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For the following characteristic traits I am in- debted to my friend Colonel Fitzgibbon. « Doctor l)unlop, m his youth, was assistant-surgeon in the 89th Regiment, on the Niagaiu frontier, during the campaign of 1814. He was at that time a von n« VOL. Tr ''' o VOL. II. B *e 2 BRAVERY AND HUMANITY man who appeared to have outgrown his clothes; at least the sleeves of his coat reached but a short way below his elbows, and his trowsers did not nearly reach his ancles. He was careless if not slovenly in his dress, and he seldom applied a razor to his chin. His proportions were almost Herculean, and his movements and gait were awkward and ungainly. " When our army attacked Fort Erie by assault, we were beaten back with much slaughter ; great numbers of our men falling killed or wounded under the fire of the enemy. As daylight appeared, Dunlop, whose vocation, be it remembered, was that of man-curer not of man-killer, ran through the firing to witness the scene, when seeing that some of the wounded could not get to the rear beyond the range of the enemy's fire, he gallantly caught up a poor fellow and carried him to a place of safety, immediately returning to take up another, and so on until he had thus taken bodily posses- sion often or twelve of his patients. " One man, wounded in the knee, he heaved upon his back and bore to the rear, but on laying down his burden the Doctor found that the soldier had received, in transitu, a mortal wound in the back, and so intercepted the shot, which otherwise would have taken effect on Dun- OF DR. DUNLOP. 3 lop himself. It should be stated that he brought with him, slung over his shoulders, six of the soldiers' wooden canteens filled with wine in- tended for the wounded, with which he refreshed them, and attended professionally to their hurts under a noble tree, out of the reach of the shot he had so bravely encountered for their benefit. " Those who enjoyed the friendship of this warm- hearted man had frequent opportunities of know- ing his kind and feeling disposition, for there never was a finer jewel, though roughly set, than poor Dunlop. His cheerful and undaunted spirit formed him for an efficient leader of British emigration. "The 89th was chiefly composed of Irishmen, and arr ong them he learned the management of those refractory subjects* better than any one of their own officers. His influence over them was very great, and during his long residence in Canada, after he left the army, he exerted his in- fluence over the Irish emigrants and settlers, to the great benefit of the poor people themselves and to the advantage of the public. In a violent party-riot in the city of Toronto, about the year 1830, he did more than any other justice of the peace then present, in quelling the disturbance." * Colonel Fitzgibbon being an Irishman seems perfectly awnre that poor Paddy can be governed better by love than fear. B 2 PROPOSED TAX ON WHISKEY. He was a humorous, witty man, and never regarded time or place when any opportunity oc- curred for displaying his facetious propensities. Upon one particular occasion, I remember, he amused the House of Assembly by his comical questions and witty rejoinders. I think it was seven or eight years ago when Montreal was the seat of government, that a bill was brought before the House to tax dogs and whiskey. The Doctor, who spoke on this occasion, asked — "If any member present could inform him how many quarts of whiskey was usually made from a bushel of wheat, Indian com, or rye 1 " When the member for the Second Riding of Northumberland replied, — " He believed sixteen quarts." " I believe," rejoined the Doctor, " the young gentleman is right, but heaven defend me from your sixteen quart-whiskey ! I like a stiff horn.* I have read of the beast with two horns, and of the beast with ten horns, but I am a beast of many horns." The whole House were convulsed with laughter at this sally of the Doctor's, the concluding assertion of which, I am sorry to say, was too true. In every other relation of life the Doctor's * In allusion to a drinking-horn. 1 DUNLOP TOSSES TO LOSE A WIFE. 5 character might have safely bome the strictest scrutiny. The following anecdote has been related of the Doctor. Its authenticity I do not doubt, for it is highly characteristic of the man. The Doctor, and his brother the Captain, both old bachelors, lived together on their estate of Galbraith, near Goderich, with a respectable Scotch-body, as the Doctor called her, for their housekeeper. Now, whether any scandal had been raised, or whether the Doctor thought it would conduce to their greater comfort, if he or his brother were to marry the housekeeper, or whether he meant it only for a joke to teaze his brother, does not appear. Be that as it may, the Doctor proposed, in consequence, he said, of some unpleasant remarks, and their lonely situation, for one of them to marry her. " Now, Sandy, you know I would almost as soon hang myself as put my head into the matrimonial noose, yet I think it only fair to stand my chance. So, what I propose is, that each of us shall toss up a copper* three times, and he who has the most heads shall be free." As this appeared a very fair proposition the Captain at once consented to the arrangement, * Canadian term for a halfpenny. (> SETTLEMENT OF TPIE HURON DISTRICT. and they immediately proceeded to bring this friendly contest for a wife to an issue. The Doctor would not have consented to run the risk of losing his liberty, if he had not been perfectly sure of winning, for by some chance he had become the possessor of a halfpenny with a head on either side. So when they came to toss up, as might be expected, the poor unconscious Captain was duly elected for matrimonial honours, to the great glee of the roguish Doctor, who, I make no doubt, chuckled over his successful stra- tagem. Strange as it may appear, the Captain honour- ably fulfilled this singular agreement. I have understood that the lady filled her new station with great credit and propriety, and I have heard, at the death of the two brothers, inherited all their property. Although the winner of Mrs. Dunlop had some reason to rejoice in getting a good wife so easily, yet I would advise all gentlemen before trying their chance in such a lottery, to examine whether their opponent is the fortunate possessor of a coin with two heads. Dr. Dunlop was the first representative for the Huron District in the Provincial Parliament, and retained his seat as long as he lived. While VOYAGE IN THE "DISMAL." f employed in the Canada Company's service, he encountered many perils, and on one of ' his voyages met with the following adventure. Dur- ing the early settlement of the Huron Dis- trict, and before any saw-mill had been built, it was necessary to purchase a quantity of boards and other lumber for the Company's use. For this purpose the Doctor went in a canoe from Goderich, seventy-four miles down the lake, to a Yankee village, at the mouth of the Black-water river, near Fort Gratiot. Here he purchased what he required, and hired a small schooner, which he freighted with the lumber, and took passage in her himself. It appears that, with the exception of the owner of the vessel, there was only one per- son on board besides the Doctor, not one of whom knew anything about the navigation of the lake. The Doctor, however, undertook the pilotage ; he knew that there was a rocky shoal stretching out some distance into' the lake directly opposite Kettle Point, but he was not aware that it extended for miles. Consequently they wer. startled by finding themselves amongst the rocks several miles from the shore. Luckily there was little wind, and the lake so smooth that every stone could be seen distinctly in the water. In this emergency 8 DUNLOP'S CHARACTER. the Doctor seated himself astride on the bowsprit, with his hat oflF and his red hair streaming in the wind, forming altogether not a bad representation of old Neptune. From this nautical throne his majesty issued his commands of starboard and larboard, port or steady, as the rocks on either side appeared in view. All his skill, however, proved unavailing— the vessel at last grounded, and as thej had not sufficient help on board to heave her oflF, they were obliged to make a raft and abandon her to her fate. However, they had the good fortune to land with their raft in safety near the mouth of the river Aux-Sables, yet distant many miles from any settlement. The vessel became a wreck, and I believe the Company ultimately paid the wner for his crazy vessel, which the Doctor in speaking of always called the " Dismal." The Doctor's character may be summed up in a few words. He was a kind-hearted generous man; scientific, enterprising, and possessing con- siderable literary attainments, as his articles pub- lished in "Blackwood's Magazine," and his "Back- woodsman," sufficiently prove. In person he was well made, stout, broad-shoul- dered, and above six feet in height, with red hair and whiskers, blueeyes, high forehead, nose slightly DUNLOP'S CHARACTER. 9 aquiline, broad face, and a remarkably facetious and good-humoured expression of countenance. I am happy to say that he overcame his only failing, but not in time to save his valuable life. However, "Take him for all in all, We ne'er shall look upon his like again." Therefore farewell, kind, amiable, witty, Dun- lop, but not for ever ! B 5 10 UTILITY OF THE LAKES. CHAPTER II. LTIMTY OF THE LAKES. — INTERNAL NAVIGATION SUPERIOR TO RUSSIA. — PETER THE GREAT AND CAPTAIN PERRY. THEORY OF EVAPORATION COMPARATIVE MEAN DEPTHS, NUMBER OF MILES, ANi> ELEVATION OF THE LAKES. — FISH. — EFFECTS OF THE LAKES ON THE TEMPERATURE. WARMING INFLUENCE OF LAKE HURON OVER THE WHOLE WESTERN PENINSULA. Canada is yet in her colonial dawn ; but the dawn is one of cheering promise. She pos- sesses a virgin soil, finely timbered forests, rich mineral ores, as yet little worked, and lands on the Huron tract of almost unrivalled fertility, with an immense water-power, which, whea once put in use by a thriving and increasing population, will render her one of the greatest commercial countries in the world. Providence, by the gift of lakes, which from their vast extent may be fairly denominated inland seas, has marked her for a land of commerce. She enjoys the double advantage of an inland water communication, and an outward maritime one with Europe, the United States, South America, and the world in general. Her commercial relations are as yet only in their infancy. But what will they not be when the PETER THE GREAT AND CAPTAIN PERRY. 11 vast tract north-west of Lake Superior shall be opened for the reception of the produce of the West. Twelve thousand mariners are employed at present in the navigation of the lakes. Russia IS the only commercial country that possesses the same natural advantages, though in an inferior de- gree, for the Russian lakes did not communicate with each other till the wisdom of her wise regene- rator, Peter the Great, established a communica- tion between them by the aid of Captain Perry, an English engineer, to whose genius Ru«,i. xJa, will produce a considerable change in the temperature. At present, during the nights of the summer season -which these forests by their nocturnal radiation lower—IIumboldt has clearly shown, by the reason of the vast multi- plicity of leaves, a tree, the crown of which does not present a horizontal section of more than one hundred and twenty or one hundred and thirty feet, actually influences the cooling of the atmo- sphere by an extent of surface several thousand times more extensive than this section. The upper surface of the leaves first become cool by nocturnal radiation; these again receive heat from the lower stratum of leaves, which is in turn given off into space. The cooling is thus pro- pagated from above, downwards, until the tempe- rature of the whole tree is lowered, and, as a necessary result, the air enveloping it. As the forests of Western Canada disappear before the * Hind's Pamphlet. i 'u\ mm: 1 W i| 1*, 1 i i ii 11 < 24, DECREASE OF SWAMPS. ^ rapid encroachments of the settler, we may look for a rise in the minimum temperature of the spring, summer, and autumnal nights. Late spring and early autumn frosts will probably be- come rarer, as the country becomes more cleared. Notwithstanding the cold produced by the radia- tion of heat from the leaves of forest-trees during summer nights, there is no reason to suppose that the destruction of forests elevates the mean tem- perature of the year. The clearing tLem, how- ever, exhibits the following results :— " The elevation of the mean temperature dur- ing the summer months, the lowering of the mean temperature of the winter months, whose dura- tion is, nevertheless, shortened. " The acceleration of the coming of spring, the drying up of swamps, shallow springs, and the diminution of the water in creeks ; the disap- pearance of snow from exposed districts will also be accelerated." * *' Indeed, the destruction of forests seems to have a marked effect upon swamps, springs, and running streams. In all parts of the country neg- lected saw-mills may be seen, having been aban- doned by their proprietors, owing to the want of * Hind's " Comparative View." CANADIAN CLIMATE. 25 water. This decrease may reasonably be ascribed to the felling of the forests, whereby extensive swamps are exposed to solar radiation and that supply of moisture which they received in the summer months from the condensation of the aqueous vapour of the atmosphere, by the leaves of the trees overshadowing them being altogether cut off." * " The climate of Canada is favourable for agri- culture, since a moderately humid atmosphere, in relation to cultivation, can scarcely be estimated too highly. The most interesting, and perhaps the most advantageous, form in which atmospheric influence exhibits itself, is that of dew. The quantity of this revivifying agent condensed on the leaves of vegetables in the Canadian Peninsula is very great, and furnishes one important reason why Western Canada is less liable to suffer from those destructive droughts which are common to the west of the Lakes, and not unfrequent to- wards the east and south. The terms rainy sea- son and dry season are unknown in Canadian climatology; the distribution of rain over the months of the year is, in general, remarkably uni- form." f • Hind's " Comparative View of Western Canada " t Ibid. VOL. II. „ 26 CANADIAN CLIMATE. t.r> I The able author of the Pamphlet from which these quotations are made, has proved a fact not usually well understood, that the climate of Upper Canada is healthier and more equal in temperature than a great many provinces of the United States. Indeed the severer temperature of the Lower Pro- vince, or Canada East, as it is now called, does not apply to that of Canada West, which the causes just quoted render milder even than many parts of the States. Hind has made an ingenious classification of the mean temperature of the Canadian year, which is subjoined for the use of the reader. *' The hottest month in the Canadian year is July, the coldest, February. There are four months in the year during which the average temperature is less than the freezing point of water ; these months are January, February, March, December. These constitute the winter months. " There are three months, April, October, and November, during which the temperature is above the freezing point of water, and below the mean temperature of the year. There are five months in the year during which the mean temperature is above the annual mean ; these are May, June, July, August, and September. These months. CANADIAN CLIMATE. 27 with October, constitute the agricultural or grow- ing months of Western Canada. Tlio inuan highest temperature of the hottest month (July), is double of the mean annual temperature. Tho mean minimum temperature of the hottest month is the same as the mean annual temperature. Tho tem- perature is most uniform in Auguat, and most fluctuating in April." ^^ "It is well known in America," remarks an intelligent government officer, " that tho climate alwy,ys improves, or rather increases in warmth, with the destruction of the forest aud cultivation of the soil." t "We are as yet imperfectly acquainted with the natural agricultural advantages of Canada West, but from what we do know from its pecu- liar situation among the great Lakes, wo may positively assert its general superiority over any other portion of North America, with very few exceptions. "The most important points in which the climate of Canada West diifers from those of the United States which lie north of tho forty- first parallel of latitude, may bo thus enu- merated : • Hind's "Comparative View of the Climate of Wcutt-rn Cnnoda." t Mac Taggart's " Three Years in Canada." 8 28 CANADIAN CLIMATE. I " lu mildness, the extremes of winter cold and summer heat being, comparatively speaking, much less, in being better suited to the growth of grain and green crops, on account of the more equable distribution of rain over the agricultural months ; and, also, in the humidity of the atmosphere, which, though less than that of an insular cli- mate, is greater than that of localities situated at a distance from the Lakes." * " Wheat of a fine quality, to the amount of two millions of bushels, is the annual average rate, at present, of growth in Canada West ; but, as emi- gration and population increase, the quantity, as a matter of course, must also multiply. Fine sam- ples from the old country must be acclimated, Just as many plants of our own produce have been, before they reach their maximum. Thus the new seed will not equal your expectations ; but if you sow from it again, you will find them realized." t In respect to vegetable assimilation to climate, we all know that the hardy la'iristinus and the scarlet-bean were confined in the early part of the last century to the green -house. There is little doubt that many herbs and useful vegeta- bles may gradually be acclimated. * Iliad's Pamphlet. f Ibid. CANADIAN CLIMATE. 29 Canada has an indigenous growth of plums and grapes, which will improve bj cultivation. The black cherry is, in its wild state, crude and astrin- gent ; it is used medicinally in the United States for consumptive complaints ; the value of the tree in Canada arises from the beauty of the wood, which makes it prized for furniture. No attempt has been made to improve the native grape, which is small and crude ; but the fact that it ripens at all, ex- hibits a point favourable to the climate, since this fruit mainly owes its fine qualities to cultivation. The Canadian settler, who at present leaves the forest-vine to the birds of the air and beasts of the field, will, probably, some years hence, have vineyards as well as corn-tracts. Indeed vines from Germany might be tried for this purpose in the more westward tracts with, perhaps, a fair chance of success. The tables exhibited in the following pages will give some important information on the subject of temperature to emigrants, which I have ex- tracted from the scarce and valuable pamphlet,* for the sight of which I am indebted to the Ca- nada Company, and of which I have already availed myself so largely. * Hind's Pamphlet. I ! SO CANADIAN CLIMATE. Table of the Mean Temperature op the Summer Months (June, July, and August) at Toronto, during the years 1840 to 1850, botli inclusive ; also Table of the Mean Maximum Tem- perature during the same periods :— Mean Year. Mean Summer Maximum Temperature. Summer Temperature. 1840 63-90 81-5 1841 65-3 88-9 1842 62-33 82-9 1843 63-33 83-7 1844 62-55 85-6 1845 6530 88-1 1846 66-16 88-4 1847 63-26 82-6 1848 65-41 87-1 184!) 65-30 84*0 1850 66-81 85-3 Mean 64-51 85-26 To the east and west of the Lakes (especially in the latter direction) high summer means of temperature are invariably associated with low winter means ; in other words, great and often injurious extremes of temperature occur, particu- larly in the Western States. Compare the sub- joined temperatures of the seasons at the stations named : — I jfii i CANADIAN CLIMATE. 31 Places. Latitude Winter Mean. Spring Mean. Summer Moan. Autumn Mean. Toronto Hudson Muscatine Iowa Council IJluiFs Fort Crawford Fort Winclmgo Fort Dearborn Detroit . 43-3!) 41-15 41-26 41-28 43-03 43-31 41-50 42-62 25-33 25 70 25-80 24-28 20-69 20-81 24-31 27-62 41-60 48-20 49-90 51-00 48-25 44-67 45-39 45-16 64-51 6920 69-00 75-81 72-38 67-97 67-80 67-33 47-41 46-40 49-30 62-46 48-09 46-10 47-09 47-75 Table of the Mean Summer Temperatuues at various localities in Europe, compared with those at Toronto. Mean Summer Temperature. Toronto 64-51 Berlin, Europe . . 63-2 Cherbourg . . 61-9 Penzance , , ■ . . . 61-8 Greenwich . . 60-88 Cheltenham . 60-04 Mean Temperature of the Hottest Months. Toronto • 66-54 Paris .... . 6602 Frankfort-on-thc-Mainc . 66-00 Berlin .... . 64-4 London . 64-1 Cherbourg . . 63-2 32 INDIAN HAUNTS. CHAPTER IV. i* ii 111: OLD mn.AN HAI-NTS—THEm ENCAMPMENT NEAU OODKniOH HAU- ""ZuZr'" -'O^AMS.-.NU.AN M,S.S,ONA«V, PETEH aONES. -INDIAN OFFEIUNGS TO MAN.TON.-PEnsONAL DESCK.PT.ON OF THE INDUNS.-IMPUOVEMENT IN INDIAN MORALS SINCE THEIR CONVEUSION TO CHUISTIANITV.-msTOav OK AN INDIAN PAMILV -THEIU MISERABLE CONDITION.-MV REMEDV.-INDUN MANU- >ACTURKS.-0ANOES.-L0G-CANOE.-KLM-„ARK CANOE USED DV THE CHIPPEWAS-MANY USES OF THE WHITE BIUCH. It is interesting to mark the rise of the towns of Canada West ; to compare them witli what they were, and to reflect upon what they will become. Some of these locations, reclaimed by civilized man from the wild-forest tract, were once the haunts of the red man, who still loves to linger near the site of his old encampments. The Chip- pewas still repair at certain seasons of the year to the environs of Goderich. The bottom of Goderich harbour is formed by a long strip of sand and gravel, which separates the waters of the harbour from the lake. This '^"""IWBiii.'ir! ffli ii iiliii'ifB i.in , .■niifci,!].'.')' iwii'jc^i^'. ''^-:7CU««JlJ»tkWHMItMlW* INDIAN WIGWAM. S3 little peninsula is only a few yards in width, and dotted here and there with clumps of bushes. During the summer months it used to be the favourite camping- ground of the Chippewas. I have seen more than a hundred of them, men, women, and children, at one time occupying rude wigwams on this point. In hot weather they are not very particular how they construct their tents. A couple of slight poles crossing one another about, six feet from the ground, fastened with bass-wood bark, are fixed in the ground at either end. A pole is then laid on where the end- sticks cross one another, and are securely tied, this forms the ridge-pole against which a few more poles are leant in a sloping direction covered with cedar bark. If the weather looks settled they do not en- camp at all unless they intend to stay some time. In winter, however, they take pains to make a warm camp, which is either circular or oblong. In either case the poles are planted from a foot to eighteen inches apart at the bottom, and closing together at the top. Birch-bark is generally used for the winter covering. The common size of a circular wigwam is about twelve feet in diameter. This will accommodate two large families. The fire is made in the centre,, and a door-way is left c 5 I mm 34 INDIAN WIGWAM. ) ) opposite each end of the firo for the better con- venience of bringing in wood, a blanket being fastened across these apertures in lieu of a door, which is merely put on one side by the person who wishes to enter. During the sugar season the Indians construct much larger wigwams. I remember when I pur- chased the land I now reside upon, I found the remains of a very large sugar-boiling camp up- wards of thirty feet in length by sixteen wide, furnished with bed-berths made with poles covered with bark, raised about fifteen inches from the ground, serving for seats as well as beds. The fire had evidently occupied nearly the whole length of this building, for the hooked sticks which had supported their pots and sugar-kettles still hung suspended from a pole above the hearth. The Indian wigwams are very warm. I have slept in them in the coldest weather with only one blanket wrapped about me, without expe- riencing the least inconvenience arising from either draught or cold. On my first acquaintance with the Indians I found them — particularly those who were in the habit of visiting Goderich — a poor, drunken, dis- sipated set, destitute both of morality and re- k PETER JONES, THE MISSIONARY. 36 ligion, which was entirely owing to that abomi- nable custom practised by the fur -traders, of keeping their wretched victims in a state of drunkenness whilst bargaining for their peltry. I have seen forty or fifty Indians and squaws drunk in an encampment at the same time, rolling about on the grass, nearly naked, and while in that HLOte pillaged by those white fiends, the trade \ who dare to call themselves Christians. I an), however, happy to say, that a great reform has taken place among them — owing partly to the preaching of the Gospel to them, and partly parliamentary enactments inflicting heavy fines on any one selling spirits of any kind to the Indians. Foremost in the good Tjork of Gospel-diffusion may be mentioned Peter Jones, an Indian by birth, I believe, of the Mississauga tribe, for he speaks their language as though it were his own. I have understood he was the first person who translated the Gospels into this Indian dialect, and also rendered a book of "Wesleyan hymns into his own tongue. It is quite surprising to see what a change for the better has taken place amongst these poor creatures, once so benighted, within the last fif- teen years. I was down at their encampment one Ij S6 INDIAN OFFERINGS TO MANITON. '^1 1 ■!lt dny, before the conversion of the tribe, when I noticed an old Indian take his canoe and paddle off into the middle of the harbour. He then laid in his paddle and knelt down in the centre of his little bark, and commenced a long oration, during the dcliverj of which he from time to time threw into the river small pieces of tobacco, and con- cluded the ceremony by emptying some kind of liquor from a bottle, which I afterwards learned was whiskey. On making inquiry of one of the traders, " What the Indian meant by this extra- ordinary proceeding," he informed me " that the man was praying to the Great Maniton to make the waters yield them an abundance of fish and game, and the pieces of tobacco and the whiskey were intended as offerings to propitiate him. The word Maniton meaning presiding spirit." It has been asserted that many of their tra- ditions and religious ceremonies are undoubtedly of Jewish origin, and some think that the North American Indians are descendants of the lost tribes of Israel. I have, however, not the slightest doubt that this portion of the continent has been peopled from Northern Asia. I have come to this conclusion from two causes — first, from the proximity of the two countries, which, at Behring's Straits, is only thirty-nine miles across from the PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF INDIANS. 37 Old World to the New. In the mid-chaunel there are two islands, called by the Russians the St. Diomcdes, which arc from two to three leagues in circumference— thus leaving eithor of the pas- sages not more than twenty miles from land to land, which distance could be easily traversed in fine weather and a smooth sea by canoes. Se- condly, the black hair, dark eye, slightly pointed at the corners, the high cheek bones and want of hair on the face, sufficiently prove, I think, their Asiatic origin. It has been said, and is generally believed, that the Indians are in the habit of pulling out the hair of their beards on its first making its appear- ance. This 1 believe to be altogether a fiction, not only from my own personal observation, but also from the report of those who have lived for years amongst them. The half-breeds have more hair on the chin, which clearly proves that they inherit that troublesome appendage from their European fathers. The Indian complexion is not darker than the English gipsy, but has a redder cast ; the profile regular, the nose being thin and straight, and the eyes close together. They are naturally grave in their deportment, and silent on common occasions, but are eloquent public speakers. i If 1 S8 EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY. ' ) A , Since their conversion they have become sober, religious, and, generally speaking, more moral and virtuous than their white brethren ; for, upon the first preaching of the Gospel, its effects are always more strikingly apparent than afterwards, as if upon the new converts the Spirit of God was more plentifully poured forth. In this I allude more particularly to those Indians who inhabit the villages of Rice Lake, Alnwick, and Chemong Lake, and who are more particularly under the superintendance of the Rev. J. Gilmour, the Bap- tist Minister at Peterborough, who has done much to better their condition both in a temporal and spiritual sense. However, these converts to Christianity are not Baptists, but belong to the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion, having local preachers amongst their own people. I am sorry to say, the introduction of Euro- pean diseases and vices have tended greatly to diminish the number of this very interesting people. I was told by a very clever medical gentleman, that consumption carried more of them off than any other disorder, and that this insidious malady had been entailed upon the present generation by the dissipation of their fathers. Happily for them, they have forsaken HISTORY OF INDIAN FAMILY. S9 these intemperate habits. In fact, it is now as rare to see a drunken Indian as, twenty years ago, it was to see a sober one ; so great a blessing has the Gospel been to these tribes. I have heard it said, that it was impossible for an Indian to lose his way in the bush ; and I was for some time of that opinion myself, until the following circumstance considerably shook my belief. It appeared that an Indian, his squaw, and two children, one of whom was a lad of thirteen or fourteen years of age, left Owen's Sound, on the Georgian bay. Lake Huron, with the intention of travelling through the woods to Goderich, where a party of his friends were encamped for the winter. The snow was deep, and the distance, in a straight line, nearly eighty miles. It seems that, after crossing the river Saugeen, the weather be- came cloudy, attended with frequent snow-storms; so that they had nothing to guide them but the moss on the trees, for it appears they had never traversed that part of the country before. How- ever, from some cause or another they lost their way ; and their provisions also failed them. In this emergency they pitched their wigwam near w s l{/ 40 HISTORY OF INDIAN FAMILY. a small stream, where they waited several days, hoping the sun would make its appearance. To add to the difficulties of the miserable couple, their joungest papouse, a girl, died from want and the hardships to which she had been exposed. Although the Indian had some ammunition, he was unable to find any game ; not even a part- ridge. And the snow was so deep that it was quite impossible, in their exhausted state, to travel without snow-shoes, especially. When they left Owen's Sound there was not more than eight inches of snow, but in conse- quence of the continued fall it had increased to a depth of upwards of two feet. So when, at last, the weather cleared up they were totally unable to proceed. How long they remained in this dreadful situa- tion is not easily known, but they were at last accidentally discovered by a party of French Ca- nadians, who were out trapping, about twenty miles up the iMaitland, and who told me they were perfectly horrified at the scene that presented itself to their view. The old Indian and his squaw, wasted to perfect skeletons, were lying in the wigwam, unable to rise. Near these anato- mies lay the remains of some human flesh that HISTORY OF INDIAN FAMILY. 41 had evidently been used for food, and which the trappers positively declared to bo part of the Indian's own son, who had been shot through the back by his wretched father, as he left the wigwam to go to the creek for water. Be this as it may, both the Indian and his squaw, when I questioned them on the subject, after their recovery, denied it in the strongest terms. As soon as their situation was known in Gode- rich, a party of Indians and trappers went to the wigwam and brought them to the town in litters. When I heard of the arrival of these poor crea- tures I went down to see them, taking with me some broth and other necessaries that I thought might be good for them. I think I never beheld two such miserable objects with a spark of life in them. They were groaning pitcously, and appeared to be suffering excruciating agony. I found out at once the cause of tliis. They had been allowed to satisfy their ravenous appetite without restraint, and had gorged themselves till they were nearly mad with pain. I gave them each a dose of laudanum, which had such a good effect that in a few days they were able to sit up and speak. Their miserable f'* 42 INDIAN SQUAWS. State excited such general compassion that almost every one sent them something to eat ; so that in a month's time they were as fat and strong as before their days of starvation. Indeed, I could hardly have believed it possible for human beings to make flesh so quickly as they did. Whether the Indian killed his son to sustain his own life and that of his squaw, rests entirely on the assertion of the Canadians who found them, though I believe there is little doubt that in their extremity they made use of his flesh. This is the only case of cannibalism I ever heard of among the Indians, and even this terrible fact, if the victim had not been their own son, would have been no more than a case of stern necessity. I am glad to be able to state that these unhappy parents were not Christians. Before the conversion of these Indian tribes they were in the habit of painting their faces and eye-brows, upon every remarkable occasion, which certainly did anything but improve their appear- ance. Some of the squaws are pretty, but as they advance in years, they grow fat and ugly. The men, on the contrary, are of a spare make, and very seldom become fleshy. Their mode of life, as hunters, requires the greatest activity ; I INDIAN MANUFACTURES. 43 while that of the squaws is of a more sedentary nature, being chiefly confined to the wigwam, their principal occupation being the making of baskets, brooms, and deer-skin mocassins, which they ornament very prettily with porcupine quills or beads. They have a curious method of dyeing the quills, which is effected by extracting the colour from pieces of English broad-cloth, from which process they obtain the most vivid dyes. Some of these Indian designs are pretty, and even ingenious, and may be obtained at a reason- able rate. The price of a pair of plain mocassins is 2s. 6d. Halifax currency ; handsome ones, worked with a pattern on the instep, wrought either with quills or beads, a dollar or 55. Their brooms are manufactured principally from the birch, iron-wood, black-ash, and blue-beech, the latter wood is considered the best and toughest for the purpose. The manner of making them is quite different from any I ever saw made in the old country. As all settlers far back in the bush are obliged to use these articles, I may as well de- scribe the method of their construction. A clean growing young tree, about two inches in diameter, should be chosen, straight in the grain and free 44 INDIAN MANUFACTURES. from knots. After the bark, small (',' Hi removing stripes of wood are drawn from one end of the stick with the grain, and as fine as possible, about eighteen inches in length, which is done by in- serting a knife at tlie end of the stick and raising as much wood as will run with the grain the length required. When a sufficient thickness of fibres has been obtained for half the thickness of the broom, the same process is gone through from the other end ; one set of fibres being turned back over the first, making the thickness required, which is securely tied with bass-wood bark. 1 he handle is then reduced to the proper size and the sweeping part cut off even at the bottom. This kind of broom is considered the best sort for sta- bles, barns, or to clean the yards about the back doors of houses. The Indian baskets are made from the wood of the blac'.L-ash, beaten with a wooden maul till the wood readily separates in rings of one year's growth from the other, and is as it were stripped off in ribbons from one to two inches in width the whole length of the piece. These ribbons, or stripes, are again subdivided to any thickness required, dyed of various colours, and put by for use. d INDIAN MANUFACTURES. 