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 LETTERS 
 
 FROM 
 
 J&ettl(t$ 
 
 IN 
 
 UPPER CANADA. 
 
 \. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 MARCHANT, PRINTER, IN GRAM-COURT, FENCHURCH-STREET. 
 
 1833. 
 
'^ 7 S ^ ^ ^ 
 
 LETTERS, 
 
 KTr. KTr. 
 
 Y«trk, Upper Canada, N. America, 
 July 14, in3'2. 
 ■Sir, — ! now lake up my pen to redeem the pledge I gave ynii 
 on leaving the British shores, but am afraid I shall not be able 
 to pse you much more intelligence than you have already re- 
 ceived ; for my own part, the longer I am here the better 1 like 
 the country, for I am convinced a more free, happy, and in- 
 dependent people there is not in the world than the people of 
 Upper Canada, and both uiy wife and self return (jod thanks 
 for directing and you for sending us here, where every man 
 who is willing to work may have it, and well paid for it, as 
 before we reachd our land I changed our last dollar, but, 
 thanks be to Cod, I have spent more happy days in Canada 
 than I did in England the last ten years of my residence there, 
 for although I have had many thhigs to buy for use, and seed 
 to sow my laud, I have never been at a loss for provisions, or 
 a shilling in my pocket, and I often survey my growing crop, 
 wicli consist of wheat, Indian corn, peas, and potatoes, and I 
 never saw any in uiy life to look better, with a gratcfull heart to 
 the giver of all goodness. There are many persons who dislike 
 this country for a time, some from being love or mamma sick, 
 others from really idle habits and having no overseer to apply 
 to ; but a real industrious man who comes here will soon 
 find the advantage and comforts of this country. James Prest- 
 ney disliked it for a time on account of the different customs 
 of the country, he now says he would not return to Eng'and 
 on any account, as he can now, at any time he please, go from i 
 lii« own land and command Is. Od. per day board and lodging, 
 or iis. 9d. per day without board and lodging. You will no 
 doubt wonder how we commence farming without money, we 
 have no v<iut of anything but an axe, hoe, and rake ; we cut 
 down the trees and burn them, rake the ground, and burn the 
 
^lll^', Ihrii sow our wliriit hikI liue it in llii* hiiiut' u» ^urdincrt 
 do their sniiill seeds in Eiiglaixl, itiid this mode of cidture will 
 do on must soWa for three years, und will produce from thirty 
 to forty bushels per acre of wheat. I beg, sir, you will have 
 the goodncMs to inforn^ my friends that 1 left my wife and 
 family well on the I2lh, und am now in Ytirk with Charlotte, 
 she is quite well and joins with tne in love to them and her 
 brothers, i>nd inform them I have received the packet they 
 sent me by Gardiner, but have not keen him, as he left it with 
 a person who know 'd me, halfway between York and lleylsbury. 
 " 1 am, Sir, 
 
 Your most obedient and hnmlile servant, 
 (Sisfned) Wm. Simpson. 
 
 /•'. Liveitiff, Esq. 
 ISaylqnd, Suffolk, 
 A'< «»• ( 'olc/iestif. 
 
 Rxtracts of a Lei ter from WiM.iAM Peacock, late of 
 tValpole, also of Holesworth, to his Brother and Sister, 
 !N1k. J. Stanford, Farmer, Utjgleshall, Suffolk, 
 dated Trafalgar, Upper Canada, August iH), 1832. 
 
 Wk sailed from Yarmouth on the 13th April, 1B:V2, and ar- 
 rived at Prince Edward's Island, on the 20ih May, and at 
 Quebec on the ir>th June, all well and in good spirits, the 
 family stood it much better than I expected ; the captain (J. 
 Waters) is one of the most civil and obliging men, and most 
 adapted for a passage-ship that could be found ; I have now 
 got n)y lea, and you, I suppose, arc in bed und a sleep, it is 
 now six o'clock at night and by your time I judge it to be 
 about twenty minutes to twelve. I am now about 3770 miles 
 from you, if yon look into your map you \\\\\ sec (he river that 
 runs between Nelson and Trafalgar, I live just on the left 
 band side of the creek. On our arrival at i'rince Edward's 
 Island the captain, Mallett and his wife, and Harriot, and I 
 spent a day with Mr. S. Aldrich, late of Laxfield, who came 
 there last year, he has 200 acres of land and a nice situation, 
 she does not like it, but he seems very comfortable. I saw 
 Mr. Seaman but did not go to his house, he bought 300 acres 
 
