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HENRY CHRISTMAS, M.A., F.R.S., F.S.A., MEMBER OF THE BOYAL ACADEMY OP ARCHEOLOGY OP MADRID, ETC. ETC. ETC. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET, |^u%Tt{;i)cr til Orlftnartt to $2cr fiHn\titit, 1849. i. '■••■.• i,:^ / %4iki ' TO London : Printed by Schulze and Co., 13, Poland-street. fig ^7 Bc^4-f TO STANDISII GROVE GRADY, ESQ., BARRISTER AT LAW, CTC. F.TC. - .; ,1 My DEAR Grady, It is the wish of our friend "The Pioneer," that these Volumes should be inscribed with your name. He and I owe you much for the advantages we have derived from your consummate legal skill, and still more for your long and affectionate friendship. You will find in the following pages some remarks which will hardly coincide with our own ideas as supporters of liberal measures in politics, and steady adherents of a liberal Ministry, but we must expect that "liberalism" A ^ it » IT DEDICATION. may be found in the Colonics wlicn we have "liberality" at home; and that those on the spot and so endowed as our friend, are in a position to offer an opinion not to be slightly regarded. I] remain, My dear Grady, Very faithfully yours, ■ H. CHRISTMAS. London, July, 1849. * . ' ' CONTEIJTS <^ THE FIRST VOLUME. CHAPTBR I. Reaflons for leaving — Choice of a veuel — Incidents of departora — Fellow passengers — Divine Service at sea^lcebei]g . 1 CHAPTER II. Anticosti provision stations— Pilot.boat— Fog— Land birds- Death of the captives — White porpoises — Kamouraska — Crowded settlements — Romish Churches — Aquatic procession in honour of the Virgin — Arrival at Qoebee . . .18 / CHAPTER III. A word to the reader — Objects of the work — Appearance of Quebec — The two conflagrations — Unfortunate Church organ — Romish Cathedral->Dear fruits — Anglican Cathedral— The Lord Bishop— His great urbanity — Society in Quebec — FaUs of Montmorenci — Ice-mountain at the Falls— Winter amusement ^Sldgh slides down the Mountain— Amusing incidents — Hotel Charges— Boarding-house Charges— Charges at that recom- mended by the Bishop— High rents in Quebec— Living com- pacattvely dear there . ... . . .27 v\ VI CONTENTS. iv CHAPTER IV. Merciful preservation— Arrival at Montreal— Seat of Government — Proposal for a Viceroy — Probable influence of a Vice-Regal Court — Liking of Americans of the higher class for Englishmen of rank— Romish Cathedral — Convents — Hotel Dieu — Maison du bon Pasteur — Nuns in white — Interesting Novice — Polite Lady Superior — Reflections on the system — Hotel Charges — French very much spoken — Church of England Services in that Language — Character of Young Lower Canadians— Charivaris — Fatal results of one — Montreal as a place of residence — Devoted Clergy . . . 41 CHAPTER V. Luggage forwarded to Lachine — Expensive rock excavations — Fear of losing luggage. — Kindness of a fellow-traveller — Beau- harnois estate — Prescott — Traces of the rebellion— Mistaken lenity of Conservative Government— Traitors pensioned— Loyalists neglected — Rebel devices — Miraculous eggs — Unfor- tunate dupes — A restored Traitor's gratitude — Consists in re- commending further rebellion — Brockville — Pleasing locality — Lake of the One Thousand Islands — Paradisaical scenery— Gananoque — Kingston. . . . . . .51 CHAPTER VI. Change of steamers— The Author imposed upon — Hints to future travellers — Possible advantages of a residence near Kingston — Cobourg— Theological seminary. — Expense to students — Ad- vantages of district visiting, &c., enjoyed by them — Half fare only charged to students in steamers — Some tavern-keepers liberal to clergy — Lofty shores of part of Lake Ontario— -Penin- ' sula and Bay of Toronto — Supposed Indian derivation of the ' name — Ferry-boat across the Bay — Peninsula Hotel— Fox- ' hunting on the ice -..-.•. . , .69 CONTENTS. Vll CHAPTER VII. City of Toronto— •TlO'COTered roofs and spires — Former name of the city — Strange nomenclatures — Poetical schoolmaster — Hotel and boarding-house charges — Economical living — Expense of board in private families — Washing — Keep of a horse or a cow — " Republican cows" — Canine bovine and porcine concerto^ Concerts of ancient music and Dr. McCaul — University of King's College — Foundation and Endowment — Liberality of its constitution — Radical dislike of it notwithstanding — The real cause, hatred to the Church — Proposed "Liberal" University measure — A Model University worthy of "Punch" — Dagon of mere secular education — Cost of present building and avenue — University commission— Expense of it . ; .66 •I CHAPTER VIIL Upper Canada College— Endowment and fees— Borrowed plumes —Cathedral— Free Kirk— Romish Cathedral and " Palace"— A Churchman's liberality — Gratuitous services of Anglican Clergy —Newspapers and periodicals — Society — Its truly English tone and character — Kind attentions to new comers— Letters of recommendation to the Clergy usefiil to Emigrants — The Bishop's advice on such letters — Beautiful conformity herein to the custon) of the Early Church — A return to primitive order desired 82 A CHAPTER IX. The Bishop of Toronto — Episcopal residence — Truly English abode — Laborious character of the Bishop — His Lordship's regSLTd for children— Conduct during the Cholera and rebellion — His kindness to the author — Gives a dinner to his old pupils —They present him with plate ..... 92 ,* I yiii CONTENTS. CHAPTER X. En rente for Lake Shncoe— Advice on the purchasing of land — TraTellers' notei not always to be depended on — Canadian Stage coachei — Yonge Street — Great nse of land in some parts of Canada — Beautiful farms — Life " below-stairs " — Delays at Tayems— Emigrants warned against intemperance — Reflections on " teetotalism " — Churchmen affectionately urged to watch* fulness — Combination of Dissenters against the Church . 98 CHAPTER XL Swamp and muddy river — Good snipe shooting — Conveyance to steamer from Holland landing — Fever and ague — Groundless alarm to emigrants— Much depends on locality — Quotation from Chambers' Information for the people — Partial ^ilure of the settlement there described — Dissatisfiiction of the settlers — Reasons of their failure — Capital too hastily sunk — An " over- grown" establishment — Barrie — Comfortable hotel — ^Attempt at self>acting saw-mill — Prettily situated rectory-house .111 CHAPTER XII. Narrows and upper lake — Indian village — Picturesque scene — Orillia — Proposed water communication by lake Simooe between lake Huron and the St. Lawrence — Pretty farm' for sale — The author visits a lot near Orillia — Bewildering effect of "the bush" at first — Experience teachers — Report of a bear-r-Dread of bears and wolves incidental to settlers at first — Scarcely any real danger — One fiital instance — Bear fight on lake Simooe — intre- pidity of a settler's daughter — Desperate fight with three wolves on the Ottawa~-Retnm to Toronto— The " Sharon" settlement — David Wilson and the Davidites— The meeting-house and "Temple" — Mode of performing services — The annual feast — The nunnery — David's moral character celled m question . 118 CONTENTS. IX CHAPTER XIII. Viiit to Niagara — Large barque in the river— First impreatitm from the falls — Spiritual simile thence suggested — Advantage of the Clifton over the American hotel — Mind how you go to bed — Anecdote of Lord Morpeth's visit — Table rock — Comparative terrors of Niagara and Highland cataracts — Dreadful bereave- ment of an affianced lover — Fatal mistake of a young lady — Fate of Richard Leedom — Strange speculation of a Yankee, after imminent peril — The ferry — A packing case in the form of (a+b) — Well appointed carriage — A " man" and "a gentleman" in the States— "Papa and Mamma" — Goat island — ^Wrong impressions as to its size — The little fall— The tower in the rapids — Proposal for its illumination — ^The " Maid of the Mist" steamer— Wonderful triumph of human art — Overhanging platform by the American fall — Feathery jets — Circular stair- cases — The cave behind the Falls — A man carried away by a whirlwind — Foot of the Table Rock — Niagara by moonlight, its appearance in winter — Suspension bridge — Difference of volume, at times, at the Falls — Unprecedented retreat of the waters — Discovery of a burning spring — Its proposed appli- cation «••<•»•••• 131 A CHAPTER XIV. The ordinary burning springs — Rapids above the Falls — Islands in the Rapids — The author warned against imposition— The whirlpool— Misapprehensions — Its distance from the Falls — Whirlpool more terrific than Niagara — ^The deserters— Corpse seen by a firiend of the author's — Nervous-looking step-ladder —Visit to Stamford park— A Canadian "buggy" — English looking demesne — Price of another farm — The museum— Bears and buffaloes . . < . . . . . . 157 .H- CONTENTS. CHAPTER XV. Hamilton— Dondorn castle — Sir AHan M'Nab's increased value of lands — Plank pathways — Churches — Stores— "The Moun. tain "-"Indian hunters — Singular scarcity of game in some parts of Canada — Unexpected attack by wolves — Bears and bear's grease — " A bear robbed of her whelps " — Recklessness of the Indians in slaughtering game — An amusing exception — Buying expensive guns to bring to Canada, a mistake — Price of a rifle in the country — Enormous flights of pigeons — The Blenheim and Owen's Sound " Rookeries " — Duck shooting made easy — Mode of shooting at Long Point — A fine winter's supply — Facility of catching fish— Advantages of the Owen's Sound settlement . . . 168 CHAPTER XVT. The route to the Sound by HamUton— -The village of Gait— The Church and its fittings — Picturesque river scenery— > The Clerj^rman's residence— Presbyterian manse— Hotel — Gruelph — Church and other places of worship — Society— Fine fiurms — Terms of purchase and rent — House-rent in the town — The Rector and his duties — Elora — ^The Crown Land Agent — Natural beauty of the place— The caves — Indian path and perilous bridge — The Church at Elora — Distribution of Eccle- siastical stations in Canada — ^The fifty-six rectories — ^Their inoffensive constitution — Jealousy of radical dissent notwith- standing — Note on the expression "dissent" as used by the author — Non-parochial churches and missions— How supported —Devoted missionaries — Dissenting opposition — ^The inns at Elora, reasiiinable charges — Fergus — Residence of late conserva- tive member — Narrow escape at the bridge — Settlement almost entirely Presbyterian ....... 182 •■Vs CONTENTS. XI CHAPTER XVII. Road and statute labour — Best way of proceeding to Owen's Sound — Charges for luggage and teaming principle on which the Garafraxa road was settled — System of government free grants — An estate to be realized in a family for ninety pounds — A gallant 42nd man— His left-handed improvements — Astonishing amount of work done by settlers — Road accommo- dations — The Maitland and Saugeen rivers — Mr. Edge's settlement — His noble conduct to his relative^ — His zeal for the Church — ^The Durham settlement and advertisement of free grants — Splendid country to be opened towards the mouth of the Saugeen 197 ' < I' I «,, CHAPTER XVIII. Steam-boat route to the Sound — Route as far as Orillia the same as already described — Postage and stage to Sturgeon Bay, on Lake Huron — English appearance of part of the road — Coldwater village and old Indian settlement — ^Travelling by eeuy stages— The lonely grave — Subject for an elegy — Comparative infre- quency of robberies and murders in Canada — ^The Markham gang — Sturgeon Bay " Hotel " — The " Gore" steamer — Yankee ideas of English paint — Penetanguishin^— Naval and military station — Church and clergyman — Chapel and priest — Iron war steamers — Change of depdt to Owen's Sound advisable — ^The Christian islands — Ruins of Jesuit seminary — Cliffs of St. Vincent — Want of a clergyman — Respectful suggestion to the fathers of the Church — ^The bishop of Toronto approves of lay readers where there is no clergyman — Proposed extension of the order of deacons— Probable supply of candidates. . . 209 / CHAPTER XIX. Extent of the Bay at Owen's Sound — Shores look like onduturbed wUdness of nature — The clearings masked by the forest — Squaw 'I xu CONTENTS. point— Half-bred squatters — Wbjirf and Indian village — Appear- ance of Sydenham — Landing place up the river — " Government house "—Shelter for poorer emigrants — Size of village — Value of town lots — Rapid increase — Mode of purchasing — Govern- ment auctions — ^Needless drawbacks— Reform wanted in the Crown land department — Rise of settlement contrasted with that of Chicago in the States— Application for a grant of land for a church — Distance of Crown agent's residence, a general com- plaint . < « , 220 CHAPTER XX. Crown lands purchasable by "land scrip" — Origin of scrip — Saving in buying land from the use of it — System of free grants^ no injury to purchased property — Increase in value of land at the Sound — Park lots — Wild land — Amount of each lot — Cost of a lot — Advice on the purchase of a quantity — Mill and cascade — Indian falls — Attack on the leader of the Free-Kirk deputation — A party of " non-intrusionists " — Victimized partridges — Telfer's mills— Fish at Owen's Sound — Stores, taverns, &c. — Vessels — House rent — Fine site for residences — Wants of the settlement — Number of Church people — Subscrip- tion list for a clergyman — Proposed mode of collecting con- tributions 228 CHAPTER XXI. Nature of the woods at Owen's Sound — Quality of soil known by the timber on it — Maple sugar bush — Preparation of Maple sugar on farms— Indian and half -bred way of going to work — Romantic " sugar camps " — Price of Maple sugar — High terms expected by the Indians — Mode of bartering pursued by the traders — Too often demoralizing on both sides— Suggestion for an improvement in this respect— Traffic to the islands — Bateaux and schooners — Trade with the States — Demand from CONTENTS. Xlll the mines— Rflh a sure source of profit — Caution requisite on entering into the trade — Colpoy's Bay—Sail in a Mackinaw boat — Cheapness and qualities of these craft— Quick contrivance for extra sail — ^The author " looks out for squalls ** — Dinner " al fresco " — Singular terraced cliffs — Perfect similarity of north and south Headlands — ^White Cloud island — Origin of the name — Interesting optical impression — Chief Jones' settlement — Friendly reception — Delicious trout — Fish spearing by torch- light — Rembrandtesque effect — A word to the uninitiated . 241 CHAPTER XXII. Great Manitoulin island — Rev. Dr. O'Meara — ^Taciturn visitors — Translation of the Prayer Book — Indian marriage — ^Visit to the bridal party — Splendid pipe — Indian church— Incident inter- esting to the ladies — Involuntary missionary fox hunt — Rapid departure of ice in spring — Perilous drive on one of the lakes~- Islands on lake Huron — Safe navigation — Sault St. Marie- Horse island — Its solitary tenant and his fate — Macgregor's island — Beautiful bay — Secluded camp — Snug party — Su^es- tion for a yacht voyage to lakes Huron and Superior — Depth of water in Canadian canals 256 i ' V' / CHAPTER XXIII. The author advised to settle at Woodstock — Superior society^ The late Admiral Vansittart — His estate and residence — ^The rector — His hospitable habits — London military station — Rev. Benjamin Cronyn — Fme parish church — A knock down theological argument — Comical encounter with a bear — Bruin defeats the enemy — Sandwich — Its English appearance — Port Samia — Fishery— Goderich — Region dry but cold — A settler frightened up his own chimney by a bear — Lonely travel firom Owen's Sound to Goderich — Solitary night bivouacking — XIV CONTENTS. Solemn nocturnal sounds of the wilderness — An Indian's (alleged) device against the wolves — How to escape from a bear — Lures for bears and wolves — The broken bottle — Uncom- fortable result — Best mode of fighting Bruin — Successful defence with fists alone — Escape from a panther — The animal killed by an idiot 278 CHAPTER XXIV. Nature of land about Goderich and on the Grand river — Rice Lake and Peterborough — Soil near Toronto and in the Niagara and western districts — Fever and ague districts— Danger of these complaints much over-stated — Other complaints few and easily managed — Misrepresentations as to Canadian climate — Its actual comparative mildness — Winter dresses — Buffalo coats needless — Stoves and open fire-places — Cost of fuel in cities — Firewood to be sawn — Mode of saving labour . . . 297 CHAPTER XXV. Taxes and government of Canada — Upper and lower Houses — "Responsible government " — Qualification for magistrates and members of both houses — Mistaken conservative generosity — " Liberal " illiberality — Dismissal of Mr. Ferres— His admirable " letters " — Dutch and German settlers the ready tools of demagogues — Payment of rebels — Proposed remedies for radical misrule — Admirable policy of Sir Francis Head in the rebellion — Future political prospects of Canada . . . « 306 CHAPTER XXVI. Means of education — Private seminaries — Country school8~>Sup- port for schoolmasters — District grammar-schools — Proposed robbery of the church for support of schools — Clergpy reserves — Original grant undoubtedly for the Church of England — ^The CONTENTS. XT sects obtain all but five-twelfths — Shameful jobbing in these reserves on the part of the government — The church applies for the management of what spoliation has left her— Application refused — She would make full spiritual provision for Canada if allowed to manage her own property — Improvident mode of dis^ posing of these reserves — Admirable arrangement of Sir John Colbome — Radical indignation — ^ISheir perfect acquiescence notwithstanding in enormous Romish endowments — The church society — Its constitution, objects, income — Proposed mode of contributing to it — Clerical meetings — Unanimity of the clergy , .330 CHAPTER XXVII. Nova Scotia — Claims of the baronets — Haiif recommend this practice even to good swimmers, in preference to taking the chance, as some do, of going overboard in a calm. The best swimmer has been known to be appalled at the thought of the measureless depths beneath, and to go down like a stone. A sail, however, is sometimes sunk five feet or so below water, extended from between the fore and main yard-arms, which affords a wonderful protection even from sharks and other monsters of the deep, though these are not so much to be dreaded in the latitudes traversed by vessels on the North American passage as on that by the Cape. I can remember a case which occurred to some gentlemen on board a vessel which I knew very well, on her passage from one of our south-eastern dependencies, which, but for the great mercy of Providence, might have proved of a very tragical nature. The perfect stillness and intense heat of a day in the tropics had tempted some of the gentlemen to bathe, and they had obtained the jolly-boat of the captain, and rowed some distance from the ship for the purpose. By some inad- vertence, however, the plug in the bottom of the boat had either been left behind or lost, and being / '* 8 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. very leaky, moreover, in her seams, from the heat of the weather, she soon filled up to her thwarts^ whilst they were amusing themselves in the water. As they were all excellent swimmers, the accident appeared of no consequence for the moment, and their situation heing observed from the vessel, another boat was soon sent to their assistance. Scarcely, however, had the last man got safe into her, when an enormous shark came up alongside, which had perhaps been pursuing them for some time from the unknown recesses of the deep. One minute later, and some horrible catastrophe would probably have given a terrific termination to their amusement. The evenings were generally our time for social converse ; and our worthy captain, when not occupied on deck, had many anecdotes of former passages with which to enliven us. I remember one which may serve to exhibit the strange freaks in which some people are in the habit of indulging in matters of emigration. A gentleman of fortune, perhaps with five thousand a year, had taken a fancy, from some romantic notions which he had imbibed of life in the wilderness, to emigrate with his whole family to Canada. As he had not the slightest occasion to leave his own country for the purpose of bettering his circumstances, the pro- posed measure was exceedingly distasteful to the young ladies especially ; but papa must be obeyed. THE EMIORANT CHURCHMAN. I '. •! i and everything in connexion with the expedition was prepared on the most expensive scale. Be- sides his having engaged, if I remember right, the whole of the state cabins, so that there should be no other passengers, his extra freight, for all imaginable necessaries and non-necessaries, alone amounted to 200/.; and amidst the tears and regrets of all but the old gentleman himself, the ship was fairly ofiF upon her voyage, and somewhere near the Isle of Wight, when he comes suddenly to the captain in great trepidation, requesting him to put the ship back or land them somewhere at all risks, for that one of his daughters had taken to expectorating blood, and he was morally certain she could not outlive the voyage. The captain of course represented that, by breaking bulk, return- ing unnecessarily, &c., i.e. not compelled by stress of weather or want of repairs, he should com- promise himself with owners and underwriters, which was not to be thought of; but as the old gentleman was determined, he offered to signal a pilot-boat or any other vessel that could put them ashore, and landed them accordingly, bag and baggage, with the exception of the 200/. worth of freight, which he was obliged to take on to Mon- treal, and either dispose of there or bring back again, at the owner's pleasure. " But," added the shrewd captain, " I believe there was nothing B 3 •4 10 THE EMIGRANT CHUBCHMAN. more in the spitting of blood than the young lady's pricking her gums with a needle, because she wanted to get back to her sweetheart." Though there can be but one opinion as to the deception, if practised, it certainly was successful in diverting the old gentleman from what was, in his circum-^ stances, a wild-goose scheme. We were favoured, on the whole, with very fine weather ; though I remember getting some credit one night, when we had two reefs in the topsails, by prognosticating a third in before morning ; and as the event happened to turn out so, I plumed myself on my weather wisdom not a little. The Sundays, in particular, were extremely beautiful; and I am thankful to say that we were able to have two services on every one during the passage. The morning service was held on deck ; the ladies and gentlemen passengers arranging themselves around on the usual seats, and on camp-stools brought upp for the purpose, and the crew assem- bling within hearing on the main-deck, just below the break of the quarter-deck. The evening service was held at 7 o'clock, in the cabin, and almost necessarily, therefore, included only the cabin passengers. The order and attention which reigned, on the whole, were truly gratifying to witness ; and the only thing in which we failed was in managing a psalm or hymn. We tried it. ■ III 'I THE EMIGBANT CHUHCHMAK. n in fact, under great promises of support ; but the ladies' courage unfortunately failed them, and the person who undertook to lead had it all to himself. This was the more to be regretted, as several on board could sing very well. But does not the same thing obtain too often, unhappily, in services on shore, where multitudes of the young and the fair and gifted, well qualified to charm a whole assembly with their warblings at a worldly evening party, are too refined, or too bashful, or too much afraid of the weak, not to say sinful vulgarity, of what is called " quizzing,*' to lift up the same voices in the holy and legitimate occupation of singing the praises of their God and Saviour ? To clergymen or pious laymen who are able and disposed to perform divine service on a voyage, the author may be allowed to suggest that the right way of getting such an acceptable duty, gone into comfortably and well, is carefully to consult the captain first as to his permission, which no decent commander now-a-days would think of refusing, and many would be most thankful to accord ; and, secondly, as to hours : then, knowing the hours, to keep to them most rigidly, particularly in concluding. A service at sea ought generally to be over several minutes before meridian, in order to give time for the officers for preparing their sextants or quadrants, for taking the necessary ' • ■(■: / m> '■ • II 12 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. m .1 Itlllll ' ililN It observations as to the ship's position, striking the bell, calling the watch, heaving the log, and other necessary operations of nautical routine. It would be also desirable to enlist some of the most intelligent and well-disposed of the passengers — getting them to undertake to make the responses, &c. The seamen may be led to take an interest, by personal converse with them at other times, and where there are many steerage passengers an additional service may frequently be performed in their quarters for the benefit of the sick and others unable, perhaps, to come on deck for the first. Where proper arrangements are made beforehand, and the cordial assent and co-operation of the captain and officers secured, a landsman will be astonished to find with how few interruptions the service may be conducted at sea, beyond occasional ones, from the weather, as even when there is a head-wind to contend with, a well-disposed commander can generally manage the necessary going about so as not to interfere with the worship. A supply of good wholesome tracts, to be lent amongst the crew and such passengers as may choose to avail themselves of the benefit of them, would be also a great desideratum. It would be literally, indeed, a "casting of bread upon the waters," and who can presume to estimate the result, especially where a prayerful THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 13 spirit accompanied the good work. The wonders of saving grace exhibited on board u convict ship, owing to the efforts under Providence of Dr. Browning, R.N., the pious surgeon in charge of those unfortunates (an account of which was published some years ago), may well fill us with admiring gratitude to God for the wonders of his grace, and encourage every one who values the souls of his fellow-men, as far as in his power to go and do likewise. When we reached the banks of Newfoundland, we fondly promised ourselves some cod-fishing, as it is generally the custom to heave-to for that purpose, unless a very rapid run be made over them, or the weather be otherwise too rough, but in our case we were disappointed, as it was not calm enough, while on soundings, for any hope of success. Our loss in this respect was, however, more than compensated, to my notions, at least, by the cry, one fine morning, early, of " an iceberg broad on the larboard bow." I think it was a little before we made the banks, and we had got imusually far to the northward, in consequence of baffling winds, — as it is well known that the prevailing tendency of the winds in that part of the Atlantic is, to blow from the westward, so much so that sailors are used to say that its always down-hill homeward-bound. I think we were on the larboard tack when we first got sight of the 14 THE jfiMIQBANT CHURCHMAK. ! i ii berg.* It appeared at a distance of nine or ten miles on the horizon, a beautiful '^twy-forked liill" of crystaline, its dazzling peaks irradiated by the early morning beams. We very much feared at the time that a fog would close in and shut it from our view. Towards the latter part of the day, however, the haze cleared, and by about three or four o'clock, p.m., we had beat up to it, and were close under its lee in the starboard tack and only from a quarter of a mile to half a mile distant from it, the sea beating against it on the windward side and eddying into a little bay, formed between its lofty and precipitous crags, and a lower and more extended part undulating into two or three distinct ranges of elongated hillocks or hammocks, which seemed to have been a portion of field ice attached to the loftier part. The whole might have been from 300 to 500 feet at the base by about 250 of extreme elevation, and on one side of the more abrupt portion, near the summit, was a singularly shaped mass, which required scarce any effort of imagination to form * Perhaps I ougfht to mention for the benefit of non>nautical readers, that the terms "larboard" and "starboard" mean left and right respectively as you stand looking towards the head of the ship or the direction of her course. The term "port" is used> however, instead of "larboard" in steering, to avoid perilous mistakes from similarity of sound. To be on the larboard tack means to be so sailing with regard to the ^Ind^ as that the lar- board is the upper or weather side, or tha* :j>^xt the wind, and vice vend. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 15 into a gigantic white bear, crawling down the side of it. There was something extremely majestic and solemn in its aspect, as the chill wind swept from it, and the deep dark green wave rolled and foamed beneath and around. The thought of striking against such a mass in the darkness and tempest, and being suddenly sent by the shock to the depths beneath, seemed enough to curdle the very life-blood in our veins, and afforded a vivid idea of the perils undergone by the Polar voyagers and whalers. Whilst we gazed upon it, we encountered a most lovely and agreeable surprise. The sky cleared brightly-blue over head, and the magnificent mass immediately took the tint from the heavens, assuming the softest cerulean hue that the imagination could conceive. The exquisite apparent smoothness of it was also another feature for which I was not at all prepared. I had prefigured to myself a large, rough, white mass ; but the alabaster polish of the general surface, and the tender hue which was shed over it, to which the finest ultramarine must fail of doing justice, presented an effect at once delightful and unexpected. Gradually, as evening advanced, and we drew away from it on our watery pathway, the paler tints resumed their sway, the mists and shadows closed around it, and we left it to its silent march — the cold, grey, stern wanderer of the ocean — alone with Omni- )'\ 16 TEE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. potence amidst the waste of waters. Persons accustomed to high northern latitudes may smile at me, perhaps, for saying so much about meeting with a single iceberg ; but this one interested even our veteran commander, who had seen, as he told us, no less than ninety- six in one day, on his spring passage out, when he encountered a very unusual number, but said that we were singularly fortunate in having fallen in with this, anxious, as some of us were to meet with one, as this was the only one he had seen in an autumnal passage in the course of forty -two voyages across the Atlantic. A lady on board having kindly lent me her box of colours, I attempted a sketch of it, assisted by her hints; and succeeded in completing one or two, which were thought to convey tolerable resemblances, but greatly scandalizing thereby the worthy captain, in consequence of my having introduced a boat pulling towards the mass for effect, and in order to convey some idea of the distance and proportion. It was of no use to argue with him that the boat might have been there, or to explain why it was thus put into the aHcw. The sturdy old mariner stuck to his text : — " as there was no boat in the water, there had no business to be one in the sketch;'* and we found it impossible to pacify him on this point. I might of course have inserted the ship herself, as he wished ; but in a hasty drawing,' like this^ TBB EMIOBAKT ORimOHMAN. 17 . i' with more than one copy earnestly besought by the ladies^ and with very inferior paper, I'm afraid it was too much trouble; neither had I much hope of doing justice to her, though, on another occasion, I did try my hand at her after a fashion. n THE EMIOBANT CHUBOHM AK. CHAPTER II. Hi Anticosti provision stations — Pilot>boat — Fog— Land birds— Death of the captives — White porpoi,4 ' 1ii 26 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. Hi ■< ii to be placed in a conspicuous position on the shore of the river as an object for the adoration and votive oblations of all " good Catholics/' The regular station for vessels containing emi- grants to bring up is at Grosse Isle, about 30 miles below Quebec, where they have to remain, and, if necessary, ride quarantine till released by the regular officers. Having no emigrants of the poorer class on board, we were fortunately exempt from this regu- lation, and after bringing up under the frowning heights of Cape Diamond, and being visited by an officer to whom the proper report of health, &c. was given, we were at liberty to land at the far- famed city of Quebec, the Gibraltar of the West. ii I THE EUIOBANT CHUBCHUAN. «7 CHAPTER III. . .t A word to the reader — Objects of the work— Appearance of Quebec — The two conflagrations — Unfortunate Church organ — Romish Cathedral— >Dear fru'.ts — Anglican Cathedral — The Lord Bishop — His great urbanity — Society in Quebec — Falls of Montmorenci — Ice-mountain at the Falls —Winter amusement — Sleigh slides down the Mountain — Amusing incidents — Hotel Charges — Boarding-house Charges — Charges at that recom- mended by the Bishop — High rents in Quebec — Living com- paratively dear there. I BY no means intend to detain the reader with elaborate descriptions of the history or localities of the places, whether in the British Provinces or States which I visited, or of which I may offer notices from the best information which I could obtain. My great leading object is, I hope, to promote the interest of Church and State, by giving such a plain and studiedly accurate exhi- bition of facts connected with emigration to the British provinces in North America, together with a few notices of the part of the States usually c2 y\ 28 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ii I travelled by British travellers on their way to the West, besides such descriptions of the scenery, localities, inhabitants, and general facilities of the country, as may tend to assist any fellow Church- men, whether lay or clerical, and whatever their station in life, in deciding as to whether they should settle in these regions of the West ; and in so doing I shall endeavour, as far as in me lies, to fill up points of observation which I have felt to be desiderata to myself, and which some of them perhaps may have been overlooked or less noted by other writers, I therefore purpose first giving a general sketch of such places as I visited myself, or could obtain accurate information of, not fol- lowing the order of a regular tour, but contented to exhibit the country in a succession of loose sketches as I may find most convenient to myself and advantageous to those for whose benefit I am chiefly writing. I wish, moreover, to introduce as plain and particular directions as I can possibly give, conformed to the wants of the various classes for whose benefit I am principally throwing off these sheets, with as many hints as I can think of towards their making a good start, and securing, as far as human arrangement will admit, a hopeful and comfortable settlement in the proposed land of their adoption. I am not going to make out Canada, or Nova Scotia, or New Brunswick, to be either El Dorados THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 29 or absolute paradises in esse, whatever thfiy may be in posse ; nor do I intend to throw a mere halo of illusive description over the romantic scenery of the lake and the wilderness, but simply to show, as I shall succeed in showing, that the British provinces in Northern America, particularly that portion of them included in the appellation of Upper or Western Canada, afford, in point of cheapness of living, salubrity of climate, facilities for education of families — in fact, a capacity of provision for all the ordinary necessaries of life. They offer, too, great possible facilities of enjoying the means of grace, advantages, and openings, which, take them all in all, and assuming on the part of those whose attention may be turned to them, frugal and industrious habits, and a sober, orderly, pious conversation, prospects for a happy, peaceful, and useful life on a moderate competency, greater by far, taking things all together, than any other portion of our colonial dependencies with which I am acquainted by obser- vation or description, I want to see the Church flourish more and more in Canada, and, therefore, I want Churchmen to come out — sound, loyal- hearted, spiritually-minded Churchmen, to be the suj-ports and pillars of this interesting country, and a standing bulwark, by the grace of God, against all the encroachments and devices of the combined phalanx of Radicalism, Socialism, and *( ^-y 'J i 30 THE EMIGEANT CHURCHMAN. all the other isms under whose evil banners disloyalty, disaffection, hollow-hearted ness, luke- warmness, infidelity, and dishonest self-seeking of every shape and name, are virtually working com- bination with direct treachery to the Crown, and secret hankering after the illusory benefits of Republican annexation to undermine the best interests of the country. It is a pretty generally allowed fact that it was not so much the infliction of oppressive duties, as the want of a sufficient body of clergy to fan the languishing flame of loyalty, and give a right direction to manners and morals, that led to the revolt of the United States ; and should Canada be lost to the British crown, I have no hesitation in saying (with all kindly consideration for the well- affected without our pale,) that it will be chiefly for the want within our borders of the moral weight and influence of an efiicient body of clergy, backed by a proportionate number of laymen, firmly attached to the apostolic discipline of our pure and reformed branch of the body CathoUc ; since, wherever the Church is strong, there is the sure abode of loyalty, religion, and good order — wherever the contrary state of things prevail, there is the natural tendency to confusion and every evil work. I hope, then, having these objects at heart, to succeed in honestly proving to my dear fellow members of the Church of Eng- THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 31 land that they may live well and happily, serving their generation usefully, in Canada, and that upon an amount of means far below what those, especially with families, could expect to enjoy the same comforts upon in the old country. The city of Quebec has been so often described that I need not trouble the reader with any lengthy notice of it. It is built partly at the foot, and partly on the rise and summit, of the bold promontory composing Cape Diamond and the heights of Abraham, the streets leading from the lower to the upper town, being some of them almost precipitous. It has a quaint and antique air not at all consistent with the idea of one's being in a young country. The fortifications which crown the heights have, as might be ex- pected, a bold and majestic appearance. The town has wonderfully recovered from the effects of the two-fold tremendous conflagrations which some years ago devastated the lower part of it, and threatened destruction to the whole city. The first originated in a large tannery ; the second fire was supposed to have broken out in conse- quence of the thoughtlessness of a maid-servant, who threw some ashes out of a stove amongst some dry stable litter. It was said to have been prophesied a month before it took place ; some go the length of asserting that the prophecy extended even to the day and hour ; certain it is, that while .!• f ,;* .«' ♦• 'f- 4 32 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. i 'i*! the people watched in fearful alarm^ the blaze burst forth with irresistible fury within a few moments of 12 p.m. on the night anticipated. One of the English churches in, I think, the Faubourg St. Antoine was particularly unfortunate as to its organ ; when the church was burnt down in the first great fire the organ unfortunately was consumed. The parishioners, however, with a zeal tiiat did them honour, notwithstanding the tremendous losses which they had sustained in the ruin of their dwellings, soon managed to re- build their church, and subscribed for and ordered another organ from England ; but it being sent out at the stormy season of the year, the vessel was lost, and the organ with her. Unfortunately, no insurance had been effected, and the congre- gation, notwithstanding their spirited and self- denying effort, are still without that pleasing adjunct to divine worship, their first organ having perished by fire, and the second by water. The precipitous nature of the ground on which the town is built, with the fortifications, render it rather a laborious task to walk much about it, as one is frequently stopped by walls in seeking to pass from one part of the city to the other ; and in the snow and ice of winter, the abrupt ascents and descents must be frequently impassable, except by the use of cramps, which I believe are regularly worn by the inhabitants. THE EMIQKANT CHURCHMAN. 33 ■r On one occasion I stepped into the Romisli cathedral ; it is extremely rich with gilding and tinsel inside, and the walls are hung with nume- rous pictures of saints, but all, or nearly all appeared to me to be below the standard of ordinary sign-painting in England. I was agreeably surprised here by the refusal of an attendant of the cathedral to receive any fee for showing me over it. I offered him a quarter of a dollar, which he, however, politely declined. It was the first, indeed the only time that I had seen money refused at a Roman Catholic place of worship. It is difficult, I believe, for a stranger to obtain access to the convents; but a priest, whom I made free to accost, on my making myself known to him as a stranger passing through, and desirous of seeing anything of interest in Quebec, very politely offered to take my name and get me an order from the Roman Catholic bishop and leave it for me at Payne's hotel the following day. but as our ship sailed on her way to Montreal, I had no opportunity of availing myself of his kindness. I found time, however, in company with some ladies, to visit Her Majesty^s ship " Vindictive," 50, then lying in the river, and we experienced a very polite reception from the ofl&cers, who showed us, with the greatest attention, over this noble vessel. I noticed in her particularly, as after- c 3 y 4.'^]. 34 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. iiiii ■ t 'liii > II ' !l'^ wards in the " Ohio " at Boston, United States, the well-known effect of symmetry in diminishing the apparent size of an object. Though somewhat accustomed to measure vessels by the eye, I mis- took her at a little distance for a vessel of greatly inferior force. We found fruit excessively dear at Quebec, a few apples and pears, which I bought to tak^ to the ladies, were charged enormously high. I think they demanded 4d. each for the pears, and 2d. or so for the apples ; it would seem that they must have taken advantage of a new comer, as in Canada West fine apples may readily be pro- cured at Gd. a bushel : one would hardly, how- ever, have expected to be taken advantage of in a respectable looking confectioner's shop. Things however, seemed very dear in Quebec — dearer by far than at any other part of Canada that I have visited ; with the exception of dray-hire, which is reasonable enough, the charges for conveying luggage to most parts of the town being for quarter dollar (15^.) to Is. 6d. I should not think on the whole that an emigrant would gain much, if at all, on the score of cheapness, I ^ taking up his residence in Quebec. The Anglican cathedral here is a very plain building, of no external pretensions beyond that of an ordinary parish church in England. The bishop's residence is in the enclosure surroimding THE EMIOUANT CHURCHMAN. 35 it, and about the size of a very ordinary rectory- house at home. The bishop was absent on a tour of visitation I believe on my first visit to Quebec, but on another occasion I had the honour of waiting upon and dining with his lordship, who combines a dignified aspect with the extremest amiability and Christian kindness and benevolence of character. Highly favoured indeed is Canada in her episcopal superintendence. Of the Bishop of Toronto, entirely different in personal appear- ance and mode of address from his brother prelate at Quebec, yet equally kind, equally noble- minded, equally the uncompromising guardian of the Church's interest — equally given to hos- pitality, alike foremost in every good word and work, I shall, however, have occasion hereafter to speak. Dr. Mountain was consecrated for Mc ntreal as, I believe, suffragan bishop, during the lifetime of his venerated father the Bishop of Quebec, and now governs the united diocese, making the latter city his ordinary place of residence. Though Upper Canada possesses some advan- tage over Canada East, both in a more equable temperature, a generally richer soil, and in being the residence of fewer Roman Catholics, in fact in being more of an English country altogether, for in most parts of the Lower Province you might readily imagine yourself in France; yet, to a y *i 36 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ■ t A m i. !l clergyman, who for any reason might choose a residence in Lower Canada, or who was directly sent out thither by the society, I can only say that it would be impossible for himself to be under a kinder or more paternal diocesan. As far too as mere worldly considerations may come in, it may not be irrelevant to mention that the society in and about Quebec, is generally considered to be extremely good ; and that there is no lack of healthy out-door recreation, especially during winter, to relieve the mind and cheer the jaded spirits. One of the most popular of these is a trip to the celebrated falls of Montmorencia, whither pic-nics in summer, and sleigh drives over the ice of the St. Lawrence in winter, are the order of the day. This of course is only men- tioned by the way, as those laymen who come out to labour for a provision for themselves and their families, and those clergymen, who come fervid with the love of perishing souls, and acknowledging it as their meat and their drink to do their master's work below, will be actuated by very different resolves from those of mere amusement-seeking. The splendour, however, of the icy conglome- rations about the falls of Montmorencia in winter, must, of itself, be worth travelling a long way to see. The spray from the cataract freezing as it falls, soon forms a mountain or pyramid of ice in front of it, from 90 to 126 feet high ; and after THE EMIGRANT CHURCHBIAN. 37 having driven thither in a sleigh, the fun is to mount up steps cut in the ice with pickaxes and tomahawks to the summit of the pyramid, seat one's self in a sled provided by the persons who eke out a living by it, and shoot down the side of the mountain with a rapidity which, when the ice is smooth on the river, usually sends you a won- derful distance over the broad bosom of the river, from whence you return to renew the game ad libitum. Considering the amazing velocity of the descent, and the steepness of the sides of the ice- mountain, it is wonderful how few accidents occur. All that is required is, a good start and a firm hold. Generally speaking only one person sets off in the small sleds in use for the purpose, but sometimes a loving couple will start off together, the gentlcnan firmly holding the lady. The softer sex, however, seldom venture from the very top, which is considered a great feat, from the enormous velocity attained, and greater consequent risk. The ladies, therefore, generally content themselves with a descent from about half way up. Some amazonian belles have, however, we believe, ventured the whole height. When a large number of sleds are started in this manner in a string, and they rush to the bottom in a living cataract like so many flying Mercuries, the scene becomes animated in the extreme ; and when, as will sometimes happen, a slight misdirection at I *< y r,.i. 38 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ;««;») :i ^ setting off, or want of nerve, or loss of 1)alance on the part of its occupant, causes the leading sled to upset, and the others of course to rush against and upset over it, or shoot off in a new direction ; the whole, however, generally rolling over and over and bundling down in a heterogeneous mass till they land in a heap at the bottom ; the effect becomes ludicrous in the extreme — the ice rings again with merry peals of laughter, and even stern winter himself might be imagined to indulge in a grim smile. The owners of sleighs on these occasions vie with one another in gayness of caparison and richness of fur robes and general equipments. The officers of the garrison turn out, some of them tandems, some of them four-in-hand, and on " high runners,'* which though rather break-neck affairs as far as the risk of an upset is involved, are preferred by some on account of the loftier seat, and greater command over the horses. The French carrioles, on the contrary, are as near the surface of the snow or ice as possible, where, on a low seat, the legs stretched out, and the back com- fortably supported, wrapped in their furs, the occupants sit in snug security. The jingling of the sleigh-bells which are at- tached to at least one horse of every vehicle, has a most pleasing and exhilarating effect in the sharp bracing wintry air: an effect felt by the I THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 39 animals as well as their drivers, as horses invariably travel with greater spirit to the tune of their merry jingling; and they are almost necessary, more- over, to warn foot passengers and others in front of one of the rapid advance of these vehicles, as they shoot silently over the still snow-track, or make at the most a sharp and not unpleasant chirping if the track be well hardened ; indeed it is a fine of 51, not to use them. In winter, of course, if the season be a good one, all conveyance by wheels ceases, runners are the order of the day, and fuel, provisions, and all manner of farm produce are then brought with ease into the cities on sleds, and horse-teams^ hrough roads which, as regards some of the back V t aments, under holes and swamps, would render impracticable for heavy loads at another season. Lodgings and house rent are very high in Quebec. The bishop generally recommends as a private boarding-house, to persons of moderate means, especially the clergy, Mrs. Lane's in St. Ursula Street. The terms here are, if 1 remember right, no less than 5 dollars {25s, currency) a-week, certainly not less than four. I think at Payne's hotel they are 2 dollars a-day, which is high for Canada. One may, however, get inferior accommodation in the lower town, at the taverns, for perhaps 3 to 4 dollar i a-week, but a clergy- i'. 1 1 ^ "8» I'.- I 40 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. man would not, of course, like to take up his abode there. Mrs. Lane's house stands her in rent about 80/. currency a-year and is an abode of very moderate pretensions indeed — such as could not rent higher than 30/. to 40/. a year in the environs of London, and 15/. to 25/. in the neigh- bourhood of any of the great towns of Scotland. Mrs. Lane and her daughters are extremely communicative and obliging, and though a better tal)le is kept at Toronto for instance, in boarding- houses at 3 dollars a week, the probability is that the greater expenses of house rent, &c. in Quebec^ render it impossible for the worthy lady referred to, to entertain her visitors at a lower rate ; and then, there is always tlie satisfaction, from the. respectability of the bishop's recommendation, of knowing that one is in a house where there is no liability to be imposed upon, either in minor charges or information. They are also decided church people as might be expected. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 41 j I CHAPTER IV. ■I Merciful preservation— Arrival at Montreal — Seat of Government Proposal for a Viceroy — Probable influence of a Vice-Regal Court — Liking of Americans of the higher class for Englishmen of rank — Romish Cathedral — Convents — Hotel Dieu — Maison du bon Pasteur — Nuns in white — Interesting Novice — Polite Lady Superior— Reflections on the system — Hotel Charges- French very much spoken— Church of England Services in that Language — Character of Young Lower Canadians — Charivaris — Fatal results of one — Montreal as a place of residence — Devoted Clergy. Ox my first visit to Quebec, of course my home during our short stay, was on board the vessel, as ray passage was taken to Montreal, for which latter place we sailed after a stay of some forty hours at the former. When we had got as high as Lavaltrie, the wind became light and baffling ; and the tide water having ceased as far below as the three rivers, we brought up with one or two other vessels to wait for a steamer to tow us up the remaining distance. And here some of us expe- r^i V «■ ' :/| I r. hi ■ I he may find most qualified to inform him, the probable charges which may meet him at every succeeding stage of his journey. Had I thought of inquiring of the clerk of the boat, or of the obliging gentleman who so kindly volunteered to stand sentinel over my luggage, this imposition could not have been'practised upon me. I mention it not so much for its amount, as to warn others who may be similarly deceived in matters of heavier import. To a person fond of beautiful scenery, and who wishes as far as possible to combine the utile dulci, the neighbourhood of Kingston would probably afford an eligible place for settling. The presence of a military garrison besides its being the naval depot, naturally lend to it an air of life and animation ; whilst the vicinity of the lake of the thousand islands, and the beauties of the Bay of Quinte, present a continual source of delight to the lover of exquisite scenery ; ^a better place for keeping a pleasure boat could not be desired. The soil is said to be light, but productive. An excellent farm from 100 to 200 acres, with perhaps 40 to 70 cleared, with a neat resi- dence and offices, capable of producing all the necessaries of life with something to spare, may be had here, according to situation, nearness to market, &c., but certainly within an easy distance from the city, from 500/. to 1000/. currency. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 61 The removal of the seat of Government having had in some degree a depreciating influence on the value of property, would render the purchase of land there most probably a safe and profitable investment about the present time; more espe- cially as from the locality, it is sure to rise again perhaps to more than its previous value. The steamer running through at night, touches at Cobourg and Port Hope ; the latter celebrated for its whiskey, (better for the lieges if it were with- out it,) the former rejoicing in a theological seminary under the wing of the Church, besides a similar institution belonging to the methodists, and called Victoria College. A three years' resi- dence at Cobourg, (or less time at his Lordship's pleasure,) qualifies a candidate for presenting himself for ordination at the examination of the Bishop of Toronto. The students have in addi- tion to their book preparation, the opportunity here, imder the excellent rector Dr. Bethune, who is also archdeacon of York, of fitting themselves for the more practical duties of the ministry by district visiting, disseminating religious books, Sunday-school teaching, &c., besides, we believe, occasionally acting as lay readers and catechists through the surrounding country. Any candidate for the pastoral office who feels his heart warm with the love of perishing souls, must at once feel how delightful a field of preparation is thus opened y\ Itm .;■? t*. -■■4 II" ,'4^' * •<■ i ; 41 i ♦ 62 THE EMIQRAKT CHURCHMAN. up to him. God grant that the youth trained up there, may prove a large source of blessing and expansion to the Church in Canada ! The expense of board and education to the student is, we believe, extremely moderate, — amounting somewhere to about 60/. currency (or 50/. sterling) per annum. There are several scholar- ships open to competition, on which a poor stu- dent may be supported during residence. The steam-boats in these parts very liberally charge only half-price to all students, whether from Cobourg or elsewhere, on their stating themselves to be such to the clerk of the vessel. And to the credit of many well-disposed tavern-keepers be it spoken, there are some of them who will not either charge a clergyman anything for a few hours' lodging and entertainment on a journey, or will make some deduction in his favour, — per- haps keeping his horse for nothing. This is said to be particularly the case on the western side of Lake Simcoe ; and at the rapidly rising village of Sydenham, Owen's Sound on Lake Huron, there is an honest churchman who keeps the *' Victoria Arms," whom we have known to have done the same. At the larger hotels of the cities, however, a clergyman must generally expect to pay like his neighbours. Such is however the delightful unanimity prevailing amongst the clergy of Upper Canada, and such their affectionate hospitality, as THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 63 also generally that of the Church laity, that a clergyman when once he got a little acquainted, might travel (that is, if he did not coach it,) pretty nearly free of expense from one end of the pro- vince to the other. I was up very early in the morning to look upon the scenery of the Lake Ontario, which within fifteen or twenty miles of Toronto, about the townships of Pickering, Whitby, and Scar- borough, presented a series of high rifted and precipitous banks of bold and varied outline, probably rising in some parts to an elevation of 300 or 400 feet above the water, and crowned on the ridges with slopes of arable land, pasture, and woodland, as farm after farm appeared in flourish- ing succession. Gradually however the country descended nearly to the level of the lake, as we drew in with the flat sandy and marshy peninsula in shape of the letter T, within the western arm of which is contained the Bay of Toronto. The length of this arm, running as it does nearly parallel with the shore, gives a vessel an additional sweep of some seven miles in order to reach the city, when approaching from the eastward, Toronto! "The trees in the water!" as the Indian nomenclature hath it. This at least is esteemed, I believe, the most probable derivation, amongst the various disputed ones, of the inter- esting title of this flourishing metropolis of the p y\ f * ' r:>^ fc<\*' 64 THlii EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. :t- 1 west. A stranger approaching it would imrne- diately see the appositeness of the name. It is just the verv one which an imaginative people like the Indians^ strictly faithful moreover to local association, might be supposed to have assigned to the spot. For, as we near the peninsula, a collection of trees upon tlie western point for a long time seem actually to be growing from the face of the lake, and at length emerge liiore fully into view, lending a picturesque finish to the neighbourhood of the poiiit, terminated by the friendly lighthouse, around which the vessel sweeps into the beautiful natural harbour. Here a con- siderable fleet might ride in perfect security a circumstance which no doubt is as one principal cause of the selection of the spot for a city on the part of the early settlers, as it is now a continuous source of its steady increasing wealth and pros- perity. The bay, which is about three miles deep, by a mile or mile and a half i: w*dth, is crossed several times of tlie day during the season by a small steamer or liorse ferry boat, with the union ensign* floating gaily at the stern, carrying passen- gers at the rate of Gd. a head across, to catch the fresh breezes of the open lake, shoot wild ducks, (which still abound in the fall,* notwithstanding the near neighbourhood of a populous city,) or recreate at the hotel which has been built as a * The autumnal season is almost alwnys so called in Canada. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 65 speculation on the " island/' as some call it, and which is said to answer remarkably well, being supported in summer by pic-nickers and seekers of fresh air, and in winter by sleighing parties. I fear, however, that from its situation, it is becom- ing a sad rei^ort for the drinking part of the com- munity. The sporting folks sometimes get up a fox-chase on the ice, carrying poor Reyaard out in a bag, turning him loose, and hunting him along the bay. ' y THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. i CHAPTER VII. 1^ City of Toronto — Tin -covered roofs and spires — Former name of the city — Strange nomenclatures — Poeti'^ai schoolmaster — Hotel and boarding-house charges — Economical living — Expense of board in private families — Washing — Keep of a horse or a cow — " Republican cows" — Canine bovine and porcine concerto-- Concerts of ancient music and Dr. McCaul — University of King's College — Foundation and Endowment — Liberality of its constitution — Radical dislike of it notwithstanding — The real cause, hatred to the Church — Proposed "Liberal" University measure — A Model University worthy of 'Punch" — Dagon of mere secular education — Cost of present building and avenue —University commission — Expense of it. If So here we are at length arrived, Where the blue hills of old Toronto shed, Their evening shadows o'er Ontario's bed. The couplet is pretty, but the description any- thing but correct. For, in the first place, Toronto as a city is little more than forty years years old ; and in the next place, though the ground rises considerably towards the cemetry, and, indeed, all along Younge Street, the great northern outlet, i THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 67 there is no elevation at all conveying the notion of a hilly range reflecting its shadows in the lake. Toronto is a noble and promising city, — a young giant of the west, — a proud monument of British energy directed by the fostering care of Provi- dence. And it may be imagined that it was with no little interest that I gazed upon its polished spires and brightly tinned roofs glittering in the liglit of the morning sun, as the steamer rounded the point and swept up to the wharf where I was to disembark, and seek at least a temporary termination to my wanderings. Tlie place was formerly called York, but as the Americans gene- rally added the epithet " Little," to distinguish it from their own New York, the citizens took a dislike to it, and very i)ropcrly returned to the original Indian designation. Indeed, were this more frequently retained, the gcograj)hical vocabu- lary of the country would l)e more in character, besides gaining largely in euphony over such delightful and elegant designations as Hog's Hollow, Callow's Hill, &c. (the latter, however, with singular appropriateness, happened to be the scene of one of the outbreaks of the rebellion). By the way, an aspiring genius of a young school- master who was lately applied to to write a letter for a person, the caligraphical part of whose education had been lu^glected in his youth, having been requested to address it Hog's Hollow, y\ 68 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. V* 1 '^1 Younge Street, is said, with encyclopsediacal fer- vour to have superscribed it, " Swine's Vacuum, Juvenile Avenue," or something to that effect. Whether the letter ever reached its destination deponent saith not. There are some very comfortable hotels and boarding houses in Toronto, the charges at which are extremely reasonable. At the Wellington Hotel, which is close to the shore, the forwarding establishments, post-office, &c., the charges for an ordinary stay are about 1 dollar (5*. currency, or 4s. sterling) a day. This includes bed-room, table, and, in fact, everything but wine and wash- ing ! If a person makes it his regular residence, GO/, a year will be charged. This is considered chiefly a commercial hotel. The North American on the shore, and Macdonald's in King Street, have also very respectable claims on public con- sideration at much the same charges. In hotels in country towns you may live for 3^ dollars a week, and keep a horse for IJ dollars more, you finding oats. The Black Swan in King Street, nearly opposite the Church Society's office, is, either from its locality or the character of the landlord, a place for the clergy to put up their conveyances. It is much more unpretending in outward appearance than some of the others, but a clergyman may always reckon on careful attention to his horses, vehicle, &c. TUE EMIGRANT CHUHCHMAN. The charges at the boarding-houses vary from 3 to 5 dollars a week. For the latter charge one may get first-rate accommodation. But even as low as 3 one may obtain a place perfectly respect- able and not at all unsuited as the temporary abode of any quiet individual, lay or clerical. Moreover as the general run of boarders are per- sons professionally engaged, college stidents, &c., a stranger would h'we pretty nearly th^^ exclusive use of the public sitting-room from breakfast till tea time, with the exception of the dinner hour. Breakfast is at S, dinner at 1, and tea at 6, besides which any light refreshment may be had later in the -evening without further charge, if one happens to be out or accidentally disposed to eat then. There are, however, we believe, boarding-houses whose charges are as low as 2 dollars a week ; a person of course of any means would not be likely to try there :, they are, however, some of them sufficiently respectable in character. It is probable that where there was a family a deduc- tion would be made from the individual charge of 3 dollars, or in the event of a long stay. But surely it is encouraging to the emigrant of small means to think how cheaply he may live respect- ably and well in such a city as Toronto, where there is every advantage of society, shops, libra- ries, gas, cold and warm baths, &c. Since that most important item of expenditure, ^ yo THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. his board and residence, may be comfortably dis- posed of, for, say 30/. a year sterling, or 40/. cur- rency. Thus a person who is wise enough to eschew intoxicating liquors may evidently live comfortably on 40/. to 50/. per annum sterling, as he will have no expenses save those of clothes, shoes, washing, &c. In fact, 3 dollars a week is a very common charge in many parts of Canada, even in highly respectable private families, some of whom do not ol)ject to add to their income in this way, and in some cases washing may be included. If otherwise, your things will be washed for half a dollar a dozen, one piece with another, without reference to size or make. Arrangements may readily be made moreover, if necessary, for the keep of a horse on very mode- rate terms, for the animal may be pastured in an enclosed clearing for 1 dollar a month during summer, should it not be deemed expedient, as is often done, to turn it loose to pick up its living at the road side and in " the bush." Then oats are from lOd. to I5d. currency a bushel, and hay (Timotliy hay) from 8 to 10 dollars a ton at an average, so that it is easy to calculate for how little a horse may be kept. Cows, moreover, in summer are similarly kept for nothii 5, so that it is far cheapc- to have them in this way than to buy milk, even when living in a town ; a good one may be bought for about 16 dollars or 41. THE EMIGRANT CHURCITMAN. 71 to 5/. currency, and in some parts, as Esquesing, in the Gore District, for even as low as 12 dollars, and when done with they will fetch a good price as beef. Or you may hire one for 4 or 5 dollars a year, and not he liable for its value if it be lost or die unless by your proved neglect. They pick up their living through all the summer gratis, coming home regularly to their owners to be milked : and in winter the keep of them in hay and turnips will cost a])out 12 dollars, or not 2d. a day for the whole year, whereas a quart of milk sells for 2d.f not to mention the cost of butter and cheese, both which average about 6d. per pound. The saving, therefore, (of course this is in the case of a family) is very great. On a farm, moreover, the expense of keeping these animals is comparatively nothing. 1^ believe that these "re- publican cows," who pick up their living by the road sides, are liable to be pounded, but this is scarcely ever done unless they turn out " breachy," t. e. knock down fences to get at the crops. In Toronto, even cows and pigs are occasionally seen running loose about the the town, though contrary to law, frequently pursued by half the dogs in the parish, who seem to consider them a fair game when they trespass on the respective localities of the said canine gentry, to whose objurgations they reply as they beat a hasty retreat by a variety of squealings, lowings, and bellowings, which form y »«4 72 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. now and then in the back streets a whimsical and most unmusical concerto. By the way, talking of concerts, the lovers of ancient music will be pleased to be informed that a very promising society for the performance of the works of the great masters flourishes in Toronto, under the auspices of the Rev. Dr. M'Caul, the learned and deservedly popular president of King's College, who, I hope, will accept my apology for introducing him and his harmonious labours in such close juxtaposition with those of the bovine and other gentry above named. The University of King's College was founded April 23, 1842, opened June 8, 1843, and en- dowed with 225,944 acres of land; 72 scholar- ships were added in 1846, which confers exemption on the holders from §11 fees besides rooms and commons fee. The fees for each student are about 12/. (currency) a year. It was doubtless intended according to the original terms of the foundation to have been entirely under the wing of the church ; dissenters^ however, have contrived to obtain a voice in the management of the funds; and though its terms of admission might be already deemed liberal enough in all conscience, no objec- tion be'.ng made to the entrance of any student on the score of religious opinions, and degrees in like manner being conferred without reference to creed ; yet none of these things profit the party now in THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 73 power, so long as Mordecai is seen sitting at the king's gate : in other words, so long as there is a churchman for a president, and another for i)rofes- sor of divinity. The outcry, therefore, is " down with it — down with it even to the ground." Seize on the funds and apply them to secular education in district schools throughout the province, in fact, do anything and everything, but whatever you do have done with the divinity chair — these misguided men being ignorant, wilfully or otherwise, of the truth that as man has to live for eternity all educa- tion is worse than valueless which does not directly connect itself with preparation for eternity. But such is the animus of party spirit — that rather than the church should teach for eternity they will not be taught at all. The miserable fallacies so con- stantly propounded on the subject of popular education, as if it were a thing to be viewed entirely apart from a reference to religious train- ing, prove perhaps as much as anything the short- sightedness of men not spiritually illuminated by an unction from on High. What is education ? The training the faculties of an individual to the purposes of life — of his whole life. But man is an immortal being, therefore his whole life extends itself over eternity. Infinitely more woful an error then is it not to educate man religiously, i. e. vith a direct reference to eternity, than it would bo to give him an education which might be y to give him an education which might fOL. I. ' E vt ■ 74 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ■-!»< , L*" ■. ) ,^^. arknowledgcd sufficient for only a part of his wiiole life — for only three, four, or eight years of a life extending to the ordinary threescore and ten. In the latter imaginary case all men would see apafpable absurdity; in the former, the actual case in point, men — at least men untaught by the spirit and blinded by party prejudice — do not, or will not see that they are committing an error which would involve an infinitely greater absurdity, did we dare to use such a term, where the result of such error tends directly to eternal lamentations and woe. But this is a digression. To return to King's College : the radical party in their attempts at spoliation, feel that though they may root up the professorship of divinity by tear- ing the whole institution up from its foundation, a university of some sort will still be wanted; at least the leaders naturally feel this, they being men, who some of them from connexion and rank ought to be allied to something more respectable than radicalism, and who secretly look down with contempt on the cry of their inferior retainers, that no place of education for the sons of the upper classes is wanted. They feel that not only is some place wanted but that it must be had. The better informed among them, moreover, are naturally aware that to have their university anything but the laughing-stock of the western continent for the literary acquirement of its professors, the THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAK. 75 profcssorsliips must be, for the most part at least, supplied from the ranks of the church. But churchmen will, as a body, have nothing to do with a university constituted upon the favourite radical models, they being bigoted and antiquated enough to wish for some distinct confession of faith on the part of a public academic institution. Thus the promoters of this precious scheme of alternate spoliation and Bal)el building are en- tirely at their wits' ends what to do, meantime they seem inclined to take refuge in the following delightful resource: whilst their inferior radical organs out of doors are, as we have already observed, raising an outcry against any university at all, these who consider themselves the ^lite of the party are indulging themselves in a vision of a sort of christian-infidel literary paradise formed out of King's College itself. This enlightened object they propose to attain by bringing in a bill to remodel it on christian principles, without theology, without test, without religious observanccr Lest we should be supposed to have too severely characterized this miserable farrago of a university measure for the express purpose of holding it up to public contempt, we copy verbatim part of the leading article of one of the favourite organs of its promoters — the "Toronto Globe," of November 15, 1848, which runs as follows : — " We are happy to announce that a measure is now in progress which E 2 y' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I l^|2£ 125 ■^ l&i 12.2 us 14.0 12.0 L25||||U,,.6 6" : >■ $%t ^ % .** •^ /A ^ vw Hiotographic Sciences Corporation •SJ \ ^ O 4 23 WIST MAIN STREiT WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80 (716)«72-4S03 ;\ I'rl W THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. I* 1 * f 4 1. vr -4- : will be submitted to Parliament, and which we hope will for ever settle the long disputed ques- tion of King's College, and place the university on such a footing as to secure the general support of the community. The great difficulty which has arisen in framing a suitable bill has been in regard to religion. All parties agreed that a university for the whole province, endowed by public money, should not be made subservient to the purposes or under the control of any single denomination of christians. This is not only required by justice and sound 'policy, but strictly accords with the principles on which the new Irish Colleges have been founded by the present Home Government. The attempts of the Roman Catholic clergy to attain the control of these institutions, although backed by the influence of the Pope, can never be yielded by government. Acting on this principle, the new Canadian College Bill will shut out the Episcopalian chair of divinity, and with it the last remains of sectarian dominion. But although this were accomplished, there remains still an appre- hension with some who desire not the supremacy of one christian sect over all other, that if the new measure does not contain some safeguards for the christian religion, the institution may be perverted to infidel purposes. To obviate this a test was proposed to be imposed on the professors; but besides the difficulty of drawing up such a test. ^j- ;:> 'I THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 77 experience has shown that these obligations shut out the conscientious, but readily admit the most dangerous men, who scruple at no test which can be framed. So pernicious have these tests proved in seats of learning that there is a strong desire to be rid of them in the old world. Certain religious observances were also proposed to be laid down in the new act, but when the variety of sects amongst the teachers was considered, it was deemed im- possible to embody them in the columns of a parliamentary statute. The bill, we believe, will contain a strong clause that the university is founded and to be conducted on christian prin- ciples" The italics are actually their's not our's, as if inserted in bitter irony at their own com- position. Now were not the subject far too serious to be merely a butt for the shafts of ridicule, we might fairly ask any candid reader of this precious pro- duction, whatever his political principles, whether if that grave and veracious individual " Punch ^' had been proposing to add " a model university '' to his late series of facetious sketches on model subjects, he could by possibility have invented anything more exquisitely ridiculous. We will sup;]iose that under this admirable system a re- spectable Mahommedan Moolah offers himself as professor of oriental languages ; he is beyond all question a " bula admee " — a respectable person ; A A ^ 17W "- ! !' L^. 't \\4 fv^-' 78 THE EMiaRANT CHURCHMAN. P * 'I his testimonials from various eminent disciples of the prophet are of the highest order ; he presents himself to the board to be examined as to his qualifications for a chair in this liberal christian university. We will suppose the council assem- bled round the board of green cloth 3 the examina- tion commences. Examiner, As our university is conducted on strictly christian principles, pray, sir, may I take the liberty of asking what theological views you are in the habit of entertaining ? Moolah, I object to that question, it savours of sectarian domination ; and besides that, you have no right to put it; for, in the first place, you have no theology taught, and, if you had, I did not apply to be professor of divinity. Examiner. Oh, I beg the gentleman's pardon ; you are quite right, sir. I pass on to another question. Since this is decidedly a christian university you will, of course, excuse my request- ing you to favour us with some test as to your opinions being correspondent ? Moolah, I object to offer anything of the sort, neither can you possibly require it; for as tests have been proved so pernicious you have very wisely done away with them. Examiner. I really beg pardon; the question was irrelevant. I pass on to another. You see as we are conducted upon strictly christian principles. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 79 I must really make some respectful enquiries as to the mode of your religious observances before you can be one of us ? Moolah, Pray where is your right to an answer embodied in your parliamentary statutes ? Examiner, Really I am ashamed to have given you so much unnecessary trouble; I see I am wrong ; we have no statute to that eflfect. Moolah, Have you any more questions to put ? Examiner (very much puzzled). Why, yes! no ! You see we are a strictly christian university, would you, therefore, kindly give us any general statement on the subject of your holding christian principles — anything as liberal as you like — just to satisfy the act of parliament and to enable you to become one of us. Moolah, Oh, is that all ; certainly — I believe in *^Issa;" there is one God, and Mahomet is his prophet. Examiner (greatly relieved). I thank you kindly, my dear sir; you believe, you say, in "Issa.'* Your profession of christian principles will entirely satisfy the act ; of course you have a right to your own private views on prophecy. We shall be most happy now to admit you. The subject, however, is far too serious for ridicule, were it not that any professor of heresy whatsoever might similarly baffle the attempt to keep him out of a chair when a candidate. tf < •^'"4' *\ .'if'* • i;^. t^'* 1 1 » - I» 80 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. or eject him if once elected. The very com- mendation which is given of the system, on the ground of its being on the principles of the Irish College, already denounced and con- temned alike by Churchman and Romanist, is quite enough to show up the wretchedness of the shifts to which these Canadian liberals are driven in their attempt at university legislation ; and, to prove that those who begin by throwing oflf religion, end by throwing off common sense, let us hope that the Church in Upper Canada will eventually take the matter into her own hands (if they attempt to proceed with the above wretched piece of legislation) and, regardless of the irreli- gious schemes of mere political partisans, put forth her energies at home and in the Province, to establish, by God's assistance, a university entirely under her own control, and officered, of course, solely by sound consistent churchmen; when, humanly speaking, it will be seen that all, or nearly all the respectability of the Province, will flock to it, as a firmly established centre of sound learning and religious improvement, a holy ark of the true Shechinah, before which the impious Pagan of Christless education shall totter and fall broken and dishonoured in the dust. As the very foundation of King's College is in such a precarious state, it is scarce necessary to say any thing of the actual building itself, save and except that it THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 81 appears to have been commenced on far too large a scale, and that the circumstance of one wing only having been completed, instead of a com- mencement having been made with the centre, gives what exists of it an awkward and ungainly appearance. There is little to show, moreover, for the expense already incurred, which amounts to 12,000/. There is, however, a very pretty avenue of considerable length, on which (by importation of expensive exotics, &c.) we un- derstand that 20,000/. have been already expended — a tremendous waste of the funds as it would seem, in a country where trees are, for the most part, a drug. A commission is at present sitting on the University question, and how much longer it may sit we cannot tell — doubtless, as long as it can, since the three members composing it are allowed each five dollars a day besides all expenses. As it consists of two Radicals and one very moderate Conservative, it is pretty easy to foretel how the report will run when it does come out. Meantime, the infant institution is saddled with expenses to the extent of upwards of a thousand a year. y\ E 3 M THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. f r, \i 4 :t t^■, r ! ■I CHAPTER VIII. Upper Canada College— Endowment and fees — Borrowed plumes — Cathedral — Free Kirk — Romish Cathedral and "Palace" — A Churchman's liberality — Gratuitous services of Anglican Clergy —Newspapers and periodicals — Society — Its truly English tone and character — Kind attentions to new comers — Letters of recommendation to the Clergy useful to Emigrants — ^The Bishop's advice on such letters — Beautiful conformity herein to the custom of the Early Church — A return to primitive order desired. The Upper Canada College, which stands at the western end of King Street, is a neat collection of red brick buildings, something in the detached and uncoUegiate style of Downing College, Cambridge, only, of course, proportionably smaller in plan and extent. It is endowed with 63,642 acres of land. The salaries of the masters may amount to 300/. a year, that of the principal to 600/. There is a tolerably-sized central building for the school, with neat detached residences ranged on each side of it for the masters. It is a preparatory THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 83 school for King's College, but being under the same regimen, it is unhappily liable to be meddled with by "them who are given to change." At present it is most respectably conducted, the principal departments being each and all under the charge of clergymen of the Church : it then bids fair, if left alone, to be a blessing to the province. The fees for education here amount to 9/. per annum, and each youth may be boarded near the institution, or with some of the junior masters, for from 21/. to 23/. a year. By the way, my English university reader, if I happen to be favoured with any, will be amused at the free and easy way they do things in Canada when they are informed that, at one of the Canadian seminaries {not the one in question though), a worthy almoner of a Scotch college, who was appointed for his political partisanship, rather than for his knowledge (being confessedly ignorant of the subject allotted to the chair, which he nominally fills), regularly walks about in the gown of a M.A. of Oxford or Cambridge. He may be, and I believe is, a very worthy and respectable individual; but he really ought to consider that his appearance in such borrowed plumes is, to the eye of an English university man, about as out of place as would that of some honest captain of provincial militia, were he to y III m '-nmmr 'mmBf^y M^ h Iff' I** i * uv 84 THE EMIOllAXT CHURCHMAN. S''^ il 1j ^1,1 ! r deck himself in the uniform of her Majesty's Life Guards. The Cathedral at Toronto is situated in King Street, and was rebuilt on the site of a former church destroyed by fire. As a mere edifice it is comfortably, and even handsomely, fitted up inside ; but it was a sad pity that when so fine an opportunity was presented, as that of rebuilding, those who had charge of the matter did not go to some one well versed in ecclesiastical architecture for plans of an edifice which might have been a real ornament to the province. As it is, un- fortunately, instead of the decorative style which they of the "dark ages" knew so well how to employ for sacred purposes, and which has been of late years so happily copied in England in many of our new churches, the building as it stands is one with the commonest possible round- headed windows, and but for the ill-proportioned and stumpy attempt at a spire, might answer as well, or, perhaps, better, as regards exterior, for a corn exchange. St. George's, at the western end of the city, is really a much better attempt. Its spire is truly light, graceful, and tapering. The only error which is observable with regard to it is its being surmounted with a cross-glory, which ought to have been at the end of the nave instead. It cannot be denied, however, that the " Free- Kirkfolk'' have beat us entirely, as their new THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 85 edifice, named after John Knox, is very superior in point of architecture to any thing that the AngHcan can offer in Toronto. It is really quite a gem of its kind, and exhibits at least a pleasing proof that the blind bigotry which, at the Scottish Reformation stigmatised even the pointed style of ecclesiastical architecture, as savouring of " popery," or " black prelacy," is gradually yielding to a less barbarous^ and one would fain hope, a more Catholic taste. The Romish Cathedral was lately opened with much ceremony, savouring, however, it is to be feared, far too greatly of theatrical display, and is a moderately good-looking Gothic edifice. I cannot say as much, however, for the adjoining " palace," which, though much admired by some, appeared to my humble power of inspection, like nothing more than a national school-room with pointed windows stuck on the basement of a factory with square-lights. A wooden hurricane- house, moreover, on the roof, lends a most in- congruous aspect to the whole. There are five churches belonging to the national establishment in Toronto, two of them built and endowed by the munificence of a private individual in England, whose name has never been suffered to transpire. These, we should think, will, however, scarce be found sufficient, ere long, for the spiritual wants of a city numbering at least »■ 86 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ,* ' If » 1 t rl 10,000 to 12,000 churchmen amongst her 22,000 to 25,000 inhabitants. It is a gratifying fact, that in the district belonging to one of these, through the steady ministrations and unremitting parochial labours of the incumbent, dissent has almost entirely declined. I would venture to remark, however, that in so large a city as Toronto, it might be desirable to have one or more week-day evening services. The two churches referred to are ser%^ed by their respective clergy, two incumbents, and a curate, without any salary whatever. It is to be hoped that some years hence, as the endowment in land becomes productive, these devoted " workmen" will receive something of the " hire" to which they are declared, on the highest authority, to be entitled. There are no less than from a dozen to a dozen- and-a-half weekly newspapers and other periodicals published in Toronto — some of them of highly respectable Conservative principles. The charges for advertising are extremely low, viz. — six lines, and under, first insertion, 2s. 6d. each, subsequent insertions, 7id» currency. "The Church," edited by an amiable and accomplished clergyman, who was formerly assistant minister to the Rev. Robert Montgomery, at Glasgow, is the paper accredited by the .V 4 ' THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 87 ecclesiastical authorities of the diocese, and as such ought to ])e taken in by every churchman. It contains, moreover, besides all the general news, many highly edifying extracts on spiritual religion, and forms, as may be supposed, an admirable organ for the public interchange of sentiments amongst the clergy, &c. " The Berean," published in Quebec, is also a church newspaper of delightful spirituality of tone: admirable, frequently, against retaining errors and other modes of dissent, or declension from Catholic and Primitive doctrine, but not always so strong, I believe, in its assertion of Apostolical discipline, as the former paper. It is customary in Canada for professional men of the highest respectability to insert their ad* dresses in the newspaper by the year. The private society of Toronto maintains a highly polished and hospitable character, and is so truly English in its arrangements that, a stranger newly come out, who is happy enough to be well introduced, which he always can be if he carry with him proper recommendations to the bishop or his clei^, could scarcely imagine himself to have left the land of his fathers. In the humble walks of life, however, such as amongst small traders, &c., I have heard complaints made that people are so suspicious of one another that it takes two years or so to get acquainted with y\ tv m 88 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. it -> 1^1' • I' \' Pti ..... t "i 4- « " 1 ! i ■^, » 1 " f| early residents, or to obtain their confidence. I conceive, however, that this difficulty refers chiefly to those who, unfortunately for themselves, happening to belong to the ranks of dissent, have no ecclesiastical head and no point d'appui, consequently, to which to apply themselves. Any person, however humble his station, bringing a character from his parish minister, and presenting himself to any of the clergy in Toronto or elsewhere, would instantly meet with the kindest advice, support, and attention ; and, if in want, his necessities would be relieved till work could be obtained, to which he would have a ready recommendation given him. Of course, where emigrants of the poorer classes come out in large numbers, nothing could be done for them usually at the outset, beyond the ordinary provision for their comfort and protection in landing, but as they gradually get settled, and spread themselves over the country, such recommendations as those referred to could scarcely fail of being of use to them. I hear of some clergymen in England who, besides having given them recommendations when they came out, make a practice of keeping up an affectionate Christian correspondence with their emigrated parishioners — an example most worthy of imitation. Though the clergy of Toronto and other landing places are heavily burdened by applications THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 89 continually made^ we well know how cheerfully they are willing, and indeed anxious, to attend to them to the very limit of their means and opportunities. For the encouragement of mechanics and others^ I may mention just one instance here of a re* spectable house-painter, who, with his wife and four children, came out in 1848. He brought a recommendation with him from the clergyman of his parish in Ireland to the rector of one of the parishes in Canada. He was taken by the hand by this gentleman, and though both he and his wife were very low-spirited, and anxious, on first arriving, and after they had arrived fairly at their destination, and were settled down from the excitement of the passage; yet being repeatedly called upon by him and one or two of his friends, recommended for work, &c.; he now feels his footing, sees a clear path open before him, is able to rent a comfortable house, and gladdens the heart of his new pastor by becoming an active and efficient Sunday-school teacher. I think that it is the Bishop of Toronto who, in his charge dated some two or three years back, recommends all emigrants who enjoy the privilege of being members of the church, to provide them- selves with credentials from their clergy at home to present to those of the colonies to which they might emigrate. If, , BS V n^ , m y ■«■ <* 90 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. lit. V The excellent prelate then proceeds to show how truly conformable such a practice would be to the custom of the primitive church. Dissent from apostolic order, as exhibited in diocesan episcopacy, being happily unknown, (at least till the days of the contumacious presbyter iErius,) whilst dissenters from apostolic doctrine were, after admonition, rejected as heretics ; each faith- ful member of the Church of Christ, on changing the place of his residence, left, commended by the bishop or some of the presbyters of the diocese he was leaving, to those of that in which he was about to take up his abode. He thus found himself evermore at home amidst travel — '' a brother be- loved," however far he might wander, not looked upon, though in a land strange to him, as a ** stranger and foreigner,*^ but as a fellow-citizen with the saints, and of the household of God.'* May the Lord hasten the time when all shall again thus be one : when the Church shall present the aspect to the world of a company of brethren dwelling together in unity: when the sound of discord shall no more be heard within the sanc- tuary: when all who profess to be members of one mystical body, shall hold the faith no less in the unity of apostolic discipline, than of that of apostolic teaching, and continuing in or returning to the fellowship as well as the doctrine of the apostles, shall be joined together in the bond of a THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 91 holy brotherhood once more. Then shall the Church at length present before the world, amidst all the devices of the prince of darkness, whethe moulded into the form of Romanizing innovation, Christ-denying Socinianism, God-defying infi- delity, or equally soul-ruinous, worldly-minded orthodoxy, a grand combined phalanx under the Captain of his people's salvation, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. y\ ;4 ! , 92 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. I'' It ' t > ■V f:^^' "^^i f V, iT CHAPTER IX. The Bishop of Toronto — Episcopal residence — ^Tmly English abode—Laborious character of the Bishop— His Lordship's regard for children — Conduct during the Cholera and rebellion —His kindness to the author — Gives a dinner to his old pupils —They present him with plate. The Bishop of Toronto, at the time of my arrival in his cathedral city, was absent on a tour of visitation. As it was a primary object with me to pay my respects to his lordship, I lost no time in communicating with him by letter, taking the opportunity whilst awaiting his reply, of visiting Lake Simcoe, the Falls of Niagara, &c. On my return to Toronto, I found a note from his lordship, who had concluded his tour, kindly w^ishing me to come and wait on him. The bishop's residence is his own private property, pleasantly situated on the lake shore, a little out of the town, at its western extremity. It re- minded me very much of a comfortable rectory V^'' btt i THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 93 house in England; in fact, there was nothing whatsoever foreign in its aspect. It is a plain "'^r»J m.' IT';" IM 98 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. '1 1 0J ^ ^ i r/ CHAPTER X. En route for Lake Simcoe — Advice on the purchasing of land- Travellers notes not always to be depended on — Canadian Stage coaches — Yonge Street — Great rise of land in some parts of Canada — Beautiful farms — Life "below-stairs" — Delays at Taverns — Emigrants warned against intemperance — Reflections on " teetotalism " — Churchmen affectionately urged to watch- fulness — Combination of Dissenters against the Church. As I wished of course to invest what little property had remained to me, after various family misfortunes and losses, in the safest way in my power, I was naturally led to turn my attention to the soil. And here I may recur to a piece of advice that was kindly given to me by a gentle- man in England, who had formerly resided in Canada, which was, to make no purchase of land until I had been at least a year in the country, and had of course seen and learnt as much about it as possible. I promised him that I would adopt his recommendation, and as far as a landed purchase was concerned, have hitherto had no THB EMIQRANT CHURCHMAN. 99 reason to repent having done so. This advice could not of course be well followed by a gentle- man settler with a large family and but little means. If, therefore, such an one contemplated farming, I should strongly recommend him to rent a farm, not away in the wild wilderness, apart from all society, but near some of the towns such as Kingston, Brockville, Toronto, Hamilton, Guelph, or the neighbourhood of Niagara, Wood- stock, London, &c. He can at any rate go far to cover his expenses by doing so, as of course, stock, waggons, &c., are always saleable commo- modities, and meanwhile he will be getting acquainted with the country, and hearing of favourable locations. But more of this hereafter. For every reason likewise he should try to be near a clergyman, who, besides " ministering in spiritual things," would be sure either to give him disinterested advice as to the best mode of settling or introduce him to those best qualified to do so. Persons coming to Canada cannot be too cautious, but may be too suspicious where advice is given. People will generally give it kindly and fairly. I had read so favourably of the neighbourhood of Lake Simcoe in " Chambers' Information for the People," in some articles on Emigration, written by a young man calling himself Theodoric Brown, that I was naturally inclined to bend my steps thither in the first place. The result showed me F 2 y t 4 I. i 100 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ^¥~f ' la how little dependence can be placed on the mere hasty notes of a passing traveller, even though he may sincerely wish to be correct. But this is anticipating. I took the daily stage from Toronto, which proceeds to the village called the Holland Land- ing, at the southern extremity of Lake Simcoe. And here let me warn the traveller against the hours stated by many of the stage-drivers. In order to insure your coming in time, they will tell you from half an hour to an hour before the actual time of starting, so that you may sit cooling your heels in the office, and no stage " to the fore," waiting for them to come up, and fretting over your loss of time. The best way is to book your place, leave your address, and desire them to call for you, which they will generally do ; or if at any of the principal hotels, the people at the house will manage that for you. The stage-coaches in Canada appear in profile all the world like a canoe, with a leathern roof, set on wheels. Indeed, one would think that the idea of them was taken from that species of craft. They are necessarily very strongly built, having a treble connecting bar between the fore and hind axle. They are likewise treble seated inside, having a middle seat with a leathern strap for a back. They are hung on leathern swings, something like those (if I remember right), of the lord Mayor's of London's '!». **•■ pi'. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 101 coach ! The drivers generally seem to possess considerable dexterity, which is not a little needed in some parts. Every year, however, t\\e roads are improving. That from Toronto to the Hol- land Landing is now excellent ; hut when 1 firfit travelled it, we were obliged to use a conveyance like a waggon, as I question whether any coach could have got through without an upset. At the upper end of the road the holes were awful. In fact, I often wondered how wood and iron could stand the plunges. Those who have known what it is to hold on " by the eyelids" in the Bay of Biscay in a lieavy lurch to leeward, when under reefed courses, may form some idea of the muscu- lar exertion necessary to prevent being dashed with furious concussion from side to side of the carriage, only on land the pitches being shorter, were proportionably more violent. How delicate people could travel such roads is a mystery to me at this hour. The highways here, whatever their length, are frequently called streets. Thus, a person is to be told that Yonge Street, in which we were travelling, was 38 miles long, would be apt to form a somewhat, though erroneously, extensive idea of the magnitude of a Canadian city. One way led us through several rapidly rising villages, such as York Mills, Thorn- hill, &c., where the land is rapidly increasing in value. A farm of from 100 to 200 acres here will y 'r li. 102 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMiN. pr, f. ¥ r^i V -i readily sell for 1500/. ; and the amount of clearing is a matter of entirely minor moment in such situations^ as every stick, if it be of hard wood, as beech and maple, — for they do not burn pine, but use it for ** lumber,^' — will amply pay for its cutting, by being sold as firewood in Toronto, where, in the fcdl, when the roads are bad, it has been known to be as high as 4 to 5 dollars a cord, or about two waggon loads, or one rack* load. The rise in land in such places as Toronto is frequently tremendous. I went one day to inquire J ; the price of a lot, certainly perhaps the best unbuilt one in the principal business street in the city, and moreover a norner lot, which is always considered as more valuable, containing only 56 feet frontage by 154 depth, and, to my astonish- ment, was asked 2000/. for it ! It was intimated, however, that a considerable deduction, as well it might, would be made for cash. One might have bought land, I should imagine, in most parts of the British metropolis, at a much cheaper rate. And this was the increase in forty years, on land not then, perhaps, fetching a shilling an acre. I have heard of a case of another rising town in Canada West, where small building lots are now , selling at 50/. and upwards each, the whole site of which was only fifteen years or so ago refused by * A sort of frame of the country, on wheels like a waggon, used ft>r carrying hay, &c. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 103 a person as too highly priced when offered to him at 48. an acre. The farms here are some of them in extremely beautiful order, with excellent brick, frame, or stone dwelling houses, the unsightly stumps cleared out of the ground, and in some instances even handsome rows of paling, or beautiful green hedges, putting one in mind of dear Old England, taking the place of the ordinary zig-zag or snake fences, as they are called, of the country. Many of the residences on Yonge Street are occupied by gentlemen of the highest standing and respectability, as, for instance. Dry-nock, the seat of my hospitable friend Captain M'Leod, which stands some distance from the rpad, about 18 miles from the city, on the high bank above a romantic lake, which forms part of his property, and in the centre of 600 acres of land, which he has purchased there, and is rapidly converting into an ornamental and productive estate. Such abodes as these of course are replete with every comfort which would be presented by a similar residence in England, such as pianofortes, carpets, mirrors, handsome tables and chairs, &c. ; but amongst the farmers, who own perhaps thriving places, and have risen, with the improving value of land, from the primary condition perhaps of ordinary labourers and choppers, there prevails a curious taste for building a considerable sized two-storied brick or stone house for a show, -•4 ly 104 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ri ;?^ * 1 ' 1 ' putting curtains or blinds, the latter figuratively as well as literally, to the windows, and then living in the kitchens, furnishing none of the upper portions of the house, into which if you take a pilgrimage, you will probably find one room half full of dried apple shreds, another of Indian corn, another of pumpkins, and so on. Our jolting journey brought us at length to the village, prettily situated between two hills, of the Holland Landing, where we were deposited at length, without broken bones, at Mr. May's tavern. Here you have to sleep for the night, except, I believe, on Saturday, when an earlier start on the part of the waggon, and a later one of the steamer, takes you through in one day, at least towards Toronto. One principal cause of delay on the part of Canadian coaches is owing to the continued stopping at the numerous taverns which line the roads on both sides, frequently, in much settled neighbourhoods, at the distance of scarce one to two miles apart. By unnecessary delays at these places, a whole day is frequently t^ken up in a journey which might have been readily performed in half the time. And, while speaking of taverns, I cannot too earnestly and solemnly impress upon the reader the necessicy, nay, the high duty, whether he join a society for the purpose or not, of an abstinence, total if possible, from all intoxicating liquors. Perilous to body ing> THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 105 and soul is indulgence in them anywhere ; but in Canada the danger is increased tenfold, from the nature of the climate and the facilities for drinking arising from the cheapness of the vil- lainous compounds included under the names of whisky, brandy, gin, &c., which frequently have but one basis, viz., the strange flavoured whisky of the countr)', doctored and coloured. ** Treat- ing," as it is called amongst fellow travellers, is so excessively common, and the drink so freely circulated, as no measurement is required, the cost , price of the liquor being perhaps to the publican not above \s. a gallon. Thus the decanter is put down, and every one is free, for three or four coppers, to dash into his tumbler as much of the dangerous stimulant as he fancies ; and he must have a determined will indeed who begins to taste and keeps within anything like moderation. The author, from much experience of the ill effects of indiscriminate indulgence in liquors, was induced, he is thankful to say, to join one of the total abstinence societies, and has been perfectly sur- prised to find how entirely he can do without all stimulants whatsoever, in all weathers, though formerly accustomed, almost from boyhood, to live, as it is called, " well," but what is in reality " ill." I know that some, who are not intemperate themselves, object to these societies; but surely there can be no sin in a man^s solemnly under- P 3 iL- ■■■ I If 1' I Ih i 106 THB EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. :. X .1. i taking to touch no intoxicating liquors whatsoever, lest they should make himself or his " brother to offend/' This is a sound and scriptural principle to go upon ; and when such a course is prayerfully entered upon in dependence on the aid of God's Holy Spirit, the happiest results may be expected to follow. The author, however, cannot help entering his protest against the attempts made by some ** teetotalers," in their zeal for the exten- sion of their principles, to occupy untenable ground, such as by explaining away the miracle of Cana of Galilee, &c., in maintaining the doubtless unwarrantable assertion that the use of wine, &c., is expressly forbidden, or at least nowhere allowed in Scripture, in the teeth of St. Paul's recom- mendation to Timothy, and the authority of the miracle recorded by St. John. The only sound line of argument is surely that of the apostle referred to, which he applies to the eating of flesh while the world stands, " if meat make his brother to offend." Another practice which the author decidedly enters his protest against is that of giving these societies a worldly character, by turning the most secular songs into " temperance hymns." Surely a more decided stand for God ought to be taken here. If " teetotallers " are not taking refuge in mere Pharisaic self-righteousness, and making their salvation to consist in the maintenance of ■*•} If I ! ,1 1 " I '^ ' THS BMIQBANT CHURCHMAN. 107 total abstinence principles (too frequent charac- teristics, apparently, of their lectures and trricts), surely let them stand boldly on the Lord's side, singing truly spiritual temperance hymns, and advocating their principles on the high grounds of the gospel, otherwise they may only assist the devices of the enemy of souls, as transformed into an angel of light, by lulling themselves, even by means of their very temperance, into a deeper sleep of spiritual death. Putting the matter, however, on its only right footing, namely, the ground taken by the gospel of Christ, I repeat that temperance so maintained is, for the reasons above mentioned, more than ever necessary in Canada ; and to the clergy, more especially, who may be turning their attention to emigration, we cannot too affection- ately and respectfully urge the necessity of Christian circumspection with reference to the temperance question. Even were it not always and every- where a duty, in Canada it at least becomes a paramount one ; for not only may members be led to ruin by making the clergyman's temperate glass an excuse for their intemperate one, but a double watch, moreover, is possibly required, from the peculiar position which the Church occu- pies in Canada. Partly established, yet not pos- sessing the full prestige of her venerable parent at home, she has just sufficient to be a mark for the attacks, open or insidious, of radical dissent of ■ i ::.,H 'y Wi- ■I 4 1 108 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. .1 ^1 .*" Pi ' v4 , 1^ "■i ,1 I > '■>■ i tit' i'' every shape and name, in a country which pos- sesses too many facilities for the degenerating of liberty into licentiousness. Hence the general superiority of her clergy, the consequent superior deference and position unanimously conceded to them by the higher classes, and indeed by all respectable members of society, whatsoever their station, together with her known tendencies and predelictions on the side of authority and order, make her the mark, as we observed, against which the disaffected of every shape and name are ever ready to unite their forces, however heterogeneous or naturally opposed amongst themselves on other questions. Hence the necessity, on the part of her officers, for the firmest unanimity and the strictest watchfulness. Only think of a radical newspaper beginning an article, intended to be a prominent one, with " * We • love a glass of wine,' as a young rector was heard to observe on board a steam-boat the other day." The remark — per- haps, if made at all, uttered in the most innocent good humour, and with utter absence of evil intent — might and would have passed entirely free from offensive animadversion had it issued from a dissenting teacher ; but a young rector made it, or was supposed to have made it, and therefore it must be attempted to hold it up to derision in a radical print. While on this subject, I may mention another Iff .1 1 1. THE EMIOKANT CHURCHMAN. 109 sad instance of the way in which some of those without the Church's pale, of whom one might have hoped better things, will compromise the very principles which they profess to hold most sacred, rather than any advantage which they think they could hinder should appear to accrue to her clergy. It was made a subject of remark in a public print that the gaol of a certain country town was not regularly visited by any spiritual superintendent. The remark was a misplaced one at any rate, as the prison had been about that time regularly visited three times a-day by the rector of the parish and two other Churchmen, in consequence of a poor prisoner having been left for execution for a murder. But letting that rest, the complaint was made, and it was proposed (without his knowledge) to allot the above clergy- man a small salary to act as chaplain, though by no means to the exclusion of other denominations, should any prisoner be confined who might wish to see them ; whereupon Presbyterians. Free Kirk, Methodists, and Independents, joined with the Roman Catholic priest in a protest against the appointment, and an oflfer to perform the duty in turn, gratis. The matter, as it happened, ended in smoke, as the rector, on hearing of it, expressed his willingness to give his gratuitous services, if wanted, every week, and all others were equally free to enter as before. But it only showed that. M y no THE EMIGBANT CHURCHMAN. iJ! ■ f ^t rather than allow any apparent advantage to the Church, even Free Kirk men and other Presby- terians, not to speak of the rest, were willing to throw aside, for the once, the stern principles of their covenanting forefathers, and join hand in hand with the Romish priest in the alternating services of Rome and Geneva ! I may add, by the way, that after all the protest and paper decla- ration, the poor fellows, as far as I am aware, have not been visited by any of the protesting parties, to whom, however, I have no wish to deny the merit of being willing to go and see them if wanted. I have merely referred to the compromise of principle made by them, not to secure the privilege of admission, for that was already free, but simply, as it would appear, to oppose the Church. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. Ill CHAPTER XI. Swamp and muddy river — Good snipe shooting — Conveyance to steamer from Holland landing — Fever and ague — Groundless alarm to emigrants — Much depends on locality — Quotation from Chambers' Information for the people — Partial failure of the settlement there described — Dissatisfaction of the settlers- Reasons of their failure — Capital too hastily sunk — An " over* grown" establishment — Barrie — Comfortable hotel — Attempt at self-acting saw.mill — Prettily situated rectory-house. Lake Simcoe terminates, at its southern extremity, in an immense swamp, the resort of myriads of water-fowl, where there is very fine snipe- shooting. Along this dreary expanse the steamer winds its way through a sluggish ditch- like river, abounding in sharp turns, where it is constantly necessary to blow off steam for the purpose of poling her off in rounding them for 7 miles before it reaches the open lakes. This swamp is doubtless the occasion of the frequent prevalence of cases of fever and ague at the pretty village of the Holland Landing, though it is three ,4 ^'I m ^4 ■ V ■ 1 t ■ r ■HI i^;i y i '.?••* 112 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. \'t At »^*« IS;- 1 »•»# ».