45 They use the bark of the hemlock pine to dye red, indigo for blue, and the inner bark of the root of the white-ash for yellow, which, when mixed with indigo, forms a good green. The baskets made of the wood of the black-ash are very light and pretty ; the settlers' wives purchase them for cap-baskets, and the larger ones to keep their linen in : a coarser sort is used by the farmers for a variety of purposes ; I have made many a one myself, and found them very serviceable. The squaws manufacture the birch bark into a variety of articles, such as baskets, dishes, hat and work-boxes, and cradles, some of which are cu- riously ornamented with porcupine quills. The making of these things and tanning deer skins, together with their household or wigwam duties, constitute their chief employment when in camp or in their villages. In their hunting and trapping excursions it is the squaw's duty to steer the canoe, build the wigwam, and assist in skinning the various ani- mals taken in the chase : they are ver}' indus- trious — indeed it is difficult to find them unem- ployed. The men employ themselves in hunting, fishing, and in making a variety of hollow ware out of the u >1: 46 INDIAN CANOES. wood of the butternut and black ash-knots, such as troughs, butter-dishes, bowls, and barn shovels. They make but a poor hand at carving, though I have seen some stone pipes tolerably well done ; but of all their manufactures I consider their canoes to be the most ingenious. As many of my readers, probably, may never have had an opportunity of seeing one of these canoes, I shall endeavour to describe the method of constructing them by the Chippewa and Missis- sauga tribes. The bark used for this purpose is taken from the white birch {Betula alba). It strips readily from the tree at the proper season : the thicker the bark, and paler in the colour, the better it is for the purpose. The bottom of the canoe should, if possible, be of one entire piece, each end of which is turned up from the sides until they are con- tracted to a sharp point. This sudden contraction of the bark, to form the ends of the canoe, gives the centre part too much beam. To obviate this diflSculty, incisions of a foot or more in length are made from the outside edge towards the centre on both sides of the canoe, and about two feet apart. At these incisions, wedge-shaped pieces are cut out, the widest part of the wedge -» INDIAN CANOES. 47 being towards the upper edge of the bark. The edges of the incisions are then brought together and sewed firmly; by this means the proper shape of the bottom, and at least half way up the sides, is obtained. Pieces of bark are then sewn to the upper edges of the bottom, to complete the height of the canoe. A strong knife is employed to trim the upper edge of the bark ready for the false gunnel, which is composed of two thin laths of cedar bent round the inside and outside of the upper edge of the canoe, from stem to stern, and fasten- ed securely at both ends. These under or false gunnels thus firmly securo, between them, the upper edge of the bark. The canoe is now placed on its bottom in a level place, the sides are con- tracted to the proper width, and stakes driven into the ground on each side to secure it in its position. Thin laths of white cedar, not more than an eighth of an inch thick, and from three to four inches wide, shaved very smoothly, are placed length-wise, inside the canoe, of which it forms the lining. Ribs of cedar, half an inch thick by two inches in width, and from two to three inches apart, are then bent into the canoe, the upper ends of the ribs being secured between the false gunnels. The pressure by the elasticity 11 48 INDIAN CANOES. i of these ribs forces the bark into the proper form, and prevents the sides from collapsing. The upper gunnel is now firmly pla'^cd on the outward edges of the false ones, cither with nails, screws, or wooden pins. Four pieces of hard -wood tim- ber, three inches wide and an inch thick, called thwarts, are secured firmly, at equal distances, across the canoe from gunnel to gunnel, thereby strengthening and effectually preveiiiing the canoe from spreading. The roots of the tamarac, or cedar, arc used by the India.iS for sewing the seams and fixing the thwarts of their canoes, which they split and scrape, soaking them for some time in water be- fore using them. A preparation of cedar or pine- gum, mixed with pitch or resin, is run neatly over the seams, which process completes the canoe. The dug-out, or log-canoe, in general use by the settlers, is derived from the Indians, who still continue to construct them. These canoes are of various sizes and make, and some of them exhibit rude attempts at carving on the bow and stern. The largest I ever saw of this kind was made out of a pine-tree, and was twenty-six feet long, and three feet nine inches beam. I assisted to LOO-CANOE. 41) unload a schooner with her on Lake Huron. Sho would easily carry nine barrels of pork and four or five men to paddle her. Tine, black walnut, butternut, and basswood, arc used for this canoe,' the two latter are the best for lightness, and the wood is not easily split by exposure to the sun. My boys and I have made canoes of this sort so light, that one person could easily carry one of them on his liead over short portages. A canoe of this kind is the best for hunting ducks, be- cause the wild rice and rushes make no noise against its side, which is a defect in the bark canoe. Besides, tho birch-bark canoe, they con- struct for temporary purposes, a ruder-built one made out of an entire roll of the bark of the swamp-elm, which is merely sewn up at both ends, and the seams gummed. Two thwarts are then fastened across the upper edges of the canoe, to keep the bark expanded to the proper width, which should be about three feet and a half at least in the centre. These canoes are only used to descend from the head- waters of rapid streams which would be apt to injure the more elegant one formed of the fragile birch bark. The Chippewas, near Goderich, are the only Indians I ever saw use the elm-canoe. The Mait- VOL. II. D 00 ELM CANOE. • ■ iiiii i land is too rapid to ascend, and as the Indians extend their hunting excursions to tlie head- waters, and even beyond, they find the distance is too great to carry their canoes, conse([uently, as soon as their spring hunt is finished, and their sugar season is over, they construct the temporary canoes above-mentioned, which they load with the product of the chase, baskets of sugar, traps, &c., and boldly descend the most rapid streams which flow into Lake Huron with their freight. These canoes are very ably managed both by the male and female Indian, though the squaw generally fills an office rather opposed to our nautical notions, for she is almost invariably the steersman ; and, it must be acknowledged, per- forms her duty admirably well. In running down a rapid where there is much swell, they turn the bow of the canoe a little sideways, which causes it to ride over the waves without shipping so much water as it would if it ran straight through the swell. The Indian canoe is admirably adapt( 1 for the purposes for which it is designed, being so light that a man or squaw can carry it for miles over the roughest portages. Great care, however, is necessary in descending rapids, for thj least ' 'ai •«■ DARK CANOE. 51 grate on the rock is apt to rend the birch-bark ; therefore the Indians always provide themselves with a pan of gura and a roll of bark in order to repair such accidents, should they occur. The bark canoe is elegant in its structure, and sits lightly on the water. Some people think them unsafe ; and so they are to those unaccus- tomed to thera, but to those who understand their management, there is no safer craft, especially when laden. Some of the bark canoes used by the Hudson Bay Company are very large, and capable of hold- ing a good many men and a considerable weight of merchandise. The largest I ever saw-crossed Lake Huron from Saginaw Bay with a party of twenty-five Indians and some bales of fur. The morning was foggy when they ' red me harbour, and from her carrying topsails I mistook her at first for a small schooner : I was therefore greatly surprised when, on their approaching the wharf, I found out my mistake. They had an ingenious contrivance, which enabled them to hoist both main and topsails at the same time, and lower them instantaneously; a good precaution in squally weather. It is very seldom you hear of accidents occur- D 2 52 USES OF BIRCH-BARK. I ring by the upsetting of these canoes. Their crews, too, are expert in the river for this navigation. Besides this, they seldom venture out of sight of land on the great lakes, unless there is every pro- spect of a continuance of fine weather, of which they are excellent judges. The birch-bark is almost invaluable to the Indian. It furnishes him material not only for his canoes, but also for a variety of domestic and ornamental articles. It affords him shelter from the fury of the thunderstorm as well as the winter snows, and forms his protection from the scorching summer sun and the night-dews of heaven, while by the brilliant light of the birch- bark torch, fixed in a cleft stick in the bow of his canoe, he is enabled to spear with unerring aim the swift raaskinongi. The bark of the birch-tree is about the eighth of an inch in thickness, but it has the property of being easily separated into leaves not thicker than paper, for which it is sometimes used as a substitute, answering the purpose tolerably well if a black-lead pencil be used instead of pen and ink. Indeed, I have often received letters written to me by the Indians upon this material. pai du doi wh for ter ing qui dar USES OF BIRCH-BARK. 53 The squaws have a curious method of forming patterns upon this bark with their teeth, pro- ducing very elegant and elaborate designs. They double a strip of bark many times into angles which they bite at the sharp corners in various forms. Upon the piece being unfolded, the pat- tern appears, which is generally filled in very ingeniously with beads and coloured porcupine quills. The squaws perform this work in the dark quite as well as in the daylight. '■m 'i 1,11; ,' 54 INDIANS GOOD SWIMMERS. CHAPTER V. AQUATIC PROPENSITIES OF THE INDIANS. INDIAN BURYING-PLACES. — FRAGMENTS OF POTTERY. PIT DISCOVERED AT MANVERS. INDIAN HUNTERS. CURIOUS ORATION OF AN INDIAN CHIEF INTERPRETED BY JOHN GOT. NATIVE INDIAN PREACHER, PETER JONES HIS SUCCESS. PROGRESS OF THE INDIANS IN READING AND WRITING. INDIAN ORATORY. — NAMES GIVEN BY THEM TO THE ENGLISH SETTLERS. — PETER NOGUN MAKES A BAD BARGAIN FOR JOWLER, GOOD AT DEER. INDIAN DANCE. CAPTAIN GEORGE KISHCOW. INDIAN DUEL. INDIANS AT EVENING SER- VICE. INDIA:* HOSPITALITY AND GENEROSITY TO MY DAUGH- TER. POPULATION AND PLACES OF RESORT. BURIAL-PLACE OF THE CHIPPEWAS AND MISSISSAUGAS. — GRAVE HIFLED BY A PHRENOLOGIST. OBSOLETE INDIAN FESTIVAL. BELIEF IN IM- MORTALITY OF THE SOUL AND THE FLOOD. The Indians, men, women, and children, are excellent swimmers and divers. Indeed, during the hot months the children are continually in the water, splashing and swimming about like a flock of wild ducks. I remember once seeing an Indian, named Bill Crane, dive across a mill-pond, which I am sure was full sixty yards in width ; and from the ease with which he accomplished this feat, I am sure he could have gone some yards farther. I do not know if the squaws are equally INDIAN BURIAL-PLACES. 5o expert, as I have never had the pleasure of see- ing them make the experiment, though T have no doubt they can swim well. In this part of the country thoro arc few re- mains of Indian antiquities ; but I have sometimes found pieces of a coarse kind of pottery in the bottom of springs near which it is most probable the Indians had been in the habit of camping for the sake of good water. A few years ago a settler in the township of Manvers, discovered a circular hollow, ten or twelve feet deep, r;^l Lwenty-fivo or thirty in circumference. l,<^:ib at the bottom of this place a fine basswood-tree was growing, which, from the number of rings, must have been more than one hundred and fifty years old. Upon opening the pit no less than ono hundred and thirty-eight human skulls were found. As this spot is not very far from the Scugog Lake, it is more than propable that some great battle had been fought on this spot between some hostile Indian tribes. On the late Major Anderson's farm on Rice Lake, near the dehouche of the Otonabee river, there are several large mounds, or tumuli, which are said to be the burial-places of those Indians, who fell in a great battle between the Mohawks 56 INDIAN HUNTERS. ^■1 If and Mississaugas, in which the former were de- feated with great slaughter. I was dt'wn at the store-house near the harbour one afternoon, when a party of Chippewa Irdians landed with no less than five large bears they had killed within the week. As soon as the news spread, nearly all the population of Goderich came down to see .he "critters," as the Yankees call every beast larger than a cat. For the last month the inhabitants had been living principally upon salt pork, so that the sight of so much fresh meat made us look for- ward to a rich treat, consequently the poor Indians were beset on every side, begging for a piece in such Indian words as could be mustered for the occasion. " I say, Nitchie,''^ cannot you spare me a ham ?" exclaims one of the most modest of our towns- men. He might as well have asked for a whole bruin at once. *' Tiya !"t exclaims in answer the Indian chief, a fine weather-beaten old warrior, who wore a large silver medal, bearing the effigy of our late good sovereign, George the Third, which had been bestowed upon him for his gallant conduct, and * This word signifies an Indian, Nitchienorbie means my friend. t An exclamation of surprise or wonder. INDIAN HUNTERS. 57 the honourable wounds received in the last war with the United States of America. "I saj, old fellow, won^t you give me a piece? I am very buckata/'* remarked a second. "Pah raah cavahbetch,"t said the old chief. But at length quite wearied by their importunities, he stepped upon the carcase of the largest bear! and waving his hand in the most graceful manner to command the attention of his greedy audience, he commenced, in his own soft flowing language, a most animated oration. First, pointing to the bears lying at his feet, then to us, and then again suddenly turning round, he extended his arm in the direction of some cows and oxen belonging to the settlers, which were quietly grazing in the distance. As soon as he had concluded his harangue, his place was immediately supplied by John Got, a, French Canadian, who evidently could claim a sprinkling of Indian blood in his own veins. "John, what did he say?" exclaimed twenty voices at once. "He said," answered John, "that Indian very great hunter, kill plenty bear and deer— white man kill beef. Sometimes Indian very hungry, he see his white brother kill an ox, he asks him for a piece, he says, 'No, go away ; by and by give you • The Indian word for hungry, f By and by, perhaps. D 5 I ll r!i 58 INDIAN MISSIONARY. the paunch, plenty good enough for blackguard Indian.' If Indian kill a bear, white man say ' you very good man, you my friend, give me piece.' Indian great hunter he no tell his brothers to wait for the paunch, but gives them a leg, or some good piece. " Accordingly, one of the huge beasts was imme- diately flayed and divided amongst the applicants for bear-meat, who in the end payed double the value of it, in one shape or another. If an Indian makes a present, it is always ex- pected that one equally valuable should be given in return, no matter what you give them, or how valuable or rich the present, they seldom betray the least emotion or appearance of gratitude, it being considered beneath the dignity of a red man to betray his feelings. For all this seeming in- difibrence, they are in reality as grateful, and, I believe, even more so than our own peasantry. Indeed, I could cite many instances of their kind- ness to prove this assertion. To the best of my recollection, it was in the autumn of 1830, that the Indian missionary, Peter Jones, visited the Chippewas (who were at that time encamped on their old and favourite ground, between Goderich harbour and Lake Huron), with the intention of preaching the gospel amongst M INDIAN MISSIONARY. 59 them. He stayed all night at my house, and the next morning, being the Sabbath, he preached to a large congregation of his red and white brethren. His sermon was delivered extempore, and, in my opinion, was both eloquent and instructive. He addressed the assembly first in English, and then in his native tongue. The Indians listened to him with the deepest attention, while he set forth, in the most forcible manner, the sin of drunkenness. He told them "that Jesus Christ came to save the red man as well as the white, and earnestly entreated them to repent of their sins, and be saved through Him." His similes were beautiful and well chosen ; his language powerful and impressive. At the con- clusion of his discourse he gave out a hymn in the Chippewa tongue, in which he was joined by the Indians present, who all have excellent ears for music; indeed it would be difficult to find one who has not. The squaws sing very sweetly, and much more naturally than the over-strained voices of many of our fair cantatrices in Old England and the colonies. Much praise is due to Peter Jones for his untir- ing energy and perseverance in this good work. To him and the Methodist missionaries is the merit of having converted these poor benighted creatures 'W • i l< M Mi ; ■ •> l£ 1/ 60 TALENT FOR MUSIC AND DRAWING. justly due, a noble monument of Christian bene- volence and love. Tlie Rev. J. Gilmour, the Bap- tist minister at Peterborough, has also done much to ameliorate both the temporal and spiritual welfare of the Mississaugas in that neighbourhood. Since my long residence in Canada West, I have only heard of one case of murder amongst the In- dians, and this occurred long before ^heir conver- sion. I knew the man well. His name was Bed- ford. He was jealous of his wife, and under the excitement of drink shot her dea^ in the camp. Some years after this tragical event I spoke to him on the subject, when he expressed much contri- tion, and said, " Indian very bad man then — drink too much fire-water; Indian hear gospel preach, now better man." Indeed there can be no doubt that the preaching of the gospel has wrought mightily among them for their moral regeneration. I consider the intellect of the Indian above mediocrity — that is, if you compare him with the uneducated peasantry of other lands. They learn to read and write well, and quickly ; and they have decided talents for music and drawing. I have often seen an Indian construct a very cor- rect map, with the rivers and lakes delineated with great exactness. It is a remarkable fact, that the Indians, who INDIAN ORATORY. 61 are naturally taciturn, excel in oratory. They speak well on any public occasion, without embar- rassment, and without previous study. Their lan- guage is beautiful and appropriate, and often sparkles with the richest imagery. Their general deportment is grave, dignified, and reserved. But when once you win their confidence they open themselves out to you, and the coldness of their manner disappears. During the winter of 1834, three families of the Mississaugas built a large wigwam on my farm on a point at the foot of Kaw-che-wah-noonk Lake, and took up their winter residence in it. I often used to go down to their camp on an evening, ac- companied by some of the members of my family and a young gentleman named Bird, who was stajing at my house. When paying these visits I seldom went empty-handed : a few potatoes or broken victuals of any sort were always thank- fully received. As soon as we entered the wigwam they imme- diately made room for us on the blanket beside them. During these visits I often talked to them of their brethren, the Chippewas, whom they acknowledged to be the head of their tribe. This seemed to please them greatly and, I suppose by way of compliment, they gave me the name of 62 INDIAN NAMES. Chippewa, by which I am as well known in the section of the country in which I reside as by my legitimate name, time-honoured though it be. They are very fond of giving names to their friends and acquaintances. Generally speaking, it is only the Indian rendering of the name you bear, or of some particular employment you follow. For instance, my friend, Mr. Bird, they called Penashie, which signifies a bird. My brother-in- law, Capt. Moodie, they named Tewagan, meaning a drummer. He, too, played beautifully on the flute, an instrument for which they had no Indian name, I believe their only one being a curious kind of drum, which they beat with one stick, producing a most monotonous sound. My brother- in-law's name being Reid, they called him Ekin- dermink, which means to read. My father-in- law's name, which was Robert Reid, it puzzled them to translate. They had no Indian word for Robert. But one day, after talking for some time to one another in their own language, they suddenly burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter, a very unusual thing for such grave people. On my requesting an explanation of their mirth, one of them replied apologetically, " That they were only laughing at the name they had just invented for Robert Reid." ir INDIAN GAME. 68 " Well, what is it 1" I demanded ; "let me hear it." " Wah-pous Ekindermink," replied one of my red brethren. " Pray what is the meaning of Wah-pous Ekin- dermink ? " was my rejoinder. "It means Rabbit Reid. Rabbit is as near Robert as we can find," and then they again laughed, in which I heartily joined. My eldest daughter, who was an especial favourite, they named Openegeesacook, signifying in their dialect, a " fine day, every day for ever." No doubt this was intended as a great compli- ment, which was duly acknowledged in the shape of cocosh* and nappanee.f The only game I ever observed them play in their camp is very similar to our well-known game of cup and ball. Instead, however, of catching a single ball on a point as we do, they have ten little bone cups, about the size of thim- bles without bottoms. These cups are fastened to one another with a string, sufficiently loose to allow one cup fitting easily into the next, and so on throughout the whole set. A piece of string about a foot long is fastened from the cups to the centre of a sharp-pointed piece of wood eight or ten inches long. This stick is held with the • Pork. t Flour. 64 SALE OF A DEER-HOUND. U'-.i string over the finger exactly in tlie same manner as the cup and ball. The cups are jerked up and as many as possible caught on the pointed stick ; a smart hand will often catch the whole ten at once. I have seen some Indians so expert as to catch them so three or four times running. During some of our evening visits to their camp they used to ask us to join them in this amusement. The two oldest Indians in the wigwam selected the parties who were to form the opposing sides, whichever side marked a hundred first being the winner of the game. The players sit round the tire in a circle, each person throwing the cups in turn. Every cup caught on the stick counts one ; but if the whole ten are secured they count twenty. We used to enjoy the amusement greatly, and the Indians especially delighted in the failures we made. Every time one of our party missed the cups they laughed immoderately at our want of skill. They enjoy a joke amazingly, even though it should raise a laugh against themselves. Young Rowlandson, a neighbour of mine, offer- ing old Peter Nogan a hound called Jowler for sale, the Indian asked him " If he were good for deer," meaning of course would he hunt them. Rowlandson replied, " Oh, yes, he is a first-rate SALE OF A DEER-HOUND. 65 follow for deer." Upon which recommendation Peter was induced to purchase the dog; the price agreed on between them being two pair of mocassins and a haunch of the first deer killed by Jowler's aid. The next day being fixed upon to try this paragon of deer-hounds, a fine buck was started and ran to the water where it was ultimately shot by young John Nogan, Peter's snv.. Towler, however, was quite guiltless of his d';ath, ki- -fter running a few hundred yards on the tni :k he ^ ave up and let Music, Peter's other hour Li-.ve all the glory of the chase to himself, to the no small mortification of my friend, who found he had made a bad bargain with Rowlandson. When he saw Rowlandson at the camp in the evening he upbraided him with selling him such a useless animal, and one that was evidently " no good for deer." Just as Peter was making this complaint, Rowlandson chanced to cast his eyes in the direction of the slaughtered buck, which was hanging up at the farther end of the wigwam, where he espied master Jowler quietly making his supper off the shoulder of th^- beast. " There, Peter, did I not tell you he was first- rate for deer; only see how he is tucking the venison into him ; are you satisfied now 1 " IH Ml I . 66 OLD INDIAN CUSTOMS. I I i This sally was too much, even for the gravity of poor Peter, who laughed as loud and as long as any one in the wigwam, especially when I told him he was perfectly safe from being called upon to pay the haunch. I also induced Rowlandson to return to the poor fellow one pair of the mo- cassins. Many of the old Indian customs have become obsolete, those tribes who have embraced Chris- tianity having given them up from motives of con- science, while even those who are still heathen, gradually approximate nearer to the manners of the white man, either from motives of policy or pride. I once, and only once, had an opportunity of witnessing the national dance, which probably was the ancient war-dance once peculiar to the native Indian tribes throughout North America. Some years ago, during the first settlement of Peterborough, I witnessed this curious dance per- formed by the Indians, who had assembled oppo- site one of the government store-houses, for the purpose of receiving their annual presents. li. was on a lonely evening early in September, the most beautiful month of the Canadian year. The place chosen by these children of the for^^st for their night bivouac was then one of the s\veetest spots to be found for miles, and had been for INDIAN CAMPING GROUND. 67 mo- years their most favourite camping-ground. Se- veral hundred acres of open plain were dotted here and there with clumps of oak and pine. In the spring of the year these openings were gay with wild flowers. Amongst the first to show their varied beauties might be seen the red, white and blue hepaticas, or liverwort, the white and yellow violet, and many others indigenous to the country. Later in the season, the cardinal- plant, lobelia,* lupin, and tiger-lily, and a profu- sion of flowery gems lent their aid to adorn the charming scenery of this sylvan spot. This natural park lies on the west bank of the Otonabee river, and at the head of the naviga- tion, surrounded on the north and west by gently sloping hills of moderate height. Through a nar- row valley between these hills rushes a fine mill- stream, which, after meandering through the plain, falls into the Otonabee, opposite an expansion of the river called the Little Lake. Between this stream and the Otonabee the flourishing town of Peterborough is now built, this once charming spot being nearly covered over with the abodes of those who left their native land beyond the broad Atlantic, to found a name and a new home in this ' This plant grows wild in the woods, especially in damp places. It is xiscd oxtonsivclv anions' the settlers ,i!i rvn :;metic. Ill 68 VICTIMS OF INTEMPERANCE. 11 J; highly-favoured country, and, I might add, to help to fulfil the great destinies of the Anglo- Saxon race. Upon a green bank, twenty feet above the level of the bright waters of the Otanabee the camp- fires of the Indians blazed, cheerily throwing long lines of silvery light through the arched vistas of oak and pine, and casting a redder glare on the swarthy countenances of the sons and daughters of the soil. It is sad to think that thousands of these in- teresting people have fallen victims to intempe- rance. On whom, I ask, will the punishment fall? on the ignorant red savage or on the tutored white one, who, for the sake of gain, has caused thousands to perish, and entailed upon the rising generation diseases originating in the drunken habits of their fathers ? I have said that consumption, before almost unknown amongst the Indians, is silently but surely doing its work, so that in a few years these original possessors of the soil will only be as a people that were. But to return to mv story. Upwards of a hun- dred Indians with their papouses were assembled on this occasion. Their presents had been dis- tributed during the day, and already had the INDIAN WAR DANCE. 69 traders, like a hungry set of sharks, possessed themselves of many a good blanket, for which they paid their victims, by way of barter, a villanous compound, yclept New England rum, or, as the Indians call it, skite.wahbo.* No wonder, then, that I found them io a state fa«t verging on intoxication. Both men and squaw« were fv'o-ht- fully painted. The squaws had decorated their persons with the finery they had just received ; necklaces of many-coloured beadw, armlets, brace- lets, and large silver brooches were the most con- spicuous of these ornaments, 1 dare say the poor creatures fancied themselves as handsomely and fashionably dressed as the belles of our London drawing-rooms. Mr. R , one of the traders who appeared to have considerable authority amongst them, requested them to perform their war-dance for the amusement of the bystanders. Had they been sober, they would have treated the request with scorn, for they dislike to be made a public spectacle of. But all native pride gave way be- fore the promise of more spirits. A number of the Indian- then formed them- selves into a circle, each person facing the back • I write tl.is word ns pronounced by tl.c India.m, but cannot answer tor the ortliogrnpby. ^^m. f r. i 1 70 INDIAN WAR DANCE. of the man before him. Every one was furnished with either sword, tomahawk or club. Thus equipped, they began to dance round in a circle, following one another, brandishing from time to time their weapons, and uttering every now and then a guttural exclamation, resembling the TFord " how-ey," prolonging the sound on the last syl- lable. The tewagan, or drummer, stood in the centre of the circle, and beat time manfully upon that odd-looking kind of instrument with only one head, yclept an Indian drum. The motion of the dancers was at first slow, but gradufUy grew more animated, until at length the dancers became greatly excited, whoop- ing and yelling at a furous rate. This violent exercise continued for some time, when the slow march recommenced, which terminated the sin- gular performance. Happily, this barbarous custom has become obsolete. Peace and Chris- tianity have driven it from the land. When the first attempts were made to induce the Indians to give up their intemperate habits, some of the oldest and most habitual drinkers were long before they could be prevailed upon to do so. I remember particularly two Credit* * Part of tlic Mississauga tribe ; called Credit Indians, from their village at the mouth of the river Credit, twenty miles west of Toronto. CAPTAIN GEORGE. 71 Indians, who were notorious drunkards, and long resisted any attempts made for their temporal or spiritual regeneration. Old George Kishcow, or Captain George, as he was generally called, and old Johnson, were the two who made such a stand against sobriety and religion. The favourite camping ground was Darlington and Whitby. One day there was a meeting held at a school- house in the latter township, at which an itine- rant minister was preaching. In the immediate neighbourhood several families of the Credit In- dians were encamped, amongst whom was our friend Captain George, who was persuaded to attend the meeting, in company with his red bre- thren. He took his station c^se to the minister, who thought it was an excellent opportunity " to convert him from the error of his ways." In the midst of a powerful appeal to his uncivilized audience, upon whom he hoped he had made a suitable impression, the preacher laid his hand on old George, and said, « Brother, have you reli- gion ?" " Oh yes," replied the Captain, '-' me got him here, won't you have some V at the same time producing a flask of whiskey from the pocket of his blanket-coat, which he handed, with the ut- most gravity, to the astonished minister. This if M mi 72 CAPTAIN GEORGES WOUND. was too ludicrous even for the most serious to suppress a smile. Captain George fought on the side of the Bri- tish during the lasi American War, and recei/ed a bayonet-wound just below the chest, but, luckily for him, in a slanting directit-n. He sliowed mc tlie scar, and when I asked him the particulars, he told me thut he and sonio other Indians •were su -^rounded by a party of Americans, J»,nd that whiLi f.'udeavouring to break his way through thein bo received the wound before- mentioned. " But," said he, and his eyes flashed as he spoke, " I throw my tomahawk, Yankee do this ;" then he threw up both his hands above his head, rolled his eyes furiously, and staggered back- wards, imitating the fall of a dying man, and ex- claiming at the same time, with much excite- ment, " I kill him." It is considered rather an unusual occurrence for an Indian woman to produce two children at one birth. Unfortunately, Captain George's squaw proved an exception to the general rule, to his great annoyance. In this difficulty, he came to the house of my father-in-law, and very gene- rously offered to make him a present of a line male papouse. INDIAN DUEL. 78 " Me got one too many this morning — uo nap- panco — my squaw very buckata." Colonel Reid thanked the Captain for his po- lite olfrr, but at the same time "assured him that he was quite over-stocked, for he had ten of his own, which sometimes he thought nine too many." He, however, kindly gave him the re- qaired flour and some other necessaries for the lying-in lady. It appears from Charlevoix, that it m\s considered among the Indians very disgrace- ful to be the parents of twins, one of which was invariably destroyed. Our Indian, it must be confessed, was more mercifully disposed towards his infant in wishing to present it to the Colonel. The Mississauga Indians are about the middle height, spare made, and active. Probably for a day or a week's march in the woods the Indians would tire the Europeans, but for constant fatigue they can not compete with their white brethren. They wrestle well, but know nothing about box- ing. I once saw two Indian acquaintances of mine fight. They had been to Peterborough to sell furs, and I suspect were a little the worse for drink. However this might be, they quarrelled on their way back to their wigwams, and fought it out in true Indian style, wrestling, kicking, i m i i VOL. II. E 7* THE VICTORS EXULTATION. ft* i;i ■ 1 If biting, and scratching. Luckily they had neither knives nor tomahawks with them, or the conse- quences might have been serious. After twenty minutes of " rough and tumble," as this kind of fighting is called in Yankee parlance, the younger Indian (Tom Nogun) gave in, to the no small exultation of the old man his antagonist (Snow Storm), who, as soon as the fight was over, marched up to his discomfited foe, grinned in his face, clapped his hands, and crowed like a oock three times loi'.dly and clearly. Tom's eyes flashed at this pointed insult, and for a minute I thought it would have caused a renewal of the fight ; but no, he was fairly beaten, and prudently pocketed the aflfront. This is the only instance I ever saw of two Indians falling out with each other. Gene- rally speaking they appear to live among them- selves in great friendship and harmony one with another. I shall conclude this short sketch of my red neighbours by giving the follov/ing in- teresting anecdote : — A few months before my return to England (1851), a party of Indians from the Chemong and Rice Lake villages encamped with their squaws and papouses on my point. The next day, being the Sabbath, they asked permission to attend at my house in the afternoon to hear me ;.' ill INDIANS AT EVENING SERVICE. 75 read the evening service and portions of the Scripture to my family, which, of course, I readily granted. They conducted themselves with ex- treme propriety during the domestic service, and afterwards sang some of the hymns which had been translated by the missionary, Peter Jones. They gave them in beautiful style and with great feeling. One little girl, a daughter of John Nogun's, sung a hymn by herself so prettily, that my daughter, Mrs. Bcresford, was very anxious to get a copy of it in the Indian tongue. As soon as she made her wishes known, John Nogun promised to write out the hymn in question, and send it to her by the first opportunity. Very soon after this, I determined to go to England, in order to behold once more my venerable mother and dear sisters, and revisit my native land, from which I had been a stranger nearly twenty-seven years. Upon this occasion my eldest daughter, Mrs. Beresford, was my companion. Our first day's journey lay through the Indian village of Rice Lake. Whilst we were waiting for a boat to cross the water, my daughter ex- pressed a wish to call at Nogun's house and ask for the promised hymn. Unfortunately, John was away on a fishing excursion, but his mother, wife, and sister Eliza, were overjoyed to see us. E 2 I ^ t iM 70 INDIAN IIOSriTALITY. I ; i^ ;:• 1%' m - Tliey inado up a fire immediately, and fried some venison with slices < bacon, .'hich they bct be- fore us with a MuL shihty-c^ako and a good cup of tea, having jjroviously put a clean cloth on the table and made everything look nice and clean. We had often given them flour and v^^k, and many a dinner and tea, which tiie grateful crea- tures remembered on this the first opportunity they hud of showing their hospitality and grati- tude. They expressed the greatest surprise when they heard my daughter was going to cross the great salt lake, and that she would not be back for a year. When she rose to depart they hung about her and shed tears. That th ^se tears proceeded from the genuine feelings of the heart I could not suHbr myself to doubt. We crossed the lake and stopped all night at the pretty village of Gore's Landing, when, early in tiie morning, a canoe arrived at the village containing the squaws of the No^ u family, who each brought for my .iaughter's acceptance a pretty bark-basket worked with coloured quills, and amojjg the rest a tiuy specimen of liie art, made and presented by the little girl who h'^d sung so sweetly at our .Sabbath service. A few months after our ani ir England, my :.i MUSICAL COMPOSITION. 