Lanark County Genealogical Society : Smith's Canadian Gazetteer, 1846

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SMITH'S 1846 CANADIAN GAZETTEER : PREFACE

In compiling this, the first Gazetteer of Canada West, I was induced to undertake the task by the great ingorance which I found to exist respecting the Province, not only amongst persons in Great Britain, or newly-arrived emigrants, but even amongst many of those who had been for years resident in the country; and from ascertaining that the various, contradictory, and occasionaly false accounts given to emigrants on their arrival, respecting distant localities, frequently led them to alter their original intentions respecting their destination; and often induced them to leave the Province altogether, and settle in the United States. This I found to be the case myself, on my arrival in Canada, when I was told that I should find the western borders of the Province a complete wilderness -- that on the River St. Clair, for instance, there was a marked difference between the appearance of the country on the American and on the British side -- that on the former all was bustle and activity, fine farms and flourishing orchards; while on the Canadian side nothing was to be seen but uncleared forest -- and that the Western District was very sickly. In travelling by stage, during the winter of 1844, from London to Chatham, one of my fellow passengers, who had been for some years in the Province, told me that he was going to Chatham, from whence he intended to cross over the river to Detroit; and he was astonished when informed, that to reach Detroit, he would have to travel fifty miles farther! Again, during the last year, I remember seeing amongst the articles in the newspapers respecting the western railroads, Windsor and Sandwich spoken of as being on the River St. Clair! Respecting the natural productions and capabilities of the Province, I have found also quite as much misinformation. Many persons, for instance, have been quite suprised to hear that marble was plentiful in the Province; and one individual told me, as a very great secret, that he had made what he considered a most valuable discovery, that in the course of his explorations about Lake Huron and the Georgian Bay, he had discovered a quarry of white marble, but he thought the secret so valuable that he would not tell the situation in which he found it. To collect materials for the first Gazetteer of any country, (which in itself implies that it is a Gazetteer of a new country,) may truly be called "the pursuit of knowledge under difficulties;" which may be supposed to be the reason that although it is now three hundred years since the first settlement was made in Canada, no one has hitherto had sufficient resolution to undertake and carry through the task. These difficulties arise principally from the obstructions and inconveniences of travelling in remote places, and from the difficulty in many localities of collecting authentic information. The latter difficulty is caused not so much by the unwillingness of parties to give what information they possess as from apathy on the subject; and I have found the most trouble in gaining information from those places that were lagging in the back ground -- the inhabitants appearing to view me as one who had come "to spy the nakedness of the land;" and being unwilling to have themselves and their neighbourhoods dragged before the public. And in all such instances there appeared to be a great want of spirit and enterprise amongst them. In all those places, on the contrary, where the inhabitants were industrious, enterprising, and desirous of seeing their particular locality prosper, I have had no difficulty in arriving at any information I required. From those government and district officers, to whom I have found it neccessary, in the course of my inquiries, to apply for information, I have invariably received all the assistance in their power, (with two or three exceptions only; one of these refused me the information I required, on the ground that "he was not obliged to give information to every one who asked for it." On mentioning his conduct to some of his townsmen, the reply I received was, "you should have shown him a shilling, and he would have given you the information soon enough." Another had the conscience to refuse me a list of the qualified magistrates in his district, unless I paid him a quarter of a dollar for each name! (153 in number); and I was consequently obliged to procure the list from the Secretary's Office, at Montreal,) and I take this opportunity of returning to them my best thanks for their kindness and courtesy. In collecting together such a mass of information, extending over so great a surface of the country, (and which information it was also necessary to condense as much as possible), it is not unlikely that some few inaccuracies may have crept in; but I believe the work will be generally allowed to be as correct as it was possible for a work of the kind to be made. Some two or three places of small consequence have been necessarily omitted, as Merrickville, on the Rideau Canal, which I passed through in the night; and Bath, on the St. Lawrence, which, on account of the badness of the weather, I was unable to visit. I wrote to the postmaster of the latter place, (as the most public man in a village), requesting him to favour me with the statistics of the village; but he had not the politeness to answer my letter. In the prosecution of my object, I have spared neither trouble, expense, nor personal fatigue; and, in the course of my travels, I have walked over more than three thousand miles of ground, through both the heats of summer and the snows of winter; and having completed my labours, like a mariner starting on a voyage of discovery, I launch my bark upon the waters, trusting to the winds and waves of public opinion to waft it safely into port, -- (put the profits into his pocket he means.--Print. Dev.), -- with the confident expectation that my exertions to make the Province better known and appreciated, will be supported as they should be, by all who must neccessarily, directly or indirectly, benefit by my researches.
THE AUTHOR.


C A N A D A ;
ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT AND EARLY HISTORY, CLIMATE AND PRODUCTIONS.

First settlement of Canada; first Cartier expedition.