< i^l ( t miles from the wharf where the steamer lies, to which passengers are conveyed free in a light waggon and four, from its tavern, where they generally pass the night. Singularly enough, per- sons in fever and ague localities in Canada will seldom admit that their place is worse than any other; something like some of the Highlanders in Scotland, who (if directly questioned on the subject by a Southern), will never allow that the part they are in is the Highlands, but generally point to some distant hills, and when you arrive there, you are referred to another range for the Highlands again. In the case of the Canadians, however, a fear of depreciating the value of their lots may have to do with their reluctance to own to the ague. It may be remarked, however, that this dis- tressing, though seldom fatal complaint, has long been a cause of comparatively groundless alarm to emigrants. Below the London district, and along the shores of Lake Erie, it is said to prevail most; — of course, likewise, more or less, in all swampy localities, with the exception of what are called "cedar swamps," which probably, from some peculiar antiseptic qualities in the timber, are free. In many parts of the country which are high and dry, and situated on a light, well- aired, or strong soil, the complaint is unknown. The Owen's Sound district, for instance, which is THB EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 113 chiefly a limestone range, presents no cases of it. The steamer " Beaver," on Lake Simcoe, whose courteous commander. Captain Loughton, is always ready to give every information to his passengers, runs one part of the week on the western, and on other days on the eastern side of the lake. I had thought, from the pleasing descriptions of Theodoric Brown in ** Chambers' Information for the People," that it was one of the likeliest settlements for an emigrant who wished to be surrounded by gentlemen, as I was informed that land was still a moderate price, — say from ten to thirty shillings an acre — and that it was settled by a multitude of half-pay officers, who, being gentlemen, would be almost of course invariably churchmen. The writer above referred to had given a very pleasing picture of the sociality pre- vailing here; as, for instance, visits were paid backwards and forwards by neighbours as in England, with cheerful sleighing parties in winter, and a social assemblage in the evenings; — that here, in fact, one might find the perfect union of refinement and cheap linng. Enough corn was grown, as this author says, to pay the servants' wages and support the household. And then, according to his representation, the hundred a-year or so of his half-pay or other private income, served to keep the family in many minor :: y ■ y ■ '! 1] >%)- * ♦ '■'! if '■: II 114 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 1^ • 1',^. . 4 I* • 1^1 W fH I* comforts, and enable him to maintain a love-in-a- log-house sort of hospitality. Now that this may be done, and is done, to a certain extent, in some parts of Canada, is per- fectly true ; but not by gentlemen who go upon wild land to clear it, as these of this settlement did. I heard a good deal of the history of the matter, with the causes of their failure ; for the scene of a good deal of the goings on described in Chambers was changed, for the most part, to one of desolation and disappointment. These gentlemen, many of whom, according to their rank, had drawn (as was then possible) different tracts of land from government, at the rate of 600 or 800 for a captain or lieutenant, 1200 for a colonel, and so on, fell into the very natural, but unhappily for them most mistaken idea, that, having now landed estates, and many of them a good round sum in cash, they might live as landed proprietors of similar property as far as extent went, at home. They forgot that not one farthing of rental could they receive, and that all would be outlay at a non-remunerating expense, unless, in the case of those who had families able to do the work of clearing, &c., among them- selves — a most unlikely thing for gentlemen ordi- narily to effect. Accordingly, they employed numbers of men upon extravagant wages, besides finding them in board. I believe that some had ■*^t I f I i THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 115 as many as eighteen or nineteen of these men living upon ihem at once, and that they were actually vieing with one another as to which should feed them most highly and expensively. This of course could not last. Their capital was swallowed up before any remunerating impro- ments were completed ; their ladies got heartsick of the heavy routine of household drudgery to which the want of servants now compelled them ; the gentlemen injured their health in labours of chopping, logging, &c., to the severity of which from previous habits, their constitutions could not adapt themselves. The families got disgusted with the wretched bush roads, and gradually dropped their visitings; some died off; others tried to sell their improvements, and got less for the whole land than the mere clearing had cost them ; while those who had been happy enough to retain their half-pay, either went to Kingston or similar neighbourhoods, or came home to England to carry sad tales of distress and dis- appointment, brought on by their want of management and knowledge of the country. There is actually a colonel's place in that settle- ment on which he spent 3000/. in order to ** make a place of it,*' which he got disgusted with and left, and which it would now be difficult to find, as his house, offices, and clearings are, I understand, all buried again in the second growth y\ 116 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. r%i t' ■ * • I4f r of the forest. Some of the gentlemen settlers, I believe, went off because they were displeased (as well they might) at being elected as pig regiilators or cattle impounders, as they thought that the putting them into such posts savoured of imper- tinence on the part of the other settlers. Let it not be supposed, however, for these reasons that all on Lake Simcoe is therefore a dreary wilderness. Far, very far from it. Many emigrants, of a humbler class than those I have been speaking of, have gradually spread them- selves over these townships, and in some of the localities ; later comers, who were gentlemen, having husbanded their means with greater care at first, are now reaping the benefit of the in- creased value of land; of improved roads, a readier market, and the greater facility of con- veyance afibrded by the daily steamer on the lake during summer, which brings them and their pro- duce to within an easy day's journey of Toronto. Some of the localities on the eastern shore, about half way up the lake are really lovely, and the houses quite villa-like, with open lawns like clearings down to the pebbly shores : and on the western side the rising town of Barrie, at the bottom of Kempenfelt bay, boasts a pretty church and excellent hotel, with as agreeable and attentive a landlady as you might meet in a long travel ; besides several pleasure boats and an annual ^n THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 117 regatta. I noticed really a very ingenious con- trivance for a sort of perpetual motion, or self- acting saw-raill, contrived somehow with a ba- lanced arm and cranks, which, even in its dila- pidated state, would work a little, and which showed a very creditable ingenuity on the part of the projector. He however found it act too slowly, I believe, to pay, 'and left for want of funds, having exhausted his means in the under- taking. The rector of Barrie, the reverend Mr. Ardagh, resides seven miles from ♦■he town, near another church on the beautiful shore of the bay. He has a very excellent glebe here, and a sweet, modest- looking parsonage, with its grounds touching the water, where a fringe of trees has been judiciously left ; altogether realizing as pretty an idea of an unpretending clergyman's home, as nice a looking domus et placens uxor style of thing, as any sigh- ing bachelor curate in some pent-up lodging in England might long for, but scarce ever hope to realize unless he came out to Canada. Colonel O'Brien has also a fine farm near here. A m W- ! » • % I 118 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. p*' . 1'.' r ' .-■ 1 » * ■*■ V: "i\ '»■■ iW « ^ *, ^'' ."! ,:^V'i :ti t ... ^ i CHAPTER XII. Narrows and upper lake — Indian village— Picturesque scene— Orillia — Proposed water communication by lake Simcoe between lake Huron and the St. Lawrence— Pretty farm for sale — The author visits a lot near Orillia — Bewildering effect of "the bush" at first — Experience teachers — Report of a bear — Dread of bears and wolves incidental to settlers at first — Scarcely any real danger — One fatal instance — Bear fight on lake Simcoe — intre- pidity of a settler's daughter — Desperate fight with three wolves on the Ottawa— Return to Toronto— Tho " Sharon" settlement — David Wilson and the Davidites — The meeting-house and "Temple" — Mode of performing services — The annual feast — The nunnery — David's moral character called in question. At the upper part of the lake you pass through what are called the narrows, where a swinging bridge joins the approximating shores, into an upper lake called Lake Gougichin. Here the scene is extremely lovely, as the northern end of the lake contains several islands, on the shore of one of which a romantic Indian village is seen peeping ; there being, moreover, another similar THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 119 settlement on the lower lake ; and after passing the bridge, and through a shallow part where the channel is marked by a row of young trees, you land for the night at the very comfortable inn at Orillia, where there is also a clergyman, and where you are only eighteen miles from Lake Huron. In fact it must be evident to any one looking at the map and the chain of lakes and rivers below, that it would be by no means a very difficult or expensive matter to open up a water communication from about the head of the bay of Quinte, above Kingston, into Lake Simcoe (the chief defect of which is at present its want of an outlet for -vessels) ; and through again, by lock- ing the Coldwater river, which runs out of it into the Georgian bay to Lake Huron. Vessels could then load the produce of the copper mines aud of the rich country around Owen's Sound, and bring them from their r'^jipective localities right through Lake Simcoe to the sea, and by the St. Lawrence direct to England ; a circumstance which would of course amazingly add to the value of property there. This has been proposed, and only wants capital, like everything else in Canada, to carry into execution. On the whole, a settler might find many worse places for setting up his staff than the neighbour- hood of Lake Simcoe, particularly in the town- ships of Georgiana and Mara, where the land is i\ A : U If;.; 120 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. » ' very good, and within reach of pleasant society. A sweet place of a hundred acres on the lake of that township, belonging to one of the Cameron family, was offered for sale some time ago, with a cottage ornee on it, furnished, farm buildings, farm stock, and fifty or sixty acres, I think, cleared, all for 500/. currency, with immediate possession. This was a very nice thing appa- rently ; but similar opportunities are continually occurring in Canada. There is not that heredi- tary agrarian feeling which sways us in the older countries. " God forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.*' — Almost any one will sell for a reasonable offer. On my first visit to Lake Simcoe I heard of a likely place about nine miles below Orillia, where a thousand acres, with some twenty cleared, with log-house, bam, &c., and frontage to the lake, were offered for a 1000/. I landed to look at it, and slept at a sort of half-farm-house, half-tavern. I did not much like the situation, it appearing lonely to my taste, though the captain said that, by running out a wharf, which would cost about 50/., it would make a good stopping place for the steamer. It was, however, my first initiation into anything like bush life, and the place felt strange, though the worthy settlers were evidently inclined to do their best to make me comfortable. My visit to this spot, however, when only about ten THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 121 id in days arrived in the country, convinced me more and more how very incompetent a settler, unless perhaps he be an experienced agriculturist, which I did not profess to be, is to judge of a place when newly come out. I felt completely bewildered with the aspect of bush and water, and had no eye for " privileges," viz., creeks with water power for machinery, &c., (all the rivulets in this country are called creeks, probably from the early settlers having kept near the shores, and having been unable to distinguish between a stream and an inlet of the sea or inland lakes). Neither was I at all versed in the mystery of "hardwood" — blocks of land, cedar swamps, swales or pine tracts, except from books, which, of course, was a very different thing from practical knowledge. Of the nature of the timber as a guide to the choice of land, I propose to speak hereafter. The weather too, being raw and chilly, pre- vented my enjoying the trip as I otherwise might. The coldness of the season is one principal objec- tion to the neighbourhood of Lake Simcoe ; as it lies extremely high, the difference between its climate and that of Toronto, only 38 miles distance, is considerable. As the steamer started on her return at 8 o'clock the next morning, I had to be up betimes ; and h?ving procured a quadruped something in the shape of a horse, and a nice intelligent lad for a VOL. I. G : ♦. ., H I/'* ' . £ w « 'fL It 1 m ■J - li'^i '41 ' '^ • 122 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. guide, I wended my way by the bush road, and it being my first attempt amidst mud and mire, with round cross logs laid across the softer parts, stumps, and the gloomy forest, I thought it of course highly romantic, more especially as my intelligent young companion, who ran with fear- less ease by my side, informed me that a bear had been seen in those parts very recently. A stranger on first coming out, and hearing that there are bears and wolves in Canada, is very apt at first to feel some alarm on the score of going alone into the woods at times ; in fact, some expect them to rush out upon them at every turn. After a residence of a year or two, however, he gets over this feeling almost entirely ; though, on this morning, I certainly had some idea of meet- ing the said Mr. Bruin, and wondered how I should conduct myself on the occasion ; and felt, moreover, some apprehension on behalf of my companion, who was to ride the horse back alone. I believe I was a vast deal more concerned for him, than he was for himself. Indeed, I have since ridden through the forest (though at no great distance from a settlement,) when it was so dark that I was obliged to trust entirely to the animal I rode to keep the track, and could not see him under me, with scaxcely any more of apprehension, than a person might be supposed to feel if benighted and alone in a dark forest THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 123 or park in England. The fact is, as the able author of the " Backwoodsman " observes, it is generally "let be for let be" with Mr. Bruin, if you do happen to encounter him in the wilder- ness; and as for the wolves, unless in a large pack, and under very unusual circumstances of hunger in winter, there is generally much less to be apprehended from them than there might be from a large dog about an English farm-house. In fact they generally keep too close to be seen at all; and I have known persons to have been fifteen or twenty years in Canada without either seeing wolf or bear. Sometimes, however, they do of course make their appearance, and various rencontres with them are narrated, some highly comical, some semi-tragical : but only in one or two instances that ever I heard of with a fatal result. This was the case of an unfortunate man who in some very wild part of the country, had gone to chop in the woods about half a mile from the dwelling-house. On the horn being sounded at 12 o'clock, which is the usual way of summoning persons at work round a farm to their dinnere, he failed in making his appearance. Becoming rather surprised at this, and perhaps a little alarmed, a party set out after dinner in search of him, when to their horror and dismay they found only a small part of his mangled remains, with G 2 y (t ' r« 1 124 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. K> »,>.'• [0' I' i five wolves lying dead around him, so gallantly had he fought for his life with his axe, till it is presumed he was overpowered by numbers, pulled down and torn to pieces.* An encounter with three bears, attended with much happier results, is said to have happened some seasons ago on Lake Simcoe. A large she bear with two well-grown cubs, were seen from a log-shanty near the shore, swimming from an island towards the main land. The occupants of the dwelling were a fine young woman about eighteen, with a young brother about twelve, her father and the members of the family being absent. The spirited girl and her brave young brother, who was a very good shot of his age, immediately resolved on a brush with Madame Bruin, and set off in a canoe or "dug out,*'t the boy armed with a gun, and accompanied with a large and powerful dog to intercept their retreat. On near- ing the animals, the dog jumped out, and so fastened on the neck of the old bear, as to keep her head under water, at the same time keeping clear of her formidable claws. The boy shot the two cubs in succession, while his sister managed the canoe ; and meantime the dog succeeded in * Since writing the above I have heard of a woman having been killed by two wolves, but am uncertain as to the correctness of the statement. t A rough vessel made of part of a trunk of a tree hollowed out. mW-.- THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 125 drowning the lady bearess, whereupon the trio returned in triumph with their prizes to the shore. I cannot vouch for the truth of this anecdote, but " I tell the tale as it was told to me." From my knowledge however of the bold, self- dependent habits engendered by a residence amidst the scenes of the lake and the wilderness, I should be by no means inclined to doubt the truth of the story. The chief places in Canada where I have heard of any dangerous ferocity ex- hibited on the part of the wild denizens of the forest, is on the Ottawa, where there is some very fine scenery, and admirable opportunities for a settlement, especially about Bytown, where the falls and bridges are extremely romantic, and afford splendid " water privileges." The country there is more mountainous than in Canada West, which perhaps may in some degree account for the greater ferocity of its wild inhabitants. The following story I believe to be quite authentic : — About the middle of June, 1847, a young man was returning home towards the dusk of the evening, after a day^s shooting, when he perceived three wolves approaching him with a menacing aspect. He immediately placed his back against a tree, and prepared with the calm determination of a backwoodsman, to defend himself as best he r r if 126 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. I m I "I * 1 could, or at least to sell his life as dearly as pos- sible. Happily for him, both his barrels were loaded, and as a merciful Providence ordered it, he succeeded in shooting two of his grim anta- gonists on the spot in succession, as they came on. Very extraordinary to relate, the third, with rare audacity (for this country), closed with him, and then commenced a desperate and deadly struggle. His gun, which he clubbed (if I remember right) was broken with little or no effect on his ferocious enemy, whom he then tried to throttle, whilst it was of course working dreadful havoc on his person with its terrific claws. When almost exhausted, he remembered he had a large knife with him, which it seems he had not thought of before, — managed to get it out, and after a few desperate thrusts (for they are dreadfully tough and hard to kill) managed to stab the brute to the heart : when the necessity for exertion being over, he fell down exhausted by loss of blood, more dead than alive, beside the body of his foe. In this half fainting state he remained for about two hours, when he so far recovered as to crawl to his home ; which, happily, was not above a mile dis- tant, and tell his adventure. His father and brother immediately set off to the spot, scarce believing the circumstance, but found the three dead wolves, as the young man had said, and THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 127 d brought home the skins in triumph, whicli of course entitled them to the government reward of six dollars for each trophy. The youth, after lying for a month in great danger, through the blessing of God on a good constitution, entirely recovered, though he had been shockingly torn. But enough of such ad- ventures for the present. As I have already intimated, on the morning of my ride to Orillia, I met with none, but managed to push through the bad roads in time to see the steamer to my satisfaction, smoking and puffing awjiy at the wharf; dismissed my horse and guide, with a dollar for the animal and a quarter for the lad, got quietly on board the vessel and returned to Toronto. I went on one occasion to visit a settlement about three or four miles from the lower termina- tion of Lake Simcoe, called Sharon, founded by a religious enthusiast named David Wilson, from whom his followers are generally called ''Davidites." I found the old man, who has been, I believe, a warrant ofl&cer in the navy, very obliging, and on some points communicative, on others sufficiently close. He has published a kind of confession of faith, which is little else than an absurd raphsody. He may serve to present some exhibition of the way in which an enthusiast, devoid of all learning and regular training whatsoever, may gather a y •'""If" 128 THE EMIOHANT CHURCHMAN. number of followers around him, and elevate him- self into the head of a sect, which however, of course, frequently resolves itself into other ele- ments on the death or removal of the leader. Old David, as he is called, has published a con- siderable volume, called ** Impressions of the Mind," in which he frequently rises to a strain of something like wild eloquence, exhibiting powers which, under proper ecclesiastical training, might have produced something permanently useful. As it is, he has managed to sell off a considerable farm, which he probably got for a mere song, into village lots, which must have paid him uncom- monly well; and the way in which he has raised money for his meeting-house and " temple '"' is, to use a Yankee expression, " quite a caution.'^ He has two distinct places of worship standing near one aisother, the one with drooping eaves, some- what in the cottage style, 100 feet by 50, the other a large square edifice, almost half taken up with windows, and having a glass framed belvi- dere on the top. Both are built of wooden frame- work, and painted white, "picked out" with bright green, having tall green wooden pillars all around, and a number inside, labelled after the names of patriarchs, prophets, &c., as Abraham, David, Joseph, and so on. The smaller place he uses every Sunday. The centre is occupied by a long table, and the service^ if so it may be called. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 129 cominenced witli a very tolerable performance of something; intended to be a sacred voluntary on brazen instruments, violins, &c. It really struck me as remarkable that these country farmers could have t^ot it up so well. Then follows a sort of doggrel hymn, or short recitative, which he generally composes for the occasion ; after which he gives a rambling extemporaneous exhortation of, it may be, forty minutes' duration, when the whole concludes (if I remember right,) with another flourish of horns and trombones. There is nothing whatsoever in the shape of prayer, as David has a fancy, I am told, that public worship ought only to consist of praise and exhortation. His " temple," as he calls it, where he keeps the bible enshrined in a glass ca^e, to show his respect for it, he only uses on great ct c.isions. One of the principal of these is at a grand temperance feast, which he holds once a year, about June or July. Admission is secured, by payment of a quarter of a dollar, to the substantial part of the entertainment ; and at intervals during the day, the crowds, which are large, and attracted from far and near, chiefly from curiosity, i 'lough some perhaps from sincerely religious motives, are addressed by various preachers invited for the occasion. How he managed to collect the money to build these two edifices is a matter of astonishment, and 6 3 y Tf\i 130 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAK. tf\ shows, at least, what* an energetically disposed individual might do for a church, as these two buildings could scarce have cost less than from 6,000 to 8,000 dollars, a very large sum for an agricultural district in Canada. One part of his establishment, which is now done away with, he called a " Nunnery." It was, in fact, simply a sort of school for young females, grown up, or nearly so. It has, however, now that the novelty has worn away, dropped off from want of scholars. As I had heard that great immoralities prevailed at this seminary, and as, in fact, it has been repre- sented that it had been established by David with a most improper object, I was particular in my inquiries about it ; but, from all I could ascertain, I believe that the poor old man has been greatly misrepresented by writers on Canada who have noticed him and his settlement, and I am happy in being able to set him right with the public on this point. One of my informants was an obliging and intelligent young man, a farmer in the neigh- bourhood, who had married one of his " nuns," and a very nice respectable young woman she appeared to be ; so I suppose that his testimony may be taken as conclusive on the subject, though there are those who still maintain the fact of old David's immorality. tJl [if f THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 131 « CHAPTER XIII. kf j> Id Visit to Niagara — Large barque in the river— First impression from the falls — Spiritual simile thence suggested — Advantage of the Clifton over the American hotel — Mind how you go to bed — Anecdote of Lord Morpeth's visit — Table rock — Comparative terrors of Niagara and Higland cataracts — Dreadful bereavement of an affianced lover — Fatal mistake of a young lady — Fate of Richard Leedom — Strange speculation of a Yankee, after imminent peril — The ferry — A packing case in the form of (a-fb) — Well appointed carriage — A " man" and "a gentleman" in the States — "Papa and Mamma" — Goat island — Wrong impressions as to its size — The little fall — ^The tower in the rapids — Proposal for its illumination — The ** Maid of the Mist " steamer — Wonderful triumph of human art — Overhanging platform by the American fall — Feathery jets — Circular stair- cases — ^Tlje cave behind the Falls — A man carried away by a whirlwind — Foot of the Table Rock — Niagara by moonlight, its appearance in winter — Suspension bridge — Difference of volume, at times, at the Falls — Unprecedented retreat of the waters — Discovery of a burning spring — Its proposed appli- cation. J My temporary sojourn at Toronto afforded me a grand opportunity for my long wished for visit 132 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 1^ h to the Falls of Niagara. The steamer takes you across Lake Ontario in a very few hours, 45 miles for the moderate charge of a dollar, including one meal (meals being almost always included in the cabin fares of the steamers on these lakes). The Niagara river empties itself into Lake Ontario almost exactly opposite Toronto. The town of Niagara is at the mouth of the river, not at the Falls, as has been often imagined, but 14 miles below them. Lying in the stream, I saw a barque the size of which surprised me ; she must have been of between 300 and 400 tons burthen, and was intended, I was told, to take timber down to Kingston. The steamer takes you seven miles up the river to Queenston, where the deep and precipitous gorge commences, up which some geologists supposed the Falls to have retreated, and where you have the option of going to them by either the American or English side. I preferred the latter way ; and after a walk up the noble heights crowned by General Brock's monument, which a vagabond on the other side attempted to blow up some years ago ; and after passing about half-way up the hill, two of the finest willow trees in front of a house that I have anywhere seen, I found myself seated in a railway carriage, which was drawn by three horses in a string, none of whom appeared to derived any part of their pedigree from Eclipse. This part of THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 133 the business was sufficiently tedious, but at length we arrived at the corner of the road leading down to the Clifton House Hotel, whither an omnibus was waiting to convey us. I believe that many travellers prefer taking this route, because of the view which is first obtained of the Falls. All the other adjuncts of the wondrous scene are kept out of view till the Horse Shoe Fall, on the British side, pours its first splendours upon the sight. As the thunder of the cataract " waxed louder and louder,*' the intensity of eagerness may be readily imagined with which I waited for the earliest glance of the wondP" on which my imagination had dwelt from my yov ' * p with strangely commingled feelings of awt >• '' delight. I had devoured for years every description which I could obtain of the Falls, and marvelled and marvelled again as to what the first impres- sion of them would be when made upon myself from actual vision. I had figured to myself all sorts of imagery — impressions of something of such terrible force and majesty of aspect as should be most akin to ideas of the day of judgment, the deluge, eternity bursting forth to swallow up time — in a word, something almost too over- whelming for the spirit to take in or dwell upon. Totally different from all this was the actual effect when Niagara itself at length broke into view. y 134 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. %•}' i If' All impressions connected with terror faded at once — all, even of sublimity akin to the tremen- dous, vanished, and left nothing to my mind save the quieting, solemnizing sense of serene loveli- ness — of loveliness august indeed, but august in a serenity which lent almost an aspect of repose to the scene, could such a term as repose with pro- priety be mentioned in connection with the ever- rushing tumbling cataract. Such, if things earthly may be so far compared with things heavenly, miffht be the impression on a redeemed spirit when coming first from the stormy scenes of time, and the dark night-journey of the wilderness state — after stepping with trembling foot into the cold dark waters of the figurative Jordan, it emerges from the shadowy flood into the eternal light of that presence where there is fulness of joy, — gazes upon the river which makes glad the taber- nacle of the Most High, and finds, to its never- ending contentment, that all the scene is peace — that the frowning forms of terror are for ever fled — that " there shall be no more curse," but that the dread that had once made afraid, is exchanged in a reconciled Father's face for the beam of one eternal smile ! And as Niagara grew on my acquaintance, though more of its majesty and more of the thunder of its power appeared at other points of aspect^ I never could forget that earliest impression of serene beauty with which it THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 135 at first greeted my longing sight. And there was life, intense sparkling life, and happy triumph in careerings, as it clothed the rocks where it abode with an ever-varying, ever-continuous robe of liquid white and green, as the glad waters leaped, and flashed, and glittered in the sunbeams, or more solemnly sought the shades below, mellowed by the soberer hues of moonlight ; but still on, on, bounding and rushing and speeding their flight for ever — most apt emblem of the course of human existence to its eternal goal ! One must devote days to Niagara. Indeed, were it only for the ground requisite to be gone over before anything like all the principal points can be visited, something more than an afternoon's ramble may well be supposed to be necessary. On the American side there is an enormous hotel, capable of accommodating a thousand visitors; but I should be inclined to prefer the Clifton house on the British side, not merely on the score of nationality, but because its position, to my taste, certainly commands tlie best view of the Falls. Here you are in front of the entire scene, and can feast your eyes on it morning, noon, and night, under every phase of its continually varying effects ; whereas at the American hotel you are entirely behind their Fall, whilst the other is con- nected by Goat Island intervening. The Clifton is a good sized square ediflce, two ■ *■ \ •■ h'-V: ! * - ' It' ". 136 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. "5WS : ! sides of which are surrounded by a treble gallery, which form an admirable promenade, though sometimes giving rise to awkward incidents ; for as the bed-chamber windows many of them open upon the said galleries, unless the blinds or cur- tains be drawn carefully, a quiet single gentleman retiring early to rest, might find his solitude some- what uncomfortably invaded by some lively party taking an evening promenade. The waiters at this hotel are chiefly men of colour, and very civil well-conducted persons. The prejudice, however, against the coloured race on the part of the Americans is, as is well known, very strong, and unhappily very much imbibed by Canadians. A story is told of an American going to the Clifton, who met with an English traveller, with whose conversation and manners he was very much taken. On their arrival, they found that dinner was over, but that the coloured attendants were sitting down to make theirs off the ample remains of the feast. The gentleman first referred to was astonished and horrified to see his English compagnon du voyage actually seat himself at the same table with the "darkies,'* and commence an attack on some of the ready viands still remaining. The American was of course prepared at once and entirely to "cut*' his promising acquaintance, as a person utterly beneath notice ; on consulting, however, THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 137 the book of arrivals, to see who so very inferior a person could be, judge his surprise when he found therein registered the name of " Morpeth ! *' The first spot which a person ought to visit is the far-famed Table iOck, which fearlessly over- hangs the flood. Here a person possessed of a little nerve can stand on the extreme edge, and watch the torrent burying itself in the abyss below. As there is a large crack or fissure, how- ever, in the rock, about two or three yards from the brink, it conveys to the mind the unpleasant idea that the whole may one day give way with some unfortunate wight, and that oneself might be the luckless individual standing on it at the time of the plunge. I must say, however, that when reading of Niagara, and viewing it in pictures, I could not have conceived myself capable of approaching so near the cataract in various points as I was enabled to do. I partly, however, attributed this to my having been accus- tomed from my childhood to wild and savage mountain scenery in the Highlands of Scotland and elsewhere. I think that what greatly deducts from feelings allied to those of terror at Niagara, is the absence of savage mountain scenery above the falls. I think I can safely say for myself, that in retired highland glens unknown to fame, I have encountered much more of the actually terrific, and been exposed to far greater actual peril, in ^ /*« ' 138 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. M 4 < I visiting the homes of the cloud, the torrent, and the cataract, especially where the descent had to be made from tremendous crags that frowned above, than any to which I was exposed in visiting Niagara. Many fearful accidents, however, are on record. One of the saddest that I heard was in the case of a couple of fond lovers, soon about to be bound for life in the tenderest of earthly ties, who made an excursion to Niagara near the proposed time of their union. When near the Table rock, the lady, who was young and beautiful — perhaps partly to show her courage, would stoop over the perilous brink to gather a flower that grew in the face of the precipice, near the summit — refusing all oflfer of assistance — when, stretching a little too far, the unhappy girl overbalanced herself; her terrified lover clutched frantically at her scarf, and for an instant the brooch which confined it held ; but, alas, before a firmer grip could be obtained, the treacherous jewel gave way, she sunk with one fearful cry into the dread abyss beneath, and the poor bereaved youth became a confirmed madman. Her mangled body is said to have been carried down the fierce rapids into the whirlpool, where it was swept round and round for several days, some- times sucked under, and ever and anon coming into view again, and utterly beyond the power of man to recover; until at length the capricious THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 139 flood threw it ashore; whem friends had the melancholy satisfaction of paying the last sad rites over the loved and mourned one. A somewhat similar sad case occurred at Trenton Falls in the United States. A young lady and gentleman deeply attached to each other, were wandering about the rocks, he on the side next the precipice, along the perilous verge, having hold of her hand — the support from which he was trusting to more than, perhaps, either were aware of. Squeezing it rather hard at one moment, she said, " Nay, if you squeeze my hand so, I shall let yours go;" and, playfully suiting the action to the word, she withdrew hers. The suddenness of the move- ment, however slight, overthrew his equilibrium. He tottered for an instant, made a desperate effort to regain his balance — lost it, and fell head- long into the raging flood. Over the horrible feelings of the poor girl, pity must draw a veil. The case of the poor shoemaker, Richard Leedom, who was carried over the Falls so lately ago as Sunday, October 1, 1848, must still be fresh in the memory of every one. It seems he had gone out from Buffalo on a pleasure excursion on the Saturday previous, and was first seen on the following Sunday about sundown, near the verge of the dangerous rapids, half a mile below Navy island. Had he then determined to make for Goat Island, he might by possibility have been ^U Hi I. «■: * t 140 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. M ,; saved ; but his urging the boat towards the Ame- rican shore, when caught, proved his ruin. The boat must have been a good one, and well managed, to have lived through the rapids as she did. After successive desperate plunges, she rose again each time, to the astonishment of the lookers-on, probably owing in part to her being decked forward. The courage and self-possession of the unhappy man were extraordinary throughout. As the boat was swept furiously along, his chief hope lay in either jumping on to either the pier of the bridge or the rock ; but the current dashed him away under the bridge, breaking the mast. Even then he rose on the opposite side, and was able to say to the spectators of his agony, " Had I not better jump ?" They were too much para- lyzed to reply, and in another moment the boat struck a rock, turned over, and lodged. He appeared to crawl from under it, and swam with the oar in his hand till he went over the hideous abyss. The mind recoils shuddering from the bare attempt to analyze the feelings of a strong man, in the full vigour of life, thus wrestling hopelessly with death at one of his most terrible portals. Did it cross his mind at that awful moment that he had been out taking his pleasure on God's day of holy rest ? By way of some offset to this tragic calamity, I may mention a case where the person in peril ■ ::i i ' THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 141 experienced a wonderful encape, at, or very near, the very scene of the last named catastrophe. The bridge which connects Goat Island with the main land is thrown with admirable boldness across the intervening rapids, and supported on piers consist- ing of boxes of heavy stones sunk in the bed of the torrent. Whilst the work was going on, a man who was engaged upon it was sitting in a boat, the moorings of which suddenly gave way, when he was swept hurriedly towards the Fall, and, as every one thought, to certain destruction. He, however, did not lose his presence of mind, but managed, by paddling with his hat — there being, it appears, no oar to give a direction to the boat — to work her into an eddy, where it was com- paratively shallow. Here he was able to venture a jump, and wade to a small island — hopelessly cut oflf, however, as it appeared — from all commu- nication with the shore. The news soon spread, and the people began to flock in thousands upon the river's brink, the man all the time seeming to take the matter very coolly, and to employ himself meanwhile cutting sticks. At length, by flying a kite, or some similar contrivance, suggested by a naval officer present, a communication from the shore was established, another boat brought down, and, by means of a stout hawser, the exile of the island was securely hauled in, bringing his sticks with him. It then turned out that this enter- ./ 142 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 1'^ tt',.1 iH'i ft 1U' \M: i.. prising genius, thus snatched from the jaws of destruction, had been improving the time of liis solitary sojourn in cutting tliese switches, in order to sell them on specuhtioi as a memorial of his adventure. When safely landed, instead of being, as one might have thought, all excitement and gratitude on account of his danger and deliverance, he very coolly began " whittling them," and disposing of them to the astonished multitude, who bought them with the most eager avidity ; he managing to realize a very pretty penny by the transaction. I think that the picture which this presents of '* go a-head " Yankee enterprize, and of the adroit ingenuity with which these singular people con- trive to turn everything to profit, could certainly not be surpassed, and indeed scarcely equalled. It is over the English Fall that the chief weight of the water rushes. There the heavy blue and green masses plunging down are too deep to foam into white till they descend half-way, or lose themselves in the perpetually ascending mist. Indeed, one mi^ht quite easily imagine a vessel of considerable burthen going majestically over without touching, were it not for the utmost cer- tainty of her being dashed to pieces in the furious rapids above. There was a report lately got up that a brig and a schooner were to be sent over as a speculation ; W'.'' THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 143 and though thousands collected to witness the spectacle;, it turned out to be either an intentional hoax^ or the arrangement proved impracticable for some reason that did not transpire. You go down a zigzag carriage drive from tlie Clifton to the water's edge, and cross to the Ame- rican side in ferry-boats about the size of a Thames waterman's skiff, which are continually passing and repassing. The charge diminishes with the num- ber of passengers. They will take you alone for sixpence; when there are more than a certain quani am of passengers they will take you for two- pence each. It has been considered rather a feat to cross here so close below the falls ; but I did not see any more danger in it than in tossing in a " Tilbury sea" knocked up by a steamer on the Thames. The boat steals up the side in the eddy of the counter-current, till it has attained sufficient height up the stream to fetch its distance when caught up by the sweep of the river. There is then a little tumbling and tossing for a few moments^ and fre- quently a putting up of umbrellas, if the wind happens to set the spray from the American Fall towards you, as, otherwise, you would be drenched in an instant. The Americans, with their usual ingenuity, have contrived at the landing, and for the ascent of the cliff, an inclined plane boxed in — which looks like :- ^' \- ./ * 144 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. i« a packing'Case expanded by the Binomial — up and down which pass, by a long chain, two open railway carriages, the descending one pulling up the other, as in some collieries at home. There is also a flight of steps at the side. The carriages are very good for feeble or short-winded people, but the active will of course run up the staircase, from which they can also step out about half-way up, at a loop-hole, and get along a rough path — that is, if they do not care for a ducking — till they come close up to the American Fall ; or they may ascend to the same place on the outside of the covered way altogether. A lady of our party, who got nervous in return- ing, preferred the carriage to the steps, and begged me to accompany her down in it. I did so ; and she descended pretty comfortably, shutting her eyes, and holding firmly by my arm. To me, however, the descent seemed fraught — if danger there were at all — with more real peril than that by this staircase, where the only risk would be that of a sudden dizziness or false step ; for in the other case, if the chain did break, the rush down a plane of such inclination would be almost certainly fatal. As the ladies wanted a carriage to visit Goat Island, I went to the hotel to order one, whilst they waited at the ferry-house, at the top of the cliff. It was here that I got my first spice of the manners of the Yankee of the lower class. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 145 As there had been some delay, I went up again, after taking a turn to see if they understood the order; when the person who seen»ed to be in charge of the stables, accosted me with '* Are you the man that wanted the horses ?" Now this indi- vidual apj)arcntly meant not the slightest incivility by this disrespectful mode of address, which has so much offended some English travellers ; and, on my further explaining my wishes, provided me very soon with a very good britchska, drawn by two handsome tall chestnuts, with fine flowing tails and manes. In fact, the "turn out," though a hired one would not have been at all discreditable to a private gentleman's establishment. For this we were charged what I thought the by iio means exorbitant charge of one dollar — and perhaps a person skilled in making bargains might have got it even for less. The use of the expression, " man," for gentle- man, and " woman," for lady, — in fact, the inversion of the terms as regards the order of society by the lower classes of America, appears undoubtedly highly offensive at first, but when considered, it is evidently nothing more than the natural result of a state of society which, theoreti- cally at least, is inverted ; those who ought to be the governed being the governors, and the pyra- mid of society thus standing on its apex ; that which should naturally be the base being upper- VOL. I. B * " »; y '■■W I^^.»*«i« - i fit. r 146 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. I thi learned to take most. 1 thus very soon tacit compliment the being called a "man" by the class above referred to, as had I rejoiced in an uncouth exterior, a vulgar address, and a coat out at elbows, I should have been dubbed a " gentle- man." Travellers therefore of real pretensions to station so far from being affronted, ought to be pleased in the States at the terms "man" or ** woman** being applied to them, since, for the reason I have mentioned, the terms in the mouths of the classes who use them, involve a tacit though of course unintentional admission of their supe- riority. Some of the lower classes of emigrants in Canada soon learn to adopt the nomenclature of their compeers in the States with regard to those above them ; and in their case, it is nothing more than just so much of the low insolence and contempt of the scriptural rule of order that enjoins " honour to whom honour." Such fellows of course are without excuse ; and the only remedy is, when they refuse to be instructed, to keep them at their distance. A similar absurdity obtains both in Canada and the States, in the names applied by children towards their parents. It is truly laughable con- tinually to hear some little dirty ragged urchin talking of its "papa" or "mama," and affords one reason were there no other, why the time- honoured and venerated names of "father" and b 1 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 14P ds "mother" should be generally adopted by the children of the higher classes. Goat Island is connected with the mainland by a light wooden bridge thrown over tViO American rapids; and a nervous thing it muit .lave been the building it, just within a few yards of the verge of the watery precipice, upon the slippery rocks over which the torrent comes, tearing and tumbling as it seems to gather its energies for the last terrific plunge. On crossing the bridge, for the privilege of doing which you pay a quarter of a dollar and write your name in a book, you enter the winding roads and romantic scenery of the island, which, " barring" its majestic exterior now hidden by the trees, is far from unlike the approach to some mansion-houses in Scotland. I was very much surprised at the extent of Goat Island, which I did not remember to have read of in any description of the place. And, indeed, in most of the views, or at least of those that I had known, it appears as little more than a detached rock which the surrounding torrent might easily sweep away, so that it looked quite a nervous thing to go upon it. Instead of this, I found it to be quite a mile in circumference, with beautiful drives around great part of it, and consequently, that it was just as firm and safe as the main land. The first turn of thtf road as you near the pre- cipitous sides of the island, brings you to a little H 2 ./ 148 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ' I .»#» j:^ descending footpath, carried close to the sheer precipice, and conducts you to a dear little pet waterfall which appears in the views as a sort of aqueous hyphen or liquid conjunction between its Titanic brethren on the right and on the left. You cross the torrent leading to this compara- tively tiny fall by a single plank bridge, which brings you to a charming little wooded island, (dividing this smaller cataract from the great American one,) where reclining against umbra- geous bowers close to the edge, you may satiate your vision at different points with all the three falls. On returning to the carriage, we drove to the point where the path leads down to the light- house-looking tower built out amongst the rapids, for a full view of the Horse Shoe Fall. You reach this by a succession of plank bridges carried out from rock to rock to the base of the tower, which is perfectly open to all comers. Here you may ascend the winding stair within, and take a walk round the gallery at the top, — a more ner- vous thing to do in appearance than reality. You can walk round its base also. I could scarce imagine a more magnificent effect than would be produced by the burning a blue light, and, in fact, of a general display of fire-works from the top of this tower some dark night. You obtain from hence a fine view^ not only of the fall itself, but 'V THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 149 likewise of part of the descending rapids, the opposite shore, the Clifton and other hotels, the ferry-boat dancing across, the arrowy river shoot- ing away into the distant gorge below, and now the pretty " Maid of the Mist " steamer, which takes the adventurous passengers along the said gorge from about a mile or more down to as near the foot of the falls, as may safely consist with not being sucked within the perilous influence of the cataract, ai»d drawn underneath it to over- whelming destruction. It was a bold and unique idea the starting this vessel, and certainly one of the greatest tri- umphs ever achieved by steam. Since besides the danger of suction above, there is the con- tinually recurring peril of being drawn beyond the point of safety into the tremendous rapids below ; when, should she even live through them, she must be almost inevitably carried into the Maelstrom like whirlpool four miles down, and drawn into its hideous and unexplored abysses with all her luckless freight. It is scarcely neces- sary to say that the utmost precautions are taken to prevent the possibility of such a catastrophe. The principal security consisting in two separate engines, so that if any accident happened to one, she would still have power with the remaining one to stem the current. She is also provided with heavy anchors and cables, though I very ./ h* ' 150 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 0^1 M 11! much doubt their power of holding her, should accident disable her machinery near the lower end of her voyage. As it is, however, everything looks so well and is so well managed, that I can- not say that, when on an after occasion I took a trip in her, I felt the least uneasiness. Indeed, a young couple were married on board of her not not long since. She certainly affords the oppor- funity of exhibiting the scenery of a passage that no mortal a few years ago could have ever dreamed of making, ui less endued with the wings of the eagle ; and as she is partly covered in on deck, and sheltered with high side screens, one may ensconce one's self under the lee of these, when close to the foot of the falls and in the thick of the spray, without any but a very trivial aspersion. Here then is a situation as unique as any that could be presented on the habitable globe, floating upon the hissing, bubbling, eddying current, amidst the loud thunders of this liquid amphitheatre, where the least overnigh approach to its ever- shifting and yet still stationary watery walls, would insure a sudden and terrible dismissal to the eternal world, yet here man rides triumphantly and rests calmly. Were the strong leviathan " made without fear" to dare to play in that spot, his mighty ribs would be crushed to atoms in a moment, where he once overpowered and sucked beneath the cataract. Yet here the frail atom — J'': THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 151 man, — by means of a little watery vapour confined and directed at his pleasure, moves with secure composure amidst a scene, where the thunder of the very element which he controls pours mag- nificent terror all around, and jars the firm foun- dation of the rock-bound abysses where it roars. At the landing-place on the American side it is customary to leave the steamer, and walk about two miles along the cliffs to a romantically situated cottage, whence a fine view is commanded of the lower rapids. On returning to the American Fall, (going back to the time and and scene of my first visit,) I went for a few moments, before re-crossing the ferry to the English side, on a sort of flying plat- form of wood, like a bridge which some one had sawn short off within fifteen feet or so of the edge, and which consequently overhung the pre- cipice to that extent This was really a somewhat perilous-looking place, being as close moreover as ever it can be placed to the very fall itself. Here certainly is a splendid point of view, as one is so far in front of the cataract, as to be able to look the mighty descending flood steadily in the face. There is a beautiful effect, too, about the centre of this fall^ in the continually recurring feathery jets which seem to leap from the very bosom of the cataract, to show themselves in their beauty like nodding plumes of drifted snow before they finally seek y I* ' IV ,-/ 11*' 152 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. El*-; ^ -I M m i»'-] .: h the depths beneath. These are occasioned by the falling water striking into the chasms left by some huge masses of rock which gave way and fell to the bottom only very latterly. The water hence deflected leaps forth afresh, and thus presents one of the most charming effects of the whole scene. Access to the foot of the precipice in its imme- diate front close to the falls, is obtained both on the British and American side, bv means of cir- cular wooden staircases, inclosed in a loop-holed sheathing, and firmly attached to the sides of the cliffs, against which they appear to hang with somewhat singular effect. The descent by these is made with such perfect security, as that the most timid person need not be afraid (I should think) of venturing down ; and they certainly are an immense improvement upon the perilous- looking ladders of former times. Indeed, in the days of Indian occupation, the probability is, that the only mode of descent, if any, was by notched and inverted pine ; and rather a nervous affair it must have been then, to any one but a sailor, a backwoodsman, a bear, or a monkey. The stair- case on the English side is not far from the table rock ; and, on issuing from it, on the narrow and shingly beach, you are at the shanty where the oiled skin dresses are kept which people put on to go into the cavern behind the falls. It would be foolish to venture in in your own clothes, as you are sure :^ ■• ' THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 153 of being as thoroughly drenched as if you had been plunged into the river. The danger how- ever is, I think, much overstated ; as so long as you keep close to the guide, you have plenty of firm footing, — that is, if you can keep your nerves steady and your head clear whilst the thunders of the torrent, the shaking of the rocks, the dread nature of the wall of waters which now interposes, save at one islet, between you and the exterior world, together with the smashing shower as it relentlessly beats upon you, can leave you any senses at all. The only accident which I heard of as having occurred here, notwithstanding the elements of terror with which one is surrounded, was that of one unhappy individual who left his guide, think- ing he could scramble along by himself, but was caught by a whirlwind, the result of the sudden occasional disengaging of tho volumes of air which the waters enwrap in tlieir descent, thrown off his balance and furiously hurled into the dark raging caldron below. Who can contemplate the horrors of such a moment to the sufferer, without feeling his flesh creep upon his bones ? On returning to the light of the upper world you are furnished with a certificate to that effect that you have performed the exploit. Of course it is standing close under the Table Rocks and near the entrance to the cave that you realize the full sublimity of the Fall, and H 3 y I' ' I- 154 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. hf.' 'J |U' i.