deplorable as it was, and uncertain when they might be relieved from it, she regarded as a ro- mantic adventure, and the following morning, with great composure, staid in the hut and read her novel: the other, however, gave herself up to despair, and sat upon the bed of leaves, crying and bewailing her unhappy fate. In this state ,they were discovered about noon by a party of |:i^ians, who had been sent out after them, and "Whose yell J^ad been heard by the young ladies the preceding evening. Their joy at being re- lieved from such an alarming sttoation may be t^ hi ^y 408 ARRIVAL AT THE FALLS OF CHAUDIKRE* more easily conceived than described, and was only equalled by the pleasure which their return gave to Mr. Montour and his family, whd had almost given them up as lost, having been absent nearly three days, and wandered several miles from the house. ^ To return to our excursion : we proceeded through the forest as fast as the small shrubs and brushwood which obstructed the path would per- mit ; and I often got some severe cuts in my face with the boughs that sprung back, as those be^ fore me pushed them aside. Sometimes whei| I thought I was stepping upon the substantial trunk of a large tree, that had fallen across the path, I have sunk knee deep in dust and rotten wood ; at other times 1 was over my boots in a swamp or a rivulet, which we were often obliged to wade through. At length, after a fatiguing walk of an hour, we arrived at the falls, which I mu^t confess amply repaid me for my trouble. The season had been dry, and there was le8» crater in the river than. usual ; but so far from lessening the beauty of the &lls, they appeared to me to be exhibited to more, advantage than when the vast fragments of rock, which now appeared in sight, wereenveloped by a lai^ge body of water. >i|; The river is seen at a distance, ejperging from a thick wood, and gradually expanding from ^ almost imperceptibly stream, till it reaches the ,^'7=^"' -:-i\ THE CATARACT OF CHAUDIERE. 409 the cataract, whose breadth is upwards of sSo feetJ^ Here the disordered masses of rock, which appear to Ijave been rent from their bed by some violent convulsion of nature, break the course of the waters, and precipitate them from a height of 130 feet into an immense chasm below. In some parts large sheets of water roll over the precipice, and fall unbroken to the bottom ; while in other places the^ water dashes from one fragment of the Fock to another, with wild impetuosity, bellowing and foaming with rage in every hollow and cavity that obstructs its progress : from thence it rushes down with the rapidity of lightning into the boil- ing sui^ beneath, where it rages with inconceiv- able fury,, till, driven from the gulf by fresh co- lumns, it hurries away and loses itself in the waters of thi6 St. Lawrence. . £#i The cataract of Chaudiere may be truly said to form a complete whole. The scenery which ac- companies it is beautiful and romantic beyond description. In the centre a large fragment of rock, which first divides the water at the summit of the precipice, forms a sort of small island ; and a handsome fir-tree which grows upon it is thus placed in a most singular and picturesque situ- ation. The forest on either side the river consists of firs, pines, birch, oak, ash, and a variety of other ti^es and shrubs intermingled in the most wild and romantic manner. Their dark green foliage. 410 RETURN TO ftUSBIC. jdined with the brown and sombre tint of the rocky fragments over which the water precipitates itself, forms a striking and pleasing contrastto^he snowy whiteness of the foaming surge, and the columns of sparkling spray which rise in clouds and mingle with the air. ^ The gratification on viewing this beautiful ca- taract is considerably enhanced by the journey which the spectator is obliged to take through a wild and gloomy forest ; the toil of which is amply repaid when he emei^es all at once from Cimme^ rian darkness into an expansive view of the falls and the light of heaven. It appears like a sudden enchantment, and the imagination is lost in the variety and grandeur of the scene. I could have contemplated it for hours ; but our time was short, and we wished to return to Quebec before dark. I quitted this beautiful and romantic spot with the greatest reluctance ; regretting that in all pro- bability I should never see it again. We returned back with our guide ; and having launched the canoe, we embarked for Quebec, where we arrived about nioe o*clock, it being then nearly dark. s There are some smaller cataracts in other parts of Lower Canada, but they do not meHt any patv* ticular description. I regretted that no opportu^* nity offered, while I remained in America, of visiting the celebrated Falls of Nkgara. Cookl '*■ U'l>^ BAPIDS or RICHUEU. 411 I have staid in Canada last winter, my friend Hawdon promised to take me there in his cariole; it would have been a journey of more than two hundred miles from Montreal, but the winter sea- son is admirably adapted for expeditious travel- ing. The rapids of Richlieu are situated about (brty- live miles from Quebec in the river St. Lawrence, and nearly half-way between that city and the town of Three Rivers. They are formed by a great number of sunken rocks and shallows, quite across the river, and two or three miles in length : at low water many of them are visible. The rapidity of the current, which always sets downwards at this place, is said to be at the rate of twelve or fifteen miles an hour. There is sufficient depth of water for the largest man of war; but vessels can only stem the current in strong easterly winds. The tide flows up to these rapids, and rises nearly fifty miles above them, beyond the town of Three Rivers, notwithstanding the current always runs down as far as the Richlieu. -There are two smaller rapids near Montreal, one about a mile and a half below the city, and the other about five miles above: the latter is called Saultde St. Louis, or the Fall of St. Louis ; but it is a mere rapid, similar to those of the Richlieu, except that the river at St. Louis is di- vided into chapnels by two or three small islands; ■I ! a ■ ^i- I; m iff \i*"* 413 RAPIDS OF THE CEDARS. « which form, with the rapidity of the agitated stream, a very picturesque and beautiful view. The cascades, near the boundary line, between Upper and Lower Canada, are of a different de- scription to the rapids of Richlieu, St. Louis, &c. and seem to present an almost insuperable bar to the navigation of the river between the two pro- vinces: this obstacle is, however, in some measure removed by the construction of locks and canals on the western shore, through which the batteaux and small vessels pass. The cascades are about two mites in length, and are as violently agitated in the calmest weather, as the ocean is in a gale of wind. The waters appear as if they rushed into an immense gulf, and were boiled up again by some subterranean fire. Rafts of timber, and large scows laden with barrels of flour, pot ash, and provisions, pass through these tremendous rajpids every year with safety ; but smaller vessels ' cannot attempt it without imminent danger. About three miles above the cascades are the ta* pids of the Cedars ; they are less violent than the former, but are infinitely more dangerous than the Richlieu and St. Louis; yet the Canadians and Indians are so very expert in the management of their canoes and batteaux, that an accident v'ety rarely happens in passing any of the rapids. CANADIAN ANIMALS. 413 W' \^ CHAPTER XX. -m Canadian Animah — Anecdote of a young Man-— Animals of the Forest — Amphibious Animals — Canadian Hare — Birds —Turkey — ^ Partridge — Fish — Reptiles'^ Snakes — Bull Frog — Ex' cellent Fricasee of a Bull Frog — Lizards — Ter- rebins — Insects — Locusts — Extraordinary De- vastation — Musguitoes—Bees — The Ephemera, ^4 or Day Fly — Fire Fly — Phosphorescent Light which it emits resembles distant Stars, or Sparks of Fire-— Delicate Formation — Noxious Insects, 1^ The forests of the British settlements in North America abound with a variety of animals; though in the neighbourhood of the settlements of Upper and Lower Canada the larger and more formidable species are seldom or never seen. The hunters have driven them into the remotest parts of the interior. ■,^, The animals of the ox kind are the buffalo, musk bull, and bison. The skin of the former is used by the Canadians for a winter covering, which they denominate a robe. Of the deer kind are the great stag, or round-horned elk, the black Apd gray moose, the caribou or rein deer, the stag, m\. ' 414 ANECDOTE OF A VOUKiG MAN. fallow-deer, and cuUblanc. The moose deer, of which so much has been said and written,is merely a large species of the elk. Its name is derived from the Algonquin word Moosu, which signifies an elk. I was told that it h^fj^ often been seen in the forests at the back of the village of Be9ancottr, opposite Three Rivers. The people magnify the size of the animal beyond credibility; but it very probably has made its appearance there, as that part of the country borders on the New England States, of which the moose deer is a native. The black and brown bears are found in various parts of Annerica, but chiefly in the north-west. Some few are met with in the woods near the settlements of Lower Canada, to the northward of Quebec. A young man who arrived from England a few years ago, with an appointment in one of the public offices at Quebec, had been told that he would noeet with bears running wild in the streets of that city, and was advised by his informant to take bver with him a large cutlass for his defence. He complied with this friendly advice, and, on his arrival, hung the murderous weapon up in his apartment at the Merchants* eoifee* house where he resided for a few weeks ; till he found by the risible countenances of hts new acquaintance, that his friend in England had completely hoaxed him. The bear is rather shy than fierce, and chooses for hwn, he is assaulted by a shower of balls before he can reach the ground, or dispatched with a tomahawk. The Indians feed upon his fieshj rub themselves with his grease, and clothe them- selves with his skin. The Polar or great white bear is seldom seen further south than New.' foundland. It inhabits only the coldest parts of the continent. The wolverine, or carcajou, is called by the banters beaver-eater, and resembles the badger of Europe, The raccoon inhabits the temperate parts of the continent. Wolves and foxes, the latter in great variety, are found from Hud so*s Bay to the most southern parts of North America. A species of porcupine, or urchin, is also found to the northward, and supplies the Indians with quilU about four inches long, which they dye, and ornament their dresses with : the flesh is also rec- koned as good eating as a pig. The animals of the cat kind consist of the w. I 4l6 CANADIAN ANIMALS. cougar, or American lion, the catamount, the marguay or lynx, though it is more generally known by the name of the tiger cat ; the kircajou, beaver, otter, martin, awat or ermine, weasel, ipink, fisher or pekin, the skunk or stinking pole- cat, opossum, conepate, hare, &c. .4 The other animals are the gray and red squir- rels, garden and flying squirrels, the wood rat, mole, and musk rat, or musquash; the common mouse and the shrew mouse. This last is remark- ably small, and holds the same place among qua- drupeds as the humming-bird does among the feathered race. They live in the woods, and are supposed to feed on grain and small insects. The amphibious animals are the walrus or sea- horse, the sea-cow, the seal, and the otter, which are found more or less in the northern seas, and the gulf and river of St. Lawrence. Most of these animals are pursued by the Indians and North-west traders for the sake of their skins; and there is little doubt, from the im- mense numbers that are annually destroyed, that many of the species will in the course of time become extinct. The hare in Canada, like the ermine, changes its colour. In summer it is a brownish gray, and in winter of a snowy white. At that season hares very much resemble rabbits, but their flesh is brown like the hares of Europe. The rabbit was. i-';^^^. ' CANADIAN BIRDS. 417 neyetf^ompirild in any jiart of America'; nor did I eirgg/mttj^yith a tame one in Canada ; but in the UoilM* States they are reared in great plenty, and sold at market. * ' The birds of Canada are eagles, vultures, hawks, falcons, kites, owls, ravens, crows, rooks, jays, magpies, daws, cuckows, woodpeckers, hoopers, creepers, and humming-birds; thfwfeiti black- birds, linnets, (inches, sparrows, fly-catchers, larks,' wagtails, wrens, swallows, doves, pigeons, turkeys, grouse, ptarmigans, partridges, and quAils. Among these, the humming bird is the smallest and most curious; it is often seen in Lower Canada during the summer, playing about among the flowerJB of the garden. It gathers the sweets from the blos- som like the bee, and is continually fluttering upon the wing. Its plumage is extremely beau- tiful, and resembles that of the peacock, being a compound of the most lovely tints. The body of this little creature, divested of its feathers, is not larger than a bee. The Canadir m call it Toiseau mouche, or bird fly, and the species which visits that part of the country is said to be one of the smallest of the humming bird genus. It generally lays Ave eggs, about the size of a small pea. It has a long beak, with which it is said to attack the trow when flying. It is a great enemy to that bird, into whose body it will dart its sharp beak, and cause it to fell to the ground. . 1 S! VOL. I. 2 E :?^v. 418 CANADIAN BltHS. V A bird very much like the c^nrnf^^JMi in •ize and colour, ii common in Canidlu. J 4iave seen a great many in the vicinity of MiStreal. They have a pretty effect in gardens, where they often build their nests and breed. They are known only by the name of the yellow bird, and have a pretty note, but their song is rather short. The tiiiikigr^ of which there is only one species known, is a native of North America, but is niostly found in a domesticated state in Canada. It is a very hardy bird, and Will roost upon trees in the severest weather. The Canadians take no parti-» culav pains in rearing them more than the rest of their poultry : great numbers are brought to mar- ket, and the inhabitants generally lay in a suffi« cient stock of them at the commencement of the winter to last them till spring. Their flesli is as ^ne eating as that of European turkeys. The Canadian partridge is larger than that of England, and much finer eating. The flesh is a» white as a chicken, and more tender and delicate^ Many people call them the pheasants of America^ that bird being seldom seen so far to the north* ward. There are several species of the partrid^^ but I have seen no other than the one I have de« scribed. ... t. The water^fowls are in great abundance, and afford plenty of amusement to those who are fond of sporting. Among the principal are herons. tI9R. — RBPTILiS. ^^9 crandi, bitterns, snipes, woodcocks, plovers, wild! geese, ducks, widgeons, and teal ; a considerable number of these are brought to market by the In* dians and HabitansT The fishes in the seas, gulfi, rivers, and lakes of Canada are innumerable; they consist, indeed/ of almost every species and variety at present known. Those brought to market 1 have noticed in a former chapter, they are mostly the fresh- water fish ; and. Considering the immense quan* tities which might be procured with the greatest facility, it is surprising that so few are offered for sale. The salt*water fishery is carried on chiefly ^ for the purpose of exportation, but no great quan* tity is exported from Quebec. " In Upper Canada the reptiles are numerous, and many of them dangerous ; but in Lower , Canada they are confined to a few harmless spe* cies, and even those but rarely met with in the . cultivated parts of the country. *The rattle-snake, to dangerous in Upper Canada, is unknown in the Lower Province ; nor is there indeed any other species of snake except of the smallest and most harmless description;. The only one 1 saw in that country was about nine or ten inches long, very slender, and of a beautiful grass green. Wheik Attacked, it curled itself round upon its tail, and with its head erect, prepared to defend itself. It seetkied so diminutive, and perfectly innocent, that \ 2 E 2 - I I 1 111 t , '■ il r a I 420 FRICASSEED BULL-FROG. % I could not help regi^uing its being killed by*a gentleman who happened to pass by. We found it lying on jthe grass, and the reason he gave for taking away its life was cttious enough : he killed every snake he found, whether venomous or harmless, because it reminded him of the devil, who took that form to deceive our first pa- rents. A The bull-frog is not so abundant in Lower Ca- nada as in the warmer parts of North America. There is, however, a sufficient number of these noisy reptiles to disturb the peace of their neigh- bours. The bellowing which they make may be heard at a very great distance^ and their appear- ance is as disgusting as their noise is troublesome. From their bulky size and short legs they re- semble the toad much more than the common frog. How any person can find a stomach to cook and eat such unsightly creatures is to me astonishing, unlesi driven to it by actual starvation. I have never heard that the French Canadians ever eat them, or indeed any other kind of frog *. but Mr. Janson, in his ' Stranger in America,* men- tions that he made an excellent fricassee of the hind-quarters of a bull-frog in ;he United States. He was forced to cook it himself, for the people of the house ran from it with dis^';ust. The smidler species of frog is troublesome ^n marshy places, and their croaking in the summer evenings is *, A -^ \* ii .V INSECTS OF LOWER CANADA. 431 abominable. Toads are not very numerous. A few lizards are found in the Lower Province ; I met with one in the winter frozen to death upon the ice. It was about six inches long, and of a light brown colour. A small tortoise, called a ter- rebin, or more frequently tarrapin, is found in small rivers, creeks, and marshy places. It is very common all over the American continent, and is dressed and eaten by the inhabitants, many of whom esteem it equal to turtle. ! The insects of the Lower Province are nume- rous, but there are few of a dangerous nature. Locusts or grass-hoppers have sometimes, from their immense numbers in a hot season, committed great ravages. A circumstaiice of the kind hap- pened a few years ago in the island of Orleans for two successive seasons. It is said their numbers were ;o great, that after destroying every vegetable production on tht island, they were forced to leave it for fear of starvation ; and having assembled in bodies upon the water, they floated over with the flood-tide to Quebec, passed through the town, stripped the ramparts of the gr»3s as they went along, and then proceeded in separate columns through the country to the southward. Many were lost in the voyage, which thinned their numbers ; and as the others were dispersed over a large tract of country, the injury they afterwards committed was not of so serious a nature as that 9 S4l I !1 432 MUMUIT0E9* m the island of Orleans. Every summer va^t diimbers of locusts, crickets, and grass-hoppera are to be found in the woods, plantations, and gar* dens ; their disagreeable creekiug noise is heard in every part of the country ; fortunately it ia not often that any thing more unpleasant is expe< rienced from them. Fleas, bugs, black beetles, or as they are gene*^ rally termed, cock-roaches, and other disagreeable domestic insects^ are not more common in Canadu than in Europe. But the house-fly, as I have before said, is much more numerous and more troublesome : probably from the prolongation of their lives during winter, by the means of stoves^ as well as the more powerful heat of summer. The musquito or gnat abounds in the woods for upwards of three of the hottest months^. Its bite is venomous, and has sometimes proved dangerous. Instances have occurred of deserters who had fled into the woods losing their lives in consequence of the violent sweUing and inflam- mation which the bite*of innumerable swarms of these insects had caused. Vinegar, or acid of any description, relieves the pain and inflammation almost immediately. It is curious to see tint Kttle insect dart upon your hand, insert its pra« boscis into one of the pores and suck up the blood; In a few moments its body, which was before of a, light gray, and almost transparent, becomes red ..:'• MOTHSy BUTTEKFUES^ BEES. 4S8 ind drtt^nded with blood; nor does it quit iji hold till its appetite is completely satiated. It it reckoned safer to let it fly away of its 6wn accord, > when satisfied, thain to kill it on your hand, as the venom is supposed to be sucked out again with the blood. ^ Moths and butterflies are numerous, but I saw nolle of remarkable beauty, or much different from those of England. % .ifiBees are plentiful,^ and fly in small swarms in the woods and gardens. It is said they were not known in America before the arrival of the Eu- ropeans, and the Indians, having no word in their language to describe them, call them English flies. A few of the Canadians keep hives. The bees which I have seen in the gardens appear to be of . a larger size than those of England. ^ :■■ Dr^on-flies, wasps, and horse-flies, are not moife numerous in the cultivated parts of the coun- try than in England*. But a species of fly called the gad-fly, which comes in about the beginning t^f June, is fxtremely numerous, and flies about in large swarms, particularly in the towns. Some people call them the shadjly, because they make . their appearance just when that flsli is in season, and continue for about the same length of time, which is not more than a fortnight or three weeks. They are perfectly harmless, though coming under the class of those insects which have stings. It! 