 A 2 
 
)i|' IiiihI, iiimI ii ^oii ii;;lil iiilo llic liiuk. I tiMv :i );r<'iil iitini- 
 lirr of nitl i-iiiiiiliiKiii(-*'s lliiil I new. | <lii nol liki' llu* inland 
 .M» w«'ll Its I likt' l'|i)ifr I'liiiudii, iind I Mill give my r<'asoii<« — 
 llic l'rM>| \\9ii iKti out of |Ih> ground on tlit* *iOth of Muy, tiiid 
 lu'i'c llicy wore ;d)lr lo |)loii}>li llirir land in liic liPKinninK of 
 Murcli, line I|m> uliral uill sitand Hip winter, there it will not, 
 so \oii cannot have any winlrr siinic '^rowinu; ; ovrry lliinK nuiHl 
 Im' done in tlie spring or siininier for tliey t\o nolliin;^ in the 
 winter but chop wood and set over the fire; here we have 
 sprina;, summer, anlnnin, and the InhuliilantH tell nic the 
 wilder lie^ins in Noveinlier and sonietimet in Oelolier and h»t 
 till I'Vhruary. I am altonl Mi) mile<t of Qiiehee, UitO al>o\e 
 Montreal, :t6 abv * ork, and 4A of Liike Ontario. On onr 
 arrival at Qnehec we where withont tea, !«n|r'..r, eliee.te, butler, 
 and many other thin|{M, and we where not allowed to laiui for 
 three d)i\*> on aeconnt of cholera llein^ so bad, we f;ot on 
 boar<l llie ''leam-buat as quick as possible uinl where two ni^lil'* 
 coming np to Montreal, which cu!«t two dollars a head an<l half 
 price for childien, lii|;gaf;e they do imt charee for, the boat 
 had tUHt passenKcri. on board ; we where the first, so that <Mir 
 \liip'!) company uot into the forr cabin, I would advise every 
 one to be first if possible, for it is very bud lo lay down on 
 the decks as y<ni can, as several hundreds had lo <lo when we 
 landed at Montreal, the liip;(i;age cost ns IO.v. a load porlerHgv, 
 we lodijeil at a Tavern as they called it, and pai<i -Is. 6d. a 
 niuht for laying on our own beds, the landbird beinj; a SuflTolk 
 man we thought he was loo hard with us, it was a Mr. Retts, 
 formerly a paper- maker of Bungay very much reduced ; if be 
 meets with much custom, he will soon mend his situation. 
 Montreal is a fine town ; Mr. E. Mills, who was cabinet-maker 
 al llaleswortli, is settled there; the cholera morbus was very 
 bad when I was there, which detained many, that it threw such 
 an abundance of labour into the market, that there was no 
 work Ilk be got, and the boatmen bad run away and left their 
 boats, so we had no means of going on, only by land, so we 
 travelled by land tu Prescot, from there to York by steam, and 
 thank God all land safe and well there — stopped a week — met 
 John Rose, who is working in York from the first week be 
 arrived, but I could not meet witii any, I hired fire acres of 
 land, and was going to get a cow, for money began to grow 
 
 shiirl, 
 penter 
 lo leav 
 cwt. oi 
 came u 
 'I'oionl 
 itfler t 
 caiiii- 
 got, eil 
 Journe; 
 
 1 Ay/e, I 
 j no of 
 <l me to ! 
 build it 
 extra, :i 
 dren ar 
 find ver 
 do bill I 
 I lie liii;! 
 >oiir wii 
 loriliiig 
 are very 
 am very 
 for any 
 dreds ui 
 where 1 1 
 as I tliii 
 Tailiiriii 
 baskel-i 
 osiers w 
 o'ier, si 
 but till 
 them, 
 more ci 
 I have I 
 full, am 
 asked fi 
 have l«> 
 i.'iirr ail 
 