-;. *^ >.; feel that there was some truth iu the description of the traveller who talked of the "Atlantic Ocean tumhling down from the moon." For here you get the full effect of the elevation of 160 feet, which the breadth of the river very much deducts from, at any distance off; and the appearance, especially at night, of the sky above, seeming almost to rest upon the curving edge of the tor- rent, lends now indeed an idea of awful sublimity to the scene. And as you stand wrapt in inten- sity of gaze, with every feeling — every faculty for the moment absorbed in the one sense of vision, and your spirit expatiates with a rapturous awe or wild exultation amidst continuous roars ; it is then that the force of that expression, if you have a grain of religious feeling, will come right home to your spirit— " The Lord sitteth upon the water- floods ; the Lord remaineth a King for ever.'' It was under the brilliancy of a radiant full moon that I paid one visit to the spot, in company with an amiable young ofBcer who was visiting the Clifton. We went first to the Table Rock, and there the moonbeams seemed to be holding a wild game with the fierce mane of the cataract, till they tumbled over with it in a dazzling confusion of liquid splendours, while ever and anon a glorious lunar rainbow spanned the precipice like a gorgeous arch of triumph, under which the glad river leaped in his might and *.^i . TUB EMIGRANT CHUKCHMAN. 155 revelled in his majesty as we gazed on it from above, below, and under every approachable point of aspect, scarcely able to tear ourselves away from the scene of its fascination. I wonder th.it no one seems to have thought of exhibiting a ])anorama of Niagara in winter, when the ire- bridge is formed across the ferry, by the quantity of masses coming over from Lake Erie, and the giant icicles of 60 or 70 feet in length are fringing the sides of the precipices ; the effect of such a sketch would, I think, be extremely fine and unique. The newest feature in connexion with the scene is, of course, the suspension-bridge; when first hung it was considered something of a feat to cross it, and indeed it is so still. An officer and a clergyman went thither with the intention of going over it shortly after its erectioH. The man of war had been very facetious with his black-coated friend on the score of his probable nervousness previously to making the attempt. However when it came to the push the hero of the scarlet fairly got frightened and gave in, whilst the clerico walked over with serene but triumphant tread, greatly to the discomfiture of his friend, who, however gallant in warlike matters, had not head enough to stand the rush of the rapids below. We happened at the time of our visit to be just at the favourable time for seeing the water at its heaviest volume, as a strong westerly wind had ^ 156 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. V h ' been urging the superincumbent waters of Jjake Erie towards its lower limits, which always occa- sions a great accession to the power of Niagara ; and on the other iiand, this last spring an easterly gale and the packing of the ice in the lake and river above had so diminished the stream that its bed near the cataract was denuded to an extent never remembered, a circumstance which occasioned the singular discovery of a burn- ing spring many yards from the ordinary shore, and to which for a short time it was perfectly easy to wade. The gas readily taking fire and burning with a powerful flame on the application of a candle, it was proposed, with the usual enter- prising spirit of the country, to convey it to the shore in pipes, in order to light up the neighbour- hood. ?' ¥\' THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 157 CIIAFPER XIV. The ordinary burning springs — Rapids above the Falls — Islands in the Rapids — The author warned against imposition— The whirlpool — Misapprehensions — Its distance from the Fulls — Whirlpool more terrific than Niagara — The deserters — Corpse seen by a friend of the author's — Nervous-looking step-ladder — Visit to Stamford park — A Canadian " buggy "—English looking demesne — Price of another farm — The museum— Bears and buflaloes. The burning springs which are the usual lions of visitors, are situate about two miles above the Falls. We took a conveyance thither on our return to the British shore. You are inducted in payment of a shilling currency to a sort of Sybil's cave, where on holding a candle to a tube in the middle of the spring the gas takes fire and burns like a common jet, only not quite so brightly and fiercely from want of concentration. The drive to these springs is, moreover, well worth taking on account of the splendid views which by this road you obtain of the rapids above the Falls; they ./ 158 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. itV- i looked very mur;h in fact like the ocean, or rather an arm of tlie sea in a lieavy gale of wind. The different points at wlii**^ the view breaks upon you from here, especially in returning, is strikingly picturesque. There are some islands near the shore, at the neighbourhood of the springs, clothed with wood to the water's edge ; around their sides the raging waves fret and foam furiously, yet on one of them I was quite surprised to see a flag-staff triumphantly planted, and wondered how ii: the world people could have got there to p\ao,e it except in a balloon. The mystery was solved, however, when I reflected that as the passage would be choked with ice in winter, an easy mode of transit would be thus afforded. A little well- timed liberality to the lad who urove us, with whose civility and altrntion I was well pleased, opened his heart (more especially as it is not con- sidered absolutely incumbent on travellers to fee hotel servants, stage and coach drivers, &c. as in England), and was the means of saving me from some imposition, for he observed me about to pay an English shilling for one of the sights to a per- son who was going very quietly to pocket it, when this lad honestly and disinterestedly explained to me that strangers on first coming to the country were very apt to be so taken in ; that the value of an English shiUing in Canada was 15rf., or a quarter of a dollar currency ; that, therefore, if a '.:w 1^ THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 159 currency shilling were charged I had to receive Sd. in change; if a York shilling, 7^^^- out of what would be called a shilling in England. And while naming this I may mention that labourers and others who come out deluded with the hope of enormous wages In the States, and refuse, there- fore, to undertake work on fair and moderate wages, find themselves wofuUy disappointed when they come to try it, as their six or eight shillings a day turns out to be six or eight York shillings, or English sixpences, and the value of those some- times paid 171 kind at the pleasure of the employer, who puts his own estimate on the article he sup- plies. So that the man who has expected over- weening wages finds himself in reality compelled to receive an amount less in reality than that perhaps of the offer which he had despised. Our next visit was to the whirlpool, n'hich, as far as I have read or known, is mucli less noticed by writers on Niagara and its scenery than from the magnitude of its terrors and its general gran- deur it deserves. For my own part, I knew that there was a whirlpool into which the bodies of men and animals were frequently carried, but thought it consisted merely in the usual eddy at the foot of the Falls themselves. I was not prepared to find it a great and so far entirely distinct feature of the neighbourhood, as that il was four miles below the Falls, which of themselves, I presume. ./ 160 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. i!rti had little to do witli its construction, as it appears to result from the sudden angle at which the course of tiie river takes a turn here. The im- petuous waters for ages striking against the cliffs directly opposed to their career, thougli eventually deflected, have carved out for themselves an enor- mous basin, around which they whirl in mazy round, sometimes assunjing a deep-lipped funnel form, at others heaping themselves into liquid accumulations, till they find their way out again, and pursue their rushing career, first into Lake Ontario and finally into tiie ocean. The car- riage drive to this terrific wonder of nature takes you quite out of sight of the river, till on turning a corner of the forest through wliich you have been driving during part of the way, you are warned to get out and walk cautiously to the edge. Talk of the terrors of Niagara ! 1 decidedly affirm that I saw nothing there compared to the awful solemnity of this untiring march of the waters in their ceaseless whirl around the enor- mous chasm, which is from half a quarter to a quarter of a mile in length, by a somewhat less breadth. Round and round were going a number of huge beams of timber which had been carried at various times over the Falls, and which arc said sometimes to revolve there for months before they are again disgorged into tho river. At one point they slowly disappear, sucked down, to THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 161 fathomless depths into the greedy vortex; and then again at an entirely different spot they are seen once more to rear themselves above the flood, again to be carried round and again to disappear. Some seasons ago the whirlpool contained, for a long time, the bodies of three or four unhappy deserters who had attempted to swim the river above the Fails, but were carried over and borne into the whirlpool, beyond all human power to recover them ; they were, I believe, at length thrown out by some capricious movement of the current. A young friend of mine, an accomplished Cam- bridge man, who visited the spot two or three years a!;o, told me that there was a body of a man, a sailor I believe, in it then, and that sometimes it would appear almost stationary, then, as by the suction of some vast greedy animal of unknown and appalling powers, it would be drawn towards the vortex and hideously disappear ; and anon, after a long stay beneath the surface, it would sud- denly start up again, sometimes bolt upright, appearing to grin and gibber, and toss its arms as if in ghastly triumph at its temporary eman- cipation. A staircase here hangs pendant from the side of the precipice, but a very difll'erent affair from that at the Falls) being a mere open step ladder adjusted parallel to the cliff, like the accommoda- 162 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. r**' :»' tion ladder of a vessel^ but looking dangerously ricketty (at least when I was there), and having a very insufficient rail made of a slight young sap- ling; the steps, moreover, not parallel to the plane of the horizon, but inclining outwards and downwards with a " dip," that gave a somewhat alarming idea of insecurity. The ladies of the party declined trusting to it, but I went down as far as the bit of protruding soil on which its foot rested, the cliff being below that point practicable to a firm foot and a bold heart. I did not, how- ever, descend further, partly because I did not like to go alone, and partly because 1 should have kept the ladies waiting too long. As I wished of course to make my visit to Niagara subservient to one of my objects in coming to Canada, the fixing, namely, on a con- venient "location," where I might set up my staff, I went one morning to visit the somewhat famous property of Stamford Park, formerly the favourite residence of Sir Peregrine Maitland, and which was then for sale. I should observe, that in the more settled parts of Canada, places have frequently distinct names, as in England. In the wilder parts they are still described by the numbers of the lots and concessions, as I shall describe hereafter. Though, of course, any one who makes a purchase can call his place what he pleases. The common-place mode of adding the THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 163 syllable " ville" to the name of the proprietor, as Smithville, Brownville, Jonesville, or Robinson- ville, might however be improved upon. I hired »i buggy, which is the common light one or two horse vehicle o^ the country, and is a spider- looking four-wheel '^raft, the wheels pretty laige and light, and the body looking very like a com- mon phflBton or gig driving-box set in a tea-tiay. Sometimes the box is onl^ for one person, and it is then called a "sulky." Sometimes they are made double-seated, and of course vary according to the taste or means of the owner, form the most ramshackle-looking *' convenience" that ever rang and rattled through mud and mire, to something very neat and pretty. They charged me a dollar and a half for this one horse conveyance, which was quite enough, and more than enough for a very poor affair, and is the usual charge as I now know for a whole day, though it was only to go five miles. Moreover, they wanted to get two dollars out of me, only I had been previously informed what was the outside of what I ought to pay. I must say that I thought the attempt at overcharge unworthy of so respectable an establish- ment as the Clifton, and it stood moreover out in unfavourable contrast to the more moderate demand on the American side, where, if the dis- tance were less, we had two horses, and a turn out. ./ 164 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. s t-v altogether worth ten times the other. However, let bygones be bygones. I started in company with a retired officer who had long been a resident in Niagara, and whose anecdotes of the neighbourhood were very in- teresting in consequence. The drive was a very pleasing one, through the pretty village of Drum- mondville; and I really thought the place we went to see the most desirable and certainly by far the cheapest I had known offered in a settled part of Canada. The property consisted of 560 acres, about 90 to 100 of which were cleared and divided into 2 farms, let to eligible tenants. The man- sion house had been burnt down, but the walls were all standing; had been surveyed and reported secure, and an architect of the neighbourhood had offered to put it in habitable repair for 200/. The place, with the offices, which though somewhat ruinous, were complete with wooden cart and cattle sheds, stable, ice house, root house, &c., had cost Sir Peregrine 4000/. The second growth timber about the house was ornamentally left, and and there was a lawn-like clearing in front, with the stumps all removed. There was an excellent garden and orchard, with regular avenue approach, terminated by a thoroughly English-looking gate and lodge, which would h'We amply sufficed for the residence of a respectable family till the house THE EMIOKANT CHURCHMAN. 165 could have been put in repair. After Sir Pere- grine had sold it, it passed into the possession of some old lady in England, who did not want a property in a country she could never visit, and which yielded her probably at that distance little or no return. Thus, slie would have been willing to have disposed of it for the very moderate sum of 2000/., one half down, and ten years to pay the remainder in. I should have liked the place exceedingly, but having a difficulty at that time in realizing some of my means still invested at home, I did not feel sufficient command of resources to make the purchase. But 1 cannot help thinking that a gentleman possessed of such a sum to invest in land, and having 200/. .300/. or 400/. a year, in addition, by way of regular income, might by taking one of the farms into his own hands, which would have supplied all the wants of his family, and given him moreover a ])leasing and healthful occupation, have lived there in a manner, and with a comfort which he could not have approached in England under 1000/. a year. The soil certainly was rather light, but not too much so for wheat crops. It is lately reporte-v w n sugar was boiling, when his dogs rushed into a dense part of the woods, barking most furiously, and soon rushed out again, pursued by about a a dozen wolves. He had just time to snatch up one of the handspikes used in lifting the maple sugar kettles, and jump up upon a fallen tree, when they were all around him. From this, his elevated perch, he managed to belabour them with his extemporaneous cudgel as they tried to jump up at him, laying about him as a powerful man might be supposed to do who is fighting for his life. He was admirably seconded, moreover, by his three brave dogs, which happened, fortunately for him, to be of a staunch and courageous breed, and who kept his assailants in a continual alarm and stir by baying around the pack, without actually closing with them; until between their efforts and his own exertions, he managed to catch the moment of their being a little dispersed to make a run for it, pursued by, of course, the whole pack, who ventured no farther, however, than the edge of the forest. Thus he most providentially escaped. Had one of them, however, got hold of him for a moment, the others would have closed, and he must have been torn to pieces, as an unfortunate man was who persisted in travelling from Dundas, several years ago, through the night. The wolves beset him, and scarce a particle of him was left as THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 173 evidence of the sad tale. One man travelling from Fergus was more fortunate. He was carry- ing a large piece of meat in the dusk of the evening to his home, some distance from the settlement, when the scent of it attracted the wolves, who pursued him, gradually becoming bolder and bolder, notwithstanding all his efforts to frighten them off. When he got safe within his own door, they were within six yards of him, and he thinks that if he had another quarter of a mile to go, he would have been overpowered. Bears are so scarce now in some parts of Canada, that bear-meat is not so commonly to be met with as might have been a priori imagined. I have tasted bear-ham, however, and when well cured think it delicious. It is far from unlike the prepared meat of the larger game, called " bill tongue*' in South Africa, which is so delicious an accompani- ment to the breakfast-table. The grain of the meat, hovever, is coarser. Even when a bear is killed the grease will sell on the spot for two shillings currency to half-a-doUar a pound. This seems quite enough in what is nominally, at least, called a bear country. A pound, however, is a tolerable lump. Yet the perfumers of Toronto and elsewhere will as coolly charge you from eighteen-pence to three shillings and sixpence a pot for bear's-grease, as they call it, though one half the contents of the ./ «.■ - >,*. 174 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. n- ,1 ■ -.,, v.* pot is probably hog's-lard, as Mr. Ross^ or any of the other purveyors about London. " I calculate/' as the Yankee friends would say, that they must thereby realize a profit of eight hundred to a thousand per cent., which certainly might be deemed somewhat considerable. I heard lately of a very singular exception to the proverbial ferocity of a " bear robbed of her whelps." Two youths were shooting in a cedar swamp, on their father's farm, about five miles from Guelph, when they heard a strange growling noise in a raspberry swamp among the cedars, and running to see what it was, thinking it, probably, a racoon, they came suddenly upon a she bear, which they fired at and wounded in the shoulder, with almost reprehensible daring — seeing they had only pigeon shot in the gun ; and a wounded bear, let alone her having cubs, is very apt to charge and prove a troublesome customer. On receiving the shot, however, she made a hasty retreat, when, looking up by accident, they spied three cubs in the neighbouring trees. They fired at two and brought them both down; the third, being probably in a more accessible position, one of them went up and got him alive, returning safe home with the spoils. But that the mother did not return upon them and tear them to pieces, or at least give them some very serious trouble, is little short of a miracle. .,*■' vV i^r' .^'1 iitjlife:; ^iiPil" ./ ired lird, one safe did , or i B«*J S ill m-i :ijf< IX Tfi r pot ui jwfobabl\ ! og'*? ' • '! •• ' ^1- Ti*»s«?, or ar; the « ' ' V liich ceil " dapjii' 'Hsidorable. \ heard I« suigular exception the proverlMal ftfocity o^ n '* hear robbed of Ist^ wbelp^.'"^ Two youths c Hlioot'mg in n ccdiw' swami), ..?■ their fat hc-^r'!'- tarui, a?>out five mil(\ from Oaf ;! nil, w]hm» ■; ":■'■*! a strange growiiTrf" iMim* iH.u rasp:' If) s^ u-p a.imn,|j tf}•, ' ■-■■\'n\'-' i'N' ■■'. ::"\>'':''r -^bie position, Oh; aftlie-; : ;,;;o: dive, returning snf< home vt.' ■ ., i> t: titat the mother di<.. not retuTTj lj > t»i4 tg^r them to pieces, t»s at ''^St give ■* -r.e very serious trouble, *» little short of rii,»fW(tiig t . . a fHC'.HM--, ?.-, ■ which ih with alrnos! t . If . u iv W.'i ' !JV! Ph Idu,. (t:* fi> o ^ \ ^ THE JMIQRANT CHURCHMAN. 175 Mr. Bruin^ junior, thus captured, was kept for a considerable time as a pet, chained to a pannel in the yard. Having broken his tether, however, one day, after growing quite a big fellow, and showing fight when an attempt was made to retake him, it was found necessary to shoot him. It is commonly said that, in newly-cleared settlements, the deer and wolves generally come in about the same time, that is, some four or five years after the occupation of the ground by the settlers, — when there begin to be corn-fields for the granivorous and sheep for the carnivorous depredators. One seldom, however, in Canada, hears of either of them doing much mischief, for if they do appear they are almost invariably hunted up and killed o£f. One undoubted reason of the scarcity of game in neighbourhoods frequented by Indians, consists in the exceeding recklessness with which the Redmen pursue the chase, so long as a head of game remain in the country. Nothing is spared for future propagation. The tender and flavourless fawns, young does, &c., all share in one common destruction. The only instance in which I ever heard of any case, on the part of an Indian, in the way of keeping up a supply for the future, was rather an amusing one in the case of a she-wolf. Six dollars are allowed by government on bringing an authenticated wolfs head, or scalp, to the :\-:t y ,v*:]l 176 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN, -,t;,.. ::n' ,; nearest magistrate, on the man of laws giving a certificate to that effect. An Indian had, for a succession of seasons, reaped a handsome little income thus, by bringing the heads of some wolf- cubs, until at length, from the regular periodicity of his visits, he was asked whether he never met with the lady-mamma wolf. *' Oh yes," said honest John, "often see um mother." — "Would not she let you within shot ?" " Often let within shot," replied red-skin. " Then why," asked the magistrate in amaze, " why in the world did you not shoot her, and clear the country at once?" "Oh," replied John with infinite dryness, *' suppose shoot old wolf, get no more dollars !" The fact was the sly fellow had found it a very convenient nest egg. Of course, any one who comes out to Canada on a regular sporting expedition, though I am by no means writing for such, may make themselves sure of abundance of game by going to the Far West, as Mr. Murray did ; or by submitting to a good deal of expense and toil, may shoot moose and carriboo, besides occasional wolf and bear in New Brunswick and parts of Nova Scotia. But generally speaking, and for ordinary purposes, it is by no means worth any one's while to buy a gun. If he be already provided, of course there will be no harm in bringing one, but to get one on purpose is entirely unnecessary. Neither will a THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 177 good gun, if sold, ever realize its value here: people cannot generally afford to indulge their fancy in a fine article of this sort; and, indeed, what between officers returning home and willing to sell for a song, and the very fair pieces made in the country — not elegantly finished of course, but sufficiently good and true — an expensive gun is quite unnecessary. I have myself a pretty double- barrelled ''Manton," which I never use, and could do just as well without. And if a rifle were wanted, one good enough for all practicable purposes can be got for a matter of four or five pounds. An Indian showed me as good an one as any person need have of the kind, which he had had made in Toronto for the former sum. The enormous flights of pigeons which cover at times whole districts of the North American continent, and which are very good eating, es- pecially in a pie, will always afford fair game for a very moderate shooter — more especially if he happen to have taken up his abode in a newly settled district, when butcher's meat cannot be regularly had. They generally make their ap- pearance in early spring, and in some of the more western parts, as at Owen's Sound, they generally remain during most of the summer, when they for a time disappear, returning again to the southward, though not with such certainty or in equal numbers, in the fall. Their breeding places cover i3 178 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ^*-ii\^ <'i §r^ :."« I? '' an incredible extent of ground. There was one at the township of Blenheim, not far from Wood- stock, in the Oxford district, in the summer of 1847, which covered somewhere about twenty square miles of ground. The trees literally groaned under the weight of the nests, and the earth was strewed with the dibris of nests, broken eggs, and unfortunate young ones who had tumbled overboard. A party going thither coidd, if need- ful, soon load a waggon with the spoils. At Owen's Sound, moreover, there was one in the fine township of Derby, about seven or eight miles from the village of Sydenham, which, though not so extensive as that at Blenheim, still covered the country with the birds, in their excursions; and a person, towards evening, standing at the edges of the clearings in the line of flight as they returned to roost, and firing amidst the dense masses, as the rushing sound of wings proclaimed the brilliant approach of the advanced guard, coming from its feeding grounds to roost for the night, could not possibly load fast enough, as the main body passed in companies, to have a shot at each batch. And all day through the woods, without going as far as the pigeonry or "rookery,'^ as the people oddly enough call it, enough could be shot from those sitting in detached groups upon the trees, to furnish forth very seasonable meal. THE EMIGRANT CHUBOHMAN. 179 The same thing could be done at Telfer's mills and Creek^ about six miles down the lake-shore, near where there probably was another ** rookery.'* Then, about the time of the pigeon's retreating, the wild ducks make their appearance, and stay until deep into the winter. These, in the newer settlements, near the lakes, especially lake Huron ^ may frequently be shot from the settler's doors early in a morning if the house be situated on the borders of a stream. But of all the places that I know of in Canada, Long Point and Island, in lake Erie^ is the great rendezvous for ducks. There are quantities of wild rice swamps on the island which is about nine miles in length ; the neighbouring settlements not being so thick as to be likely to cause very serious disturbance to the birds for many years. Here they congregate in thousands, the supply being ample for the few parties that go up purposely in the course of the season. In fact, those that go are not sufficient to make any sensible diminution as to their numbers. You go thither about the month of November, and leaving your horses on the mainland, you engage a boatman, who takes you over to the island, where some log shooting boxes are e octed for parties by persons who let them as may be agreed on. This, of course, you furnish with all necessary . *r 180 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ! i': provisions and bedding, and then having established your party, the business of your man is to pole you in a canoe or punt, through the wild rice in a couching position, when you shoot them in the little cagoons, or towards night you post yourself in a convenient spot, amongst the rice, when they will often come in a cloud and settle quite close to you with a thundering splash, and you can then fire into them at your leisure. Wild geese, also, frequent the place, and the ducks are some of the argest and finest I ever saw. I know of a party of gentlemen who went up from Toronto, and, in a very few days, got 500 ducks each to his share — the winter being so near, they were first well peppered and salted, and afterwards frozen, and this without any trouble. They had an ample supply of these delicious birds for themselves and their friends during the whole winter. Fish may be caught in most of the lakes and streams, but they may be taken with a very simple apparatus, so that no expensive flies or rods need be purchased by the intending emigrant. The lake trout are usually caught by nets or speared by torch-light, and I have known a person, whilst waiting for a boat, take a small branch of a tree, and with a piece of string from his pocket, and a chance hook or crooked pin, with a few worms turned up from under a stone, THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 181 catch a delicious dish of trout in a few minutes. This was in the mouth of the Potonoramie river, at Owen's Sound, lake Huron. This district, which is now attracting the atten- tion of all classes of emigrants from the old country, bids fair, before many years, to be one of the most rich and important, as it is certainly one of the most beautiful in Western Canada. It undoubtedly seems, at first sight, a good way west to go, but the fineness of the climate, the number of mill-sites, the excellence of the soil and water, besides its situation as one of the few ports on the noble lake Huron, with, moreover, the systems of government free grants at present giving out in some portions of the district, will, doubtless, continue to bring to it the only things in which, like most new settle- ments it is wanting at first, namely, capital and superior society in its train. As it is, the present settlers have done wonders with their hitherto comparatively limited means, as I shall show more largely hereafter. -.ft ■»•; . m J' 182 THE EMIGRANT OHUSCHMAN. CHAPTER XVI. The route to the Sound by Hamilton— The village of Gait— The Church and its fittings — Picturesque river scenery — The Clergyman's residence — Presbyterian manse — Hotel— Guelph— Church and other places of worship — Society — Fine farms- Terms of purchase and rent — House-rent in the town — The Rector and his duties — Elora — The Crown Land Agent — Natural beauty of the place — The caves — Indian path and perilous bridge — The Church at Elora — Distribution of Eccle- siastical stations in Canada — ^The fifty-six rectories — ^Their inoffensive constitution — Jealousy of radical dissent notwith- standing — Note on the expression " dissent " as used by the author — Non-parochial churches and missions — How supported —Devoted missionaries — Dissenting opposition — ^The inns at Elora reasonable charges — Fergus— Residence of late conserva- tive member — Narrow escape at the bridge — Settlement almost entirely Presbyterian. There are two principal routes to Owen's Sound: the one direct up from Hamilton, the other by Lake Simcoe from Toronto. As both have their separate advantages, I shall describe each. . t . THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 183 On leaving Hamilton for the Sound, you may take the coach, which will soon bring you along an admirable macadamized road lately constructed through Dundas, to the thriving town of Gait on the Grand River. There are some very large mills here, and altogether the place exhibits an air of business and substantiality, which is truly refresh- ing. In the main streets about mid-day you will see so many waggons, buggies, &c., driving about or waiting at stores, as quite to give the place an air of life far before that of many country towns in England of similar population, which is about 2000. There is a neat, substantial stone church here, of which the Rev. M. Boomer is the amiable and popular incumbent : it cost about 1300/., is seated for some 350 people, and has lately been fitted up with the most elegant draperies for the pulpit, reading desk, &c., that I have seen in Canada. They are of roan-coloured velvet, trimmed with gold brocade, and adorned with rich bullion tassels at the corners. These were the gift to the church of the ladies of the congregation, and must have cost at least 20/. There is also a sweet-toned organ, in a hand- some case, with four semi stops and dulciana, which is lent by a gentleman of the congre- gation, whose property it is, and who himself, being an enthusiast in sacred choral music, kindly volunteers his own efficient services to the well- J 'i'l *i ■i: '* 1 184 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. organized choir. A young lady, a teacher of music in the town, acts as organist, for which she receives 20/. a year. The organ itself is the highly creditable work of a firm whose place of business is only three miles from Gait, in the almost entirely German town and settlement of Preston, where the services are those of the Lutheran communion. It cost about 100/. sterling. Perhaps a person would hardly expect organ building establishments in country towns in Canada ; there are two, however, here ; that of Hager and Vogt, who constructed the above instrument, and Limbrecht's. They were for- merly one firm ; and it seems a pity that by their separation, owing, we believe, to some dispute, their combined good qualities are lost to the public. Limbrecht is considered the superior workman. The private dwellings in Gait are some of them highly substantial and respectable, and the sides of the river, which runs right through it, are kept very free from the unpicturesque nuisances that so commonly disfigure a stream running through a populous neighbourhood. Some of the wealthier inhabitants, instead of allowing the spirit of gain to encroach on the banks by build- ing second-rate cottages or shops, have formed handsome lawn-like terraces, which have a very clean and pleasing effect in looking down from 1 , 1 If;! THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 185 m the central bridge. The church here occupies a somewhat isolated position^ — I mean as regards, not the edifice, but its members. There is a steady and firmly attached congregation in the town ; but, owing to one side of the settlement being occupied by German Lutherans, and the other by Scotch presbyterians, there are very few to be visited in the surrounding country, except at a place called Beverley, about seven miles distant, where there is a regular afternoon service every other Sunday, the clergyman returning to an evening service at Gait. The environs to the south are exceedingly beautiful, and so is indeed most of the drive down the river side to the fine settlement of Paris, thirteen miles distant. The walk down the course of the river on the south side, along the skirts of beautiful rich-looking farms, where the timber is frequently somewhat tastefully left, to about three miles below, where the stream is spanned by a picturesque wooden foot bridge, such as Mr. Prout would have approved of, and the return back by the other side, presents as plea- sant and diversified a promenade as a person need wish to take for a " constitutional ;" whilst the wooded and cultivated islands in the river, with its very park-like northern shore, might well tempt the pencil of the amateur artist. The whole township in which Gait was settled was .:«i. 186 THE EMiaRANT CHURCHMAN. originally taken up by a Mr. Dickson, who resold it in lots, paying and being paid by instalments, something in the same way as the Canada Com- pany are doing. He was sore pushed at one time to meet his engagements ; but having had some private assistance, to enable him to maintain his ground, he has realized an immense fortune by the speculation. The town was called Gait after the author of *' Lawrie Todd,'' who was a friend of Mr. Dick- son, but who never resided there, as has been supposed from the name. To the honour of the latter gentleman be it spoken, he has made Mr. Boomer a present of two acres and a half of cleared land, quite close to the town ; which must be a valuable property in a few years, and in fact is now. There is no parsonage-house as yet built here ; but Mr. Boomer resides in a pretty cottage of his own near the land presented to him. The Presbyterians have a manse for their minister; but unhappily it is at present the subject of liti- gation between the old party and the Free Kirk, each side claiming to represent the original body. The principal hotel in Gait struck me as having a singularly antiquated appearance on the outside for a settlement of only some twenty years old. It is plastered over and whitewashed, and with the exception of a flight of wooden steps on one side. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 187 looks far from unlike a good private house of some- where about a hundred or more years old, such as one might meet with in a country town in England. A drive of about fourteen miles brings you to Guelph, of which the environs are not so pic- turesque as those of Gait ; but the neighbourhood of which contains some admirable farms, offering very good opportunities of settlement to a person who does not particularly care to be near the great lakes. This town is one of those in the Canada Company's lands, and may be considered a very rising place. It contains no less than seven or eight places of worship, besides the parish church. The Romish chapel, situated on a hill, is a commanding object from every approach to the town. A gentleman settler coming to rent or purchase a farm near here, would find an agreeable and refined little society ; as being the seat of the court-house, the county jail, the dis- trict council, &c., it is the residence of the district judge, the sheriff, the clerk of the peace, county treasurer, &c., besides a few other private families of great respectability. It will likewise, perhaps, be in its favour — at least in the estimation of a Briton — that it is almost entirely an English settle- ment ; the population, both of the town and sur- rounding country, consisting, I believe, wholly of emigrants from the three kingdoms. — And though it is not to be denied that there exists a very %\li ^:,;: 188 THE EMIGRANT CHUBCHMAN. I'* Ik-' P m mischievous tendency to Radicalism on the part of too many of the lower orders, and even of some who, from their means and connections, ought to be allied to something more respectable ; yet the better sort of all classes being there — as indeed everywhere else— almost invariably Conservatives, a gentleman would find himself surrounded by those of congenial sentiments. In proof of this I may state that a Conservative paper is ably edited and well supported here. If you come to Guelph, go to Thorp's hotel. Thorp is a Conservative churchman, keeps a good house, and will charge you, if by the week, not more than at the rate of half a dollar a day, including everything save, of course, liquors, which you are better without. The rector, the Rev. Arthur Palmer, resides with his amiable family, in a good sized brick house, quite in the £nglish style, which termi- nates the view on the approach from Hamilton. It is, however, rented, for 50/. a year, of a gentle- man in the neighbourhood, the old log rectory- house being both inconveniently small and too far from the town. This is therefore let and sub- let, with several acres of land belonging to the endowment; and the sub-tenant — of course greatly to the annoyance of the rector — has actually turned this church land into a race course ! Nothing can be done, unfortunately^ to THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 189 put a stop to this nuisance until the lease falls out; the sub-tenant either refusing to be con- vinced of the sinfulness of the proceeding, or being so wedded to gain as to wilfully shut his eyes to it. The church is a respectable-looking edifice, holding about 450 sitters: as every pew is taken, an enlarged building will soon be wanted. Here too, as in Gait, the musical portion of the service is very creditably and reverentially per- formed, the choir being entirely composed of ladies and gentlemen volunteers from the town and neighbourhood, together with the rector's young private pupils. There are some excellent farms about Guelph. One of a hundred acres, such as ought to pay itself, with habitable buildings, outhouses, &c., on it, may be had within a couple of miles of the town, for from 500/. to 700/. A very nice place, about a mile out, with very fair log residence, — that is, something far above a common shanty, having two sitting-rooms, green jalousies to the windows, verandah, &c., or stoop, as it is called here, with 170 acres — 90 or more cleared — was let lately for five years, the first year rent free, the other four for 20/. a year. This, how- ever, was of course remarkably cheap; but I believe there was some condition with it regard- ing improvements to be made by the tenant. 190 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. I r'n'f Any one of common prudence could make a living off a farm obtained on such terms, while looking out for an eligible purchase, if he had the means of making one. In the town, however, the rents are pretty high — from 15/. to 30/. a year being demanded for a very moderate place indeed. The rector here, like most of the clergy in Canada, besides the ordinary occasional duties, has three full services nearly all the year round, as he has several outlying stations, at one of which a church is built; at the others, school- houses — about five or six miles out of the town, whither he drives in rotation on Sunday after- noons. Beyond Guelph, and at the distance of thirteen or fourteen miles from thence, and three from each other, in the angles at the base of the isosceles triangle formed by the two diverging roads and the one connecting them at their extremities, stand the two thriving villages of Fergus and Elora. The former is the direct route to the Sound ; but the other is the residence of the Crown land agent, Andrew Geddes, esq. ; which circumstance necessarily causes many to visit the latter place, where the gentleman above referred to is always prepared to give the most obliging and accurate information from maps, &€., as to the sale of the government lands in the THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 191 bnce to ^oye lost ips, the district within the limits of his office. His long knowledge of the country, moreover, renders any information whirh he may render very valuable to a stranger, *^o whom h^ will always give fair and disinterested advice if his opinion be requested. £lora is, moreover, very well worth a visit for its natural beauty; as, besides the falls of the river, it contains below them some highly roman- tic caves, which indeed gave occasion for the name of the place, it having been called after the celebrated spot of similar designation in India. About two or three miles below the falls, there is an old Indian path, which crosses the river by a single pine-tree, thrown from cliff to cliff, at the height of some four-and-twenty feet above the level of the water. It may be imagined that to walk this requires no little head-piece ; and seems a tolerable feat, even for an Indian; yet I know a Welsh gentleman who has repeatedly performed it. There are a good many members of the prin- cipality settled about here ; so that you may occasionally hear the native Welsh spoken at Elora, just as you will the Gaelic in settlements more exclusively Highland. The church is the last regular constructed ecclesiastical edifice in this part of Canada. The English Church Establishment in this ./ V*,' ll ( \ § nsiii m^ 192 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. country is thus distributed. Besides the Bishopric and the two Archdeaconries of York and King- ston, there were fifty-seven of the principal towns erected into rectories, chiefly, of course, by way of nominal distinction, there being no territorial jurisdiction in regard of temporalities, with refer- ence to tithes, &c., as in England. This little arrangement, so calculated to warm every honest English heart, as reminding good men and true of the dear ties of home, and of the time when all their earUest impressions of saving knowledge were gathered beneath the Church's consecrated shade, though, as has been observed, involving no pecuniary imposts that might be made a handle of, is nevertheless an amazing bone of contention with dissenters of the agitating sort. This class of people seem to be, wilfully or otherwise, ignorant of the fact that to apply the term " sect " to a branch of the Catholic Church is to propound a contradiction in terms, since that which is a catholic whole cannot be a thing broken off or schismatically separated ; or otherwise, contrary to the axiom of the prince of geometricians, the whole must be equal to its part, which is absurd. Accordingly, they have got the vulgar and worn- out slang about the ^^ dominant sect " as glibly at their tongues' ends as any of their brother mal- contents could have at home ; though wherein the Church is or seems to be '' dominant" in Canada, THE EMIGRANT CHUBCHMAN. 193 where freedom, both civil and religious, has almost a tendency to degenerate into licentiousness, would puzzle the keenest observer to discover*. The * It was observed to the author by a friend, that he was wrong in his use of the term " dissent " as contradistinguished from the Anglican mode of worship in Canada, inasmuch as the Church of England was not established there as at home, in regard of tithes, church rates, &c., but more on the Toluntary footing. He endeavoured, however, to make it clear to his friendly objector that he did not at all make use of the term " dissent " as some* thing contradistinguished from the Church of England as an Establishment, but as an Apostolic Institution. That viewing the Anglican branch of the Church Catholic as spiritually deriving her descent from the Apostles both as to doctrine and discipline, he must beg leave without intending any discourtesy or offence to the feelings of persons without her pale, to call all dissenters, within the limits of the British empire who had wandered, as the members of the Romish communion had done, from that Apostolic doctrine, which she so happily restored at the Reformation, or as the members of Protestant self-styled and self- constituted '* churches," who had strayed from the Apostolic discipline, which she had always retained from the very first introduction of Christianity into Great Britain. This his position therefore would continue unchanged and unchangeable, even if the church were disfranchised to-morrow, and any one of the interminable forms of sectarianism "established" in her stead, in any part of the British empire. The Church would still be the Church, and the sect put in posses- sion of her private property, and other temporalities would still be a sect just the same, and neither more nor less so from its happening to enjoy the countenance of the state authorities. The author wishes to be clearly understood, however, as holding these views without for a moment entertaining any other feelings than those of the most kindly character towards the well-affected, the loyally-disposed, and the doctrinally-sound, who whether from hereditary predelictions, various other external influences, nr merely from want of consideration and study, have nut seen their way into the communion of the Church of England. Neither would he for a moment attempt to maintain but that God in the mysterious ways of his Providence may and does bless the labours VOL I. K. ../' « li? 194 THE EMIOBANT CHUBCHMAN. ecclesiastical stations, not rectories, are either, of course, isolated incumbencies or missions, — the former, as at Gait, are under the superintendence of a resident clergyman, who is paid in part, some- times, by the Church Society, sometimes by the venerable Society at home, partly from the Clergy Reserve Fund, partly from pew-rents, fees, and subscriptions, and partly from local endowments, in land, houses, &c. The latter, as Elora, are part of a group of churches or preaching stations, frequently extending over a great range of country, which are visited in periodical succession by a travelling missionary, in this case the Rev. D. Fraser, whose popularity in the pulpit and friendly ways among the people continually serve to endear him to all classes, and strengthen the Church's hands wherever he goes. We know of another of these devoted travelling missionaries, the Rev. C. Bold Hill, who frequently rides 200 miles a week, Uving great part of his time in the saddle, which is also for the most part his study, continually tiring two horses, and after his journeyings acting as his own groom, because his limited means do not admit of his keeping even a boy to attend to them. Oh for a hundred of such men in Canada ! Yet it is truly lamentable to state, that this of many of them, notwithstanding their departure from what he must still crave leave to consider the " more excellent way " of her Apostolical order. THE EMIGBAIH! CHURCHMAN. 195 ergy and ;nts, , are ions, ntry, by a . D. endly ndear rch's er of v. C. eek, hich ually cting s do lid to ada ! this hat he " of i*y laborious servant of Christ lately found some of his congregations much thinned for a time, after all his labours, by a Methodist preacher, who went about from house to house warning the people against the ministrations of the Church, as only a modified form of that very Popery against which, save where belied by ultra-Tractarian adherents, she always constitutes, under God, the surest and most impregnable bulwark, her enemies themselves being judges, as has often been proved. There is a very fair tavern at Elora, kept by a Mr. Smith, which I name on account of the extreme reasonableness of his charges. A medical gentleman, who lived there while his own house was building, was charged only 8 dollars a month, and had a bed-room that he could well make a study of, besides the use of the common sitting- room. This house is also noted for the goodness of the table kept. In fact there are two regularly supplied ; one for labouring men,. handicraftsmen, &c., the other to gentlemen boarders and visitors. There is also another very good tavern, kept by a person of the name of Doleman. Both he and Smith are Churchmen. The neighbourhood of the Falls is a favourite place, as may be supposed, for pic-nic parties. The little town of Fergus, which is in the direct route to Owen's Sound, and the residence of Mr. Webster, the late Conservative member for the K 2 ■»* . . f 196 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. iS district, is situated on the same river as Elora, and has two good large inns or hotels. You turn into the town by a somewhat romantic bridge, situated about 40 feet above the level of the water, which was the scene of two remarkable escapes. The turn of the road is very sudden at the bridge, and probably deceived by it, two unhappy men, in a state of inebriation, fell over in succession on the ice of the river below, which, however, con- tained a slight covering of snow. Strange to say, one escaped without injury, only returning to the tavern for another "horn" of liquor, as he called it, having scrambled up the rocks he scarce knew how; the other came off with a dislocated limb. It is an amazing wonder that both were not killed, and ought to be a -^ warn- ing to them. This is an entirely Presbyterian settlement, containing only, we believe, one or two families belonging to the Church, but pro- vided with neat places of worship for both bodies in connexion with the Scotch Establishment and the Free Kirk, with manses to each. By the way, I think .that these Presbyterians and Free Kirk folk set us an example well worthy to be followed, in the care with which they seem to provide a residence for their ministers, whilst our clergy are too often left without, and have to procure one at their own expense, which is a heavy load on their fdready too limited resources. THE EMIOBANT CHUBCHMAN. 197 CHAPTER XVII. Road and statute labour — Best way of proceeding to Owen's Sound — Charges for luggage and teaming principle on which the Garafraxa road was settled — System of government free grants — An estate to be realized in a family for ninety pounds — A gallant 42nd man— His Irft-handed improvements- Astonishing amount of work done by settlers — Road accommo- dations — The Maitland and Saugeen rivers — Mr. Edge's settlement — His noble conduct to his relatives — His zeal for the Church — ^The Durham settlement and advertisement of free grants — Splendid country to be opened towards the mouth of the Saugeen. Beyond Fergus all regular conveyance by coach ceases, the mail to Owen's Sound by this route (70 miles) being conveyed on horseback. A spirited hotel-keeper, however, ran a sleigh stage regularly last winter. The Owen's Sound road, until this last year, was so bad as to be almost impassable in some parts for waggons, &c., except in the height of summer, or when winter had bridged all the soft places with ice. Latterly, however, a grant of some thousands of pounds has y >rr jxp 198 THE EMIO^.iNT CHURCHMAK. been obtained for its improvement ; and between the judicious outlay of that sum and the statute labour*, the road is now quite a different thing, and a regular stage may now run any season. It is, however, a grievous pity that the surveyors, before the country was occupied, either would not or could not run their line of road round the foot of a hill, where such a course was easily prac- ticable. As it is, there are some provokingly steep " pitches,*' where a circuit of a few yards, now enclosed and private property, would have either materially diminished the acclivity, or masked it altogether. The adding a few graceful curves, moreover, to a road of really uncomfortable linear rectitude would have been a minor, but by no means a contemptible advantage ; for I, at least, think that there is something which adds very much to the monotony and fatigue of a long journey, when from summit to summit you can trace the same everlasting straight line, till it diminishes into a narrow slit in the forest, seen against the sky. In the absence of a regular * An officer called a path master is annually elected in every township, by the heads of families. It is his daty to call out the able-bodied men of the settlement for so many days' work and "teaming," in a certain scale of proportion for the mending or opening of roads, not government roads, and other public improve- ments. The effect of this wise regulation is almost magical on a new settlement, and affords a most palpable addition to the security and comfort of travelling. A person not choc^iu^ ^J work may compound on payment of a substitute. f THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 199 stage, or supposing your baggage too heavy, you had better engage the common two-horse waggons of the country to take up yourself, bag and baggage. If you have got your things as far as Guelph, and not contracted through from Hamilton, you had better take your waggon from that place. You will find no one who will manage your business in that respect better than Mr. John Wilson, or Mr. Jackson, of the firm of Jackson and David- son^ store-keepers. Indeed, you might arrange with either to bring up your things from Hamilton also, supposing you to have brought them so far by steamer. From Guelph to the Sound, you will be charged about one dollar a hundredweight^ or perhaps, if you have much, you may make your bargain a great deal lower ; or you may simply engage their teams, they finding everything except your personal tavern expenses. Once under their charge, you will need no further directions, but be safely deposited in two days, or three at the utmost, at your destination. The Garafraxa road, as it is called, which goes up to Owen's Sound, was settled along the whole line by Go- vernment some years ago, the last part of it only about six years since. The principle of settlement was that of free grants. Fifty acres on the road were given gratis to each settler making applica- tion, on condition of actual settlement. In addition to each of these fifties, a reserved fifty was ./ % 200 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ■ injli'; Wi retained, which he was at liberty to take up or purchase, five years being allowed for payment. This he was to have as a matter of right, at the Government upset price of Ss, an acre ; and by paying for in " scrip," the nature of which I shall explain in its proper place, it might cost him about 6s. Thus, as far as cash payment was con- cerned, he would find himself in possession of a farm of 100 acres, at a cost of some 15/. On building a log-house and clearing and fencing six- teen acres, he was entitled to his patent deed for the whole, whether he took up the extra fifty acres or not, as his taking them was not compulsory. He then had a property as completely his own, as Eaton Hall is the marquis of Westminster'^s ; and meanwhile he might always sell his lot with his improvements, the purchaser being able to obtain a transferred deed on completing the settlement duty. A separate and very proper requisition of the agent was, that each individual should clear to the front of his lot, thus giving the whole road an open and cheerful aspect. If a man had grown up able bodied sons, they were at perfect liberty to apply for and obtain separate lots for them- selves. Thus, when a man had four or five grown up sons and a little money, he might obtain for the family say 230 to 300 acres for nothing, or 500 to 600 on undertaking to pay 7^^* to 90/. in all for the extra fifties, within five years. The THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 201 present system of free grants differs but slightly from that referred, where it will be seen by the advertisement. The author knows of one man, a gallant old 42nd Highlander, from Sutherlandshire, who had only a young family when he came to this country. He took up one of these lots about four miles from Sydenham village, bought the other fifty, set to work with indomitable perseverance, with the assistance of his boys and girls ; and though shorn of his right arm in the Peninsula, has actually managed with his left hand, and what aid they could render, to clear and fence some twenty-six acres, and make a garden, &c. He has, more over, a good log-house and barn, and wants 200/. for his lot, which cost him, as has been shown, 15/. in cash, and he will be able to command his price too. But whether he sell or no, the gallant old veteran is there as comfortable as possible ; his pension, which he has earned right well, keeps him moreover always in ready money ; his farm supplies all necessaries for his household, and if you go and see him, his good wife will make you a famous cup of tea, and astonish you with her preserves and pastries — raspberry tarts and jam, strawberry tarts and jam, gooseberry tarts and jam, — all got from the forest by her active young folks for the picking. A person should really travel up this road to K 3 i. .1 ./ iiit ii': ^. 