77 daughter was surprised to ruceivc a letter from John Nogun, wliich I have copied verbatim from the original. OUTONVILLE. CM. Air. Leoato. ^^ Oh nil pa gisli kc clio iu go dwok 9 ^=g ^^ iSS *3»- Ncy uli nc sho nah "^ ^^^ w^ i=r^ Jr^SK- Iwis die nah uah rr :c2 ^ kah moo tub xi P -^ no k(^ sha rauun toom. -cr i for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer's praise, The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of his grace. Oh ah pii kish ke che ingo dwok Ne gah ue she nah baig Che nah nah kah moo tah Wah wod ne ke sha mun ne toom. f;*' ;'i^' ^M If. iJliX 78 INDIAN LETTER. f I il I My jfmcioiis Mnstor nnd my find Assist me to proclaim, to spread Through nil the earth abroad The honours of thy name. No gee che no la we go e shin Che win diih mah ga you omah Awe gook kuk me gog Azhowa be se you. Mrs. Moriaii BerkoFOrd, Excuse me for I am in Pour hand to print thise few notes you (i find two verses Each lines English and Indian words Yours most Obedient friend R , I v„ •^^^^^ Naugon. Kicc Lake Village, July 9th 1851. This specimen of Indian composition is not only curious but highly interesting as a Christian document, for it is the praises of the living God rendered from the English into the native tongue, by the Indian Missionary, Peter Jones, and adapted to the music of a Wesleyan hymn. Both music and words are fairly copied, and the epistle brief and amusing. John Naugun, in saying " I am in pour hand," means that he writes a poor or indifferent one. The writing, however, was an easier task than the English composition, such being always difficult to a foreigner. I trust my readers will not despise the first epistolary effort of the poor untutored Indian, who, before the gospel dawned upon him, only "saw God in Lj"^'!!! INDIAN POPULATION. 79 clouds and heard him in the winds," but who now rejoices in the everlasting hope of salvation given to him in His blessed Son. The following statement, taken from Preston's "Three Years' Residence in Canada," compiled by him from official returns of the Indian De- partment, shows the number of Indians dwelling within the limits of Canada West in the year 1840. Chippewns Michipicotoii, Lake Superior . . SI „ Sault Ste Marie, Lake Huron . 99 » St. Joseph's . . . . 90 „ Manitoulin Island , . . 188 „ the country between Manitoulin and Pcnctauguisliine . . . 202 ,, Lake Nepissingue , , fi9 „ La Cloche and Mississaugccng . 225 „ the Upper St. Clair . .312 f, the St. Clair Rapids . . . 401 I, Chenal Ecarte . . , 194 I, Riviere aux Sables . . . 217 Pottawotamies and Chippcwas of Saugcen, Lake Huron 37O Hurons, Chippewas, Shawnies and Munsees of Am- herstburgn and Maiden . . . 214 Delawares, Chippewas ond Munsees of the river Thames (Western District) . . . 753 Ottawas of Manitoulin Island . . 80 Upper Moravian Delawares . . . 300 Six Nations of the Grand River . . 2210 Mississaugas of the river Credit . . . 240 Yellow Heads of Cold Water and the Narrows 426 Indians of Rice Lake, Mud Lake, and Alnwick, &c. 608 Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte . . .336 ill i Total 7490 Wl m ■ t ! 1 » f b" ! H i^-' l..i '1 ,1 fl ••! I 80 INDIAN GRAVES. The visiting Indians, or those who come to receive presents, ire computed to be from three to four thousand in number ; but at the last dis- tribution in 1839, it was intimated to them that such presents would thenceforward be discon- tinued. It appears by this stateme;it that none of the Indian Tribes north and north-west of Lake Superior, or east of the Ottawa River, are included in this list. No nations in the world are more particular respecting the interment of their dead than the North American Indians. Their belief in a futuro state of rewards and punishments induces them, perhaps, to take this care respecting the remains of their deceased friends. Indeed, such tender- ness generally denotes in savage nations the idea of the soul existing in another land, and being conscious of any injury or neglect done to its earthly tenement. The Chippewas and ]\Iississauga Indians bury their dead on islands or near their favourite camping grounds. In the township of Colborne on the north side of the river Maitland, on the top of a high cliff overhanging Lake Huron, theve still exists an ancient burial ground of the Chippewas. A considerable part of this cemetery has evi- dently been undermined by the waves and fallen INDIAN GRAVES. 81 into the lake ; for when I visited the spot I saw the ends of several rude cedar coffins projecting from the face of the cliff. The use of coflSns appears to be a modern practice. I have seen several in- terred with only cedar bark laid above and below the corpse, and sometimes even that is omitted. I have often found old Indian graves in the woods near the lake, a row of stones laid round the grave generally marking the spot where the red man reposes. I was at a. logging Bee at my brcther~in-laws', Captain Moodie, one day, when some of the log- gers found ny^ Indian grave. On digging up with their handspikes about a foot below the surface they found the skeleton of a full-grown man. It was quite evident from the decayed state of the bones, that the body had been buried many years before. A broken stone-pipe and two flint arrow- heads were all that could be found in the grave, alihougb T heard several persons assert that they have 34"^.-i^ViL'. ■:' THE FEAST OF DEATH. 85 held in honour of the dead, was not confined to the two tribes just mentioned, but was prevalent as an old pious custom throughout the Continent." It is thus described by our author:— "The Feast of Death, or Feast of Souls, is celebrated every eight years among the savages of America, or every ten years in some tribes, as the Huron and Iroquois. "The day of the ceremony is appointed by public order, and nothing is omitted that can render it imposing. The neighbouring tribes are invited to the solemnity, when all who have died since the last celebration are taken out of their graves, and even those who have died at a dis- tance are brought to the general meeting of the dead. Without question," remarks Lafitan, "the opening of these tombs displays one of the most strik'ig scenes that can be imagined— this humbling portrait of human misery in so many images of death, wherein she seems to take a pleasure to paint herself in a thousand shapes of horror in many corpses, according to the degree in which they have become subject to corruption. I know not which ought to strike us most horror at a spectacle so revolting, or the tender piety and devoted affection of these poor people for their departed friends, which justly demand our ad mi- '■I' > il I 1 * 86 THE FEAST OF DEATH. ration. They gather up the smallest bones, hand- ling objects still so dear with melancholy affection, cleansing them from the preying worm, and regard- less of noisome smell, bear them on their shoulders, without yielding to any emotions but regret for having lost friends so dear to them while in life, and so lamented by them in death. " They bring them into their huts, where they prepare a feast in honour of the dead, during which their great actions are celebrated, and all the ten- der intercourses which took place between them and their friends are piously recalled by the sur- vivors to mind — the strangers, who have come many hundred miles to be present at the com- memoration, joining in the condolence, while the women, by their dreadful shrieks, demonstrate that they are pierced to the heart with the sharp- est sorrow. Then the dead bodies are carried to the place of general reinterment. A great pit is dug in the ground, and thither, at a certain time, each individual who has experienced the loss of a person dear to him, attended by his family and friends, bears to the grave the corpse of a fether, son, or brother. When thus met round the pit, the dust bones, or complete remains of the dead, are in solemn silence deposited therein, where- upon a fresh burst of sorrow once more takes THE FEAST OF DEATH. 87 place, and whatever they consider the most valu- able is interred with the dead. The invited guests are not wanting in generosity, bringing with them presents suitable to the solemn occasion. Then all go down into the pit, each one taking a little of the earth, to be preserved by them with reli- gious care. The bodies, ranged in due order, are then covered with new furs, and next with bark, upon which is thrown wood, stones, and earth, after which they take their last farewell, and re- turn to their own wigwams, "We have mentioned, that in this ceremony the savages offer as presents to the dead whatever they themselves value most highly. This custom, which is universal among them, arises from a rude notion of the immortality of the soul. They be- lieve this doctrine most firmly, and it is the prin- cipal tenet of their religion : when the soul is sepa- rated from the body, they conceive that it still continues to hover round it, and to need and take delight in the same things with which it was formerly pleased. After a time, however, they believe that it forsakes its dreary mansion, and departs far westward to the laud of spirits. They even assert that a distinction exists in the condition of the inhabitants of the unseen world, imagining that those who have been fortunate M' « ! 1. ! (■! ■ is t ^ ^ I 88 SCYTHIAN CUSTOMS. in war, enjoy a higher degree of happiness, having hunting-grounds and fisheries which are never ex- hausted, and other terrestrial delights for which they never labour. The souls of those, on the con- trary, who have either been conquered, or slain in battle, will be extremely miserable after death. "''^ This singular festival resembles, in some of its details, the old Scythian custom of carrying the deceased about in his war-chariot if a chief, or more humbly if in a private station, to the houses of all his friends for forty days, during which period he was placed at the head of the board, to preside over the feast made in his honour. The gifts, too, cast into his grave, resemble those for- merly presented to the dead in Canada. Nor is this the only parallel to be found between tlie ancient Scythian and Canadian Indian, for scalp- ing was a custom peculiar to both. The use of birch-bark in the construction of huts, utensils, and canoes, is also found still in that part of Tar- tary which is supposed to be the ancient Scythia. It is only by tracing the analogy between the customs and manners of one unlettered nation to another, that we can form a just conclusion re- specting their identity to each other. The resem- blance between the Scythian and Canadian savage • Lafitans' " Feast of Souls." i BELIEF IN THE FLOOD. 89 has very often excited the attention of learned men. The custom of holding this strange religious fastival is now certainly extinct, since the tribes who have been converted, of course, no longer practise it ; and the heathen ones have gradually dropped many of their ancient forms since their intercourse with the whites. It was in full force when Lafitan gave the description of the Feast of Death, which I have just quoted. The North American Indian worships one God, of whose person he makes no image, and of whose attributes he has a sublime conception. Whether this faith has been derived from the ancient patri- archal one, that must have once been prevalent all over the earth, is uncertain; but the Indian is familiar with tlie history of the deluge. Indeed, the general idea of the flood all over the earth seems fixed in the mind of the human family from Pole to Pole, as if to give the lie to the foolish quibbles of infidelity. H ■ J- A arv not yet brought into the Chris- tian fold have adopted insensibly many of the customs of the whites, and have forgotten, or at least forsaken, those warlike habits which ren- dered them, like all the Aboriginal natives of the Canadas and United States, a peculiar people, dif- fering widely from all other nations on the face of the earth, so that in describing the manners and customs of one tribe we shall find a general assimilation to all. Let us then consider " the stoic of the woods. RELIGION. 91 the man without a tear," in his former state, be- fore the Gospel dawned upon him, or civilization had subdued his ferocity. For the possibility of doing this we are indebted to the Jesuit Mis- sionaries,* who sought in their native wilds these fierce races of men, with the benevolent design of converting them, and exposed themselves to death in the most frightful form under which it c(' ild appear. These devoted missionaries (for widely as their religion differs from the purer tenets of our own, candour compels us to admire their fervent piety and unremitting zeal in pursuing the object they had in view) have left in the records of their Mission in Canada the earliest account we can cite of a people who, with the exception of those which regard their religion, have no historical records and no ancient traditions. It appears that they have a vague confused notion of the origin of man ; and we find that the first woman, who, by-the-by, appears to have been an Eve with- out an Adam, had two sons, one of whom murder- ed the other, t The Deluge overflowed the whole earth, and, according to the Iroquois, destroyed the whole posterity of Yoi.skeka, the Indian Cain, in the third generation, which compelled the * See the Jesuit Missions. t Charlevoix, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET {MT-3) /, {./ '4 #?$> /L i/.x fA 1.0 I.I |M 3.2 16 3 IIM M 1.8 1.25 1.4 1 6 ■« 6" ► <^ /a V] /.< /A /A Photographic Sciences Corporation '^3 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^ J^' % 6 92 RELIGION. ;i|j \ii) Supreme being to change beasts into men. How- ever, it is certain that a general belief in the flood existed among the Indian nations prior to any Christian missionary coming among them ; likewise a general belief in the existence of on?, Supreme God, to whom they give different names and at- tributes, but to whom every tribe assigned the creation of the world, are positive facts. The missionaries, also, in the expulsion of the Indian Eve, Atahensic, from heaven, seem to recognise the history of the fall of man.* The immortality cf the soul also forms a dis- tinct feature in the Indian creed. But to the beasts serviceable to man this immortality is also assigned. The souls of children are supposed to enter other bodies and return to the world. Tho,se who are drowned, or die by accident, are consi- dered unfortunate, and their souls are deprived of happiness, in which we find those who fall in bat- tle are included, probably until they have been fully revenged. None of those who come to such ends are interred in the general burying-ground. A very dreary superstition.f The festival for- merly held for the reinterment of the dead has already been cited in a former chapter. Besides the Supreme Being every Indian has a * Charlevoix. t Ibid. RELIGION. 93 genius, who attends him as soon as he has acquired a certain degree of skill in the use of the bow. The genii of the Canadian Aborigines are called Okkis by the Huron nations, and Manitous by the Algonquin. Manitou, or spirit, appears to be the word in general use among the Mississauga tribes, who, with the Chippewas, were formerly included in the general name of Algonquin. As the genius of the adult Indian is supposed to be his guardian and protecting spirit, he has to undergo a singular ordeal to discover him from among that crowd of imaginary beings with which the fancy of the Indian nations have peopled earth and air. When the child was sufficiently skilled in the use of the bow, it was the custom to blacken his face and compel him to a rigorous fast for eight days, during which he must repeat all his dreams, which is the only means he has for dis- covering his invisible guardian under some sym- bolical representation. Now, whether he determines to end his fast speedily, or that the imagination of an Indian child has little range, or that he really trusts to his dreams for the recognition of his guardian spirit, it is certain that the symbol of the genius was soon discovered under the com- monest forms, such as pieces of wood, birds' feet or head, a pebble, or anything the child is accus- I 1' J ! ',11 I V' i 94 RELIGION. tomed to see. Tliese emblems are ever after sacred to the Indian, they being to him what the Dii penates, or household gods, were to the an- cients.* Formerly every object in nature was supposed to have its genius, although some of these invisible beings were superior in rank and power to the rest. As soon as the child has been taught to discover his genius, he is instructed in what manner he is to reverence him and follow his counsel, which he is led to believe will be given him in his sleep. He is warned of the consequences of displeasing him by disregarding his suggestions. A feast is then made, and the figure of his Mauitou is pricked upon the body of the child.f The female Indian has her J^anitou, but she does not so supersti- tiously venerate her guardian spirit as the male. In order to render their genii propitious, the Indians throw into the rivers and lakes tobacco, or birds that have been strangled to render them so. Every power in nature has its supposed genius. The sun, the waters, the elements, have also their sacrifices. They also paid the same com- pliment to the malignant genii to prevent them from doing them injury. Occasionally they ofiered victims, of which the dog was unfortunately that * Charlevoix. t Ibid. JUGGLERS. 95 animal the most in use. It was their cruel custom to hang the poor beast up alive by his heels till he died mad. The missionaries could not trace any affection to the Supreme Being in the devotion of the Ca- nadian savage, and in fact the tutelar genius, or his emblem, seemed to have absorbed that venera- tion, "as indeed," remarks Charlevoix, "is common with every people who have deviated from the primitive religion—they lose sight of the reality in the supposed type."* The jugglers exercised an immense influence over their countrymen. Their tutelar genius was, according to them, so powerful, that when they fell into trances or ecstacies, he made them ac- quainted with future events, however distant, and the worthy missionary is compelled to iacknow- led at the oracles delivered by these impos- toio :.en came to pass, which he ascribes at once to the agency of the devil. Some of the customs of the Indian nations re- semble those of the Jews, and it is certain that the first missionaries seemed to identify the six na- tions with the Hebrews,t but Father Charlevoix, while he allows that in some respects there is a likeness, does not believe them to have been * Charlevoix. f Pcre Prevostc, "Jewish Expositor." ;' 96 LAND OF SOULS. li Jews. He does not notice a remarkable fact that some of these Jewish tribes, who refused to return to their own country after the captivity, wandered to the borders of Scythia, and that if these Indians be of Sc;ythian descent, they might have adopted many of the Jewish customs with- out being Jews by actual descent. The hunting- feast has been considered to be the Passover, and it is possible may have been an imitation of it. The land of souls, according to the Indian na- tions, lies westward, and the spirits of the departed have to pass a river, in which they are in danger of shipwreck, guarded by a dog, from whom they have to defend themselves. They speak of a place of torment, where they must expiate their sins; and also of another place of punishment where the souls of those prisoners of war, who have been tormented, are to be found.* There is much in these fables which will remind the reader of the Greek mythology. The fallen woman, or Indian Eve, Atahensic, being the queen of the Indian Tartarus, among the Iroquois or six nations: the seduction of human souls forming her sole employment ; the Indian Cain, Rouskeka, however, taking infinite pains to secure them from the wicked designs of his mother, They • Charlevoix. m FEAST OF DREAMS. 97 have a legend so closely resembling the fable of Orpheus and Eurydice, that the circumstances being the same, nothing is wanting but the change of names to identify them together.'^'' •' The idea that he who is the happiest in this world vAW also enjoy the most felicity in the next, pervades their prayers, in which they never refer to another world. Their songs were," Char- levoix believes, "originally prayers. They rely much upon their dreams, and the missionary re- lates the extraordinary effect these visions some- times have upon individuals, who appear for tlie time to have gone out of their senses.f A festival, called the " Feast of Dreams," lasts fifteen days, and is held towards the end of winter, the 22nd of February. This solemnity the Iroquois call "The Turning of the Head," which in its baccha- nalian character it seems to deserve. It was a sort'of masquerade in which the inhabitants of the villages assumed all kinds of disguises, running from cabin to cabin, demanding the interpretation of dreams, which they do not choose to communicate, and destroying the property of those who cannot guess the dream, and who can only save their goods by giving the dreamer what he dreamt of, — an expensive mode of escape. • Pere Charlevoix. f Ibid. vol. ii. p. 157. VOL. II. p n 98 INDIAN QUACKS. Sometimes one of these Indians dreams of mur- der, and immediately slays the person whose throat ho pretended ho cut in his sleep. Woe, however, to him if another person chooses to dream that he revenged the dead, for his fate is sealed immediately. The missionaries, who had more than once run the risk of their lives during this festival, believed that many of the Indians made their dreams subservient to their private resentment, in order to give a good drubbing to those who had oifcnded them, waiting patiently for this public occasion till the feast came round, well knowing that everything they did then must be forgiven, when once the festival of dreams was over.* The Autmans, or quack-doctors, are skilful in medicine, and expert in setting broken bones. In Acadia, in the Lower Province, the chief of the tribe was also autman. Expelling the devil was among the accomplishments of this influential per- son. When called upon to decide a doubtful case the autman would afl&rm, "that the devil would neither permit the poor patient to live or die, and ended by advising his friends out of * Pere Charlevoix. This festival seems to resemble the Luper- calia of the Romans, and their Saturnalia also. It is now obso- lete. COURTSIIir. 99 charity to end his days," which accordingly was done by pouring a quantity of cold water upon his face till he died. It is evident from this that in all dubious cases the sick person was de- stroyed.* Courtships are very brief episodes in savage Canadian life, and the matches are made by the parents. When consent has been given, the young man enters the cabin of the yuung woman and seats himself by her side. Her permitting him to do so is her tacit consent to the marriage. The bridegroom treats his beloved with great respect, ;-t in the presents of the collar and straps for burdens, and the kettle and faggot, clearly implies his intention of becoming her master. f Although the women are possessed of some authority in the tribe, they are only slaves in respect to their own husbands. Upon them fall the maintenance of their parents and thoir own children ; the last are considered their peculiar property, being wholly educated by them. The practice of nursing them for three years, and their severe toils, render these womea very unfruitful, for they seldom have large families. The child's nurture terminates in a festival, on which occasion, when seated on the knees of one * Charlevoix. f ibid. F 2 J 1 i ll p i: 1 J! 1 M » • 1 f V \m^ p kl tl 100 INDIANS NEVER PUNISH CHILDREN. or other of its parents, its name is given, while the father and mother are praying to the genii, and to the babe's genius in particular, that he may be fortunate.* The Indians never chastise their children, considering that corporeal punishment only dcgiades them without improving their judg- ment. A handful of water flung in the face of the offender is the only affront offered by these mo- thers to their little ones.f This custom is still extant : I have myself often seen it practised. The Indian considers man a free agent, and that no power on earth has a right to deprive him of that blessing. There is no constraint among them, and the French Missionaries found this freedom of action and will a great bar to the conversion of these nations. Crimes are seldom punished, and they consider that insane or intoxicated persons are irresponsible agents, coolly remarking upon any murderous mischief committed by them, " that it was unfortunate, but that the persons knew not what they did.J They always burn witches, but rarely put one of their own people to death for murder. They are extremely afraid of ghosts, and believe that the soul has many shapes or likenesses to its own body ; § a idea which is to be found in Lucretius. * Charlevoix. t Ibid. X Ibid. § Ibid. INEXPIABLE WAR. 101 The Aborigines of North America have no written records, consequently they liavo no historic annals. The inexpiable war between the Algon- quins and their allies, the Ilurons and Iroquois, constitutes the only oral tradition of their com- bats; it commenced before Monsieur Champlain arrived in Canada in 1G03, and furnishes them with their sole historical data.* The warlike Algonquins and Iroquois were once friendly, having made an alliance offensive and defensive with each other, in which the Ilurons were in- cluded. The Algonquins, who were celebrated hunters, and scorned agriculture, engaged by the terms of this treaty to furnish the Iroquois with game if they would give them corn in return. The Iroquois also agreeing to skin the beasts taken in the chase, and dress the skins. The pride of the Algonquin nation caused the treaty to be broken, and changed the union of the two nations into a fearful and inexpiable war.f The occasion was this. Some Iroquois wishing to join the Algonquins in the chase, were re- minded that they would be wanted to skin the elks. However, during three days they furnished their allies with no employment of the kind, whereupon the young Iroquois went out privately • Charlevoix. f Ibid. ':' ll 102 WAMPUM AND CALUMET. to hunt, and returned in the evening loaded with game. The Algonquins were so much mortified by the success of their allies, that they rose up in the night and murdered all the hunters. The Hurons espoused the side of the Algonquins, which led to their being nearly exterminated. If the Algonquins in the commencement of the quarrel, would have given up tlie murderers to their allies, there would have been no war ; but upon their refusal to deliver them, the Iroquois swore they would perish to a man rather than not be revenged on their enemies. Very dearly did the Algonquins pay, and still more dearly their allies, for having exasperated a brave people to despair.* The wampum, or collars, adorned with shells, besides their ornamental uses, were used to sig- nify, by their arrangement, certain characters or signs by which the public affairs of the tribe were distinguished. Red collars were sent to their allies when a war was in contemplation. These curious hieroglyphics rare treasured up in the cabin of the chief, forming, in fact, the archives of the nation, being considered sacred.f T^e calumet, or pipe, was the symbol of peace, and held in universal veneration. The Indians be- * Charlevoix. + Ibid. '^-„- WAMPUM AND Cy»LUMET. 108 lievod that the Great Spirit never forgave any infraction of a treaty in wliich tlie calumet had been smoked as a pledge of inviola])ility. * The manner in which the pipe was adorned always denoted wlicther the treaty regarded war or traffic. From the disposition of the feathers the contracting nations could be known ; and when war was in agitation, the feathers were red. f The Indian is by nature an orator, and the elo- quence of the chief is chiefly exerted in exciting his tribe to take up the hatchet ; but he first ob- serves a severe fast, paints his face black, and continually invokes his genius : then holding the collar, or wampum, in his hand, he tells the tribe " that the Great Spirit inspires him with the in- tention of revenging the blood of one of his brethren by marching to such a place to take scalps and captives — if he perishes, the collar will serve to receive him and the person he seeks to revenge, lest they should bo hid in the t ist ; that is, perhaps it will be his recompense who buries the dead." t After this obscure intimation, he lays upon the ground the wampum, which is taken up by the person wishing to become his lieutenant, who washes the blackness from the face of the chief, * Charlevoix. t Ibid. t Ibid. ;■ ! i' mi 104 METHOD OF DECLARING WAR. paints his face and hair, and greases his person. The chief then sings the death-song in a hollow voice, while the volunteers (for no one is com- pelled to follow him unless they choose to do so), sing their war-songs, but not in chorus, for each warrior has his own peculiar one. Then the council sits in deliberation, excluding, however, their chief ; if they approve his design he makes a feast, which consists only of a dog. Then among the Iroquois a kettle is put on, and the volunteers throw into it little bits of wood with a mark upon each, by which the parties are distinguished. To draw back after this pledge has been given, would for ever disgrace the party, whose person also would not be safe.* In a burst of eloquence the chief then once more explains his reasons for making war ; he re- minds the warriors of their lost brethren, appeals to their affections and their revenge, and concludes by bidding the young men to prepare for the ex- pedition by painting their faces, anointing their hair, filling their quivers, and singing, f He then takes his hatchet in his hand and sings. The warriors sing in their turn, and many dances are performed. That of the discovery is performed by a single warrior ; but in fact the whole method * Charlevoix. t Ibid. ill INDIAN WARFARE. 106 of Indian warfare, it is said, is represented by these dances. Hanging the kettle over the fire is only practised when many nations are at war, and certainly agrees with the declaration of war in which they say, " they are going to eat their ene- mies." It is not, however, very clear that these Indians are really cannibals : Charlevoix thinks the expression and action may be merely alle- gorical. The veteran warriors among the Six Nations, before marching against the enemy, always molest, revile, and even beat the young men who have never been in battle. They used bows, javelins, and wooden hatchets in war ; and before fire- arms rendered their armour useless, wore a curious sort of coat-of-mail which they afterwards aban- doned."^^ Their warfare is always one of ambush ; but their method of dealing with their unhappy prisoners, and the conduct of these unfortunate persons during the tragedy of which they are the victims, seem peculiar to North America. As the particular marks made and painted on the face of the victorious chief, or on the hatchet he leaves on the scene of his triumph, tells intelli- gibly enough his feats in war to the vanquished na- tions, so the cries of his deputy relate to his nation. * Charlevoix. F 5 i 106 TREATMENT OF THEIR PRISONERS. or its allies, the number of the slain, and that of the prisoners, before he enters their villages.* Befor condemning a prisoner to death he is offered to supply to an/ woman, the husband, son, or brother she has lost. If she accept him, his wounds are washed, and he is unbound and carried to his future home. If he is rejected, the woman addresses the soul of the deceased, calling upon him to rejoice in the torments preparing for the prisoner. A herald informs the captive of his rejection, and leads him out of his cabin. He is followed by a second, who condemns him in these words, — "Thou art going to be burnt, my brother, be of good courage." The victim usually replies, " It is well, I thank thee." He is then painted and adorned, and comes forth singing his own death-song. " I am brave and undaunted, and fear neither death nor tor- ture. Those who fear them are less than women. Life is nothing to a courageous man. May rage and despair choke my enemies. Why cannot I devour them, and drink up their blood to the last drop ? " He then r counts his own brave ac- tions to the sound of his enemy's music, and does not fail to say everything cutting to their na- tional pride during the whole tragedy. His forti- • Charlevoix, .'fi '! MISCHIEVOUS EFFECTS OF RAW SPIRITS. 107 tude depends upon his strength of mind or power of enduring pain, but he is generally a hero.* The dreadful tortures to which these captives are subjected are too well known and authenti- cated to need repetition : like the other customs of the Indian nations, the abhorrent practice has passed away before civilization and Chris- tianity. The use of spirits broke the brotherly bond of affection among the Indians of the same tribe, for, according to the accounts given by Charlevoix, "the fire-water given by the English fur-tra- ders converted a whole village into devils in- carnate." This charge, I am afraid, is only too true, since I have already described the ill-conse- quences of selling spirits to the red men, whom intoxication fearfully excites. I have collated the preceding narrative from P^re Charlevoix, in order to show what the Canadian Indians formerly were. The ]\Iississauga tribes are Chippewas, and once formed a part of the great Algonquin nation, whose eloquent language is considered by our author as the finest of the Canadian mother-tongues. I have found them a grateful and attachable people, and their conver- sion to Christianity has made them sober, indus- • Charlevoix. P>l 108 PREVALENCE OF CONSUMPTION. I J trious, and peaceable. They were formerly very warlike, and were celebrated for their skill in the chase, and their dexterity in performing the war- dances of their tribe. That of the fire-dance has been very graphically described by P^re Charle- voix, but I have never seen it performed. There is an old grudge still subsisting between the Mis- sissaugas and the Mohawks, the latter never fail- ing to beat the former if they can do it slyly. Consumption appears, from Charlevoix, to have been an hereditary disease among the Indian tribes of Canada, and they are very subject to it at this period. The Mississauga, who have become Christians, are becoming perfectly civilized ; many of them have not only adopted the religion tut the customs of the whites. VOYAGE ON THE HURON. 109 M 1 CHAPTER VII. MY VOYAGE ON THE HURON TO THE THAMES IN THE "piONEER." TAKE IN MY CARGO. WARM WELCOME GIVEN TO MR. CAMPBELL BY A HIGHLAND WOMAN.— IRISH SONNET. A NEW ACQUAINT- ANCE. — SPECIMEN OF BACHELOR-HOUSEKEEPING NOT RECOMMEN- DATORY TO CELIBACY.