very 
 
 Nliitrl, liviiii; iillf, bill fotlunc i^lcppcil in, I ifol » jol> of cur- 
 IKMileriii;;, lint liail no loiiU, fur my liPiivy liiu;:;'.)};!.' Wiis rorccil 
 to li'iive to ionio l»y ||i(> Onrliiini lionls wliicli root Iv. tul. \u'\ 
 cwt. or 4I.V. (I//. Ilie hulk, ho I wiis ilon«< ; tlnii I'^tinc rorlniii' 
 (iiiiic U|) iiijiiiii, ;i MDin I'vll I'roiii a liiiililinu, in ii |ilii«'f i-iillril 
 TkioiiIo mill JMoki* liio rilii, <io I Ifll into a jolt lor llirn' wciki, 
 after lliut M>t oil' on Iruiiip, anii Malki'd lo liaiiiilloii, ^ot work, 
 ctfiiK- lioini* iiy DunilatH and lic^nl ol'tliio job, that I bav«> now 
 ;>ol, oillicr a Kolii chain or a wooilni !«<<;, oayi'ii I to iiiy.M'ir, no 
 Journey-work, if I lan be my own mu'-tcr. I hail hfaiii llii* 
 |iri('i' llial llir Yankiro wantiil to biiijil .) Iioiim' for a Mr. 
 Ay/r, hilcly iVoni Kiii:laiiil, who boii<>lit '2iW ai;r(>.> oC {^ood land 
 ll(t of it clrauMl for 2'iOll dollaiK, I brnii; Kii^iioh hi' pirfcrrd 
 nil- to hnild him a Ihmim', and I to cut the limber of U\•^ land lo 
 build it with, and ho gave me 7(10 dollars, and he to pay all 
 Fxlra, and it iii all a cash job, no truck in trade, the chil- 
 dren are well, and have jjleaned six biisliels of wheat, which I 
 find very handy; they are a slovenly set of fanners here, if they 
 do bill uiow as much as they want that is all they care alioul ; 
 llie hiijher you couie up this way Ihe belter yon are paid for 
 your work; carpenters ;;et tv. or .'i,«. per day, and board ac- 
 (ordiiii; to Ihrir abilities ; bricklayers, plasterers, and masinis 
 ■lie very niucli wauled, and you cannot g;t>| them for money. I 
 am very well satisfied with what I have neen alioiit the country, 
 for any man may live that will woik and look for it. Iliiii- 
 dreds are retiirnini;, and number. Inneqiven over and set down 
 wlier«- they land ; I have been \ery fortunate in <;eltini: this job, 
 as I think lean lay opal least *J00 dollars, and li\e well too. 
 Taitonn!{ is a i>ood trade here and lind plenty of woik; a 
 baskel-inaker nii^ht make a fortune, but he must briii^ W\-, 
 osiers with him and plnit them, for I have seen only the Ridden 
 o»ier, such as <>row in gardens here. Tin work is very hi;:h, 
 hut till is cheap ; copper ^oods yon see none, nor one lo make 
 them. IMease <>ive my love to all frieiiiN, and tell them I am 
 more comforh.ble and live better than I have done ev< r .since 
 I have been at honsekeepin;;, for my family iret their bellies 
 full, and I can cairy a dollar in my pocket, wilhoiil beiii;; 
 iisked for it for poor-rates ; and no fear of being sunimoiied and 
 have lo pay i:)v. expeiices, Ac. am! can live here as well as 
 <.'arr and Wrii^ht ol llalesworth, with all their places, t>ivc my 
 
6 
 
 resp( t Is tn Harr^ IIopsoii, uiid tell him I will write to him as 
 suon -as I have seen more of the country, so that I can give a 
 further description of it, this far I can say, I rejoi'-e in my 
 enterprize, as 1 hope my family will have reason to be thankful, 
 if they will do well they may ; there were several came as high 
 ns Montreal and \ork; but do not move half a yard from 
 the wharfe where they land, and know as much of Canada as if 
 they stopped at Coruwell or Yarmouth, in England. There 
 was a collar-maker from Metfield and a blacksmith from that 
 way that came out with me to Montreal — stayed two days and 
 returne<l to England again ; whoever comes must expect to put 
 up with a deal of trouble in their Journey, but are sure to 
 get rewarded by a steady perseverance, any one that is coming 
 out 1 chilli be glad lo see them ; since I began this letter 1 have 
 two more houses to build, but not so large or good a job as 
 the drist. I have heard many a one exclaim against this country 
 already, who are much disappointed, who expected to find the 
 country better, but I find it better than I expected, so there is 
 the difference. I met with a good deal of trouble at tir«>t, but 
 1 trust 1 soon shall be rewarded for my exertions ; Englishmen 
 arc wanted every where you go. Wheat is now 4s. Gd. per 
 bushel ; ffour los. per cwt. Please give love to father, 
 mother, brothers, and sisters, and respects to all friends, and we 
 remain, although absent, 
 
 X Yours ever, with respect and love, 
 (Signed) VVr4. I'eacock. 
 
 Extract of a Letter from JoilN CuiPPERFiKLU, of 
 York, Upper Canada, directed to hh father John 
 CiiiPPERFiELU, Tailor, &c. Linstead Perva, near 
 Halesworth, Suffolk. 
 
 York, Upper Canada, 
 Sept. 16, 1832. 
 This is a tine country as ever a man set his foot on, for here 
 is work to do for industrious people ; I will not say for all at 
 the time they arrive here, for they come by hundreds and thou- 
 sands, and let any reasonable man consider whether they must 
 not look out for themselves, and get as much intormation from 
 
to him as 
 can give a 
 [)M;e ill my 
 le thankful, 
 m« as high 
 
 yard from 
 laiiada as if 
 id. There 
 
 from that 
 days and 
 pect to put 
 ire sure to 
 t is coniing 
 !tter I have 
 d a job as 
 his country 
 to find the 
 so there is 
 it fir!)t, but 
 iliii;lishmeii 
 4s. Od. per 
 
 to father, 
 ids, and we 
 
 EACOCK. 
 