'hi I I ;tJ s«14 . ': EPHEMERA, : OR DAY TLY^ ^ While going from Quebec to Three Rivisrs hf lifter, in the month of August, I met with a.cu#ibut ipecies of fly, which rose in clouds from thesurface iDf the water, and lodged upon the vessel. 1 have since found that they belong to the class of ephe- mera, or day-fiy; but they differ considerably froni those of Europe, and 1 believelare of a similar kind to the ephoron leuhon, or white fly, which if found on the river Passaic. in North America, and lately discovered atid described by J)r. Williamson. Those which I met with made their; appearance about sunset, and were perfectly white; they were about three quarters of an^nch long.in the body, and had two transparent nervous wings^ erect, about the same length. The.tail was Jurnished .with two very slender bristles, nearly of the' same length as thebody. . .'.a ^^:In flying they moved with amazing quickness, hcvered overvtl)e water a few seconds, andthen alighted upon the vessel; where, in a little. time, .they changed their coat and flew. away, le^vJi^ behind their whole skin from head |p tail. It.wli8 exactly, the complete form of the body, but with^ out wings. I watched hundreds of them, all of .whom did precisely the same, and gradually ^worked their body and wings through the outer skin ; after which they flew off. It appeared to me that they could not have divested them^elv^ of their^ skin, without lodging upon some sub- r-" '">'< >ti FIRE FLY. 43ft Stance which assisted them in casting it off; and ■I never observed any of them settle on the vksUSI 'for that purpose. The surface Of the river aroutiA the vessel (for it was a very fine, calm evening) %as covered with the skins of these little ihsectv. Many of them often flew away the moment their wings were free,- and while the skin still adhered to their till : this, however, they soon got rid of, 1)y the motion of flying, and it consequently fell in the water. I could not procure any informa- tion concerning them fro. ^ the inhabitants; for they are 110 great admirers oi the beauties of Na- ;ture. ' ■ ' ^'^ •'' ■•' ■' ' ' ^' The Jlre^y (lampyris) is another curious in- %iect, common in Canada, as well as in other parts ^f the American continent.. It is remarkable for emitting a brilliant «park of light, when flying in the air on a summer's evening. It is of a light brown colour, of the class of beetles, and from half to three quarters of an inch in length. The light, as near as I could perceive, is emitted from ^ihe abdomen, which as far as the tail is of a light "straw colour, and composed of joints : other? have, however, asserted that the light is produced from ^two glandular spots, situated between the head ^and shoulders, and visible only when the insect is flying ; but I have caught several and put them in a phial with some grass, and they gave exactly the same light as when flying in the air. The 'iliE f i; III '• k 4Sll NOXIOUS INSECTS. fppark, therefore, appears to be emitted at the plea- iiice of the insect, or when it respires. In the open mir at night they are extremely pretty, their phos* phorescent light appearing like distant stars, or tuddeif sparks of fire. They are very delicate, and will not live long in confinement. They appear to .abound most among the grass. ^ There are but few other insects worthy of par« ticular notice, or difiering, materially from those foui^d in England. The most noxious arid dan- gerous species, as scorpions, tarantulas, centi- pedes, &c. are confined to the southern parts of the continent. In short, the inhabitants of Lower Canada, and the north-eastern states of the Ame- i^ican Union, are particularly bhessed in living free from the dread of dangerous aninuJfy venomous reptiles^ and noxious vermin, vft ~ f \ ^*-4 ■Ji\it'»*S «>^> CANADIAN TREES AND PLANTS. CHAPTER XXL 42f ' i Forest Trees — Shrubs — Plants — Pine Trees — Clearing of Lands — Singular Adventure of Miss Fan C. — American Oak^-Birch Tree — Maple Tree — Cedar— Ginseng — Capillaire-^ Sumach — Poisonous Sumach-^Herb d la Puce y ^—Gold Flies — Cotton Plant or Cotonier, yields Sugar Resembling Honey — Onion Tree — Sweei Garlic— mid Turnip — Tripe de Rochers^y . Indian < Tea — Aromatic Grass '^Cranberry •—^t Juniper Tree ^^ Sun Flowers-^ Oil extracted . from the Seed, equal to ^Florence Oil^^Hemp . and Flax, |. The two Canadas abound with almost every species and variety of trees, shrubs, and plants. Among the timber-trees are the oak, pine, fir, elm, ash, birch, walnut, beech, maple, chesnut, cedar, aspen, &c. Among the fruit trees and shrubs are walnut, chesnut, apple, pear, cherry, plum, elder, vines, hazel, hiccory, sumach, juni<« per, hornbeam, thorn, laurel, whortleberry, cran^ berry, raspberry, gooseberry, blackberry, blue- berry, sloe, ^. Strawberries are luxuriantly scattered over every part of the country, but cur- 1 1 l'28 CANADIAN TRSBS AND PLANTS. '■<, rants are only met with in gardens. Such innu- nierable quantities of useful and beautiful plants, herbs, grasses, and flowers, are also to be found in the forests, that where the botanist is presented with so rich a field for observation and study, it is to be regretted that so little is known concern- ing them. As it cannot be expected that 1 can enter into a very copious description of .such a variety, I shall only notice a few of the most remarkable, as far as I have had an opportunity of observing during my residence in America. " The pine-trees grow to the height of 120 feet 'and more, and from nine to ten feet in circum- ference, in several parts of Lower Canada, bor- dering on the states of Vermont and New York. They make excellent masts and timber for ship* , ping; but the quantity procured in the Lower Pro- vince is very trifling compared to the supplies re- ceived from Upper Canada and the United States. In other parts, particularly to the northward and westward of Quebec, the forest trees are mostly of a small growth. There are several varieties of tbe pine and 6r trees, from some of which are made large quantities of pitch, tar, and turpentine. The clearing of lands has of late years been carried onto great advantage by those who properly under- stand the true method ; for there is scarcely a tree in the forest but what may be turned to some ao ADVENTURE OF MISS VAN C — * 42^ count, particularly in the making of pot and peart ashes, which have enriched the American settlierp- far beyond any other article. The trees of a re- sinous quality supply pitch, tar, and turpentine. The maple furnishes sugar; and, with the beech, ash, elm, &c. will also serve for the pot-ash manu- factory. Cedar is converted into shingles for the roofs of houses ; oak into ship-timber ; firs into deal planks and boards; and, in short, almost every kind of tree is brought into use for some purpose or other. In the clearing of lands, however, it is always necessary that the settler should first look out for a market for his produce, and for some navigable river or good road to convey the same ; otherwise it is of little consequence that he obtains four or five hundred acres of land for four or five pounds. So much land for so little money is highly pre- possessing to an European, but appearances, par- ticularly at a distance, are often fallacious. A few- years ago.a lady in England, who possessed a grant of several hundred acres of woodland in Lower Canada, had, from frequent calculation, conceived so high an opinion of their worth, and the riches that might be obtained from so many trees, each of which she valued at what it would fetch in Eng- land, that she determined to go over and settle yards , and^ I believe, obtained an acknowledgment that they would receive whatever timber she should send home. Elated with this success, she immediately supplied herself at a great expense with imple^ ments of agriculture, and almost every new*in* vented instrument for farming she could think of; with an abundance of ropes and machines for pull- ing down trees, and grubbing up their roots. Thus equipped, she embarked by herself for the happy land, which, to her sanguine imagination was far superior to Potosi or Peru. After a fatiguing voyage, which would pierhaps have damped the ardour of a mind less enthu- siastic than bar's, she arrived at Quebec, and pro* duced her letters from the great folks at home* But she soon learnt there were great people in Canada as well as in England ; for, instead of being received with open arms, as she expected^ and as one who incurred much expense and trouble to benefit the colony and mother country, as weU as herself, she was treated with shyness, and was even considered as rather cracked m the brain, Itt spite, however, of the mortification she expert^ enced from the sneers and whispers of the good people of Quebec, she set off up the oountry, to ADVENTURE OF MISS VAN 431 carry her project into execution. AfUr experi-' encing many vexatious difficulties on the way, the arrived within a day's journey of her lands, which lay nnany miles back from any settlement. She puf op for the night at a miserable log- hut, in the' midst of a gloomy forest, where even Pan himself would never have thought of venturing in search of a wood nymph : but scarcely had she laid herself down to rest when she heard the report of a gun, and in an instant two or three men rushed into the hut. They were at first going to carry her off; but upon second thoughts, which are often better than the first, they merely begged the fa- vour to help themselves to her money, and some other property she had brought with her, which having done they immediately departed. Nothing could exceed the terror and constema^ ^ion of the poor unfortunate lady, who, notwith- standing she was possessed of a greater share of courage than generally falls to her sex, yet was sor much alarmed at being robbed in a place where she expected to have met with nothing but jpo/- less innocence, and pastoral happiness, that she set off for Quebec the next morning. There she endeavoured to dispose of her lands, but on a sur- vey being made, tliey were found to be so remotely situated, that nobody would give any thing for them. There was no communication but by narrow paths, and neither road nor civer by which the •^' 43d AMERICAN OAK| BIRCH, AMD MAPLE TREES. timber might.be carted or floated from the spot. The poor lady was therefore obliged to return to England unsuccessful, after incurring a very great expense* and being exposed to the insulting sneers of unfeeling strabgers. I was told that some of her ropes and new-invented implements for clear*; hig land are yet lying in one of the merchants' stores at Quebec. . The American oak is quicker in its growth, but Jess durable than that of Europe. One spe- cies called the live oak, which is however found only in the warmer parts of the country, is said by many to be equal, if not superior, to the English oak for ship-building. The white oak is the best that is found in the Canadian settlements, and is chiefly used for the building of vessels at Quebec and Montreal. .The birch tree aflbrds an excellent bark, of which the Indians make canoes, baskets, and co- vering for their huts and wigwams. The wood of the black birch is used by the Canadians for carts and cart-wheels, tables, and other articles of do- mestic, use. • One of 'the most useful trees in Canada is the maple tree (acer saccharinum) which supplies the inhabitants with abundance of excellent sugar, and the best fire-wood. I have in a former chapter adverted to the mode of procuring the sap of this tree, and manufacturing it into sugar. It is not^ GIKSENG^-CAPILLAIRK. 433 cut down for fire-wood till exhausted of itt tap, when it is generally preferred, and fetches a higher price thaii any other fire-wood sold at market. There is another species, or rather variety, called the curled maple, which is much used for cabinet-work, the wood being very prettily waved or curled. It requires four or five years to season, properly, before it can be worked up. Thc> white cedar is plentiful in Canada, and reckoned the most durable wood for posts, railings, and picket- ing. The red cedar is scarcely ever met with in the forests. Two plants, formerly of great importance in Canada, are now either almost extirpated, or are little noticed as articles of commerce : these are ginseng and capillaire. The former plant was found in great abundance in the early settlement of the French in the colony ; and large quantities > were exported to France, from whence it was re- exported to China. The high price which was given for it by the Chinese tempted the Canadians to gather the roots before the proper time ; not content with which, they employed the Indians in travelling through the country to collect them wherever a root could be found. The consequence was, that the Canadian ginseng soon became ex- hausted, and at this day few plants are to be'found. The trade in capillaire was also at one time ex- tremely brisk, but is now either exhausted, like VOL. I. 2 p i 434 F0I80N0CS SUMACH. the ginseng, or neglected for more important articles. A small quantity is sometimes exported from Quebec. The sumach is a very common shrub in Lower pCanada^as well as in other parts of America. I have ^ «een only one species (rhus glabrum, I believe), .though there are one or two others. It grows J about five feet high, in hedges, and among other shrubs, and bears large clusters of berries of a deep crimson. The branches and berries, boiled toge- f-ther, or separately, are very useful for dyein«; ; but the Canadians seldom put the fruit to any other use than the making of vinegar. The berries re- main on the plant during winter, but the leaves -fall off: There is a species of the sumach remarkable ; for its poisonous ,nature, the rhus vernix, but it is ^ little known in the Lower Province. It delights in ewampy grounds, and in the United States is known by the name of the poison tree. Some ex- traordinary particulars are mentioned concerning this shrub, whose noxious effluvia affect some people so much, that they cannot approach the place where it grows, or even expose themselves to the wind which carries its poisonous exhalation with it^ without having their hands, face, and other parts of the body blistered and swelled; ~ even their eyes are closed for some days togethei*, by the violent tumours it creates: yet others can BER9E A LA PUCE. 43,$ approach this shrub, and handle it^without the least inconvenience. It has, however, been known to affect the latter when in a state of perspiration, but then not without rubbing the plant violently between their hands. There is a plant, or weed, very common in Lower Canada, called by the French herbe d la puce, (herbe aux puces, Plantago psyllium, Linn.) which possesses nearly the same deleterious qua- hties as the rhus vernix, or poisonous sumach, being noxious to some, and harmless to others. I have seen several persons who have been confined to the house in consequence of having been poi- soned in the woods by this weed ; even the mere treading upon it is sufficient to create swellings and inflammations. Yet I have seen other people . handle it with safety ; and have myself often "^ pulled it up by the rout, broke the stem, and co- vered my hands with the milky juice which it contains, without experiencing any disagreeable effect. What property it is in the constitution of people which thus imbibes or repels the poison- ous qualities of this plant I have never been able to learn, nor can I, from observation, account for it. Many gardens are full of it, which occasions it to be considered there as a weed. The roots ap- pear to spread under ground to a considerable extent, and though the plant may be cut off every year, yet it springs up again in another place. It 2 F 2 436 COCCINELLA makes its apfpearance about the end of May, and runs up like the runners of scarlet beans, entwin- ing itself round any tree, plant, or paling that comes in its way; and if there is nothing U|k>ii which the young shoots can support themselves, they adhere to each other. Their leaves and stems are of a light green, and they are in full flower in July. Wherever the her be a la puce grows, there is always to be found a great number of beautiful lady-flies (coccinella). They are co- vered with a brilliant gold as long as they are on the leaf, or retain any particle of its juice. I caught some of them, and put them into a phial ; but ne- glecting to put some leaves of the herbe a la puce with them, they had by the next morning ^lost their splendid coat,and merely resembled the com- mon red lady-fly which we have in England. I th?n caught a few more, and having supplied them well with the leaves of that plant, they retained their gold tinge equally as well as in the open air. In a few days they had reduced the leaves to mere skeletons ; but as long as there remained a morsel of the stalk or Hbres to feed on, their beautiful appearance continued. I kept them upwards of a month in this manner, giving them occasionally fresh leaves of the plant, and admitting the air through some holes that I pricked in the paper with which 1 had covered the mouth of the phial. They would feed upon no other plant than that '.ill COTONNIER. 437 of the herbe a la puce, from which alone they de- rived their beauty. I afterwards gave tl.em their liberty, and they flew away, apparently little the worse for their confinement. Another plant of a remarkable, but more bene- H^ ficial nature, is the cotton plnnt, or as the French call it, the cotonnier^ which grows abundantly in Lower Canada. As it delights in a good soil, it forms nearly as correct a criterion to judge of the J > quality of land as the maple tree ; for, like it, the cotonnier possesses saccharine qualities. It comes up in the month of May, much like asparagus ; and when it is nine or ten inches high, is cut down, sold at market, dressed and eaten much in the same manner. If left to grow, it rises to a plant about three feet high, and bears a flower resembling the lilac, but ofaflner though weaker fragrance. In the month of August there is an abundant dew upon its leaves and flowers, which continues for a fort- night or three weeks. This being shaken ofl'into basons before or immediately after sun- rise, a quan- tity of sweet liquor or syrup is collected, which being boiled down to a proper consistency, yields a very good sugar resembling honey both in colour and flavour. Some*of the Canadian farmers pro- cure a tolerable quantity of this sugar for the^r fa- mily use ; but very little is ever sold. The cotonnier is of a pale dull green, and its stem contains a lactescent liquor similar to the m 438 eOTONNlER, herbe d la puce, fmm which circumstance it has most probably been considered by the Canadians to possess some poisonous property : notwith- standing which they eat the young plants, and make sugar of the syrup or dew which they col- lect from the leaves and flowers ; and no instance 4ias ever occurred of any deleterious effects having been experienced from it. The cattle, however, always avoid it. The pods of the cotonnier, when riper, af€ somewhat in the shape of an egg, only more pointed at the ends, and from three to four inches long. They contain a fine white silky substance, extremely soft, and resembling cotton, from which it takes its name. I'he seeds of the plant are at- tached to one end of this substance, and are very numerous. The Canadians make no other use of the cotton than as a substitute for feathers to fill their mattresses and pillows with ; though it ap- pears capable of being appropriated to much more important uses. Paper, and even cloth, I should think, might be made from it with facility. It requires no attention in the culture, but springs up wherever it finds a soil congenial to its nature. But the quality of its cotton might possibly be very much improved, if properly cultivated in plantations ; independent of which, considerable quantities of excellent sugar, apparently superior to the maple, might be collected with very littlQ ONION TREE. 439 mg trouble. Were I to reside in Canada, there is nothing in which I should more delight than in forming a large plantation of the cotonnier, and endeavouring to bring the produce of that already valuable plant into some important use; which I am confident might be done with very little trouble and expense. I am only surprised that no person has hitherto treated it with the atten- tion it merits. As a plantation for sugar only, it would be extremely valuable, and save the im- mense labour and loss of time which the collecting of the maple sugar occasions, at a period when the husbandman is much wanted on his farm. The dew from the cotonnier may be gathered by chil- dren, and at so early an hour in the morning that it could never interfere with the business of the day. The boiling of it down into sugar is a simple process, and might be easily conducted by the wo- men. There is a shrub which the French also call co- tonniere, but it is of a very different nature to the preceding plant ; and is calle. ter will frequently branch out, and each bear other clusters, but of a more diminutive size. The onion tree is propagated by planting. In the woods are found a variety of wild flowers and plants, many of them as handsome as those reared in gardens. One of these, which the French call sweet garlic, is extremely pretty : it hasi two large leaves springing up from its root, of a pale grass green, between which its stem rises to the height often or a dozen inches, bearing about half a dozen very pretty flowers, somewhat resembling in shape and colour the blue bell. ^ Another, denominated the wild turnip, is also a very handsome plant, and grows to the height of two feet or more. Its stem is about half an inch thick at the root, and diminishes gradually in size to the top. It is streaked with green and brown, and bears three large dark green leaves, spreading out in the form of a cross ; other stems branch out from the main one, bearing similar leaves ; and in the centre is a beautiful flower, having a slight resemblance to a tulip. It is handsomely variegated with brown, red, green, and yellow tints find streaks, which soften towards the stem, fbe forests are full of the most valuable herbs, SUN FLOWERS. 