— MINE HOST SETS FIRE TO HIS HOUSE PAR- ACCIDENT. — CURIOUS DIALOGUE BETWEEN HIM AND HIS COOK. EXCELLENT SUPPER. PROCEED ON OUR VOYAGE. Early in October cf this year, 1831, Mr. Prior hired a small schooner, called the "Pioneer," which was despatched to our transatlantic " river Thames" for the purpose of loading her with wheat, potatoes, and other stores for the use of the new settlement. It was, therefore, necessary to send thither some person to make the pur- chases, and transact the Company's business. This, of course, by right devolved on me ; but at that time I was confined to the house by an at- tack of ague, and, consequently, had a fair excuse for stopping at home. I knew, however, there would be some difficulty in supplying my place, so I volunteered to go, thinking perhaps that change of air and scene might effect a cure. ' P ' " i< '' " ^ 110 RIVER ST. CLAIR. li n U' 't\3 To the best of my recollection, I went on board on the 5th of October, and we sailed the same evening, with a fair wind blowing fresh ; and at daylight next morning, found ourselves in sight of Fort Gratiot, on the American side of the lake. This fort belongs to the United States, and is so situated as to command the entrance of the river St. Clair,* which river or strait connects the waters of Lake Huron with those of Lake St. Clair, from thence to Lake Erie it is called the Detroit.f * " Lake St. Clair is about thirty miles long, and nearly the same breadth, and its shores, as yet, not well settled. It roccivcs several rivers, the principal of which, named the Thames, winds for more tlian a hundred miles from the north-east, and on its banks set- tlements and embryo towns arc growing. It has its Chatham, London and Oxford ; and certainly the situation of the Canadian London is much better adapted for the metropolis of the province than York (Toronto). General Simcoe, the first Governor of Upper Canada, was exceedingly anxious tliat the seat of govern- ment should be established somewhere nearly equidistant to Lakes Ontario, Erie, and Huron. " There is a large Delta at the upper end of Lake St. Clair, which appears to be increasing, and through which by several channels the river issues. On the east or American bank stands Old Fort St. Clair, and a few miles further up, where Lake Huron opens, Fort Gratiot was erected to command the river." — " British America," by John Mac Grcgor, Esq. t The river Detroit runs from Lake St. Clair into Lake Erie. Its navigation is not interrupted, and its fertile banks are thickly peopled. Bi^t different characteristics present themselves to these we meet elsewhere in Upper-Canada. The inhabitants are French Canadians, and on the banks of the Detroit they tenaciously retain all the habits and observances common to their country- men, the hahilam of Lower Canada. Here for twenty or thirty * RIVER ST. CLAIR. Ill At the entrance of the river the current runs very swiftly for about the distance of a thousand yards, at the rate of seven miles an hour, so that it requires a strong leading wind to stem the cur- rent. This would, consequently, preclude the possibility of any hostile vessel attempting the passage. Since my visit to this place, a town has been founded on the British side, nearly opposite, called Port Sarnia, which, from its situation, must become a place of importance ; and I understand it has been contemplated to make this port the terminus of the Great Western Eailway. The river St. Clair is, without exception, one of the finest in the country. The shore on the American side is low, but the land, however, ap- peared good, and well and thickly settled with thriving villages, churches, pretty villas with green Venetian blinds and neat verandahs, with flourish- ing orchards and gardens, sloping to the water's edge. The Canadian side at this time presented miles we again observe the village form of settlements, the pious priest, the decent church, and the kind, civil hnbitun. Tliis is a rich, beautiful country, and if once the ague and lake fever were banished, the climate would be truly delightful. All kinds of grain, and the finest apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, and grapes grow in perfection. Near Detroit there is a settlement of simple, harmless Moravians." — " British America," by John Mac Gregor, Esq. I I ^!l 112 RIVER ST. CLAIR. a strange contrast to the other. It was chiefly covered with a dense forest, to the river's brink ; varied here and there with patches of clearing. I should think the average width of the St. Clair varies from five hundred to six hundred yards, pre- senting a clear deep stream, crowded with steam- ers and schooners bound to the Far West. The only difficult part of the navigation is where the St. Clair empties its waters into the lake of the same name, forming a bar by the deposits it leaves at its embouchure, over which, during the dry sea- son, there is scarcely nine feet of water. But I make no doubt, from the large class-steamers which now navigate the lakes, that the navi- gation over this bar has been greatly improved. The shores round Lake St. Clair are very flat and uninteresting, being almost on a level with the water. From their appearance I should be inclined to think that, not many years since, this lake must have been double its present size, since, during the spring floods, many acres of these marshes are still flooded. The depth of the water seldom exceeds thirty feet, the extent being about twenty-six miles each way. We had some difficulty in finding the mouth of the Thames, which empties its waters on the south side of the lake. At length we espied a THE RIVER THAMES. 113 large tree of the swamp-elm species, and the only one we could descry for miles, which our skipper declared was the sole land-mark by which to shape our course. In which he proved correct, for an hour after we were sailing up the river with a fair wind. The waters of the Thames, which are nearly the colour of coffee, offer a strange contrast to the bright green and pellucid waters of the St. Clair. This dismal hue, how- ever, is not at all surprising when we consider the fine rich country it drains in its lengthened course. By a reference to the map of the province, it will be seen that the head waters of the Thames have their rise in the Huron tract, the principal branches of which are the Avon and Black Creek, besides several other inconsiderable streams, which contribute to swell its current. After leaving the Company's lands it flows through the fertile and well-settled London district, to the town of New London, where it becomes a hand- some river, receiving several tributaries through- out its course of sixty -three miles, to Chatham, from whence, to its embouchure, it extends about sixteen more. The channel of this stream is very tortuous, and for the first ten miles meanders through extensive meadows, which are, for the i H \ 11. 1 M^IMB; i fi'^l V if 1 ' I ,! m 114 CHEAP APPLES. most part, flooded in the spring. A great many horses and droves of cattle arc pastured here dur- ing the summer months. A few miles forther on the land rises, and the low rocado\vs give place to fine old cleared farms, extensive orchards, with, here and there, groves of black walnut. We anchored for the night opposite Goss's Ta- vern, and it was my intention to proceed the next day to M'Gregov's ]\Iills, a short distance up the stream. Luckily, however, for me, I fell in with a jMr. ll'Crea, who promised to furnish me with wheat and other necessary articles ; at the same time giving me a courteous invitation to reside in his house whilst we took in the cargo. Amongst other stores, I purchased for my own use a quan- tity of excellent apples, whicii I obtained for the trifling sum of six pence sterling per bushel. I was allowed to choose my own fruit from a ten acre orchard, gathering ofi" any trees that suited me best into a corn-basket which held at least six pecks for my bushel measure. I bought potatoes from the same person for one shilling, being double the price of my apples, which were ex- ceedingly plentiful in this section of the country. Most of the substantial farmers in the vicinity of the river have ice-houses, the Thames water being warm and bad to drink in the summer WILD DUCK SHOOTING. 115 season. The tavern-keepers here put cherries in their whiskey, which give it a good colour and very pleasant flavour ; and mixed with ice- water this beverage makes an excellent drink in hot weather, being far more wholesome than malt liquor. We were delayed a week while taking in our cargo, and afterwards by contrary winds; but at length we got under weigh, and dropping down the stream with a " Wet slicet and a flowiii"; sen. And a wind that followed fust," crossed Lake St. Clair, and anchored for the night amongst some low islands at the mouth of the river, where we were detained three days for 'vant of wind to stem the current of the St. Clair, which runs at the rate of three miles per hour. As we had nothing else to do we manned the boat and went oiF duck-shooting ; and although we had only the schooner's boat, which was quite unfit for the business by reason of the noise it made in being propelled through the rushes, yet we had very good sport, having by three o'clock, r. M. bagged eleven brace of wild ducks and blue- winged teal, — the last I consider the most deli- cious of all the numerous species of American wild fowl, not even exc^^tir.g the far-famed wood-duck, ' I ^ ^i i! ! II i^lii ^16 HIGHLAND HOSPITALITY. of which 1 liavci raftdo honourable mention in a former chapter. On our return home we passed a small log-house on one of the islands, where we saw two men busy building a boat ; so we went ashore and asked for a drink, the river- water being rather unpalatable. On entering the house we perceived a decent old lady sitting at a spinning-wheel, who asked us in a very strong Highland accent, " What we wanted V One of our party, who was of lligh- la'M parentage, though a Nova-Scotian by birth, answered her inquiry in her native tongue, which so overjoyed the good creature, that in her ecstasy she jumped up from her seat, knocking down the spinning-wheel and two or three chairs in her excitement, and throwing her arms round poor Campbell's neck, bestowed several hearty kisses on either cheek before he could recover from his asto- nishment. 1 think he would rather she had di- rected her daughter, a fine comely girl who sat by the fire sewing, and regarded her mother and the victimised Highlander with an arch smiie, to stand proxy for her on this occasion. The old lady told us she had not heard the sound of he. ow ■ .iative Gaelic since she lost her husband, more tKaii .'f. yei?.rs since, having left her native land wb-jii ."ivc: a, girl, after her mar- IRTSH REPARTEE. 117 riagc to one of her own countrymen, wlio Imd set- tled on this spot more than forty years ago ; slie l)ronounced herself happy an4 I: ;' i'!>. r / which she refused, and it was not without diffi- culty we induced her even to accept some of our game. So brightly burned in her aged bosom the pure amorpatrke for her wild Highland glens — so dear was the sound of her unforgotten Celtic to her ears — poor Campbell, I am afraid, heard more frequently, however, of the loving greeting given him by his countrywoman than he thought 'at all necessary or pleasant. Our passage up the St. Clair was very tedious, the wind being light and baffling. To avoid the strong current, we crept up close to the shore, the water being sufficiently deep except where sand- bars were formed by the embouchures of small rivers and creeks into the main channel. As we were not always aware of these obstructions, we were constantly running aground ; then the an- chor had to be taken aft by the boat, and all hands at the windlass, much to my annoyance. One evening, as we lay at anchor, a gentleman of the name of ^I'Donald came on board the schooner— a pleasant intelligent person, whom I asked to take a glass of punch with us, which he accepted ; and we soon became very sociable. Our visitor discovered by my appearance that I was an invalid, my attack of ague having degene- rated into a low intermittent or dumb ague, as the BACHELOR HOUSE-KEEPING. 119 4? 1 -*». backwoodsmen call it. He therefore very kindly invited me to go ashore with him, and stay all night at his house, remarking " that he could give me a good supper, a good bed, and a hot glass of brandy and water," which he declared " was better than all the doctors' stuff in the world for ague." x\n assertion which, from experience, I believe to be perfectly true. ;M'Donald was an old bachelor, and kept no female servant ; but he prided himself upon hav- ing an excellent man-cook, who, he informed me, " had only one fault in the world, namely, that of sometimes getting drunk, which was generally the case on particularly inconvenient occasions. When I send him across the river to the store, or have company, the fellow is sure to be intoxicated," said he. " And you know it is very inconvenient for us both to be drunk at the same time. I tell you this, that you may not be surprised if you see him in that state this evening, for he went to the store for groceries just after dinner, and he has not returned yet." Having made me acquainted with the bacchanalian tastes of his cook, he ushered me into his parlour — a large room plainly furnished, but commanding a pleasant and exten- sive view of the river and the opposite shore, adorned with a number of pretty villas. 'l ,1:' II m 128 DANGEROUS POSITION. wind lulled, but it was too dark and the noise of the wind so great that it was impossible to be certain. Yet so sure did I feel that I heard the dash of the waves on shore that I did not think it prudent to leave the deck. During those long hours of darkness and uncer- tainty many strange feelings crowded ray mind and painful reminiscences. I thought I should never again see my beloved wife and young children. I remembered my mother, sisters, and brother, and dear familiar friends I had left at home in Old England at this dangerous crisis, for I had little hope we should escape shipwreck. I knew if we struck the rock-bound coast our chance was small indeed. A merciful Providence, however, bad ordained otherwise, for the long-expected dawn at length revealed our position. We were surprised to find ourselves amongst the islands, for we had nearly run 200 miles since we were in sight of Goderich. Land was to be seen on all sides, or rather piles of rocks. Directly in our courss, and stretching for more than a mile into the Lake from a point of land, lay a reef of rocks upon which the sea broke witli a thundering sound, throwing up the spray high into the air, and not five hundred yards from the schooner. To weather this reef was impossible, HARKOUR OF REFUGE. 129 but luckily we noticed a narrow spot of smooth water about midway up the reef; so we deter- mined to risk the passage. Indeed we had, to use an old saying, " Ilobson's choice"— that or none. So we steered for the opening and passed gallantly through; but so near were we to the rocks on eithei side of ns that we could easily have pitched a bis>iait upon them from the vessel. As soon as we were safely through we gave three hearty cheers, and on rounding the point we entered a beautiful and spacious harbour, com- pletely land-locked with a smooth sandy beach at the upper end, in one corner of whi-h a large creek of transparent looking water came rattling into the bay. As soon as our anchor was let go, we manned the boat and went on shore, taking with us the square sail to make a tent, and a stock of provisions and other necessaries ; in fact we de- termined to recruit and make ourselves comfort- able after the fatigue we had undergone. One party made up a large fire in front of the tent, and prepared for cooking the dinner, while the rest picked brush and wild grass for our beds, and erected the tent. Whilst these preparations were going on, I took my gun and explored the shores of the bay, and walked up the side of the creek, which I followed rii »;l! S't i*.(' G 5 ii: 130 BLACK SKINNED FOX. i i . . „ for a couple of miles. The waters of this stream were clear as crystal and of a greenish hue, and I passed several very romantic falls : indeed as far as I went the river presented a succession of cas- cades. I saw a great many otter slides and beaver cuttings. On my return, near the mouth of the creek, I found five large steel-traps, which, most likely, some of the Hudson Bay Company's traders had left by mistake, who probably had camped near this spot ; but when loading their canoes to depart, had overlooked them, since they appeared by the rust to have lain there for upwards of a twelve- month. Our traders considered these traps quite a prize, being at the least worth ten dollars. I shot several rabbits and a brace of wood-ducks to add to our larder. While crossing a low sand- ridge near the shore, a beautiful black fox passed me, within twenty yards— a splendid shot, if I could have hit him ; but, unfortunately, my gun missed fire, which was very unlucky for me, as the skin of these animals is very valuable : I have been informed a good one in season is worth from 10/. to 15/. The pure black-skinned fox is ex- tremely scarce ; in fact, during the whole of my long residence in Canada, I have not seen more than four or five of this rare species. BEAUTIFUL SCENERY. 131 The scnnery around our anchorage was very picturesque ; the rocks rose boldly, terrace above terrace, until a mile or so from the shore they had attained an altitude of at least a thousand feet. For five days wo were wind-bound in this ro- mantic little bay, and during that time " we ate, drank, and were merry." Wo amused ourselves with exploring the country, shooting, fishing, and telling our adventures, our recent peril making us enjoy our detention in this harbour of refuge. Our merry sojourn ashore, on our pleasant terra incognita, at length terminated with the change of the wind, and we prepared to bid a long adieu to the harbour of refuge. What a change in its silent loveliness a few years will pro- bably make ! And where I awoke the slumbering echoes of the shore by the sound of my fowling- piece, the stirring hum of population will come and the voices of a numerous people will be hearr'. Early on the morning of the 6th we weighed our anchor, and. bade adieu to our harbour of refuge. The day was fine and clear, but about noon we were becalmed between two small rocky islands. The view from the schooner's deck at this time was exceedingly fine. Innumerable islands, as far as the eye could reach, dotted the north-east 132 TRANSPARENCY OF WATER. mw) ' f ' Mil shore of the lake, while the main-land rose boldly; the scarp of the rock showing here and there, between their openings, the dwarf trees which clustered in thickets, wherever there was soil suflSi- cient to nourish their growth. What added greatly to the beauty of the scene was the extraordinary transparency of the water. Our vessel lay about half a mile from, the land, in ten fathoms water, and yet the bottom of the lake was so plainly visible that we could see every seam in the rock and the smallest stones. If we looked over the side into the depth below, we at first experienced the same giddy sensation usually felt when beholding objects from a great height, as indeed we really were : the schooner seeming apparently suspended in the air. This purity of the water is only observable among the islands, for, from Cabot's Head downwards, the banks are of a clay formation, which, during a storm, dis- colour the waters some distance from the shore. We made little progress the first day, and no- thing occurred worth notice, with the exception of a visit from a number of Chippewa Indians in nine large bark-canoes, bound for Drummond's Island. These Indians came on board and bartered with us, giving us fresh salmon-trout for whiskey and apples. One of our passengers purchased the LARGE SALMON TROUT. 133 largest I ever saw for a quart of whiskey : it weighed no less than seventj-two pounds. I had seen one caught by a night-line, opposite Goderich, which weighed fifty-six pounds; but I had no idea that fish so much larger, of the same species, could be obtained at the head of the Lake. The next day we cleared the Manitoulins, flat- tering ourselves with the deceitful hope that we should make our port the next day ; but no ! the wind again headed us, and blew stiffly night after night, so that we were obliged to lay to. At last it shifted to the north-west, and freshened to a gale ; but, as it was in our favour, we did not care ; all we hoped was, to make Goderich before night-fall. It was now three o'clock, p.m., and the white houses on the clifi* were visible at the distance of about nine miles. We were all in high spirits till our skipper damped our ardour by informing us " that he thought it impossible for us to make the harbour ; for, though the wind was directly aft, yet, to make the desired haven, we should have to round a point where both wind and cur- rent would be dead against us." However, after much argument we finally determined to make the attempt. As we neared the harbour, to our great satis- 134 FRESH DIFFICULTIES. faction and joy, we saw that we were expected and recognized ; for a large fire of brushwood was kindled on a high point of land at the har- bour's mouth, and we could sea a crowd of per- sons on the beach waiting our approach. As we neared the bar, we found a heavy sea breaking on the shoai; and, in crossing, a tremendous one struck us, deluging our deck and causing our little vessel to quiver from stem to stern. We, however, succeeded in crossing the bar in safety, but were im- mediately met by the wind and current of the river. We let our anchor go as soon as possible, but un- fortunately, the cable parting, left us exposed to great peril. The boat was instantly lowered, and manned with six of our best hands, including the captain, who, with a tow-rope, hoped to reach the shore. But, as misfortunes seldom come singly, as bad luck would have it, the rope proved too short, consequently the boat upset in the surf; though, luckily, all the crew succeeded in making good their landing. There remained on board the schooner four persons besides myself^ not one of whom knew anything about the management of a vessel. I saw at a glance that we could expect no help from the shore ; and I was so heartily sick of this protracted voyage, that I determined to attempt I PROVIDENTIAL PRESERVATION. 135 swimming ashore, at all risks. I knew there was considerable danger in the effort, but I thought if the schooner struck on the bar or was driven out to sea, that the risk would be still greater. I therefore jumped on the taffrail, and, as the next heavy swell passed the stern, sprang into the water ; at the same time calling upon my neigh- bour, Mr. Eberts, to follow me, which he had pre- viously agreed to do. I was a good swimmer, but had not calculated on the debility arising from nearly five weeks of ague. I however buffeted the waves manfully till I struck the current of the river which set strongly along the shore of the Lake to the southward ; consequently I -^vas driven in the direction of the light-house point. * The cliff at this point was more than a hundred feet in height, the first twenty from the Lake being a perpendicular bank of stiff clay, against which the waves dashed with great violence. I found with all my exertion I could not weather this spot. Luckily for me, however, I espied the head of a birch-tree which hung down from the cliff above. This tree had been thrown down by the wind, but was still y • A high point of land on the south side of Godericli Harhour, reserved by the Superintcndaut of the Canada Company to build a light-house upon. 136 SOLITARY FIRESIDE. / -ikm t 'A firmly secured to the bank above by a large mass of roots and earth which it had turned up in its fall, a fortunate circumstance to which I owed my preservation, for I was carried directly into the branches by the force of the waves, being left by them at least ten feet from the water. I lost no time in scrambling up the tree till I got firm footing on the sloping bank, where, by the help of young twigs and brushwood, I found myself, after some difScult struggles, safe on the top of the ciiffi and within two hundred yards of my own door. Fseling my preservation to be almost miraculous, I did not forget to thank the Al- might}^ for Ids; mercy in restoring me in safety to my la.milj through so many dangers. On reaching my house I was surprised to find no one within, although a cheerful fire blazed on the ample hearth. I was conjecturing what could be the reason of this, when my dear ]\Iary made her appearance with my little Maria in her arms to welcome and embrace her Wanderer, whom she had mourned as though he had been lost to her for ever. Ours was a blessed and joyful meeting, full of the purest conjugal tenderness and love. My poor girl then told me how she had sat on the lighthouse point day after day, watching till her eyes ached for the long-delayed MY wife's anxiety. 137 vessel, which few had ever expected to see again. She had continued to hope, even against hope, still clinging to the cherished idea that we were safe, till the day previous, which was the thirty-fourth of our absence, when upon being in- formed that a barrel, marked with the name of one of our party, had been picked up near the Saugeen by the Indians, she lost the confidence which had hitherto kept her up, and the same fear entered her mind that all the town's-people had long entertained, that the vessel had been dashed to pieces in the awful storm, and that consequently we had all perished. My dear wife could there- fore hardly realise the joyful truth when Mr. Fullarton ran into the house and told her to cheer up, for the schooner was in sight and making for the harbour. Upon receiving this unexpected in- telligence she ran down, filled with joy, to welcome my arrival ; but what was her consternation upon seeing the schooner drift back over the bar, and finally strand on the beach, a few hundred yards from where I had, unknown to any one, effected my landing. After this sad scene she heard, in reply to her agonized inquiry, that I had jumped overboard with the intention of swimming ashore, and that I had been seen close to the point. The darkness prevented those in the schooner from ' ' I ,u i: 138 STItANDING OF SCHOONER, ,1 :l ascertaining whether I had succeeded in making good my landing or not. Dreadfully alarmed she had hurried home from the harbour, knowing that if safe I should most probably be there, "And, thank God, my dear husband," she said, her beautiful eyes swimming in tears, " that you have been spared by a merciful Providence to me and your little ones." Warm dry clothing, a cheerful fire, and the tender cares of an affectionate wife goon restored me to my wonted health and usual spirits. Thus ended my first and last voyage on the mighty Huron, that vast lake, or small fresh- water sea. The schooner, on examination, was not the least injured. By good luck she had missed the point and stranded herself on a sandy beach, opposite Read'j tavern, and in a few days she was got off and brought safely into the harbour. I QUIT THE CANADA COMPANY. 139 CHAPTER IX. I QUIT THE SERVICE OF THE CANAI/A COMPANY. LEAVE GODERICH. — HOMEWARD JOURNEY. WANT OF ACCOMMODATION AT SEBACH's HOUSE. — MY LANDLADY AND HER BROOD. — MIDNIGHT ADVEN- TURES.— DISORDERLY BEHAVIOUR OF THE YOUNG'DUTCII BOOHS. MINE HOSTESS GIVES THEM A THRASHING. — YANKEE GUEST. OLD JACKSON HICKORY. LOYAL LAWYER AND YANKEE FOOL. THE UTILITY OF IMPUDENCE.— RETURN HOME.— WARM WELCOME. — HAPPY PARTY. I HEARD such flattering accounts from my Douro friends of the fast increasing prosperity of Peter- borough and the neighbourhood, that at length I made up my mind to give up my situation with the Canada Company, and return to the farm I had left in Otonabee. Several reasons prompted me to this determination. One was the reduction of my salary, which took place immediately after Mr. Gait's retirement. The Companj 's affairs, in- deed, after that event were conducted on a much more economical plan by the new commissioners. The diminution of my income did not suit a young man with a fast increasing family, and I thought I could better provide for them on a farm of my m IK' 140 LEAVE GODERICH. ? / ■ •t i ill' own. I however found out my mistake, after I had left the Company, when it was too late to remedy the evil, and I committed a second blun- der in being tempted by a good offer to sell my farm in Otonabee, close to the fast-rising town of Peterborough, and purchase land ten miles farther back in the Bush. As soon as my wife and I had made up our minds to leave Goderich, I sold my two town- lots and the improvements upon them for five hundred dollars, which paid me very well for the speculation, for the lots cost originally twenty-five dollars each, and the improvements about two hundred, thus in little more than two years I doubled my capital. There can be no doubt that land speculation is one of the surest and best means of mak- ing money in Canada, provided the speculator can afford to sink his capital for a few years. He must also be a person well acquainted with the country and its capabilities, the quality of the land and timber, number of mill privileges, and the best and most eligible situations for towns and villages, in which case there is no danger of his being a loser. Indeed, if the land is well selected, there is almost a cer- tainty of the speculator doubling his purchase- I HOMEWARD JOURNEY. 141 money in the short space of from three to seven years. On the 13th of February, 1831, 1 bade adieu to Goderich, where I had spent many happy days. I hired a Dutchman from the settlement with his lumber-sleigh and span of horses to move my family, consisting of my wife, her sister, and my two children. We commenced our journey in the midst of a heavy snow-storm, which had been fall- ing without intermission since the previous even- ing ; this rendered the road almost impassable for our team, which had to break the road the whole way to the settlements. The snow was so deep that the beams of our sleigh were constantly im- bedded, so that we were unable to accomplish more than eighteen miles the first day. We found excellent accommodation at Von Egmond's tavern, which had just been completed. Not so, however, at my old acquaintance Sebach's, where we were doomed to stop the following night. Anticipating what we might expect by former experience, we took care to carry provisions and tea for our own use, which proved a necessary precaution. The extent of our host's accommodations were very limited. They consisted of a public room, about sixteen feet by twelve, at the farther end *; i.f; 'I \U\] i f 142 WANT OF ACCOMMODATION AT SEBACH S. MV of which a door opened into a narrow sort of closet, which served for a bed-room, where our hostess and four or five of heryounger children slept. I think she had at least a dozen. The eldest of this numerous brood, whom she called Fater (his name, however, was Peter), could not be more than fourteen or fifteen years of age at the most. A Mrs. R , and her little daughter Susan, who were moving into the neighbourhood of Peter- borough, formed a part of our company, which almost filled the little room. Bad, however, as the inn was, we were glad to avail ourselves of its shelter. Besides, one thing at least we found comfortable, the large fire blazing cheerily on the ample hearth. In regard to our sleeping we had some diffi- culty to arrange that important matter, since they had only two beds for our numerous party, and they were both in the same room. Under these circumstances undressing was out of the question. Luckily we had several horse-blankets and buf- falo-robes, so that I was enabled to separate our dormitory by these fancy hangings. The teamster and myself contented ourselves with a shake-down before the fire, where five of our hostess's boys had already ensconced themselves for the night on a number of deer-skins. MIDNIGHT ADVENTURES, 143 About the middle of the night wo were awak- ened by one of the Dutch boys tumbling into the fire in his sleep. He made as much outcry as if he had been half-roasted, though on examina- tion we found he had escaped with only a slight burn on one of his hands. This little incident having thoroughly roused his brothers, they seemed determined to let no one sleep for the remainder of the night. It was in vain that I threatened them with a suitable caning, if they were not quiet, for they either did not or would not understand English, and appeared to regard me and my cane with absolute unconcern. At length they becace silent, and I had-' just fallen asleep when I was again awakened by a shriek from Mrs. R , who seemed to be in an agony of terror ; and no wonder, poor woman ! for these impish Dutch boys had slily crept under the old lady's bed, and almost frightened her out of her wits by placing their shoulders under the mattress and, all lifting together, nearly succeeded in rolling her out of bed. I could not help laughing at the trick, but the old lady, to whom it was no joke, was in a great rage, and shook her fist at the boys and scolded them soundly. Her irate eloquence was only received with shouts of laushter bv her tormen- , h 11. Mil i Ilii 1 ^^HWp i/ 144 YANKEE GUEST. tors, in the midst of which our old Dutch hostess made her appearance, stick in hand, which she laid about her vith great dexterity, to the no small discomfiture of her young rebel boors. This well-merited chastisement had the desired effect of quieting Master Teter and his brother imps, who let us sleep soundly during the remainder of the night. Upon the evening of the fourth day we reached Farewell's Inn, in Whitby, where we put up for the night. After supper I sauntered into the bar- room to speak with the landlord, whom I Kad formerly known. While I was conversing with I^Ir. F , a stranger entered the room. The new-comer was a fine looking handsome man, considerably above six feet in height, and well put together; still I knew he was a Yankee the moment I looked at him, by his long neck, want of whiskers, and his free-and-easy manners. " Come, landlord, let us have some bitters,— I guess it is my treat, — I am no slouch. I can tell you my names — I am called Tom Temple, and I am from the Green Mountains, State of Varmont. I am just taking a look at this country of your'n ; come, boys, won't you liquor 1 " So saying he filled a tumbler half full of raw OLD HICKORY JACKSON. 145 whiskey, and proposed the health of old Hickory Jackson. " Tray," said I, " why do you call your Presi- dent Old Hickory ? " " Wal, now, stranger, I will just tell you how that was. One time when our old gineral was going to 'tack the British, he made us a bit of a stump speech on the occasion ' Now, boys,' said he, ' don't you see them are tarnation British, just step into the woods, and every one of you cut a good hickory gad,* and if you don't whip them fellows out of that I '11 whip you.' Wal, we just done as Old Hickory told us, and if we din't take a most unrighteous snarl of them I 'm sucked, that 's all. And so you see, stranger, thr how he got the name of Old Hickory Jacksou, and a tough un he is, you may depend." Such was the extraordinary account given me of General Jackson's nomme de guerre by Mr. Thomas Temple, Green Mountains State of Ver- mont. It is certainly ridiculous to hear some of these gentlemen's constant bragadocio. This very man, before the evening was over, actually persuaded our landlord to hire him for the summer at twenty dollars a month to attend his saw-mill, only by * Yankee for an ox-goad or rod= VOL. II. H V 146 LAWYER AND YANKEE. dint of his own sheer impudence in praising him- self. I have no doubt that the man was capable enough, but to hear him talk you would suppose he had worked in every mill in the Union. In- deed, his answer to the landlord, who asked him " If he understood working in a saw-mill, and re- pairing it when out of order ? " was characteristic of the man, and in a few words conveyed all that could be said on the subject. " Wal, I guess I 'm a clear saw-mill myself 1 " Meaning in Yankee parlance, that he understood everything connected with saw-mills, and the working of their machinery. While on this subject I may as well relate a laughable circumstance which took place in the public stage-coach. Mr. H. I. V , a rising lawyer in the county of Peterborough, was travelling between Cobourg and Toronto, having for one of his companions a thin, sallow-looking importation from the United States. Among other topics the conversation turned upon the marriage of our young Queen, when the names of several royal and noble personages were men- tioned by the different passengers. The Yankee listened with great attention to the various opi- nions expressed, when, addressing himself to the lawyer, he said, — RETURN HOME. 147 " I guess now, Mister, you all make a mighty fuss about that Miss Kent, why our Mat's* son John went over the herring-pond the hul way to see her ; but I guess he din't like her well enough to take her." "Why, you impudent scoundrel, is that the way you speak of our lovely young queen ! I will teach you to use more becoming language towards the Sovereign Lady of the realms." So saying the loyal young lawyer seized the fool by the collar, and ejected him from the coach in the most summary manner possibb, and at the greatest risk of breaking the long neck of the ill- behaved Yankee, who would scarcely venture to lampoon her Majesty in the presence of English gentlemen again. I guess he had had enough of it. My readers must not imagine that such men as I have described, however, are fair spe- cimens of American manners ; perhaps these are extreme cases, for I have met many gentlemanly and some elegant persons both in Canada and America who ought not to be classed with people like him. Upon the evening of the sixth day we arrived without farther adventure at my father-in-law's house. I need hardly say what a joyful meeting * Matthew Van Buren, then President of the United States. n 2 ;/ fif-i I 148 HAPPY PARTY. we all had after nearly four years' separation, dur- ing which period many eventful circumstances had occurred. I had buried my eldest child, a fine boy of three years old, to my great regret, but God had replaced him with a lovely boy and a girl, which I now presented with some paternal pride to receive their grandfather's and grandmother's blessing. We were a very happy party that night assem- bled round the cheerful fire, talking over the past, and anticipating a fortunate future. Nor did I forget my mother, sisters, and brother, or dear old Reydon, while rejoicing in my reunion with the valued relatives I had gained by mj second marriage to a lovely, amiable, and worthy young lady. EXCHANGE MY LAND. 149 CHAPTER X. EXCHANGE MY LAND FOR A LOT IN DOURO AND SOME HARD CASH. — ADVANTAGES OF INDUSTRY. CANAOIAN ORCHARDS, BAY OF QUINTE. ROOT-GRAFTING. AMERICAN TRM^.^MEN, AND Mi:,THOD OF GRAFTING. HISTORY OF A Tl v; : OACKSMITP. HE SEES A GHOST. CRUELTY OF CJ(; .: GRIMSHAWE's FAMILY. GENEROUS BEHAVIOUR OP COPPING's MOTHER. DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE MASTER BLACKSMITH AND HIS FORE- MAN. — CHEAP WAY OF BEING GOOD. — DISTRESS AND POVERTY. — MY SISTER ADVISES COPPING TO 00 TO CANADA. HE REACHES ME IN PENURY. CHANGE IN HIS CIRCUMSTANCES. — HIS SETTLEMENT. OUR SEARCH FOR HIS LOT. HIS WEARI- NESS AND PATHETIC EXCLAMATION. — HIS LOCATION. COMFORT- ABLE CIR-.UMSTANCES AND DECEASE AFTER SOME HAPPY YE.iRS SPENT IN UPPER CAJSADA. THE BUSH.— OUR EXPLORING PARTY. POOR CAPPING's LAMENTATIONS. WE GIVE NAMES TO OUR LOCATIONS.— UNPROMISING VIEW OF THE BLACKSMITh's LAND. HIS LOT TURNS OUT WELL. HIS SUCCESS AS A SETTLER.— CON- CLUSION OF HIS HISTORY. Soon after my return from the Huron tract, I made a trade, as the Americans call it ; that is, I exchanged my two hundred acre lot of land in the township of Otonabee, for the same number of acres in the township of Douro^ and six hun- dred dollars in cash. I was induced to take this step for scvemi reasons, the principal of which 1*1 150 ADVANTAGiJ OF INDUSTRY. Mi was, that I could increase the quantity of my acres, by purchasing wild lands in the neighbour- hood, at a low price, which I could not do in the part where I was living. Then the situation of my new purchase was aore beautiful, the land better, and the fishing and shooting second to none in the province — a great temptation to a young man, and especially to one fond of wild sports. Though I was well aware that it would be years before my new location could possess the comforts I was leaving, still I looked forward, hopefully, to the time when, by my own exertions, I should have overcome all the difiiculties of my new position, and established a pleasant home for my family. I do not know a greater charm than, after years of toil and privation, to see what perseve- rance and industry have accomplished. To know that your pretty cottage, your orchards, your fruit- ful fields, and ornamental improvements are the work of your own hands ; and that a few short years ago, the solitary forest reigned undisturbed where now you behold all the comforts of civi- lization. Many persons, on leaving England for Canada, fancy they shall see nothing but interminable woods and lakes. This was, no doubt, the case in regard to thp. TTnnnr Prnvinno fiff ^ trpoT'a n«^ . U.