 PIKLU, of 
 
 her John 
 rva, near 
 
 Canada, 
 1832. 
 
 m, for here 
 ly fur all at 
 t and thou- 
 ' they must 
 lation from 
 
 such people as seem to take an interest hi their wellfare. I un- 
 derstand there are numbers of emigrants gone back from 
 Quebec to England, and I am not surprised at some for so 
 doing, as they came at a tiaie of sickness in Quebec ; but they 
 must not say much of things here, for it is impossible for any 
 man, if he returns directly, to know any thing of the country : 
 many are dissatisfied the first year, would give any tiling 
 if they were in England, but afler that they would much rather 
 live in America, and so say I, for England is nothing to me ex- 
 cept for my friends that live therein, for I am as much at home 
 as if I was in England ; and yet I will not persuade any of you 
 to come here — let them lake their own way from what they see 
 and here and not think too highly of the country, for that is 
 what unsettle them aAer they get here. I have seen Mr. Lane 
 of Yarmouth : he do not live in York ; but be tells me he 
 would not live in England for there is nothing but a bad pros- 
 pect, and here is something that man, if he has but a little mo- 
 ney, he may do with it to advantage. He have had a deal of 
 travelling — a great deal so if he lives to come to Yarmouth 
 you may here with satisfaction. So no more from me now ex- 
 cept direct to iiie at Mr. Marchison, Taylor, Upper Canada, 
 Irom 
 
 Your dutiful son, 
 (Signed) John Ohipperfield.' 
 
 Extract of Letters from RoBBRT Alling, Esq. late 
 Surgeon of Laxjield, in Suffolk, who emigrated to 
 Guelph, Upper Canada, in June, 1832, dated October 
 8, 1832. 
 
 All kinds of property are fast rising in value here: the prices 
 of the lots of land rise every year. 1 and a friend saved 100 
 dollars by paying for our lots in England, in December last, as 
 the market price has risen so much in the January following. 
 Thus our two £10 town lots and £5 were in pocket. At York, 
 as much as £80 a year is paid as ground rent for enough laud 
 to erect a large house on ; this land now is worth as much as 
 land in London whs a few years since, £10 per acre. At the 
 little town of Hamilton, which sprung up a short time since, as 
 towns do in .\nierica, building lots are freely selling at from 
 
8 
 
 £200 to £a0O that were bouglit for £7 as maiijf years since. 
 A log-house here that cost £30, and the lot on which it was 
 built cost £10, 1 have seen sold for £95. Here are plenty of 
 building lots to sell, but as American towns have immensely 
 wide streets and very large squares reserved, and as lots are 
 very large in themselves, the towns spread over an immense 
 apace; thus you will see that it is those lots that happen to 
 ^■<«nd nearest the middle of the new town that sell high. As 
 buildings progress other remote lots come into value. There 
 is a lot near, with no building on it, which the owner asks 
 £130 for. I have seen lots taken up in May last for £10 sell 
 to emigrants just now arrived up for £30. Lands for farming, 
 adjoining this town, are up to £3 and £4 pvr acre, bought 
 five years since for Is. 6d. Housies, more than twice the 
 number now built, all over Upper Canada wanting and rent 
 high. At York, more than three hundred are building of one 
 kind or other ; at Hamilton, three beautiful houses are now 
 erecting. There are in York furnaces that will cast a piece of 
 iron work of two tons weight. In York, the buildings are far 
 superior to what I expected, and a noble church and market are 
 now building, and shops are far superior to what I expected : 
 three steam engines are employed in factories at York, and they 
 are made in York. In the towns you have much the same 
 sights, society, comforts, &c. as in England, but there property 
 is high and more competition in trade. In new places all i» 
 very wild and rough — log-houses ; yet vast improvements are 
 here taking place yearly, and properly that grows fast into 
 value may be had for little money. Protils in trade are better; 
 and as more settlers come in, and plant themselves for miles 
 around you, you cannot err in opening a >tore of any kind of 
 trade, b2sides here are no long-established interests to contend 
 with. We much want capital here, and more trades in various 
 lines. A Scotch church, also an Irish, have been built, and an 
 English churcli goes up next spring. All kinds of builders are 
 much wanted : brick-kiln and lime-kiln wanted : all h bustle 
 in America, and you cannot get a job done but by favour. If 
 you want leather, or a shoe-maker, trees for planting, wood at 
 saw-mills, a table, chairs, &c. &c. &c. you must order or be- 
 s|)eak them for months before you can get them. All k rough 
 in Guelph, and the stumps of trees arc around you every where; 
 