441 \m roots, and grasses, the properties of which are ge- nerally well known to the Indians, and to many of the Canadians. A moss called by the French tripe de rockers, which I take to be the rein deer moss, often serves the Indian and Canadian voya- geurs for food when their provisions are short ; or, as is sometimes the case, quite exhausted. They boil it down and drink the liquor, which is reck- oned very nutritive. An herb called the Indian tea is frequently used as a substitute for that of China, and considered much more wholesome. It has a pleasant aromatic flavour. ■*' Species of wild oats and rice grow in the swamps and marshes, and with several other plants, as the sea rye, sea- side plantain, bear- berries, sea-rocket, laurier or sweet willow, cranberry, juniper tree, 8ea>side peas, &c. are used by the Indians and French Canadians for a variety of purposes. An aromatic grass, called Indian grass, is ga- thered in the woods by the Indian women, and brought into the towns for sale. It has a very agree- able fragrance, which it retains for years. It is used as lavender is by us; for scenting clothes, &c. The Canadians are fond of sun-flowers in their gardens and near their houses, but I do not under- . stand that they turn them to any account. At the Moravian settlement of Bethlehem, in the United States, a considerable manufactory of oil is carried 443 SUN FIfOWERSw A on from these flowers by the brethren, an example which I think is worthy of imitation in England as well as in Canada. The seed must be sown in a good soil, and about three feet distant from each other, in a small hole. When the plant is about a yard high, it must be hilled round with mould. An acre of land will produce about forty or fifty bushels of seed, which will yield as many gallons of oil. The seeds, when quite ripe, are hulled, and afterwards reduced to a powder. . They are then put into a strong bag of woollen or canvas cloth, and placed between the iron plates of a press, by which the oil is expressed into proper vessels^ which are placed underneath to receive it. The plates of the press are often heated ; but oil drawn from cold plates is best, Find will keep much longer, for the heat is apt to make the other rancid, though it produces a larger quantity of oil. In a cold season a certain degree of lieat is ne* cessary ; but when the oil vt wanted for aliment, or medicine, the plates should be heated by boil- ing water only. Sometimes, when the bruised seed h dry, it may be exposed to the steam of boiling Mater, when tied up in a bag. Every expressed oil, when pure and fresh, and obtained with caution, is as void of acrimony, and Dree from any particular taste or sm^ell, as Florence HEMP AND FLAt. 44S oil. The sun-flower oil is extremely mild, and may be used for sallad, and all the purposes for which olive oil is now used. Hemp and flax are both natives of the North American continent. Father Hennepin found the former growing wild in the country of the Illinois, and Sir Alexander Mackenzie, in his tra* vels to the Pacific Ocean, met with flax in the , interior, where no European was ever known to have been before. There is also another plant, a native of Canada and other parts of North America, known by the name of Indian hemp. It is spoken of in the American Philosophical Transactions, published at Philadelphia, in the following manner: ''This plant grows in many places, but delights more particularly in light sandy soils. Its bark is so strong that the Indians make use of it for bow-strings. Could we but find a method of separating and softening its fibres, so as to render it fit to be spun into fine thread, it might serve as a substitute for flax and hemp. This plant deserves to be cultivated on another account. The pod it bears contains a substance, that from its softness and elasticity, might be used instead of the finest down. Its culture it easy, inasmuch as its root, which penetrates deep into the earth, survives the winter, and shoots out fresh stalks every spring. Five or six years after being sown^ it is in its greatest perfection.** 444 HEMP AND FLAX. It may therefore be truly said that Canada is a hemp country ; even more so than Ruttsia or Po- land. Yet, will it be credited, that though we have had the two provinces in our possession full half a century, in 1808 not a single ton of hemp had ever been procured from them, while we have been paying to foreign powers, often our very enemies, more than a million and a half annually for that important article. , The Canadians cultivate flax merely for their own domestic use, but a few hundred bushels of linseed are sometimes exported from Quebec. Hemp is to be seen growing in a wild unculti- vated state round their houses, where it runs into large plants of seven or eight feet in height ; but it is only for the purpose of producing seed for their birds, beyond which, they never concern themselves about it. The soil and climate are admirably adapted to the growth of hemp, and are in every respect as favourable to it as Russia and Poland. It is a very tenacious plant, and is with difiiculty rooted out, where it has grown for any length of lime. In the town and neighbour- hood of Three Rivers, though a very sandy and otherwise barren soil, it springs up in almost every garden, and lines the banks of the river almost to the water's edge. Yet no other atten- tion is paid to it, than for the purpose before mentioned. It may perhaps be worthy of rem3rk| .; H1!MP, A l^ROriTAALE ARTICLE. 445 that birds of every description in Canada are fed wholly upon hemp-seed. Hemp is one of the most profitable and valua- ble productions of the earth. It enriches the cultivator, and furnishes shipping with the most useful and important part of its equipment. The several processes of hemp also benefit the state, by employing many hands that could not be so usefully and profitably engaged in other occupa* tions. The advantage, therefore, which a country must derive from the culture and manufacture of hemp, throughout its several branches, cannot be doubted, and is sufificiently proved by the im- portance which Russia has derived from her com- merce in that article: by which she has, in a . manner, rendered the greatest navy in the world dependent upon her will, and caprice. The wa- vering conduct of that power has often threatened us with the stoppage of our marine stores; and, in oo|yunction with the other northern powers, she has at times found it no unprofitable instrument to hold in ierrorem over us. That we have never yet ex])erienced any sensible difficulty for the want of naval stores has been more owing to a variety of fortunate events, which have dissolved or rendered defective their coalitions, than to the supplies we may have received from any other quarter. .■ While such was the precarious state of Qur in- if* 446 ATTEMPTS TO RAISE HEMP IN CANADA. tercourse with the northern powers at various periods, and the uncertainty of being able any longer to procure our usual supplies of naval stores, especially hemp; it was a matter of surprise and regret to all, that government was not able to procure tho.se essential articles from our colonies abroad. Canada, in particular, was well known to be capable of afibrding every article as good, and in equal plenty, as those we derived from the Baltic ; provided the attainment of those supplies was made a national concern. It was evident that government must interfere; for individuals, if they possessed the abilities, had not the means of ac- complishing such an important object. At length, the attention of government was roused to the necessity of procuring hemp from some of our own settlements; and in the year 1800, the lords of the council for trade and plan- tations took into their consideration the means by which they might introduce the culture^^ of that plant in the East Indies, and the British colonies of North America. Previous, however, to this, various experiments had been indirectly tried in Canada, and considerable sums of money expended for several years, but no other encou<> ragement was held forth than bounties and medalst compensations of too trifling a nature to influence a people naturally indolent, and to overcome a yariety of obstacles of another description. The KXPERIMENTS IN TBI EAST INDIES. 44/ public money, however, was annually expended, abundant supplies of hemp-seed and manufactur- ing implements were sent out ; and the govern- ment agents appeared to be actively engaged in furthering this important concern, but all to no purpose. Eighteen or twenty years elapsed, and not a hundred weiglit of hemp bad been sent home. It was at this period that the Board of Trade endeavoured to bring the culture of hemp to a successful issue, and determined not to confine their inquiries to Canada alone, they caused several experiments to be tried in the East Indies, and for two or three years their exertions were in- defatigable. No better success, however, attended their endeavours (though larger bounties were offered, and new machines sent out) than had been before experienced in Canada. Why the culture of hemp did not succeed in the Elast Indies, I have never correctly ascertained; but I have heard that the climate is too hot, and that the hemp grows too fine for large cordage. As to Canada, a variety of obstacles were enumerated as the reason of its not succeeding in that country. Among the rest, Mr. Vondenvelden, of Quebec, iwrote to the Society of Arts that its failure might be attributed to the attachment of the Canadians to old customs ; and to the opposition and preju- n the fallacious representations of inter- ested people in that country. As far as is known at present, we cannot pro- cure a ton of hemp from any other part of the world.. [The United States have not enough for their own consumption ; ^d even they see the necessity of cultivating hemp within their own territories. Their newspapers, of late, have been filled with exhortations and instructions to the people npon that subject. In the East Indies the Board of Trade have tried several experiments, but they have never answered. Canada is the only country in our possession, properly adapted to the culture of hemp. It is formed by nature for it ; and as fine hemp has been grown there, as ever came from Russia. As the cultivation of hemp in Canada is a na- tional concern, so it ought to be the subject of parliamentary consideration. If at peace with Russia, I own that we could hardly venture upon so much publicity, without giving offence; but^ in a state of hostility, no such delicacy can pos^ sibly exist. Parliament is certainly best able to judge of the propriety of throwing off our clfr> pendence upon the Northern Powers for our marine supplies; or whether it is better policy to remain as we are. wwv^^ .1 .JO 7 ♦ A KAtlONAL COVCfiRM. 45 1 It Undoubtedly appears a sel f>evident pri nci pie; that to encourage, the agricultore and commerce of our own colonies, is more advantageous than to encourage those of b foreign country; and that procuring our most essential articles from our own people, is safer than trusting to the precarious will of an enemy. There, however, may be reasonr which might dictate a policy diametrically oppo- site ; not that I believe such reasons do exist, but a subject of so much importance can be properly investigated only by those who are thoroughly initiated in the grand arcana of politics. At all events, the mode hitherto adopted for the culture of hemp in Canada, and which is still going on, will never produce the desired effect. Things must be put upon a very different footing, if suc- cess is ever meant to be the result. To continue a system so cramped and confined in its operation, is to continue an unnecessary waste of the public money, without the least prospect of benefiting the country. 1 cannot conclude this chapter without no* ticing the success of the Earl of Shannon in the cultivation of hemp in Ireland. His Lordship, in the course of last year, is said to have made upwards of 100/. per acre by his valuable crop. I am not informed of the extent of his Lordship^s efibrts ; but they sufficiently prove that the culti« SGS 4dS A NATI019AI( QQMCKllV. ▼ation of hemp in our ovm dominiolis is not an idle speculation ; and that, with adequate encoii^ ragement, we might in a few. years become total! jfi independent of ihe northern powers, for our sup^ plies of that very important article. : ' ^^4^ I "w p. ■ .,iM- L «s(0;-v*^ ■li Wfkji »^' fim ' ii i- .3ft:*i um-* MODE OF TRAVELLING. 4iS CHAPTER XXII. l^ave Quebec — Mode of Travelling — Steam Bot^t — Schooners — Voyage to Three Rivers-, — Beau* tiful Scenes — Eel Traps — Spearing Fiih by Torch Light — Second Journey to Three Rivers by Land — Pass the River at Cape Rouge-— Arrive at Jacques Cartier — Rapid Torrent — New Bridge — Post House-— Monsieur Garnoux the Blackimith — Deschambau.lt — Seigniory of Grondines—^St, Anne — Charles Lanaudiere, Esq* Grand Foyer of the Province — Batiscan — Iron Woi'ks — Champlain — Rivulets — Bridges — Ca* nadian Farms— Roman Catholic Crosses — Post House at Cape Madelaine — Arrival at Thre0 Rivers, My first excursion to Three Rivers was by water; a mode of travelling not always very agreeafcle, when ascending the river. The nu- merous rapids, and strong currents, which com- mence at the Richlieu, about 45 miles above Quebec, render the voyage extremely tedious, unless you are favoured with a strong easterly -wind. As we bad a considerable quantity of ma- ^' 454 8CROOKER8.— STEAM BOiT. chinery, agricultural implements, &c. to remove, we chartered one of the schooners which sail re- gularly between Quebec and Montreal. These vessels range from MO to 100 tons, and being merely adapted for burthen, afford very poor ac- commodation for passengers. Few of the inhabi- tants, indeed, ever take their passage in them, except upon the voyage down the river from Montreal to Quebec, which is generally accom- plished in two days; and even with contrary winds is seldom more than four or five days. The pec^le are obliged to take provisions with them, and go on shore at right to sleep at a farm house, unless they take a mattress with them ; for the cabin, which is extremely small, contains no other bed than the master's. The Frenchmen who com- mand these vessels are also not very nice in their manner of living, and the cabin is consequently always in a filthy condition. The passage-money is a dollar from Quebec to Three Rivers, and two dollars to Montreal, — cheap enough if the accom- modations were more decent. I sboiild think a steam boat similar to that which runs on the north river, between Albany and New York, only on a smaller scale, would answer extremely well on the river St. Lawrence, where, without a fair wind, vessels are often upwards of a month getting up to IVlontreal, a distance of only 180 miles from Que- bec. l\ might be made for the purpose of carry* BE4UTIFUL SCBKES. 455 ing merchandise as well as passengers. The Ame- rican steam boat frequently goes a distance of l6o miles, against wind and tide, in less than two days. It runs between Albany and New York regularly twice a week. The river St. Lawrence, all the way up on both sides, aflfoids a variety of the most beautiful pro- spects. As far as the rapids of Richlieu, the shores are steep, rugged, and lofty ; in some places pro- jecting into the river in the form of small capes and promontories; and in others, receding into innumerable coves and bays, which in many parts expand the river to a considerable breadth. The banks are covered with trees and slii ub:$ of various kinds, except in a few places where the black lime- slate, or lime-stone rock, shivers in thin pieces or moulders into dust. On the summit of the shores, the white farm houses, and neat churches, placed at almost regular distances, appear at intervals between plumps of trees iind rich meadows, fn other parts the shores are seen sloping into culti- vated valleys covered with a beautiful rich verdure, and adorned with small neat villages, iu which the church, the houses of the cur^ and the seignior, are generally the most conspicuous. Thick um- brageous forests, and distant mountains whose < summits mingle with the clouds, complete the charming scenery, which is viewed to great ad- vantage during a voyage up the river, and which 4AS MODES OF FI8HIMG. I i presents to the eyea succestion of the vioit heaii« tiful landscapes. i In several places along shore, the Canadians place hurdles, just, beyond low water mtrk, for the purpose of catching eels, &c. A number of baskets or traps, are placed between the hurdles, which are covered at high vfrtter^ and as the tide ebbs down, the eels and other fish bury themselves therein, and are easily tak«fi. Another curious mode of fishing is also practised by the Canadians and Indians; they go in their canoes on the river- at night, the darker the better, for the purpose of spearing salmon and the larger species of fish, by torch light. They can see the fish to a consider- able depth, and are extremel}' expert at spearing them. They are very fond of this sport, and pursue it with much avidity. About a month after, I had occasion to go to Quebec, and on my return again to Three Rivers I travelled by land. It was theri the latter end of October, and the road, for the first stage out of Quebec, was extremely bad. The journey by land would be more pleasant if performed in comfort- able vehicles ; but the Canadian post calashes are very ill adapted for a long journey : they afford neither shelter from the pouring rain, the scorch, -ing beams of the sun, nor the heavy dews of the night. The driver also, by sitting in front, presses j^ down, aiid renders the traveller's seat very un« JOURJWT 10 THREB RIfERB BT LAND. 457 cAsy ; and ait every nine or ten miles he has ta step into a fresh vehicle. The post-houses are regulated by an act of the provincial parliament, which enjoins the proprietors to keep a certain number of horses, calashes, and carioles, ready at all hours of the day and night for the accommo- dation of travellers, and in general very little delay is occasioned. The price of travelling is also r^ulated by the act, and a paper containing tlie sum to be paid from stage to stage is stuck up in every post-house. It cost me from Quebec to Three Rivers, including provisions which I took with me, about ten dollars, or forty- five shil- lings sterling,, for 90 miles. The regulated price is one shilling currency per league: but the sti^ hito and out of town is charged two or three killings per league, on account of the greater ex- pense of keeping the horses than in the country. There is no post established on the left bank of the river, I left Quebec about noon, and at the end of the first stage of three leagues passed the river of Cape Rouge in a kind of scow or flat-bottomed boat, secured to a rope stretched across the river. At this ferry, or traverse, fourpence i^ charged fop passing with the horse and calash. From thence we proceeded to the post-house about a hundred yards furtlier, where I got into another calash, I had no occasion to cross any more rivers till W9 45S ARRIVAL AT JACAUES CARTIER. iii arrived at Jacques Cartier, about 36 miles from Quebec. This river, which derives its name from the navigator who fint explored the river St. Law- rence, is frequently very dangerous to cross, on account of the extreme rapidity of the current, occasioned by the broken rocky bed over which the waters precipitate themselves into the St. Lawrence. It was dark when I arrived, and I was obliged to alight from the calash, and walk down a steep winding road to the river, which runs through a narrow valley inclosed on both sides by lofty heights. The canoe was conducted by one man, who held on by a rope stretched across the river^ and secured to posts; and such was the impetu- osity of the current, that his strength was barely sufficient to prevent the canoe from being carried away by the stream. A considerable way up the river a handsome bridge has been erected within these few years; but the distance is too great from the post-road for travellers to pass over it, except in the spring or fall of the year, when the ferry is at times impassable without great danger. On arriving at the other side, I proceeded up the hill with the calash-driver, who carried my portmanteau to the post-house. Here I found the family at supper ; but, 1 was told, they could not aflford me any accommodation for the night. It being extremely dark, I was not much inclined MONSIEUR GARNOUX. 