202 THS EMIGRANT CHURCHMA5. u*. see what the axe, urged on by bold British hearts and Anglo-Saxon thews and sinews^ will do towards making a hole in the primeval forest. To travel along 60 or 70 miles length of fences, and to consider only the tens of thousands of rails that had to be cut and split to make them, the number of strokes of the axe that the woods have rung to, in order to produce those promising- looking clearings, and comfortable though humble bams and dwellings, — and to consider that most of this, in the good providence of God, has been done by these people in six years — people, most of whom had never handled an axe in their lives before, and been drafted from all trades, handi- crafts, and professions under the sun ; and he can scarce fail of being lost in astonishment at such a result — a result unequalled in the world, save where the same race have been at work. New as this road is, the/e is no want of accom- modation all along it. You cannot, of course, expect to be entertained as you would be at the Clarendon, but between Fergus and the Sound, you will find some eighteen or twenty log-taverns, several of them kept by remarkably respectable and obliging people, and where you may generally be sure of eggs, poultry, pork, and potatoes, besides tea and maple sugar. Your sleeping accommodation will be plain but clean, and if you have ladies with you, there are several places THE EMIGRANT CHURCHU. V. 2< 3 where you may raise a separately-divided b**!- room or two. By sending a line on before to the points, which you would be told of on inquiry, you would always secure something better in the way of eating if you are particular, though I think that if one is to set up one's staff in the wilder- ness, the best way is to begin to ** rough it" boldly at once, rejecting even the guardsman's notion of eremitizing on a ^' beefsteak and bottle of port," — the latter to be eschewed especially. You cross some beautiful streams in this route, all of which are now well bridged, so that you need have no adventures with upsetting of waggons, moistening of luggage, &c. Two of the principal of these rivers are the Maitland and the two branches of the Saugeen. There is a very interesting settlement formed on the latter. A wealthy Irish gentleman of the name of Edge, a man sprung from the yeomanry of the country, and humanly speaking, the architect of his own fc^une, having a number of poor relations, and is highly worthy to be held up as an example, has, with a philantrophy which does him honour, bought a block of 4,000 acres, very near the road, and settled some fifty of these families on it. He has also erected mills, which are managed by one of his nephews, who exercises a sort of general superintendence over the whole. To another of ' ./ 1 ! . 1 1 ' ^ ■i». ^ i :J 204 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. his brother's children he has given an university education — is desirous of having him ordained by the bishop, and of placing him there as the clergy- man of the settlement ; promising to assist him with a contribution towards his salary, and autho- rizing him to build a school-house for divine service till a church can be erected ; to which he very properly expects his settlers to contribute — more especially as it is said that he means to leave each family in independent possession of its own lot at his decease. Oh that this very beautiful example might find a host of imitators, especially amongst the proprietors in unhappy Ireland ! The settlement is generally called after the river on which it stands, and which runs through the Indian territory till it disembogues itself in the open and majestic Lake Huron in a westerly direction. Though its mouth is thus, by land, about thirty miles from the Sound, at which distance from the village of Sydenham the road moreover crosses it, it is somewhere about 200 miles round to it by water. Sailing from Sydenham, the far- stretching point called Cabot's Head, which partly composes the Georgian Bay, has to be rounded before it can be reached. It is near Mr. Edge's settlement in the Durham district that the Government is now engaged in giving out a new batch of grants on the same principle as that on which those abready referred THE EMIGRANT CHURCllMAy. 205 to were allotted. For the benefit of settlers, I subjoin the advertisement : — ** Agency for the Settlement of the Crown Lands in the Wellington and Simcoe Districts. 24th Auguit. 1848. "The undersigned,agent appointed by his Excel- lency the governor-general for the settlement of the crown lands in the townships of Glenelg, Bentinck, Brant^ Greenock and Kincardine, in the county of Waterloo, hereby gives notice to all persons willing and having means of locating therein, that his office is temporarily fixed at or near Hunters, on the Garafraxa Road, where he will receive the application of the settlers, every day of the week between the hours of 9 and 5 o'clock, from the 1 5th day of September next. " Fifty acres of land will be given to any settler eighteen years old, and a subject of her majesty, who will present himself provided with a certifi- cate of probity and sobriety, signed by known and respectable persons, and having the means of pro- viding for himself until the produce of his land is sufficient to maintain him. The bearer of that certificate shall mention to the agent (who will keep a registry thereof,) his name, age, condition, trade or profession, whether he is married, and if so, the name and age of his wife, how many ./ , i. 206 THE EMTQRANT CHUBCHMAN. tit!' R H m -V' children he has, the name and age of each of them, where he is from, whether he has some- where any property, and in what township he wishes to settle. " The conditions of the location ticket are — to take possession within a month after the date of the ticket, and to put in a state of cultivation at least twelve acres of the land in the course of four years — to build a house and to reside on the lot until the conditions of settlement are duly fulfilled, after which accomplishment only shall the settler have the right of obtaining a title of property. Families comprising several settlers entitled to lands, preferring to reside on a single lot, will be exempted from the obligation of building and of residence, (except upon the lot on which they reside) provided the required clearing of the land is made on each lot. The non-accomplishment of these conditions will cause the immediate loss ol the assigned lot of land, which will be sold or given to another. " Leave will be granted to those who shall have obtained a lot gratis, to purchase three other lots on the road (150 acres) at Ss, per acre for ready money, so as to complete their 200 acres in all. ''The land intended to be settled, is of the very best description, and well timbered and watered. " The roads will be opened on a breadth of 66 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 207 feet, and the land on each side will be divided in lots of fifty acres each, to be gratuitously given. " Besides the principal road there will be two others (one on each side of the principal road) marked out on the whole extent of the territory, and on which free locations of fifty acres will be made. " But as the Government only intend to meet the expenses of survey on those additional roads, the grantees will have to open the road in front of their locations. " The most direct route to reach the agency on the Garafraxa Road is by way of Guelph and Elora in the Wellington district. "GEORGE JACKSON, " Agent for Settlement of the Durham Road." There is rm Indian village and Wesleyan mission at the mouth of the Saugeen. The Government, however, have, I believe, completed a treaty for the tract of country to the very shore ; and when it has been surveyed and offered for sale, there will have been opened up one of the most magni- ficent tracts that the whole of Upper Canada can possibly present. It is moreover asserted that, with a very moderate expense, this beautiful stream may be made navigable as far as the Garafraxa Road, viz., 30 to 40 miles from its mouth ; at present it labours under the usual ' • I IS J 208 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ■$V, IP drawback of the waters that run into Lake Huron — a bar at the entrance. The opening of it would of course add amazingly to the value of the pro- perties on its shores. It is, moreover, such a splendid site for fishing, that a party of four who went up this last summer, 1848, caught in three weeks, with ease, the large number of 1023 fine trout. From the Saugeen there is nothing particular to be described till you arrive at the village. I now, therefore, proceed to exhibit the Toronto route, before giving a view of this fine settlement itself, which, for reasons already mentioned, is attracting attention not only at home, but even all over the North American provinces them- selves. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 209 CHAPTER XVIII. Steam-boat route to the Sound — Route as far as Orillia the same as already described — Postai^e and stage to Sturgeon Bay, on Lake Huron — English appearance of part of the road — Coldwater village and old Indian settlement — Travelling by easy stages— The lonely grave — Subject for an elegy — Comparative infre* quency of robberies and murders in Canada — ^The Markham gang — Sturgeon Bay •' Hotel " — The " Gore" steamer — Yankee ideas of English paint — Penetanguishine— Naval and military station — Church and clergyman — Chapel and priest — Iron war steamers — Change of depdt to Owen's Sound advisable — The Christian is!, nds — Ruins of Jesuit seminary — Cliffs of St. Vincent — ^Want of a clergyman — Respectful suggestion to the father's of the Church — The bishop of Toronto approves of lay readers where there is no clergyman — Proposed extension of the order of deacons — Probable supply of candidates. The route as far as Orillia, at the head of the Lake Simcoe navigation, is the same as that already described. From hence, a postage of 18 miles, which is now a very good road, conveys you by stage to Sturgeon Bay on Lake Huron, where the other steamer receives you and takes y if t ■ 210 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. you right up to the Sounds whence she goes on to the Manitoulin Island and Sault St. Marie at the junction of Lake Superior with its Huron brother. The charge for luggage from Toronto to the Sound is 6s. per cwt., but passengers are aUowed a liberal quantity free. The road between Orillia and Sturgeon Bay is hilly, but very pretty. I could not have been prepared; so far to the north-west, to have seen anything that reminded me so much of the sweet lanes that skirt some demesnes in Eng- land. At one point in particular, about half way, one could not help looking for a park-gate with its lodges. The actual mansion approached, how- ever, was none other than a little log tavern, where the stage stopped a few moments for refresh- ments. About 5 miles from the bay and 13 from Orillia, you come to the village of Coldwater, where there is a large framed building of rather a dreary and rubbishing appearance, now a tavern, but which was a sort of school or college for the Indians when Coldwater was an Indian settle- ment. In fact, it is the remains of the old Indian clearings that give the diversification of appearance to part of this road, so different from the dull formality of the usual chopped tracks through the forest, with the endless array of stumps stuck into the sides of the roads, as if the borders of them THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAir. 211 were so many elongated Brobdignagian pin- cushions. But here the forest shades off from the more picturesque undergrowth into pleasing glades, scattered over with many graceful flower and fruit-bearing shrubs; the hilliness of the road allowing you to dismount and eat your fill of rasp- berries, and particularly of wild strawberries, in the season. It is a curious circumstance that if the wood in a cedar swamp be chopped and the land left un- cultivated, a plentiful crop of wild raspberries will spring up ; indeed, the second growth of wood is always different from the first. It is said that the ground where one kind of wood has grown, is poison to fresh wood of the same sort ; hence the necessity of not planting the site of an old orchard with the similar trees to those which it had pre- viously contained. The partridges are so thick here at times, that I remember a young man, when a covey flew into some bushes by the road- side, getting the stage to wait while he jumped off and shot one with ball from a pistol which he had with him. It may serve to amuse an Englishman accus- tomed to the reminiscence of quicksilver mails, and Brighton " Ages'' gone by, that a man could thus be allowed to combine a little private sport- ing on his own account with a journey by stage ; but they take things easy in Canada. I do not I'P' i 212 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. m say, however, that he could have done this in the older settlements, though there is often too much time lost in unnecessary stoppages ; but here the steamer did not start till the next morning, so there was the less occasion to hurry. On constructing this ro&ci, some years ago, the labourers came upon a grave containing a human skeleton, which they took up and buried again by the road side, where the sad, last, lonely resting- place of the poor wayfarer is pointed out to the traveller as involving some dark mystery of crime, probably not to be unveiled till " the secrets of all hearts shall be revealed.'* The general opinion is, that it was the body of a poor pedlar who left Orillia some years ago to walk across the postage ; and was last seen in company with a man of known dangerous character, but never afterwards heard of. To a person skilled in elegiac poetry, the circumstance might furnish a mournful but interesting theme. It is almost surprising indeed that in a country like Canada, whither there is every year such an extensive emigration of persons of all shades of character, and many of them in destitute circum- stances, highway robberies and murders are not more common than they are. They certainly do occur occasionally in the neighbourhood of the larger cities, as they will in any other country ; but on the whole, one is quite safe from either THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 213 interruptions on the road, or visits to one's resi- dence by marauders: that is if one remains at home. If a house known to contain any valuables were left for a time untenanted, I would not, of course, answer for its security. There was, however, until lately a gang in existence, called " the M arkham gang," from one of the head-quarters being at a place so named, about 15 miles from Toronto. The stories told of the organization and adven- tures of some of these might seem to approach those of the banditti in Gil Bias more than anything else. It was even said that some who appeared quite respectable and independent farmers were connected with it. One or two daring robberies and murders, however, led to its disruption ; some of the offenders suffered, others were sent to the penitentiary for life, and the remainder, if any, so overawed, that that neigh- bourhood is just as peaceful and safe now as any other. A drag up a hill of some three or four miles in length brings you to the summit from whence you have your first view of the waters of the noble Huron; here, however, very much land-locked by the outjutting points and islands around Sturgeon Bay. Here you have to stop all night at the " Hotel," which was, until very lately, a common log-house, scarce boasting the '^ but and ben " of ./ -I ,» m, 214 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. [if' p. -■;f* M. a Scottish domicile ; the cookery in summer being for the most part carried on alfresco, which is not an uncommon plan in Canada. A larger and better place has since been put up ; the good people who keep it did all they could for visitors, and would either put you into a " six-stalled'^ bed- room in the half-story up stairs, or if you laboured under a scruple of delicacy on the score of dressing and undressing in public, would stow you away in one or two little places below which they had managed to curtain off. They are now, however, better provided for travellers. The " Gore " steamer takes you from hence to Penetanguishine, 17 miles, and thence to the Sound, 65 more. She has the reputation of being one of the most admir- able sea-boats upon the lakes — a very necessary qualification, as Lake Huron, from its depth and vastness, puts one more in mind of the roll of the Atlantic Ocean in a gale of wind than any of the others, except, perhaps. Lake Superior. It requires a practised eye, however, to discover the beauty of her lines, below the villanously ugly paint which they have put upon her top-hamper. She used formerly to run to the American side ; and it is said that the Yankees cannot bear our genuine substantial looking black hulls, calling them " black British sarpents.'* In deference to their fancies, the upper works of the "Gore'' were painted a dirty white, streaked with green and THE BMIORANT CHURCHMAN. 215 puce colour, which may have been useful, but looked anything but ornamental. Penetanguishine, to which there is, moreover, a near cut, of I believe only 18 miles, from Barrie, on Lake Simcoe, is situated at the bottom of a bay extremely shallow on one side, and is a small military and naval station, the latter force consist- ing of two iron war steamers^ of about 60 horse power each. There is a church and clergyman here, and also a Roman Catholic chapel and priest. I once travelled in company with this latter gentle- man, and a very agreeable and intelligent person I found him. There is said to be a nice little society in this (until lately) out of the way station of Western Canada. The probability is, however, that it will, as a military and naval depot, have to be eventually shifted to Owen's Sound, where there is a military reserve specially retained in the survey, as, from the number of shoals about Penetanguishine, the islands, &c., the harbour is said generally to close up with ice three weeks earlier, and to continue shut three weeks later, than at the Sound. Steaming along from hence, you pass the Chris- tian Islands, so called from a settlement for the conversion of the Indians, erected there by the Jesuits as far back as 200 years ago. They are said to have built a seminary and a fort, some „./' 216 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 'iV* ?'■■-. iiQyijIjHLj ruins of which are still remaining. The islands are now uninhabited. The settlement was de- stroyed, I believe, in an incursion of the Mohawks. Fifty miles from Penetanguishine, you approach the high banks of St. Vincent ; bold cliifs, appa- rently of reddish clay, of some 300 feet high, and with their park-like clearings dotted here and there with houses, presenting a very pleasing view from the water. There are several families here belonging to the Church, and they want a clergyman sadly, and offer to contribute something towards his support ; but, like too many other similarly situated settlements, the old reason stands in the way — the want of properly qualified men. It is by no means unfrequently the case that dissenting ministers in Canada, as elsewhere, apply to our bishops for ordination. The objection usually made is the want of sufficient qualification on the score of learning, &c. Might it not, however, be very respectfully submitted to the fathers of the Church that, where genuine piety and sincere motives exist, in combination with education suf- ficient to expound the Scriptures with propriety, something might be waived on the score of the classical education and refinement of exterior, which are usually expected to characterize a cler- gyman of the Church. Many of those who offer thus might prove themselves good soldiers of THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 217 lands s de- awks. iroach appa- b, and I there V from Ing to sadly, rds his milarly ) in the It is renting to our I usually on the pver, be of the sincere Lon suf- >priety, of the ixterior, a cler- lo offer iiers of Jesus Christ, and better able to *• endure hardness" in new and rough settlements than those brought up with a greater degree of refinement. Besides, it by no means follows that all dissenting ministers are either altogether uneducated, or insufferably below par on the score of manners. It should be observed, however, that in settlements where there is no clergyman, the Bishop of Toronto is always desirous to sanction the efforts of any piously disposed layman to collect a congregation for the purpose of reading the service (with the exception, of course, of the absolution, &c.), and an approved discourse, or one of the homi- lies. In some places this system, I believe, has been attended with the happy effect of keeping the people together until a clergyman could be sent. It is a lamentable fact, however, that the very thing so needful in itself, and so conducive every- where to the status of the Church, the greater amount, namely, of preparation required than amongst the sects, with perhaps the higher social position usually occupied by our clergy, acts in Itself as a drawback on our supplying new settle- ments early in the day. Meantime, the dissenters, who neither require nor could expect men who come up to an equally high standard, are free to occupy the field, to the extension of divisions, and the frequent partial neutralization of the labours VOL. I. L ./ 218 THE EMIORANT CHURCHMAN. of the regular clergyman when he arrives. Could an order of deacons be revived, taken, perhaps, from a comparatively less educated and a humbler class of society than that from which the ranks of the regular ministry are usually filled, and could they be ordained with the understanding that those only who showed themselves eminent should be eligible to the priesthood, and that the rest should be content to remain amongst the humbler ranks, living as plain men amongst their plain flocks, and nowise distinguished in station, resi- dence, or means of living, from the bulk of those amongst whom they were ministering, much might be done to extend the Church's efficiency, as such individuals as I am describing could probably be supported in Canada for 50/. a year ; and if we were to take a leaf out of the book of the followers of Wesley, and allow some little addition to salary on the score of a man having a family, the plan might be thereby rendered still more feasible. If the readiness of making a living in other ways, and the general too great independence of all lawful authority on the part of the youth out here, which renders it somewhat diff ult for a clergy- man to gather an adult Bible class even, should cause an unhappy scarcity of candidates in Canada for the office as proposed, still it is to be hoped that, from amongst the ranks of the National Society's teachers, and the many other excellent THE EMIORAKT CHURCHMAN. 219 as and devoted young men, in the station of me- chanics, &c., who give their time in England to Sunday school instruction, numbers might be found who would be rejoiced to fulfil the ministry of the cross after the mode suggested. y L 2 1^ 220 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. CHAPTER XIX. Extent of the Bay at Owen's Sound — Shores look like undisturbed wildness of nature — The clearings masked by the forest — Squaw point — Half-bred squatters — ^Wharf and Indian village — Appear- ance of Sydenham — Landing place up the river — ** Government house " — Shelter for poorer emigrants — Size of village — Value of town lots — Rapid increase — Mode of purchasing — Govern- ment auctions — Needless drawbacks— Reform wanted in the Crown land department — Rise of settlement contrasted with that of Chicago in the States — Application for a grant of land for a church — Distance of Crown agent's residence, a general com- plaint. On rounding the Cliffs of St. Vincent, you fairly open the noble inlet, here about 15 miles across, and about the same in depth, which con- stitutes the rising and interesting settlement of Owen's Sound. A stranger would be apt to ima- gine, from the sight of the continuous and lonely- looking forest that lines the shores of the bay, that the place was still in the primitive wildness of nature. Were he to land at any point, however, he would soon discover that this belt of forest, THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 221 which is all he sees from the water, and which certainly does lend an effect of great loneliness to a first approach to the village, is only the back ground to an uninterrupted succession of cleared farms, in a high state of productiveness, and rapidly rising in value. The farms are at present all cleared to the roads, which run at the distance of about a mile or more from the shore. Gra- dually however, no doubt, the hand of taste will open up clearings to the lake, as beautiful and pleasing as are already presented in similar localities in other parts of Canada. As you come up to Squaw Point, where a light-house is to be erected, you begin to see the houses of sundry French Canadian half-breeds, who have squatted on or near the military reserve, and who chiefly live by fishing and maple sugar making, until at length you sweep up to the wharf, having above you the fine natural esplanade at present called High Street, but which, I think, should be properly denominated Huron Terrace, as less commonplace, and far more suited to the locality ; while on the other side is the picturesque Indian village, with its neat chapel. The Indians here are for the most part Methodists. Right ahead, and up and along the Sydenham river, the village may now be seen stretching in scattered streets and detached log and frame houses, for about a mile. If you come in the height of summer, the ./ n 222 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. effect will be really pretty, as, making allowance for the stumps, fresh clearings, raw-looking fences, &c., which always disfigure a new settlement in Canada, the Indian corn and different garden herbs growing in the enclosures embower the place very much in green, and lend a picturesque aspect to the different tenements, now rapidly closing up into regular streets. On rowing, in the steamer's boat, for about three quarters or half a mile up the river, you land at the wharf by the post office, and close to the dwelling dignified by the imposing name of the " Government House." You are not, however, to expect to hear the crash of military music, see sentries pacing up and down, gay " aides" dashing about, nor delicate- looking secretaries turning out for an afternoon's ride, or indeed any of the other concomitants of colonial viceroyalty, as the abode in question, notwithstanding its sounding name, aspires only to the humble but truly Samaritan office of sheltering emigrants of the poorer classes till they are able to provide for themselves. On making application to the authorities, they are put in possession of their share of the mansion, which is fitted up with sleeping cribs, cooking stoves, &c., fuel being to be had for the chopping, and the other extremity being appropriated to their heavier luggage, which is kept under lock and key till wanted. Here an emigrant may remain at free in THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 223 quarters till the house is filled, when the " oldest inhabitant " has to turn out ; but he must be very imprudent or very careless if he have not provided himself with the means of getting a roof of his own over his head before any compulsory eject- ment be necessary. A new place, nearer the wharf, is to be built for the reception of emigrants this summer. The town at present contains about 130 inhabited houses, and 150 built in all. To prevent the place being kept back by speculators purchasing a number of town lots, and holding them without improving, every lot is required to be cleared, built on, and fenced within a specified time after being taken up. Many will, of course, build a better house than the specifications require, which are to erect a story and a half log-house, squared at the corners, and 25 feet by 20. Such a residence as this may be put up for 20/., or indeed less, so as to be habitable in a rough way. The lots, which are half an acre each, vary in upset price from 5/. to 20/., according to situation. I have known such lots, which being paid for as all Government land is, in scrip, cost the purchaser about 3/., the wood being merely chopped down, within a year or two afterward resold to new comers for 20/. to 30/. Mr. Geddes, of Elora, is the agent for these lots, which may be purchased either by personal application or by letter. You can see a map of ,J: \\^ 224 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. the place, where the divisions of the streets and the blocks are inarked. There is also a list of lots, sold and unsold. There was, however, a restriction as to the survey, the whole not being in the mar- ket at once. This seemed to be an unnecessary drawback ; and indeed, persons who wanted parti- cular lots, not in the market, ventured to clear them, and even to build upon them ; taking their chance of being permitted to buy them afterwards, though, of course they intimated to the agent at the time, that they had taken them up. He could take a note of this, and no other person could purchase them until they were thrown open ; yet the person who had taken them up was liable at least to the being outbid if any one owed him a grudge. The way the lots are opened for sale is this : when Government decide on offering a fresh batch, due notice is given in the newspapers, and those who want particular lots had better attend on that day ^t the office at Elora, or employ some person to bid for them. When a particular lot is put up, it is then sold to the highest bidder ' people generally, however, manage to have a mutual understanding not to run one another unnecessarily up where there are enough for all. If there be no competition, the first bid of one dollar advance on the upset price is taken, on the land if a town lot, if a country lot it goes at the Government upset price of 8«. an acre. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 225 After the first day of auction, or, indeed, the moment after the auction sale is over, a person may apply for any of the remaining lots, and secure them without further competition at the Government upset price. This is the case with the sale of all Government lands ; but at Owen's Sound the hindrance consisted in the apparent caprice of not allowing a person to fix on any part of the survey, and pay for it and get his deed in fulfilling the settlement duty of building and fencing. There was, however, a disposition com- plained of, on the part of some Government offi- cials at head quarters, either through negligence to retard the sale, or wilfully, from some under- hand object, to try to keep it back. I do not say that the supreme heads of the department were guilty of this misconduct, but that there was gross and wilful error somewhere caimot, I think, be doubted. Nominally, indeed, the land officers of the Government are liable to immediate dismissal if they are detected in any underhanded proceedings, such as receiving secret fees, or dabbling with land agencies on their own private account It is to be feared, nevertheless, that some of them manage secretly to do so, and that having done so, and becoming thus interested in the sale of particular tracts, they contrive to interpose vex- atious delays, purposely to retard the sale of L 3 m i*i ?>%: 226 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. others; certes, the crown land department of Upper Canada requires a searching reform to be instituted, for while we are slumbering, the United States are fast getting a-head of us. It is a notorious fact, that through the wanton or wilful supineness of the land office, numbers of intending emigrants to the Sound went away for successive seasons without being able to purchase, to the great detriment of the place. Its rise has been undoubtedly wonderful under all its draw- backs, and considering that seven years ago it was a forest ; but I hesitate not to say, that three times as much might have been done with com- mon attention and fairness on the part of the crown land department. This does not involve any blame to Mr. Geddes, or Mr. Telfer, the then local agent, who, to my certain knowledge, has been allowed to cool his heels for many a weary day, dancing attendance about the land office at Montreal, away from his family and private affairs, without being able to effect anything to the purpose. Had the Americans, who have a far different mode of improving their resources, possessed this noble settlement, they would have had quite a city here by this time. At Chicago, on the other side of the lake, which a dozen years ago, or little more, was an Indian hunting-ground, they have now a city of some 14,000 inhabitants, with the THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 227 usual complement of churches, meeting-houses, hotels, banks, &c. &c. ; yet here, at Sydenham village, 500 or 600 would be the outside of the population, and owing to some bungling misma- nage.nent, no grant whatsoever for a church has hitherto been secured, though petition on petition has been forwarded for the purpose; and, not- withstanding that by an act of the legislature, every religious body, claiming to amount to a certain number, and making application in due form, is entitled, I believe, to a grant of Govern- ment land in a newly opened settlement. The distance, (73 miles) moreover, of Mr. Geddes' residence at Elora, from the Owen Sound Tract, where the great body of the land at present to be settled and purchased is situated, has also been much complained of as entailing a tedious and somewhat expensive journey down the Garafraxa road for those who come in by Lake Huron, or wish, at any rate, to visit the place before purchasing. This, however, is of less consequence, except for the auction, as purchases can be effected by letters, and it is conceived that the distance of the agent's residence is likely to separate him from the local influences which might render him liable, however undeservedly, to the charge of favouritism. 228 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. CHAPTER XX. Crown lands purchasable by "land scrip" — Origin of scrips Saving in buying land from the use of it — System of free grants no injury to purchased property — Increase in value of land at the Sound — Park lots— Wild land — Amount of each lot — Cost of a lot — Advice on the purchase of a quantity — Mill and cascade — Indian falls — Attack on the leader of the Free-Kirk deputation — A party of " non-intrusionists " — Victimized partridges — Telfer's mills— Pish at Owen's Sound — Stores, taverns, &c. — Vessels — House rent — Fine site for residences — Wants of the settlement — Number of Church people — Subscrip- tion list for a clergyman — Proposed mode of collecting con- tributions. Crown lands are always purchasable by what is called " scrip." The origin of scrip was as fol- lows : — After the American war, the U. E. (United Empire) loyalists who had lost their estates in the union by their devotion to the British Crown, and the militia, and others of the line who had fought in the war, became entitled to grants of land for their services, naval services being, of course, included. According to his rank, a man THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 229 was allowed to draw a certain number of acres in any part of the crown lands not disposed of. A captain in the army, or lieutenant in the navy, might draw 600 or 800 ; a lieutenant-colonel 1,200, and so on. But as many of these, particu- larly of the ranks (who were each entitled to 100,) did not care to take up land, and, for the sake of convenience to all, scrip notes of the nominal value of 5/. were issued, which entitled the holder to draw a proportionate quantity of land at the Govern- ment upset price. Thus, if his claims were liqui- dated by his receiving, we will say, 40 of these scrip notes, and the upset price of Government land was, as it generally is in Upper Canada, 8s. an acre (mill and mining privileges having a reserved price set on them in addition,) on pre- senting his scrip notes at the land office he would be entitled to 500 acres of land. But these scrip notes were transferable and marketable, and where a man did not wish to take them out in land at the Government office, he might want to convert them into cash ; but, as they would only be taken at their full value, or, in other words, at par, if exchanged for Government land, he was glad, if he wanted cash, to sell them for what they would fetch — sometimes for three-fourths, and even in times past, for little more than half their value. Thus, if he got 30/. currency for 40/. worth of scrip, it stands to reason that the person 230 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. who gave him 30/. for his scrip would, on pre- senting it, receive his 500 acres at a proportion- ately lower cost to himself tlian the Government upset price, so that his 500 acres would in reality cost him not 88. but 68. an acre. If he paid still less for it, say 13/. for 20/. of scrip, then his land would cost him just so much less again, as he would pay 13*. in reality for every 20». of worth of land valued at the Government upset price. If he paid 20 for 40, which is, of course, 10 for 20, or one half, he would just get his land at half price, or, what nas nominally 8«. an acre, for 48. The land agents make it, of course, one part of their business continually to traffic in this scrip, and when a large Government sale is coming on, they generally do their best to urge up the market price. At present it may be got in Toronto at about 33/. for 40/. I suspect the days of 13/. for 30/. are pretty much gone by, but even now you can get your pick of the finest wild land at the disposal of Government in any part of Canada that you choose to go to for little more than 68. an acre by buying scrip thus. There is a report, however, that the system of issuing it is to cease (for it should be observed, that though no longer given for military services,) and though the system of giving away land at all has ceased, except on the mode of free grants, as at Owen's Sound and the Durham settlement, fresh THE EMIOKANT CUUUCHMAN. 231 scrip has been hitherto periodically given out by the Government, and bouglit up at a market price. It is hoped, however, that 24,000/. worth may yet be issued for the benefit of those soldiers and sailors who, from accident or ignorance, may not have yet claimed their land, or who have had their claims hitherto overlooked. It is thus owing to the existence of scrip that 100 acres may be realized for 15/., viz. 50 given free, and the adjoining 50 the right of purchase which is reserved to the grantee, being to be had nominally for 20/., at 88. an acre ; but for 15 in actual cost to the settler, if he can get scrip at three-fourths of its nominal value, or a little more, viz. at the market price of 30 to 33 for 40. Scrip is said to be somewhat cheaper in Mon- treal than Toronto ; perhaps in the former place you might get it even now at 31 for 40. If you take a large quantity, say some hundreds of pounds' worth, you may beat the agent down a little. The same rule applies to the purchase of town lots ; thus, for instance, a 5/. town lot, when scrip is 30 for 40, will be got for 3/. 15*. Town lots are never given as free grants. It may be thought that the system of granting land free is unfair to those who have to pay for it in scrip ; but the result proves the reverse to be the fact, since every additional comer who takes up or obtains land in a settlement adds to the ./" 232 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. resources of that settlement, and to the general value of all land in it. Thus, land that has been purchased, if the situation have been judiciously chosen, will actually increase in value, while free grants are being given out all around it. In the Durham settlement, for instance, near Owen's Sound, 38,000 acres of land have been in course of being given away this season, and yet wild land five or six miles from Sydenham village which was purchased a year and a quarter ago at 6s. an acre, has readily sold at lis. most of the payment being made in cash down. On the lake shore line, moreover, where a whole line of free grants, extending over many miles of country, was given out some four or five years ago, a young man who had a lot of 50 acres, which he had purchased for 205. an acre, was offered treble the amount for his purchase a year or two after. Around a new settlement, as at Sydenham, what are called " park lots " are also reserved in blocks of from 4 or 5 to 40 or 50 acres, according as the surveyor lays them out. These encompass the town for one or two miles, or even more, and are put up to public competition at the land sales. Those at Sydenham were sold in 1846 at a price averaging perhaps from 12*. to I5s., or consider- ably upwards, an acre, but have very greatly risen in value since. I presume that some of those THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 233 who then paid 20/. for their lots would not take 100/. for them now. Another batch are expected to come into the market in the spring of 1841). These park lots are in general rather an incon- venience for the first few years about a rising town, from the want of good roads through them. At Sydenham however, they are intersected on the south side by the Government road ; other roads through are beginning to be chopped and improved, and tliey will soon, of course, present a succession of pretty little cleared farms. After and beyond them, comes the wild land, which is numbered by concessions of three-quarters of a mile in depth, and lots on these concessions of half a mile frontage; each of these rectangles con- tains 200 acres of land, which is the usual amount put up for sale in a lot. These, with scrip at 30 for 40, will cost you of course 60/. currency. If you buy a. large quantity, as 1000 or 1200 acres, unless you have a family, and intend to occupy it all yourself in adjoining farms, it is best to buy it in detached blocks, as you have then a better pick of land, especially if you can get access to the to the surveyors or assistant-surveyor's private field notes, in which they generally remark on the nature of each lot as regards soil, water, &c., when they run their lines. The position of your lot and its distance from other settled lots or a village, you can always ascertain with precision, by consulting ./ it ft* it" I 234 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. the map at the agents. Some of the richest and finest land in all Upper Canada is contained in the township of Derby, in which the village of Sydenham is situated — I mean the Owen's Sound village of Sydenham, as there are three or four places of the same name in Upper Canada. The best land here is about four or five miles from the village and two or three back from the Garafraxa Road, as nearer to the shore, and the Govern- ment Road the lots become more stoney. There is scarce any land in all that country, however, that may be called bad, except perhaps a detached swamp here and there — and, indeed, the swamps, if only properly drained, would, some of them, afford the finest and heaviest hay crops. The grass almost invariably grown in Canada is what is called "timothy," the land yields from one to two tons an acre, and the produce is usually worth from 8 to 10 dollars, or 21. to 2L lOs. a ton. There are water privileges for almost any thing near the village. At some little distance inland, the land rises abruptly, in many cases in a very picturesque manner, exhibiting in its cliffs, bluffs, curves, and indentations, another addition to the proof of the generally admitted geological fact, that the waters of Canada were anciently much higher than they are now. At Grist and Sawmill, about four miles above the village, there is a cascade of from fifty to THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 235 seventy feet in height, down which the water tumbles into a woody and rocky gorge, forming a scene in itself well worth travelling many miles to see. In the perpendicular rocks forming part of the cliffs over which the water falls, there is on the western-side a natural cleft or split, just affording room for one person to pass through, up or down the inclined plane between the upper and lower level, like a narrow passage between two houses. , The mills of Mr. M'Nab, a worthy old gentle- man who has lost a great deal of property in a township nearer lake Ontario by a law suit, are, from their picturesque but secluded situation, and the boldness with the ^ig-zag road — from them is engineered up the almost perpendicular precipices^ opposite the house — well worth a visit. Nearer the village, again, the rocks assume the form of a magnificent ampitheatre. Indeed, the settlers have had the good taste to name the spot ac- cordingly. On the Indian side, about four miles down the bay and one mile back in the woods, there is also a pretty delicate looking little fall, which will amply repay a walk to it if you will venture to encounter the musquitoes — these pests generally, however, disappear in proportion as a country gets cleared, and in the open lakes you are always free from them. When Di. Burns, of the Free-Kirk, went up 226 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. A s,<.» l)-M •r^. to the Sound to forward the views of that se- cession, he was taken to see these falls as one of the lions of the place, when stumbling over a wasp's-nest, they all beset him so that the poor old gentleman was obliged to beat a hasty retreat, herein proving themselves decided "non-intrusion- ists," though not in the way, perhaps, most acceptable to the feelings of the doctor. The partridges about these falls are sometimes so numerous that I have known them sit on the trees (the Canadian partridge perches) till a brace were knocked down with stones by a party of visitors who had no gun among them. They really sat with such confidence, it seemed quite a sin to knock them over. On the eastern or English side, about seven miles down the bay, is the fine settlement of Telfer's mills, where there will, doubtless, be a village ere long, as Mr. Telfer, who was formerly deputy crown land agent, and who owns 580 acres of land and a mill site on the Creek, is having it laid out in village lots. A visit to this place makes a very pretty aquatic excursion. Sydenham village is a great emporium for fish, and will, doubtless, become more and more so as the fishing is extended. The fish in lake Huron are of a delicious quality, and include salmon- trout, bass- suckers (mullet), and what are generally called white fish, besides sturgeon and fresh-water THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 237 herrings. The trout and white fish are barrelled up for the market, fetching on the spot 5 dollars a barrel, which ought to contain 200 pounds weight of fish^ and which, when brought to Guelph, Toronto, 8,c., will re-sell for 7i to 10 dollars, being much sought after. There are already several schooners belonging to the settlement, one of which and a sloop were built there, besides some large boats. The steamer touches twice a week — once in going and once in returning from the Sault. There are also three mails a week in summer and two in winter. One may get any ordinary article at the stores here, which are eight or ten in number. There are also tanneries, a brewery, black and whitesmiths* shops; milliner's, shoemaker's, and tailor's esta- blishments, &c., &c. House-rent is pretty high for the place, as the fresh influx of settlers keep it up. A very moderate log cottage will rent at 10/. or 12/. a year, payable in advance. A tavern, half log half frame, since burned down, has rented at 40/. a year, which is pretty high considering that a large stone hotel in Guelph rents at only a hundred. A good-sized new inn has, however, just been built. The best end of the town will doubtless be towards the lake and wharf, above which there stretches one of the finest possible natural esplanades or terraces, already referred to under y 238 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. the name of High Street, or Huron Terrace as it ought to be called. The ascent to this is by a natural break in the cliff, in the side of which four beautiful streams gush from the living rock within a few feet of each other. This place offers a charming spot for residences, having a commanding view of the head of the bay, with the picturesque Indian village at the opposite side, at the distance of about three quarters of a mile. It is on this part of the town that the upset price of the lots is 20/. — several are already taken up. In fact, all the place wants is a church, more capital, and the influence of a few families of the better sort, some of whom are, however, beginning to drop in. A few town lots, a few park lots, and a few hundred acres of land in the bush here, would make a very pretty property to settle down upon. Nearly all the Goverment land near the village is now taken up, till the first park lots on the further side of the Sydenham river are offered for sale, which will probably be this spring; but good wild land may still be had of private individuals for from two to three dollars an acre and upwards. There must, ere long, be at least three churches and several more occasional preaching stations in and around Sydenham. Though no grant of land has as yet been secured for the town, there is one of ten acres obtained about seven miles out, and THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 239 in the Irish settlement in Derby, about five-and- a-half miles from the village, a farmer has given nearly an acre, cleared and fenced, for the same object. A churchman would find himself very comfort- able here, as the majority in this neighbourhood belong to the church and are warmly attached, many of them come to hear services, whilst the others are by no means bigoted, but quite willing to attend whenever the occasional visits of clergymen gave them the opportunity. The whole settle- ment, moreover, is highly Conservative in politics. The bishop, I believe, is about to do something for the permanent settlement of a clergyman at the place. A person who went about to collect subscriptions towards the support of one, got, in three or four days, names put down to the amount of 45/. per annum, and the list might have been much increased could he have stayed longer. In Canada, however, many of these subscriptions have to be taken in kind, as cash is comparatively scarce in new settlements. But a store-keeper, who is a warm-hearted churchman, agreed to make his store, the emporium for the wheat, &c., and to give the clergyman full value in store goods and cash. Any' allowance raised thus, the Church Society usually makes up to a regular hundred a year, so that between pew-rents, when a church is built, with fees and subscription lists, a clergy- im . , •>■<• 240 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. .A 1 5*r I man might, perhaps, reckon on something not much short of two hundred a year after a time, and better than one hundred to begin with. The only difficulty about this mode -^f con- tributing is the crying sin of many who put down their names, but neglect to forward their subscrip- tions, as being greedy of time, &c. to team in their contributions in kind. The only way in which this difficulty can be obviated, is for a dozen or more of the most respectable inhabitants to put their names to a bond guaranteeing among them the salary to be raised among the rest, and them- selves undertaking the collecting of it. I 1 1*1 * li II THE EMIGRANT CHdBCHMAN. 241 CHAPTER XXI. Nature of the woods at Owen's Sonnd — Qualitj of soil known by the timber on it — Mantle sugar bush — Preparation of Maple sugar on farms— Indian and half -bred way of going to work — Romantic " sugar camps " — Price of Maple sugar — High terms expected by the Indians — Mode of bartering pursued by the traders — Too often demoralizing on both sides —Suggestion for an improvement in this respect— Traffic to the islands — Bateaux and schooners — Trade with the States — Demand from the mines — Fish a sure source of profit — Caution requisite on entering into the trade — Colpoy's Bay— Sail in a Mackinaw boat — Cheapness and qualities of these craft — Quick contrivance for extra sail — ^The author " looks out for squalls " — Dinner " al fresco" — Singular terraced cliffs — Perfect similarity of north and south Headlands — White Cloud island — Origin of the name — Interesting optical impression — Chief Jones' settlement- - Friendly reception — Delicious trout — Fish spearing by torch • light^Rerobrandtesque effect — A word to the uninitiated. The country about Owen's Sound is timbered chiefly with hard wood^ such as beech and maple, with ash, elm, butter-nut, and some white oak. The way in which land is timbered is always indicative of the nature of the soil, and, generally VOL. I. 242 THE EMIGRANT CHUBCHMAN. '\4 l4 , m h^>^rA 'III v.. Mi ' "I speaking, the cleaner, straighter, and taller the timber the better the land. The coniferous tribes always grow on a light soil. Wherever hard wood abounds you are sure of good land. The soil is frequently light where beech alone grows, but where beech and maple are found together, espe- cially if interspersed with the ash, the butter-nut, and the black walnut (both of these last affording beautiful wood for furniture), there you are sure of rich and heavy land. So prevalent is timber of this description about the Sound, that there is scarcely enough pine for building purposes. As the wants of the settlement increase however, "lumber" of this description will always be brought either from the north shore or from some miles down the coast towards Nottawasaga. The quantity of maple here is productive of the great benefit to the farms of every one having its own " sugar-bush.*' Thus no house- hold need be at any expense for this needful article of domestic economy, beyond that of the trouble of preparing it. In the early spring, when the first sap begins to come up into the trees, and while the snow is still on the ground, and there are frosts at night with sensible warmth in the sunbeams during the middle of the day, and some- times also for a short time before Christmas as it is receding, the trees are tapped, and a spigot in- serted, which, when slacked, allows the juice to THE EMIGRANT OHUBCHMAN. 243 the ribes RTOOd )il is but espe- :-nut, rding Lire of jer of ere is I. As wever, lys be 1 some tive of one louse- Leedful I of the [, when >s, and there I in the some- I as it is rot in- lice to drop into wooden troughs cut out in the rough, and^. put at the root of each tree for the purpose. As the troughs fill, the sap is collected in pails and thrown into a large hollowed log, something like a "dug out" canoe. From hence it is trans- ferred to the kettles which are kept on the simmer day and night till it is ready. The sap, when fresh drawn from the trees, or "green" as it is called, presents a not unpleasant drink, slightly sweetish in flavour, and having the appearance of water in which a little gum has been dissolved. The time of boiling is very variable ; sometimes the batch comes off in eight or ten hours, some- time it may be two days. If a stick be dipped in the kettle, and when withdrawn, the sugar breaks off brittle from the end of it, it is then ready. There are various modes of refining it, and of course according to the intelligence of the settlers, and their power of procuring copper kettles, as iron ones do not answer so well, it varies in whiteness and fineness ; some being very coarse and brown, and some so white and refined as to compete with the West Indian sugars. The molasses which are drawn off before the browst is in the sugar state are, I think, delicious, and have something the appearance and flavour of honey drawn from the comb. Mrs. Sawyer (or Ta-bwa-wa-ke-zhe-go-qua, ''Sound heard at a Distance"), the wife of the M 2 . it ^1 244 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. mi %': '¥^ 1 ' it 'I son of the chief of the Owen's Sound Chippewa Indians, he being also their minister (a Methodist), whose very interesting name is Ke-zhe-go-winine, ''The Man of the Sky/' is the best maker of sugar I know. When I paid a visit to this good lady's camp one spring, she quite astonished me with the perfection to which she had brought her brew. The half breeds of the mixed race between the English or French Canadians and Indians, are also some of them very skilful sugar manufac- turers. It is a very pretty excursion to visit some of their camps, or those of the full blooded Indians, during the sugar season. They entirely leave their dwellings near the Lake Shore, and go off to a temporary abode in the forest, sometimes two or three miles back, wherever they think the trees finest. The English settlers generally content themselves with the shelter of a few planks laid diagonally against the trees, but these others build a regular hut or shanty of the younger stems and graceful branches of the evergreen hemlock (one of the fir tribes). This they line within with Indian matting, the whole being in the form of a long narrow tent; along each side of this, on the ground, to which the sloping roof descends, the sitting and sleeping places are divided off by poles laid down to confine the matting and bedding ; And the centre of the floor is occupied with the THE EMIGRANT OHUBOUMAN. 