 ..r-^ 
 
9 
 
 but ill the log-houses here, live respecltibic trudesmeii doing 
 well ; and as houses, finer}', and appearances in England belie 
 the actual circumstances of the people, so the same is the case 
 here only in the other way ; appearances and pritie in houses, 
 dress, &c. is out of the question, as Jack is as respectable as 
 his master, to a certain extent only, for conduct, talent, pro- 
 perty, &v. give full weight to its possessor. 
 
 We have as good society here as any man wants. Several 
 well-educated gentlemen and officers settled on farms all around 
 us. Money here is plentiful ; as to barter it is nearly done 
 with. Venison for shooting it : I have plenty of deer upon my 
 own farm, but the Indians will bring them into Guelph at three 
 coppers per pound, and cheap and most excellent food it is. 
 Recollect farthings go for as much as pennies here, and are 
 called coppers, and of equal value. Guelpli is beconiing, and 
 must be, a kind of market-town to old settled townships for 
 twelve or fifteen miles around, for there are such settled 
 places around doing well. Guelph was a large block of Crown 
 Reserve, in the niid»t of a peopled district; few persons, per- 
 haps, at first coming in, like it, but a short time removes all 
 this. We have a river much the size of yours* winding round 
 the town ; we stand well for a healthy town, nnd are blessed 
 with springs of excellent water : a well sunk to twelve feet 
 finds good water. Trees grow every where, and so close as to 
 run up to immense heights, consequently they are of small 
 tops and roots ; the orchards on cleared and old settled farms 
 are delightful to behold, as to the shape, luxuriance, and 
 beauty of the trees ; and as for the fruit, I daro not say how 
 thick the apples hang. Already a good market for all produce 
 of farms want at least 200 labourers here alone; all these 
 would become farmers, and I think much too soon, they only 
 embarrass themselves the first year; having a house and other 
 places to build, and then to maintain themselves till harvest ; 
 wages are high ; food low. Upper Canada far superior for 
 workmen and labourers (agricultural) to Lower Canada; many 
 hundreds reach Quebec and Montreal, where the French live, 
 wiio hate the English, imd there the emigrants, hearing all man- 
 ner <tf lies and misrepresentations of Upper Canada, ^o back,, 
 and, after all, know no more of America, and of this province 
 
 * Mr. A. writes (u a Bungay frk-iid, tlietcfurc iiicmiis (Iio U'avciii-v. 
 
 ESI 
 
10 
 
 ill pnrlicular, than a man should of Siiifulk or Soiithwold by 
 landing at Liverpool or London ; the delay and expense prevent 
 many reaching here. The machinery of American milU is 
 astonishingly adapted In save labour ; no lifting; all done, from 
 beginning to end, by machinery. 
 
 8th November, \83*i. 
 The Yankees (or old Canadians) are a dilatory, indolent set, 
 and do not live in a very civilized manner; they just provide for 
 their wants from day to day, and never think of adopting a 
 systematic line of provident conduct ; they are fast being sup- 
 planted by English emigrants, who will give an entire new tone 
 to the trade and society of the Canadas, for great deference is 
 paid to Europeans. I have just purchased one of the best 
 situations in the market-place; and although I give a high 
 price, it is believed by all my friends here that I have made a 
 lucky hit. I am to give I'iOO dollars for the premises, but its 
 cumnianding situation has already added so much to its value 
 that a building-plot of a quarter of an acre, belonging to it, 
 and which cost only £5 four years ago, has had £120 offered 
 fur it since. This properly, a few years hence, will be a pretty 
 thing fur my children, as Guelph is daily becoming an improved 
 situation for trade. We are fast selling the goods we brought 
 out, and yet have not opened shop, nor do one in tifly know 
 what I have to sell, nur indeed that 1 am here. We have a very 
 good and widely-extended district around us, where there are 
 no towns or villages. You would think, on entering our town 
 of stumps and log-houses, that not one-huudredth part of the 
 business is doing here that is done. More than ten houses 
 would have been built, in addition to those up this season, if 
 good master-carpenters had been here. We have tried two 
 months to get my son Horace's shoes mended, and cannot suc- 
 ceed, for such is the want of shoe-makers. An ironmongery 
 co.^cern would do well, if a mau could add to it working in 
 metals generally ; also, gun repairing, &c. &c. We now find 
 ourselves quite at home, have several calls every day from our 
 neighbours,' and on the 5th instant was our fair-day, the second 
 attempt here to establish one, a thing unknown in Cmiada, but 
 will succeed here adet a time, and be highly profitable to 
 trade. In the evening wc had a tea-and-$u|iper-parly. This 
 