459 to travel any further, and therefore inquired if I could get a bed in the neighbourhood : this how^ ever I found could not be procured nearer than three miles, at Cape Sant^, where a blacksmith, of the name of Garnoux, keeps a house for the accommodation of travellers: upon this, I got into a calash, and in about half an hour was set down at Monsieur Garnoux's. The house is small, but every thing is neat and clean; a very uncom- mon circumstance in the post houses. Monsieur Garnoux, who, by the bye, is a very decent black- smith, received me very politely, and handed me out of the calash into his best room. Though it %vas Sunday night, he had not much in his larder. Tea or coffee, and bread and bulter, were all that he could furnish. I had, however, a tolerable good larder of my own in a basket, and therefore did not feel the want of any thing but rest; which, ^fter supper, I procured in a very decent bed. « At day-break, the calash from the post-house was at the door: having breakfasted, and paid four shillings for my entertainment, I took leave of the blacksmith, and proceeded on my journey. The accommodations at this house are the best on the road, between Quebec and Three Rivers ; and I would advise all travellers between those towns, to take up their abode for the night at •Monsieur Garnoux's, in preference to any of the ^post-bouses. ' v> =^ «w*^ w^T '**^ ■■ €66 CH ARIES LAKAUDIERl, B8A. ^ After passing through the seighiory of Des* chailibaalt, I came to Grondines, the poorest seigniory in Lower Canada. The soil barely covers an immense bed of stone, and can scarcely snpply the inhabitants with the necessaries of life. Its present seignior is Mr. Moses Hart, of Three Rivers, who possibly turns it to ^ome ac- count in the making of pot-ash, &c. ; though he told me, that he one year derived upwards of 80/. for his lods et vents only. Its former proprietor ruined himself by sanguine speculations in the culture of corn, and went to a very great expense in the erection of mills, &c. The next seigniory, called St. Anne\ is the. |MPO])erty of Charles Lanaudiere, Esq. Grand Voyer of the province. In some parts it lies very low, aod in the spring is usually inundated, which occasions the post-road to be situated fur^ ther from the river than it is in other seigniories, where it winds along the sUmmits of the lofty banks which overlook the river, or along the borders of delightful valleys. Mr. Lanaudiere is one of the most respectable French gentlemen in the colony. He was an officer in the army of Ge- neral Montcalm, and was wounded on the plains of Abraham. He is now between seventy and eighty years of age, yet possesses every faculty in such admirable preservation, that he does not appear more than fifty ; and is more active and l!* ■■ eiicmoRY or BATiacAjf* iH intelligent than many men at that age. He ia sincerely attached to the British governineat; and in his conduct, his manners, and hil principles appears to be, in every respect, a complete En* glishman. Many years ago, Mr. Lanaadiere vi^ sited England, where he lived in the Arst cifc)e)« and is, of course, well known to several ,cf th« Princes. On his return to Canada, he wal tip* pointed Grand Voyer of the Province. This office requires him to make an annual circwl off Lower Canada^ to inspect the atnte of thie roads, bridges, &c. in the several parishes. He has a lalary of 500/. per annum. 1 here are also Grand Voyers of Quebec, Montreal, and Three Rivers, who superintend their respective districts, and are subordinate to the Grand Voyer of the Pro- vince. Mr. Lanatidiere possesses the esteem of bis countrymen, and of every English gentleman that arrives in the country, who always meets witl» a hearty welcome at his house. The next seigniory is Batiscan, where tha abundance of iron ore that was discovered, de- termined several of its profMrieters to establish an iron-foundry aiid forge, upon similar principles to those of Three Rivers. At present, I am toii, it is a losing concern, and two of the partneni ^ave lately withdrawn their shares. It is tp be hoped, however, that they will succeed, as ^verjr thing which tends to increase the mami&ctures 46d SBICNIORT OF CHAMPLAtH. Ml If I* I '' I'' I ;> I and oomfnerce of a new country cannot fail to bd beneficial. Champlain, which is situated next to Bati8<> can, is an extensive seigniury, being upwards of eighteen miles in length, and of considerable diepth. Its soil consists of a sandy loam, in many parts of the colour of yellow ochre. Several small ^rings are met with in different parts of the seigniory; they form little rivulets, which ruii across the road into the river. A few loose logs of wood are thrown over them, by way of bridges. These little streams are found inore or less along the road, from 'one end of the country to thtt other, and with the ditches that are cut by the farmers, between their respective grounds, are always covered by loose logs, which shake the calash very much in passing over them, and would break the springs, were they construct^ of steel, instead of leathel*. The farms situate along the roads in Lower Canada are generally cleared of trees for about a mile back. They are seldom more than two or three acres in breadth, but run back \p\o the woods to more than ninety or a hundred acres. The Canadians suffer few trees to remain near their houses, on account of the musquitoes : this, with the wooden railings and fences, have rather a naked appearance, compared with the hedges and rows of trees planted along the roads in ROMAN CATHOLIC CROSSES. 46s ■ :€■ England. There is, however, upon the whole, a neatness in the cultivated parts of Canada, that is seldom met, with in the United States, except in very old settlements. This neatness is occa- sioned by clearing the land of the stumps of trees, and fencing in their farms with more regularity than is the practice in the States, where the slovenly zig-zag or worm fence is very prevalent. The Americans, however, have the advantage in the appearance of their houses and other buildings. By the road side, a few crosses still remain t) attract the attention of the traveller, who fbf- nerly, if he was a pious Catholic, would kneel down and utter a short prayer, or pull off his hat with the greatest reverence ; but at present, the number of crosses is greatly diminished, and the few that remain are but little noticed. They are commonly about twenty or thirty feet high, and adorned with all the instruments which the Jews are supposed to have employed in the crucifixion of our Saviour, viz. the hammer, nails, pinqers, .a flask of vinegar, sponge, ladd t, and the spear with which the soldier pierced his side. The crown of thorns is placed in the centre of the cross, and the cock which crowed when Peter de- nied our Saviour is always placed at the top. Some of these crosses are railed in ; and passing through St Augustine on the Sunday I left Que- bec^ I saw several of the Canadian men and women 46i CAPS MADBLJJNS f<(l«r«B^S£. )[ ferred to the ferry, which is situated a few miles up th0 St. Maurice iv/tr. It took us nearly ail hour tp reach the town, as we had to pass outside of two ialanda seated at the entrance of the SK Maurice. This riter, in disemboguing itself into the St. Lawrence, is divided into three channels by these twd islands; from which ^circumstance it was denominated Three Rivers, and gave name to, the town which is built ^ the c ant Priest — New Convent — Visit to the Nuns of St, Ursule — ^bbe de Calonne, Cure of the Convem-f-^ Portrait of the Grand Ficar — Setting fVatches during the Litany — Monastery--^ Billiard Room "—Canadian Fencibles — Deserters'— 'Death of a Canadian'^The Irish Landlady^— Anecdote of Colonell—, — Trade of Three Rivers-^Storom keepers— Visit to the Forges of St. Maurice-* > Iron fVorks — Brick naher - • Society — Party Spirit — The Election of Mr. Ezekiel ffart — Amusements^— Settle in the Market ^^giace—* Swelled Necks—Mad Girl-^FoundiiH^ . IThb town of Three Rivers is situate on A Wght sandy soil. One part, towards the St, Maurice river, is considerably elevated, and commands a beautiful and extensive prospect of the St. Law- rence and opposite shore. The other part of the town lies nearly on a level with the water. The jhore is notwithstanding bold and steep, and slopes VOL. It 2 II 400 TOWN OF TBBIE BIVXSS* off abraptly inta eighteen or twtnty feet wafer, capable of admitting large vessels to lie close along-side ; and, with the help of a couple of spara placed from the shore npon the deck of the vessel, to land their goods, and put them immediately into carts, which sre backed over the spurs as fa^ as they can go, and receive them with great faci- lity. This natund wharf is very convenient, and occasions little or no expense to the merchants* Three Rivers is very »mall,comparedwith Mont* real and Quebec ; but in size it ranks as the third t town in Lower Canada. It is, however, scarcely larger than some English villages* I was never able to ascertain the exact nucnber of lioosts and i inhabitants ; but the former, 1 believe, do not ex- ceed 250, nor the latter 1 500. There are very few respectablcotookin^ houses in the place ; the rest are paltry wooden houses, containing a kw rooms on the ground floor, and a garret above. Soait of < them ate in better condition than others ; but, for the moslfirt, they appear to be falling to decay from neglect. It is very seldom that the houses iiK Canada have any paint bestowed upon them ; but they are often white-washed : yet few in Three Rivers have even this detoratioB to recommend - them. The houses are mostly built with small iotenralr between them; apparently to prevent aeoident» from Are. The streets are narrow and uopaftd i SAftOfl Dl tA flOMTAin 4Bf and on a dry windy day the sand and dust fly about in clouds. The foot-paths are badly kept up by pieces of timber placed about three feet from the bouses. Notwithstanding the inconveniences of the arid soil of Three Rivers, it has its advantages, inasmuch as you may walk out immediately atlter the heaviest rain without soiling your shoes. The woods being almost close at the back of the town,iavonr the retreat of innumerable musquitoes and sand-fiies. These, with the multitude of com* mon flies which inhabit the town, are extremely troublesome in sultry weather. I was never par- ticularly annoyed by any other insect ; though, if any credit is due to the testimony of Baron la Hon* tan. Three Rivers must formerly have abounded with fleas. In his Travels he says, *' A man that would live there must be of the like temper with a dog; or,at least,he must take pleasure in scratch* ing his skin, for the fleas are there more numerous than the grains of sand.** This assertion ^-the Baron I have, fortunately, never seen v€^4A, and as I am not inclined to dispute his word, I will give all the merit to my fair countrywomen, who, since their settlement in the town, have, no doubt by their cleanly habits, expelled every thing that was before noxious and dirty. The public buildings of Three Rivers are the convent of St.Ursule, the Roman Catholic church, the barracks, and the old monastery of the Recol-' 2H 2 _ 468 FIRE AT THE CONVENT. lets, or Franciscan friars ; which latter is now con* verted into a gaol, a court of justice, offices for the sheriff and prothonotary, a billiard-room, and an episcopalian chapel ! The convent of St. Ursule was founded in l677» by M. de St. Valier, bishop of Quebec, for the education of female children, and as an asylum for the poor, the sick, and those who were tired of the world. The number of nuns at present does not amount to more than twenty ; they are for the most part elderly women, and are governed by a superior. This, nunnery was burnt down for the 'second time in I806, and is' not yet completely rebuilt. It is said that a nun set it on fire, in order to effect her escape with a man belonging to the town, to whom she was attached ; at all events it appears suspicious that the fi^re should have originated in the belfry : the only possible means of it was from the friction of the wheel set- ting the bell-rope on fire. The nun who is su- spected had to ring the bell that evening: she said that the moment she attet^pted to pull the rope it broke, and the flames burst out above her. The Canadian fencibles, who were then quartered in the town, were very active in saving the nuns and the property belonging to the convent. An old nun, who had been confined many years to her apartment, was with difficulty rescued from the devouri ng element. She refused to leave the place THE EMIGRANT PRIEST. 4^9 in spite of every entreaty : a soldier, however, took her up in his arms, and was just making his way . out of the window upon a ladder which was plaqed against it, when a young nun ran up to him cry- ing, " Ah, mon Dieu, sauvez moi aussi — sauvez moi aussi.'* " Damn it,** says the soldier, " why didn*t you come before? Here I have been obliged to force this old woman away in order to .^ave her, when I would rather have carried you in my arms; but come along, I'll try what I can do for you.'* Upon which the brave fellow took the young one upon his back, and the old one under his arm, and had contrived to get half way down, when unfor- tunately the ladder broke, and all three tumbled to the ground: they, however, luckily escaped with only a few bruises. In consequence of the fire the nuns were dis- ' tributed in the convents of Quebec and Montreal ; and subscriptions were set on foot throughout the country for the purpose of building a new one. The funds of the Ursulines were very poor, and the British inhabitants, much to their honour, contributed in common with the French people in aid of the institution ; a convincing proof of the unanimity of Catholics and Protestants in that country. A few years ago an emigrant priest, who officiated as minister to the convent, and who is mentioned by Mr. Weld in his Travels as so amiable a man. o 470 VISIT TO TRB VRII7LINE0. ran away with one of the yoUn^; nan», the daughUr of a very respectable French gentleman. The priest took her to New York, where, as soon as he was satiated with her company, he left her and went to France. She was reduced to great distress, and wrote to her father to intercede with the bishop to allow her to return to the convent. 1 underHtand the bishop refused her request, and that nhe yet remains at New York. It was her sister, I am told, who interested Mr. Weld so much in her favour, by the melancholy which seemed to prey upon her lovely countenance. She died a few months after his visit of a broken heart, having entered the convent in consequence of a disap- pointment in love. The new convent was opened early in I8O89 for the reception of the nuns, though then not more than half finished. In the August following, after my return from the States, 1 visited it in com- pany with Mr. Gugy the sheriff and some other gentlemen, having first obtained permission from the Grand Vicar. I'lie superior received us at the second door with great politeness: her dress was the same as that of the nuns, which consists of a coarse black stuff gown, made extremely plain, and long waisted. Above this is a white linen head-piece^ which conceals all the hair, and covers the forehead almost to the eyebrows : over that a long black veil is thrown back. The white linen cloth comca •*^ 1 VISIT TO THB V18ULIVBS. 47 1 4owo on each side the fiice, close round the chin, and covers til the neck and bosom. It is reniark* My white and smooth, and shows a pretty face to advantage : but in what will not a pretty face look well? The nuns of St Ursule, however, whom I had the pleasure of seeing, had passed their grand cli- macteric, and of course were not well qualified to appear to advantage in such a dress, the superior excepted, who was really a fine handsome woman, and must have been a beautiful girl. She appeared to be about forty years of age, and had presided 8&> veral years over the convent. She took us through all the apartments, except •uch as were occupied by those nuns who did not wish to be seen. In consequence of the building being in an unfinished state, the nuns* beds were placed in two or three large rooms, until their re« spective apartments were completed. The house is very long, and built in the form of a cross : the chapel for the performance of mass is in the centre on the ground-floor ; together with the refectory, the hall, and kitchen ; the rooms for educating the children, and the apartments of the cure or mini- ster, who resides in the convent, and performs the religious duties of the house and chapel. The pre- sent resident is the Abbe de Calonne, brother to the celebrated prime minister of Louis XVI. He was allowed by the English government to retire to Canada, and arrived in the autumn of 180/. He / 47t ABBB DB CALONMB. is said to be a very amiable and accomplished mani and appears about sixty years of age. The superior conducted us into ihe study of the Abb^ de Calonne, but he was absent. He pos^ Besses a tolerable good library, in which I observed several English books, particularly Blair^Sermons. Two or three fine cabinet pictures were hung up , in his apartment ; and, together with the books, appeared to be the remnants of his former great- ness We afterwards proceeded upstairs, and were introduced to two or three old nuns, and as many novices, who were busily engaged with their needles ; they all rose up on our entrance, and would not be seated while we remained. The no* vices were dressed like the other nuns, except that they wore a white, instead of a black, veil. They appeared to be strapping country wenches, about thirty years of age; and apparently better quali- fied to increase the population of the country than to waste their lives in celibacy. However, ^* Cha* cun k son gout, dans ce monde;** and as long at they devote their time to the care of the sick, and the education of youth, they are not useless ment* bers of societv. The novitiate lasts for two vears ; after which, if they are still inclined to enter the order, they receive the black veil with great cere- many, and are 'immured for life. A naval gentleman, who happened to be of our party, bearing that tliere was an English v^omaiv PORTRAIT OF THE GRAND VICAR. 473 •nnong the nuns, was desirous of seeing her ; upon which one of them 8tep]>ed forward and sjjoke to hi in. This lady was a widow about forty, and had formerly been a livtiy dashing woman ; but, bein^ tired of the world, xhe renounced her religion and entered the convent. Her mother, Mrs. A , of Three Rivers, who keeps the only English ta- vern in the town, was very much enraged when she* found that her daughter had entered the nunnery, and went to the superior to demand her back again ; but her request being refused, the old lady was not sparing of abuse, and lavished her inveo* lives upon her daughter as well as the nuns. ■•^ We did not see more than ten or a dozen of the nuns; the rest either kept out of sight of their own accord, or by the desire of the superior. Those we saw were not calculated to inspire very tender sentiments, wl}ich made me suspect that the others were more likely to create impressions similar to those Mr. Weld experienced when he visited the same convent twelve years before: pos- sibly the conduct of one of the nuns, since that period, had caused the superior to be more careful of throwing temptations in the way of the younger branches of her family. If those ladies, however, are debarred from the sight of real flesh and blood, they are allowed to feast their eyes upon the jolly ^gure and ruddy countenance of the grand vicar, whose portrait is bung up m the great bed-iooip, 4n THE rUNCN CHUmCH. The ehtritable and humane offices in which tht nunt employ the greatest portion of their time are highly praiseworthy, and reflect much credit on those respectable women. We inquired for some of their bark- work, for which they have been ce- lebrated by former travellers ; but they informed us that their time was so much taken up in fur* nishing their rooms, that they were obliged to peglect it. Having seen all that was worthy of notice, we took our leave of the ladies,' accompa- nied to the door by the superior and two or three num. ' The French church, in which service is per* formed by the grand vicar and his assistants, is a plain stone building roofed with shingles painted red, and ornamented with a small belfry and spire covered with sheets of tin. In the interior is a handsome altar'piece,adorned with gilt ornaments, silver candlesticks, flagons, wax tapers, crucifixes, ftc. The church is generally well attended, and in summer is often very crowded. During that sea- son a great many people sit or kneel in the open air close by the doors, or under the windows of the church: they appear attentive to the service, which is sung loud enough for them to hear without. Im* mediately after mass is over, it is a frequent custom to sell the seats in the church by auction ; the erowd of people assembled near the church door, bidding for pews, or listening to the noise of the TBI ENGLISH CHURCM. 