^* I *i m ijiifcii ii i . w « CANADIAN ORCHAKDS. 151 they forget what the hardy bands of pioneer emi- grants have effected in that short period, and that a belt of land, following the course of the great St. Lawrence, and the lakes from the embouchure of the Ottawa to the Saugeen river on Lake Huron, a distance of seven hundred and fifty miles, by an average depth of forty, have been reclaimed from the forest and thickly settled by a thriving and industrious population. The farm-houses along the great leading roads are, for the most part, superior in appearance to those in the old country; though, in point of taste and ornamental arrangement, they fall short of them. This is principally owing to the want of shrubberies. The holly and ivy which impart such a charm to the English cottage will not grow, it is said, in Canada. This is the more surprising, as these ornamental trees are said to thrive best in a cold country ; at least, so sings the poet : — " For the ivy, the ash, and the bonny holly tree, Oh I they grow best in the North country." However, in some respect, to make up for this de- fect, Canada can boast of as fine orchards as can be found in any part of the world. From the river Trent to Belleville, on the Bay of Quinte, for twelve miles the road runs between almost a contiuuGus line of them. In the month of May, m 152 CANADIAN ORCHARDS. when the trees are in full blossom, nothing can exceed the beauty of the country. That lovely sheet of water, the bay of Quinte, runs parallel to this pretty chain of orchards, the ground sloping gently towards the shore, fringed here and there with groves of hickory and butternut, which tend greatly to increase the natural beauty of the scene. The best climate for fruit of all sorts, and where it most abounds, is undoubtedly round the head of Lake Ontario, and the peninsula lying between Hamilton and Long Point, on Lake Erie. The standard peach comes to perfection in this part of the country. Indeed, in some >ears the fruit is so plentiful that bushels may be seen lying rotting under the trees, their only consumers apparently being the pigs. The Western Cana- dians pay much greater attention to their or- chards now than they formerly did ; the best kind of fruit being introduced from England and the United States. The American nursery-men have a method of raising trees by root-grafting, which is by far a surer and more expeditious plan than that in common use.* Instead of clay they prefer a * In the spring of the year American graftsmen travel through the Canadian settlements provided with the best description of scions from American orchards. These men charge so much per ROOT-GRAFTING. 153 lothing can That lovely 3 parallel to und sloping I and there which tend f the scene. sorts, and round the isula lying Lake Erie. ion in this } years the y be seen consumers tern Cana- their or- best kind d and the method of s by far a a that in prefer a avel through ascription of 30 much per composition made of yellow wax and resin, which is found to be much the best for the purpose. The proper way to apply this mixture is by heat- ing the composition and smearing over the place with a brush, where the graft is inserted and the cleft made by splitting the stock, which excludes the air much better, is quicker, and also less un- pleasant than the old practice of kneading the clay over the graft with your hands, and which often falls off after the first heavy shower. As soon as I had completed the bargain for my land, I commenced making preparations for my re- moval. Just at this time I received a packet of letters and a valuable parcel, by the hands of Samuel Copping, a Suffolk blacksmith, who was a near neighbour of mine when I resided in Eng- land. The history of his adventures and settle- ment will, perhaps, interest the reader. During the spring of 1831, a poor working blacksmith, his wife and family, found their way down to my clearing ; I had formerly known the man in England for a good natured, industrious creature ; but he and his wife were better ac- quainted with my sister Jane, to whom their long and distressing illness had made them more inti- hundred for grafting old trees. One year's credit is given, no Charge being made for trees that have missed. A great many of the old orchards wore originally planted from seedlings. H 5 !-:i m .) a' i ill 164 HISTORY OF CAROLINE GRIMSHAWE. mately known : she thought them interesting peo- ple, anxious for spiritual instruction, and remem- bered that they had formerly been kind and helpful to their neighbours, by whom they were much beloved. During a period of agricultural distress in Suffolk this family had previously oeen reduced to the utmost distress. In the sore sick- ness of Copping it was some time before they could procure a nurse, but the people ntuT one day gave them their gratuitous services ; until my sister was pleased to find there a handsome intelligent young woman who had come, to use a Suffolk phrase, " to do for the family." Now, doing for a family in slang parlance, would stand for taking them in ; however, in Anglo-Saxon it signifies able assistance in the general ma- nagement of a household ; and this the pretty Caroline Grimshawe was come to do ; " and all for love and nothing for reward," in grateful return for a home aiforded her in childhood by the poor man, Copping's mother. Caroline had a curious romantic story attached to her bii'th and bringing up, which I will relate just as her foster-brother told it to my sister : " Ma'am," said he to my sister, " I was a native of ''.Jesworth, in Suffolk; my parents were honest poor people, quite unlettered ; but clean and it WE. sting peo- id remem- kind and they were ricultural lusly Deen sore sick- fore they ntt.T one 38 ; until handsome le, to use ." Now, lid stand jlo-Saxon neral ma- le pretty md all for 'ul return ■ the poor ■ attached ?ill relate sister : IS a native ere honest ilean and HISTORY OP CAROLINE GRIMSHAWE. 155 quite (quiet), burdened with a large family, yet just able, with God's help, to get along. " It happened that a woman from Lincolnshire and her husband used to come to Halesworth with a huckster's cart; 'licensed hawker' was the word put on the cart ; but huckster was what we called the man ; nevertheless, my mother bought ray father's shirts of them ; and, as our house was out of the town, near it, yet standing by itself, these people used to lodge with us when they came our way, their cart being locked up in the far- mer's barn, for whom my father worked. Grim- shawe had several sons and daughters grown up ; some were in trade, others in farms in his own county, and he was a wealthy man. My mother wondered he did not leave off travelling the country and set up himself for a gentleman, and his wife for a lady ; but he had been a huckster all his life, and, I suppose, he liked it better than being a gentleman. It happened that late in life Mrs. Grimshawe was likely to have a baby, and worse than that, the child would come into the world at an inconvenient period, just in the time of the Suffolk journey. Both parents were rather sorry at the prospect of another child, for the woman hoped she should have had no more, and her family were grumbling about the expected i *i * ''lilt li \ 4 y.: 156 HISTORY OP CAROLINE ORIMSHAWE. addition to their number, and were inclined to give tlie poor little stranger an unkind welcome to this world of sorrow. Things were not mended by the death of the man, whose eldest sons were the executors of a will made many years before, and in which no mention of course was made of an unborn child. " Well, the long and the short of it all is, that the poor widow Grimshawe took her Suffolk journey in the cart, and stopping at my mother's house, gave birth in her fiftieth year to a fine lovely girl, whom she named Caroline. My mo- ther's month was just up from her confinement with me, for I was her seventh child, a slip of a thing not half so fine and thriving as Caroline. But my mother had a superabundance of nourish- ment for me while the widow had none for her hungry baby. So it was agreed between the friends that my good mother should share her milk between us. " By this arrangement Caroline was left behind, in Suffolk, and the widow returned to Lincoln- shire. Very fond was I of my foster-sister, whom my mother took to, just as if she had been her own ; and when the course of the year brought back the widow Grimshawe; she was so proud of her baby and so thankful to my mother, whom she r HISTORY OF CAROLINE QRIMSHAWE. 157 paid handsomely for her trouble, and thanked too. Caroline was left with us, year after year, in this manner, and very dear she was to us all. I called her sister, but no sister I over had was ever half so much to me. We slept in the same crib, and her fair face and golden curls must have made her look like a little angel, so close to my dark cheek and black straight hair : but no matter, she loved me just the same as if I had been prettier. " The arrival of Caroline's mother was quite a gay time for us : she brought sweets and nice frocks for the children, and we lived so well while she stayed with us. She promised a Lincolnshire cow for mother, and agreed to hire a rich piece of meadow-land to pasture her on. This was to be done the next summer, when she came again. In this, her last visit to Halesworth, for so it proved to be, she often lamented to my mother the un- kind feeling manifested towards her fatherless babe by her grown-up family. * She had borne her,' she said, ' at an unusual period of life, and this had made the child unwelcome.' She added 'that she herself feared little Cary would have none of her father's savings ; but she was working hard to save for her.' " Time passed on, little Caroline was not well. It was midsummer, and the day had been hot. r>'i « »' the 158 HISTORY OP CAROLINE ORIM8HAWE. and m^ mother had put us both to bed in afternoon, meaning to take us up at supper time. However, Cary was so sound asleep that she would not awaken her. So I had my supper and sat on my mother's knee just opposite the ladder leading to the two little chambers above. Now what I am going to relate may seem as strange to you, ma'am, as it does to me ; therefore, I am only about to tell you what was told to me, for I do not remember it, being only five years' old at the time. " Our house, as I before said, was close to the town, standing quite by itself. It had only one door and no regular staircase, but a ladder leading up to t)vo small chambers, and these chambers had no doors, so that if any one were entering the first room they would be seen on the highest step of the ladder. The only door of the house was shut, because my mother was beginning to take off my clothes while I was on her lap. We were not alone. Two neighbours were with us, when look- ing up from my mother's knees I suddenly cried out at the top of my voice, ' Caroline's mother is come ! Caroline's mother is come ! ' "My mother and her neighbours naturally looked to the window which they supposed she had passed, and one opened the door; but no Mrs. Grimshawe was there. HISTORY OF CAROLINE GRIMSIIAWE. 159 " * Child you must have seen some woman like her pass the window, for you see nobody is here.' *' ' Yes, yes, Caroline's mammy is here, for there she stands on the top of the ladder ; and now she has gone into the chamber to see Cary,' was my answer. " My mother and her friends looked up, but n '■ one was there. It was still light, and my positive assertion troubled her. She ran up into the chamber and found the child in a troubled and unquiet sleep. She took her up in her arms and entered the other chamber, looked under the beds and in both the closets, thinking some strange woman had got into the house ; but no one was there. She had been at home all day on account of Caroline's indisposition. No one could have entered the house without her knowledge. 'How- ever, there was no accounting,' she said, 'for children ;' so after she and the good women had wondered a little the matter was forgotten. " A few days after this adventure she met an acquaintance who asked her * what she meant to do with her nurse-child now her mother was dead.' " She naturally required an explanation ; upon which he told her * he had seen the death of the widow in the newspaper,' who it seems had died of a fever on the road while on her way to Suffolk, m %' J !-ii Pi I! 160 HISTORY OF CAROLINE GRIMSHAWE. the same day on which I had seen her enter the chamber where her child was sleeping. "You see, Miss Jane," continued the poor blacksmith, " though I have seen a spirit, I do not remember it, nor can I guess why I alone saw that poor widow; but I can fancy that in passing away from the world on her journey to another, the soul of the poor mother might come to visit her orphan little one, to mourn over her who was to be robbed of everything but her undying love. Well she knew too that I was mortal fond of my pretty playfellow, which, perhaps, was the cause why she showed herself alone to me. But the child looked strange when my mother took her up, and her eyes stared as if she had seen a spirit, and she was kinder dull and heavy for some days after her mother's ghost had come to her bedside." "Well, Copping," asked my sister, "did Caro- line's brothers and sisters do justice to the little orphan ? " " No, Miss Jane, they disowned her altogether, as you shall hear; for first the farmer for whom' father worked, and then the clergyman, wrote to ask them what they ii ended to do with the child. They answered by post from Lincolnshire, impudent-like, denying aat their mother ever had had such a daughter, declaring that her age rendered tue statciucut incred Je. .-- .. ......^..J^Jl.^, VWE. enter the the poor t, I do not e saw that n passing > another, 3 to visit ' who was j^ing love, nd of my ;he cause But the took her I a spirit, )me days bedside." id Caro- he little together, r whom ivrote to ith the )lnshire, 3r ever lier age HISTORY OF CAROLINE GRIMSHAWE. 161 "My mother was advised to send Caroline to the' workhouse ; but that she vowed she never would do, since the child whom she had nourished at her own bosom and who had been to her as a daughter, should not be reared in such a place as that. Besides, her son Sam,' she added, ' was so fond of Caroline that it would break his little heart to part with her.* " She kept her word, and being too poor to put her nurse-child to school, sent her with me to that free school at Halesworth, where so many poor children have had a good education given them. "i learned a trade, or rather two, that of a tallow-chandler first, afterwards that of a black- smith ; and Caroline went to service. She has just lost her kind old mistress, and has come to nurse us both, bringing with her the legacy of ten pounds left her by that good friend, to help us at a pinch." My sister expressed her wonder that he had not married Caroline ; but he replied, « No, Miss Jane, I always thought that she was my sister, and my brotherl)' feelings never changed towards her, and, indeed, never could. My mistress * has often been surprised too ; but I should have thought it just as bad as marrying my own sister." * In Suffolk husbands always style their wives Mistress, and good wives call their partnera Master. 'i ii^^i^ i 162 HISTORY OF A POOR EMIGRANT. There is something very beautiful in the kind- ness of the poor for one another when it is found under circumstances so trying. What could be more generous than the conduct of the im- poverished mother of seven children in thus maintaining, educating, and clothing another child not at all relat, 1 to herself! What a contrast between this tender foster-motLer's treatment of the deserted orphan and the sordid, unnatural conduct of her own family ! Yet Caroline was a handsome, clever, well-mannered girl, who might have done honour to a higher station than that from which they had excluded her ! No doubt the law could have forced them to give up her por- tion ; but her only friend being a poor, unlettered woman she was unjustly robbed of her rights. Poor Caroline had the misfortune, I am told, to get a bad husband, in a Norwich weaver— a sad conclusion to her singular story. Copping was a good hand at his business, but the removal of a nobleman .s racing stud from Vie vUlage where he lived affected his humble for- tunes: several good hands were thrown out of employ, and amongst them our poor blacksmith. He jobbed about from place to place, and, re- luctantly enough, worked for Boniface B., a ccn- firmed infidel, who did all he could to turn away ;ant. in the kind- n it is found lat could be of the im- -en in thus mother child t a contrast ;reatment of 1, unnatural roline was a who might m than that ro doubt the ip her por- ', unlettered her rights. am told, to iver—a sad usiness, but id from t'ie tumble for- wn out of blacksmith. ), and, re- B., a cen- tum awav HISTORY OF A POOR EMIGJI/.NT. 163 One day between from the truth his poor, working hand the following curious dialogue took pi them. "As for religious people, I hate them," com- menced Boniface. "Now, Sam, there cannot be a better man than myself," remarked the repro- bate master to his wiser foreman. *' Do you know a better, pray 1" "Why yes, sir, I think I do know some a little better." " Why, Bor, * I always pays you your wages." " True, sir ; but then you know I should not work for you unless you did," was topping's shrewd rejoinder. "K I am not a good man I do not know what a good man is— Sam, can you say I am a bad man r " Sir, I dare not call you a good one. You get drunk very often, beat your poor wife, swoar, and never go to a place of worship, and drink, smoke, and fight the live-long Sabbath day." Bonny B. sneered as he made this taunting answer. "I am not an old Methodist, for that is worse than anything else : besides, if I choose to go to the devil my own way I have a right to do so if I like. However, Sam, as I said before, • Bor is used universally in common Suffolk parlance by the -OT-mg ctesus, ana i Delievo is tiie diminutive of neighbor. H- 164 HISTORY OF A POOR EMIGRANT. I always pays you your wages, and so I think I am a good man." Well, Copping's very virtuous master, in his own opinion, was soon ruined, and he found em- ployment with a worthy man some miles from home; but times were hard, and he was dis- charged when work was slack, and was forced to follow agricultural employments, and finally was set to labour on the roads. He came to my sister, and could not help weeping when he told her of his degradation. She advised him " to go to Canada," where his two trades, and some know- ledge of rural employments, would soon make him a rich man. She finally overcame the reluctance of his wife, gave him a letter of recommendation to me, and traced out his route by the help of my correspondence with my family. He sold off his furn^ure, took leave of my sister, with many tears, and found his way up the country to me. He had only one halfpenny in his pocket aiid a dying child in his arms when he reached me. His wife and little Sarah were, however, in good health, and I soon found a shelter for them, and was only too happy to assist a virtuous Suffolk man from my own neighbourhood : and I shall now be able to show the change effected by coming out to Canada, in the circumstances of an honest, worthy tANT. ) I think I ster, in his found em- miles from le was dis- was forced and finally ame to my len he told lim "to go some know- 1 make him reluctance imendation help of my sold oflF his many tears, > me. He .lid a dying His wife 3od health, id was only man from ow be able ing out to 3st, worthy HISTORY OF A POOR EMIGRANT. 165 creature, who would have worked industriously at his trade in the old country if, poor fellow, he could have found work to do. I will, therefore, describe the manner in which I settled my sister ,^me's protegS, when I found a good-hearted, in- dustrious man, always remembering in his pros- perity with deep gratitude the painful poverty from which it was my good fortune to rescue him. Fortunately for Copping, a friend of mine wanted a man and his wife for the remainder of the summer ; so that, at once, T was able to get both of them employment and the use of a small log-house, until such time as they could procure land and build one of their own. A few days after Copping was settled in his new abode, his youngest child and only boy sick- ened and died. He had been ailing all the voy- age, having been weakly from his birth. The poor father came to mc in great distress on the morning of the child's death, and with tears in his eyes told me he had no money to buy a coffin or provide for the funeral expenses. I told him not to be down-hearted ; for, as the child had been sickly so long, it was a merciful dispensation that the infant sufferer was taken from him. As for the interment, I assured him he need not trouble himself about that, as little 1 J h I .» t mmmmmm- 166 HISTOKY OF A POOR EMIGRANT. m% J'-H m 1 funeral expense was j-equired in the bush. We soon made a coiiin. On the following day our pre ^)a- ratioiis being completed, we carried the. child to the Peter!>(.fough grave-yard, followed by the sorrov;- ing omi.yTant and his surviving family ; and I buried him beside tlu; grave of my own first-born son, whom I had 1 .st thf) year belbre— a circum- stance that greatly cor'.^olad poor Copping. Soon after this eveat I applied for and ob- tained a lot of land of one hundred and twenty acres for him, on the same terms as the new colony of emigrants located in the township of Bummer ; that is, to pay to Government five sliillings an acre, to be paid in five years and actual settlement. His land was about two miles above mine, in the township of Douro, where our travels over our lots furnished us with a series of adventures ; more amusing to me and a friend, than to our poor Suffolk blacksmith, who had more good-nature than pluck, and who was igno- rant of the toils and hardships of exploring for land in the bush. Nothing can really be more bewildering than a lot of wild land covered with unfelled forests, so inaptly but usually termed, in Colonial language, the Bush. To examine ai ' penetrate a lot of two hundred or more acrts, '^u its original state, Xii. I 3RANT. le bush. We laj our pre Da- he child to the )y the sorrow- raily ; and I >wn first-born e — a circum- pping. for and ob- l and twenty as the new township of 3mment five 'e years and lut two miles 0, where our h a series of md a friend, th, who had ho was igno- xploring for sring than a d forests, so il language, ite a lot of iginal state, k^ niWORY rvc red with a buffalo robe ; and so, with a roaring fire in front, I feared neither frost, nor snow, nor rain. It was during my sojourn in this open hut that the following singular adventure befel me. Reader, did you ever see a ghost ? A tall spec- tral-looking figure, with large saucer eyes, glides before you ; and ere you summon courage to address it, vanishes from your astonished sight? vVell, Canada is no place for ghosts. The country is too new for such gentry. We have no fine, old, ruined castles, crumbling monastic walls, or ivy-clad I' V i NOCTURNAL VISITATION. 185 churches— no shelter here but the wild, wild wood. However, it was no ghost I saw, as you shall hear. I had occasion to send Rowlandson to Peter- borough for a supply of provisions and other necessaries ; but owing to the distance I did not expect him back till the next day. As I had frequently slept in the woods alone, I thought nothing of it. I had been busy shingle- making all day, and continued my occupation until late in the evening. The night was cold and frosty ; so I had built up a large fire in front of my camp, laid my shingle -tackle within reach, and I was soon fast asleep. How long I had slept I know not, when I was suddenly awakened by a sensation of something heavy scraping my breast ; and on looking up, what should I behold, but a hideous-looking crea- ture standing over me, with his two fore-paws resting on my breast, a long-flowing white beard, eyes which shone like coals of fire, and a pair of horns which would not have disgraced Old Nick himself ; and to tell the truth, my first impression was that the old gentleman had really paid me a visit. I had, however, no time for reflection — a stamp on the breast soon roused me to action. Seizing hold of the shingle- beetle, I dealt his majesty I '"■ 1 I, 'B, r 11 ft It IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) \.\J 1^ I.I Al llll|2^ 3.2 lli 140 ||M IM M 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 -^ 6" - » % V] 7 ^ .>^' V l^'' "^ /A Photographic Sciences Corporation s. jC» V S :\ v \ ^> '^ manner, ''pour famour de Dieu." VOL. II. I'i K ^1 i : ,1 fifv li'\ 194 JOURNEY FROM PETERBOROUGH. windings of the river the whole way from Peterborough to my place. The creeks were unbridged, and the swamps uncross-wayed. To travel on this beautiful road we had a carriage of a most unique description — one of my own manufacture. Rough as it was, it was the only vehicle that had any chance of going through without breaking down. The wheels were made of two rings, six inches thick, cut off the round trunk of an oak-tree about thirty inches in dia- meter. Three inch holes were bored in the cen- tre of these rings of oak for the axle-tree. A strong pole, twelve feet long, was morticed into the centre of the axle for the oxen to draw by, and a small box or rack built on the top of the axle-tree, to which it was fastened by some inch and a quarter oak-pins. The front of the rack was fastened with cord to the pole to hinder it tipping up. Our load consisted of a barrel of salt pork, a barrel of flour, a keg of whiskey, gro- ceries, &c. We left Peterborough about eleven o'clock, and for the first three miles we got on famously, for the road was tolerable, having been cut out and frequented for several years. But as soon as we got into the newly cut road, our troubles began. Every few minutes the axle would catch against HOSPITALITY. 195 the underbrush stumps which had been left insuf- ficjently cleared down. Then we had to stop and cut handspikes, and prize thewheel up high enough for the axle to slip over the obstruction. This annoyance would occur every few minutes ; and If we were so fortunate as to get along a few hun- dred yards without being brought up with a jerk by some stump or stone, we were sure to stick in a mudhole or swamp, instead. Then it was some- thmg to hear the shouting and roaring at the un- fortunate oxen, and yeo-hoing with our handspikes. In this manner we proceeded at a snaiPs pace Rowlandson driving the cattle, whilst William and I marched in the rear, each shouldering a hand- spike, ready for action. With all our exertion we were benighted within two miles of my clearing, and directly opposite the shanty of a Scotch gentleman, who had just commenced operations in th( msh. Of course we knew we should be welcome, for no one thinks of snutting his doors against benighted travellers m the Canadian bush. Accordingly we beat up I 's quarters. He made us extremely welcome, and gave us a hearty supper of pea-soup and shanty cake, and plenty • of hot toddy to cheer us after our day's toil. The little shanty was very much crowded with K 2 11 1] ill i (.1,1 1 : 1 , ! ^1 li ^1 '1 ti !'' 1^1 ^^1 \s ^^M ,1; ' [^1 ij : ' ^1 f 1 ,iB Irk ' ^ : ' r 1 '5 i '' 1 ,:j!| ' '' ' 1 t ti i ^^1 ^ , ; ^M ' i fln ^^1 m s^' ^^1 :li 'f 1 f.m l^^^l 1 If' t i^M ll'l' ^^H '^^H , ^H ■, t- 1 ''fl^l i' ■ i 1!^ ip^H i'^^^^l liM mi if ^^^^^1 tfljffij; liflH f JB(' ifl^^l » 1 S. !^ Ja ^^^^^^1 w ^wii' 1: ^^^H • ff f j^^^^l * Sl ' - li ' 1 ^^^^^1 ' 1' ■ '^^^^^1 ) fi i- I^^H 196 AN ACCIDENT. a I J: i M i \ the addition to its inmates made bj our party. Indeed, it was hard work for the little Scotch boy, Watty, to make room for the bed wo were to oc- cupy. Amongst otlier things which he had moved out of his way was a large iron pot of pea-soup which he had left on the floor near I — 's bed, who was then in the act of undressing. Now, whether it was owing to the darkness of the shanty, or the obfuscation of the whiskey- toddy, I will not pretend to say, but somehow or other poor I — popped his naked foot into the hot pea-soup. lie was naturally a good-natured man ; but the best-natured fellow in the world under such cir- cumstances would be very api to fly into a pas- sion and rattle out an oath or two, and our friend on this occasion was no exception to the general rule. Consequently, such a storm fell upon the head of the luckless Watty, as made me almost tremble for the poor lad's safety. What then was my astonishment to hear Watty say to his master, the moment he paused for want of breath, " Ae, mon, but ye '11 ken where you set your fut anither time." Watty looked so droll, and said this so coolly, that we all laughed heartily, in which I — him- self joined ; for after all he was more scared than hurt. The soup had been some time ofiF the fire, .ij our party. Scotch boy, NCYC to oc- had moved if pea-soup •'s bed, who iw, whether shantv, or , I will not r poor I — L-soup. m ; but the T such cir- into a pas- i our friend the general 1 upon the me almost at then was his master, reath, "Ae, t your fut is so coolly, h I — him- scared than off the fire, MY NEV; LOCATION. and, although it made his foot 197 Jei smart, and red- cin, it did not raise a blister. We started early in the morning, and succeeded after much difficulty, in bringing the load in safety to my house. Such are some of the trials of a bush life. But, after all, what are they compared tc bad health and a thousand other ills to which the flesh is heir? Besides, it gives me additional pleasure every time I drive my horses and buggy to Peter- borough, to remember that twenty years ago I could scarcely get through on foot, where now I ride and drive with comfort and safety. The spring of 1 832 was an early one for Canada. The snow was all off the ground before the first day of April ; and by the first of May the woods had put on " their summer livery of green." This was fortunate for me, because the dry fine weather enabled me to ^-t a spring-burn of five acres, which I logged ij in the usual way by a "bee." Part of the land so cleared, I planted with Indian corn and pumpkins, and the rest with potatoes, turnips, and garden stuff,— such as cabbages, car^ rots, onions, &c. As soon as my spring crops were in, I prepared to remove my family to their new abode. My wife had been recently confined with her third baby, so that I had been obliged to postpone her removal until she should be able ' ;■ ' :TI .Ji: 198 MY NEW LOCATION. to perform the journey on foot ; for the road, as yet, was too dangerous and rough either for riding or driving. My dear Mary had never yet seen my location. All she knew of it had been derived from my description, which I dare say I had drawn in very glowing colours, not sufficiently taking into con- sideration ihat the great charm of a new settle- ment to young men is the abundance of hunting, shooting, and fishing ; the latter alone of which women can enjoy. My location at this time had little attraction to ofier to the ardent admirer of natural beauties ; for as yet I bad not opened my clearing to the lake. Therefore the woods still shut out the beauties of the river, islands, and lake-scenery. Upwards of twenty acres, too, were as yet un- cleared, and lay piled in large masses, while the recently burnt fallow, with its blackened stumps and charred rampikes* did not contribute much * It used formerly to be a custom in the new settlements to leave uncut all trees which had lost their heads by the wind or from other causes, because they were not considered to injure the crop more than any other stump, and because they were very apt to be burnt down, especially if dry, thereby saving a great amount of labour. The chopper who contracts to clear land has a riglit to leave all such headless trees as he can throw his axe over. This custom is much abused, or else the axe-men are stronger in the arm than other people, for a stump forty feet high is not an un- common sight. Many of tlicpc unsiglitly ornaments arc sharpened by the fire — hence the name of rampike. ny location. 3d from my awn in very Qg into con- new settle- of hunting, e of which e attraction al beauties ; iring to the lut out the ake-scenery. as yet un- !S, while the ned stumps ibute much settlements to by the wind or ed to injure the jr were very apt a great amount ,d has a right to ixe over. This stronger in the fh is not an un- :s arc sharpened ARRIVAL On MY FAMILY. 1.9.9 to improve the landscape. I was, therefore, fear- ful my wife would be disappointed after the flourishing descriptions I had given of her new home. Whatever might have been her thoughts, she wisely kept them to herself; she praised everything I had done, and prepared at once to assist me in making the inside of our house as comfortable as possible, which our joint exertior- soon accom- plished. In the end of July, or the beginning of August of this year, my sister Catherine, then Mrs. Traill, now so well known as the author of that popular little work the "Backwoods of Canada," and her husband. Lieutenant Traill, emigrated to Canada West. My brother-in-law, William, came up late one evening from his father's house, a distance of eight miles, to tell me that she and her husband had just arrived in Peterborough. This was the first intelligence I had received of her marriage or emigration. Of course I was delighted at the thought of again seeing my sister, from whom I had been separated so many years ; and although I had never attempted the passage of the Otonabee in a bark canoe, so anxious was I to welcome her, that I determined to run the rapids a distance of ten miles by the i m 'i .1:1 id 200 RUN THE RAPIDS TO PETERBOROUGH. river. My readers may judge of the rapidity of the current and the heavy swells I had to en- counter, when I tell them that the fall in the river between my place and Peterborough, accord- ing to the Government survey,* amounted to one hundred and forty-seven feet. My brother-in- law having volunteered to go with me, I was not afraid to encounter the danger, although it was nearly dark when we started. We were both at that time totally unacquainted with the rapids and sunken rocks we had to encounter. The river was then very low, which made the undertaking doubly dangerous; yet, strange to say, we escaped without even injuring the bark of the canoe. Three times, however, we were obliged to go on shore and empty our canoe, which had half filled whilst running down some of the roughest chutes. I have often run the rapids since, both in canoes and upon rafts, and I have found it required a good knowledge of the river to escape the numerous rocks and shoals. How- ever, we providentially escaped all dangers, and arrived safely at Peterborough. My sister, who had only just recovered from a severe attack of Asiatic cholera, which had laid * This survey was undertaken during the administration of Sir John Colborne, by Messrs. Baird and Rubidge. listration of Sir RAVAGES OF THE CHOLERA. 201 her up at Montreal, had already retired for the night; but hearing my voice, she immediately dressed and came down to see me. I need hardly describe the joy of this meeting. Those only can fuly comprehend the feeling who haye been sepa- rated for years from those they loye. It was agreed that as soon as possible they should come up to my house, and reside with me until their own house was ready. Fortunately, they were enabled to purchase the lot next to mine, which had a yery pretty frontage on the lake. Their journey through the bush, and reception at my house haye already been described by my sister mher " Backwoods of Canada." That dreadful and mysterious disease the cholera, had already made fearful progress in the colony. At Montreal, three thousand of the in habitants perished out of a population of thirty thousand souls ; while in Quebec and Toronto nearly the same proportion died of this fell dis- ease. In the little town of Peterborough, at that time containing under five hundred inhabitants twenty-three deaths occurred. But only one case' happened in the township of Douro, which was cured, I believe, through my agency. Mr. Sand- lord, a merchant in Peterborough, had sent up a man to my farm to rake up ashes from the bottoms t?r'K ■i kii ' 202 A ROUGH CURE. m i of log-heaps I had just burnt for the purpose of making potash. This man's name was Robinson. His wife had died a few days before of cholera, with which circumstance I was then unacquainted. He came to me in the afternoon, and said, " Sir, I am sorry to inform you, but I believe I have symptoms of cholera," complaining, at the same time, of cramps in his fingers and great internal relaxation. I immediately gave him half a tumbler of raw brandy with forty drops of laudanum ; put him across the river upon the Smith Town road, and bade him. run for his life to Peterborough that he might get medical aid. I told him to persevere as long as he was able, for if he could promote a violent perspiration it would probably save him. He took my advice, and after running about two miles, the perspiration broke out, and the symptoms immediately abated. He, however, continued to run the whole distance, which exer- tion, aided by the brandy and laudanum, he con- fidently believed saved his life. It is a very curious fact that, although Douro escaped the cholera, a remote corner of the newly settled township of Dummer, immediately in the rear of the former township, was attacked, and eleven persons died from this fatal epidemic. The ORCHARDS. 