 
 
II 
 
 place is 600 miles from Montreal, but we tliiiik iiolliiiig of a 
 604) mile trip by our good steamers. Provisions are cbeap ; 
 chickens, ^d. each ; geese, 2s. Qd. ; venison, delicious, at three 
 coppers per lb. ; pork, Sjt/. perlb. ; beef and mutton, 2 Jc/. to 
 3J(/. per lb. We have no pence, half-pence, or farthings, all 
 are called coppers, and of equal value. It is necessary to lie 
 cautious when you are paying for any thing to ask if they nx-an 
 a shilling York or a shilling currency, as the Stales at New 
 York shilling goes eight to the dollar, and is ti^d. ; the cur- 
 rency shilling is only five to the dollar ; an article bought is so 
 many coppers, or a York sixpence is 3^d. ; a York shilling is 
 Ihd.; a quarter of a dollar Is. Sd. and so on; all these we 
 have up to dollars in silver. We have, besides silver, a good 
 paper-currency of the Banks of Montreal and York, from one 
 dollar up to two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, and on to a 
 thousand dollars, these notes and our silver furnish us with an 
 abundant circulating medium, and we have little or no barter 
 here. A new resp«.-ctable inn is about to be o|)ened with a ball 
 in a few days, when all the fashion and beauty of this town of 
 stumps will attend. We have a very respectable list of most 
 intelligent settlers near and around this district, very far su- 
 perior (O any I ever had at Laxfield. I most heartily and cor- 
 dially wish 1 had been here long since, and have no d(»ubt I 
 could have don>* here more for my family in seven years than I 
 did in eighteen at Laxfield, for there property in building got-s 
 down half what it cost, here it rises yearly; here you may be 
 respectable with a deal (able only, and do allkiudi of business; 
 thfre (viz. in England,) you must be confined to one occupa- 
 tion, and spend all you earn to keep up appearances. The 
 weather is beautifully fine up to now. I have just purchased 
 another town-lot ; so I have now two ten-pound building-lots, 
 besides the premises mentioned herein. Town-lots in good 
 ('nations are going up ; I am bid fifteen pounds for one of 
 mine by some new settler, but shall hold it a little longer at 
 any rate. 
 
 Guelph, U. C. Nov. 30, 1832. 
 Dear Parents, — Some time has elapsed since I left yoM 
 parental roof to cross the mighty ocean to this foreign country; 
 
12 
 
 I have no doubt iitil you liavi> felt ycursvlves soniewliHl (iisap- 
 poiiited that I have not written yuu hrfore, as it was your 
 request I shcuihi iniuiediately on my arrival a\ Quel>rc; the 
 roaiion I did not was, we were none of us allowed to ^o on 
 shore, except Mr. Allin<; and two more gentlemen, who went 
 with our captain, and when Mr. Ailing; returned, he informed 
 nie he had seen a captain of a London ship, which siuIhI the 
 next day, and he had ^iven him a letter, directed to Mr. (>. 
 Baker, of Bungay, which letter he assured me would, on its 
 urrii'al, immedialely be forwarded to you. I then poslpoiied 
 writin<; until I was settled, which I have now the pleasure of 
 iutorminn; you I uni, a:id with fur mure superior prospects 
 before me than I ever ha«l or ever could have expecletl in my 
 own native country (Old England); there I never could, as n 
 Jouriu*yman miller, expect to rise but very little above pauper- 
 i>m : this I could never have borne, for my spirit was loo high 
 to have submitted to it. However un|)leasant this step did 
 appear to yourselves and me, I was resolved to cross the 
 Atlantic, which is not very pleasant to the feelings nf parents 
 to part with a son to be separated so many thousands of miles 
 from each other ; this trial has proved successful. Here I have 
 a prospect of becoming independent. This country, from the 
 commencement of the River St. Lawrence, puts on a most <le- 
 lightful and grand appearance, and continues so through all 
 parts of it which I have travelled, and I should have enjoyed it 
 much mure, had it nut been for the cholera, which was making 
 dreadful havoc. The whole «>f the way up, through l.'iis cala- 
 mity, I travelled for upwards of 500 mile?; thit ma<le the rt)Ute 
 unpleasant ; small villages, through which I had to pass, in 
 in which there seemed but here and there a slra;;gling liou>e, 
 this disease was slaying from six to twelve each day : many 
 who arose well in the morning, and went to pursue their thily 
 employ, became its victims before the sun had set, aiul their 
 bodies interred in the silent grave; this was truly alarming; and 
 1 often wished myself back to the parental roof of a lender 
 father and atTectionate mother ; nor could I tell hut i should 
 be the next that God would summon to his bar of judgement. 
 America has sutlered more by cholera than any of the other 
 four quarters of the world. I learn from our newspapers that 
 this disease has visited England again with far more ferocious 
 