475 mieanteuTf (brms a curious contrast to the solemn devotion that reigned on the same spot a few mi« notes before. The Gngliflh church is very small, beinii; pait of the chapel formerly occupied hv the Franci«caa friars, who resided in the adjoining building. The other part is oppropriated to a court of justice, and is divided frotn the place of worship by a slight partition. It is only of late years that an Rni^lnh minister has resided in the town ; and, from ap- pearances, there seems very little orcanion for him even now, was it not for the purpose of marry ing, christening, and burying. Service itt |)erroriijed only on Sunday mornings; and there are not above ■ dozen of the English inhabitants who attend even that regularly. If it was not for tli« officers and soldiers of the Canadian fencibles, tii9 clergyman would have to preach almost to empty pews. It is true, that the number of English people is small when comparenit%ttti9. In . . 1 Hi' . f received from government a Urge tract of land lit Upper Canada. The French Canadians make to* lerable steady soldiers ; but the Europeans that are picked up in different parts of the country are generally a drunken dissolute set, and give the officers a great deal of trouble by their frequent desertion. The province, of late years, has paid the inhabitants 10 or 12/. for every deserter they apprehend, and this has made the people very alert, so that few now can escape out of the coun- try. In 1807 a Frenchman lost his life in at- tempting to apprehend two deserters of the 49tk regiment. The soldiers bad gone off with their muskets and a supply of ammunition. As soon as it was known, a party of the militia of Three Rivers was ordered out to intercept them. After some time they were traced to a barn in the neigh« bourhood *of Be9ancour : the militia, amounting to thirty or forty persons, surrounded the build« ing, and while two of them were endeavouring to force the door open, one of the deserters inside fired his piece, and shot one of them through the body. This frightened the rest of the party so much that, together with their commanding officer^ they took to their heels and made their escape ; being of opinion that * those who fight and run away, may live to fight another day.* The de^ serters were taken a few days after by a party of the Canadian fencibks under Captain de Haren^ .(- ndm ^ :eto- that yare \ i the - • A. IRISH LANP!T. 47S^ w Iv X^' p>'l 1 an^.werecboth hung at Three Rivera for the niiuw d(ir» The sheriff with great difficulty ptocured m sum to hang them, for which he pm him up* Wards of twenty guineas. The remains of two redoubts, or fortifications, thrown up by the English army in the American war, are still visible on the common, and upon the hill at the back of the town. The latter com* manda the whole of Three Rivers, and is furnished with a well in the centre for supplying the soU diere with water. A large cross is erected near the spot, adorned with the instruments used at the Crucifixion of our Saviour, and other ornament^ From this redoubt I drewHhe view of Three Rivers which accompanies this work. There are several small taverns or public- houses in Three Rivers, kept by French Cana-t dians ( but only one decent house for the accom* nodation of respectable travellers, and that nnfor* tunately is kept by an old lady who is more toad of scolding her customers than obliging them* Few gentlemen who are strangers to her humour ever stop at her house without ezperiencii^ tha effects of her tongue. They enter the tavern in an iuthoritative manner, expecting to find its in* habitants as pliant and submissive srt their brethren in England ; instead of which iat okl lady eith«K turns upon ber heel, and disdains to notics theiB, or, sticking her arms a-kimbo, asks them by whai m i^ I I 480 IRISH LAflbLADT AND ddt. authority they give themselves such airs,#nd oft€H shows them to the door. As to the gentlemen's servants who frequently affect more than thoif masters, she never hesitates to turn them out of the house if they refuse to put up with the kitchen. Colonel T , inspecting field officer of the militia, in Canada, who had recently arrived from England, met with a curious reception from the old lady in passing through Three Rivers for Montreal. He put up at her house for the even« ing, and asked for rooms for his family and ser^' vants : ** Thet'e is one room» ^nd hefe is a,nother/* says she ; ** they are all you can have in my houses and if you don't like them you may^o elsewhere,t'|* *' Do you know who I am?" says the, Colonel. •* No," says Mrs. A— — , •* nor do I care a d^ — a. who you are.** " Then you must know, madam^ that I am Colonel T ■ " ■, inspecting field offices^ &c.'* " I don't care who the devil you are," re* joined the old lady ; ** I have had cq}onels, ge^ nen\s, princes, and majors in my house* 9nd don't care a fig for them more than other people. There'A the two rooms ; if you don't choose taput upwitU them, you may leave the house." The Colone( thought it most prudent to lower his tone a little* and make the best he could of the old woqiami. and her rooms till the next morning, when he, set o^ for Montreal. Mrs. A^— — ^ nevertheless, hM H'l^' PBIVATE BOARDING-HOUSE. 481 itli W9 her good qualities, for though she gives every one to understand, that her terms are six 'shillings a day, eat or not eat, in her house ; yet' if they do not give themselves the airs of great people, she seldom chargies for more than what they actually receive. But she is the complete Wapping land- lady, swears like a trooper^ scolds from morning to night when the whim takes her, and delights in what she calls humbling the great folks. To those who are unacquainted with he: humour, it is rather unpleasant putting up sl: her house. She, however, prides herself on having every thing neat, clean, and well cooked ; and it being the only British tavern in the town, she does not fail to take advantage of her customers. This old lady is the mother of the nun who I mentioned had entered the convent after the death of her husband, and abjured her religion. She has also two sons, one of them is an apothe> cary of some eminence at Montreal) There is only one private boarding-house at Three Hivers. It is kept by an English gentle- woman, whose husband was formerly a respectable merchant at Montreal. Her terms are reasonable, and some of the officers of tb.e Canadian regiment board at her house, which is more convenient for those who remain any time in the town, than living at the Tavern. The trade of Three Rivers 'is confined chiefly VOL. I. 2 1 r 483 TIIADB OF TBRBB ElVERS. .^ to the snpplying of the inhabitants of the town and surrounding country with European manu- factured goods and West India produce. The family of the Harts, who are Jews, carry on i^early all the business that is transacted in the town. There are four brothers, three of whom reside in Three Rivers, and have separate stores. The other, Alexander Hart, resides at Montreal. They are said to be possessed of considerable property, and besides the stores which they keep, deal largely in furs, potash, &c. One of them is a ma- nufacturer of pot- and pearl-ash, and a brewer of ule and spruce beer. They purchase most of the furs brought down from the interior by a small party of Indians who pay an annual visit to Three Rivers. This trade, which a century and a half ago was the total support of the town, is now greatly diminished. The agents of the North-west company are scattered over every part of the interior, and much money has been smik in order to monopolize the whole of the fur trade. But a few of the Indians from the back country choose to bring their furs to the Harts at Three Rivers, and receive European goods and money in exchange, very often to a considerable amount. An Indian once gave Mr. E. Hart 6o guineas for a clock, and five guineas for a brilliant ring to decorate the finger of his squaw. A store-keeper of Three Riven told me, that an Indian one day STORS-KSEPBHS. 4g3 ftuked bim the price of a small chest of gunpowder^ tea, which he had in his store for sale; but think-' ing it was only idle curiosity that made him ask, he told him, rather roughly, to go about his busr- ness. Upon this the Indian immediately went to another store, a few doors further, and gave four or five guineas for a little canister of that fine tea, which he carried away with him under his dirty blanket. Many of the Indians, who are fond of dress, will go to a great expense in the purchase of silver ornaments, and superfine scarlet or blue cloth, coloured silk, &c. with which they deco- rate themselves in a costly manner. During their stay, they encamp about a mile from the town, and are generally in a state of intoxication the whole time, so that when they return in the au-i tumn to their hunting-grounds they have most commonly spent all their money. They are then obliged to go in debt to the Harts, sometimes to the amount of several hundred dollars, which they punctually repay in furs the following year. But' if they die in the mean time, the money is lost. There are but few other stores of any consider- ation in Three Rivers, and they are kept chiefly by French people. Mr. Burns, who keeps a store by the water-side, has the advantage of the rest, being a licensed auctioneer; so that, whenevei^ he finds business a little flat, he advertises an 2 J 2 jf 484 8TORE-KB£PER8. ^ttif*. I auction on the morning of the market dayl, v»he'n the Habitans come over from the opposite shore to dispose of their provisions, and frequently takes thirty or forty pounds on those occasions. The stores of Canada contain almost every de- scription of goods that can be named, and exhibit a motley collection of woollen-drapery, haber- dashery, hosiery, linen-drapery, grocery, clieese- mongery, stationery* ironmongery, and the con- tents of the oiUshop, the gin-shop, and the wine- vaults. The store-keepers charge from 50 to 100 per cent, profit upon most of their goods, and sometimes a great deal more. The Harts import a considerable portion of their goods from Englaiid, the rest they purchase at the Quebec auctions ; they also deal largely in. pot- and pearl-ashes aiid furs, which they remit to England. , A store belonging to Messrs. Munro ancl Bell, of Quebec, is established at Three Rivers, for tlie .sale of the cast-iron stoves, potash kettles^. and bar- iron, manufactured at the St. Maurice forges, 'which belong to those gentlemen. The store is superintended by Mr. Graves, and the forges by Mr. M'Cauley. In consequence of an invitation from these gentlemen during my stay at l^bree Rivers in August 1808, a party of us went to see the iron- works. The road to them is through the woods, at the back of the town, ever an elevated i» } K VISIT TO THE FORGES AT ST. MAURICE. 485 by «andy soil diversified with gentle acclivities, and covered with a variety of fir- and pine-trees; none of thetn, however, grow to any great height. ^"" After a pleasant ride of about eight miles, we came to the verge of a lofty cliff, down which the road meanders into an extensive valley where the works are situated. Here the manufactories, the furnaces, forges, and work-shops ; the barns, stables, and out-houses; the habitations of the super! ntendant and work people belonging to the establishment, with their little gardens and plan- tations, form altogetfier a small town. The river St. Maurice, which runs close by the side of the valley, between two lofty banks covered with trees, considerably heightens the beauty of the scene, and, with the surrounding woods and distant mountains, renders its situation truly ro- mantic. The works are conducted by a supeVin' tendant and two clerks, with a foreman to each branch of business. There is one foundry, with a large furnace for the purpose of casting stove plates, potash kettles, machinery for mills, &c. J saw the process of modelling and casting, Which is conducted with much skill. It was a remark* aijiy hot day, and when they began to cast the heat was intolerable. The men dipped their la- dles into the melted ore, and carried it from the furnace to the moulds, with which the' floor of the foundry was covered. After they Vvei'e all fillfed. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. .^/ ^ >. ?^ A^ 1.0 1^121 125 lU I.I HI III ■ 4.0 m i-25 |U. ||.6 IIIII^H^^^^^BB IIIIISBBSiS lllllSB^^^S < 6" ► Sdenoes Corporation 73 WIST MAIN STMIT wnSTm,N.Y. MSM (7l6)t7a-4S03 o 4^ 4^6 DESCRIPTION OF THE IRON-WO|lKS. tbey took off the frames while the stove plates and potash kettles were red hot, and swept off the sand with a broom and water^ The sand for moulding is imported in casks from England; and I was told that each cask posts them npwavds of nine dollars. The sand of the co^untry, which 19 in abundance ip the vicinity of the forges, does not answer for that work. Forty or fifty horses are employed, and upwards of 300 men, more pr less, according to the work in hand. They make use of charcoal only, for melting the ore; and the neighbouring woods supply them with abundance of fir and pine for that purpose. It is reckoned superior to mineral coal for the uae of the furnace. A great portion of the men are employed in making the charcoal and carting it to the works, digging ore, and coi^ducting the batteaux 01^ the St. Maurice to and from the store at Three liivers. The river answers extremely well for that kind of craft, bqt is not deep enough |or larger vessels ; the current is s^lso yery rapid in many places. The \yorks were establishecl by the Frepch in 1737* The individuals who formed themselves into a company could not make them answer, ^^nd the works were purchased by the crown: but, from mismanagement, they cpuld n<^yer be brought to pay the expenses attending them. Yet an intendant and upwards oi fourteen clerks SX8CRIPTI0N OF THE IRON-WORKS. 487 m mi # M eonthved to grow rich upon the loss. They made the store plates at that time two inches thick I The hammers at the forges, the bellows at the foundry, and some other machinery, are worked by water; only bar iron and ploughshares are made at the forges. The iron is reckoned equal, if not superior, to the best Swedish iron: it is extremely malleable, and rusts but little; it is preferred by the Canadians to any other iron. I have heard that the present proprietors of the works, at the commencement of their taking them, in order to push the sale of their bar iron, which was at that time inconsiderable, purchased a large stock of very inferior British iron^ and knowing that the Habitans regarded the price more than the quality, they sold it to them for a trifle less than the Three Rivers iron ; but the British iron was so bad, that when they came to use it, " sacre dtable,** they would have no more ; and the next time bought the Three Rivers iron, which being really of n good quality, has continued in reputa^ tion among them ever since. The workmen are paid according to the quan- tity of work they perform. The forges are going night and day, and the men are relieved every six hours. But at the foundry, only the men em-* ployed in supplying the furnace work in the same manner ; those who cast and finish the stoves, &c» work from sun-rise to sun-set, which is the • y'^-l^iiwriirtBfhiMjitiiu. 488 DESCRIPTION OF THE IRON- WORKS. : ! ii usual time among the French ; Canadians, all the year round; a great advantage js therefore derived by carrying on any work in summer instead i of winter. The workpeople) are chiefly. French Ca*^ nadians, a few English only^ being: employed in- making models, and as foremen pr 'principal work«- men.: The iron, work is senfe to the.fitore at Threes Rivers in batteaux, and shipped.^by MF^Gravei- to Quebec, or Montreal, as required ;< or sold to^ the people of the neighbourhood.: They make about IQOO stoves per annum; tlie small single stoves sell for 3/. and the larger sort for^SAieacht; The double stoves, wbicb have an oven atithe top^* are sold for 10 or 13L according to the size. Potash kettles selLfrom 20 to >j2&/. each. ^ Fresh veins of ore are daily discovered, and fiurehased at a trifling price of the people in whose landi it is found. Messrs. Munro and Bell i had • incurred great expense in collecting ore and improving the y works at the expiration of their lease in 1806)«nd would have given 1,200/. per anniunyrit is said, 'rather than it should have gone into any other hands. They certainly deserve great praise for ^ their liberal exertions, which though of.oonrse . prompted by their own iintecest are yet veny bene- ..ficial to the colony. A fair bargaiuimight, how- ^ever, have been struck between theni and the , government, for surely 6ol. per annum is too little t'for what they had before paid 8Q0/. perannum^ v * :/* *e^'>?' BRICK-MAKER* t'*'^^ 4d9 and particularly as the works are in a progressive state of improvement and prosperity *.^*««M»iiii«f4s '^^dVlost of the large bark canoes for the North- west Company are made at Three Rivers ; and several women in the town make a variety of hand- some toys, pocket-books, purses, work-baskets, pin-cushions, &;c. of bark, curiously/ornamented with flowers worked on the bark with elk hair dyed of various colours. The Indians make a few bark works of an inferior description. ■-'- s*^ ;^ .s^' At a short distance from the town there is a brick^maker, and I believe the only one in Ca- nada. The bricks are nearly of .the same size as those in^ England, but not quite so thick; they ate of a deep red, and are made in a peculiar manner. Instead of throwing the clay in a mould, it i»«pread out to a great extent on a smooth piece of 'ground, of the thickness of one brick, the clay is then cut into parallelograms, each of which is afterwards subdivided into nine bricks; they ar6 then left to dry, and when sufficiently hard; are taken up and piled in stacks, after which they are formed into a kiln and burnt as in England. I do not think this method of brick-making is so easy and expeditious as ours; it is, however, prac- tised in the East Indies and some other parts. • I t * I understand that these forges have since been relet to Mboro an4 Bell upon ippre equitable terms. #90 SOCIETY OF THREE RIVERS. ! . The genteel society of Three Rivers is very ' small, and consists of the officers of the Canadian regiment, the provincial judge, sheriflT, English ftnd French advocates; the Protesti^n^ ^^^ Catho« ]io clergy ; the grand voyer of the district ; the colonel of militia ; and the family of the Harts, who are the only merchants or storekeepers that ure classed among the gentry of Three Rivers. The persons whom I have enumerated form with their families, and a few other individuals, the whole of the higher order of society in that town. Jt might naturally be expected that among ap few the utmost harmony and good- will would prevail ; but unfortunately, that is not the case, for not half a dozen people in the place can be said to associate together in real friendship, ■^■m. In a small town it happens that the private his- tories of its inhabitants are easily known to each other, and it is seldom but there is something in thjem which affords room for satirical animadver- sion. One of the greatest weaknesses of human nature is the delight which people seem to take in pointing out the blemishes of their neighbours rather than their good qualities. They think by such exposure to hide their own defects, and that they will not be suspected of doing that which they condemn in others ; it is this which gives rise to what is called scandal* In small societies, there is also a continual struggle and competition PAKTY SPIRIT. 40% ion Ibr pre-eminence; every one wishes to be thought of more consequence than his neighbour ; and whether it is birth, riches, personal qualifications, or the possession of an qffice, each prides himself on that which in his opinion gives him a supe- riority over the rest, whom he treats with con- tempt in proportion as he values his own conse- quence. These, to be sure, are frailties to which mankind are more or less-subject; but they are luch as should be corrected and guarded against as much as anyother faults which we may be guilty of. perhaps there is no crime more injurious to the well-being and comfort of society than scandal;; it destroys the peace and happiness of individuals, introduces discord in families, and cuts asunder the social and friendly ties which ought to bind us to each other. AH confidence is destroyed be- tween man and man, and each becomes a spy upon the other's conduct; slight blemishes are then magni6ed into heinous vices, and good ac- tions distorted into selfish views or ostentatious extravagance. In short, it unhinges the human frame, and transforms the image of God into a ^end of darkness. Notwithstanding the society of Three Rivers is thus broken and disjointed at times, it is some- thing in its favour, that the bickerings and disputes which prevail among the inhabitants are engen- dered by the elections v^hich have taken place «90 ELECTION or MR. EZEKIEL HART. within tht last two or tliree years, and not by ina» licious or quMrebome dispositions. Before that iwriod^the people of Thre« Rivers, 1 am told, .w^re remarkable for their friendjy and social hiibits. The beat friends, ^it is said, become the worst enemies, and the election of /Mr. Ezekiel Hart, to a seat in the provincial parliament .seem^ to have been the torchwhich tias set the >\\ hole town in, a blaze. :t*u^ iif. xirrj *#The family of the^Harts. having. acquired very considerable property^ they. naturally wisiied... to •acquire importance with it, and the elde^itibrpt^gr -started as a candidate at the. election of 1 807,. Mp^ the death of one of the members of the provi|9oial 'parliament; thou^God;knows there .is but Uttle ^ consequence or respect attached toa,seat iii\ that house. 