203 I same circumstance occurred in the township of Otonabee, though not with quite such fatal results. This fall I was enabled to sow twenty acres of fall wheat, which I had all in the ground by the tenth day of September. My next year's chopping opened my farm so much that I was enabled to select a much better situation for a house, my present one being placed on a ridge of land ele- vated from thirty to forty feet above the river having a gentle slope towards the water's edge' I cleared the whole breadth of my land next the river and lake, which opened a pretty view from the house. One of the first things I did after I moved into my new house was to sow a bed in the garden with apple-pips. This was in 1833, and as soon as tne young stocks were large enough, I grafted them with the choicest fruit I could obtain-about one hundred-which I planted out the following year m an orchard to the south of my house A year or two afterwards, I planted a hundred and fatty trees m a second orchard, north of the house besides a great variety of plums and greengages.' Ihe last apple-trees I set out were seedlings • I waited until they bore fruit, and then selected hose trees I disapproved of, for grafting. By these means I have now two capital orchards I I'l i!S i 'i'l 204 ORCHARDS. which last year gave me upwards of a hun- dred bushels of as fine fruit as can be produced in the country, amongst which may be enume- rated the Ribstone pippin, Newtown pippin, Pear- main, Pomme-de-gris, Pomme-de-neige and many other sorts equally good. As for plums, bushels of them rot upon the ground in an abundant year. I should advise the emigrant, who becomes an agriculturist, to pay great attention to orchard planting, and, indeed, to devote a portion of his first-cleared fallow for that purpose. The trees should be planted in rows four square rods apart, so that, look at them whichever way you please, they will present a straight row. By this method you will be able to work the land well with the plough, which is essential to the well doing of your orchard. The young trees should be washed with hot- lime wash, or scrubbed with strong wood-ashlye, or soft-soap, every two or three years, which will prevent canker, and keep the bark bright and clean. Instead of clay for grafting, it is better to use a composition made of bee's-wax, rosin, and grease, put on hot with a brush. The farmer must remember, that whilst he is sleeping his trees are growing, and that, by paying proper attention ORCHARDS. 205 to his orchard, in a few jears he will have an abundance of fruit and cider, ^^•hich will not only pay him better than any other portion of his farm, but add greatly to its ornament. I do not know any thing that gives a greater air of comfort to a farm, than a well-loaded orchard. The American settlers, who know the benefit to be derived from a well-stocked and cultivated orchard, invariably plant one the first or second year, taking care to put a good fence round the trees, to protect them from the sheep and cattle. A Yankee could not do well without his "apple- sarce " or pumpkin-pie. The southern Irish would do well in this matter to take a lesson from brother Jonathan ; for they are, invariably, the last to plant orchards or gardens, or to erect comfortable dwellings, but content themselves for years in the rudest log- shanties, which a pig would almost disdain to live in. There can be no excuse for this : it shows a downright want of energy and proper pride, and I might add laziness. I do not, however, mean to say there are no exceptions, but a disregard to comfort and decency are the general character- istics of the lower orders of the southern Irish. During the administration of Sir John Colborne, I was appointed one of the new commissioners for ■i' '^ ^m^^ 11^ i I ' ! i /f i i! i 206 COURT OF REQUESTS. holding the Court of Requests for the township of Douro and Dummer, which I continued to hold until the court was abolished, and the Division Court instituted in its place. Under the old Court of Requests, a suit could not be instituted for any sum above ten pounds. The commissioners were generally appointed from the magistracy or from the most influential persons in the division. The new Division Court is presided over by a district judge, who must be a lawyer ; and a sum of ^.fty pounds can be sued and recovered in this court at the same cost as one of five shillings. This is a great boon to the inhabitants ; but it has almost ruined the fraternity of lawyers. Messrs. Traill, Thompson, and myself used to hold a court once a month for our division. The average number of cases did not exceed fifteen, and the amount sued for seldom exceeded two pounds upon each summons. The commissioners were entitled to one shilling each for every case decided by them. This court was in reality a Court of Equity : not being clogged by the techni- calities of the law, we gave our judgment accord- ing to the weight of evidence laid before us, with- out prejudice or partiality. If we had had a reporter, I dare say some of the cases heard in our court would have been to THE POOR SCOTCHWOMAN. 207 the full as entertaining as the far-famed Bow-street police reports. I will give one example. A poor old Scotchwoman was sued by a car- penter who had made her a spinning-wheel. The machinery, wheel, &c., being found by the defen- dant, all the carpenter had to do was to make the stool, and put the parts together so that it would spin. The plaintiff's bill was six shillings for making the defendant a spinning-wheel. " What objection have you against paying this account, Mrs. C ?" " Why you ken, your honours, it is no spinning- wheel— for it wunna spin:" here she produced the wheel, and challenged any of the women present to spin a thread if they could. Several tried their hands without success, therefore it was clearly proved to be no spinning-wheel. Whereupon, we gave our decision in favour of the defendant, to the great satisfaction of the court, and especially of our female spectators. ii. ^^lii 208 FALLING STARS. ^ I CHAPTER XIII. FALLING STARS. — AUllOnA BOREALIS. DAMAOE TO My HOUSE BY LIGHTNING. THE MISTAKE OF A YANKEE CARPENIBB. — A BEAST SAVED AND A JOKE SPOILT. I THINK it was on the 14th of November, 1833, that I witnessed one of the most splendid spec- tacles in the world. Mj wife awoke me between two and three o'clock in the morning to tell me that it lightened incessantly. I immediately arose and looked out of the window, when I was per- fectly dazzled by a brilliant display of falling stars. As this extraordinary phenomenon did not disappear, we dres'^'^d ourselves and went to the door, where we continued to watch the beau- tiful shower of fire till after daylight. These luminous bodies became visible in the zenith, taking the north-east in their descent. Few of them appeared to be less in size than a star of the first magnitude ; very many of them seemed larger than Venus. Two of them, in par- ticular, appeared half as large as the moon. I FALLING STARS. 209 should think, without exaggeration, that several hundreds of these beautiful stars were visible at the same time, all falling in the same direction, and leaving in their wake a long stream of fire.' This appearance continued without intermission from the time I got up until after sunrise. No description of mine can give an adequate idea of the magnificence of the scene, which I would not willingly have missed. This remarkable phenomenon occurred on a clear and frosty night, when the ground was covered with about an inch of snow. Various accounts appeared in the newspapers at the time, as to the origin of this starry shower. It was,' however, generally considered that it was not meteoric, since its -levation must have been far above our atmosphere; for these stars were visible on the same night all over the continents of North and South America. Besides, it is a well known fact that more or less of these luminous bodies have been seen on or about the 14th of Novem- ber, likewise on the 12th of August, provided the weather be clear, than at any other time. " ' Oh ! for an angel's mighty wing, To track thy radiant flight, Thon unexplain'd, mysterious thing, That glancest througli-the night. I ^1 i; i n ;u ] >. I "'"I ^ ill SIO AUHORA BOREALIS. " Traveller of paths to man viiiknown, Thtougli boundless fiehls t)i' air, Scwi' " marked l)y niurtnl eyes, ere gone, None knows, none gucbscth where. " Comet art thou ? or wandering star On thine appointed round i Or seraph in his shining car, On some liigh mission bound ? "Say, hast thou thine appointed place Amidst the starry train, VVhieh tliou dost through unbounded space, Press onward to obtain ? " Or wilt thou that unwearied course Through countless oges run, With fresh and unabated force, As when 'twas first begun ? " Met'.oi jt star, whate'er thou art, Our purblind race below May muse, and dream, and guess in part, But ne'er will fully know ! " Weak reason's powers could never reach To thy meridian height ; Nor science her disciples teach To calculate thy flight."* Among other celestial phenomena witnessed iu this country, T cannot pass ovex , ^? -.ace the splendid appearance of the Av-.n liui* ..lis, the most beautiful displays of which generally take place in the months of October and November. It * Agnes Strickland's " Historic Scenes." AURORA BOREy^MS. 211 is seldom seen during the very severe months, or during very severe weather; but any Aurora 1 ever witnessed in England will give but a faint idea of the grandeur and gorgeous appearance of ihi.s tr.^st magnificent of all electric pheno- me?'a. it generally makes its appearance about nine o'clock in the evening. The first indication is a dark cloud or vapour towards the north, a little above the horizon, which, rapidly increasing, forms a vast arch luminous on the upper edge. As soon as the arch has risen to a certain height, it appears to become stationary, and throws oflf the most splendid coruscations, which rise from the arch to the zenith, filling the northern half of the heavens with a glow of light. These golden streamers dance along with great rapidity, changing their form and colour instantaneov.sly, at times flicker- ing with a pale light, and anon assuming a golden hue, and the form of ranges of vast organ-pipes. I have seen some Auroras, where all the prismatic colours were most vividly and beautifully pour- trayed. The finest Aurora I ever beheld, occurred a few days before the rebellion broke out. The arch rose nearly to the zenith, and then broke up into detached masses of beautiful colours, amongst W) . 212 DAMAGE TO MY HOUSE BY LIGHTNING. 5- ^ } II which the most conspicuous were green, violet, and red. In a few minutes, streamers of a bright rose- colour radiated from the zenith in every direction, forming a most magnificent canopy. This gor- geous spectacle lasted for nearly three hours, and then gradually faded away. While I was contemplating this magnificent appearance, my servant, an old Wiltshire man, came up and said, — " Zur, doant you think that be a zine of war ? for, I do know, I ze'ed sumat lioke that when I war a boy, and the war did follow directly." I could not help laughing at Bill's belief that this was a supernatural sign of war and bloodshed. It was, however, curious enough that the rebellion in Upper Canada broke out a few days after this singular appearance in the heavens, to the great delight of old Bill, who had prophesied the event. Thunder-storms in Canada West are of frequent occurrence during the summer season, and are sometimes very violent. Those of the summers of 1837 and 1838 were particularly so. In the July of the latter year my house was struck by the electric fluid, which shattered the whole gable end. I had left a cross-cut saw leaning against the chimney in the garret, which saved the lives of my wife and several members of ray GHTNING. DAMAGE TO MY HOUSE BY LIGHTNING. 2J3 family, the lightning splitting the chimney till it came to the saw, which it took as a better con- ductor, knocking clown part of the parlour ceiling m Its passage to the earth. Afj little boy Arthur who was then a baby in his mother's arms was stunned by the explosion, and my eldest daugh- ter, who was reading in the open verandah, had her arm burnt ; while her cousin, sitting near her was burnt on the forehead. The house was filled with soot from the chimneys, and a great many stones were hurled down by the shock. The chains of a pair of scales hanging up in the store-room, were melted and broken into small pieces. Luckily, the saw caused the fluid to leave the chimney ; for. had it continued its course my wife, her aunt, and several of my children, who were near the fire-place at the time, must have been killed by the descent of the electric fluid My house was so shaken by this disaster, that 1 iound It was absolutely necessary either to be at the expense of a thorough repair, or to build a new one. After due consideration I preferred i^uilding my present house, which is of frame-work oil a stone foundation, being lathed and plastered "iside, and rough-cast without. The dimensions ot my new house were then thirty-eight feet by twenty-six, to which I afterwards added a win<^ -II IF I:. 'I ' CI I I )• > '~'H i ill i I 214 MISTAKE OF A YANKEE CARPENTER. forty feet by twenty. A verandah, nine feet wide, running along the front and one end, made the house cool and pleasant in summer. In very hot weather v\ e often dined and drank tea in the open verandah in order to enjoy the coolness of the air. During the time I was building my new house, a lady came up from Peterborough on a visit to my wife, and on that occasion she rode on a small black donkey, which she had brought wich her, a few months before, from Ireland. I had, working with me at this time, a Yankee carpenter who had never seen a donkey before. Soon after the creature had been turned out into the pasturage, I happened to be looking towards the field, when I saw the carpenter creeping along very cautiously, rifle in hand. Supposing that he saw either a bear or deer in the field, I snatched up my gun and ran down towards him. What, how- ever was my surprise, as I drew near, to see him raise his rifle and aim at the unfortunate donkey, when I called out to him, — " Hallo, what are you going to do ? you will kill that donkey ! " Luckily the poor beast was partly hidden by an angle of the fence and a quantity of raspberry- bushes, which had caused the man to reserve bis fire till he had got a better shot. A BEAST SAVED AND A JOKE LOST. 215 '' Donkej ! " he ejaculated, slowly lowering his rifle ; " wal, if that don't beat all nature, I do declare. I swar if I din't think 'twar a bear. If you han't sung out, I should have let go, that 's a fact. Wal, if ever I saw such a critter ! " He walked round the critter, as he called it, two or three times, examining the harmless beast with great admiration. Our poor friend would not have liked losing her donkey, whose long ears ought to have saved him from the tragical conse- quences of being taken for a bear. My interfe- rence saved her sable steed, and lost the Canadians a good joke, which they would have long enjoyed at brother Jonathan's expense. I i! I I 'Hi J 216 INCREASE OF BACK-SETTLEMENTS. CHAPTER XIV. RAPID INCUEASli: OF THE DACK-SETTLEMENTS. — DIVISION OF THK DISTRICT. — DESTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGE. COLONEL D — AND HIS REFRACTORY HUMAN STEED.— STRIKE FOR WHISKEY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIVER. THE POOR TEMPERANCE COLONEL COM- PELLED TO COME TO TERMS. PETERDOROUGH. — THE OTONAEKE RIVER. DESCRIPTION OF THE WESTERN OR P,ACK LAKES, — SAD FATE OF A CLERGYMAN. BEAUTY OF THE SCENERY. LOVE-SICK LAKE. INDIAN LOVER. — KATHARINE o'dONOHUE's DISDAIN — STONY LAKE AND ITS ENVIRONS. CLEAR LAKE. — PROGRESS OF PETERBOROUGH. 1;^ ri'i Our settlements in the back country, after the Irish emigration under the Hon. Peter Robinson, and the Wiltshire emigrants, located in the town- ship of Dummer, under the superintendance of Lieutenant Rub'ge, began to increase rapidly. Peterborough soon doubled its population : churches, mills, and taverns were erected, and two small steamers, the Pemedash and Northum- berland, plied daily on the waters of the Otonabee, between Rice Lake and Peterborough. It was soon found necessary, from the growing import- ance of the back country, to divide the district DIVISION OF THE DISTRICT. 217 Which had hitherto been known as the Newcastle district. When this division took place, the new district was called after our late excellent governor Sir John Colborne. To meet the wants of the new district, a court- house and jail were built on a fine rising ground overlooking the waters of the Otonabee and the town of Peterborough. Notliing can exceed the beauty of the situation, which commands an ex- tensive prospect on all sides. This edifice is built of stone, and cost upwards of eight thousand pounds, which speaks well for the prosperity of the district. y f j >. Numbers of small villages have arisen in the different townships, the principal of which are Lindsay m the township of Ops Keane, in Oto- nabee, Metcalfe in Emily, Norwood in Asphodel, and "Warsaw in Dummer. A town-plot has lately been surveyed, within lalf-a-mile of my house, to which the name of Lakefield has been given. As it is situated on one of the finest mill-powers on the Otonabee nver, at the head of the rapids, it may become a place of some importance, especially as a brid^re must ultimately be thrown across the river at J^iis place, to connect the townships of Smith and i^ouro. At present the town is only in its infancv VOL. ir. •^' • M IP :i»i:' it m 218 DESTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGE. consisting of a saw-will and a few scattered houses. Through the benevolence of my Christian friends in England, I have been able to collect as much money as I hope will build the walls of a church, sufficiently large to accommodate the Christian population of the settlement, which, I hope, will supply the spiritual wants of the village, and become a general blessing to the neighbourhood. Formerly, there used to be a bridge over the river at this spot, which was raised by public subscription. This was, however, unfortunately destroyed, some years ago, by a large raft of square timber, striking the abutments during an un- usually high spring-flood, which carried all be- fore it. Some years before this bridge was erected, Colonel B , a gentleman with whom the reader is already acquainted, having heard a great deal of the beauty and capability of this part of the country, and being offered a quantity of land very cheap by an old U. E. Loyalist, was induced by the proprietor to go with him to ex- amine the location. Colonel B , who was an old man and had a large family to provide for, thinking he might find something to suit them here, immediately consented to accompany the owner to view this terra incognita. COLONEL B— 's ADVENTURE. 219 Now, it happened that the proprietor, whose name was Bates, was a blacksmith bj trade and a great drinker by inclination : the colonel, on the contrary, was a strong advocate for temperance and temperance societies. As they had a long bush-road before them Bates proposed the expediency of carrying a pocket-pistol with them, to refresh them on the way. To this not unreasonable proposition the colonel would not listen, and the poor blacksmith bemg out of funds, was compelled to submit to his enforced abstinence, vowing, however, in his own mind, that he would take the change out of the colonel before he had done with him. They left Peterborough on horseback, and took the newly-cut out river-road, through the township of Smith, which they followed to its termination at John Nelson's clearing, within one mile of the alls at Lakefield, then known by the name of Nelson's Falls, where they left their horses, and proceeded on foot through the woods, by a path beaten by the settlers on their fishing excursions to the falls. On their arrival at the river, they found that here was no boat or canoe to be obtained, and they had no axe to make a raft, or any means of crossing, unless they could find a ford. This L 2 III Ih 'I 1 i 4 if 1 !| n 1 1 1 ||: 1 1 11 1 1 III' n 1 H 9 1 / r 1 ,/ i ■I i 1 220 COLONEL B — AND HIS they succeeded in discovering, half-a-mile further up the stream, at the commencement of the Nine Mile rapids. The river in this place is very wide, running swiftly over a bed of limestone, as level as a floor, being at low water not more than knee-deep. Here Bates proposed that they should cross by wading. The colonel, however, who had only just recovered from a violent attack of intermittent fever, durst not attempt the passage. The blacksmith then volunteered to carry him over on his back. The colonel demurred for some time, being afraid his steed would fall, or get tired, for the distance across was nearly two hundred yards, and he feared it would be too much for his strength. The blacksmith, however, overcame all the co- lonel's scruples, by declaring himself quite capable of conveying him over ; so he yielded, and Bates boldly commenced the passage with the colonel mounted on his back. All went on well till they reached the deepest part of the ford, when Bates began roguishly to complain of the colonel's weight, and the following dialogue ensued :— " I am afraid, your honour, I shall never be able to carry you over ; the current is so strong, and the water deepening at every step." REFRACTORY HUMAN STEED. 221 " For heaven's sake, don't put me down/' ex- claimed the colonel ; "if I get wet it" will prove my death." " It is quite impossible, sir, to go any further," coolly remarked Bates, purposely stumbling, to the great consternation of the colonel. " Oh, my good fellow, pray mind your footing, or we shall both be down. Cannot you turn round, and go back ?" coaxingly urged the rider to his refractory steed. "I guess not, mister: if I attempt to turn, I shall be swept off my feet by the current, and you would get a taste of the drink to a cer- tainty," rejoined the human horse, adding, "If you han't been so tarnal stiff about the grog, I should have felt as strong as a lion, and could have swum with ye like a duck." " My good fellow, if you will only get me safe across, I will give you anything in reason." " Well, colonel, if you will solemnly promise to treat to a gallon of whiskey on our return to Peterborough, I '11 do my best to put you safe across and back again," quoth the steed, with a knowmg grin, as he turned his head over his shoulder, to observe how his rider took his broad nmt. The colonel groaned. h;:( i:i 'f\ , :i) ■■ I iirf""" nivp mmm PIMV I u i» -i 222 STRIKE FOR WHISKEY. " It 's against my principles to give whiskey, you know." " And it 's equally against mine to go on with- out," replied the incorrigible toper. " Come, you had better be smart, for you are main heavy, and I am afraid I shall drop you :" — here he gave another lurch. " Hold on," said the colonel. " I will agree to give you the whiskey ; " for uad as a restiff steed might be on land, he considered such an animal far worse in the water. " On your honour, colonel V " On my honour, Mr. Bateos !" The steed, who had thus struck for wages in the midst of the swift-flowing Otonabee, as soon as the necessary preliminaries were settled, be- came tractable, and bore his terrified rider safely to the shore. On their return to Peterborough, the colonel honourably paid his debt, to the great satisfaction of Bates, who used often to tell the story as a good joke against my friend. Some time after- wards he sold the land for a very small sum, to the Hon. Zacheus Burnham, the present pro- prietor, who has laid out the town-plot of Lake- field on the adjoining lot, which property has now become very valuable. PETERBOROUGH. 223 The navigation of the upper lakes commences here, interrupted only by a few short portages. Since it may be interesting to my readers, I shall attempt a short description of this chain of lakes, and the resources of the country through -whicli they flow. Peterborough is situated at the foi,. of the first j-apids which interrupt the navigation of the Oto- nabee river. Its future jize and prosperity de- pend not so much on the immediate surrounding country, as upon the timber, mineral, and agricul- tural resources of the valley of the Otonabee, which is as yet only partially settled. The Oto- nabee takes its rise out of a small lake, the Indian name of which is Kaskquashibioh. This lake is on the dividing ridge between the waters flowing eastward into the Ottowa, westward into the Huron and Simcoe, and southward into Lake Ontario. Per the first hundred miles from its source to Balsam Lake, it flows through an unsurveyed country. Little, therefore, is known of the quality of the land, or its mineral productions, except what can be gathered from the report of Indian traders, who seldom or ever leave the course of the river. From diligent inquiry among these people, and from the report of a friend of mine who had been many miles above Balsam Lake on iM..; ; 224 THE OTONABEE RIVER. i a trapping expedition, I understand that tine groves of red and white pine are abundant, and that some tracts of good land are to be found near Gull and Lune Lakes. It is generally believed that mineral wealth abounds in this district. I have seen some fine specimens of silver and copper ore, said to have been found in this part of the country. TJie river enters the surveyed lands between the townships of Sommerville and Bexley, lying on either side of Balsam Lake, a fine sheet of water abounding in fish. The lands of these townships are not generally good, though some portions of them might be settled : there is how- ever, a great deal of valuable timber which will be available in a few years. Bexley is the small- est and most remote township in the County of Peterborough. Following the course of the lake downwards, the next township on the western shore is Fenelon, the land of which, in the imme- diate vicinity of the lake, is of an indiflferent quality, with the exception of South Bay. This township, however, is considered tolerably good, and these parts of it are well settled. Near the east shore of Balsam Lake there is a large island containing upwards of a thousand acres, which is the site of a small Indian village of the Missis- THE WESTERN, OR BACK-LAKES. 225 sauga tribe. Tlio Indians do not, however, appear to like their location, for many liavc deserted it for the more prosperous villages of Chemong and Rice Lake. From the head of Balsam Lake to the foot of Kawchewahnoonk Lake, a distance of upwards of eighty miles, the river spreads into a surface, form, ing a number of beautiful lakes, varying from one mile to six in breadth, connected together by narrow straits, called portages, the principal of which arc Cameron or Fenelon Falls between Cameron and Sturgeon Lakes, Bobcadgeon be- tween Sturgeon and Pigeon Lakes, Buckhorn and Deer Bay Rapids and the Burleigh Falls. These lakes, or expansions of the Otanabee, water the townships of Verulam, Harvey, Ennismore, Smith, Burleigh, Methuen, Duramer and Douro. The land of several of these townships is of excellent quality, and all are rich in timber and building- stone. Those townships lying on the granite range, viz., Methuen, Burleigh, Harvey, and Sommerville, are known to contain iron ore : fine specimens of copper, silver, and plumbago have also been found. Little of these latter townships is known ; for, with the exception of the settlement on Sandy Lake, in the township of Harvey, which I alluded to in a former chapter, no emigrant has as yet h 6 iJi. Kf) •!■» i r>' 226 THE WESTERN, OR BACK-LAKES. ventured to locate himself in these, comparatively speaking, unknown regions. This, however, will soon cease to be the case ; for already the lumbermen, the hardy pioneers of the more remote townships, are making prepara- tions to commence the work of destruction upon the noble pine forests of Burleigh and Methuen, Messrs. Gilmour and Co. having purchased large tracts of these lands from government solely for the sake of the timber. In another year the sound of three hundred axes will waken the slumber- ing echoes of the rocky glen and wood-crowned height, where the foot of the white man never trod before. The first portage, as I before mentioned, occurs between Cameron and Sturgeon Lakes. The river, which is here about eighty yards in width, IS precipitated over a lime-stone rock, nearly in the form of a horse-shoe, twenty-six feet in height. Before the construction of the locks and dam at Bobcadgeon, it was said that a person could walk across the river behind the curtain of the falls. Raising the water has destroyed this curious and natural bridge, and taken some feet from the per- pendicular height of the falls. That enterprising and much esteemed gentle- man, James Wallis, Esq., of Peterborough, laid out SAD FATE OP A CLERGYMAN. 227 a village, and built grist and saw-mills at this beautiful and romantic spot, where a small church of the Establishment has also been erected, princi- pally owing to the exertions of Messrs. Wallis, Langton, and Dansford, aided by a number of old country gentlemen, settled along the beautiful shores of Sturgeon Lake. The sad fate of their first minister, the Rev Fiddler, threw a sad gloom over the settlement. It appears that the reverend gentleman with two other persons, were endeavouring to bring a large boat into the mill-race above the falls, when from bad management and the height of the river at the time, they missed the mouth of the race, and were precipitated over a dam six feet in height, and then over the main fall into the raging abyss below, where their boat was dashed to pieces, and all three perished. Sturgeon Lake is a fine sheet of water twelve or thirteen miles in length. Its name is not de- rived from the quantity of fish of that species it contains— for it has none— but from a supposed resemblance in form to the sturgeon. The river Scugog empties its waters into this lake and several minor streams. The land is of an ave- rage quality : the shores are pretty, and rise gra- dually from the water's edge to a considerable i if ! iH ■■ i ! i I ; ''1 228 THE WESTERN, OR BACK-LAKES. elevation. This section of the country is at pre- sent but thinly settled. A narrow strait connects Sturgeon with Pigeon Lake. On an island between these lakes, a dam and locks have been constructed at a con- siderable cost; but like several other govern- ment jobs of the same kind, they have been badly planned and worse executed. As a proof of this, I need only mention that in excavating the canal and lock at Bobcadgeon Rapids, the best of building-stone was thrown on one side, and the lock built of timber; and it is so ill-constructed that the gates will neither open nor shut, consequently it is useless to the public. The best constructed lock and dam in the county is that at Whitlow's Rapids, a mile below Peter- borough. But though no fault can be found with the workmanship and material, yet the entrance to the lock is planned so badly, that during high water even steamers run the greatest risk of be- ing swept over the dam by the force of the cur- rent, a misfortune that actually occurred twice to the Forester steamboat, which on the last occa- sion sustained considerable damage. Pigeon Lake is a considerable expanse of water, though less picturesque than any other of the chain. The small township of Ennismore, chiefly THE WESTERN, OR BACK-LAKES. 229 settled by southern Irish, located by the late Hon. Peter Robinson, lies to the south, and the unin- habited township of Harvey on the north. I say uninhabited township ; for there are at present only two families residing in it, one at Buckhorn Mills, and the other near Sandy Lake, about five miles apart. This township abounds in valuable groves of piue timber, and, judging from the face of the country, is no doubt rich in mineral wealth. The shores of Pigeon Lake are for the most part swampy, especially at the mouth of Pigeon Creek. The drowned land has been caused mostly by the construction of the Government dam at Buckhorn Rapids, which has flooded some thou- sand acres of the low lands, on the borders of the lake. Buckhorn Lake is a mere continuation of Mud or Chemong Lake, being one of the prongs— as the Indians say of the horn — Deer Bay being the opposite one. The populous and excellent town- ship of Smith forms a long peninsula between the waters of Chemong Lake and the river Otonabee. The Buckhorn saw mills and the Government dam are constructed nearly in the centre of the Buckhorn Lake, where the waters are suddenly contracted within rocky banks scarcely a hundred paces from shore to shore. Over this spot an Hi iit 230 BEAUTY OF THE SCENERY. excellent bridge has been built, connecting the townships of Harve/ and Smith. The Govern- ment dam at this place raises the water of Upper Buckhorn, Chemong and Pigeon Lakes to the lock at Bobcadgeon sufficiently for the purposes of navigation. Below the Buckhorn mills the real beauty of this chain of lakes begins. Rapids, waterfalls, islands, rocky promontories and many other fine features make them and Stony Lake the resort of the lovers of the picturesque, and picnic parties in these localities are very frequent. Lower Buckhorn, Deer Bay, and Love-sick Lake resemble each other in scenery. In fact, for several miles the limestone and granite forma-' tions range side by side, as clearly defined as if a line were drawn to separate them. To the right bold clifis of limestone rise, hav- ing their summits crowned with hard-wood and pine, which lift their umbrageous heads, tree above tree, in almost endless succession. To the left, rough pinnacles of moss-covered granite are seen above the pine-covered heights. The surface of the lake is thickly dotted with islands of red granite, some of which are bare red rock mixed with veins of pure quartz, with here and there a red cedar growing in their deep fissures. Others BEAUTY OF THE SCENERY. 231 again are richly clothed to their summits with oak, pine, and maple. In the autumn the scene is varied by the pro- spect of fine fields of wild rice, over which clouds of wild fowl are continually hovering. The en- trance of Deer Bay, a fine sheet of clear water, is about a mile in width, where it joins Buckhom Lake, from which it is separated merely by a range of small rocky islands, some of which are well-wooded, whilst others are bare. On either side the entrance of Deer Bay, a bold promontory stands boldly out into the waters of the Buckhorn. These promontories are beautifully adorned with various descriptions of timber from the water's edge. Cliffs, nearly three hundred feet in almost perpendicular height, fairly encircle Deer Bay, excepting at the upper end, where a small stream enters the lake. This precipitous range of lime- stone continues on the right shore to a short portage called the Deer Bay Rapid, when the limestone formation ceases, and is superseded by granite. The foot of the upper promontory at the en- trance of Deer Bay is the favourite camping- ground of the various hunting and fishing part'ss who, every fall, resort to these beautiful lakes to enjoy a few days' good sport, or to roam at will li •■ m distinc'ly visible in the wild glare caused by tk - Caroline," as she rushed into the thunderiM abyss below. * The Battle of Lundy's Lane. + " The Indian name signifies tlic thunder of waters : it is nui pronounced in the manner we are accustomed to, but dm- O-ni-au-gea-rah."— Sir F. Head. LANE. ide, no other al- of desperation. , the remaining 1 agonizing form. environs of the try engagement * re mingled with vast magnificent Le was one of the sr witnessed, to 3sults must have ugh fortunately } of war. Those inating the coun- , over which tLe greatest powers of ribe the scene ni The night was in- nding object was ire caused by tk the thunderiiis tider of waters : it is no; iistomed to, but ihui- VISIT TO THE FALLS OP NIAGARA. 255 Many accidents have occurred by canoes and boats having been carried past the mouth of the river Welland-or Chippewa Creek, as it is more commonly called. This river empties its waters into the Niagara river, at the village of Chippewa about one mile and a half above the Great Horse- shoe Fall. A few hundred yards below the en- hance to the Chippewa Creek, the waters of the Niagara river attain a fearful velocity, which con- tinually increases as it approaches the dreadful gu It. At first it runs smoothly buc swiftly, till gathering strength and meeting rocks and in- equalities^ in the bottom, it breaks into cascades and foaming waves, leaping and contending to- gether in wild and indescribable confusion. The descent between the first rufile caused by the rapids and the Great Fall is upwards of 70 feet From the upper point of Goat Island nothing can be grander than the scene, for from thence the spectator beholds the whole mass of the descend- ing waters, rushing downwards in full career against the rocky island, upon which he is stationed with seeming force enough to drive islands and rocks into the boiling gulf below. Small is the chance of escape for the crew of any bark unfor- unate enough to pass the friendly harbour of the Welland, few ever escaping the certain death - iR IN'fi , I >. 