13 
 
 «<t!Vuls lliuii lH>rori>. TLroupli all llio (liftVreiit towiislii|>H I 
 pHHsed ill inj way up llie couiilry, I {jivf llie pn'ft'reiitp Co 
 (jiielpli; llie oliiiiatc apooars more like that at linmc ; it is 
 peopled with our own country people principally, and what fi^w 
 Irish are here, are nelliiig oft' their farms, and inuviii{; further 
 up the country. This township is very healthy, and well sup- 
 plied with !>priiij|;s in almost all parts of it. The o,:'. settlers 
 infiirm us they experienced no sickness until the emigrants 
 came up this season. Here is u comfortable little village, 
 nearly as large as Laxfield-Street ; more respectable society 
 than in it or its neighbourhood ; more inhabitants and more 
 public inns, two of which are conducted in quite as fashionable 
 a stile as any in llalesworth, and about four times the business 
 carrying uii in almost every line. A very tine water-mill, which 
 drives three run of stones; and this place was, five years since, 
 inhabited by bears and wolves. All business goes on with a 
 great degree of spirit, as property increases in value more and 
 more every day. Here have been four new houses erected 
 since I have been here ; it seems almost incredible, excepting 
 to those who have seen new townships arise so fast as they do. 
 The Guelph mill I am superintending the business of for the 
 Canada Company. I have here a mf .1 to work with me, who 
 has to do what I think proper in the mill to set him about. In 
 his stead, I wish I had my dear brother Anthony, for he is 
 quite as good a miller; and I have no doubt, if he was here, 
 this situation, with the assistance of Mr. A. (who stands very 
 high in favour of the Commissioners,) might be obtained for 
 him; the wages are 24 dollars per month, which is £0 cur- 
 rency, and would be much more comfortable for me. I am, at 
 present, receiving no more than £Gper month, but I have every 
 reason to believe my wages will be raised to at least £100 
 a-year, for the Company's Agent here is so well satisfied with 
 my method of conducting the business (he has said so to Mr. A. 
 and myself); it is far preferable to any they ever had: he also 
 assured me that, while the Company hold the mill, I need not 
 fear of ever losing the situation. I have intrusted to my care 
 the keeping of all the books, receiving of money for flour, &c. 
 sold out of the mill, and the buying of all the wheat. Our 
 way of doing business is, for all the grist we grind, which is 
 about 150 coombs per week, (and all is brought to the mill by 
 
\ 
 
 \4 
 
 tlio owners, ami many of lliom conie from luclvo to (iri«>«'n 
 miles,) we lake every Iwelflli, which amounts to aliout foity 
 linshels. All the ilour we have time to make sAh by rcluil 
 very readily for money at 3 dollars per cwt. ; brun, r> York 
 shillings per cwt. which is 'J«. 1}</. currency; and our mid- 
 dlings 10«. York, which is tit. iHi. currency; fur our wheat we 
 buy we give 7s. York, Mhicli is 4«. 4|</. currency ; for grindiuK 
 grist, we earn from €10 to £12 per week. The Company had 
 offered the mill for sale ; but since 1 have been here, she has 
 answered their purpose so well they have declined selling' her. 
 This situation was procured for me by Mr. Ailing, whose kind- 
 ness towards me has been more than either myself or you could 
 have expected ; he, as soon as he came to Guelph, made inquiry 
 respecting the mill, and found there was a probability of gel- 
 ting; the situation for me, he immediately wrote the commissio- 
 ners at York, and staled he had with him a younc man, a 
 miller, and he would, if they put him in a place of trust, be 
 bound for him to the utmost farthing of his property, for there 
 had been several applications for the situation. Amongst thoM* 
 who had applied was a Mr. Samuel Wright, but the commi!*- 
 sioners wrote their agent in this place and requested him, if 
 the siioalion was vacant, to employ me, for they had no one 
 recommended so strongly us 1 was by Mr. Ailing, for whose 
 kindness towards me 1 am truly thankful. As soon as he had 
 procured this situation for mc, he offered me to live willi him 
 if I pleased, which I accepted. It is about five minutes' walk 
 from the mill, which is very pleasant as well as comfortable, 
 for here I have an opportunity of being introduced to all the 
 respectables of this place, as Mr. A. stands on equality with 
 them all. By this, one gentleman, of considerable property, 
 who has bought the Priory, one of the first and principal 
 buildings in the place, he has also purchased land to the 
 amount of from four to five thousand pounds, he intends to 
 build a mill, and has applied to me to give him directions 
 respecting the building of it ; he also intends to build a saw- 
 mill, and he, not knowing anything of it himself, wanl!« nome 
 confidential person to superintend the business for him ; he 
 has applied to me, for Mr. A. iuformed him of the way he 
 recommended me to the company. It is the constant !>tudy of 
 Mr. A. to serve mc in every way ; he possibly can do no more 
 