'The father of tthe Harts, originally emi*- grated from England to Canada, and during the •American war acqui red property to a considera^ ble amount. He settled at Three Rivera, wl^^re he opened an extensive store. He died about six or seven years s^o, and left the bulk of. his pp- perty to his children, three of whom have sii^ce ^ opened separate stores. By indefatigableattei^tipn to business, and profiting by the follies of, others, they have each realized a large property, most, of which, that is not employed in trade, consists, of houses and land situated in seigniories and town- f ships ;; the greatest part of which has beeq bought s 1 s .' * f '^ 1 .-i? SLtiCTlON OP MR; EZEKIEL HART. 49! f'etoa^kably cheap tit shcrifTff* files. Their pro- perty has thus given them much influence among the people in the town and district, many of wliom are beholden to them for assistance. '.)jn!Hiiti4i ^'^^ At the election, which was sharply contested, Ml*. Ezekiel Hart was chosen. The idea of a tfadesman, and a Jew, being elected a member of pfttliament, naturally irritated the unsuccessful candidates and their party so much, that the flames of acrimonious party spirit immediately spread through the town, and have never yet been extinguished. Their violence has in some degree subsided, but the embers still smother in secret. When Mr. Hart attended' at Quebec to take his seat, he met with violent opposition from the French members, upon the ground of his religion; and though he took the prescribed oath, they -^Uld' not allow him to sit. These gentlemen 'surely opposed him with a very ill grace, if it was merely on account of his religion ; but I rather suspect, they wished to keep the majority on their ^ide, and, ■l\ possible, to get a French instead of an English i amber into the house. The laws which permit them to sit in the house contain n6 disqualifying clause on account of religion. When the parliament was dissolved in the sum- mer of 1808i by the new Governor-general, Mr. Hart was again chosen for the town of Three Rivers by a large majority. As the parliament - V 4^4 S' AIB^ROBSCUTRBBRT^ * '«>« did not meet till the following winter, I had tiot an opportunity of ascertaining whether he was permitted to take his seat. In a country like Canada, where the number of French so far exceeds that of the British settlers, and where every religion is tolerated without any pnjudice or hindrance whatever to its professors, surely it would be a great hardship to deprive a man of property, a good subject, and possessing abilities inferior to few who already sit there, of a seat iii the provincial parliament, merely because he wsis a Jew. The laws of Canada do not authorize such a thing, nor ought the British govemmtot to suffer it. The whole family of the Harts, what- ever might have been their origin, (and 1 have my doubts whether it is inferior to nine-tenths of the present British settlers in Canada,) are respect^ able both for their conduct |and situation in life; and it is generally allowed that, without them, Three Rivers would, in point of commerce, lose what little importance it at present possesses. The amiable femily of Mr. Ross Cuthbert, as it ia the first in the town for respectability, so it n the foremost in Endeavouring to reconcile the differences of its neighbours^ and to suppress tb^ little jealousies and party feuds that agitate the place. Mr. Ross Cuthbert is the youngest of three brothers,- who are proprietors of the seignit^^ cry of Berthier. He is also an eminent advociatc^ .X .*,v >:;-. ^'i^-'i'- ; '/.'T,: MR. GU6r*^.er delivering his letters at Three Rivers. This is 1^ great inconvenience to the inhabitants of that town, particularly those in business. It mighty however,' be easily remedied by a regulation en^ joining the couriers to be at Three Rivers together at a certain hour, and to wait one hour after :the v^livery of their letters before they departed for Quebec and Montreal. This interval would be sdtficient to afibrd the inhabitants an opportuni^ VOL. I. 2K m SCUFFLE IN .THS MAIIKET-PLACZ. of iminciittely amWeHilg tbeir cctrl'eslxindcnts at bdth towns. The market is held twice k wtek on thU foat cUys.; and k.i. general the sopplies are scarcely^ sufficient for the consumption of the town.- Tho eoimtry people come from Champhun across the St Maurice river, awi from Be^ancour on the opJ poslte shore of the at, Lawjenca. They .arrive at Three Rivers tn tbriummer as early as five o'clock in the morning, aiid most of the inhabitants are iii\the market |;lace frequentty.an hour befbra th^r arrival, in order to, have their choice of th# provisions; By. eight o;clock thts market is gene* rally over. A law prevails whidh 'ferbids -the eountry people from selling their provisions before $hef ere taken to the market place ; but the gen- tlemen ( >r the ladies very rarely go to market) ^•re 80 ea| ^r to purchase^ that they gd down to. the vraler side^ ook over the provisions in the canoes, CWgle out. rhatever they prefer, and follow the Ilabitans i' h the market, where they purchase it^ In conseq ence of this eagerness some icurioua fcaffles fri 'lently take place for the possession of «. brace of psk^rtridgCs, a quarter of lamb, .or a fine aaltnon* A little member of parliament^one mom- ui^ vkaving singled out a couple of fowls in jthe lUbitants canoe, followed the man to the (QArkaU bytendiag to purchase thi^m. It so happefnedi Jmerer, that« tall colonel of the army.ajt that swif^LtbifCCks. ^ iQrn- Very tnomeht fixed ii is eyes upion the saikie fowli without knowing that any pemon had bought thet^ • (as Itwfere by ahticipation) before hini. No sootier, therefore, did the Habitant arrive in the tnarket- t>)acethaii the coton^F immecliately pounced upoitr the fc^^Js, and iJtskeld the |)rice of them ; fot it is a custoni in the Canadian markets to take possessioi^ 6f the article first, and bargain afterwards ; other- wise, while one Was hagglinfj: an6ther would throw doWw th« nhohey and go off witli it. Scarce ha.4t the colonel grasped the poultry when the littlef nienlbcfr of parliament, whose attention had bcfeit (^iled 6^ by- a fine larg6 salmon that had just ai^ riVed, kioked up in the officer's face and cried oui^' '♦"Siri they are my^ fowls.**^-" How Came they to B£ f among the women. I have never heard the causs of them satisftictorily accounted for. Some Jire of opinion that they are occasioned by tht well'waler . of the town ; others, that they are caused by the ( water of the St Lawrence, which is impregnated with snow and ice upwards of six .months in the year, if swelled necks were occasioned by snow- water, I should think they would npt be so pecu- liar to Three Rivers, and that they would prevail equally at Quebec and Montreal, where the river* ^ water is used' in abundance. It is certain, hoHr<-' €ver, that in some of thjp mountainous parts of Switzerland and Stjrria the womefi baye large twensand swellings on their necks, called by phy- sjicians bronchocele, which are supppsed to arise from the frequent use of snow-water. It is pos- sible, therefore, that the same; disease in Canadia joay arise, in some measure, from a similar cause. In other respects Three Rivers is favourable to health, and possesses a more steady climate than Quebec, which being situated in the neighbouir- . hood of so many lofty mountains, is oftener sub^- ject to ram and frequent variations of the weather.^. In the summer of I8p7 Three Rivers wi|s visited by the ipifluenza/^ which had proceeded gradually A MAb CIRL. box ■V »»y i."" ! ■ itr*'. jsi> ,.' .iW '-iff -^Jj'i ':?."» 7yi ■^'1 m;f:d'''- ' .> a»?!' ilUi- -/'■'^ 1- » * CHAPIKR XXIV. . JU«ti« Three Rwetir^Fbyage t9 Monireal-^Pomi ndu Lac-^Baren de Befancour — Lake St. Peter isrr-rMachicheT-^Riverdu Loup'^Richlieu Isitmdt I /^^Town qf Sorel^^Horrid Murders-^CaptaH ' Sarel-^Ckambiyr^Boucherville —^Eagk Island , ^rrlsland4»f Montreal'— Rapids'^Incredible An^ ' . teedote^^hUindqfSt. Helen— City qf Montreal-* V Ignorance of a Pilot^^Interior of Montreal'^ u.mton'i Jiotelr-^Ptirade^MTavish's Momi* - nent «fw Comfentt -^ FrancUcan Friars •^ PauU I I Street— Notre Dame Street — Fiew of Montreal Theatre w^ Public jimiuements — Hospitality-^ . Ship'building-^Mvice to Gentlemen respecting European Servants — Useful Hints— 'Markets'^ - Turnpike Road^^Visit to La Chtne--^ Indian 'ij£)epartment — F'isit to the Indians at Cacheno^ ; naga-r-Indian Doll— Chevalier Lorimierm^Di^ mstressing Event-^ Providential Deliverance-^jid^ tu ventures of Captain John-^HU Daughter^^Love in and Bevenge^-^Roman Catholic F^tn^ml9''^Liavi I Montreal, €ki the dlst of October 1607 1 left Three Rivew for Montreal, in order to proceed to the: United Statii, where 1 ioteoded tq pait the winter gp»> 404 VOYAGE TO HONTRBAL, vioiit to my return to England. There being a fair wind up the river, I embarked on board a large schooner with a good »tock of provisions for the voyage. The jnaster of the vessel, M. Boudrow, was a respectable young Canadian who had origi- nally been bred to the law, but had quitted tho desk for the deck. About four in the afternoon we got under weigh, but proceeded no further than the entrance to Lake St Peter, whiere we anchored for the night The accommodation on board was wfetched,and J had to sleepupon the cabin lockers, Mvapped up in my great £oat. We lay about mine miles from Three Rivers, between the seigniory of Nicolet'op the south-east -shore and Point du Lac on the -north-west shore.- The seigniories of Ni<^ colet>. Godefroi, Be9ancour, \Gentilly, &c. 4>n the . south-east are-extremely fertile^i^ell-settled, aAd yield large crops of wheat The small Jake St. Paul, situated in Be9ancour, and .discharging itself into the St. Lawrence by a small river that runs through Godefroi, adds greatly to the value of the Jaud in its. vicinity ; and the neat farms along its ahore6 give it a delightful appearance. The village "and seigniory of Be^ancour received their name ,&Qm.the.%ip»n.de Be9ancour, gfand surveyor of ' the highways, and grand master of the waters and forests of New France. This nobleman resided «mbout, a c^nry ago at the entrance of Be9ancour 4Biiiwt# forjDerly«ealled ' Rtvieoe Fuante,* orStinkt ipgRivar, in consequence of .the waters (wving POINT DU LAC. IM • been infected by the dead bodiei of a number of Indians who were slain while coming down the river in their canoes : their enemies lay in am-» bush, and sent a few of their warriors on theriTer as a decoy ; the others fell into the snare and were massacred. The Baron carried on a lucrative trade for furs with the Indians who lived in the village, but his extensive seigniory was not settled till 176O. It now belongs to Colonel Bruyere of the engineers ; and a small fief to Mr. Ezekiel Hart. Several of the Abenaquis Indians still inhabit the village of Be9ancour, and possess a small island in the river. On the north-west shore the soil from Three Rivers to Point du Lac, and for several miles above and below those places, is of a light sandy natucey intermixed in several places with a sort of clay or marl, which occasions it to be more pro- ductive than it otherwise would be. The seigniory of Point du Lac is the property of Mrs. Montour, the widow of a gentleman formerly a partner in the North-west company. He retired with about SOjOOOi. with which he purchased the seigniory, and. erected a handsome dwelling-house, large flour- and saw-mills, &c. If he had'liinaged his concerns with prudence, he might have increased his fortune to a great extent^ but his style of liys^ ing, his free and generous disposition, were ill calculated for the accumulation of property. Hii^ aoA \ LIKB OF ST. PETER. kowfi^ iietng situated near the post-road, !wim d boase of call for all his nuiheroas acquaiotancej^ who ate, drank, and slept there, %vhenever thejT travelled tliat road. In a few years his money Wb« gone, and most of those iv^ho had basked in the son- shine of his prosperity took their leave.. This too often happens with the gentlemen of. the North**' West eompany who retire from the coneem. Theyi emerge suddenly into civilized life, aft^ si banishi ment of many years in dreary forests and among a race of savages ; and aire apt to be dazzled by tho glare of refinement and luxury, whose temptaitionf are too powerful to be resisted. Hence they are fre^ qnently led into error and extravagance^ whichiiiti* Boately despoil them of>their hard'Carned ptopertyj. ' The next morning at day^break we gol under treigb; but the wind fisUing off, we could but Just rtacb the other end of the lake, and came i to anehor near one of the Richlieu islands, stUiatod within two or. three miles of the town ofiSoreb The lake is twenty-oae^miles in length, and about eighteen in^breftdth^ ^ T^iis part of the River St. Lawi^nce Is very shallpw, and vessels drawing twelve feat Wfter frequently get aground, hi tho ipring it ivi^niewhat deeper ; but the large vesseU Ibeiil Europe sekiom arrive in tinie to go up to Montreal so early in; the season. 1 should. thinks iiiat greater depthsof water mi^t be found if.tha Iak4 wfM properly surveyed: at present Vess^lii RIVER DU LOUP — HIMP. 607 keep only in one channel, which has but littlt more thap twelve feet water. The current of Lake St. Peter is very slight, and requires little wind for vessels to stem it. . ' , On the north-west shore, from Point du LaQ are the seigniories of Machiche, River du Loop^ Maskinonge, York, and Berthier. They are re- markable for their fertility, and the plentiful crops of wheat which they produce. They have also each a small village in the vicinity of the parish churclk That of River du Loup is prettily situated on the border of the river of that name, which disem- bogues itself into the lake. The church, which is of unusual size, and evinces the populonsness of the seigniory, has been built in a costly manner; and many of the Habitans have paid fifty or sixty- pounds towards the building of it. It has two lofty spires covered with tin ; but they seem to have lost their perpendicular position, though lately- erected. In the month of August 1808, after my return from the States, I travelled by land from Three Rivers to Montreal, and had an opportunity of passing through these seigniories. They appear better cultivated, and in a higher state of improvei> jnent than any other part of Lower Canada below Montreal. The formers are wealthy and numerous, land the land rich and productive. In many placed I noticed large patches of fine hemp, Bhovettepen ieet in height ; the seed had been roughly thvown • * «oi^ ■ICHUIU ISLAUDS* on the ground, and it came up without haviii||^ |iid the least care or attention bestowed upon it. , The seigniories on the south-west shore of the lake are nearly as fertile, and yield plentiful crops of wheat. The inhabitants are not so numeixnis, owiQg most likely to the disadvantage of not hav- ing a post road on their side of the river ; but they are possessed of considerable property. The island! of Richlieu, situated at the south>west entmnce off the lake, and amongst which we lay at anchor, are numerous, and of various sizes ; they lie between the seigniories, of Berthier and Ymasca. Several of them are partly cleared of their woods, and affi>rd good pasturage for cattle. They lie very ^ow,and are always overflowed in the spring, wheA the lake is swelled by the melting of the ice and enow. They abound with a variety of wild fbwl^ principally duck and teal. I do not uiiderttaild there are any animals upon them excjept those c^ k domestic nature. As we had to remain amodg these islands the next day m cohsequen^of ft foiA wind, I amused niyself by goin^' ashore tothe on^e nearest the vessel. It was cbvered with ttt^iX a small growth, chiefly ash and birch, and witn a variety of ihrubs, brush-wood, and loilg grasf. The wild grape vines were entwined round the trees in great plenty, and a few bunches were itWl hanging upon them. On the island wfts a smafl ^ut, in which we found an old' French wonlaii, TOWN Of toaiu ^ tier boiban^ was i^of round on the other tide )o fish. They reiide there during the summer, end fish in the narrow channels formed by the cluster ofislandu* « The ne^t morning we weighed anchor, and in half an hour were clear of the islandl. A gentle breese carried us slowly past the town of Sorel •n pur left : it is situated af the entrance of the IRichlieu, Chambly, or Sorel river, (for it has all tbiee names), which runs into Lake Champhiiny and has a respectable appearance from the water s it is somewhat smaller than Three Rivers, and it inhibited by several English and French families. The streets are prettily laid out, but the bouses tre yet very thinly scattered. Sorel, indeed^ seems rather on the decline, both in wealth and p» 4U HdRltlOf ituilDisiii. h^fiie, they seldom brtn^ more than eiiotigh t^ iappottihem during the winter. The soil is thuif neglected, and the town is badly supplied with provisions. Three horrid murders were committed here^boCit tw^ve or thitteen years ago. A store, kejpt by an old man, was observed oii^ Morning nol dpened as dsual t the neighbodrs knocked at the dolor; but not getting admittance, they broke it ^/peh, and discovered the old tnan and hi» niece^ itho liv^ with him, lying dead behind the oonh* fei^. It app^red that they must hiive been jtiiit ^lied' from supper to serte the vilhnn who had Biufrdered them, for the supper thingSr wete laid out on' the tabk in an adjoining parlom^. ThetlH' was emptied of all the money, and mai>y articMw str^ed about the floor. » ^:The very next night, to the dread and astonish- m'ent of thid liicte town, another man wai mnr^' dered in his store in a similar manner, and hir liabtiey stolen ; but what was most sUrprisilig, the muiderer remained undiscovered, and even unsu*- ^cted ! nor was it ever positively ascertained who hlid been guilty of such atrocious deeds. But when ' the foreman of the ship-yard, an European, de-' camped a few days after With the wife of a trades-^ man in the town, strong suspicions Wer6 enter- tainied that he was the nhirderer. He howevei" ihadii^ his escape into the United :^ate8 before any ^ lii^sures could be taken to appithehd him. i::t .C CH'AtfBLTi r 9J1 ^ A fort i¥M coiiittucted originally oh the site 6f ibe town in l66$, as a defence' against the Iro- quois. M, de Sorel, a captain in the regiment of Carigoon Saliered, superintended the erection of the works, and ga?e his name to the place» and t» that part of the river in its vicinity. It i^ now called William Henry, in honour of the Duke of Clarence, who visited Canada about twenty-five yeain ago. The Island of St. John, in the Gulf of $t. Lawrence, has also been called Prince £dward!s Inland, in honour of the Duke of Kent; and se*> veral other parts and places have, had their aamei unnecessarily changed. It is owing to this abs«r4 practice thiit towns and cities, venerable for their antiquity, or remarkable for their history, in va*> rious parts of the world, are now confounded with the most insignificant villages, and often occasioi|; tnaiiy erroneous statements in geography. : Several miles up the Rich lieu river, is Fort Chatnbly, originally a mere wooden- block-house^ but i)Ow .a substantial stope building bearing some resemblanice to a castle. It was constructed by |^.,deChambly under the French govern menb A smaU detachment of troops are stationed here; •nd a few respectable Canadians reside in the lieighboyrhood. V .A^ we pmsed Sorel, the protestant and catholic ri)|irqhe8, with the houses, stores, and inagazines pear the. w^ter-side, had a very pretty effect. The 61S BA6LB ItfLAtlD. shores on both sides the St. Lawrence, together With the small islands interspersed in several parts of the river, presented a succession of beautiful landscapes duirinp; the remainder of my voyage ciety of their own, far from the noise and bustle of the world, and enjoy at once the pleasures of retirement and social intercourse. Near << fiout de Tlsle,** or the e|id of the island of Montreal, the river is intersected by a number of small isles and islets. One, named Eagle Islan Ishould not have noticed, had it not been mentioned as a fact by ypf« I. 2 L ^ AU .»