356 GALLANT CONDUCT OF YOUNG BURNHAM awaiting them at the termination of their awful voyage. It was near this spot that an incident of most exciting and overpowering interest took place last year. Just below the harbour of the Welland, a small boat was lying moored in apparent security, when two little boys, animated by the adventurous spirit, not uncommon in creatures of their age and sex, unmoored the skiff, and getting into her launched away, awake only to the enjoyment of their voyage, and utterly unconscious of their peril. An instant previously, these infants had been seen by their mother sporting on the shore. She looked for them again, but they were gone — were hurrying to the rapids. Her cry thrilled every ear, but her wild impulse was checked; stronger arras than hers retained her firmly, and stopped the despairing effort of mater- nal love, which prompted her to save her chil- dren or perish with them. Her screams vibrated many a manly heart, but the endeavour seemed too utterly hopeless even for pity to attempt or courage to achieve. One young gallant breast was more compassionate, or more brave. He believed that the innocent, unconscious children could be rescued. His humanity nerved his will, but he knew that, unless he could find minds noble and AND HIS COMPANIONS. 257 generous as his own, the eflFort he meditated must be made in vain. He asked for companions in his darmg voyage, and he found them in two youths, hke himself scarcely out of childhood, who ran with him to the shore, and, unm. ring another boat, embarked together on the wild waters, and rowed with desperate strength to overtake the children before they reached the rapids. God who had inspired the noble impulse, was with the generous three, -they gained the other boat, and as It rushed forward to destruction caught the mfants and left the skiff to its fate. But'though their first object was attained, Lhey had yet to accomplish what no mortal hand had then achieved -they had to turn the bow of the boat in an oblique direction, and ascend the mighty current, which they must effect, or lose their own lives as well as those of the children whom they had just rescued from destruction. We may imagine the cool, energetic cour-itge of Burnham and his gallant mates, and how tlieir efforts were w.-tched by numerous spectators from the shore, and by her eyes who had seen with wild matenial hopes and fears her children taken into the boat, and how. while all despaired, the heart of a mother hoped and prayed, and believed that God would yet save the frail ark which contained her tr< ire,' 4 i, i}.ij I h IP -' m ll: t It i ! i 1,1 I: i ; K 1 ' ^ j 'k i ^ hfi 258 GALLANT CONDUCT. their generous preservers. He did hear them.—He nerved the arms of the young rowers, and well and skilfully they stemmed the current, and made the shore, bringing back the infant fugitives to the sacred sanctuary of a mother's arms. What are the blood-stained laurels of the greatest con- queror the world ever saw,— whai, his achieve- ments, to the holy victory won over the rushing waters by these noble young victors in the cau.se of humanity ! I am sorry that I cannot remember the names of Burnham's companions. His own was familiar to me from my having formerly known his father during my residence at Goderich, and I am happy to record this touching memorial of his brave and heroic son. Nature has her own order of nobility, and this gallant trio, of which young Burnham was the leader, hold a high place in her ranks. Among the annals of the sublime frontier of British North America, many interesting facts may be quoted— many gallant actions recited; but none of which a Briton may be so justly proud as the heroic enterprise I have just cited with genuine national pride. .^'11 * u REBELLION OF 1837. ear them. — He >wers, and well rent, and made nt fugitives to 3 arms. What e greatest con- l his achievo- !r the rushing" 3 in the cau,se Der the names 1 was familiar >wn his father d I am happy of his brave own order of which joung ligh place in le frontier of ;ing facts may recited; but stiy proud as with genuine 259 CHAPTER XVI. ..-r.rr -.r ^«37._„,,„cn to Peterborough. ~ the I HAD been a resident in Douro about five years when an event of vast importance in the history' of Canada occurred, which threatened the dis- memberment of the colony from the parent coun- try, and involved the immersion of both Provinces m anarchy and civil war. For .everal years preceding the rebellion of 1837-8, the country had been agitated by the in- flammatory speeches and writings of William Lyon Mackenzie and his political coadjutors. Little l^anger, however, was apprehended either from them or their writings, especially by the loyal inbhtants of the counties of Northumberland and Peterborough, who were completely taken ^>y surprise on hearing that a body of rebels »» -i 260 REBELLION OF 18,'' /. '•m m ' i M'i ," % headed bj William Lyon Mackenzie, were ac tually in arms and on tho'r mprch to invent To ronto. The fall of 1 S37 wa.^ the mcct open season I ever remember in Canada ; as a proof of which I may mention, that on the 4th of Lecember .>f that year, I was workiog iu my orchard, guiding a yoke of oxen, and holding the plough my .,*:'; for fear the young, trees should be injured, A snop^-storm came on that evening about four o'clock, but I continued to work till dark in spite oftiie snow, for I was anxious to finish the job be- fore the ground closed. I was just unyoking ray oxen, when a near neighbour of mine, Mr. James Caddy, the son of* the late Colonel Caddy, of the Royal Artillery, came up to me with a printed paper, which he placed in my hands, informing me, at the same time, of the out-break of the rebellion, and that all the volunteers who could be mustered must march for Toronto as early as possible in the morning, under the command of Captain Cowel, formerly of the 1st Eoyals. The paper, indeed, contained the proclamation of Sir Francis Bond Head, calling upon the loyal militia of Upper Ca- nada to assist him in putting down the rebellion. Having made an arrangement with young Caddy to meet me at ten o'clock the same ^^ ening, I com- menced immediately my preparal . .^ for the cam- !!< * nzie, were ac It to invest To oi't open season proof of which if Lecember wf ;hard. guiding a agh vajs^if, for red. ling about four 1 dark in spite lish the job be- b unyoking my ine, ]\Ir. James Caddy, of the ith a printed , informing me, : the rebellion, d be mustered possible in the /aptain Cowel, paper, indeed, Francis Bond of Upper Ca- he rebellion. I young Caddy ening, Icom- - lor the cam- REBELLION OF 1837. 261 paign, by cleaning up my double-barrelled gun and running a quantity of balls. I had little time for taking leave of my family before my young friend made his appearance, similarly equipped • and m spite of the snow-storm and lateness of the hour, we instantly began our journey to Pe- terborough on foot, only halting at my father-in- law's house for a few hours' rest. The next morning, accompanied by my brother- m-law and several other gentlemen who had joined us during the night, we attended the rendezvous and enrolled ourselves in the band of Pete-bo rough Volunteers. At this very time I held the commission of a lieutenant in the 2d Regiment of Durham Militia; but as the distance prevented me from joining them at once, I thought it best in the meantime to march with the volu^^ teers. At eleven o'clock a.m., everything being in readiness, we got the order to march, which was received with the most enthusiastic cheering, both by the volunteers and the inhabitants, who es- corted us out of town, bidding us "God speed in the good cause." Thus, within twenty-four hours from the reception of the Governor's proclama- tion did a fine body of nearly four hundred well- armed and well equipped volunteers, leave Peter- l ! '? ;■ i- 1 ■A -y- M Wii 'I [ill 262 REBELLION OF 1837. || ' m ill , ';'*l I' borough to assist in putting down rebellion, and upholding the cause of legality and order. The loyal lAIilitia of Canada West, I fear, would have been less active, could they ever have ima- gined that the Eebels they were then called upon to put down, would, at the close of the Rebellion, have been compensated for the losses they had themselves occasioned. That the men who had disgraced themselves by the murder of the gallant Moodie, Hume, Wear, and Usher, were not only to be allowed to return to the country they had out- raged and invaded, but to receive honour and emolument at the expense of the really loyal in- habitants,— the true bulwarks of the British Crown —was a turn of policy which it is not easy to appreciate. Who, indeed, would have supposed, that the devoted loyalists of Upper Canada n^ere to be trampled under foot for the sake of conciliating in-".dors and anarchists— men who have no real sympathy for anything truly British— who are only quiet as long as it suits their purpose ; and who will,most probably, upon the first op- portunity agitate for annexation to the United States of America ? At Port Hope we were joined by the 2d batta- lion of the Northumberland Militia, under the REBELLION or 1837. £63 oommanJ „f Colonel M'Doanell, and the 4th N„r- humberiancl, under Colonel Brown : these two battalions left Peterborough the day after the vo- lunteers, ff e found seveml other bands of loyal '* f"""^y »«^^°"'k'l i» Port Hope, which swelled our little army to upwards of a thousand men Many and contradictory had been the reports w ich reached us-every hour brought different mtelligenee. The first news was, that Toronto was burnt and the loyalists in full retreat ; that seven lliousand "patriots," a. they styled themselves were assembled at the Eush Hill to intercept the -Mihtia marching to the relief of Toronto ; and various reports of the same kind, which only served to mflame the ardour of our little band, wlio were anxious for the coming fray. Judge, then, of our astonishment when our Colonel received a des- patch, accompanied by a proclamation from Go vcnior Head, informing us of the action at Mont-" gomejy's IW-Gallows-hill. as it is general *-and the dispersion of therebels;Lnking 2'\ 'he sr^me time, for our loyalty and devo- rCilir"""^ us to return to our homes Of course, the news of the dispei^ion of the *o^ was received with great cheering along the >">«' l.ne; thou;,!, tie well-deserved epithet of ;fm It'll h 2Gt REBELLION OF 1837. ii* i\ " Cowardly rascals," was freely bestowed upon Mac- kenzie's rabble army by men who wished to fight, yet found their services were no longer required. On our return to Peterborough the volunteers were again m request, and received orders to march to the rear townships of Ops and Mariposa, to intimidate the disaffected in those townships, and intercept seme of the rebel leaders who, it was supposed, had e&.^aped in that direction. The country was found perfectly quiet, and the volun- teers once more returned to the comforts of their homes. On ]\^ack( nzie's occupation of Vwy Island, every colonel of a Militia regiment was ordered to send up to head-quarters a draft of men, in order to form a number of incorporated bat- talions for active service. The men required were to be drafted by ballot, unless sufficient volunteers offered their services. The 4th I^urthumberland regiment, under the command of Colonel Brown, voluntereed almost to a man. Abou!. three hindred and fifty of the youngest and most able-bodied v^ere selected, a number consider- lily more than the quota required, I had ju ecoived my commission as a captain in this M tia iment ; consequently I bad the command of forty-five fine felh. s from my own 26.') REBELLION OF 1837. townslip of Douro. The distance frem Peter- oroush to Toronto b, the road i, something 1 wng to the opennes. of the weather; indeed there was no sleighing till the beginning of Feb- ruary a cireumstance almost unprecedented in a ana , an w.nter. Our march to Toronto oeeupied Z^f- •'"""S wh,ch nothing material occurred wth the exception of our taking charge of a few »s, dohvered US by the magist;tes, all of "torn we safely lodged in Toronto jail, m the -.«e ot three weeks the greater part of our men volunteered into the Queen's Own! one of the J W battalions, under the command o , ' "' '^'"S^"""' "''» I again returned home UW.S soon after appointed to a commission i^ e 7th 1 ,s,onal battalion, which was stationed ^ Pe erborougb, and in which I continued to serve for ,a months, until the battalion was dis- Imdcd in May, 1839. The chief grievances complained of by Mac on.e and his adherent, were, the dominaL of the famdy compact, the dorgy reserves, and the bad -nagementin l.e land.g,.nting department _ besides a long list of petty grievances. That reform was much needed there can be little doubt ; but " ° """ " ''""S '0 warrant open rebellion. Few 'I r W VOL. n. s 26G REBELLION OF 1837. ! ^ < I ^1: I t' I); countries on the face of the earth had less to com- plain of than the Canadas — no tithes, no poor- law, no game-licenses, and a mere nominal tax for a county-rate, half of which was expended on roads and bridges, to the great benefit of the country. In the townships the inhabitants had the privi- lege of nominating their town-clerk, collectors, assessors, and road-surveyors, or path-masters. The reformers were not contented with this state of things. Nothing less would satisfy them than universal suffrage, vote by ballot, and a responsible Government. Sir Francis Bond Head has been much blamed by some for his withdrawal of the troops from Toronto in the very face of rebellion. In answer to this charge, he says " he felt perfectly satisfied that he could depend on the loyalty and courage of the Militia," and in this, at least, he was not disappointed. It must be owned, however, that had Mac- kenzie marched at once boldly against Toronto, before the arrival of the Militia, the consequence might have been much more serious. I must refer my readers to Sir Francis Bond Head's account of the rebellion for his opinion, and the reasons upon which it was grounded. It is not my intention J, II HEDELIION OP 1837. ffff to enter into any history of the rebellion which '■"f '''''fy ''~» ably handled by t ,"' b 1 vgilanee r«ronto eventually owed her preserve Kiclard I(. Bonnycastlc, Koyal Enrincers and , f """^''.'"stoncal information on the war in aWent,tled..CanadaasitW...Is,anlM:; paied'thiL""' '?f "" "" P-P"-''.-'' passed the House of Assembly. It is very j. S ! V ''™"™''^"f"'^™''''l''^'k- tt 1 "™ ""*"" '" ^■^'^> -<= -"polled general tra.n.ng, wh.eh all men from sixteen to jHym^.^ateen,onthetwenty.ei,hthd:;rf »'':u^S:er"lr:;^:T/-^-'^^^ Pnfn«u , P" -^'^ "le county of Petoborough. the 2nd and 4th fcthumberfand were un.ted, and ealled the Peterborongh regiment ^ireiTd' ir"" '""""™^'-'' "''^ » ■ !f ™«>««"'"- spars, >s squared by gangs of lumbermen in the woodsy Now, rt is a well known fact, that to square a sfck of p,ne timber, especially if it be at all tapenng, a very large proportion of the clear stuff «t of necessity be hewn off. Forproof of this Ineedonlyadduceafactwhich every saw-miller ° Canada ,s well aware of; namely, that in white «■■ 1 Pi i'i ; (i: 1 h ^\\ i 278 LUMBER-TRA^E. nl pine, the clearest stuff and freest from knots, is that part of the timber which joins the sap-wood. In a saw-mill, the best boards are those cut on the catsides of the log, while reducing it to the square. On a saw-log, twelve feet long and three feet in diameter, at least ten good clear boards, averaging sixteen feet each, will be obtained, which, by the present system, is blocked off and left in the woods. But this c;ilculation is under the mark ; because the square timber got out for exportation is generally in very long lengths, and as the pine-tree tapers consi- derubly, the butt-end of the tree must nearly double the diameter of the top ; so that it fol- lows, as a matter of course, that to reduce tlie tree to the same sqi.are, the whole length of the stick, nearly one-fourth of the timber and that the most valuable part— is left in the forest. To obviate this difficulty, I would propose to hew the timber octagonally, instead of squaring it, as heretofore, merely cutting off the sap-wood ; bj which means a great saving of both timber and labour would be effected. Nearly all the best pine has disappeared from the settled parts of the country — at least, all within a reasonable distance of water-communi- cation. Every year the lumbermen must pene- • ;4 LUMBER-TRADE. £79 trate further back to obtain the necessary supplies for exportation. As no other country but Oregon can ever compete with Canada in the article of wlute.p.ne timber, and as that country is so far distant from England, Canada as yet nee,' . no competition from that quarter. ' As th.. ,s an mcreasmg demand for sawn lumber of this de- scry,t.on in the United States' market, white-pine will most probably maintain a price sufficiently .igh to warrant the lumberman penetrating into he innermost recesses of the n.ost distant Cana- dian forests. It is very different, however, with the red or Wy pine of Canada, the alteration of the duties m England having almost destroyed our commerce in that article. I give in a note below- a comparative statement of the export of lumber Exi'o HTS OF TiMUEK FUOA, CaNADA, I,V Sea, Fao.v 1845 TO 1851, «'liite Pine, feet . Red Pine, lOak, Elm, Ash, Birch, do. lio. (Jo. do. do. Staves, Standard M ! ^3- Puncheon M "0. Barrel . "tals, Pine, pieces Uo. Spruce, do. famarac, feet . Lathwood, cords ." 18.51. 15228120 1850 13040520 3588840 1110240 ia2(i(i40 4/280 180290 12()5 2792 10" 2207086 (iU277| 3(i60l) 4423 1621920 4076600 1128320 1413600 66600 134120 1324 2495 114 2282390 6I88HII 146M00 3432 107096^0 4863.',liiil 87904ll|' 117l7liO 596 -fO 92360 II63I 1.-21 ir,a 2485010 361881 125468 3849 962664") 446iH»0 ltl06U8» 139I52II 91040 10836o| 'i Canada is at present in a sort of intermediate state. In the remote settlements where there are few towns, and those very distant, the back- woodsman must still practise a variety of trades which even money cannot procure, unless a store or general shop be at least within twenty or thirty miles. In the neighbourhood of towns some necessaries can, as in England, be purchased with the proceeds of the settler's industry. Individual labour in the infant state of the co- lony was the usual order of things in Canada ; for the towns of the western province were so remote, that a distant and dangerous journey had fre- quently to be accomplished before a man could have a pair of shoes made or mended for him. When we consider the roughness of the roads, or the necessity of traversing the trackless forest, we may be sure that if a man met with an accident to his shoes he must, in such a state of things, either mend them himself or go barefoot. Ne- cessity is said to be the mother of invention ; and the industrious officer who, having become a back- woodsman, determined to learn the art of cob- bling, feeling sure he should be no worse for the acquirement, and that his shoes would be a great deal better, was not wanting in wisdom. He pur- chased the necessary tools and materials, and soon DOMESTIC MANUPACTUIIKS, »89 became so cport as a »«,&,. that after a tin,c he was ,„sp,rod with the laudable ambitionTf «*^ a pair of shoes. l.o,v it is a eertain L that .f a gentleman or My choose to learn any |necl,an,cal art, the, become reall,„oroe"rt than less educated persons, because the, exerc 1 he. reasoning powers upon that point, Lbr; h m to bear upon ,t with a certain force, origit ton of their will to meet an existing necessity eiog pei-haps, the first and most laborious"^ to which the rest is trifling in comparison. 1 haye seen gentlemen who had seryed their untry honourably in the army or nayy makin ' their own and their children's shoes, o''anS -ft after the labours of the day were oyer, oot »g contested and eyen cheerful, while p^'etisLg a trade seemingly so at variance with 'heir birth -d edncation In many cases, the .athertf te family makes for himself and his boys, while lady manufactures those won, by hers If and daughters ; or the women make the tops and ;» he binding. Howeye, he is a poor backwoods. mn who cannot make his own boots and shoes ; m Canada an oflicer must do more than turn y„r" """ " Pruniug-hook-he must occa- k 11 !■ . ■ ! « r ;: ! '1 l.i: '^'■1, ! 290 DOMESTIC MANUFACTURKS. sionally change it into an awl. Fortunately for him, he is considered not only none the worse for doing so, but a great deal the better ; and, it is a certain fact, that he is always better oflf. As our population increases, a division of labour must take place ; for the exorbitant price of things must then be lowered, and it will be more for our interest to purchase necessaries, than to manufac- ture them for ourselves. If my readers recall the celebrated reply of Dr. Franklin, when examined before the House of Commons, to this question,— " What will the Americans do for cloth for their coats if tliey separate themselves from the mother-country 1" they may form some idea of the manner in which young colonies ought to provide for their own wants, by theii* individual industry. " What must they do V was his reply : " wear their old coats, till they can learn how to make cloth for new ones.'' In that answer the future independence of his cr)untry might have been clearly seen. British North America had not then learned those arts in which Canada is by no neans deficient. Well, in Canada we do not wear our shoes in holes till we can learn to mend them, or obtain them at an extravagant price from the distant store, or from Old England : we prefer making new I, DOMESTIC MANUFACTUMS. JJ, VV love the dear mother-eountry ; but we are «ot The Canadmn settler must, i„ fact, supply him «>If by h,s own productive industr; Z^Z - orts. and not a few actual necLr Is Z ho excse laws are unknown in the Canadas such .nd.spe„sable articles as soap, candles, ads" are usually made at home. ™ sugar Every farmer kills his own beef. pork, and mut- ton; consequently the materials, both for Tap and candles, are at hand, ready to be apldT her proper uses. The rough tallow H^l^a .to cakes, and afterwards run into mould of different size, for candles : grease, lyo, a.d tsin produce good soap, at a cost of littll iaboura" at no other expens... The ladies of the family genemllyrehevethegentl nen of thiswork, which UBual y f^ls to their share of the household duS really believe that many genteel familt : England would supply themselves with these ex ^nsiveand indispensable articles, if the exciseman Jssronr,'^-"---™- It is quite essential thatthe wives .nd daughters of th Canadian agriculturist should rival the fair Penelope i„ spinning, and even exceed her-l JrlLl 2 292 DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES. indeed they ought— for tlie Grecian lady spun with a distaff, and had never known the superior aid of the modern spinning-wheel, much less the great- wheel, or big-wheel, as our American neighbours call the Irish importation, to which they have added the improvement of the patent head, which enables our fair Canadian spinsters to produce a finer thread, and make a greater quantity of yarn in any given time, than they could do previous to the introduction of Brother Jonathan's patent big- wheel. So many home-comforts depend upon this ancient branch of feminine industry, which the use of the spinning-jenny has almost entirely super- seded in the raother-country, that in Canada, the single ladies are, literally speaking, all spinsters : in fact if they were not, their fathers and brothers would often display Shakspeare's " ravelled sleeve of care." As this is an important part of domestic economy, it maybe useful to describe the manage- ment of the wool before it is fit for the dear girls' industrious hands. As soon as the sheep are sheared, the wool must be picked and greased : after this, it is sent to the carding mill to be carded — an operation which costs twopence per pound. I^WESTIC MANUFACTUHES. 293 but?.?"' f "" '"^"'^^^^■"'^ "»■>» at home • It is now ready T T " "^""^ *' ' """■ fivenenJr '"^'"■' "''° charges from hvepence to sixpence per yard for his work • manv farmers, however h^v^ I 1. ""'".many houses. ''• """^ '■»<'-'»»'« in their own For winter wear, both warp and weft nf .1, ;ative cloths are of woo, bu'trrtldlS - — use, the warp is cotton. C:^ D ■»"«' be i'ent to tile fullmff-m U wlipm if .« • • 7 i- ° ""ii, wuere it receives if.s mm ^et,o„, unless it is „f,,eryfine,ualityi'wrirh «.t must be sheared and pressed. wm by the settlers of the Western province is a ;o^. 2™. serviceable fabric, costiiaboutV: live shillings per yard, Halifax currency » ^, - mm fOIIl-pciicc haji- t^i 1! 294 DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES. The dye-stuffs in general use are indigo, log- wood, red-wood, and copperas, and the bark of the butter-nut tree. The soil of Canada is capable of growing both hemp and flax of good quality ; but the produce has not been yet applied for the manufacture of fine linen cloths. Some settlers grow both these plants for furnishing them with bags, sacks, and ropes ; but, as the population of the colony in- creases, these neglected articles will, no doubt, not only be extensively cultivated, but form a valuable branch of commerce. The manufacture of maple sugar contributes so largely to the comforts of the Canadian settler, that I shall devote a whole chapter to the descrip- tion of our sugar-tree, and the manner of convert- ing its sap into molasses or sugar. Our wives, daughters, and sisters, besides spin- ning yarn for our garments, provide us with warm stockings, socks, gloves, Guernsey frocks, and com- forters, of their own knitting, and furnish us, iu their leisure time, with many useful and ornamen- tal articles. They provide us, too, with carpets of a strong, useful kind, the best of which are made of yarn of penny. In payment of store-debts the merchant generally allows five dollars. DOMESTIC MAN0FACTUEE3. 295 their own spinning and dyeing, whibt others are ects odd pieces of rag or cloth, cuts them into ong stnps, joins and forms them into large b^ for the weaver, who malces nse of a warp mtde of strong twine: the material on the baurf!™ th weft m mannfactnring the carpet. The lad" call tbs article a nig^arpet. and it serves the pn pose very well till it can be replaced by a good yarn one. ' ° Among the home productions of Canada th. counterpane, or quat, holds a conspicutu pi no so much m regard to its actual usefulnesa; to the species of frolic 'yclept a Quilting-bee in which young gentlemen take their places with 'tl^e Queen-bees, whose labours they aid by thread ng the needles, whUe cheering their spirits by talking nonsense. ^ <*ia.xug The quilts are generally made of patchwork and the quilting, with down or wool, is doneTn*' mme.Someofthegentlemena,.no;merdr:e 2-e occasions, but make ver, good assist ts under the superintendence of the Queen-bees. The quiltmg bee usually concludes with a regular H! ""'''■ ^'"^ y^-S P^'-P'e have a df ^ totr."'™- ^"^-"pp-. the youth;:; visitors sing or guess charades. Mirth, good I llltl 296 DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES. m 4 "if , Hi '.f 1 «!' f^^ l^ J humour, and pleasant company, generally abound at these quilting-bees, which are not liable to the serious objections which may be made against other bees in Canada. If several gentlemen receive an invitation to tea, they may be assured that their services are required at a quiltiug-bee, which often is followed by courtship and matrimony : indeed it is one of the methods taken by the Canadian Cupid to ensnare hearts and provide work for Hymen. The ladies sometimes call a bee for paring apples for tarts and sauce for winter use. This important business (at least the?/ choose to con- sider it so) takes place soon after the fruit has been gathe/ed in. The apples are peeled, cored, and strung up from the ceilings of the attics to dry. When they are wanted for pies, puddings and tarts, they are boiled with sugar, and prove very good for those purposes. Some home-made preserves are prepared at small cost by the following process :— Plums, raspberries, and strawberries are boiled with a small quantity of sugar, and spread, about half an inch thick, on sheets of paper, to dry in the sun. This will be accomplished in a few days; after which the papers are rolled up, tied, and hung up in a dry place for use. When wanted DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES. oy; me.t.c manufactures, as prizes have been awarded at the annual provineial show for everv species of otrr*;- «-'-p»«ouLu: : Tves r "i™"'""' """''■ -^P^'«. Pre- serves, soap, candles, susar knittM J;e,fIanneUoToro;t„,C:trr i cne jear. Very proud and haDDv arP honour of a pnze on these occasions. Our ad greatly increased by these exhibitions- for the ;^^Oodblessthe»Urenat,™i,ya;i: ' least, old Chaucer has declared— nlv",'T'' *"' "^P'""^' ""'"'1^ "^e conti- proud of her admirable daughters ! 298 SUGAR-MAPLE. Jil: CHAPTER XVIII. SUGAR-MAPLE. CANADIAN SUGAR. — METHOD OF BOILING MAPLE- SAP INTO SUGAR. A SERIES OF SWEET DISASTERS LED ON IIY PRINCE. NON-VIGILANCE OF A SUGAR-SENTINEL. — COW-PILFER- KRS. — DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES TO THE THIEVES, WHO ARE SAVED BY AN OPERATION.— SUGAR-EATING BEE. — MAPLE-VINEGAR. — BIRCH VINEGAR AND BEER. & ■: I W>'4 r I ii tei; ' ! Among the domestic manufactures of Canada, one of the most important to the settler is the art of making sugar from the maple-tree, Acer saccharinum. Almost every agriculturist an- nually manufactures more or less of this luxury in the spring. Now, supposing each family to make one hundred pounds of sugar on an average, which I believe to be under the quantity manu- factured, the number of pounds produced must be immense. Besides the article of sugar, molasses, of an excellent quality, is produced later in the season, and vinegar in abundance. The commencement of sugar-making depends altogether on the season. I have known sugar made in February, March, and April : as a general SUGAR-MAPLE SUGAR. 999 TOi'Il « + • »ed,son. Later m the vear it We.t. "tt I rr" 'J"^"'^' '" Canada '0 hinder the cattle from drinH„„ ,1, ' UDsptUn^ fi. ariukmg the sap and upaeteng the sap-troughs, which they are very apU» 00. to the great annoyance o/the .2^ The boiling place shonld be as near as possible cuf i ev ; ''""' ■"' ^"■'^ "^ -- ^"ould oe cut m everj direction. susIlT"'""'^ '""^ ''^*''« «'-^ i^ to pend the,r sugar-boUers over the fire from a "»ck pole, by means of iron chains: this is a bad 1 I SUGAR-MAPLE SUGAB. plan, and subject to many inconveniences. The best method is to build the sugar-kettles into an arch, either in the open air, or in a shanty built for the purpose. A store-trough should be made from the trunk of a white pine, capable of holding from fifty to one hundred pails of sap, which must be placed conveniently for the boilers, who must also be provided with as many empty barrels as can be mustered ; for during a copious run, it is often di(!icult to find a sufficiency of vessels to hold the sap. In a good season, from eight to twelve hundred pounds of sugar and molasses can be made from a bush containing five hundred troughs. The troughs should be made of pine, black ash, cherry, or butter-nut, and capable of holding from three to four gallons each. No sap-wood should be left on the bottom of the trough, or it will soon rot; and care should be taken as soon as the sugar season is over, to set the troughs up ou their ends, against the north side of the tree, which preserves them from being cracked by the sun in summer, or buried too deep in the snow in winter. If {as of course) the farmer wishes to preserve his sugar bush, the best method is to tap with an inch and quarter auger, and use round spiles, hol- f\^' SUGAR-MAPLE SUGAR. g^^ with his clearing ' i„ . i • 7 ■'^ interfere «ee.,^^.po.e„„t>.e„o«h4L^.r:: "Why so? "I inquired. tree on the zunny zide; bec.se you zee zJT -Poruubestonthe.„n.,Jeof:; :!''^ -'eek., but a. soon as a very minute black I: ij ■I I 1 1 302 SUGAR-MAPLE SUGAR. Ukt,^' • "i It ^' 1 I fly is seen gathering in clusters about the sap- troughs, you may be sure the season is nearly at an end. The most expeditious way of collecting the sap, and bringing it to the boiling place, is to drive through the roads with an ox-sled, on which is securely fastened a large barrel or puncheon, in the bung-hole of which is inserted a wooden tun- dish, large enough to hold a pail of sap. A piece of sheet-iron, punched full of holes, is fixed in the centre of the tun-dish, to prevent leaves and coarse dirt, or sticks, from getting into the barrel. As soon as the vessel is full of sap, it is driven to the boiling place, and emptied into the store-trough. The fires are now lighted, and the procc^ss of evaporation commences by keeping the kettles constantly boiling, night and day, until a quantity of sap is boiled down into a thin molasses, suflS- cient to make a batch of gar. The molasses must be put into a deep wooden vessel, and allowed to cool and settle. The liquor is then carefully poured into a copper boiler, taking care not to disturb the sediment at the bottom of the vessel. The next operation is to clear the molasses from the earthy particles and other impurities contained in the sap. Various clarifiers are made use of for this purpose. I consider eggs the best, and if eggs SUOAR-MAPLE SUGAR. 303 cannot be obtained, milk will answer very well for a subst tuto • six pwq ^.^ n^ - "^ ^^^ ^^^ pounds of s„ga;°'''''''""'""""°»'-^fy«% no eggs should be beaten np „ith about a "Oiler and stirred well whilp ih^ t- - M tt "''- ^'"^ "'"'"™' ""« "'•«- l-egl boil, the crane must be swune off tt,! « ^ , surface skimmed carefull! if , ■■'' ""^ ""= -CO., an, imp„ JS bf ^^.T"'^"' las^s wm look brigbt'and dear! ' "' '"'' """■ Great attention must no»v be nai,) i„, *i. Mer. He must not tevehll 5 "'^'"■" totfi« ^ ^ ^^® Station at thp unless watched ,vith the greatest care ^' common way of a.,certaining this is to t.J °'" " '^g-shaped bubble, if the sugar is r; I 1 nil u 11. sot SUOAR-MAI'LE HUOAR. '■I* h ' I sufficiently boiled. Soinu j)ersous merely cirop a little of the liot moia-^ses on a lump of snow. If it hardens when cool, it is enough. It is then made into cakes by pouring into tin pans or moulds, which conjpletes the operation. My readers must not suppose from this de- scription, that sugar making is a light and pleasur- able employment. On the contrary, it is one of the most laborious occupations, whilst it lasts, that falls to the lot of the settler to perform. In the first place, the troughs have all to be cleaned and set, tlie trees tapped and spiled, wood cut and split for the fires, the sap collected, strained, and boiled down into syrup, and the syrup clarified and boiled into sugar ; and when this is happily accomplished, and you are congratulating yourself on the possession of a fine batch of sugar, and are about to take it off the fire, perhaps it suddenly boils over, or is upset, or some other accident happens, which deprives you of the fruits of your last three or four days' labour. The first time I attempted to make MTir was during my residence ul Darlington. I set bravr'' to work, and made forty very nice sugar troughs, tapped my trees and had the pleasure of seeing a splendid flow of sap. My troughs were not long 'v filling, and I was prepared to collect their SUGAR-MAPLE SUGAR. gQg -l-t t,„,e before, „ero now scarocl/w- I "T;^"''"'"e "'«' couU be the caic 1' :'^''^:7, '."«-•'""- -0 to ,,ee !,;„;; .^-.,.ofb::;ra:;:rJzr b cause the grain of the wood i.s too open il when wo n,ake troughs out of ba..-wo„d%eaS Durn them ns de wl.;r.i, • '*i>vci_)s remedies the ev but "n^f'""' ""''""' to use bas..w„od i'f " u l " " ""' ""'"' ---Htwii?i^r;:~;:^«^^^^^^ under then,: I did nl at his , ' 7""' ^'' "^ss, tnow what I c u,d , ! T' "' ""^ '"'^'■ --oi,ingo.r;:ri:;:i;:oSt «.nall pile f fat /'" ""^ '" ^"«'«''<'- P'ece ot fat baccn by a string from the 306 SUGAR-MAPLE SUGAR. '[I I"* bale of the kettle, an incli or two below the rim, this being supposed to hinder the liquor from boiling over." To a certain extent, it does cer- tainly prevent this misfortune, but not altogether. I have since adopted a much cleaner and much surer method, which I can recommend to the notice of all Canadian sugar-boilers. A barrel filled with sap should be placed in an upright position on a platform elevated above the boilers. A small brass cock (o'' rooster, as the Yankees call it) should be fixed into the lower part of the barrel under which a narrow slip of board hollowed out in the centre should be sus- pended, the lower end of this miniature trough resting on the rim of the boiler. The cock can then be turned to regulate the supply of cold sap, the smallest run being sufficient to check the liquor from boiling over, though not enough to put it off the boil. Tlio great evaporation going on prevents the kettle from filling up by the con- tinual supply of cold sap. In hopes of benefiting the rising generation of emigrant sugar-boilers, I have been tempted to digress from the story of my first attempt at sugar-making. No schoolboy ever watched a pot of treacle during its transformation into toffij, with greater interest than I did the conversion of the bright PEINCE'S MISADVENTURE. go? amber-coloured molasse. before me into sugar My youngest brother-in-law, a lad of fonrter cntical penod when it is difficult to know if the sugar .s boiled enough tograin properly. He was ^ great a novice in the art as myself, but he was r """"'^ '" ''^'''' ""^ P™P™ty of tasting- the sweet stuff, as he called it_as the surest -t odonietermining the question. It a;pr to be a much more difficult thing to decide upon a final decision, until at least a pound of the pr^ious liquid had evaporated, no' by steam but by he less scientilic process of tasting. A length 1 was pronounced sufficiently boiled, and was duly transferred from the biler int the moulds when I had the satisfaction of finding i grain beautifully. I placed the two tin-difhe ntaining the iirst fruits of my ingenuity, on the snow t cool, and went with my brother-in-law the farther end of the bush for sap to re-fill the boilers While we were thus engaged, we were alarmed by a loud bellow, and, on looking m the direction of the boilers, were horrified at be olding our bull. Prince, running off, with his tail in the air, and followed, in his mad career, by several other head of cattle. I knew snmeth^n. I i II ( I* 308 SUCCEEDING MISFORTUNES. «! ] I 'It \ was the matter, and, on hastening to the boilers, I found the rascally bull had popped his head into one of my tins of hot sugar, the heat of which had so astonished his weak nerves, that he made off with the best part of a pound of the liquid sticking round his muzzle, to his un- lucky gain, and my infinite mortification and anger. Misfortunes never come singly ; and so it was with me in this instance; for I was, soon after Prince's tragical exit, busily engaged filling up the boilers, when I heard a sudden shout, but before I could turn round to see what was the matter, found myself knocked down by the top of a small tree, boilers and all. Luckily for me, the thick pole from which the kettles were sus- pended, took off the force of the blow. My brother-in-law had chopped down a small birch-tree for fire-wood, and it had fallen in a contrary direction to what he expected ; and, although I was not much hurt — the top twigs alone having struck me— yet, at the same time it must be admitted, that I was most severely birched. Although my initiation into the sweet mysteries of sugar-making and molasses was not unattended with misfortune, I rapidly acquired the art, and CARELESS SUGAR SEt^TWEL. 309 can now manufacture as Rood an «h- i settler in the country. ^""'' "^ ''V Some years after mv first essav wi,. boiling establishment wasl! u , "^ '"="- I found it neces.a^ t . """* '"S"'- ««ie, the kettles n,r "" "" "'S'" """^ "rive «.eraes, m consequence of the larm „ l^t'on of sap from two good r„ns TT"' worked hard all rlnv f " /""'• ^^'e had much san Zl ^' '^ '""' ^"'^'^ -iown as C " Polds o/'™'' " ?"" ""^^ -P-rds of and drowsy ty o^nf da/tm '^'f^' fere were three of „s to 7.1 . ^''^' "' drew lots to see 2o 1 ! ^^ '"™^- ^' watch of t„ u ^°"'''' '''■^e the first watch of wo hours, which, unluckily for n,e! the pronripfor nf +1, , , ,. "'"Z ^o^ me, as ^ P'^'^°^ of the establishment, fe]I u^on S'rixrerr:."