245 firei running the whole length of the shanty; above these the camp kettles are hung gipsy fashion from two forked uprights and a crossed stick. Here, then, the family ensconce them- selves very comfortably. The men smoke, occa- sionally visit the troughs, or sometimes perhaps, try to shoot. The girls make mocassins or "mococks" — a sort of birch bark baskets, for holding the sugar, sometimes prettily embroidered with porcupine quills--or if idly disposed, as is too often the case, do nothing but occasionally suck the sweet juice. The Indians, under Mr. Sawyer, are getting into remarkably good training ; and some of them I hope, are decidedly pious characters. The tendency, however, to an inactive, listless life, is usually very strong on the part even of the civilized tribes. The sugar thus prepared by a single family^ will frequently amount to several hundred weight in the season. It sells in Toronto at the rate of from 4d. to 6d, currency a pound, or wholesale at about 3d. Strange to say, however, it is not to be bought on the spot by the traders nominally at much less. The Indians, from having been shame- fully cheated in years past, have become the very sharpest bargainers in the North American con- tinent. The days are gone by, and very right that /^ 246 THE EMIGRANT OHUROHMAN. h it should be so^ when a thousand acres of land might be got out of an Indian chief for a hunt- ing-knife, a few pieces of cloth, or worst of all, a gallon of the villainous compound called whisky. The only thing which they will now let you have at all cheap, is fish for fruit If you are coming from the States up the lake, and have apples on board, and happen to fall in with any of their canoes out fishing, they will sometimes exchange a fine fish or two for a few apples — the fish perhaps worth 6d. and the apples scarce Id. in a fair market. In most other respects they have become quite exorbitant in their demands, and not knowing how to make allowance for trade risks, expense of conveying, &c., want Toronto retail prices at their own doors for their com- modities. The only way therefore in which the traders can deal with them to any advantage, is by entirely refusing them cash, and in bartering their goods, putting a high trading price on the articles which they exchange. This, however, is is a sad state of things on both sides ; the Indians expecting a price which the state of the market below will not allow, and the traders, in their turn in a sort of self defence, " putting on the penny'' to an extent not warranted by the actual value of the goods which they barter. Owing to this system, therefore, and the great temptation to overreaching which results from the competition ■"■■ THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 247 among the traders, I do not see how a man who wished to act on high Christian principle, can have anything to do with the *' Indian trade," for if he resort to its tricks, he will injure his soul ; if he deal as he might wish, he will be taken advantage of, and as regards worldly cir- cumstances, be ruined. The British government very properly denounce the supplying of spirits to the Indians, on any pretence whatsoever, under the severest penalties, though it is to be feared that traders too often risk them for the chance of profit. On these accounts the Church and other missionaries gene- rally dread the intercourse of the Indians with the traders. It is to be hoped, however, that their influence will gradually bring about a better state of things among their own flocks, and that then an honest trader may carry on a barter with them on reasonable and therefore mutually advantageous terms. Under the present state of things now, neither side is benefitted, while each is demoralized. In the spring and fall, it is customary for the traders at Owen's Sound to send to the islands in schooners and bateaux to collect the Indian pro- duce in fish and maple sugar. For this purpose the primitive bateaux are still in use — ugly-look- ing, carvel-built, flat-bottomed, wall-sided craft, pointed, and fashioned nearly alike at the stem and stern, having a clumsy square sail, which will y S48 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. »»«^ l»#; . not allow of their lying within ten points of the wind under canvas; yet amazingly easy to pull withal. They may be some 30 feet long, by G or 7 of extreme breadth of beam, and that such unseaworthy-looking vessels should stand as they do the storms of Lake Huron with so few acci- dents, is really a wonder. The pro])ability is, however, that they will be rapidly superseded by schooners of light draught, with slip or drop keels, to run into the shallow creeks and passages among the islands. A good schooner of some 120 tons or so, would pay very well to run between Owen's Sound and Toronto, notwithstanding: the distance (eight hundred miles or more), round by Lke Erie. Such a vessel could afford to bring freight up for about 3s. 9d. a hundred weight, and at present the store keepers are glad to charter two or three every year from Toronto, to save the heavier charges of the steamer. Salt for the fish, and apples, are iome of the principal articles brought from the States ; but as the cunning Yankees refuse to deal except for hard cash payments, there can scarcely be said to be any reciprocity of trade between a new and comparatively poor settlement, and such old esta- blished places as Detroit for instance. Lumber from Nottawasaga or the North Shore, may how- ever, it is said, pay for taking down^ so as to save going in ballast. 1^ THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 249 Much I think as to the future prosperity of Owen's Sound, will depend on the advancement of the mines on Lake Superior^ since that is a cash market for all produce^ and the miners being too much engrossed to attend to the cultivation of the land, naturally send to the Sound for vegetable and other produce. Mining speculations how- ever are proverbially too uncertain to be depended upon, either as an investment in themselves or as presenting a market. The fishing trade is a much more certain source of benefit to Sy(;.enham, and might, I should think, with some accession of capital, be increased to an indefinite extent, as the resources of the IpVe in that respect seem, humanly speaking, to be in- exhaustible ; and the demand in the inland parts is steady. No person, however, should venture to sink much capital in it as a business, without some considerable previous acquaintance with the place. If, however he confined himself _o buying up the fish at the ordinary price, and taking them down below for sale, I presume he could hardly go wrong, that is as soon as he understood enough of the article not to be deceived as to quantity or quality in making his purchases. The farmers down the Lake Shore, several of them combine the fishing with the cultivation of their land. This particularly suits the Highlanders from the west coast of Scotland, a whole sept of M 3 I' 250 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ii'' i * I; •6 * whom, chiefly Camerons, are settled in tliat quarter. If the number of marriages among them the year before last be any criterion, they are getting on. There is another inlet of this part of Lake Huron called Colpoy's Bay, the entrance to which is about 13 or 20 miles from Sydenham vil- lage, which is well worth a visit. I went thither in company with my worthy Indian friend Mr. Sawyer, of whom honourable mention has already been made, together with chief Jones the aceond in rank of the tribe and head of the Colpoy's Bay Indians. He was formerly a heathen, and I believe a " medicine man " or conjuror ; but was converted by the well known Peter Jones who visited England some years ago. He is now a consistent and, I trust, sincere Christian. Great credit is due to this worthy man for the manner in which he has collected several families of his tribe, and settled them on a portion of the ample territory near the head of this bay, after tlie manner of European emigrants, building log- houses, and clearing land for farms. We started from the Indian village, about eight or nine of a party, in M'hat is called a Mackenaw boat. These vessels are much used on the north shore of Lake Huron, and inay be got there for the very moderate price of about twelve dollars. They are made of wood, not of birch bark, like canoes ; and built, not hollowed. They are some- i I THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 251 what canoe-shaped in the rise of the stern and shape of the bow, and are yawl-fashioned at the stern, flat-bottomed, with rather upright sides and narrow beam, and painted red and black. They are excessively crank till down to their bearings, so that to a person unaccustomed to them they appear extremely insecure. They row or paddle, however, with remarkable lightness, and will carry an amazing press of sail ; are very stiff when fairly pressed down, and will go through a heavy sea with beautiful buoyancy. It is usual to sit down in the bottom of them when there is much wind and sea on. They carry two masts, or three with spritsails and jib; — I say two or three, since, to give an idea of the way in which they extemporize things in these parts with the ready resource of men of the wilderness, I may mention the following little occurrence : — The owner of the boat, an English trader, thought she could carry more sail than she had on her, though we were already rattling along with a brisk breeze. Accordingly we landed near an old Indian camp, very picturesquely situated on the shores of a little gravelly bay : here, taking out the axe (the never-failing concomitant of the voyagers of the lake and the wilderness), he cut down a young sapling for a mast, and a smaller one for a sprit I happened to discover the very thing we wanted — some strong bark withes i M i| ^ mmf Is.* fz.l 252 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. I'f,. "ih p ' 11 If I 11 , i * i attached to the deserted lodge poles; when, quicker than I could write about it, a blanket was rigged for a sail, the mast stepped, the sprit secured, all hands on board, the boat shoved off, canvas sheeted " home,'* and we were spanking along again under an additional press of sail, at a rate that, in the slightly freshening squalls, made me keep an uncommonly sharp eye to windward, to let go, if necessary, those sheets of which I had charge. I do not believe, however, that it would have been a slight puff that would have put us over. In going, we were obliged to pull most of the distance against a head wind, and stopped about half way on a shingly beach, often the resting place of similar navigators, to cook our dinner. I had provided a pailful of fresh eggs, pota- toes, some loaf-bread, butter, sugar, tea, coffee, pepper, salt, mustard, and, I think, some sort of meat ; others had fish, bread, coffee, kettles, pots, pans, plates, knives and forks, and other et ctcteras. We soon had a fiiC, and our kettle hung, gipsy fashion, from three poles meeting at the tops; clubbed our resources, and enjoyed a hearty and, I trust, by no means graceless meal ; finished with a capital cup of coffee, made with the delicious water of the lake, which warmed us comfortably after the chill breeze ; for it was early spring, and set on our way again right manfully. THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 253 We soon rounded the southern headland of this most interesting inlet. It is about six or eight miles broad at the mouth, by about fourteen in depth, nearly rectangular at tlie head of it, where it tapers off to about a mile and a half in breadth. The cliffs which rise to the elevation of 400 or 500 feet, consist of a succession of vast receding terraces, of appa- rently calca eous limestone, richly clothed with wood from the water's edge to the very feet of the hindmost and loftiest range of precipices ; these, again, being wood-crowned on their sum- mits. The two sides of the bay present the most perfect twin-like exactitude of similarity that could be imagined ; which is the more remarkable since, on account of their consisting of a suc- cession of receding terraces, they could scarce have experienced any siriffle disruption. There are three wooded islands in the mouth of the bay, which, when you have got some way within them, appear entirely to landlock it, though the channel is wide enough for a fleet of line-of-battle ships to sail in abreast. Two of these are called Hay Island and White Cloud Island. The last somewhat romantic name is derived from a very singular and interesting appearance presented by this island with regard to the main land. When out at some distance on the lake, and you bring it in a line with the ",i ,-V ifei.' ?w- 254 THE EMIQRAKT CHURCHMAN. ,( l' % W" AH ^A V >' ■ 'I - I ;tf' cliffs of the north side of Colpoy's Bay, its undu- lating wood-crowned summit just reaches about half way up to the level of the highest range of precipices on the shore. Owing to some pecu- liarity of stratification^ perhaps, these have a wavy line of whitish-colored rock, like a cloud line running along the face of them. This, at the proper distance, seems to touch and rest upon the tops of the trees on the island, with a very pleasing and somewhat singular effect : hence its name. White Cloud Island. On arriving at the worthy chiefs house, which is about half a mile from the lake shore, in the middle of one of the new clearings, and is a regular good square log-house, about thirty feet by twenty-five, with sash windows, &c., we were most kindly received by his excellent wife and family; and, in addition to potatoes, had some of the finest and most delicious fried trout fresh out of the water, set before us, that I ever tasted in all these parts. Indeed their kindness was such that they would scarcely allow us to use the stores which we had brought with us. This chief, like most of the others, has, I believe, 100 dollars a year from Government. Mr. Saw- yer, being also interpreter, has a dollar a day. At Colpoy's Bay the take of fish is so certain, that these families can regularly count upon it as a never-failing resource. Besides the nets which -.». . i THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 255 they set overnight, they have a way of spearing the fish by torchlight ; the view of which, to a person unaccustomed to it, presents something of the terrible, mingled witli all that is grandly Rembrandtesque in character. The Indians go out at night in their canoes, and place on the bows a lighted torch of split cedar, which throws a strange glare fathoms down into the waters of the bay, which is very deep in some parts, illumi- nating an awful scene of cavernous vastness under the canoe, which seems almost to float in ether over some mysterious and undefinable region, neither air nor water. Attracted by the fitful blaze, the fish come glimmering up like water spirits from the dim recesses of the " vasty deep," the light playing on their silvery sides as they flicker into nearer view ; when suddenly the spear flashes from the unerring hand of the dark fisher- man, and the transfixed trout is hauled up by the weapon, the ruffled waters for the time as hastily muffling up the depths below, and reflecting the gleams far and wide over the rippled surface, as the agitated torcli pours now a strangely metallic glow over thv ghostly flood. I should not recom- mend you, if a novice, to try this mode of spear- ing, unless at the mouths of creeks and where the water is shallow, as the high pro!)ability is that you would miss your quarry, and upset yourself and the canoe into the bargain. .^^ 256 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. CHAPTER XXII. 1 1*" Great Manitoulin island — Rev. Dr. O'Meara — Taciturn visitors — Translation of the Prayer Book — Indian marriage — Visit to the bridal party — Splendid pipe — Indian church— Incident inter- esting to the ladies — Involuntary missionary fox hunt — Rapid departure of ice in spring — Perilous drive on one /f the lakes- Islands on lake Huron — Safe navigation — Sault St. Marie — Horse island — Its solitary tenant and his fate — Margregor's island — Beautiful bay — Secluded camp — Snug party — Sugges- tion for a yacht voyage to lakes Huron and Superior — Depth of water in Canadian canals. Towards the end of the month of July, it is customary to give out the Indian presents — the annual allowance from the Government in con- sideration of lands ceded, services rendered in the war, and to secure the goodwill of "our Indian allies." The principal part of the presents are given at the Indian town of Manetooahning, at the great or Third Manitoulin Island, in the Georgian Bay (a spot much less known, even to the Canadian public, than the Mohawk settlement J^. I ^! i THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 257 on the Grand River). This is the nearest point to civilization at which one can see the Indian of tlie wild pagan tribes from the far west, in all the painted braving of the free denizen of the wilderness^ as his forefathers appeared probably for ages before the white man's sail had gleamed on the waters of the St. Lawrence, or the foot of the Saxon invader had trodden the solemn recesses of his forest domain. Hither the tribes con- gregate from all parts, coasting in canoes down Lake Superior and the upper part of Huron, and pitching their lodges along the shores of the bay near the Government store around the parsonage house. Major Anderson, the superintendent of Indian affairs, assisted by Captain Ironsides, resident superintendent, on the arrival of the schooner, which is chartered to convey the articles, meets a council of the chiefs, where, after the usual giave preliminaries of pipe-smoking, &c., matters of busi- ness for the year are discoursed. If there be any real or supposed grievances on the part of the Indians, they bring them forward j and they are either settled on the spot, or are referred to the council of their " Great Mother " across the Big Lake. I was very desirous of witnessing this inte- resting spectacle, but the steamer was two days too late : probably they did not care to make I'fL ■H lis 258 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. i i HI 4. ■ III their arrangements for going at the proper time, as the proprietors were somewhat piqued at a schooner's having been chartered to come round by Lake Erie instead of their steamers having been employed. The whole affair was thus over before she arrived. It was described to me, however, as being what might have been sup- posed a very striking spectacle: the Indians sitting in a huge circle or oval, to the number of some 2000, the children being placed in the front row. I afterwards saw something similar at the Indian village of Newash, Owen's Sound, only those there present were civilized, the men being dressed in the common blanket coat, with blue borders, which are frequently adopted now by their Saxon neighbours in the back woods, and which are said to be most comfortable gar- ments. You will see the Indians clad in these in the hottest days in summer, as well as the coldest in winter. In the other parts of their dress they diifer in nowise from Europeans, save in the ** shoe-packs," or moccassins for tlie feet. The squaws, likewise, above their favourite short striped tunics, worn over the blue cloth petticoat, adopt the never-failing blanket, put on shawl- fashion. The word "squaw," for an Indian woman, I find, by the way, to be a corruption of some other word, or some slang of the traders, which the ladies in question do not at all con- THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 259 aider complimentary if applied to them.* Kffuee is the real Indian (Chippewa) name for a female. The presents are placed before each person as he or she squats on the ground : they consist of cloth; blankets^ calicoes, tobacco, and similar gear. Though I failed in the immediate object of my visit to the Great Mnnitoulin, yet through the kindness of the Rev. F. A. 0*Meara, LL.D., the church missionary there, my stay was made suffi- ciently interesting. The Indians at this village, to the number of several hundreds, almost to a man I believe belong to the church, and under the indefatigable superintendence of Dr. O'Meara are improving rapidly, I hope, in saving religious knowledge. There is a Roman Catholic settle- ment at Wequemakong, about 7 miles from Manetooahning. Dr. O'Meara has gained thirty or forty converts, but lost none ; he has a service for them in the temporary chapel on every alter- nate morning during the week, and three on Sunday, viz., two in Indian, and one in English for the few European residents in the island and chance traders visiting it who may choose to attend. The families resident, besides his own, are chiefly those of the surgeon in the government establishment, Paul Darling, Esq., M.D., Captain Ironsides, already mentioned, and Mr. Gore, the * I have since had reason to think that it is a Mohawk word. y^ .^.^^Oj* 4^ ^^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A ^ .^% 1.0 I.I 11.25 128 |25 ■ 2.2 12.0 llln^s IUi& ^ 1^ V2 v3 71 /^ ^ ..J^ '•^ '/ Photographic Sciences Ckjrporation 23 WIST MAIN STRIET WiBSTER.N.Y. USBO (7I6)«72-4S03 1' "i 260 THE EMIGKANT CHURCHMAN. :3(. %:: m B 264 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. of Indian princesses. I am sorry that my hurried engagements prevented me from paying my respects to these ladies. Mr. Kennedy, a young clergyman connected with this mission, experienced a most providential escape lately when going about his duties. He had intended to cross the ice of the river on horse- back ; but, being very near-sighted, he did not perceive that the part he was approaching had either been broken up, or frozen later than the rest. Accordingly, he had not gone far before he came upon the weak ice, and plunged down in a most dangerous part of the current. By a violent effort, he managed to turn his horse towards the strong ice, till its head and his own breast were close to it, when, getting one strong push with his heel from the body of the animal, he scrambled upon the unbroken ice just in time to see his poor horse swept forcibly away, and carried under the ice further down, out of his sight. The In- dians found its body, which was visible through some clear ice a good way below where the acci- dent had occurred, cut it out, and recovered the saddle and bridle. This was an amazingly narrow escape, and afforded proportionate cause for thank- fulness. "Through their connexion with the Mohawks, Tuscarora and their neighbours, the New England Company, is so far fulfilling the intention of its THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 265 urried g my nected dential J. He horse- iid not ig had aan the sfore he wn in a violent sirds the ist were with his rambled see his ;d under The In- through the acci- jred the r narrow r thank- ohawks, England )n of its foundation; for the six nations, of which they form a part, were originally inhabitants of part of North America, included in what was once New England; and the present attendants upon the Grand River churches may be regarded as imme- diate descendants of the first objects of the com- pany's labours." For this extract, with some other miscellaneous matter, I am indebted to the preface to Mr. Nelles' edition of the Prayer Book, with which he kindly presented me. As specimens of the two translations, I copy from the services a short extract both in Mohawk and Chippewa. It will be observed that the Chippewa is by far the softer language of the two. 1 English. Priest. O Lord, open thou our lips. Answer, And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise. Priest, O God, make speed to save us. Answer, O Lord, make haste to help us. Mohawk. Ratsihustatsy . O Sayaner, senhotoekoh ne ag- waghsene. Eatye. Neoni ne tsiyagwaghsakaroete ayokea- dane saneadouktsherah. VOL. I. N ..^A >i a^.'^ I;- I .*■ 266 THE EMIGRAlsT CHURCHMAN. « I ~* , -: » I !?«' Ratsi. O Niyoh, tesasterihea tagwayadanoesdat. Eatye. O Sayaner, tesasterihea tagwayenawahs. Chippewa. Mahuhdayakuhnaya, O Jehovali, pahkenneh- mahweshenaum nendonenahnen. Anuhmeahjeg. Kuhya nendoonenahnen tahwah- bundahewamahgudoon Kewahwezhandamoowen. Makuhdayakuhnaya. O Keslia Muhnedoo \va- weeb bemabjeeshenaum. Anuhmeajeg, O Jehovah, waweeb peweedook- ahweshenaum. To return to the Manitoulin settlement. Dr. O'Meara's salary is only 100/. a-year, and paid by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. He is now occupied in a translation of the Bible, which he hopes to complete in five years. He has for an amanuensis an extremely worthy young man, an Indian named Sijik, who was studying at Toronto with a view to the ministry. I had the pleasure of being present when he mar- ried two Indians, the daughter of the chief at the Sault St. Marie to one of his own young men. This, I believe, was the first occasion of his using the matrimonial service in his own new translated Prayer Book. When a marriage of this sort takes place, the friends of the newly married couple expect a little treat, and come to the English families for assistance; some contribute cakes and THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 267 dat. rahs. ineh- iwah- ven, ) wa- idook- . Dr. id paid lospel. of the years, orthy o was |inistry. |e inar- at the men. Is using mslated •t takes couple inglish ;es and tarts, some meat, tobacco, &c. — liquors of course being strictly eschewed — and thus the entertain- ment is got up. It is a compliment to visit them in the course of the evening, and no persons are more punctilious as to etiquette. We found them seated all around the sides of the room, most of the men smoking; the women in a little knot near the fire, on the right hand corner on entering. Some of them, however, actively engaged in cook- ing operations, and not the least so the young bride, who seemed to augur well for the domestic comfort of her future household. Not a word was said on either side beyond the exchange of grave salutations with the chiefs, some of the seniors, and the bridegroom, who was a very young looking man. After some minutes of solemn silence a few quiet remarks were ex- changed, of course as complimentary as I could make them to the principal chief, who was father to the bride. After passing about an hour in this way, and partaking slightly, for form's sai..^ of some of the refreshments, we took a friendly leave, shaking hands after the usual " bojou " (an evident corruption of the French " bon jour ") with the seniors and the bridgroom and bride, and wishing both the latter much happiness, we left them and spent the rest of the evening with the friendly captain, who was at that time obliged to lodge with the schoolmaster, his own house having been n2 i;;S frt. 268 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. I it' 1 Vw ^. • *■■ ] : •.f'\ burnt down by some untoward accident. This gentleman possesses the handsomest Indian calu- met I have ever seen ; the bowl is made of the celebrated red stone only to be met with in the Valley of Peace, mentioned, I think, by Mr. Featherstonhaugh, where members of the most hostile tribes from time immemorial on meeting are bound to bury the hatchet and supply their wants without mutual molestation. The stem of this magnificent pipe was of some light-coloured wood, richly ornamented with feathers, among which were conspicuous the elegant crimson- coloured plume, taken from the crest of the "Cock of the Woods.'* The Indians here have very considerable clearings, and are steadily improving in the acts and resources of civilized life. The frame for a neat church was erected, but Dr. O'Meara hoped to have a stone one ere long, and had obtained contributions at home for the pur- pose. He appears to have very great influence over his interesting flock, which he was exercising in rather a romantic manner one morning when I was vnth him. I had observed him in very earnest conversation with an elderly Indian ; and he informed me afterwards that he was urging the man against forcing his daughter's inclinations, as lie wanted her to marry an old man who was rich, whilst the young lady, it seems, very greatly preferred a suitor nearer her own age, less favoured THE EMICJANT CHURCHMAN. 269 This calu- f the n the Mr. most Beting their :em of loured among imson- "Cock e very ►roving . The at Dr. ig, and \e pur- fluence jrcising when I n very in; and ring the ions, as ras rich, greatly avoured in point of worldly wealth, but more in youth and personal appearance. Dr. O'Meara said that he had very properly given her father to understand that he could not and would not marry her in direct violence to her known inclinations, and, I believe, got the old gentleman to hear reason, for which I have no doubt of that my lady readers, if I should be honoured with any, will, doubtless^ give him all due credit. Dr. O'Meara gave me an account of an in- voluntary fox-hunt, in which he found himself engaged^ in a winter missionary visit to one of his more distant stations, which, ludicrous as it appeared, might have been attended with serious consequences. In those regions, as amongst the Esquimaux and Hudson's Bay Company, traders' dog-teams are used for the sleighs, — one reason being, doubtless, that they can both be sup- ported when horses could find no fodder, and go safely over places where the larger animals would inevitably plunge through. My worthy friend had three fine animals which were the constant companions of his winter missionary excursions harnessed in a string to his sleigh. On one occasion he was proceeding along at a smart pace when an unlucky fox broke from some island or shore near his track, and crossed not very far a-head of his team, which, the moment they caught sight and scent of Mr* Reynard on his travels. ■ n . y P 4 ;M J * j:'.\ ^/ 270 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. p ' ' " ■ r r ' '■ ' fe H ' nil p ' '^^B 1 1 1: 4 "'^^Bf i^' 1 ""/jy-l lost all sense of command or control, and started off full cry with their reverend proprietor at their heels. Shouting to them was all in vain. No reins are used with dog-teams, so away they flew like the wind, helter-skelter along the glass-surface of the lake. The fox, as his wont is when hot pressed, made for the open water, and Dr. O'Meara being so fastened up in the sleigh, it being one of those in which you lie almost at full length, that he could not throw himself out, was beginning to find his situation perilous in the extreme, when he happily thought of throwing himself and his Tehicle on one side, when by the additional friction he managed to tire his excited " cattle," and bring them to a sense of their duty, greatly to the joy, doubtless, moreover, of poor Reynard, who had evidently anticipated a hotter pursuit. I dare say that my worthy friend in his zeal for the church and with his just views of clerical consistency never contemplated the possibility of becoming himself a fox-hunting divine. It was a mercy for him, however, that an incident was only ludicrous that might have been serious. The whole of Lake Huron never freezes over, in consequence of its immense extent and depth ; it does so, however, sufficiently for purposes of travel along its shores, and even for the convey- ance of the post to the Manitoulin Islands from the main land. When the ice breaks up in the TUB EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 271 :arted their No f flew iirface n hot Vleara one of \, that ing to ben he id his fiction L bring 16 joy, lo had ire say hurch Lstency joming rcy for iicrous s over, depth ; OSes of !onvey- s from in the spring it sometimes disappears with singular rapidity and is said to sink to the bottom. Tliose accustomed to it know how long it is safe to venture on it, and accidents seldom occur, not- withstanding the temerity of those in the habit of travelling by it. About four years ago, a settler was engaged to take a sleigh-load of goods to the opposite side of Lake Simcoe. The winter was breaking up, and the ice on the lake was becoming honeycombed underneath, a sure sign that it would not last much longer. He knew that if he deferred his journey for a day or two, there would be no chance of getting his load across until the steam> boat commenced running. He therefore set off with his teams in the night, got his load safe over^ and started on his return home just as the sun began to rise. He knew, by the appearance oi the ice, and from the direction of the wind, that it would not be safe many hours longer ; he there- fore put his horses to a gallop, and kept them at that pace the whole way home (12 miles), he crossed in safety, and two hours after he landed there was not a vestige of ice to be seen on the lake. For the narration of this incident, I am indebted to that very useful work " Smithes Cana- dian Gazetteer," published by Mr. Rowsell, of Toronto, a highly valuable book for statistics and y* ^' f * • ,>€, 272 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. h ' other information connected with emigration to this country. The islands on Lake Huron are said to be 30,000 in number. It is owing to these that canoe navigation, from its extreme termination and all along the north shore, is rendered so safe and practicable, as it will be quite smooth water within them, when there is a heavy sea running in the open lake. You seem at times, by taking the channel between them and the mainland, to be rather journeying along an exquisitely diver- sified river, than on part of the great American inland oceans. The bishop of Toronto thinks nothing of taking a birch-bark canoe and starting to the Sault St. Marie, when on a visitation tour. Here the American and English shores approach closely. The Americans, as usual, have a rising town on their side, with hotels, &c. On our side we have only a village as yet, but the place is im- proving; village lots are selling, and the farms around will probably soon become valuable. Besides the numbers that skirt its shores, there are many beautiful and romantic islands scattered about various other parts of Lake Huron. I have already noticed those in the mouth of Colpoy's Bay. Horse Island, about 141 miles from Goderich and 1 mile south-east from the Great Manitoulin, M- W THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 273 is so called from a solitary horse, supposed to have escaped from some wreck, having been its sole inhabitant for 8 or 9 years. He became so wild, as to set at defiance all attempts to take him. He was at length killed by an Indian, who hunted him up for food. But of all the islands that interested me, none did so much so as Mac- gregor's Island, the nearest to a solitary pile, esteemed by fishers' as an excellent ground in the season, and called by the somewhat melancholy name of Lonely Island. Here at Macgregor's one would think that one had really came upon the crater of an extinct volcano. It so answers to the appearance of those lagoon-shaped islands (not belonging to the co- ralline group) which geologists generally charac- terize as being the remains of volcanoes in different stages of submersion. There is a lovely bay, something in the shape of a horse-shoe, having just width at the entrance for a steamer to enter comfortably, and room for her to turn inside. Once within its curvature, I should think that all the storms that could blow, could scarcely touch a vessel. At the extreme depth of it, answering to the crown of the horse- shoe (equi-distant from both ends), the wa< nrs of the open lake are visible across the island at the distance of little more than a quarter of a mile between the trees^ which grow here, not in the n3 ...X'' m t. *s 2^74: THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. dense masses of the primeval forest, but more in the scattered manner of some of the young fir and larch plantations in Scotland. The steamer touched at this interesting spot on my return, for the purpose of taking salt to two families who were camping on the island during the fishing season. The shore shelves so suddenly inside the bay, that the steamer having shot into the entrance from the open lake, and swept round it, brought up within the eastern horn of the crescent without any wharf, so close to the side that her common plank gangways reached the dry land. I went, of course, on shore with some of my fellow passengers, one an English lady, the first white woman, perhaps, who had ever set foot on this secluded spot. The place well repaid our visit. We found at the end of a little winding walk, for all the world like some of the paths in the fir woods around a gentleman's house in Scot- land, a snug tent pitched near the water's edge, but sufficiently sheltered from the beach, and every wind, by the trees. Here ensconced in delicious snugness, on a dlean Indian mat, with boxes and bedding ranged in neat order around her, with her papoose or baby strapped to its usual backboard, sat the Indian wife of the brother of the priest of the Roman Catholic Indians at Wequemakong, himself a French Canadian. This good lady welcomed us very heartily, and invited THE EMIGBANT CHURCHMAN. 275 re in r and ot on 3 two uring denly b into round 3f the e side tie dry ime of !y, the et foot id our inding iths in 1 Scot- j edge, and ced in t, with around to its brother ians at This invited us to sit down in the " camp," where, after a little twisting and twining, we managed to screw our- selves into a most recondite snuggery, and were really sorry when the bell of the steamer warned us to take our leave. Considering the beauties of the Canadian lakes, and especially that of the noble Huron, so diver- sified with its innumerable islands, I am really surprised that our English yachting gentry, pene- trating as they do into almost all parts of the habitable world, one year at Reikiavikin, Iceland, another at Sarawak, in Borneo, do not take it into their heads to steer their vessels into these magnificent inland seas, and have a cruize there. The way to avoid the tedium of the voyage out, unless you were such a sailor, and had such men- tal resources as to be proof against ennui, would be to send the yacht with her sailing master and crew on to Port Sarnia at the foot of Lake Huron, where she could await you, then to come to New York or Boston by the steamers, take the railway to Buffalo, and steamer to Detroit and Sarnia; and there you are, in about sixteen days, from London, in high order for your lake trip, and ready to join your yacht fresh. Or, as a line of steamers is to run direct to Quebec next season, it^ight be as pleasant an expedition, and more patriotic, to send the yacht thither, cross the Atlantic in the steamer^ and sail from thence* /* «. -'.< 276 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. In* * If Ki^: f\ The canals and locks are good right through for a vessel of 9 feet draught of water. Once on Lake Huron, you would of course ^^sit Goderich, Colpoy's Bay, Owen's Sound, and the Mani- toulins. From thence you would proceed to the Sault St. Marie. Here you can get your yacht hauled over on the slip, which will take a vessel of 250 tons, and launched fairly on the mighty waters of Lake Superior. If you wished to extend your own travels to Red River and the Rocky Mountains, to try your hand amongst the buffaloes and grizzly bears of that region, you would probably provide yourself with ponies at the Sault, and take them on board for your further expedition : that is to say, if you meditated a gallop across the plains to Red River. In that case, you would have to land at the Ame- rican side, where the plains commence, as it is all forest on the British territory, and proceed either with a guide or by compass to Red River. If you preferred a canoe voyage, you must adopt the route followed by the bishop of Montreal* (at least that portion of it from the head of Lake Superior), and thus you would also arrive at the settlement which was founded by the late earl of Selkirk. Here there is a village with three or four * See his lordship's " Journal of Visitation," to be had, I believe, at the office of the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts in Pall Mall. THB EMIGRANT CHUBCHMAN. 277 clergymen and about 7000 inhabitants scattered over the districts. It is here also that if you meditated buffalo hunting (Red River being the most easterly spot to which the buffalo approach now-a-days, though the nearness to which they will come is very uncertain), you will be able to buy the celebrated " buffalo runners '' as they are called — a breed of horses something like the barb- soleils and as famous on these plains as are the coursers of Arabia in their native deserts. These gallant steeds, which are swift as the wind, and possessed of astonishing powers of endurance, may be got on the spot for from 85 dollars and upwards. They are probably descendants of the breed brought over by the early Spanish adven- turers, and which in course of ages had wandered up thus far to the northward. Once on the back of one of these, with your blanket, your trusty rifle, and a few other et ceteras, you may urge your bold career across the ocean-like prairies with the freedom of the eagle, and almost with the speed of the whirlwind. ■M /• . -f 278 THE EMIGEANT CHURCHMAN. ? f B^Hi B ^^^^Hr HI CHAPTER XXIII. The author advised to settle at Woodstock — Superior society — The late Admiral Vansittart — His estate and residence — ^The rector — His hospitable habits — London military station — Rev. Benjamin Cronyn — Fine parish church — A knock down theological argument — Comical encounter with a bear — Bruin defeats the enemy — Sandwich — Its English appearance — Port Sarnia — Fishery — Goderich —Region dry but cold — A settler frightened up his own chimney by a bear — Lonely travel from Owen's Sound to Goderich — Solitary night bivouacking — Solemn nocturnal sounds of the wilderness — An Indian's (alleged) device against the wolves — How to escape from a bear — Lures for bears and wolves — The broken bottle — Uncom- . fortable result — Best mode of fighting Bruin — Successful defence with fists alone — Escape from a panther — The animal killed by an idiot. When the author was about leaving England, and considering on what part of Canada he should think of residing, he had the satisfaction of being introduced to a gentleman, who had himself resided in Canada several years, and who very kindly gave him advice and information, the THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 279 very , the soundness of which his after experience has since fully verified. On asking what part of the country was most desirable for a gentleman settler^ this kind firiend especially named Woodstock. " Shall one be going much away from society in such a neighbourhood?" was the question. " You will be going into ' society ' " was his reply. And so it is that the neighbourhood of Woodstock pre- sents one of the most select little societies in all Upper Canada. Admiral Vansittart, first cousin to lord Bexley, determined several years ago on settling in Canada^ and requested a captain Drew to look out a suitable " situation " for him, and provide all things fitting against his arrival. The captain recommended Woodstock, and the admiral, on emigrating, determined, being possessed of ample means (45,000/.), to surround himself with an extensive estate. Accordingly he bought up farm after farm in addition to his original purchase ; the proprietors, when they became aware of his fancy, making him, as may be well supposed, pay pretty well for his purchases. But, determined to have a compact property, he at length, by dove- tailing in every direction wherever a piece of land intervened between any two of his former pur- chases, succeeded in surrounding himself with an ample domain, which he enclosed in a plank fence, extending for several miles. His house he built 0i m iilii m m '^m lm ii*' ^,*^,i(^ ■-."-ill m ..»r ',*i m ■n i^iS.*?! !-i pi ! '•: ■; i. ■v''- r " i- ^ ■ ;■ i^iiiiii M |..pi ■1 i ; ^■r4; i ■■ , ■■■ '' ii!ii n W r > !■ 280 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. in a rambling fashion, adding a wing here and a wing there, till he succeeded in erecting a perfect wilderness of a place. Since the old gentleman's death, unfortunately getting into decay, as his heirs do not care to keep it up, though one of his sons still resides there ; but the presence of the old gentleman and of captain Drew's family, gave a tone to the locality which has kept up, and con- tinues to increase. Family after family of the highest respectability came out and settled in the same neighbourhood, until now eighty or ninety people can be got together, at any time, of as re- fined manners as any whom one could meet in what would be called extremely good society at home. The rector, Mr. Bottridge, is just the man for the place : having formerly been in the army, he has seen much of what is called the world, while at the same time he is now the respected and useful clergyman. He bears also a high reputa- tion for pulpit eloquence; and is, moreover, a most decided lover of hospitality, as he keeps almost open house ; in fact the parsonage used to be called by his friends "The Mitre Tavern;" and presents in his own family an agreeable centre of harmony and Christian friendliness to the happy and estimable society by which he is surrounded. He left a delightful position at Southampton^ where between his church and his THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 281 and a perfect eman's as his \ of his the old , gave a id con- of the in the ninety * as re- iieet in ciety at nan for rmy, he , while ;ed and reputa- over, a keeps used to ivern ;" centre to the he is (ion at ind his pupils he was realizing 1000/. a-year^ at the earnest request of his friend the admiral^ to the very great deterioration of his worldly circumstances ; which is more than every one would have done. Woodstock is in the Brook District, about 40 miles from Hamilton ; but of course from what I have said of this neighbourhood, it cannot be sup- posed that I should recommend it to a very poor settler. Proceeding onwards by the plank road lOmiles^ you arrive at IngersoU, a village in the township of West Oxford, of which Mr. Revell is the incum- bent. His sons cultivate a large farm on which he resides. This is rather a prettily situated spot, on the east branch of the river Thames. The place contains mills, tanneries, &c., of various sorts, and several places of worship besides the church. My fair readers may like to know a little plan by which the hospitable lady of the worthy clergy- man just mentioned, manages to make butter comfortably spreadable in the coldest weather in winter, instead of its agonizing your feelings by rolling about under the knife and on the surface of your bread like so many lumps of marble. It consist simply in immersing it for about a quarter of an hour before a meal in water, at about the temperature of summer heat say 70° : you then have it just as you might in moderately warm weather, and neither frozen solid nor running to oil. hi m: . ^• ■ *'• ' ^ , .. «» 282 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. my'' f-t)'i ■■■■•- ■<*.*'" .' I hope I may be permitted to have brought for- ward this httle morceau of domestic economy on the part of the excellent lady above referred to, without any disparagement to the accomplished ability with which she and her daughter will entertain you with sacred music at the pianoforte, if you should be so happy as to be a visitor at her modest but hospitable mansion. Travelling on from hence towards the western district, you arrive at the rising city of London on the Thames, situated as near as possible to the centre of the triangular figure formed by the Lakes Huron and St. Clair on the one side. Lake Erie on the other, and the Wellington District on the third. There is a considerable military station here, and some very agreeable society. The Rector, the Rev. Benjamin Cronyn, is one of the most estimable and hospitable of men. He has also been fortunate enough to get a church built (the former one having been destroyed by fire in 1842, for they have had a great fire of London here as well as in England), which may be well called a noble edifice, and which would be an ornament to any city at home. He succeeded in obtaining an Act of Parliament allowing him and his churchwardens to alienate 200 acres of the rectory lands near the town, and to replace them with 200 acres of wild land, to be had at a cheaper rate. Accordingly, he sold the first THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 283 ht for- )iny on red to, plished ;er will loforte, : at her vestern London i to the 3 Lakes Erie on le third, n here, is one n. He church yed by fire of ;h may 3uld be iceeded ig him cres of replace lad at a e first 200 acres, cut up into town lots, for 7^00/., and has thus got a first-rate church, without the neighbourhood feeling the expense of the building. It has been much doubted, however, whether this was a good precedent, as property that might have formed a really valuable endowment has been permanently alienated to do that which the parishioners ought to have done for themselves. There are two reasons why it may be considered as highly expedient that the Rectory of London should be a valuable one. In the first place, a few such are wanted in Canada for the encourage- ment of men of high abiUty and attainment, and that the Church may not be entirely left behind in point of worldly means, amidst the rapidly increasing wealth of the country. The other is, that London is such a thoroughfare, that there are very few days in the year when the Rector is not called upon to receive and entertain perhaps several visitors. Mr. Cronyn resides in a very excellent stone house, the best and most substan- tial clergyman's house that I have seen in Upper Canada. I believe that the people are about to purchase it to be the regular rectory-house for the parish. The church is built of red brick, with stone cornices and window niches. It has one large gallery at the further end, and could be galleried w •N ^j u 1 m '■-.■•• p. it- il" r> " ♦ f ,' , !'?' J) .' ;- • It i'i' ' 284 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. down the two sides. At present it will accom- modate about 1000 people. The pulpit and reading-desk are of oak, enriclied with elegant Gothic carvings by a self-taught individual. Over the east end of the roof there is a Maltese cross, which is open at the intersection of the arms. Some time ago a Roman Catholic came to a person in the town, who was a staunch Pro- testant Irish loyalist and Orange-M;oman, wishing to buy some land of her. She was commonly civil whilst he was in her house, out of respect to her own roof-treb ; but the moment he had left the door, she opened upon him with ^' Shure an' did ye think that it's to the likes of ye that I'd be selling my purty piece of land, ye Papist that ye are?" "Och, now," said her Romish visitor, soothingly, '^ an' aint we nearly all alike now ? Isn't it nearer to the thrue Catholic Church that ye're coming every day ? Howly Mary and the saints be praised for that same ! Haven't ye got a crass, now, on to the tap of your fine church, now, just like ourselves ?" *' Well ! and if we have," said the determined dame, '' Isn't it a raal Protestant loyal crass, with the star of Brunswick in the centre of it?" The would-be purchaser departed, quite floored in argument, leaving the field to his fair opponent. A rather amusing circumstance happened some time ago to a young friend of the author's, who THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 285 accoin- pit and elegant lividual. Maltese of the can\e to ch Pro- wishing nmonly spect to lad left mre an' t I'd be that ye visitor, I now ? ch that ind the ye got church, 1 if we t a raal mswick rchaser ing the d some 's, who was staying on a visit with the Rector, and one which might have ended more Neri« )usly. A report was brought in tiiat a bear had been seen in the neighbourhood of the Rectory, which, I believe, had formerly belonged to aome of the people at the barracks, but which had got away, and become quite savage and dangerous ; when, without stay- ing to take proper measures for a hunt, or securing the co-operation of any of the surrounding Nim- rods, my young gentleman, with some of the ser- vants and men about, with all the curs they could muster, set off in search of Mr. Bruin, armed only with staves, cudgels^ pitchforks, and such extra- neous implements of war as suggested themselves on the spur of the moment — strange to say, not having even a single gun among them. They were not long, as it happened, in discovering the whereabout of the gentleman in the shaggy jacket, who, at the first onslaught, on seeing the number and apparently valiant front of his opponents, seemed inclined to beat a hasty retreat. This giving them further courage, they soon closed with him, and succeeded, I believe, in adminis- tering to him sundry thumps on the ribs and sternum, with such energy as they were masters of. Mr. Bruin, however, not relishing this salu- tation, and finding that nothing more serious was brought to bear upon him, began by first showing his teeth, and followed up this demonstration by k" . / •V If •* :^^ ' .1 h?^' V vp. 286 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. becoming the assailant in his turn; whereupon the valiant band of heroes all simultaneously took to flight, with the exception of my friend, who got out of the way upon a large stump, to take a commanding view of the field of battle. By and by, the bear stopped his pursuit, not liking, probably, to venture too near the houses, as dreading an accession of force on the part of the enemy. The latter, however, too much frightened to look behind him, continued to run away as fast as their legs could carry them. The exquisite ludicrousness of seeing them in full flight, without a pursuer, so tickled Mr. G., notwithstanding his own somewhat delicate " political relations " with the belligerent power, that he could not refrain from bursting into a hearty roar of laughter; whereupon his ursine friend, highly disapproving of his prowess being so turned into ridicule, proceeded forthwith to give chase to the unhappy disciple of Momus, who, on seeing the " front of battle lower,'* most prudently levanted, " inconti- nent," from his " virtuous perch," and flew across the clearing, with Bruin close upon his " trail." Most fortunately, however, his former efforts had either tired his shaggy antagonist, or somewhat cooled his courage ; and, as my friend rejoiced in a tolerably light pair of heels, to which fear naturally lent wings, he soon succeeded in putting a few 6^S fences between himself and his pursuer, i\ ' 1 i THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 287 'Mi ■who thereupon turned tail and made off to the forest, leaving none of the would-be Nimrods very much to " crack about" in regard of their morning's adventure. Below London, the towns of Chatham, Sand- wich, and Port Sarnia, are all well worthy of notice. The natural advantages of the first of these are very considerable. The place has only been settled fifteen years, and has now 2000 inhabitants. Property is said to have very much increased in value here. Sandwich, beautifully situated on the Detroit River, about 2 miles below the city of that name, and 9 from Lake St. Clair, has very much the appearance of an English country town. It is neatly laid out, and is famous for its fine old orchards and well kept flower gardens. This is a very old settlement, most of the inhabitants of the neighbouring town- ship being French Canadians. A great quantity of poultry is raised here. Port Sarnia is the last place on the Canadian side at which the American steamers touch en route to the Upper Lakes. There is an excellent fishery above the village, on the banks of a point of land called Point Edward, containing about 1000 acres, which is a military reserve, and runs into the St. Clair River just above Port Sarnia, at the entrance of Lake Huron. This is said by the old inhabitants to have been formerly an island ; but the north portion of the m '1 • ( >. l> / 288 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. Tii .1 channel on the east side of it has been filled up^ thus connecting it with the main land, and forming a fine sheltered bay. Goderich, on Lake Huron, at the mouth of the Maitland River, is situated on what is called the Canada Company's Huron tract, and was laid out in 1827, by Mr. Gait, then secretary to the Company. The greater part of the town is on high ground, more than 100 feet above the level of the water. Tlie situation is dry and healthy. The neighbourhood is beautiful, but cold, it being exposed to the winds from the lake. There are churches and clergymen attached to all these last named places. The neighbour- hood of Goderich, perhaps owing to its being near a vast range of comparatively unexplored and unsettled country, is said to abound more in bears and wolves than most other parts of Canada. I ttm not sure but it was somewhere in this part of the country that a rencontre took place some time back, which is more amusing in the after narration than it was agreeable to one of the parties at the time. A solitary settler was sitting very quietly just inside the door of his shanty, taking a rest and smoking his pipe, when a black muzzle was very quietly poked in at the door. Thinking it might be some stray dog that had come to pay him a visit — for the dogs and cats of Canada lead a remarkably free and easy republican sort of life, frequently leaving their own masters to pay a THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 289 visit of weeks or months^ as it may suit them — he peeped out, and, to his intense horror and dismay, found that it was none other than an enormous brown bear, that had come to pay him the " com- pliments of the season;" whereupon the poor fellow, frightened out of his wits, made one hop, skip, and jump across the narrow floor, and darted up the chimney, out of the way of the unwelcome intruder. This would, in reality, have been but small security for him, had Bruin been inclined to pursue him; but, as it happened, he contented himself with sniffing round the place, when, perhaps not approving of the recent aroma of the " dudheen," he forthwith walked off again to his quarters in the forest, greatly to the relief of the gentleman for whom he had left his card, who lost no time in coming down and closing the door against all uninvited guests ; but had he only taken a lighted stick, if he had one, and held it towards his visitor, he would have speedily scared him off about his business. When persons go from Owen's Sound to Goderich, it is customary for them to cross by the Indian path of some 2G or 30 miles to the mouth of the Sangeen, and walk down the lake shore, a journey of 80 or 100 miles, the forest being comparatively more difficult walking, besides the encountering swamps and incurring the risk of being lost. It may serve to give some idea of the hardihood acquired l)y a VOL. I. O I il!l i I! -I si*-'' T * i. I 290 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ;r residence in Canada^ when a single individual will start on such a journey, taking all the risks of illness, meeting with wild beasts, and all other accidents of the wilderness, perhaps entirely unarmed. He will travel 40 or more miles a day along the shingly beach, camping within the verge of the forest at night, lighting his fire and cooking his frugal meal, which he either carries with him, or which, if he have a gun, may consist of a pigeon, a wild duck, a ground hog, or a black squirrel. Here, with his feet to the fire, he will slumber till day-break, with the forest boughs for his curtains, the sky for his canopy, and the branches of the hemlock for his bed, resuming his march at day-break, till he arrives again at the abodes of man. I think nothing, of course, of such a journey being undertaken by the wild hunters and trappers of the upper lakes or the prairies ; with them custom is second nature ; but I have known such undertaken by a quiet young man, chiefly used to the settled districts, and of no particular pretensions to valour. The travel by day is comparatively nothing. The lake is on one side of you, the forest on the other, so you cannot possibly lose your way ; and there is no stream of any magnitude to cross between the Sangeen and the Maitland. ' But there is something at first very trying — except to the most practised nerves — in a lonely THE EMIGRANT CHUBCHMAN. 