15 
 
 were 1 hi^ own rliild. f »in sorry to tliiiik Willium Hid not 
 cnnie out willi me, for lie has had il in his power lo serve liim 
 ill li.e same \\»y he lias mc. Prny keep Anthony to the niilliii|]; 
 business, and ^et him us forward as you possibly eaii, for by 
 that in this country he may do well. I have made every pos- 
 sible inquiry respecting farming, which I have the most con- 
 venient opportunity of doing, as I before stated ; we grind for 
 the settlers from ten to fifteen miles in each direction ; many 
 of them told me, when they reached this country, they had 
 not a cent to help themselves ; for the first year or two they 
 were very much tried ; I mean those who took up land for 
 themselves ; they endured many hardships, more than many of 
 your paupers ever did ; for how should it be otherwise ; to 
 msitintuin their families they had to work for other people, 
 which they did as little us they possibly could ; but in two years 
 they had surmounted all their ditiicullies, and, by their gradual 
 increase of produce, in a few years become totally independent : 
 but the man who brings with him a fVw pounds avoids all these 
 difficulties : this is not the information of one man only but of 
 nine-tenths of them. I now and then find one who is dissatis- 
 fied with this country, but on inquiring into his character he is 
 the indolent man ; he is dissatisfied with the country because he 
 cannot live without doing any work; he expected to have found 
 this to be the case. Such an idea as this none but the indolent 
 man will harbour. I shall draw this conclusion, that if a man 
 iu this country is careful and ind'ntrious, have a farm of his 
 own, with a sutKcient portion of it cleared, and a sufKcient 
 quantity of stock, &c. he is totally independent of all men. 
 I was no longer ago than yesterday talking with a farmer who 
 came to this country only one year since ; he bus some pro- 
 perty ; he chopped twenty acres, planted twelve with wheat, 
 its produce was 400 bushels, which he sold at one dollar per 
 bushel ; this he admitted paid him for the land, the chopping 
 of it, and all other expenses, and then h^ had money to spare : 
 yet some will tell you there is nothing to be got by farming 
 here ; what can a man wish for more than his first crop to pay 
 for his land and the clearing of it. Barley here sells at half a 
 dollar per bushel, rye 3s. oats 2s. wheat bs. Indian corn 2s. 6d. 
 peas 2«. Gd. to 3s. 6d. butter lOd. per lb. cheese of the com- 
 monest kind 7|</. per lb. In this country you may do well : 
 
11 I 
 
 10 
 
 I shall lulvisc \ou b) all mcHiis lu come out next Spring, ns llir 
 pro!t)M>i'ts for yo» here are leii to one above what lliey are in 
 the old country ; it is quite evident to me yon will have i)o 
 reason to repent vour coming, which will be quite ditt'erent to 
 what it was to us, Cor you will have a friend's house to come 
 to. I have purchased a lot of good land ; I intend to clear 
 four or six acres at least in this year, and if you write you are 
 coming we will have a house built on it for you. 1 again say, 
 by all means come, but I must now leave you to please your- 
 selves ; I have already earned £20 of the Canada Company. 
 If you come out next Spring bring as little luggage as possible, 
 as yon will 6nd the money more useful : bring at least four 
 bushels of the best barley, as we have but very little here that 
 is good ; also three or four sacks of good grass seed, all your 
 cooking utensils, a little shoe-leather, and a good stock of 
 flannels and clothes, us they are much superior quality to those 
 you get here, and much cheaper. Bring me one dozen of mill- 
 bills and some carpenters' tools. My paper is full, and what 
 I have forgotten you have learned from Mr. A.'s letter. Re- 
 member me most affertionately to all my old friends, I shall 
 not mention any one in particular for fear of showing partiality 
 on the one hand and neg!ect on the other. My kindest love to 
 my brothers and sisters, and believe me to remain, 
 
 Dear parents. 
 
 Your aflfectionate and dutiful son, 
 
 (Signed) ROBERT FISHER. 
 
 lONnON' 
 PRINTED BY WILIAM MARCHANT, 
 
 Iiigrnm- court, 
 
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 trreiit (» 
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 lossible, 
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 irtiality 
 love to 
 
 ER. 
 
 I