• Md'NfilllAl.. '^^ ' ttiikny |i^p1e in Canadft. Two ships arri?d( "from 'Engtatld, early in th^ year^ and went tip fhe i4v«r •at th^ same tinne. The one drawing \eiti water, -I suppose, than the otker, sneoeeded in reaching 'the town of Montreal; bcit the othet* not being •able to stem the current was obliged to anchor -below. The suecetsfui veisel^ having disehatged ■her cargo and taken in anoth^,8inled for Stt- gtand ; after which she returned to Cailiada^ the same year, with a (resh i^rgo, w^nt np the river, jand found her companion still l^ng at' the foot of the rapid! Tb6y afterwards returf^^jd to fin- gland together* : . i'i • ■ The opposite Island ofSt. Helen belongs to'the Baroness de Longueilt this lady married a gentli^ man of the name of Grant, and brought him VAfy extensive and valuable landed properly. • Sinee ^isdeath, it hab beon divided between her and the children^ The eldest son goes by the fatoiliar appe^tion of Barow GraMt. . .. ^a The town of Montreal hfts a lingular apptor^ ance when viewed horn the water, in tconsequenee •of the light-gmy stone of the new buildings, and the tin covered roofs Of the houses^ which emit a strong glare when the sun shines. The shipping lie close to the shore, which n very steep, and Ibrniia kind of natural wharf, upon whieh the vessels discharge their oaf^s. About twenty yards bade, thd land fises to the height of U or A SINGXIUTA JMCltPES. Mil fiO ie^ ; mnd tn artificial wbaif has been con- t^ucted^ ahd faced wilh plank; the goods are, howfever^ all shipped flroni, and landed upon, the heath lielow. A great many Englbh Teasels arrive annually at Montreal, but it is a voyage that feiv eaptains are willing to make a second time» if they can possibly avoid it, the navigation up the river above Quebec beii^ very hazardous, and the pilots unskilful 'and inattentive. Tlie vessel in which I came home was run broadside on one of the islands just below Montreal, though going with the wind right aft. The pilot was intoxi- cated, and the vessel was just running through the wrong channel, when he ordered the helm "^hard down ; it was, however, too late, ahd she went i&shore: fortunately she was got off with little damage, and arrived at Quebec. Upon our depkrhire from Quebec, for England, we met with another accidetit of a similar nature, though the captain had procured a fresh pilot. The man had taken us safe through the most difficult passage in the river at night ; and the next day, about noon^ at the very moment when we were going akmg with a fkir wind, he ran us upon Hare Island reef. There We lay for three hours in the painful expectation that the vessel would beat her bottoiti out, or otherwise be seriously injured, as the wind coiltinned to tncreaae^ ahd sh^ thumped violent^ upon a hard chalky fround. Very luckily 2 L 3 016 MONTEBAL. it was ebb tide when the accident happened } and after lightening the vessel considerably of some staves and spars, she floated on the return of tide. We were then above a hundred miles below Que- bec ; and it would have been mortifying to have had to return back to repair our damages : the vessel, however, did not make a great deal of water, and we proceeded to sea, after discharging the pilot at Father Point. The captain was so sickened of his Canadian trip, which was the first be had made, that he swore he never would enter the St. Lawrence again. The North-west mier- chants have two or three vessels of their own, which make an annual voyage to Canada, to carry, home their furs, &c. The interior of Montreal is extremely heavy and gloomy. The buildings are ponderous masses of stone, erected with very little taste and less judgement. I'hey are seldom more than two stories above the ground floor, including garrets. The doors and window-shutters are covered with large sheets of tin, painted of a red or lead-colour, cor* responding with the gloomy darkness of the stone, of which most of the old houses are built. There is a heavy sameness of appearance which pervades aH the streets, whether new or old ; nor are they remarkable for width, though they are for the. most part laid out in a regular manner. The only open placjB or .square in the town, exc^t the two ,''^~- / )r» UK/- jre les he f0? ■■■^.^ i.5;*(!«>i*nas*f*.-.' • CM • ch Pf "^' M .^ fn* << • in DlLLbvCs HOTEL. 3ir 4 ,1 ^ \^ % U ttitirketa, is the Place d'Armes, and which, under the French government, was the place where the garrison troops paraded. The French CathoHcr church occupies the whole of the east side of the square; and on the south side, adjoining some private houses, is a very good tavern, called the Montreal Hotel, kept by Mr. Dillon. During my stay in this city I lodgec* at his house, and found it superior to any in Canada: every thing in it is neat, cleanly, and well conducted, and i>erfeclly agreeable to an Englishman's taste. The old gentleman came out in the rethiue of Lord Dorchester s he is a very ingenious character, and fdnd Of expressing his attachment to his king and country, by i%lpliation8,and firing his pedereroes dff in the square, upon His Majesty's birth-day Mid on other extraordinary occasions. While I re- mained at his house, I found the bells t^f the French church extremely unpleasant ;' they have a fine loud tone, but are rung in such a discordant mbnner, and so frequently, that they become quite a nuisance to those who areobliged tolive near them. The town walls and fortifications, which were erected to protect the inhabitants against their- iHptions of th^ Iroquois and other hostile Indians, iH^ now falling- to decay. A great part have been l^elled with' the ground, and an act has lately jpftBsed the Provincial Parliament to remove the nNnairider* I 1 i M ! i 518 PARADB* At the back of the town, iust behind the new court-hduse, is the parade, where the troopi are exercised. The ground is considerably elevated along this part, and forms a steep bank for several hundred yards in length. Here the inhabitanta walk of an evening, and enjoy a beautiful view of the suburbs of St. Lawrence and St. Antoine, anc| the numerous gardens, orchards, and plantationt of the gentry, adorned with neat and handsome dwelling-houses. Large green fields are inter- spersed amidst this rich variety of objects, which are concentrated in an extensive valley, gradually rising towards r \oity mountain, that stands about two miles and a half distant^ at the back of the town : from this mountain the island has taken its name of Montreal, or Royal Mount. It is said to be elevated 70 toises above the level of the river, and is upwards of two m Jles in length from north ^o south. It is covered with trees and shrubs, except towards its base, where some parts have been cleared and cultivated. A large handsome stone building, belonging to the widow of the late Hir. M*Tavish of the North-west company, stands at the foot of the mountain in a very conspicuous situation. Gardens and orchards have been laic| out, and considerable improvements made, which add much to the beauty of the spot. Mr. M'Tavish is buried in a tomb a short distance from his bouse on the side of the mountain, in the mids^of athick / PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 519 thrubbery. A monumental pillar is erected over the vault, and may be seen at a great distance. The town and its four streets or suburbs occupy a considerable extent of ground, and the number of inhabitants is computed at 19,000. The prin- cipal public buildings are, the General hospital; the Hotel Dieu; the convent of Notre Dame; the French cathedral ; the English church, an unfinished building ; the old monastery of Fran- ciscan friars, converted into barracks ; the Semi* nary ; the Court-house ; Government-house, &c. The General Hospital was founded by Madame Youville, a widow lady, in 1/53, and contains a superior and 19 nuns ; it is situated on the banks of the river, near a small rivulet which divides it from the town. There is also a college for the education of young men, founded in 1719 by the Sieur Charron. The Hotel Dieu was established in 1 64 4 by Ma- dame de Bouillon for the purpose of administer- ing relief to the sick poor ; it contains a superior and 39 nuns, who attend and nurse the patients. An apartment in the upper part of the house is appropriated to the females, aod a laige room Jielpw for the men. The estabHshment is now (chiefly supported by a slender income arising from landed property ; the funds upon which it for- merly relied, being vested in Paris, were lost during tha revolution. 630 PUBLIC flVlAOlNGS. - The convent of Noire Diitfie contai nt a supericr and upwards of 40 nunt. It was founded about the year 16&O, by Mademoiselle Marguerite Bour- ' geois, for the instruction of female children. The sisters of this institution are not confined in so strict a manner as at the other convents, but have the liberty of going out. They attend mau at the French church on Sunday morning and afternoon. They are dressed in black gowns and hoods, and are chiefly elderly women. : There are two of the old Franciscan friars still living in one corner of their monastery, the re- mainder of which has been converted into barracks for the troops quartered in the city. Upon the arrival of several additional regiments at Quebec, the 4CHh and lOOdth were sent up to Montreal to do duty in that town, and to garrison the outposts near the American line. ^ The French cathedral in the Place d^Armes is a large substantial stone-building, built with little taste. The interior is, however, plentifully deco- rated in the Catholic style, with all the parapher- nalia of that religion; and the size of the building renders it a very commodious place of worship, and well adapted for the accommodation of its numerous congregation. In summer, a great many people kneel outside the church in prefer- ence tp being within. The service of the English church is performed at present in a small chapel^ m> PAUL-milT* 5fll ts which if also used by the Prevbyteriani. A hand- tome new church ii partly built, but for want of funds remains in an unfinished state. The Court-house is a neat and spacious build- ing, and an ornament to the towh; a gaol is building on one side of it, upon the site of the old College of the Jesuits. The city is divided into Upper and Lower Towns, though there is very tittle difference in their elevation. .The prin- cipal street of the latter extends from north to south the whole length of the city, nearest the water-side, and is called Paul-street. Here are &itt*ated the wholesale and retail stores of the mer- chants and traders ; the lower market-place ; the post-office; the Hotel Dieu; and a large tavern formerly kept by Hamilton, but now in the pos- session of Mr. Holmes. There are several smalleri^ taverns in this street and in the market-place, but they are frequented principally by the American traders who visit Montreal. Paul-street, though narrow, presents a scene of greater bustle than any other part of the town, and is the chief mart of the trade and commerce carried on in Montreal. Several short streets proceed westward from Paul-street, and communicate with that of Notre Dame, which runs in a parallel line, extending the whole length of the city. This street forms what is called the Upper Town, and contains the Recollet monastery, the French seminary, the I r Cfttholip church, and Pl«ce d*Arin9s$ the new ^glish church, the convent of Notre Dame, th«i court-house i^nd gaol, and the old building called the Government- house, which latter has no claim to ]^rticular notice. The dwelling-houses of the principal merchants are mostly situated in N^re Dame-street, and other parts of ^he Upper Town^ their stores being stationed near the water-sidd These two parallel streets are considerably length* eued to the northward by the suburb of Quebec ; and to the southward by the suburbs of St. Antoine and RecoUet. In the centre of Notre Damc*street) a long street branches off to the westward, i^nd forms the suburb of St. Lawrence. It is also th^ high road to the interior of the island, and crossing the intermediate valley passes over the foot oi the mountain. In one of the short streets leading to the Upper Town, and situated opposite the court* house, a new market-place and rows of convenient stalls have been recently constructed ; it will be a great accommodation to the town, as the old market in PauUstreet is too much confined for the increased population of the place. The streets of Montreal are for the most part well paved, and the improvements which are going on throughout the town will render it more commodious and agreeable than it is at present. The town itself will always be gloomy,, but the environs are beau* tifiil. .. .. i Ltt« •■^\ 1 g 1 i CI . ! .• I I t I V ..c;-- 1 p 1 i'. ! ! \ 1 1 \ f 1 '■ • r "•■' -..•■f ■'.s.^"^ 7^;}- ■■^■'* *'J SCI an nal pej frc chj ti< in VIEW OF MOKTRBAL. $S3 All the principal North-west merchants reside ^t M ^ntreal, which is the eifiporium of their tra^^^ and the grand mart of the cdmmerce carried oq between Canada and the United States. They, and other respectable merchants, have country- houses a few miles from the city, which, with their numerous orchards and gardens well stocked with every variety of fruit- trees, shrubs, and flowers, render the surrounding coi^ntry extremely beaU' tiful and picturesque. The succession of rich and variegated objects that are presented to the eye of the spectator, from the base of the neighbouring mountain, cannot be surpassed in any part of €»• nada^ with the exception* perhaps, of the view from Cape Diamond at Quebec. They are hQw- ever, of a very different nature, and may be de- scribed like Homer and Virgil ; the one grand, bold^ and romantic ; the other serene, beautiful, and elegant. Quebec has more of the majesty of nature ; Montreal more of the softness of art. A large store has been converted into a theatre, in which Mr. Prigmore*s company occasionally perform. Mr. and Mrs. Usher, and a few others from Boston, whom 1 have mentioned in a former chapter, met last suinmer with a tolerable recep- tion, which, unless the embargo is taken off in ^he States, will most likely induce them to remain in Canada. Society is reckoned more friendly an4 agreeable in Montreal than in any other town in 1 I ' :| I I 594 PUBLIC AMUSEMENTiT. Lower Ci^nada. The North-west merchants live m a superior style to the rest of the inhabitants, and keep very expensive tables. They are friendly and hospitable to strangers who are introduced to them, and whom they entertain in a sumptuous manner. The envious, however, consider their ap*^arent generosity as flowing more from pride and ostentation than from real hospitality, and they have often been the subjects of newspaper criticism. It is of very little consequence, in my opinion, what influences a man to treat his ac- quaintance well, so long as he intends nothing to their prejudice. We have all of us some peculiar motive for our actions, which if strictly scrutinized would not, perhaps, be always found' disinterested. A public assembly is held at HoImes*s tavern during the winter; and private dances, with tea and card parties, and cariole excursions out of town, form the whole amusements of , that season. In summer, pleasure gives way to business, which at that period of bustle afibrds full employment to all. A few excursions and dinner parties in the country occur sometimes to relieve the weight of mercantile affairs. Concerts are very rare, and never take place unless the regimental bands are in town. The inhabitants, like those of Qpebec and Three Rivers, possess very little knowledge of the polite and liberal accomplishments necessary to form the coirplete lady or gentleman. They 8HIP-BUILDIN0. 515 however labour under the disadvantage of the want of proper masters, and institutions to instruct and complete them in the higher branches of edu* cation; yet it is, perhaps, their fault that they have them not, for without proper reward and encouragement they never can have them. ^^ Ship-building is successfully carried on by Mr. Munn who generally launches two or three vessels from 200 to 500 tons every year. The shipwrights are mostly Europeans, and I one day, while view- ing a vessel on the stocks, perceived among them one of the men who had run away from my uncle*8 service. He had been hired as a house carpenter by us ; but the ship-builders in Canada are not very scrupulous who they employ, so they can find men to handle the axe well. They have of late taken French Canadians as apprentices, who are highly praised for their capacity. This is a very good plan ; for European ship-builders have very high wages, and are besides a very drunken dissolute set. The Canadian workmen, on the contrary, are sober, steady men, and attend regu- larly to their work from break of day to sun-set. . One of the greatest errors committed by persons who go to Canada to settle, is the taking of Euro- pean servants with them; for experience has fully proved in innumerable instances, one of which, my uncle*8 case, is a recent example, that no obli- gations whatever are sufficient to ensure a master 5^6 USEFUL H»in^-^HftUROI»BAN SERVANTS. ■i the IftlxMii' of his fiurop^an senraiits, miore espe- tiiWy ifhe 4s in advance to them for any patt of their wages, llie indueements to leave him, iti such cases, become so great, thatthe servimt must b^ more than commonly virtuous, or have strong motives for staying^ if he does not break his en- gagement. l\w complaint is so general at Que- bec, that little or nothing is done to remedy the grievance, which seems to set the laws at defiance: yi^t the magistrates have sufficient power to punish both masters and servants; but they seldom or never give a satisfactory decision in cases where the latter are to blame. I have heard that of twenty servants brought out by I^rd Dorchester some years back, when Governor-general of Canada, not one remained with him at the end of a twelvemonth. Mady Other persons have been served in the same way, iind my uncle himself lost eighteen. One very great mischief is occasioned by the low price of spirits, particularly rum, which may be obtained for less than l^ve shillings a gallon. Hence few of the lower order of Europeans who arrive at Qu&* bee, but become drunkards in a very shoi-t time, and drunkenness never fails to precipitate them into worse vices. If they have a little money, it is soon squandered, either in liquor with their dis- solute companions, or in going to law with ^ir masters ; in which case it seldom fails to find its USBFUL>Htim.*^AftTtSASS. 5tr its my into the pocket of & well-known bdvocitte for disifiected servants ; ftnd the Account is generally wound up by some crimp for the shipping, or re- cruiting aerjeant for the army. The scarcity of hands for labour is certainly considerable, yet by no means so great as \i gene- rally represented ; it is therefore more to the in«> tevest of gentlemen settling in Canada, to engage the native artisans, than to take out men who will never remain in their service. The French me-" chinics and farmers may be, and indeed iire, greitly inferior in abilities to Europeans; but they are superior to them in sobriety, industry, and , civility. The French Canadians, however, have great ing«;nuity, and it only requires cultivation to render them excellent artists. Some clever i Atherican mechanics are also frequently to be met with in Canada, particularly mill-wrights t these people are sometinies steady workmen ; but they will often give their employers the slip in the middle of their work, if they happen to meet with a more lucrative oi?er from another person. I am sorry to say that the practice of enticing away each other^s servants is but too much the custom in Canada; and it is owing as much to this want of good faith, that strangers on their ar^ rival find it so difficult to retain their servants, as to any other cause. We ourselves unfortunately experienced this treatment with some of our peo- (»38 TURNPIKE ROAD. # pie, to whom very fliittering offers were mftde itk* mediately on their arrival, and in consequence of which they ra# away from our service, and were J employed by ship^builders and others in spiteof a law to the contrary. . The markets of Montreal are. plentifully supf plied with all kinds of provisions, which are .sold much cheaper than at Quebec or Three Riverii large supplies are brought in every winter from the States, particularly cod-fish, which is packed in ice and conveyed in sleighs from Boston. . Hay and;wood are sold in the Place d'Armes. Two nevyspapers are. printed weekly at Montreal ; the Gazette, and Canadian Courant, both on Monday afternoon. . From Montreal to La Chine is a turnpike road nbout seven or eight miles in length. This is the . only turnpike in Lower Canada, and the rpad^Hf not very well kept up for the toll that is demAnd*- ed; fourpence is charged for a horse, and i&i§ht» pence for a horse and chaise; but for a subscript tion of one or two dollars per annum an inhabi- tant of the island may be exempted from: thf^. daily toll. A great ; traffic is maintained on this road by the carters, who carry all the goods for the upper country from Montreal tq> LaChin,e» where they are put on beard batte^ux. . i For the first mile or two out of town, the road passes partly over a common, which is beginning VISIT TO LA CRINI. 