291 night, camping in the wilderness. Not only is there naturally an " eerie " feel about the primeval forest, as it stretches in its dim awfulness and solitary vastness, its solemn aisles, radiating miles and miles far and wide away from the reach of human aid or protection ; not only, moreover, is there the chance at least of an untoward visit from wolf or bear, but if a person happens to lie awake, as is frequently the case after much fatigue or from novelty of situation, the indescribable sounds of the wilderness are highly calculated to impress him with an awe, which it would take but little to allow to degenerate into terror. Sometimes per- haps a falling tree startles by its sudden crash, or two rubbing against one another, give out low wailing sounds, such as might be imagined to pro- ceed from beings in some mysterious state of suflPering, or to be the moans of a half murdered person, or the cry of some fierce unknown animal. And however a religious mind may commit itself to the divine protection, as it of course will, it takes some degree of habituation to scenes of the kind, to conquer, in such situations, all feelings akin to those of terror. I was once told of an Indian — but I cannot vouch for the story— who had lost his way, and was overtaken by nightfall. He heard the wolves howling around him, and could even imagine that they were rustling through the underwood close o2 :y'' n&'i- 292 TH15 EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 1^ 'i I I \:h ' M^ .^_- 'J beside him, but managed to keep them at bay by every now and then striking a light obtained by means of his knife and a flint ; why he did not get up a tree, where he would have been at least safe from wolves, if not from bears, and remain till morning, I did not hear. It may have been, how- ever, if it were winter, that the night was very cold, and that he preferred the risk of being eaten up to that of being frozen to death. If you are unfortunate enough to be in danger from a bear, which is a very unlikely thing to happen, it is said to be the best way to get up a very small tree, the smallest that will bear your weight, as Bruin cannot manage to get a hold of this, so as to climb it anything like so well as a larger one ; and if the tree be too weak to bear your combined weight, he may not be able to come up at all. Such a necessity, however, might not occur in a century. There are certain drugs, well known to trappers, the smell of which is sure bait for wolf, bear, and other animals, just as that of valerian is said to be for cats. Asafcetida is the attractive substance for the wolves, and it is said that if a piece of meat be baited with it, and trailed behind a sleigh, if there be any wolves within miles they will come after you ; when, if you are clever enough, and they not too numerous, you may get some of theii scalps. . -^^ THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 293 I forget what is the special fascination for Bruin ; but it is said that on one occasion a settler was travelling the bush alone, having a bottle of this stuff with him, when, by some untoward acci- dent, the bottle broke, and his clothes became suddenly saturated with the scent. He travelled on, not thinking much of this, until, by sundry unwelcome indications known to a practised ear, he began to opine that something was coming after him. A very little more served to convince him that a bear was upon his trail. Being far from any domicile, he made up the most likely tree he could pick, as he had no weapon with him but a common clasp-knife. He had scarcely managed to secure himself on his perch, when Mr. Bear came up after him. Having no other weapon of defence, he drew his clasp-knife, and made sundry stabs at his nose (always the most sensitive part of these gentry), and most happily cowed him so, that he succeeded, not only in preventing him from making good his footing, but in forcing him to beat a hasty retreat ; whereupon, in some trepi- dation, he likewise descended, and made for a place of shelter as fast as his legs could carry him. If you should happen to be attacked by a bear, and have a bowie knife, or other similar weapon of defence with you, if you are either very valiant, or have no chance of running away (for if you are a novice, discretion might in such a case be decidedly -y 294 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. H 1 h ? l\ )l\ C.J ^< ''^ 'II 'V 1 the better part of valour) your best way is to get your back to a tree of pretty large circumference, so that Bruin, if he attempt a hug. cannot get his paws round for the size of the tree. If you make the demonstration of lifting your arms, the proba- bility is that your "rough customer'* will rear himself up on his hind legs, and try for a close. You must not, if possible, let him see your weapon up to this moment, or the probability is, that, by a clever blow of his paw, with which he is as adroit as the most expert fencer, he will dash it out of your hand, and leave you defenceless ; for which same reason it is worse than useless to attack a bear with an axe, as he is sure to strike it aside when you aim a blow at him, though such weapon has been known to do good service against a wolf. Keep your knife, therefore, close to your arm, with the handle concealed in your hand, and the point towards your elbow; watch the moment of his attempting to close, and dart it into him as near the region of the heart as you can judge. A well- directed blow may settle him at the first thrust ; but if you only slightly wound him, he- may prove a very awkward customer on your hands. A friend of mine, a Cambridge man, told me that he once killed a bear in this way, but that he was comparatively safe, as he was supported by a noted hunter, a bullet from whose unerring rifle would have instantaneously crashed into the animal's THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 295 brain, had there been any danger of his closing seriously. Behind the ear, or at the root of the nose, is the place to shoot a bear ; his skull in other parts is so thick, that a bullet might only flatten upon it, without causing him to more than slightly shake his head, and charge you like lightning, with a savage snarl ; when, if you had no support, you might find your position an awkward one. I have heard of a tolerably well authenticated case of a person when hard pressed getting his back against a tree, and fairly fighting a bear with his fists ; when, though severely bitten, he managed to bela- bour him in such a manner, as to succeed in beating off his ferocious antagonist. It has not been proved, I believe, that panthers have their natural habitation in Canada. A stray one from the States will, however, occasionally cross the ice in winter, and remain into the fol- lowing season. When any wild beast is known however, to have taken up its quarters in a neigh- bourhood, the settlers usually turn out in some force to destroy it. I heard of a providential escape experienced by a young woman in the Lower Province some years ago. She was walking one afternoon from a married sister's residence, through a bush road, to call on a family who lived about three miles oflf. When she had got about half way, she was surprised at the gestures of a ' V U »■ y il'^'l' <* id ' 296 THE EiMlGRANT CHUBCiniAN. favourite dog which accompanied her^ as the animal began barking at her, and getting into her way as if to stop her progress. She at first thought it was in play, and tried to get clear of it ; when at last it fairly set both its forepaws upon her shoulders and whined piteously in her face^ look- ing occasionally behind it. Thinking that there must be something uncommon in the wind, she glanced in the direction in which the dog looked, and saw, to her consternation, a large panther crouched right in the path, about twenty- five yards from her, glaring right at her, slowly wavin^; its tail, cat fashion, and evidently meditating an attack. With wonderful courage and presence of mind, she fixed her eye steadily upon it, and remained still for a moment, when she began gra- dually retreating backwards. The beast all this time continued as if uncertain whether to attack or retreat; but at length slowly rose up, and turned away. On getting out of sight of it she made the best of her way to her sister's^ and happily reached it in safety ; but her nerves did not recover the shock for many months. On telling her adventure, a half-witted young man, who, however, was a most daring hunter, went in search of it, and, after a week's tracking, shot it as it was getting up a tree. Its stuffed skin is now in a museum at Montreal, It is a fearful animal with terrific claws. THB EMIGRANT CHURCnMAK. CHAPTER XXIV. Nature of land about Goderich and on the Grand river — Rice Lake and Peterborough — Soil near Toronto and in the Niagara and western districts — Fever and ague districts— Danger of these complaints much over-stated — Other complaints few and easily managed — Misrepresentations as to Canadian climate — Its actual comparative mildness — Winter dresses — Buffalo coati« needless — Stoves and open fire-places — Cost of fuel in cities-^ Firewood to be sawn — Mode of saving labour. The land about Goderich partakes of a good deal of the picturesque undulating character that lends so much of the ornamental to the Owen Sound region. But below London, and through all that part of Canada West, it is one dead alluvial level, like that part of Yorkshire through which the railway runs between Beverly and Hull. On the Grand River, again, and towards Hamilton, it slopes in beautiful undulations, and occasionally becomes even abrupt and precipitous, as about Dundas and Ancaster, and near the head of Bur- lington Bay. The country about Rice Lake, in o3 r i !lf ■ 298 THE EMiaRANT CHURCHMAN. v'y l< 5 \ the Newcastle district, is very nnirh ndmired, the lake abounding with beautiful islands, and the shores being in parts occupied by settlers of high respectability, some of them quite in the rank of gentry. This fine piece of water is one of a chain extending from the commencement of the river Trent to the north-east of the Colborne district. The district town of Peterborough is a very flourishing place, and town lots fetch a high price, 300/. and 400/. being now demanded for less than half a quarter of an acre in some parts of it. They are to be had, however, much lower, of course. A steamer runs from hence, in the season, every day to Rice Lake, where it is met by the stage for Port Hope and Cobourg. The soil about this neighbourhood is admirable, and far superior to that towards Kingston, where, except in the beautiful peninsula of Prince Edward, it is com- patatively indifferent. About Toronto it is light and sandy ; yet in the townships immediately to the east of that city, as in Scarborough, Whitby, &c., they ask a high price for their farm — say from 15/. an acre, cleared and uncleared, altogether. The nearness to so great a market, the goodness of the roadsj and the readiness of obtaining manure, which farmers in the more settled parts are beginning to awake to the value of, doubtless has an influence upon the price of them. Close to Scarborough Church, about eleven miles from P mt THE BMIQRAXT CHdRCHMAN. 299 Toronto, on the main road, and on the high land, there 400 feet above the level of Lake Ontario, and presenting some noble coast views, the chrrch- warden 'ns a farm, which, as his amiable clergy- man, the Rev. W. Stewart Darling, informed me in fair seasons produce him 300/. a year clear of all expenses. Yet this worthy man came fifteen years ago to the county quite a poor settler, and when he landed had just half-a-crown in his pocket. Further west from Hamilton, and down about the lower part of the Grand River, the land is composed of stiff clay; but as you ascend the Grand River and get towards Gait, Guelph and all up above it becomes lighter, till in the Owen's Sound district you come to the rich lasting soil resting upon a limestone formation, which pre- sents at once one of the healthiest and most pro- ductive of situations. The neighbourhood of clay soils, from the simple fact of the clay confining the water, are liable to fever and ague. In the Niagara district, and towards the shores of Lake Erie, the land is either light and loamy, or degenerates into actual sand. All below London and through the western district, it is generally unexceptionable in point of quality, the only objection consisting in the extreme flatness of the surface, and of an undoubted liability to the diseases before mentioned. It is but proper to y it . c-" 300 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. r\r r,fc • ■ i observe, however, that the clanger of this com- plaint has been very much overstated, and that people frequently escape it by removing to a very slight distance from the spot where they have been attacked. It sometimes comes into settle- ments some years after they have been opened up, which had been previously perfectly free. The cause of this is generally to be found in the locking-up of the waters for milldams and pur- poses of navigation. The limestone districts are generally I think, the most healthy. The other complaints to which residents in the country are most liable, are principally dysentery in summer, and inflam- matory diseases in the spring and fall. With moderate precautions, however, and by taking the attacks in time, these may be rendered com- paratively innocuous. Pulmonary complaints are very rare, and coughs and colds by no means so common or so troublesome as in England. The climate of Canada has been misrepresented at home sometimes to an absurd extent. There certainly arc some very hot days in summer and some tolerably cold ones in winter ; the relative extremes being much greater in the eastern than in the western provinces^ which is easily accounted for as regards one cause, inasmuch as from the sweep of the St. Lawrence hoing continually in a southerly direction from its embouchure, the chief THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 301 portion of the western province is actually in a lower latitude than Canada East. Thuf. Montreal enjoys a milder climate than Quebec, Toronto than Montreal, and so on. Indeed, at Owen\s Sound, which from its north-westerly position might be supposed to be a very cold place^ the winters are considered as mild, or nearly so, as they are at Hamilton. As the clearings increase, they l)egin to partake more nearly of an English or Scottish character; in fact, the increase of temperature begins seriously to affect the sleighing. The range of the thermometer seldom exceeds 92°, or diminishes below 16° of Fahrenheit. The average cold of the winter before last (1 84 7-8) in Canada West, is said to have been only x 26*^, or four degrees below the freezing point. I passed the whole season without wearing flannel or any article of underdress whatsoever, further than the same linen, or rather in my case cotton, that I must have worn in summer. The only difference which I made in my clothing was, in using woollen socks, worsted mittens, and an occasional top- coat I have crossed a bay of one of the lakes in an open boat, not far from Christmas time, without my greatcoat on, or feeling the want of one. Fur caps arc worn in very cold weather, l)ut I have really seen people take to them from a sort of fashion or habit, when there was no occasion whatsoever for their doing so. People also wear i* u ,*t L ^ hi p. 1 J • n, ^ f - „ ' .'' tV • ;'^i ►t*.*- i/^ 't / • i' 1 PX J*M. t «i 1**, ' '•«j i' w * J 't « ■ iH : im "if^, " 1- ' i \, ' . ^ t • *"■ t ,»' . f , *jt' »*** «• ' J r ' ^ 1 * : I' 'iff '- * 3 ,' ' B J '-^ ■ > '• 302 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. coats made of buffalo skin with the fur outside. They are enormously warm, and make a man with fur gauntlets and a huge cap pulled down over his face, look not unlike a bear as he sits in his sleigh, wrapped up moreover in his buffalo apron as to his nether man. I was early advised, however, by an obliging stage-driver not to get one, as they are thought to make a person delicate from their great warmth, and from their being apt to cause colds by the great change when taken off, and likewise by their tendency to retain the insensible perspiration. This honest coachman told me, that he never encountered any weather that a good cloth pilot- coat would not keep out, if one was properly muffled up otherwise; and I have always found it so. Down about Quebec the thermometer some- times sinks very low, for about three days or so it will sometimes descend to 39°, or within a few degrees of polar cold. People then, if there be any wind, are glad to keep close, but even then they go on building vessels in the yards all through the winter ; and in Toronto and elsewhere, tliere are very few days in which the cabmen are com- pelled to retreat from their stands. If one stops at a place for any time, of course a cloth or buffalo robe should be thrown over the horses. People will drive to church in the severest part of the season, and leave their animals thus covered I ; THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 303 I standing in the inclosure. At some places how- ever there is a sort of shed, or driving-house, as it is called, under which they go, which is very con- venient in cold weather. But when the first snow has fallen and the roads are hard beat, and the weather settles down into the bright gladsomeness of radiant sunshine and skies of the serenest blue, a person must be very delicate or very fastidious who could not enjoy a smart walk or rapid sleigh drive, without a sense of high exhilaration. I have walked out on a calm day, which makes all the difference by not impinging the cold particles against the face, v»ithout any top-coat at all, when the thermometer was certainly 16° below zero. It is not the winter, if at all a settled one, but the spring and fall of the year that is the uncom- fortable season in Canada. The year frequently closes in a succe .sion of heavy rains, and is ushered in by violent thunder storms, which fre- quently extend far into the summer. But it is the mud which is one's chief enemy when the weather breaks up, either from the winter's ice or summer drought. In parts beyond the reach of Macadamized or plank roads, the back country for a time is sometimes almost impassable except on horseback. I knew of a young married couple who had spent the whole night in going six or eight miles, in consequence of the sloughs, the heavy clay, and the pouring rain. They happened y^n I 304 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. \U ' ■ '"! l> ■*^ ■ ^< _ it- ' ! t! ! 4-*^ i •I - . .». 1 tl''.. I *■■ ■ s ■ > I to be both in their wedding dresses ; and as the gentleman had to lead the horse through a great portion of this delightful journey, plunging in mud and mire till he was splashed up to the eyes, besides being soaking wet, his condition may be readily imagined, when he called at 3 a.m. at the house of a friend of the author's, to enquire his way. The lady having remained in the vehicle, fared a little — and only a little — better. In fact, Canada at such times, as far at least as the backwoods are concerned, presents an aspect which, to alter a little the words of our immortal bard, may be accurately described as that of— " Rocks, caves, lakes, dens, fens, bogs, and roads of mud, A wilderness of mud supremely muddy; for mudlarks only good." Where stoves in winter are kept at a very high temperature, and persons sit over them without going out, it is without a doubt very injurious to the constitution. The best plan is to have your stoves in your passages, and open fire-places in your rooms. In the backwoods where they have wood for the chopping, and are clearing their land at the same time, they keep up at times most tremendous fires in their houses and shanties; but the fire-places being open, with large chim- neys, and where people are continually going in and out, the heat is seldom disagreeable. Indeed, it is to my taste quite a luxury to go to one of the settle beds in a log-house or shanty, the bedstead THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 305 itself made of the rough branches of the forest, and if awake, to lie and watch the cheerful blaze and general glow from the fine homely-looking back-log. In the cities, however, as at Toronto, where hard-wood is becoming scarce, they are obliged to be somewhat chary of their fuel, as firing sometimes in the fall when the roads are deep, is as high as 5 dollars a " cord," — a cord consisting of a quantity 8 feet long by 4 feet squared, or as much as a " span" of two horses can draw on a good road. They are beginning in the cities to use coal imported from the States. When railroads are opened we can get it from our own provinces. There is abundance in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. At ordinary times 2 dollars is about the price, and 1 dollar in the towns further back. This all has to be sawn up, moreover, into smaller dimensions for a stove, at a cost of from half a dollar to 6 (York) shillings, or 3s. dd, currency, a cord. This is a very tiresome operation where no man is kept or paid to do it. 1 have heard however of a farmer who procured a circular saw, wnich he connected with the horse- power of his thrashing-machine, and so managed to cut up in about fifteen minutes as much as would serve his household all day. This could likewise be done where there was a water-power. It may be readily imagined that such a contri- vance would soon pay itself, not to speak of the saving of labour. t * J > ' 306 THE EMiaSANT CHUBCUMAK. ,i 1 1 1 • \i 4 '* » i i h . i .. :r CHAPTER XXV. Taxes and goveratnent of Canada — Upper and lower House* — " Responsible government " — Qualification for magistrates and members of both houses — Mistaken conservative generosity— " Liberal " illiberality — Dismissal of Mr. Ferres — His admirable *' letters " — Dutch and German settlers the ready tools of demagogues — Payment of rebels — Proposed remedies for radical misrule — Admirable policy of sir Francis Head in the rebellion — Future political prospects of Canada. The taxes of Canada are extremely light. There are, in fact, no general assessed taxes what- ever, the custom-house dues meeting all the public expenditure of the province. The local assess- ments are made by the council of each district, which is in fact a sort of Parliament*, such dis- tricts being incorporated into municipalities for the furtherance of local improvements. The councillors are chosen by the people, at the rate of two for every township. Every person whose * For a list of ordinary taxes, see Appendix. -1 'j;<" , THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 307 Houses' — trates and lerosity-i— admirable tools of for radical I rebellion light, s what- public assess- listrict, ch dis- ies for The ie rate whose name appears on the assessment roll is entitled to a vote. The councils hold two sessions annually, but may meet oftener if necessary. Each is pre- sided over by a "warden," chosen by its members from their own body. They likewise appoint the district treasurer, clerk, surveyor, school super- intendant, &c. Some of these offices are worth from 300/. to 400/. a year, or more. The incor- porated cities and towns manage their own affairs irrespectively of the district councils. Districts are usually sub-divided into several counties, which, as the country fills up, are intended, I believe, to take the place of thepresent sectional arrangement of the province. These arrangements refer to Canada west. A bill is, however, at this moment in course of progress for the alteration of some of them. The country, as is well known, formerly consisted of two provinces. They used to be called Upper and Lower Canada; but the designation of " Ca- nada East " for the Lower, and " Canada West " for the Upper province, has been latterly adopted, partly, 1 believe, because persons at home and elsewhere, not troubling themselves to look much at the map, had managed to form an idea, when they condescended to honour the '' few acres of ice and snow^' (as Voltaire called tliem), which now form the northern British provinces, with any consideration at all ; that Canada west, from f ii >«* [**". 308 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. its being termed the Upper Province, was furtlier to the north than Lower Canada, and somewhere about the neighbourhood of the Arctic Circle, instead of its being, as it in reaUty is, consider- ably the more southerly province of the two, and lying, for the most part, within the very moderate latitudes of 42° and 44^°. The provinces have been now, as is well known, for some years united. There still, however, obtains, in many respects, a very distinct division between them, maintained, in a great degree, by the dissimilarity of the laws and customs of the French, or lower portion of Canada, from that of the western or upper portion. Each province formerly had its own governor, lieutenant-governor, executive council, legislative council, and House of Assemblv. The united provinces are now under the same form of admi- nistration. The constitution is embodied in an Act of the Imperial Parliament. The governor is, of course, appointed by the Crown ; — indeed, I have known of a Lower Canadian Radical complaining of it as a "grievance," that they were not able to elect their own governor, and that they could not therefore be called "free." The executive council are a ministry for " as- isisting" the governor in the administration of affairs; the present ones managing to "assist'* him so weri> that all that they want is to make THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 309 s further newhert' ; Circle, lonsider- ;\vo, and noderate i known, lowever, division jree, by s of the that of pvemor, jislative united f admi- l in an >vernor indeed, ladical it they >r, and free.'' ir " as- ion of issist '* make him the mere political puppet of which they are to pull the strings. The members of this council are summoned by the governor, and must hold seats in either branch of the provincial parlia- ment. The upper house of this parliament is called the Legislative Council. Its members are ap- pointed by the Queen, nominally on the recom- mendation of the governor-general, but actually, now-a-days, on that of his executive council. They enjoy the title of " honourable," and hold their seats for life. This upper house forms, in fact, a sort of Canadian peerage, the members of which can only be degraded in consequence of absence for two successive sessions without per- mission of the Queen or governor, or by their acknowledging allegiance to any foreign power, becoming public defaulters, or being convicted of treason or felony. Their numbers, like those of the peerage at home, may be added to ad libitum. Possession of real property to the amount (not annual) of 800/. currency is required before a person can be a member. The lower house, corresponding with the House of Commons at home, is called the Legislative Assembly. It consists of eighty-four members, exactly one-half being allotted to each of the united provinces. Their qualification is fixed at 500/. currency in real estate. In counties a forty -•'' 1 r -'I 310 THE EMIOBANT CHURCHMAN. shilling sterling freehold confers a vote, and in cities and towns the payment of a yearly rent of 10/. sterling. Members of the lower house 'are paid a daily allowance of 3 dollars each during the session of the provincial parliament. Those of the upper house do not receive any salary. The Radical party wished to vote themselves one, but the Conservatives — happily for the pockets of the lieges — were strong enough to stop them. Before the mischievous chimera of "responsi- ble government" was introduced through the weak concessions made to a few turbulent and factious demagogues, the governor really had some power and authority attached to his office, which made him more than the mere nominal representative of the imperial authority at home. The difference between the former and existing state of things is simply this. Before the more recently introduced fashion of truckling to demo- cracy, the constitution of the executive and legis- lative councils, and also of the legislative assem- bly, were the same as now; but the governor was not, under the old system, the mere sub- servient tool of a majority who might be anti- British or not, as it happened, but who, if they unfortunately were so in the practical tendencies «f their legislation (as at present), had, never- theless, no power to coerce or control the repre- THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 311 e, and in y rent of 1 a daily ; session ;he upper ! Radical but the ;s of the 1. responsi- ough the ilent and ally had ^is office, nominal at home. 1 existing the more o demo- nd legis- assem- governor ere sub- be anti- if they ndencies 1, never- le repre- sentative of the imperial authority ; and the reason why they could not do so was this : — the governor, though of course always disposed to pay great deference to the sense of the public mind, as far as it was expressed by the majority in the lower house, yet still had an executive council, whose tenure of office was irrespective of the will of such majority. His appointments to that council, and likewise to the upper house or legislative council, were therefore independent of the ever-shifting breath of popular opinion. Most of the patronage of the province, as far as offices of importance were concerned, was also in his hands. But under the present system, the governor can summon no executive council who are likely to enjoy any secure tenure of office, unless they represent the sentiments of the majority of the lower House of Assembly. The additions to the Legislative Council, or upper house, must likewise be now made, in like manner, in conformity with the prevailing popu- lar fancy ; and the patronage has, in like manner, to be distributed at the pleasure of the party who form the executive. This might be still tolerable were the provincial parliament only composed of Englishmen or Canadians of English descent. Whatever democratic leaven might pervade that assembly, would always receive a salutary counter- active check, as at home, from the great mass of 312 THE EMIGRANT CIIURCIIMAN. Ely! :/■' ' It-h -. 1 h^ W. i m K ;*■. * ', > right-minded Conservatism^ on which the opposing element might only then operate ns the hascr metal which alloys the pure gold, thereby tending to remove its over-ductility. But, unfortunately, there is the French party to deal with ; — a party quiet enough till agitation became a profitable trade ; but now restless, factious, inordinate of requirement, and eminently anti-British. The party sprang up chiefly in consequence of the facilities afforded to the sons of the peasant- habitans of Lower Canada, to get their heads up a little by means of cheap common schools, and thus gradually to worm themselves into the positions of village attorneys, doctors, &c. This class of people, not satisfied with the advance in social position to which a little education had raised them, began to try to work themselves into a little more of importance at the expense of the State, under whose fostering wing they had thriven. The poor " habitans," the most easy- living and least oppressed of human beings, save where annoyed by the exactions of the seignorial system imported from ^' la belle France,'^ but which, I believe, were never very overwhelming; were told that they were cruelly used, barbarously oppressed, and trampled upon by the British Government — in fact, that they were a trodden down and degraded people, who must make a bold eflfort for libertj' — that they had only to rise and pposing c baser tending unately, -a party rofi table inate of uencc of peasant- eads up )ols, and nto tbe c. This ;^ance in ion had ves into of the ey had st easy- cfs, save ignorial :e," but elming ; jarously British trodden 3 a bold ise and THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 313 find brave leaders ready, who would conduct them to certain victory, to the assured conquest over the hated domination of Britain, and to the formation of a glorious sovereignty, of which a French Canadian was to be emperor, and which was to be scarce second in dignity and grandeur to that of " the grand nation" under Napoleon. Almost all these brave leaders, however, when it came to the hour of trial, ran away. Deluded by their lying misrepresentations, the poor ignorant creatures became discontented, savage, and ready for any disturbance, to which they were too easily urged on by the traitors who first cajoled and de- ceived them, next led them into mischief, and then deserted them — leaving their wretched dupes to confiscation, exile, or a gallows, whilst they themselves, the wicked authors of all three calami- ties, at least such of them as managed to escipe the first severity of the law which they had out- raged, were happy enough to find afterwards a sincere patron and protector in England ! At the time of their risings in the Lower Province, the Rebel leaders of Upper Canada, with the language of " Liberalism" on their lips, and the foulest treason in their hearts, joined common cause with them as far as they dared, leading a few of their miserable deluded dupes out to the field with them, and thus arose the Rebellion. " Liberals," of course, will now tell you that it VOL. I. P 'A . ' , . * 314 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ^.vf :.^ ^'1 originated in consequence of refusal to grant "Responsible Government;" but Sir Francii^ Head lias triumphantly confuted that argument by showing, in his most valuable work " The Emigrant," that on his appealing to the country on the question referred to, his appeal was re- sponded to by the return of a triumphant majority in the House against the demand, which the Rebels and their " Liberal" friends assert that the country rose en masse to enforce ! Since that time, owing to the patronage and favour shown to Rebel and Radical agitators, in both provinces, the French party has stepped into quiet possession of the dominant position in the Government. Let the Radicals of Canada (I mean, of course, those of British extraction) boast as they will of their freedom from conservative control, the fact alike remains indisputable: that they and their leaders are the mere slaves and tools of the French faction of the Lower Province. The Anglo-Canadian Radical leaders and their sup- porters may profess to lord it as they will, but a Frenchman at this moment rules them and the Canadas. So well are the Gallic party aware of the pre- ponderating influence which they possess, that a Frenchman of the name of Cochon or some such designation — I cannot pledge myself to the exact spelling — is making an open boast as regards a ' r ' ci THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 315 bill which the House is at present passing to cut up the counties and districts where Conservative interests are supposed to prevail (so in order to render the return of a Loyalist next to impossible), that his countrymen expect to make it a stepping-stone towards setting foot on the neck of the Anglo-Saxon invader for ever I The evil consequences of this wretched state of things are felt, of course, in every part of the colony, and by no means in the lowest degree, though they will not, of course, acknowledge it, and do not perhaps altogether as yet feel it, by the "Liberals'* themselves. Since however, he may boast and vapour, the fact alike holds good that, not only as I have already shown, is every Radical of Canada handing himself over fast- bound as a slave to the French, but every Radical of Canada is doing more than this. He is ^ing his best to keep himself a poor man, Canada wants capital, and Canada will not have capital — at least to any thing like the extent of her requirements— whilst such councils prevail. I know of one moderate-sized town where a successful "counter-amendment," carried by the Radical party against a resolution proposed to be sent from a meeting condemnatory of the bill for the payment of the Rebels of Lower Canada for their losses, was the means of keeping fifty- p2 316 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. f i » P^ Me* til thousand pounds worth of property out of the place — as persons who represented that amount of wealth and who were just going to settle there, turned their steps another way when they found what sort of neighbours they were likely to have. And what has thus affected the pecuniary interest of one town, as a part, affects in like manner the interests of Canada on a great scale as a whole. The Rebellion of 1837 threw back the emigration from 42,000/. per annum to 6000/.; besides entirely stopping the plans of various English companies who were preparing to invest in the Canadas on a large scale. Since then, as public confidence has somewhat recovered, and likewise in consequence of distress in the mother-country, it was doubtless enor- mously increased, and was, by the last returns, about 90,000; but still, British capitalists will not advance their money whilst Radical principles prevail. They will rather trust the States, because there the form of government appears, for the time at least, settled. A member of the Executive Council, and a ready tool and principal servant of the French dictator, lately himself admitted, in a letter to Messrs. Baring, Brothers, and Co., applying for a government loan, that '* British capitalists do not choose (the italics are his own) to place the same confidence in their honour (that of the people of THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 317 Canada, he says), that they do in that of the people of the United States." Had this great legislator stated that they do not cho(ise to trust their wealth in a country where Radicalism reigns paramount — no, not paramount, but in subserviency to the will of a French popular leader, and formerly proscribed traitor, he would probably have been nearer the mark. The fact is, that the liberals of Canada are practically, at present, playing the same game that poor, half-mad, fantastical France has been lately making a theatrical exhibition of doing in olu "''turope. She has been dancing wildly with e:; / sockets around trees of liberty, as barren as the fruits of her visions of political regenera- tion ; whilst John Bull, with his calm defiance to republican fire-brands, exhibited in the serried masses of the bold 200,000, who, instead of erect- ing barricades, enrolled themselves on the side of law and order at the time of the anticipated Chartist outbreak, sits down to reap the fruits of his discretion, with his hotels and lodging-houses crammed with refugees, and his money-bags full to bursting at the Bank. John Bull was a conservative then at home, even though he had a whig ministry ; and John Bull has done well, and he might do well in Canada still, and have plenty of money there too. 318 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. f+t'. n hM |?» '■ t^ 1^^. "i^ r >. ! ■/ si' •'■ < *, • . if he would only be as wise there as he has shown himself in the mother country, and not give him- self over, tied hand and foot, to those who are politically bent upon his destruction. The party at present in power, moreover, are doing all they can to lower the respectability of the Upper House of Assembly. I have heard it said, that if a subservient tool be wanted now, and if he have a cross of the rebel in him, so much the better ; if no constituency can be got to return him, he is forthwith foisted over the heads of the Lower House into the Honourable Assem- bly. I believe that a tailor, " of very question- able loyalty," to use the delicate phraseology of one of the newspapers, was amongst those lately recommended to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty by her present advisers in Canada for the occupancy of a seat in this once respectable synod. " But they are all, all honourable men ! " and doubtless " Brutus"— (what a pity he was not a hairdresser instead of a tailor — the name would have suited so well 1) considers himself now quite as " honourable " a man as the best of them. This state of things has lately been very cleverly ridiculed in a new periodical, published fort- nightly in Montreal, and called "Punch in Canada." A stalwart son of the Emerald Isle, with his shillalagh and his bundle, all ready for the road, passes the log-cabin of a brother pat- '-i'i> 9* .. ♦ ' ff» . THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 319 lander, who accosts him with, "Hurroo, Paddy avick, where are you after thravelling now ? " Answer: **Shure an' it's meself that's going to imigrate home again entirely, for they was going to make a legislaytive councillor av me, an' I was brought up amongst dacent people ! " These radical and republican tendencies form the worst feature of Canada ; in fact, almost the only dark spot in the horizon of her future des- tinies. It is believed that there is quite enough respectability in the Upper Province, with a good share in the Lower, to make a brave stand on the side of Conservatism and British connection, were honest and loyal men only well seconded by the Government at home. They have all the disposition, I think, at present to work together here, though it is an undeniable fact that Conser- vative?, both at home and in the colonies, are, from habit and disposition, peaceable and quiet almost to inaction; whilst their opponents are noisy and agitating in proportion to the frothy emptiness of their pretensions to public confi- dence. Conservatives, moreover, have been lenient when in power, even to declared rebels, to an extent that positively savoured of weakness ; and, not only have they been lenient, but they have actually preferred and compensated rebels to the neglecting of their friends. In proof of this, I ;i- . ' 320 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. >•♦?» Tm 1^1 f^; > ■r ij5 f, may briefly mention that a traitor, who once crawled abjectly to the feet of Sir Francis Head for his life, was recalled and made a judge of after the rebellion, and that another rebel was to have been a magistrate, when it was found that the civil law had anticipated his elevation, he having been hanged for high treason some weeks previ- ously to the preparation of his commission as one of Her Majesty's justices of the peace. The policy of preferring declared traitors and " persons of questionable loyalty " there is surely a most unwise one, even apart from every ques- tion of right, and on the poor principle of " throw- ing a sop to Cerberus ; " since for every low noisy demagogue whose mouth is thus stopped, fifty fresh hungry aspirants are likely to arise and yell about pretended grievances, till they get an opportunity of putting their hands in a similar way into the pockets of the public. The radicals are certainly wiser in their generation ; for, whilst professing to govern upon "ultra liberal^' prin- ciples, they are notoriously the most party-serving look-out-for-number-one class of politicians that ever disgraced office. Not only has no respectable conservative loyalist, however little he may have made himself cOiispicuous as a politician, not the slightest pros- pect of any office, however humble, — aye, even though no one else came within a hundred miles L uv THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 321 of his actual fitness ; but if the shadow of a pre- text, or no pretext at all, but only a chance be found to dismiss any official opposed to them in politics, it is cau.ght at with the most reckless audacity, and one of their own creatures immedi- ately thrust into the vacant situation. Their recent dismissal of Mr. Ferres from the collectorship of the customs, — nominally the act of the governor-general, but in reahty that of the ministry, for no offence whatever that could be divined; and their base attempt to blacken his personal character by way of palliation of their gross and glaring misconduct, has excited disgust in the minds of all men professing to be swayed by principles of honour. But as Mr. Ferres has admirably defended himself in a series of masterly letters to the governor-general — letters equal to those by the celebrated Junius, and which are worth reading if only as specimens of composition, his cause requires no vindication from the pen of an obscure individual like myself. There are two circumstances which unhappily tend at present to keep this unprincipled party, if not in power, (for all the real power of the govern- ment is, as I have shown, possessed by the French), at least in enjoyment of the sweets of office. The one consists in the premium offered of late years on disaffection especially amongst the French Canadians in the lower pro- p 3 322 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. k ' r" / < * • 'X* ' If / vince, by encouragement to the rebellious on the part of the government ; the other is to be found in the ignorance of the real freedom to be enjoyed under the British constitution, on the part of the Dutch settlers throughout Canada. These are either importations from the States, and conse- quently imbued with strong anti-British tenden- cies to begin with, or else they come from petty German principalities, where they have really been under something like a despotism, and thus become the ready and willing dupes of designing demagogues, who attract them by the use of the term ** liberal," the catchword of the party, whilst all that they want of them in reality is to be hoisted on their shoulders into place, profit, and power. In addition to all this, the neighbour- hood of a republic may be supposed to exercise an injurious effect on the loyalty of many of the weak, the unstable, and the "given to change." A few of the remedies for such a state of things, consists, under Providence, as regards the present elements of the constituency, in stronger conser- vative combination, with more direct encourage- ment to loyalty at home* than it has been thought expedient to show of late years ; — in the diffusion of information, particularly as regards the results * It was not the Conservative party at homo, but the Minister as an individual, who, by misleading his foUovTors, deserted and betrayed the Loyalists of Canada. ■»^, THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 323 » of revolutionary movements in Europe, and like- wise in the disgust created in the minds of think- ing and upright men, of whatever politics they may call themselves at present, at the unblushing effrontery with which the party heap preferment on the most worthless of their supporters. Their slavish subserviency to the French leader, and their consenting to tax Upper Canada to pay French rebels, in order to please him, and to enable themselves to eat the bread of such worth- less dependence, whilst content to retain their places at his beck, is likewise gradually but surely tending to work their overthrow. Another sanatory ingredient to the present poison which is sapping the very vitals of the body politic, is surely to be looked for in the extension of solid heart of oak principles of fine old English loyalty, through the increased emigra- tion of a number of that admirable class who form the thews and sinews of the British empire, — the ** bold peasantry, a country's pride," who delight to rally round the altar and the throne. A great cause for thankfulness it is, that Canada already contains a number of such men, and of course the more closely they can be kept under the Church's wing, and within the sphere of her apostolic ministrations, the better it will be for the country. Nor let due credit be withheld from those of similar principles, who, though not hap- ''■■," 1 » ■J *» ►* ' !i/ 324 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. • .» Vry \*i m J' 'J I nil (5P^- l«i 1 A pening to be members of the Church of England in name, are to a great extent one with her in spirit, feeling, and loyalty. It was with a full assurance of the existence of a powerful body possessing such sentiments, that Sir Francis Bond Head, one of the best and ablest governors that Canada ever saw, who had he been let alone, would have soon put down every remain- ing vestige of disaffection, threw himself boldly upon the loyalty of the upper province at the time of the rebellion, and had his call responded to in a manner that scattered the traitors like the dust before the whirlwind. Before I leave a subject which many of my readers I daresay will think sufficiently tiresome, I will crave permission to put down a few propo- sitions, the result of various conversations with some of the most experienced men in the province, which I beg respectfully to commend to the serious consideration of all well-wishers both to Canada and the mother country. These results are as follow : — That the possibility of annexation to the United States at some future day, is at present frequently discussed even amongst Conservatives. That this state of things is owing in a great measure to the shock given to the feelings of loyalists by the neglecting of the friends of British connection and the advancement of the enemies of t 1 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 325 the constitution to places of profit and power, repeated instances having occurred of persons devoted in their attachment to the crown and interests of Great Britain, having been turned out of their situations to make way for those who had been proscribed traitors. That it has been the policy of the government of late years systematically to neglect known friends of the constitution, on the principle that however they were treated they were sure to continue faithful to the crown of Great Britain. That if this policy be persisted in. Conservatives may be so much discouraged as that the Gallic party and the Liberals in conjunction will be able to do pretty nearly what they like with the province. That if permitted to do as they like the mother country will lose this colony ere long, most pro- bably by annexation. That the mischief as regards the Canadas has not yet, it is hoped, gone so far as to be irremedi- able. That the experience of the past appears to prove that to retain her colonies the policy of the mother country towards them should be of a liberal and enlightened, but still of a protective and conserva- tive character. That the terms "enlightenment" and "libe- rality'' should not in the administration of the 326 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. br: ■ I.V; ' ; . r ■ British government be synonymous with discour- agement to friends and reward to traitors. That the friends of the constitution in Canada have an able leader in Sir Allan M*Nab, and that all they want is to be no less weli headed and supported at home. That if England be but true to her colony, all the republicans in the world will never be able to " annex " it. That a leading principle, as regards the Canadas, must be the giving the same bold, fearless, and uncompromising encouragement to the friends of the constitution that has of late been given to its enemies. That should Providence send such a proper leader, there is ample conservative feeling both at home and in the colonies to rally round him and afford him efficient support. That the proceedings of the party at present in power in Canada will probably bring on a crisis in the affairs of the country before eighteen months are over, most probably much sooner. That then will be the time to see whether Britain will throw her influence into the scale of loyalty, or leave her friends at the mercy of the an ti- British faction. That if she prove untrue to them in the hour of trial, a bloodless annexation to the States will be the probable result of her suicidal policy. w-^ THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 327 That the annexation will be bloodless, because Conservatives are not given to rebel, and, indeed, will have nothing further left to contend for. Radicals and rebels will then have it all their own way, and that way will lead them speedily to the States. That however to be deprecated such a prospect may be, there is still sufficient security for person and property to render emigration and the invest- ment of capital in Canada both a safe and bene- ficial measure. That even should annexation hereafter take place, yet, where it was bloodless, a British sub- ject attached to the monarchy could always sell his improvements and go somewhere else, he, therefore, does not risk the loss of his all as when exposed to a revolutionary war. Besides we may still hope for the best. Apart, moreover, from these men, political con- siderations the " Emigrant Churchman" must and will still feel, that amidst all the devices on which the men — " children of this world " — are continu- ally speculating and acting ; amidst all the varia- tions of political disorder, and the ever-shifting panaceas and nostrums of statesmen determined to govern on new principles of worldly expediency, the Church affords a sure ark of refuge, within which he may withdraw for consolation to his storm-vexed spirit. That within her consecrated 328 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. i^''i' precincts he shall find the sure abode of truth and peace, and that if " the Lord shut him in " he may safely ride the surges of political turmoil, stem the tempestuous waters of opinion and of time, and be wafted at length through the fury of the elemental war to the summit of the mount of God, where his ark, no longer needed as a shelter, shall eternally repose, and whence he shall issue to possess the new heavens and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. i.; V 17 , THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 329 F truth im in" urmoil, and of le fury mount 1 as a nee he ,nd the . CHAPTER XXVI. Means of education — Private seminaries — Country schooIs->Sup- port for schoolmasters — District grammar-schools — Proposed robbery of the church for support of schools — Clergy reserves — Original grant undoubtedly for the Church of England — ^The sects obtain all but five-twelfths — Shameful ^ ebbing in these reserves on the part of the government — The church applies for the management of what spoliation has left her — Application refused — She would make full spiritual provision for Canada if allowed to manage her own property — Improvident mode of dis« posing of these reserves — Admirable arrangement of Sir John Colbome — Radical indignation — Their perfect acquiescence notwithstanding in enormous Romish endowments — The church society — Its constitution^ objects, income — Proposed mode of contributing to it — Clerical meetings — Unanimity of the clergy. Canada, for so new a country, is on the whole very well provided with schools. Not only is there a goodly sprinkling of private seminaries for the young of both sexes, in the towns and cities, but every township has a right to petition the District Council to be assessed for a common school wherever the inhabitants think one most A' ''. I** ' 330 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. -J-: i 1 4 needed, generally at the rate of at least one for every four miles, on the direct lines in a township. The schoolmaster is appointed by the trustees of each school, and is supported by the fees of the scholars. In some districts, a good part of his means of living is made up by so many heads of families signing a paper to keep him in board and lodging by turns, so many weeks each during the year. This, however, is only the case in the poorest and most newly settled neighbourhoods. In those more advanced, he frequently has a house allotted to him, attached or near to the school, and his income may reach 70/. a-year. There are, likewise, district grammar-schools provided in many of the towns, and endowed with a hundred a-year or more, from the school lands, and set apart by the crown for that purpose. There, an active and popular teacher may easily realize 200/. a-year or even 300/. The elements of Latin and Greek, as well as French, are taught in these, but the greatest stress is laid on arith- metical knowledge. The fees are very low, and are fixed by the trustees from time to time ; they average 3/. to 4/. a-year for each pupil. It is under a pretext of increasing the number of schools, that the Radical party want to get hold of the clergy reserves. This at least is made the stalking horse for agitation on the subject — the reul cause consists, as may be supposed, in a dread THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 331 one for )wnship. jstees of 9 of the t of his lieads of 3ard and ring the I in the urhoods. ^ has a r to the ear. r-schools ved with >1 lands, purpose, y easily elements e taught m arith- ow, and e ; they number get hold [lade the 3ct — the a dread and hatred of the Church, from her well known Conservative and consequently loyal tendencies; and, too frequently, from a hatred to religion itself altogether. It is well kncwi that these clergy reserves, which are scattered through every part of Canada, were originally allotted by George III, of ever-revered memory, for the endowment of the Protestant Religion in Canada — the whole being clearly intended to belong to the Church of England — or, at the utmost stretch of the original design of the endowment, for a part to have been for the representatives of the Presbyterian esta- blishment of Scotland ; though as the Anglican Church is the Church of the empire, and taking into consideration moreover, the well known dis- position of the gracious sovereign by whose autho- rity they were granted, the strong probability is, that they were entirely intended for her benefit. Taking advantage, however, of a quibble as to the wording of the original grant, which the twelve judges could not say was finally decisive as to its limitation, the sects managed to step in and claim a share, and the consequence is, that the Church is now only considered as entitled to about five- twelfths of her original property. But even this remnant is made comparatively of no avail to her. The Government keep the management of these clergy reserves in their own hands, and whenever any hungry hanger-on stood in want of a job, he 332 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ^r' m S' 4 ^Hg i\mI I'm 1 1 1 ^ ^ ^ )' ' \ ' ' " i f'!. J , ^ fi^i '^1 s^i' i 1 1* ^ was sure to be saddled on to some business con- nected with these reserves, at an enormous expense, and with little or no resulting benefit. The Church has repeatedly, by petitions to the Legislature, made the surely not very unreason- able request that what was allowed to be her own, might be given up at least to her own manage- ment; and there is no doubt, that if this were done, she would gradually be able, even with the comparatively small portion left to her, to support her superior officers in modestly becoming dignity, and to provide for the spiritual interest of the province throughout the length and breadth of the land. Yet this trifling boon she has never been able to procure, the legislators, keeping the reserves in their own hands, and the present ones, it is to be feared, with the intention of \iTesting them from her altogether, if the party are found strong enough to do so. That they are unprin- cipled enough, admits of no question. The pretext which they adopt for lending a colour to their proceedings is as follows : — When it was decided that the various denomi- nations were to come in for seven-twelfths of the Church's spoils, some of the sects refused to receive any emolument from them, as professing themselves opposed to the principle of endow- ments. Four bodies, however, viz., the Presby- terians^ Methodists, and two others, accepted the THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 333 ess con- expense, IS to the nreason- her own, manage- his were with the I support : dignity, ;t of the th of the ver been Ding the nt ones, wTesting re found unprin- nding a denomi- is of the used to •ofessing endow- Presby- )ted the portion of the spoil which fell to their share, and the rest remained unappropriated. It is this circumstance which the Radicals make a sort of stalking-horse for the proposed act of further wholesale robbery which they are so anxious to perpetrate. They say that, as the bodies intended to be benefited cannot agree upon their respective allotments, therefore take all, and apply the pro- ceeds to general purposes of (according to their plan, of course godless) education throughout the province ; thus desiring to provide, as far as in them lies, for the bringing up a generation " wise to do evil, but simple concerning good." Of course, according to the obvious course to be pur- sued in such a case, there would be no difficulty at all. As the Church has been robbed, the clear way would be to let those that choose take their share of the seven-twelfths, and those that will have nothing to do with any portion, let it alone; then to divide the portion which remained for educational purposes. But this would look too much like doing at least some good to suit them ; therefore no such plan is proposed. Meantime, the reserves remain, an uncomfort- able bone of contention, and an actual drawback on the improvement of the country, as, from the uncertainty of tenure connected with them, settlers do not like to go upon them, and when they do, they do not improve as they might had they more 334 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 'i i • ! encouragement. This last evil has actually, by a a dissenting paper, which knew better all the time, been laid at the door of the Church, as if she willed it so, whereas that it is so is her distress and her vexation. Moreover, the way in which they are sold off is extravagantly ruinous, even when the Church does derive anything from them ; for they are turned into money at the present low prices, and thus, though the balance is annually handed over to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, for the purpose of funding at least what remains of it, after an extravagant mode of collection, nothing has latterly been done by way of endowment which might make them increas- ingly productive in proportion to the general rate of the country^s advancement, and thus to make them at all keep pace with the perpetually increas- ing demands on the clergy. Nor will the Govern- ment even allow reservations sufficient for the site even of a church or parsonage in each town- ship. The whole must be sold. Sir John Col- borne, afterwards Lord Seaton, who was a true friend to the Church, did, as I have before observed, get the length of arranging fifty-seven rectories, when, unfortunately for the interests of religion, order, and loyalty, he was recalled. The mode of endowment was taken here by attaching from the reserves (which are always a certain proportion of the land in each township, and not ly, by a he time, 3 if she distress 1 which IS, even n them ; sent low innually ;ation of at least mode of by way increas- eral rate ;o make increas- Grovem- for the h town- in Col- a true before y-seven Tests of The ;taching certain and not i. THE EMIGUANT CHURCHMAN. 