^"^'- office of sugar.sen^J^X;r?™™ »lf then stretched ourselvrhtr . "^'■ the fire, and were soon losTn a . '""" ^"'"' fulness. Howlon^weLr ^'"="^8 fo^get- «eofsomnoi: ii:::''---^ from my nan bv n «, ' ^""S "wakened my nap by a strong smell of burning which «Pon jumpmg up, I fou^j t„ f^^""- ^h' three large suirar lr„tn ,.• , P™""**" from the 'ge sugar-ltettles, which were liteniw ,.„j H every particle of sugar being litl!, { to a cinder Anrf „i, ^ "terally burnt ■ ^"'^ "''ere was the euard;.o„ „<■ ,.„ '-Ki ('I I ll:»1 fii|||( '^'i|« 310 COW-PILFERERS. - i • fi kettles? "Why, fast asleep in the camp, and totally unconscious of the misfortune his mis- timed and faithless nap had occasioned. At another time I lost nearly the same quan- tity by three of my own cows breaking into the bush while we were at home for dinner. I had poured a large quantity of molasses into some vessels to cool, preparatory to mixing the eggs for clarifying the sugar. The beasts drank up every drop, which caused them to swell so much that they would certainly have died from the effects of their intemperance if I had not performed a sur- gical operation upon each of the animals by making an incision through the skin into the stomach, and inserting a small tube into the ori- fice, which relieved the pressure, and saved the lives of my cows. These are some of the troubles connected with the manufacture of maple-sugar, many of which can, of course, be obviated by carefulness and experience. Besides the trouble arising from four-footed depredators, you are apt to receive manifold visits from young ladies and children, who, of course, only come to see the process ; but who, somehow or another never make their appearance during the first part of the operation, but wait patiently until the sap is transformed into a more melli- 311 VINEGAR AND BEER. ^j^ fluous substance, when ^nnn^o .• - in great mJZ.'^TCT'J''''' - part, to „., ,0 ,,,„,, J^™- °f P.c- tity of fresh Jimp fi. "" '^'^^^ ^"^n- It is, however Zh f^ '""^'"^ "'^ ""''ity- the latteri; „f I" ""! ''"^'^"'^ '» -"/e runs ot sap into molasses or vinesar .east,.::x%.rf;rr:rrj-"- when full should be set in ..J ^^''^^ ^p-of,iassovL^:rer::hrr7,.r of a gallon of whiskey to fl, t ,' "'*'^'*""' P-'Hestren^tSlX?"""™^"^- , ,,™P '"«'' "akes eapital beer, whieh i., both wholesome and pleasant to the ta^te S Peopeadd essence of spruce or gin™*7 tn excellent vinegar and beer. The flow nf K:iie"iif r '"^ -^'--^» twelve to flft . ' frequently known from twelve to^fifteen gallons taken from a large tre! 312 GREAT WANTS OF CANADA. 'U CHAPTER XIX. THB THREE GREAT WANTS OF CANADA. HINTS FOR THE EDUCA- TION OF F,MIGRANTS. BACHELOR WANTS. Canada, in her present state, exhibits three great wants for the supply of which she must look to the mother-country. She requires popu- lation, pastors, and school-masters. The first of these requirements would benefit Great Britain in a very extensive manner. We ask her for her superfluous thousands, to whom she ofiiers the miserable home of the workhouse, while we profier comfort, independence, and a cheerful old age. We do not want the idle, the over-educated, the sickly. We want men, women, and children, of hardy and industrious habits, who finding work slack at home, resolve to emulate the ants and bees, by leaving the parent hill or hive, for a land where their united industry will furnish them abundantly with the necessaries of life, and enable them to sit by their own chimney-corner 313 EDUCATION OF EMIGRANTS. to enjoy, i„ their peaceful oIJ airo tl,„ i Wtheirtoi. We founded in ri:^^ The expense of passage-money, and thl T <;»ada. But this rootedtv! : ZT' ™' '" the ancient characterishV .7 ^ "^ ""* who swept the :ttti ^r^^-P'^' after nillimna. fi, i. ^ ^^^^s, and E^..an?^;tattrotrT"'-^'" itself in succeeding gel^ii: T'"^'^ '^^^ habits may be J "Z '"'''''''' ^' unrefiective bodv ,„? , J'"''^"'''-'' ''"' "» c.-foTisranSr-tttr'^"' ten., then. M them that a few m nth -T" ^e in another land wii, ease thelTtheS of care that now oppresses them. Remind 2 ' ™ey nave not, like the eniiffrant m^u ™n, or the wife of an' ofBcer of tLr , unlearn a life. *" ^"""•<'«' to How docs nature herself teach us the neces sity of removal ? The vnnn„ „ . the first ve,r „c .u ^ ^ "" ^'^ Provided mLs t . '"■ """^'"^"^ '^^i^tence with VOL. a '" ''"'"" *""' *° -"ove for P I iW 314 EDUCATION OF EMIGRANTS. 1- J' i *: li ' .► from the parent nest. These wings fall off after the infant colony is founded, — a curious fact in natural history, illustrative of that admirable eco- nomy by which animated nature is ruled and governed. The ants, having once migrated, have no more need of wings, the possession of which would make them injurious to man and beast ; for the stings of these insects in the winged state cause an intensity of pain, which would ren- der them worse neighbours than in their wingless state they could possibly have become. The bee throws off her annual swarms, and sometimes — perhaps always — with a battle. It is possible that the young insects do not like to quit the hive or hollow tree where they have been fed and nurtured. Yet parental foresight com- pels them to migrate to other trees and hives, not only for want of room, but because they must seek for honey in other fields. These unknown fields to the bee, with her confined vision, are the Canadas, Australias, and New Zealands of our world. The insect colonisers have all received from God himself, if I may presume to say so, a fixed educationary system in their admirable and uner- ring instinct. They know how to build, to collect material for building, and to procure food. For li 315 EDUCATION OP EMIGRANTS lesson, atern enough T f L , ?"'"'"" " ^ with an e.«cat J. J:XSi:r;" for emigration to a colony. ^^ It is a good thing to make the children of f>, unwise and injurious, for they were nnf *wing, house-work, washinrjr '^ "^■ ".ilibg and every hrZhJ^^"^' '°°'^"«' ^^--o chief oSrofirxf""'" system for the girls. educat.onary I- towns and cities educate the infant pauper ill !■ 2 if .316 EDUCATION OP EMIGRANTS. \'y I i.. -li.-i j)opulation for emigration. I grieve to use the word " pauper" ; but I wish to fix the attention of the reader on the lowest state of poverty under which orphan infancy can dawn. We want carpenters, coopers, hand-loom weavers, shoe- makers, masons, tailors, blacksmiths, in fact, ar- tisans of every kind. Workhouses, and ragged- schools in cities ought to supply us with these instructed in the arts we need. Possessed ol such a useful education, aided by the len^-ning of which the benevolence of the present day is lavish of bestowing, each industrious honest lad would in a few years possess a little freehold farm of his own. In the country, every house of industry should have a piece of land for spade husbandry, and a small farm for more extensive agricultural em- ployment, in order to make her rising male popu- lation acquainted with every branch of cultivation, management of stock, &c. The country girl, besides her spinning, knitting, and sewing, would learn the healthy and useful arts of milking, churning, and cheese-making, in addition to housework and plain cooking. With these acquirements she would be a treasure in a colony, and we would promise her, in a few years, cows ind a dairy of her own. EDUCATION OF EMIonANTS. 3,7 spinning, HitL,. si J.^ 'r'-'""' '''''"^^' cooking, would' /nd 1 '1 r"° ""' "'""' coloBy. Thon J,„. omplojmoiit in the opportu„it,a,„„e has left her ig..::"'" "=""■"' ™ates with a view ZZt^C u'"""" siooX^eVrthr^ ^"^^ -^ --i^- b.- taken of^he?ei:/::7• '™""'^" *eir wa, up the u ; g:?'* "'*' "" s:7:ir^^^°5;re;::;- a^irthT;;:^^'^'^-^^™ Regular depots should be formo.! ,•« . . - Montreal, Q„elee, K gZ Tor'"f """" *7'aees. under .'natrolt^ ^2s t latle fear need be entertained of the kind :]I8 EDUCATION OF EMIGRANTS. ih liA (M «;! .1 .^ It I' l» ]': treatment of these apprentices, in whose behalf, it should be enacted that they should not go away empty-handed from their three years' bondage, but should receive a certain sum iu money, stock, or goods. The emigrant-labourer and his family might, besides the help afforded by the parish, have a sermon preached for his benefit. Few neighbours, used to see him worshipping with them every Sabbath, would, I think, refuse to contribute their mite to help to smooth his rough path in a Bush life. In manufacturing districts, the poor hand-loom weavers, stocking-weavers, and many other arti- sans, who are struggling for bread, notwithstand- ing their industrial skill, against " their gigantic monster enemy, steam-worked machinery," would tind work plentiful and extremely remunerative in every Canadian town, where cheap food and 75. 6d. a-day would afford wealth to the poor, iialf-starved, drooping manufacturer. Shoemakers would find plenty to do in a coun- try where gentlemen, if they do not learn to make their own, must, in the back settlements, go bare- foot. Well ! though the clever and amusing M'Tag- gart does beseech people not to emigrate, I must NTS. wliusc behalf, it (1 not go away rears' bondage, 1 mouoy, stock, family might, parish, have u 'ew neighbours, ih them every ion tribute their mtli in a Bush loor band-loom my other arti- notwithstand- ' their gigantic ihinery," would ' remunerative beap food and I to the poor, r. do in a coun- ; learu to make nents, go bare- nusing M'Tag- ligrate, I must EDUCATION OF EMIGRANTS. 3I9 entreat you to com, out, if you like work If you do not, poor fellows I you ha,l hotter stay "'.ore you are, since idleness i„ Canada as t England, w.ll always cover a n,an with rags «mple, IS necessary i„ Canada. Therefore the >e. u.ur,ous, and dissipated must not c e wrth w,l ,„g hands or clever heads-they will find employment for both in a colony ^ Ji.e best plan, however, in regard to omi^ra ^.s for gentlemen to provide for theiry„u°;: son ,n this way. A premium for three years nstruct the young emigrant, and a further sum to provide „m with land and stock, would s a young gentleman forward in life at a smal, e. pcnse to his friends, and with the certa^ " „ comfortable independence for him e ' to if wUh Its buoyant spirit,,, readily overcomes hTr h'ps.and difficulties .--besides the examrdrn^ e settlers- sons, his companions. whrSje all work, soon reconciles him to labour. The amusements of shooting and fishing, riding and exploring excursions, quickly make lew comers much attached to Ihe count' Z Pnvilege of wooingand winning someobjoctofh I ; i! P 320 BACHELOR WANTS. HI, affections, and easily providing for the wants of a family, is a stimulus ever before the eyes of the young man, whose hopes of domestic love are so often crushed by circumstances in England. I really believe that if young ladies, not too much addicted to the "far niente" condescended to visit our settlements, we could find good hus- bands for them all, in a country where wives are lacking, and much valued and appreciated. However, if the brothers of large families come out, no doubt the sisters will visit them, and our bachelors will not remain long in their present uncomfortable state of forced celibacy. NEED OP CHUnCHES AND K,STORS. 321 CHAPTER XX. ~«ED OF CHURCHES AND PASTORS m CANADA OF Mv rai..ns m kng.and towards tDr''"" '"''^'"'^^^ ^^AL OK THE PR,M,TIVK CHURCH ^^w. '""" ^'°'"^- SCHOOLMASTEP^. * ^^ "^ SCHOOLS AND The second great want ef Canada West in volves more momentous matters than tl e 1 !' mentofthecountr,,f„rUeoneerns LIS interests not only of the present b„t .t u generations. We need ZT , . ""'"'"' places of worship ' ' '"""™ ^"^ of If r "f "" '''^'™""°"' '"' 'he promise of the fine colony is like that of an unfruitful tre. who^ blossoms fall untimely to the'rn We caU upon the Church of England Tw beaut ful hturgy, so sublime in its ordinances to help Canada, and not to leave our children u„ -tructed, or compel them to derive the^^X: e from other sources, or to remain in darC d heathenish apathy. We want churc - well as teachers, that every Sabbath Je mi; p 5 i :',•>•>. NEED OF CHURCHES AND PASTORS. "I Sip. meet together to pray, to praise — to adore the Lord our God — as a Christian people should do. We require the word to be preached to us — we are longing to receive in our own parish-church in sweet communion the Lord's Supper, and in that sublime ordinance to recognise " Our Divine Master's love in thus dying for us." We wish to bring our little children " to His holy baptism," and to have them confirmed and strengthened in their riper age, that we may see them partakers with us of the holy sacrament, and may behold them growing up in the fear and love of the Lord. It is the blessing of pastoral instruction we demand of the dear mother-country. We ask her for devoted men — not men of extreme views, but men whose love to God will make them over- look the rough and toilsome pilgrimage in the wil- derness — men whom the love of Christ will bring out to us in charitable answer to our call, " Come over and help us," even as St. Paul did to the visionary man of Macedonia, believing that God had called him there to preach the gospel. " Behold what a great matter a little fire kin- dleth." Since my return to England, kind and pious friends and unknown brother Christians have aided my wish to provide a church for the hitherto churchlcss township of Douro in Canada, NEED OF CHURCHES AND PASTORS. 3->3 field isthe pot ';'"':" "^"'""- ^''^- ''hen once rfo! . /° ''''' '"°"^«''' ^^ pretde' orr'^.'°° *™-*''* "-^ P^'"^ should 'ou^ninir """-''■» p-p'e. «th them the r?. "''"*"" '^^^hers. laid visible lurhtfT." "^ "''" °"t""'' »<1 are about to reverse the picture-we in b,nl,l -hod 0. .e j; TsSr b£;£ '"^ selves and our families. ^ ^'' '"'" «eHn Which .iLsf.~ tfer :r urhoo and also in l^orfollc, Tunbri^ S" and m other places, have contributed to ft T . about to be built at takefield CL b : f f S— -lous-in this goo i th "l trust their forwardness will brinr do»! n -Pon themselves and upon oS:r:hS::^ j, 324 NEED OF CHURCHES AND PASTORS. I- i It' rlf!: j^i be raised by the united efforts of Christian bro- therly love, a meet offering to Him — the Chief Corner-stone upon whom our foundation is laid. The good examples of these Christian friends may raise up friends for Canada, and scatter the blessings of the reformed religion over this vast country, that other townships may also have their pastors, till the whole rising population may grow up children of the Church of England. Hitherto, the inhabitants have chiefly received their religious instruction through various branches of dissent, whose ministers have shown much zeal and attention in supplying instruction to an in- creasing and pastorless population. In our pecu- liar situation, we must feel grateful for Christian instruction of any kind, living, as we do, in a land of spiritual dearth. Why have we been hitherto so deserted and forgotten, while the " living waters " refreshed so abundantly our native land ? It was not so in those glorious primitive times, when, during the grievous persecutions of the Church, the banish- ment of the teachers of Christianity only spread the Word on every side — when churches and schools rose in the deserts, whither the pastors had been exiled. Why, in receiving the apostolical doctrines of these devoted men, have we not ful- NEED or CHUKCHES ANB r^STOKS. S25 iowed their examples as wpH n precepts ? '" ^' ^^^^^^ed their Church is ItlSl', T""' P"'"^ "' '"^ »ftheEogH3hpe„pk3tm:::i,,^Lt7^ clergy. It is only when rl,;]].^ i. , ^ *^ *^^^^ visited in aickneil 2?^!'^'' " '^" ""' 'eaves bis church, beiTt' ''"*"'''' of our wilde^ess ^ ^ 1 ^''"'^'' P"^'"-^ preaching and reading mnv.r. ^ • ' ^""^ io- A realnecessl^er Tef/;: ^"■ '"S such charitable missions till 7 '^ ™" fll [■ril-'^' 326 NEED OF CHURCHES AND PASTORS. taining eighteen townships (of which Douro, in which I reside, is one) possessed only three churches, to supply the wants of a population, which, at the last census, numbered more than twenty-seven thousand souls, and which now would amount, from emigration and increase, to nearly thirty thousand, In all these townships there are many dissent- ing chapels of various denominations — a fact honourable to dissenters, however painful it may be to the Canadian members of the E ^°" P™^'^''' <""« form of S'on, and follow another !" r),„ „ a painful one to me "W ' ■ , '''' ™* of the Church of England ,!,? '\ ' '"""'"^'•^ in our township and Id '™ "' "° <^''"«'' of the Establishment ::e,::; "' ' '='"^^™^'' "■■e glad to attend anvrh^^'"'- ^" '"^ will come among'^u."^?™^ ""'""*" ''"« of churches andli^J " ""^ '"'"• ^^ "-' -tel. est.n,ed fro^r Chtrtr ""- »ns were like children neglectedt M ^''" :i-in,tobe.redrrC-r-- among us to Dr««.l, "P"' "™''' "ome «-« eaT?'oun' "' .^''"''''"'^' ^''^ "ecome temples of heTord ;:'""■• "°"" "0 need for'any m Jbt '/*" 1"™'" ''^ himself to a disLtinl clie!t 7^ '" ""''' ■"inister of his own ™=^'^'""' f" ''ant of a 328 NEED OF CHURCHES AND PASTORS. m There is a fast rising sect in Canada, the mem- bers of which denominate themselves "Bible Chris- tians." These people are a species of Methodists, and are moral and well-living ; but in choosing their own preachers they are rather guided by their eloquence than learning, or perhaps sound doc- trine. Many of their ministers can neither read nor write, and therefore are disqualified by their ignorance from teaching others. A regular and authorized ministry of devout men, learned, and yet condescending to the weak and ignorant, would bring into the fold of the Establishment many who are now estranged from the doctrines and liturgy of our venerable Church. I remember, when a boy, how much the people in England were neglected by many among the clergy, and left to form their own religious opin- ions, for want of Christian educational instruction, and pastoral visits at their own houses and cot- tages. Such neglect was the main cause of dissent. The clergymen were above their flocks, and the sheep wandered from them to other folds, to mi- nisters who entered into their joys and sorrows, and were not divided from them by the Anti-Christian barrier of pride, or the false one of diflidence ; for, strange to say, the timidity of a young clergy- man may be erroneously ascribed to pride, and ™y equally alienate from hi:„th,,„ his people. ^^® affections of 'Wo eternity, and hav^ iT 7 ^"^ T^'^^d good pastors, too, who wer. T'- -^ °^ "*« Christian Ci.urchriTLrrf'^''''''^ to 'ieir r.st, leaving th^d a T.T ''"'■^'' names as e:.amples to thT- ""^ '"""'"oJ ''^ioh holier t£t^:rf/:7'-.npon « reformed ministiy is ZT^' ■ '""' *''''='' «nd spiritual dominion """''"« " »"<• "HiiietheApost:X:::mtr^ pnmitive Church, « visit thV ", ^ """"^ '- in their afciorloj:-"'/*'- spotted from the wor d.'^andif'^^:^'''" ""■ 'o..themeeting.ho„se'wouM'h ';:::"''! -icande^relrd^rtsTa^-^'''' »nd un-ordained ministry '° ''"''™^'' uuses. jjut if we obtain pastoral in- 330 WANT OF SCHOOLMASTERS '*i: ; struction this need will also bo supplied. Sabbath schools, under the immediate superintendence of the clergyman, will be formed, and our children of all ranks may be instructed together in a little building close to the church, for of course a school- house enters into our plans for Lakcfield, as well as a church. Soon, very soon, a national-school, we hope, for day-scholars, will follow these esta- blishments. Indeed, the settlement will grow round the church, which will form the nucleus of a town, in a few short years, about it, and with a rapidly increasing population our church will soon be filled, we trust, to overflowing, and we shall see Christianity, pure, vital Christianity, like a fertilizing stream, diffusing civilization and morality over the land, — putting down the orgies of drunkenness, and pointing to the reward of faith and perseverance in well doing, in the hap- piness of another and better world, of which " the Lamb is the glory and the light." Ui " The churchless, soon, are godless too ; The unbaptized grow base and blind ; And where no sacraments renew The sin-worn heart and earth-toned mind, All virtues die, all vices bloom, The soul becomes a sensual tomb, And men the Saviour yearned to cherish, Eternalize their guilt— and perish ! led. Sabbath itondence of our children cr in a little irse a school- field, as well ional-school, r these esta- it will grow e nucleus of , and with a 'ch will soon .nd we shall iianity, like ization aud n the orgies e reward of in the hap- which " the AND SCriOOLHOUSES. 33] "^Uke Ontario's rocky .sI.oro, * These beautiful lines n,, ♦!, ^ "^ «J"mod pen of that Christian n ^ 2 " °' ^'""''^ ^'•-" 'J.e nan, the Kev. Robert Mont^om- v ^ ' "i ^'''''^'"'' "" ^ "-iabJe t-'l'apcl, London. ""''>' ^"^'""bent Mi„i,t,r of Percy lind, 332 FAMILY BEREAVEMENTS. lii' CHAPTER XXL '■^h DEATH INVADEH MY HOME-CIRPI.E. — LOSS OF MY YOUNGEST SON, MY SON-IN-LAW, MV OUAND-DAUGHTEn, MV WIKE, AND MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER. — PHOJECTEl) RETURN HOME. '— EMnAUK- ATION. — NAVIGATION OF THE GENESEE RIVEU. — ROCHESTEIl, — SYRACUSE, — MOHAWK RIVER. — AMERICAN STEAMERS. — RAIL CAR- RIAGES.— NEW YORK, — VOYAGE TO ENGLAND. RETURN TO REYDON. — KINDNESS AND HOSPITALITY OF MY ENGLISH FRIE.NDS. My life, for some years after the termination of the rebellion, presented too little variation to make it worthy of record. It had its pleasures and cares, its toils and repose ; but these were shared by the most amiable of women, whoso sweet com- panionship in my worst periods of trial and priva- tion, left me no cause to complain. A numerous and promising family grew up around us, adding year by year a new link to the chain of affection : indeed, no man was ever happier in the domestic relations, or possessed more home-blessings than myself. The marriage of my eldest girl did not break up our cheerful circle, for she was located near us within a mile's walk, so that we had gained an lY YOUNGKST SON, "Away BEMAVEMENTS. 33, affectionate son Hrithout losing a , I, u. happy homo-circle. His fi„t vJ """^ promising little boy. /usTt'r ""'' '""' g-age its wants and wisl,os in tl!>^ " '""• %son.in-Iawdicdnext innl- ''"'™''' ""'•• let., leaving my „„ " ! , '"" "''^' "^ "ho- the eve of lo/lTZT' "'""'" " "'''- "■' twentieth yeaL; 'eat ', """'^ '" »- heavy be Javement ' '"' ""'^^''' '^ -^l- " The blow threatened to d->...,oyl,er «u . , l«en so happy, and her husband Id bl ^'' of health andraanlybeauty 2t hc„ '° "" almost incredible tn „. """' ^n'^d ^^0 brolce i ; :: ,"°^' '-'«« *» he. ^«^'her.inbe;L:rii7r"'r *ehad,eftaf...„o„tbsbfoiX;rbr'»'' ing bride. Our nT.« i ^^-^ bloom- Word was e;:a::;:\""'«'^^-^^^^ %fi-andintLX;:n;:arV^"'* - our sorrow in eo^parisoTf, he" JT r'"' pmess had been crushed h„ .i- , "*'' •"*?- M reverse f1 ^ *" ""'''•"' ^^d dread- '• "^^ ''""^ ""-"'^ weeks we watched I N 334 FAMILY BEREAVEMENTS. 11^ our suffering child, over whoso fading and emaci- ated form the shadow of death momentarily ap- peared to depend. Her health seemed so entirely broken up that we never expected her to survive her approaching trial. The mercy of God, youth, and the incessant care of her dear mother, enabled her to get over that period of maternal peril. My poor girl gave birth to a daughter, and the sight of her orphan babe gave her a wish to live, though, for some weeks after her accouchement, her state was so precarious that she was unable to leave her bed, to which she was still confined, when it pleased the Lord to take away her child. But the gift had not been made in vain— her spirits rallied from the moment she had seen her infant, and she meekly submitted to the Di- vine will, when the blessing was withdrawn from her again. She suffered— but not alone. Her admirable mo- ther had shared all her feelings, forgetting in her long vigils by her sick-bed, her own delicate si- tuation while soothing the pains and sharing the grief of her daughter. Wliy should I dwell upon the event that once more shattered my domestic circle — taking from me my dear wife— my home- comforter— my sweet familiar friend ! Sufficient it ! and emaci- 335 FAMILY BEKEAVEJIENTS. „,, «"" be to say, that God was pfeasM t„ , Jear wife to himself Imlf-an/ot J;"" -7 of our fourteenth child, a daul/' , ?""' ^ve the ancestral and Low eleWe ° "" ' ^i/nes Striclcland with fZ „™'''<' "a-ne of "Wch was that of *'""' "'■^'"y, Marrwas tat! ^ '"'"*'" P"'""- Afy / was taken away suddenly but n„f pared for the Saviour whom , , '"'P''o- who was with his serit V "''' ""<" *™'^d, '''-alleyandllroVtrr'''''^-^'' woman more dopnl. /f ^ever was any «-er, you wiJTir, s:::trr under that of the virtn™ Scnpture, beyond rubies. Hrrr- ""'" J'"- ''^ dear parents, as SuZtTr T '"'"' '<"'- and children! ""' "'^'^'od husband Thus, by a similar calamity, I had th. n,- f tune to lose two admirable wiv , til fi .7 "> her first confinement, after th.K ^ ^"^ •''fetson^thesecondinhSL' "'""^ daughter. Heavy was th !? t'""'"'"^^^' but those to wli the wY t ^"^^''-'^'^t ; «-"' easily :;;:;t:L rift r fornearly twenty-two years h^d f„ . *'"' «hly blessin/was ifervie! s^u ""'' '"^^"*^' % Widowed daughter recoivp.1 f ™*-^ochar,eof%heir-i;rw;':i5 336 FAMILY BEREAVEMENTS. i n ifl! , \' had cost us all so much. This precious trust seemed to replace her own in her heart : never, indeed, was a motherless baby so loved and che- rished. The sad event that had marked her en- trance into the world, knit her so closely to us all, that she seemed the general point of attraction. Most lovely and precocious indeed was this child of many tears ; and we anticipated for her long years of life, when she was seized with a com- plaint indigenous to the country, and very fatal to infants, which cut off our little Agnes at the engaging age of five months, to the infinite grief of her sister-mother. Thus, in the space of one little year, I had lost my little son, my son- in-law, ray grand -daughter, my beloved wife, and my youngest daughter. It seemed, in- deed, that death had bent his bow against my family, and would not spare till he had pierced our hoarts again and again within this brief but fatal period. It was long before my daughter was comforted for the loss of her infant-sister. Religion and time brought balm ; but the trials of the young widow had been more than any feminine constitution could bear : she drooped, and her medical attend- ant prescribed change of air, scene, and climate. Canada, the land of her nativity, was too full of ;' PROJECTED RETURN HOME. ygj. painful remembrances to afforrl ha. iu u band wi^hed ™uch to receive he il t^ t"": 7 °™ heart, too, yearned once more & 1 oH I'ome and its beloved inmates n „! ^ -consider t,>e expedient:; the^;:~^^ . u unnecessary fatigue and peri] daughter, and a friend of m,'.. i ;a.-e.e,. wer:i:;o:::;i™::tE friends in 2 . ' " " '""''^'' <"' ^iud mends m the immediate neighbourhood Plank rnV"' ' '^"' '™ "™' - »-»»t country, brought us safely to the pretty and X!r:r''°''™'^-'^-^-™-<'^ai: wCt'Sirri-r*^""™^"^'''" v,;„ , ,. ^^«^"ral, which was two hours be- ;;;.U.™.o.ng to a heavy swell and head-wi^d YQj^^ J J — 'V *^n »^ar(i ; and in Q ]i9 i I 328 GENESEE RIVER. a few minutes our noble steamer was proudly breasting the blue waters of the great Ontario. For twenty-seven years I had been a sojourner in the wilds and woods of this fine, nee, and in- dependent country. I had learned to love it— to look upon it as my home, my adopted country, and the native land of my children. I felt I was leaving them and many dear friends, whom, per- haps, I might never more behold. No wonder, then, that I experienced some regret, as the fast- receding lights of Cobourg faded from my sight. I was, however, cheered by the remembrance, that I had an aged mother still living, and kind sisters, who would welcome the return of their long absent brother to the home of his childhood, and that I should have the pleasure of presenting ray Canadian daughter to them. The Lake was rough, but my daughter proved an excellent sailor; and we made a capital run across, to the mouth of the Genesee river, which is almost, opposite to Cobourg, and distant about sixty-five miles. The Genesee river* is deep and narrow, seldom exceeding in width a hundred and fifty yards. Its banks are very high and precipitous. About four * Clmrlfivoix, in his curious work on the Cnnadas, gives the following description of the Genesee, which he calls the Cascon- chiagon, the Iroquois name for this river, as the following extract will show -"This river is called Casconchiagon, and is very 'N ^ "AVrCATION OP THE GENESEE. 339 miles from the mouth of the river is tU i >• place, distant from the city 171 V °^- *roe miles, where we fm n^ '^^ "''"'y buses await ng olr a rit, 1 '. TT' "' """"■ difficulty in keZJ ! ^"^ ""= Si'eatest vided and t,t ° ""' ^"^^^ ^'"^ ^'''"S di- diirrr:::^?-"^'^- one of my trunk, l" I . ''''^"'^"" ^ ^^^^ Chester. LuckiJj, I .ot ba^-k in f . ««rt, h.i .^st^mV^^^^^^^^^ po-fit:„ns^r'r::j\:r --sCmtitrriLtdSr "arrow at its di.el.arge into the Lake A littlo , • , • • 'lundrcd and forty feet in hrenrlM, / • '"^''"' " '« ^'-^o water to float th/lar-e .f'' T^ " ^ "'^™^' *''"^ *'-- - ->PPod by a fall wide eemio t T" '"'" '^ '"°"^''-^ y^' -^■ '-undred and forty fee brold In "l"'T' '''' '"'s'' ^"" ^-- « -eond, of the Jan, ^ j, ^rf ^"^ °\'^''-^ ^'^ >- find ''■^'I'cr still a third wh f . '' '"^■''' ""^ '''''^ ^ '-?ue '"■■"''•eJ andsix feet 1; "' ' """' '*-"' '"■="'' "'"'• ^'-e -Hs, and after ;.i,i,;fi;;;„„;* ""^' "^f'^ 'I- with several "•'^ll. nothin,i„;LS^r^ ;;----, yo.Hiscove.« course of t!>is river i.s a hun.Ired - ' ' '""'""'"^'^ = ^'»^" leaf ues. 310 ROCHESTER. M\' ; i the road -way, wliich, in some places, it overhangs. To the left, fully as deep below, through a rocky chasm, rush the foaming waters of the Genesee. Two splendid cataracts, one a few rods above the other, and more than a hundred feet in height, complete the picture. A parapet of large lilocks of stone has been built on the edge of th3 precipice, to prevent carriages from being upset into the deep gorge below. Rochester is a handsome, well-built town, and owes its chief prosperity to its mighty water- power. Here, indeed, are some of the finest flour-mills in the world. The rail-road from Buffalo to New York, runs through the town. We breakfasted at the Waverley, one of the best hotels in Rochester, and close to the railway station, and left for ^cvf York by the half-past nine train. Our route lay through a pretty and fruitful country, beautifully diversified by hill and dale. The wheat-harvest had just commenced, and the weather was lovely, which added greatly to our enjoyment. We passed through the populous and thriving towns of Canandaigua, Geneva, Se- neca, and Auburj, which latter place contains the celebrated State Prison. We changed trains at Syracuse, a large town, midway between Rochester and Albany, where we were allowed twenty minutes to dine. The MOHAWK RIVER. g^j country from Syracuse fn « . , "ui, the j; oiw ; th^'^ ^^ ^'^y Mohawk the whole distance' """ ^' ^^^ "J'rom early dawn to setting sun I ve seen the n.ighty Mohawk run » re^iue. We arrived at 2 ^ ^ ^ P'"'"" about eight o'cwl .. '""°'' '" A'l'»3' 'he largest of tlio^ fl *■ ^""'"'°'" "^ "^ P'y upon the H^a t:^ r"""^^'"^^ "''''='' «-j..HheC;:i::*^^^^^^^^^ 'Jelargestboatonthen Iriv atdth ';^ . ^^^^ ^^^^"3^ about nine o'clock in fhp ing, and were safrlv n. ^ ^^ ^^^"" XT ^r , -^ moored at her wUy^ ■ ^ew York, between five and si. 11 ' '" ^^^ving made the run of on.T . / °^''"^"^' *.includingalso;,:s^:^^^^^^^ of eiffht horrc ,7^^^^' ^^ the short space "Wch we paid th" f '• '" '"™'^ ''°"'«' f» 'fe oj BounH fi T""' ^'■"'g^ of something o«e pound five shillings sterlin. ^„, ...f R 342 AMERICAN RAIL-CARRIAGES. I must saj that travelling is both cheaper and pleasanter in the United K^tates than in England. So much attention and deference are shown to the fair sex, that I will venture to aflSrm, that a woman, gentle or simple, might travel from one end of the Union to the other without fear of insult. I like the manner the railroads are ma- naged, which is much better than in England. The carriages are more commodious, better fitted up, and better ventilated, Venetian blinds are fitted to the windows, and brass hooks over each seat, for hanging up hats, umbrellas, and carpet-bags. The doors open at each end of the carriage, the passage being through the centre, with a, row of sofa-chairs, capable of containing two persons on each side. The railroad runs generally through the centre of every town on the route, notice being always given by the con- ductors to the passengers of the number of minutes the train will stop at each station. At all the stopping places abundance of re- freshments of all sorts — creams, ices, jellies, &c. — are handed through every carriage, so that the passengers have seldom any occasion to leave their seats. The prices of the refreshments are remark- ably low. A five-cent piece will procure either a glass of brandy and water, or an iced cream. The passengers' baggage is equally well raa- NEW YORK. ■J to naged Jauc tickets are numbered and strapped eaeh bo. or trunk, and countor-ehecks eTrL the same numbers are handed to the passen^' on the arrival of the train ot ■. , iy^^Se" Th» n„„i, *' ■'' destination, fhe numbers are ealled over in a loud voiee and ehvered to the owners b, their producin: h duphcate tickets. ° ^ We stayed five days in New York, during whieh "V loric IS already one of the larwst cties an the worid. The activity and bu 1^ in every part are truly astoni.,hing,;hile thai ofsh.pp,ng,n the north and east rivers stnlk me as be.ng greaterthan in Liverpool. It is real a wonderful place, and many yea,, will not c W before .tw,ll vie with London in population:': mercantile importance. On thelGthof July.we sailed in the" Hunga- nan- 1300 tons burthen, Captain Patterson, and as Tm ; '^ '"""^'" P'^^Se of twenty-two days. We left Liverpool on the 7th of August and ::thiro:^""-''^'^''""'^°"'''^«''''S:: month from leaving our Canadian home I received a warm welcome at Eeydon from my dear mother and sisters, to whom my return w"s mdeed a surprise. It „ould have been T It i more delightful reunion, could the whol e^M have once more met beneath the parental ro°of 344 HOSPITALITY OF MY ENGLISH FRIENDS. This, however, was impossible, as I had left two sisters in Canada, and my brother was on his way to Calcutta. But the links of family affection were still lirm and unbroken. Death had not en- tered my mother's home-circle since we parted, to sever her branche;i from the parent-tree, and for that mercy we were deeply grateful. Since my return to England, my daughter and myself have experienced the utmost kindness and attention, not only in my native Suffolk, but in Norfolk and Kent. In my own immediate neighbourhood I have been indebted for much attention and hospitality from former friends and schoolfellows, having, in fact, revived the old friendships of my youth, and formed many new ones. I am now on the eve of returning to my distant home, and wish to express to you, dear friends and neighbours, in the last pages of my work, those grateful sentiments your kindness has awakened in my heart. May God bless you all, and keep you in his holy protection ! Be assured that I shall always remember your dear and honoured names with warm interest and affection. THE END. London : Printed by 8. Bintley St Co. Bangor House, Shoe Lane. FRIENDS. had left two IS on his way lily affection ti had not en- ) we parted, 3nt-tree, and ay daugliter lost kindness SuflFolk, but hood I have i hospitality s, having, in y youth, and •n the eve of ih to express in the last iments your you in his shall always names with i, Shoe Lane.