539 ling 't6 be inclosed dnd cultivated. After passing through the turnpike, the road proceeds up a steep ascent) and continues aIori|^ a lofty height for nearly four miles, when it descends rather abruptly, and passes again over a low, flat coun- try, until it reaches La Chine, which is situated along the shore of the hver St. Lawrence. Tb^ road ii lined with the houses and farms of the •Habitans, and along the height the eye wanders with pleasure over an extensive cultivated valley, bordered by the St. Lawrence, which disappear^ aikkidst the thick foliage of the triees, while a small serpentihe stream meanders prettily through the fields* This low country was, ages ago, probably, a piart of the river, and the high land along which the turnpike road now runs was most likely the boundary within which it was confined. Its flat and marshy soil afibrds some foundation for this conjecture. There is another road to La Chine which winds along the shore of the St. Lawrence, and ^Misses the rapids of St. Louis situated about half way. It is about a league longer than the tuntpike road. I was told that a few years ago, before the road was made, it was nearly a day's journey for carts to go from Montreal to La Chine. The road is certainly now in a better condition, but thef^ is still ieoom for improvement. La Chine is delightfully situated upon thfe banks of the river.. It is of considerable extent, VOL. It 2 m li ddO VISIT TO LA CHINK. .1 a' in consequence of the houses being built in the same straggling manner as the other small settle- ments in Canada, where the dwellings are regu- lated by the situations of the farms, and are seldom formed into an assemblage of houses laid out in streets. All the goods and merchandize sent to Upper Canada are embarked at this village^ to which they are carted from Montreal, as the rapids of St. Louis prevent vessels from passing up the jiver from that city. The goods are put on board large batteaux, or flat-bottomed boats, each of which is worked by four men and a guide, who make use of paddles and long poles, as the depth or rapidity of the current requires. A gentleman of the name of Grant, who resides at La Cbioe, is the owner of the batteaux, and shipper of the goods, for the merchants, who pay him freight for the transportation of their merchandize. Upwards of 50 batteaux are employed in. the voyage to and from Kingston, on Lake On^rio, in the coarse of the year. Mr. Grant alsc^ ships off the goods for the .North-west merchants in large bark canoet belonging to. the Company; these goods, which consist of provisions, clotli, blankets, fowling- pieces, powder and shot, and other articles for the Indian trade, are exdianged for furs. Between 40 and 50 canoes, deeply laden with tfi^e above articles, and navipted by Canadian and ,in<&in v^rageuis, are dispatched in the coufieef 4 • *« *i* ' # I A tMDIAN fiKI^ARTMSMT. 531 for 'i ■i\ iKe spring fltom La Chine, and proceed Up the Outaouais, or Grand River, through rapids, and oVer portages or carry ing-placei, into Lake Ni pis- sing. From thence they pass through Riviere des Prati^ois into Lake Huron^ and arrive at the Company's post in Lake Superior, from whence the goods are afterwards transported to the Lake of thfe Woods, and distributed to the several trading posts, far in the interior of the continent. The government stores belonging to the Indiaa department are kept at La Chine, under the cafe of Mr. Hiiwdon the store- keeper general. Aboat 30 batteaux, laden with Indian presents, are dispatched every spribg to Kingston, York, Niasaraf and bthet* posts belonging to the king :\tt Upi^ Canada, as far as Lake St. Joseph's, iietff M^cbillimakinak ; where store-keepers and ■clerks' TesiHe, for the delivery of the presents in their respective districts. The presents are de- }ivei«d out of the stores at La Chine, by an order fironft Sir John Johnson, who is the superintendant* general of thfe Indian department. They consist diieflyof the following articles:— Scarlet and blue dotH; strouds; Moltonj blankets of various sizes; Irish'liiteh; flannel; Russia and English sheeting; hats; laced coats; rifles and fowling-pieces; pow- der, shot, and flints ; swords, sp^rs, liarpoons, hook^, ind -fistiing-Unes ; copper and tin kettles; vevtnilion r looking«-glasses ; pins,- needles, tape^ 2 M 3 533 I. CACHBNONAOA. r threfid, &c. ; icissars, knives, nests of trunkt, boxes, &c. In the stores 1 also saw upwards of twenty pieces of fine French cambric, a quantity of tea, Jews* harps, razors, &c. the remains of f«f mer r&> quisitions, but which are not now delivered out. Articles of that description seldom, or never reach- ed the Indians, being much oftener used by the store-keepers and agents of the Indian depart, ment for their own families. The great abuses which formerly existed io that branch of the public service were shameful* but are now greatly abolished. The former enormous requisitions are also reduced to little more than 10,000/. for Upper and Lower Canada; and together with the salaries of the ofificers and agents of the Indian department the expenses do not amount to half the suin stated by Mr. Weld in 1796, which he computed at one hundred thousand |)ounds. Opposite to La Chine stands the Indian village of Cachenonaga. Its inhabitants, who amount in all to 1 300, are descended from the Agniers, one of the Iroquois nations, who, though bitter enemies to ;the French, were, by llie indefatigable seal and .id>ilities of the Jesuits, partly civilized, and con- verted to the Christian faith. They were originally , settled at La Prairie ; but the land producing very indifferent maize, they removed to SaultSt. Louis, «nd from thencjB to the situation they now occupy. #• AFFECTION FOR CHILDREN. 533 tin re of to and ion- ally wy ttit. I, I took the opportunity during my stay at La Chine of visiting tlioNe Indians and in company Wfith Mr. Hawdon went over to tlie viilaj;e. We •aw very few men, but plenty of squaws, who were dressed In their dirty blanket^ lugging their chil- dren aboutfOr sittingdown on theground in groups, laughing and chatting with each other. Idleness reigned in every part of the village; nor could I find either man, woman or child employed at any sort of work, though I looked into many of their houses. Their habitations are dirty, miserable, and desti« tuteof furniture; and the whole village, which is divided into two or three streets, preuents a most forlorn and wretched appearance. Among some of the groups of women 1 noticed three or four ]Suro|)ean children with light hair, whom they were nursing, and was informed that they fre<' quentty adopted the natural ofTspring of the white people whenever the latter abandoned them. Such instances, I think, may serve to show the fondness of the Indian women for children, and indeed no mothers can appear more tender of their oflfspring than they do. It is an amiable trait in their character, and must make the Europeans blush for that false pride and inhumanity which induce them to forsake their children, '^■\ We savt several handsome Indian women, with fine black hair and light olive complexions, tinged with the bloom of health, who only required a be- ^^' 594' MR. VANFEL80N. ■If!" '-^a coming dres9, instead of their dirty blankets, to make them rival our European females. I observed one of their little girls, about seven years old, with something in her arms which she seemed to be nursing ; and vr&s going to look at it v4ln she ran away, and hid it under hep blanket as if ashamed : upon which I rsn tift^p^hcr, and found it was a doll, placed u]ion)« little cradle £oiir<{,and bandaged up with little pieces of coloured cotton, in exact imitation of the manner in which the In-> dian women nurse their children. I call it the cradle board, because it serves that purpose when the child is restless far better than the English cradle ; it being the practice to suspend it by a string from the branch of a tree, or the top of their ' wigwam, and swing it backwards and forwards till the child falls asleep. ' We called on Mr. Vanfelson, the cur€ of the village under whose care the Indiana are placed. He lives in a tolerable house adjoining a small chapel> in which service is regularly performed by him on Sundays and festivals. The Indians who happen to be at home attend with their wives and children, and behave in a very respectful and becoming manner. The women particularly are solemn and devout in their deportment, and are sttongly attached to the Holy Viiigin, for whom ttiey seem to have a remarkable veneration. They h|ye|^Pod voices, and sing their Indian (i^npins i^ CHEVALIER LORIMIER. i3S an agreeable manner. While we were viewing the chapel, one of the squaws had occasion to pass , through it to the cur^*8 house : she went up to the altar, crossed herself, curtsied, and passed on. i Mr. ^I^anfeison is a most respectable young priest, and attends with much diligence to the im* provemen^ of the Indians. His brother at Quebec is an advocate of some eminence. In the course of our whlk through the village we met the Che* valier Lorimier, an old French gentleman, who resides i- 636 PROyWlMTIAL DELIVERANCE. $itet of the Indians, who had secretly consmned aaore than their allowanc^^ It being the month oC February, the snow still on the ground, and they sereral hundred miles from any settlement, ^hey were in a short time reduced to abso||||te slbir- vation. Th? Indians, of whom there weroi nearly twenty, all perished in a few days, and only Lori* mier and hi& partner were left. They travelled at fast as they were able through the v^oods to the nearest post, hollaing as they went along, hoping to meet with some straggling parties of Indians who might be hunting. For seven days these un- fortunate, men subsisted only upon their shot belts^ which they moistened with soap and sucked. At length they were so much exhausted that they couid proceed no further, and laid themselves down,, fully expecting never to rise again alive. They still endeavoured, as well as they were able, to shout and holla, but not a human being pre^ sented himself to their longing eyes, in that dreary and immeasurable wilderness. How long they lay in that famished state they knew not, as they were insensible when discovered hy a hunting party of Indians and Canadians, who by mere accident passed the very spot where they lay. . It was a most providential circumstance, for they had never heard the shouts of Lorimierand his companion; yet when tliey were restored to their senses they could not ,be convinced but they were hollaing very 'I "'■".*. ■* THE IROOUOI8 CBIIF, CAPTAIV JOHN. SSf re of loud, 80 much were they exhausted by their suf-i ferings. Lorimier «rrived at Three Rivers about six mouths afterwards, while I was in that town t he had perfectly recovered; but his partner was obtigedtio remain behind, being too weak to per- form the journey. Notwithstanding their hard-* ships, 1 understand they procured that season above 700/. worth of furs. ^ The Indians of Cachenonaga cultivate a little com, and breed hogs and poultry ; but the princi- pal part of them subsist upon hunting and fishing. A chief resides among them called Captain Tho- mas : his house is but little better furnished than the rest, and he is a very drunken character. The old Iroquois chief. Captain John, of the Mohawk village in Upper Canada, whom I have before mentioned, played a very cunning trick upon his countrymen at Cachenonaga, when he came down to La Chine to receive his presents from Mr. Haw- don. He was over at Cachenonaga very often, where he frequently got drunk with his friend Captain Thomas and other Indians. His son Peter, a fine lad, was repeatedly going after him to get him away from their company, but old John would continually give him the slip. We afterwards found that he had given his countrymen pieces of old letters, pretending that they were orders from Sir John Johnson upon the store-keeper general for goods, which they might receive if they would \t\ 138 AOVBWrtfRBS or CAFTAiy JOHir, give him tome ram. The simpletons took the bitt of paper, which they could not read, and gave the sly old chief a quantity of liquor in proportion to the value of the articles which he said they were to have. A few days after some of them cime ovet to Mr. Hawdon for hats, blankets, and fowling* pieces, and were much disappointed when they found themselves so completely duped ; though the Indian delights in a stratagem ! . *'* Captain John is about sixty years old. In the American war he.served under Sir John Johnson, and was the most active and courageous Indian leader in the British service. Like most of his countrymen, he presents a singular compound of good and bad qualities, though I believe the latter arise only from his fondness for ardent spirits. He is strongly attached to our government, firom whom he receives captain's half-pay and allowances, be^ sides considerable presents every year for himself and family. He called upon us one day during my stay at Mr. Hawdon 's s we had just dined, and the wine was oil Che table, Mr. Hawdon invited him to stay and take some ; to which he readily consented. ** My son," says he, as he tasted the Madeira wine, which from its colour he at first sight took for rum, " have you not got something' stronger f" Mr. Hawdon replied in the negative,- not being willing to encourage him in drinking spirits. John, after making a wry face, drank it v ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN JOHN, 539 off: it however warmed him, I suppose, more than he expected, for he began to puih the bottle about pretty freely, and got into a very good hu*« roour. He then entertained us with an account of some of his campaigns during the American war;; and of the singular manner in which he had both> bis arms broke. He was employed with other In« dians at Fort Stanwix. One day he and a party^ among whom was Captain Brandt, set out upon aa expedition through the woods : John got drunk and fell asleep, during which Brandt and the rest of the party left him. "No sooner was John awake than he fell in with a party of Americans who had been pillaging a camp; he immediately dashed in amongst them, sword in hand, thinking his party must be near him. The American officer wishing to spare him, would not suffer the soldiers to fire, and ordered them to secure him without injury. John, however, continued to lay about him on all sides with the fury of a madman, set- ting up the war whoop, and shouting for his party to join him. The officer was therefore obliged to order his men to 6re, and John was immediately shot through both his arms, which fell useless by his side. He was then secured, and two men left to guard him, while the rest marched to a fort in the neighbourhood. By this time the chief had recovered himself, and the fumes of tbe1i<|uor had 1 940 ADVENTURES OF CArTAIK iOHS, evaporated: finding, therefore, thai his l^gswert free, though his arms were of no use to him, being both broken, he took to his heels, and bounded into the thickest part of the forest with the .uim> blenesa of the deer. The two soldiers dted, but missed him ; and the next day John arrived at the English camp, where he got his wounds dressed, and soon recov^ered to take signal vengeance on his enemies. He then related another anecdote, which drew tears from his eyes, respecting the narrow escape which he and a British officer had, with a party of Indians each, of destroying one another by mistake. The British officer hap- pened to be dressed in green, like some of the Americans ; and while skirmishing in the wooda the two parties came suddenly upon each other. John and the officer immediately presented their riflea, and were on the point of firing when the latter fortunately called out, ** Is that Captain John ?'* He was answered in the affirmative just in time to save their lives ; another moment would have been too late ; for, as the old chief declared, while the big tear rolled down his sun-burnt cheek, ** Both must have died! Both were good shots." Captain Ferguson of the Canadian fencibles as- sured me, that what Captain John had related of himself was strictly correct ; and he added, that the old chief could never speak of the latter cir- a t i e; d M A. ai s< o d LOV£ AND KBVENGB. .1 541 cumstaDce without tears, when he reflected how near he was shooting his fviend, and being shot by htm. Captain John declared to us that he suffered uncommon hardships during that war, often lying on the bare ground in winter-time with uo> other covering than an old ragged shirt, with which im wet weather he was also obliged to keep his rifle dry. John is said to have been, when young, th^ iiandsomest and most warlike chief in the British service; he boasted of the number of American officers whom he had slain ; and concluded with saying, " Ah, my son, I long to smell gun-powder jagain before I die*'!" His son Peter dresses in the English style, and in good clothes ; he sjieaks English well, and bears an excellent character: except his complexion he has very little of the Inv dian about him. Captain John has also a daughter^ who resides with him at the Mohawk village near Kingston. She dresses in the Indian style ; but Always in the best manner, with silver ornaments and fine scarlet cloth. She is said to be very band# some« and some years ago attracted the attention of a Mr. C , who had the delivery of the la*- dian presents at La Chine. She was attached to him, and expected he would have married her : * Tli0 old chief has unfortunately for the happiness of the two coontries realized his wish. I M9 INTBLLKCTUAL DllUMGBIfENT. under, that impreitioii'she sacrificed her virtue ut the shrineof love. Whether or not lie promiied her marriage I have never heard ; but alter she vras brought to bed of a child by him, finding that he would not comply with that ceremony, she •rmed herself with a brace of pistols, and for a long time watched for him at La Chine, threatening to take his life for his perfidy to h^r. He thought proper to keep out of the way till her anger cooledi and she returned to Upper Canada. Her unfaith* ful lover died a short time after in the Hotel Dieu of Montreal, having lost his senses in consequence, it is said, of having been (as he thought) access sary to the death of an officer of the Gth regiment^ who was killed in a duel, and to whom he had been second. The ofiicer was shot in the knee, and the doctors could not tell whether any part of the doth had entered with the ball : some were of opinion it had, and others that it had not. While thsy disputed a mortification ensued, and the pa- tiflntdied! Mr.C , looking upon hinkself at a partieipator in the melancholy event whicii Ifttd deprived him of his friend, took it so much to hearty that he became deranged in his mind, and died shortly after. The post road of Lower Canada extends neariy to the line between the two provinces, about fort/ miles from La Chine: but the road from thence to Kingston, in Upper Caqadaj is extremely bad 11 SI ROMAN CATHOLIC FUNSRALS. M3 in some places ; being through swain{)s and mo- rasses 'in the woods, which render it frequently impassable. In winter time, when covered with snow, it is an excellent road; but, in summer, tra- vellers generally proceed by water from La Chine in the batteaux which are setting off almost every week. . . < I remained at Dillon*8 hotel, Montreal, about R week, waiting the arrival of a vessel at St. John's to take me across Lake Champlain. It was early in November, and the snow fell in abundance for two or three days ; during which the carioles were driven in the streets. Several Roman Catholic funerals passed before the door of the hotel during my stay : they were more or less splendid accord- ing to the circumstances of the deceased. The first I saw was but indifferently attended : at the head masched an old man in his common habitant dress,' carrying something like a pestle and mortar; next to him was a little boy dressed in a black hood or cowl over a white surplice, which partly covered a black cloth petticoat. He carried a wooden €K>st about four times taller than himself. After him came the priest dressed in the same style, with the addition of two long pieces of white cloth edgjed with black, each of which terminated at the bottom with a square piece marked with a cross^' and bung down^ before him from his shoulders. 'The body was supported by four men, and foU 644 LEAVE MOMtREAL. ]owe4 by two or threepeople in their usual drest i the coffin was of common deal, not paintali and partly covered with a shabby pall. The next funeral which I saw was of a superior description, and was attended by four priests, ten boys, one beadle, and three men carrying a wooden box and wax tapers. The coffin, however, was of commoti deal unpainted ; but supported on a bier, and carried by four men. An indifferent pall was thrown over it, and four men on each side carried wax tapers. They were, I suppose, in the capacity of pall-bearers; but neither they nor the mourners behind were dressed in any other than their usual clothes. The priests and boys were dressed as be* fore ; but instead of a large wooden cross they now carried a silver one, fixed upon a long black staff. It was a curious circumstance, that while the snow was falling in the streets I was plagued in- doors with the flies. These troublesome companions are seldom driven away by the cold in Canada, be^ ing kept alive by the heat of the stoves. From this it may be easily conceived how little the ihhiibi* tants suffer from the severity of their climate. A sloop having at length arrived at St. John*8« the master came to Montreal to procure freight ; upon which I took the opportunity of engaging a passage in his vessel to Skenesborough. END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. ftinttihy Richard Toykr and Co., Shoe-Lane, London. vr 4 -»»;... \!T 'i-i :ri¥ ■*{■ 'I ' rtijnni'inMi^iiMMi ■! ^^. 4~