335 one immense block, as has been imagined by people at a distance, and as I supposed myself was the case till I came to the country), as much, generally averaging from 400 to 800 acres, as might be thought to be a suitable provision for the future. And really, if one comes to consider it as a disgrace that a rising country like Canada, where ample funds for the support of the Church have been provided, through the care of a Sovereign of pious memory, should actually be in a great mea- sure dependent for spiritual aid on the charity of the British public at home, as administered through the Veneral)le Society for the Propagation of the Gospel ! It should be specially observed, moreover, that these Radicals, who profess such a virtuous horror at an " overgrown State-paid Establishment " — I believe that is the common stock cant phrase of these gentry — never are heard to breathe a whisper, either verbally or through their political organs of the press, against the enormous Roman Catholic endowments of Lower Canada, or the no less enormous fees taken in addition by the clergy of the Church of Rome. It is said that the income of tlic Romish Church, from Montreal and its neighbourhood alone, must amount to a sum which I am afraid to name, for fear of my veracity being called in question ; and yet we hear no complaints of this. Truly,— "A fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind." f I 336 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. r < t' In order to remedy as far as possible this un- toward state of things, the Church Society that has been established of late years and incorporated by Act of Parliament, though not six years as yet in operation, to use the words of the bishop, " it has leavened the whole province." The objects of it I insert in a note.* All sub- scribers of \0s, per annum, or contributors of 51. at any one time, shall be associated members. * Constitution of the Church Society of the diocese of Toronto, incorporated by the statute of Canada, 7 Victoria, cap. 68, for promoting the following objects : First. For the encouragement and support of missionaries and clergymen of the United Church of England and Ireland within the diocese of Toronto, and for creating a fund towards the augmentation of the stipends of poor clergymen, and towards making provision for those who may be incapacitated by age or infirmity, and for the widows and orphans of the clergy of the said church, in the said diocese. Secondly. For the encouragement of education, and for the support of day-schools and sunday-schools in the said diocese, in conformity with the principles of the said church. Thirdly. For granting assistance, where it may be necessary, to those who may be preparing for the ministry of the gospel in the said church, within the said diocese. Fourthly. For circulating in the said diocese the Holy Scriptures, the Book of Common Prayer of the said church, and such other books and tracts as shall be approved by the Central Board or Managing Committee of the said Association. Fifthly. For obtaining and granting aid towards the erection, endowment, and maintenance of churches, according to the esta- blishment of the said church, in the said diocese ; the erection and maintenance of parsonage-houses ; the setting apart of burial- groundft. and churchyards ; the endowment and giupport of parsonages and rectories, according to the same establishment, and the management of all matters relating to such endowments. ;'■','. .. i r^:f< THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 337 Every incorporated member shall subscribe not less than 1/. 5^. annually, or contribute less than 12/. 10s. in one sum. Four sermons are preached annually in the several churches and stations of the diocese, in aid of the funds of the society, at such times as the lord bishop shall appoint. Of these collections the proceeds of one shall be annually invested for the benefit of infirm clergy- men and the widows and orphans of clergymen deceased. The proceeds of two shall be devoted to the maintenance of travelling or resident missionaries in the diocese. The fourth to be appropriated to any object within its constitution, as the society may direct. The income for the year ending in 1848 was 3642/. 10*. Id.; of this, however, 583/. 9*. 8d. consisted of special collections for the relief of the distressed Scotch and Irish ; — two-thirds of this were forwarded to the Archbishop of Armagh, primate of all Ireland, for the distressed Irish ; and one-third to the Right Reverend W. Skinner, D.D., Bishop of Aberdeen, for the distressed Scotch. With the deduction of this item, a legitimate increase of 100/. is still exhibited in the society's income over the amount of former years as contributions; — a most gratifying and encouraging fact, when it is considered that, during the past year, very heavy demands had been made upon the inhabitants of Canada for VOL. I. a m 338 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. r/;-.t fj i i •■<• . . ■ M. ^'H:. p^\ ■ 1 nn^ ■ W' assistance to poor distressed emigrants, &c. It is proposed that the pension for the widows and orphans of the clergy be fixed at an uniform rate of not less than 50/. per annum, except where the number of orphans is less than four; in which case each orphan shall receive an annuity of 15/., provided that the applicants are not in the receipt of an annual income of 150/. or upwards. The incorporation of the society ren- ders the management of its property very easy, especially in the case of bequests, &c., as it is enabled to transact business through its proper officers, just the same as a private individual. An estimable young clergyman, of the diocese of Toronto, the Rev. W. Stewart Darling, incum- bent of Scarborough, has lately published, for cheap circulation, a well-written dialogue between a clergyman and one of his parishioners, " on the object of the society," to bring it under the notice of those who might not meet with, or be disposed to read a regular report. The society has a neat office and depository for the sale of works of divinity, the " Church " newspaper, &c., in King Street, Toronto, where Mr. Champion, the polite and obliging secretary, is always ready to afford every information as to its objects, &c. Persons contributing are, of course, allowed, if they choose, to state the distinct object of such contribution — as, whether towards the widows' fund — the main- THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 339 &c. It )ws and rm rate t where our; in annuity I not in .50/. or ety ren- ry easy, as it is i proper idual. diocese , incum- hed, for between on the e notice lisposed 3 a neat orks of in King e polite 9 afford Persons choose, ution — 3 main- tenance of a clergyman for their own district, should there not be one otherwise provided, &c. The sister dioceses of Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick are provided with similar societies. An excellent proposition has been made as regards subscribing to these excellent institutions; it is that those, especially in the backwoods, who are generally short of cash, and who frequently give contributions in kind as it is, should set apart a portion of their farm to be the church societies* lot. That is, say they determine to allot one, three, five, or ten acres, or more as it may be; that it be considered a fixed thing that whatever is sown there be sold or contributed in kind for the benefit of the church society. Doubtless sucli a course would tend to bring a direct blessing on the remainder, and farm-labourers and others who were well disposed might always contribute their labour free for the tilling, sowing, and harvesting. The effect on their own minds of remembering that though laymen, and perhaps in a remote settlement, they were privileged directly thus to labour towards the support of the church of God, could not be otherwise than highly beneficial in its tendency. A proposition was lately made to augment the efficiency of the society, by recommending every member of the church at all, of an age to do so, to add a shilling to their contributions, by which it q2 1 340 THE EMIGRANT CHUUCUMAN. U i i iV r.' "I is believed that tlie income nii«;lit ])e at once doubled. Tlie clergy of the diocese of Toronto, and, I believe, of the other dioceses likewise, have regularly organized clerical meetings, which they generally arrange at the times when the managing committees of the district branches of the church society hold their quarterly meetings. These appointments are regularly notified in the Church newspaper, with the names of the clergymen expected to attend, thus giving a very beneficial organization to the whole arrangement. Tlie pri- vate clerical meetings, of course, commence with prayer; the ordination service is then seriously read and commented upon, that all may be reminded ever and anon of the solemn engage- ments which they took upon them when they received the responsible office of the ministry. A portion of Scripture appointed from the preceding meeting (in order to give time for critical pre- paration of it) is then carefully read and collated with the originals, after which an hour or two is given to conversation on general matters connected with their parishes and flocks. These duties occupy them generally from 10 till 4, when the clerical brethren partake of a friendly dinner together, and spend the evening in social con- verse, a few friends being generally invited to meet them. Scattered as the clergy of Canada THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 341 it once ^oronto, se, have ch they anaging cliurch These Church irgyineu sneficial riie pri- icc with eriously may be engage- en they try. A receding cal pre- collated two is nnected duties len the dinner ial con- rited to Canada are, eacli one, except in tlic large cities in older districts, ])t'ing at far too great a distance from his next neighbour to enjoy the benefit of frequent conference, these meetings are of tlie most refresliing and instmctive character, wliile one lonely labourer can take sweet counsel with his brother, a!ul, comparing experience with expe- rience, " as iron sharpeneth iron," dejiart reno- vated and new-edged to his work. It is, doubtless, greatly owing to such reunions, that, by the bless- ing of God, so great an amoui.t of unanimity prevails amongst the clergy of Upper Canada. Though the ordinary little differences of opinion will prevail on matters allowed to be open ques- tions, not inconsistent with a general catholic unity, all are as one man in that charity which is the very bond of peace. No little differences of high or low church, black gown or white surplice, are allowed to raise discord amongst brethren. Each holds in these matters the views which he conscientiously thinks nearest the truth, and retains his own opinion without his eye being evil towards his brother. No welcome anv where, however hospitable, can exceed that to a Canadian parsonage, and while all minor differences are thus merged in one common sense of brother- hood our spiritual Jerusalem in Canada is likely, we trust, by the blessing of her Founder and her l; <«• I If., 342 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. u King, to present a front impregnable to her foes, — to exhibit the aspect of a city that is compacted together, wiiich no combination of the enemy, however fuiious or subtle, shall be able to destroy. » .. \ li-x her foes, impacted enemy, able to THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 343 CHAPTER XXVII. Nova Scotia — Claims of the baronets — Halifax — Hotels and boarding-houses — Room for improvenaent in trade — Cuuiedral and other churches — The bishop — Liberality of Halifax people to a clergyman — Character of the people in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward's Island — Personal appearance of ladies in British provinces and states — Advantages of vicinity to the ocean — Clericsd settlers — Wealthy fishermen — Amount in which a person may commence farming in Nova Scotia- Party of emigrant clergymen— Gulf of Canseau. Nova Scotia is chiefly known to persons in Europe by its being the seat of the large naval and military station of Halifax. It likewise is occa- sionally brought before the public as being portion of the British provinces in which the Nova Scotia baronets claim each a grant of 16,000 acres of land, their object being, I believe, to obtain this from 2,500,000, said to be still unallotted. Could they succeed in doing so, and were they to pro- mote emigration to their properties on a large and combined scale, perhaps something on the plan of i:'^ .'..' 344 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. * ■•'f leasing adopted ])y tlie Ciinada Conjpany, I am not prepared to say l)ut tliat such a course might materially benefit themselves and the country. Nova Scotia differs from Canada in its not con- taining any towns of note save Halifax. Windsor and Annapolis are little more than villciges com- paratively, though about them and Truro there is some very good society. The approach to Halifax is unquestionably very striking, situated as it is upon a deep arm of tiie sea, with a nearly circular island in the very centre of the bay, exactly opposite the city, which is always occupied by a detachment of troops, and with powerful batteries, would make a tremendous resistance against the approach of an enemy. I should think that in the face of all the defences, any hostile force would find it rather tough work to make their way up to the city. There are some tolerably good rides and drives along the shores of this bay, to which also there is another arm running at right angles about a mile to the southward of the city, looking ex- tremely picturesque. Halifax itself stands partly on the side of a rather steep hill 240 feet above the level of the sea, the summit being crowned by the fort and telegraph station. It does not contain any showy hotels, at least any at all equal in extent or appearance to those in Montreal, for instance. THE EMIGRANT CnURClIMAN. 34, There arc, however, a sprinkle of respectable private boarding-houses, where board and lodging may be obtained for from three dollars a-week, and upwards. Considering that it is so important a naval and miHtary station, it docs not appenr that trade and business arc carried on here in corresponding proportion. One reason may be, that it is not the thoroughfare that the great Canadian cities of necessity are. This may appear a strange asser- tion, when the weekly influx of passengers by the magnificent royal mail steamers is taken into con- sideration ; but then they make no more stay than is absolutely necessary to transact business ; so that as soon as passengers have had time to jump ashore and try to recover their feet by a stroll on terra firma, they are whizzed off again to New York or Boston. That in fact by far the greater majority of them just see a few^of the main streets, or, at mont, get a ride a few miles into the country, or cross the ferry to the opposite village of Dart- mouth, and that is all tliey know of Nova Scotia. Notwithstanding the number of accomplished people amongst the military alone, not to speak of the regular residents in the town and neigh- bourhood, I believe that there is no such thing as a pianoforte or musical instrument ware- Louse in all Halifax ; whilst in Canada, even organ builders have establishments, as I have Q 3 if • m . r.v 346 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. i' shown in what twenty years ago were quite the backwoods. Old as the town of Halifax is, it is not even as yet regularly lighted, whilst Toronto has its noble array of gas lamps equal to London. There was for some time a sort of subscription amongst the inhabitants for the purpose of lighting the city ; but als each subscriber was contending to get the lights nearest his own door, the attempt failed in a great measure. One reason, perhaps, of the dolcefar niente style of doing things here in trade, &c. consists in the facility with which everything can be obtained from the States, or even from England. Yet I can see no reason why an enter- prizing merchant or trader should not do well in Halifax. This is a point, however, on which I cannot presume to offer an opinion, it being a mere conjecture of my own. The public buildings are some of them hand- some, especially the parliament house, and resi- dence of the Governor. The cathedral is a plain respectable looking building, of no pretensions to the decorative style, and may contain about 2000 people. A church in another part of the town, of which the Rev. W. Uniacke is incum- bent, is built somewhat after the circular fashion of a theatre. Near here, I believe, there is a little wooden edifice, capable of containing, per- haps, forty people, which is kept up as having THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 347 been the original church first erected in Nova Scotia. It is now used as a school-house. The negro population, which is numerous, have a meeting-houii*? of their own, belonging to the Methodist or Baptist persuasion, and have a fund among them for purchasing the freedom of their black relations still in s'avery in the States, or for assisting them, should they obtain their freedom, and find their way to this part of the British pro- vinces. The bishop, the Right Reverend Dr. Inglis, is an exceedingly kind and amiable prelate, entirely committed, I believe, to the Society for the Pro- pagation of the Gospel ; inasmuch, so I have understood, as that (differently from his episcopal brethren of the North American continent, who reserve their judgment on that point) he either declines to receive, or is very shy of receiving, clergymen not recommended by that society. Any clergyman, therefore, who thought of settling in Nova Scotia, would save himself trouble by bringing out with him credentials from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, as I heard of one who, failing to do so, had to wait and send home for such recommendation before he was permitted to do duty. People are very kind to the clergy in Halifax. A gentleman, who is well spoken of as a preacher, lately came out with a view to settle in British 348 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ll 'f( I r i I North America. He first offered his services to the Bishop of Nova Scotia, why is he not called the Bishop of Halifax ? This excellent prelate would most willingly have received him, hut found that the Society for tlie Propagation of the Gospel would not he able to afford an allowance for an additional clergyman at the time. He offi- ciated, liowever, for a few Sundays, and then determined on going on to Upper Canada ; where- upon the people kindly contributed a purse of 50/. in acknowledgment of his temporary ser- vices. After he had departed, it was found that the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel would agree to receive him as one of their mis- sionaries, and accordingly they wrote after him, offering to pay his expenses if he would return. The bishop of Toronto, however, having given him an excellent appointment, he was compelled to decline their kindness. This little incident, however, may serve to shew that a clergyman, especially if possessed of any ability, would speedily gather friends round him. Halifax, in fact, contains some of the excellent of the earth — persons whom to know, is to esteeni and love, and a parting from whom must always be a source of regret to any one who has been privileged to enjoy their valued society. Indeed, this may be said not of the principal city alone, THE EMIGRANT CIIUUCIIMAN. 349 but likewise of the province and its adjoining sister of New Brunswick. The admirable conduct and character of these, however, find too often a lamentable set-off in a grievous besetting sin of many others in both provinces, particularly amongst the youth of both sexes, which it is to be hoped may, in a great measure, be set down to mere thoughtlessness. The charge which is laid against these is that of excessive inquisitiveness, and tendency to surmise evil, together with a busy-l)odying disposition, which delights greatly more in prying into their neighbours' affairs than in regulating their own. To such an extent is this disposition said to be carried in some i)laces, that some of these sort of persons have been known to listen for hours under peoples' windows, particularly if the indi- vidual to be made the subject of this Vehmique Inquisition was a clergyman, and more especially if he happened to have a few friends visiting him, in order, if possible, to fish out something to export to his disadvantage. It is almost needless to observe, that persons capable of such conduct would be but too ready to invent, where nothing really existed, to make a tale of. In the pretty district of Prince Edward's Island, however, the character of all is totally different. Here a great amiability prevails amongst all Fl"-' mr i lii| t ' m n 350 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. classes, marked especially by a general indispo- sition to either speak or surmise evil, a circum- stance which lends a peculiar charm to the society of that island. The same is the case in New- foundland. Indeed, the young ladies of St. John's are notorious for captivating the hearts of officers and others who happen to visit the place, and many an insular bride has been thus transplanted to English ground. As regards personal beauty, the females, of whatever station of all these pro- vinces, may claim perhaps the first place on the North American continent, with no disparage- ment to their Canadian sisters be it spolien. The personal appearance of the ladies in the States has always been highly praised; but though I have seen them in large assemblages, as at public college examinations, exhibitions of the fine arts, &c., as well as met them with much pleasure in domestic circles, and am willing to allow them the full meed of praise to which they may lay claim, I certainly think that in point of vivid healthiness of aspect, they, as taken alto- gether (for of course there are everywhere excep- tions), fall short of the appearance of the lovely grand-daughters of England, in the British mari- time provinces particularly. Perhaps the less healthy hue which characterizes many of the ladies of America generally may be traced very much to the habit of sitting over heated stoves, THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 351 and taking too little walking exercise in the cold bracing fresh air of the winter. It is chiefly, I think, their vicinity to the ocean that recommend Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward's Island, kc. to the British emigrant. Persons who find their health decidedly improved at the sea side will do well to keep this view in contem- plating emigration. The soil of Nova Scotia is acknowledged to be light, and comparatively unproductive, if we make that of Upper Canada our standard ; and in New Brunswick the wheat crop has unhappily failed for the last four years. Oats, however, do well, and potatoes thrive better in these provinces than in any part of the North American continent. The yield is frequently 200 bushels to the acre. But apart from questions of produce, I think it is the maritime element attaching itself to the quali- fications of so much of them, that makes them decidedly worthy the notice of such persons as I have referred to. If any one were disposed to make trial of either province, it would be easy to rent a farm for a time without tying up capital, and even to take a run up from thence into Canada, in order to be able fairly to compare the relative advantages of the different provinces, and in such a case a person could all the better be enabled to determine where finally to setup his staff. I have known of clergymen in all the provinces 352 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ■ t il who came out and begivn l)y renting farms, and who, Imving applied to the respective bishops for duty, have received de8iral)lc appointments at their lordsliips' hands. I mean, of course, de- sirable as appointments are in these colonies — always assuming that a faitliful servant of his Divine Lord and Master will make the oppor- tunity of usefulness his first and foremost consideration. Yet, especially when a man has a family, it is necessary for him to know what he has to look forward to in order to the " providing things honest in the sight of all men." But I shall have more to say on this subject when I come to offer special directions to intending emigrants of various classes. Another very great recommendation to Nova Scotia, is its amazing virtual nearness to England, in consequence o^ the wonderful perfection to which steam-navigation has been brought of late years. It seems a consideration almost incom- prehensible, that with 3000 miles of ocean to cross, a person may take a walk in the streets of Halifax, and that day week almost be promenad- ing, if he particularly wish it, in those of its namesake in Yorkshire ; since the voyage has known to have been performed in eight days and a few hours, and a few more hours' whirl on the railway would of course do the rest. Yet, as communication increases, to a person to whom a J • 'L-. li f ill THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 353 little extra expense is no object, Canada labours every year under less and less comparative disad- vantage, even on this score, since from almost any part of Canada West, by taking the railway through the States, you may be in Boston, for instance, in thirty-six hours or so, and at a cost of certainly not more than 5/. A person who under- stood the coni])ination of fishing with farming would prol)ably find the southern shores of Nova Scotia a very profitable residence. Some of the fisher- men about the islands there are said to have, in known instances, hoarded as much as from 1000/. to 2000/., as they are continually amassing money which they have no possible means of spending ; and, as tlicy do not understand banking, if of pro- vident ha])its, they just stow it away in their chests. Against this, however, of course is to be set the severity of the life, its perils, and its great amount of exposure, besides the necessity of a thorough apprenticeship to the undertaking. As regards an ordinary farm, it is generally said that a person who has 1000/., by expending part of it on the purchase of a farm of 100 or 200 acres, and carefully laying by the balance for emer- gencies, may be considered as independent in a plain way. In fact, the charge of idleness, whether truly or not I cannot profess to say, is laid at the door of many Nova Scotia farmers. It is said that, if they would work harder, they might IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) k // % 1 1.1 1.25 ■" fa 12.2 my •" «« I 111 lU I 2.0 L8 1.4 111^ 71 ^> ^c? ^ V y Photographic Sdences Corporation ^ ,v ^v \ Is ^\ ^ u -^A^^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 145S0 (716) 872-4503 «■ ^1^ ■^^ 354 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. iri '' > *. 1' realize a great deal more than they do, but that their love of ease and gaiety prevents them. If this be the case, however uncommendable such thriftlessness may be, it affords a proof that the diligent and frugal emigrant would, in the ordinary course of Providence, have comparatively little to fear as to success. Some persons have described the shores of Nova Scotia as wild and bleak ; but a person who loves Scottish scenery will scarce think them so. Of course some parts of the coast are rugged and bare; but in others, again, the shores are extremely interesting. Some years ago, some clergymen of the author's acquaintance joined to charter a vessel, and emigrated to Canada with their families, some lay gentlemen being likewise of the party. It so happened that they were driven to the southward of Cape Breton, and, in order to make their way up to the St. Lawrence, had to pass through the Gulf of Canseau or Canso, which divides the island from the mainland of Nova Scotia. The Gulf is as narrow here as a very moderate river, varying from a quarter of a mile to half a mile in breadth ; and as they had chartered the vessel on condition that they were to be landed exactly where they pleased, some of them were so taken with the view (through the charm of novelty, they being fresh from the open ocean, may have had much to do with their feel- ings), that there were several of them desiriug, THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 355 half in jest, of course, to be landed, that they might set up their staff in so charming a spot. They, however, held on their course to Upper Canada, where they are all settled now in parishes, at least the clerical portion of the party. Of the laymen, those who devoted themselves to the law succeeded very well. ur §'• 356 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. CHAPTER XXVIII. ^ . . ikt Communication between Halifax and St. John's, New Branswick — Steam and sailing-vessels — Charges thither and to Boston, United States — "Jolly ice" appearance of St. John's — Lack of white paint — Estimable clergymen — Steamer on St. John's river — " Intervales " — Romantic island residences — Singular fall in two directions on the St. John — Route to Frederictou — Magnificent overhanging rock — King's College, Fredericton — The bishop — His chapel — Love of ecclesiastical architecture — Groundless fears of lancet windows and *' Puseyism " — Sug- gestion to an architect for a useful work — Projected cathedral — Query, Was it wanted? — Remarks on a sermon of the bishop's — Advantage of appointing a colonial bishop from the ranks of the colonial clergy — Respectful tribute to the memory of Bishop Stewart — Society in Fredericton. The communication between Halifax and St. John's New Brunswick, is very easy in summer, as the custom is to coach it across the country to Annapolis or Digby, where a steamer puts you across the Bay of Fundy, so noted for the power- ful current of its tidal waters. It is at the head of THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 357 this bay that the ditference between high and low water-mark at spring tides amounts to the enor- mous height of 60 feet perpendicular ; the whole weight of the Atlantic Ocean pushing them up, as it were, into this cul-de-sac. If a person wished to see more of the shores, he could coast round in a schooner, of which there are always some trad- ing between St. John's and Halifax, though the passage is hkely to be tedious, since, from the shape of the coast, as any one may see looking at a map, the wind which is fair either way for the one-half of the voyage is directly contrary for the other. In some parts of the Bay of Fundy, the strength of the tide is such that a vessel with a strong wind, quite fair, trying to stem it, will be sometimes for hours little more than stationary as regards objects on shore, whilst she appears at the same time to be sailing against a mill race. These schooners ply even in winter ; though how the hardy seamen manage to face the gales of that cold wild coast in bitter nights of frost appears little short of a miracle, especially when one considers how few comforts they can enjoy in the small wet craft in which they make their passage. Of course at times, and in some winters more than others, the shores freeze, and then they are obliged to lay up. They will take people for about 6 dollars ; the charge of sailing vessels from Halifax to Bos- ton is 3/. There are several fine regular traders Pi V '' W- ' ■? '■! m ■s.ffi; ». si 'iJ''' •>r' , : 358 THE EMIOBANT CHURCHMAN. specially adapted for carrying passengers, md generally well filled. The steamers charge 51. In one severe winter, 1842 I think, when the harbour of Boston was frozen to an unusual distance out, the enterprize of the merchants there caused a canal to be cut, of 7 miles in length, through the ice, in order to let the Britannia (I think it was) away in the depth of winter, about the middle of Feb- ruary. She departed amidst the cheers of an immense concourse of spectators, and a handsome lithograph of the vessel leaving was published to commemorate the event. When the sea is going to freeze, the water assumes quite a different aspect from that of fresh water under similar circum- stances. You are struck by seeing the ocean break here and there with a peculiar kind of semi- opaque glassiness, as if an immense quantity of oil had been spilt in it. You inquire the reason, and are informed that it is called "jolly-ice," or the first setting of the water when the frost takes hold of it. Gradually thin laminae or plates of actual ice begin to appear amongst the oily looking mat- ter, and as these pack and extend, ice-fields are formed, till at length sometimes you fancy that you could leave the vessel and take a long walk ; and so you might, perhaps, if you chose to take the risk. In the Bay of Fundy, there is a large island called the Grand Manan, which is a sepa- rate parish, with a resident clergyman. He must THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 359 feel, I should think, very lonely in winter, away from all his brethren, and separated from the mainland by a stormy strait. St. John's, New Brunswick, stands something like Halifax, partly on a steep acclivity. But it must be matter of surprise to a stranger, that, considering liow long it has been a city, I think since 1793, so many of the houses are mere wooden frames. Even the principal hotel is a dingy-looking wooden building, very inferior indeed to its handsome-looking brethren of Toronto or Montreal. They have a way in St. John's of painting the houses, many of them at least, either a dirty white or pale olive, the effect of which cer- tainly is anything but pleasing, especially to a stranger coming from the States, where the wooden frame houses, particularly about the outskirts of the towns, are generally painted intensely white, with jalousies as intensely green, and look as if they were large doll-houses just brought to their places in a band-box. In fact, so white are they, that they scarcely suffer in winter by comparison with the snow around them. In some parts of St. John's, however, they are beginning to erect sub- stantial buildings of brick and stone. There is a very prettily situated lake, called the Lily Lake, quite embosomed amongst a number of low wooded hills, about half a mile from the city to the south-west, which is a very pleasing stroll in {■■> I ^ ■ • 2* i« •• ^ E^ ' * (< 360 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. summer, and charming resort for skaters in winter, until the snow begins to fall to too great a depth to admit of their evolutions. There are some very comfortable churches in and about St. John's, though Fredericton, as is ^^ ell known, is the seat both of the Episcopal see and of the Government. A clergyman of the name of Avery, who emigrated from the south of England some years ago, is highly esteemed, as an extremely excellent man and unusually able preacher. He laboured, I believe, under some disappointment on first com- ing out, as he expected to have been placed in some official capacity by a friend of his own, who was likely, at the time he came out, to have been appointed bishop of this diocese. Something, however, caused a change in the nomination, and he was thrown upon his own resources. I should presume, however, that such a man could not eventually be neglected. St. John's, as a large shipping port, must always be a place of considerable importance and stirring trade. A cabin passage m'4*y be had from hence to England for 10/. The steamer regularly runs in . ummer by the St. John's River to Fredericton, and consider- ably further up. The rapids of the river, however, present a serious check to the navigation, though, even as high as 30 miles above Fredenqf^n, \t is perhaps half a mile or moie in width', and oeauti- fully diversifie ' r a. "ith islets in li .» • pf!7ts. In ] }if THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 361 in winter, at a depth are some St. John's, is the seat ►vemment. emigrated irs ago, is ;llent man iboured, I first com- placed in own, who have been Something, omination, iources. I man could hn's, as a a place of trade. A o England ummer by d consider- r, however, m, though, 'iqt'^n, H is ind oe&uti- pf'.'ts. In ^c^E } fact, both in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, there are a series of lands called " intervales," i.e., lands near the sea, from which the waters have receded at a comparatively recent period, and left an alluvial deposition of inexhaustible fertility. In other places the rivers have acted similarly. Some of these low islands are exceedingly rich in produce, and fetch a high price; the crops are sometimes, however, endangered by sudden rises of the river. On some of the larger of these islands the persons who own them knock up a light abode of logs or framed timber, and leaving their farms in the mainland, go and reside their during summer ; a truly romantic mode of living as it would appear. When the ice is strong upon the St. John's river in winter it is made the general thoroughfare, and a sleigh-stage is even advertized to run upon it between Fredericton and St. John's. There is one remarkable pecu- liarity about its mouth, and that is that at difft .'ent times of the tide it actually presents the ' jpect of a fall in two opposite directions, owing to r rocky bar across. With the descending water of course the fall follows the course of the river, but when the returning current sets in strong the other way it comes rushing over the bar with such force that 'a. "uir^" pher^omenon is presented of a fall the4 "id in "irection adverse \3 the current edlv ' '"'Tn, ii. consequenc*^ ii culiarity VOL. I. A* m 4 \u I m f.« ii '?•. ■ — m 362 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. the river can only be entered for about one hour before and after the top of high water. The stage-coach road in going to Fredericton, which is about 65 miles from St. John's, passes about half- way under a magnificent almost overhanging rock, which is quite a lion of the neighbourhood. When in winter the exalted face of the pre- cipitous cliffs, which may rise to some 300 feet perpendicular, is errained with snow and tasselled and fringed with mighty masses of icy pendants glittering in the resplendent rays of the midday sunshine, the effect is captivating in the extreme ; it might seem as if the stern genius of frost, travelling through the length and breadth of the land, had here congealed for himself with his cold breath a massive seat of dazzling grandeur, where he might repose awhile and contemplate all nature around dead in her icy cerements, yet smiling serenely from her shroud as if in gladsome hope of a resurrection. There is something pretty about the aspect of the little town of Fredericton, which may contain about 5000 inhabitants ; and its being the seat of the government and of a military garrison com- bine to give it an air of cheerfulness which it would not otherwise possess. The college is a fine large building, well situated on a hill entir^J^s commanding the town, and is admirably concjur under the auspices of the learned and a'^_ .1- In ! THE L^IIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 363 principal, Dr. Jacuh. It is gratifying to know that this institution is entirely under the control of the church. There is a tolerable library, to which the students have free access, and their apartments are large, healthy, and comfortable, without being fitted up in a way to entail upon them unnecessary expense. They dine together in a common hall, and have the privilege of inviting a friend. The bishop lectures those intended for the church once a week himself during term time. I should think that a pious young man might get an excellent education here at an extremely cheap rate, and be sure of ordina- tion from the bishop on his completing his terms; or if he preferred Canada afterwards he is eligible for ordination from hence at the hands of the bishops of Montreal or Toronto. Dr. Medley, the bishop of Fredericton, has a great taste for ecclesiastical architecture, and has built, almost entirely from his own private re- sources, a chapel containing about 200, which is quite a gem in its way, and will be the means of paving the road, it is to be hoped, to a better taste in church building throughout the province ; this is sadly wanted throughout the whole of North America, as well in the British provinces as in the States. With some admirable exceptions the buildings called churches are the most wretch- edly unecclesiastical-looking concoctions imagin- #• w ly 1 > : J|, ;< , 1- '' I 364 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. able, and, what is more, a good many well-meaning j)ersons, simply through sheer ignorance, are apt to take up a notion that any attempt at introducing a more correct style than that of the bandboxes and Noah's arks which they have been accustomed to look upon as the " ne plus ultra " of perfection, savours immediately of " Puseyism," as they call it; that popery peeps out upon you from a decently proportioned lancet window, and that all the doctrinal innovations of the Tridentine Council must of necessity be promulgated from beneath a roof making anything of an approximation to a pitch equilateral, as the bishop of Fredericton said in his recent much admired charge : " If people forgetting even the simple fact of the utility of a roof of high elevation in keeping oif the snow, must needs imagine that a pointed style in architecture connected itself of necessity with Romish and other heresies, then, according to the judgment of such persons, the flatter the ceiling the greater must be the proportional amount of orthodoxy, and a heathen temple must be the most indubitably orthodox of all eccle- siastical edifices whatsoever/* I cannot help thinking that any one thoroughly versed in the principles of ecclesiastical architecture, who would take the trouble to " set forth " a small and easily accessible work at a cheap rate, exhibiting ap- proved designs for churches in a genuine style of ^^' ^1' THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 365 art, and having special regard moreover to the use of wood, either in hewn logs or in plank framing as a material, would confer a great boon on British America, and if he were to add a second volume with a series of pretty designs for houses and cot- tages, begiiniing from the humblest and cheapest, he would greatly enhance the benefit conferred upon the country. Indeed it might suit an archi- tect to emigrate, but as people in these parts have pretty generally to be the architects of their own farms and fortunes, and manage pretty much to build as they can, following close upon the heels of their predecessors, I should presume that it would be only in the larger cities that such an individual should take up his abode. If he pos- sessed; however, some talent as an artist, or would teach drawing and be prepared otherwise to " make himself generally useful," I have no doubt but he would get on, particularly if he came out well recommended. The bishop of Fredericton brought out an architect, a Mr. Wills, under his own auspices, and Canada presents a much wider field than New Brunswick. This gentleman has since settled in New York. The bishop is at present engaged in maturing plans for a cathedral. He has no palace, but lives in a very plain way in a rented cottage, devoting a large portion of his private income to the promotion of his scheme, which, besides tending to the expenditure of R 2 ^■>' .'a i 't < ^M it . 3^ h\ »t4^ ,* 'i i " l\ <> ' 1^^ i ' t i> i^ t ^ u iv * 366 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. money amongst the artizans, happens to be his hobby. It is a question, however, how far so expensive an ecclesiastical edifice may be neces- sary in a poor colony. In a wealthy country, like India, I think that there could be no question as to the propriety of such a work as the bishop of Calcutta has "O happily and successfully carried forward, since the natives, used to the gorgeous temples of idolatory, naturally expect professing Christians to rear a splendid sanctuary for the worship of the Most High. But in a country like New Brunswick, where workmen are so much wanted to labour at the spiritual part of the build- ing, it may admit of very great doubt whether an expenditure of a sum of money large enough to add several missionaries to the destitute country districts, and to aid the labours of the people in raising a number of modest and suitable places of worship of the size of our smallest village churches in England, would not be better so bestowed than in the erection of a single large edifice in a city, which, from its position, is never likely to spread to any very great dimensions, and which already contains ample sufficient church accommodation for the wants of its inhabitants, in fact I believe that the present parish church has actually to be pulled down to make way for the cathedral, greatly to the regret of many of the parishioners, who look upon it with attached veneration as the THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 367 place where their fathers worshipped, and which they reared to the honour of God amidst many circumstances of difficulty and privations. Dr. Medley is a prelate of considerable ability, as his recent much-admired charge alone is suffi- cient to prove, and that he earnestly desires the spiritual welfare of the flock committed to his supervision is a fact which no one will presume to deny, but whether he always takes the way of promoting it which more practical experience of the country over which he presides as regards spirituals would suggest may be questioned. Far be it from us ever to appear " to speak evil of dignities ^' — least of all of the dignitaries of our beloved church, but a published document, pace tanti viri, may be allowed to afford fair subject matter for criticism. In a discourse which he printed shortly after his entrance on his episcopal function in the province (the poorest supplied, moreover, of any of the British dependencies perhaps as regards provision for the clergy, and where they have hard tugging to make both ends meet, it being, moreover, next to impossible to carry on their duties without horses, which are nearly twice as dear in New Brunswick as they are in Canada), it would scarcely be credited perhaps that the burden of the discourse consisted in an exhortation to take heed to "beware of luxury of living." This certainly would have been a most admirable precept to have insisted < . *i 368 THE EMIGRANT CHUBCHMAN. upon amongst the clergy of a wealthy and luxuri- ous district like that of Devonshire, but really in poor New Brunswick the choosing of such a sub- ject as matter for special and primary exhortation cannot but forcibly put one in mind of saying to a beggar who humbly entreats your charity and would be thankful for a crust of bread, "Mind now, my good man, take care you don't go and lay out any coppers you may pick up, in turtle soup, lime punch, venison, and cham- pagne, as they might make you sick and possibly give you the gout/' Had the clergy been generally exhorted to endure hardness and privation, and the people by their contributions to alleviate that privation as far as possible, it might have been more to the purpose ; as it was, those indisposed to contribute and too ready to find an excuse for their own covetousness in refusing to minister to those who labour in the word, of their temporal things, might have readily drawn from the style of the discourse an inference that the clergy of the diocese were already too well provided for, and in danger of fattening too much on the good things of this life. It affords indeed matter for serious consideration, whether in colonies where there is a resident and experienced body of clergy to choose from, some one among their own number might not alwavs to be elevated to the episcopate. Men who have grown with the country and known its privations, THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 369 if made bishops, are not likely, on visiting a poor missionary, who had pinched his family perhaps for a month or two to come to entertain his diocesan in something like tolerable comfort, to return his respectful attention with a sharp per- sonal rebuke for his extravagant mode of living — a rebuke well meant no doubt, but most unfor- tunately ill-timed, and, indeed, misplaced alto- gether. Different, indeed, was your mode of diocesan visitation venerated and apostolical Stewart ! There are clergymen now living who can tell how that meek saint when raised to the chief ministry of the diocese of Quebec, in which, though closely allied to the British peerage, he had so long laboured as a humble missionary, on visiting some lonely station of the remote forest, where comforts were few and labour more abun- dant, and olive-plants thickly rising bore their silent but touching testimony to never whispered tales of parental anxiety and privation, has, on taking his affectionate leave of his poor but charmed presbyter and his partner, and thanking them warmly for the hospitality of the wilderness, slipped a five-pound note into the hand of the eldest child, and hurried rapidly away lest his left hand should know what his right hand had done. Though to some extent devoid of the ordinary qualities which dazzle; not gifted with brilliant abilitj'^, and labouring, moreover, under something like an impediment in his speech, that eminent 370 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. servant of God has left a savour behind him which still lingers in the memories of all who were permitted the high privilege of his acquaintance. Clergymen in the United States speak of him now with the same respect and affection as if they had enjoyed the privilege of sitting under his meek apostolical sway. A very pleasing incident attended one of the closing scenes of his life, creditable alike to the honouring and the honoured. When at an advanced age he retired for a season to the springs of Saratoga, a far-famed watering- place in the States, as he came into the public room of the hotel, which was then full of com- pany, and his venerable figure approached, leaning en the arm of his chaplain, the whole of those present simultaneously rose as by an impulse which they found it impossible to control. But he now rests from his labours, and his works do follow him ; he is gone to the mountain of myrrh and the hill of frankincense, until the day break and the shadows flee away. Fredericton includes within its borders a very interesting little society, indeed it is not long since it seemed likely to produce a youthful poet, of unusually fair promise, of the name of Allan. His maturer genius, had it been permitted to ripen, would most probably have produced some- thing of which his countrymen might have been proud; but he was early called away, and this amiable youth, the dehght of all his friends and '*A\ THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. 371 n him which who were quaintance. ak of him as if they under his ig incident )f his life, honoured, r a season I watering- the public ill of corn- ed, leaning e of those n impulse itrol. But 3 works do of myrrh day break [ers a very not long hful poet, of Allan. mitted to ced some- lave been and this lends and acquaintance, has only left a few detached pieces, which they treasure with fond regret. I believe, however, that a selection from them is to be shortly published in England. A ludicrous circumstance occurred at St. John's some winters ago, which occasioned great amuse- ment at the time, though it must be allowed that the trick was a wicked one. It is customary, for walking in the snow, to wear long trunk hose, footed, of course, over the pantaloons. These are sometimes dyed bright scarlet, and when they first came out, a person who was understood to labour under no particularly disparaging ideas as to his personal appearance, immediately got a pair, with the intention of turning out in them the next day, to the intense admiration of all beholders, particularly, I suppose, of the fairer part of the creation. A wicked wag, who knew of his pur- chase, determined to extract some amusement from this intention of the unhappy wight, and accordingly he went and bought forty or fifty pairs, and went to an equal number of the black population, telling them that he would make them a present of a pair each, on their under- taking to wear them when Mr. • turned out, and throw themselves as much as possible in his way. Nothing suited these black gentry better, who were very glad, of course, to earn a pair of gay stockings each so readily. Accordingly, the vic- tim, when he turned out next day, looking round •f i 372 THE EMIGRANT CHURCHMAN. ,• « .V (.If I h M 1 i m S' I < I Ex t .1 r','- ■» for admirers, had not gone many yards before, certainly somewhat to his surprise, he encoun- tered a couple of grinning, chattering Sambos marching straight towards him in similar costume. Before his astonishment had abated, there were three or four others coming up behind. Turning into another street, whom should he meet but some five or six more, striding along, arm-in-arm. By and bye, as the plot thickened, a score or so of others appeared on the other side of the street, crossing and re-crossing, marching and counter- marching, and exchanging salutations with all the dignified pomposity in which the negro tribe are so fond of indulging, without, however, appearing to take the slightest notice of him, till the whole street was dotted with the sable gentlemen in the scarlet ''continuations." Our poor hero hesi- tated for a moment, till at length, as the intense ludicrousness of his situation seemed fully to burst upon him — the only white man amongst two or three score of niggers, and all with the same conspicuous decoration — he took to his heels, beat a hasty retreat, and bade adieu with a sigh to his bright scarlet leggings for ever. END OF VOL. I. ards before, he encoun- ing Sambos ilar costume. I, there were id. Turning tie meet but , arm-in-arm. a score or so of the street, and counter- i with all the sgro tribe are er, appearing till the whole tlemen in the r hero hesi- is the intense med fully to nan amongst all with the took to his 5 adieu with a : ever.