The first settlement made by Europeans in Canada, was in 1535, by Jacques Cartier, a French navigator, who sailed up the river of Canada, (which he named the St. Lawrence), as far as the island of Montreal, where he found a settlement of Huron Indians, called Hochelaga, to which island he gave the name of Mont Royale, (afterwards called Montreal). He took possession of the territory, which he called New France -- built a fort -- and wintered in the country. On this expedition he carried off a chief of the natives, and conveyed him to France, where he lived about four years, was converted to Christianity, and died there.

Second and third French expeditions.

In 1540, an expedition, consisting of five ships, under the command of Cartier, was fitted out by command of François de la Roque, Lord of Roberval, who had been appointed Viceroy of Canada by the King of France; and who himself intended to follow with two additional ships. His departure, however, was postponed till the year 1542. When he arrived in Canada, he built a fort, and wintered about four leagues above the island of Orleans. In 1549, the same nobleman, accompanied by his brother, and a numerous train of adventurers, again embarked for Canada; but they were never afterwards heard of, which so discouraged the government and people of France, that for more than 30 years no further measures were taken to communicate with the settlers who remained in Canada.

English expeditions under Martin Frobisher.

In 1576, Martin Frobisher was sent out by Queen Elizabeth, with three small ships, and discovered Elizabeth Foreland, and the straights which still bear his name. He entered a bay in north latitude 63°, and carried off one of the natives. In this voyage he discovered what he supposed to be gold, which encouraged a society of adventurers to send him out the following year, with three other ships, to explore the coast of Labrador and Greenland, with an ultimate view of discovering a passage to India; but he returned without success. He brought away with him nearly 200 tons of the ore supposed to be gold; which however, to their disappointment, turned out to be some other mineral. In 1578, he sailed again for the continent of North America, with no less than 15 ships, in search of gold; and carried home immense quantities of the same glittering substance, to the complete ruin of many of the adventurers.

French trade renewed; founding of Quebec by Champlain.

In 1581, the French trade to Canada was renewed, after an interruption of more than 30 years; and in 1583, three ships were employed in the trade to the continents.

In 1598, the Marquis de la Roche received a commission from Henry the Fourth, of France, to conquer Canada; but returned without doing anything of consequence; and shortly afterwards died of vexation. On the death of La Roche, his patent was renewed in favour of M. De Chauvin, who made a voyage up the St. Lawrence, as far as Tadousac; where he left some of his people, and returned with a freight of furs. The following year he sailed again, and proceeded as far as Trois Rivières. In 1603, Pierre du Gast, a gentleman of the bed-chamber to the same king, received a patent, constituting him Lieutenant General of the American territory, from the 40th to the 46th degrees of north latitude, with power to colonise it, and subdue and convert the natives to Christianity. In 1608, Champlain was sent out with three ships for the purpose of making a permanent settlement; and after having examined all the most eligible situations along the coast of Nova Scotia, (then called Acadia), and the River St. Lawrence, fixed upon the present site of Quebec, where he laid the foundation of what he intended to be the future capital of the country.

First capture of Quebec by England and its subsequent return to France.

In 1627, in the reign of Louis XIII., Canada, then called New France, was, by direction of Cardinal Richelieu, placed together with its trade, under the management of a company, called the "Company of One Hundred Associates;" at the head of which was the Cardinal himself. A commission having been given by Charles I. to David Kertk, and his kinsmen, to conquer the American dominions of France; Kertk attacked Canada, in July, 1628, and continued to carry on his military operations with vigour. In 1630, he appeared again off Point Levi, and sent an officer to Quebec to summon the city to surrender. Champlain, then in command, knowing his means to be inadequate to a defence, surrendered the city by capitulation. The terms of the capitulation were favourable to the French colony; and they were so punctually and honourably fulfilled by the English, that the greater part of the French chose to remain with their captors, rather than return as had been stipulated to France. In 1632, Charles I., by the treaty of St. Germain, resigned the right which he had claimed to New France and Acadia, as the property of England, to Louis XIII., King of France.

College founded in Quebec; Champlain dies.

In 1635, Rene Rohault, having become a Jesuit, resumed a project which had been interrupted by the English conquest of Quebec, of founding a college in that city; an institution that had been planned ten years before. In this year, M. Champlain died at Quebec.

In 1640, the French king vested the property of the island of Montreal in 35 Associates, of whom Maisonneuve, a gentleman of Champaign, was one; and who on the 15th of October, 1641, was declared governor of the island; and brought over with him several families to Montreal.

Start of French troubles with the Mohawks and Iroquois.

The French in their trade with the neighbouring Indians, being much obstructed by the Mohawks, then a powerful tribe, and being unable to subdue them without assistance, in 1647, sent M. Marie, a Jesuit, as an agent to solicit aid from Massachusetts, with offers of liberal compensation for assistance, which the government of the English colony refused, on the ground that the Mohawks had never injured them.

In the following year, the colonists of Newfoundland sent to the Governor and Council of Canada a proposal of perpetual peace between the colonies, even though the mother countries might be at war. Although the French were much pleased with the proposal, and anxious to conclude an agreement of the kind, the business terminated without success, because the English were firm in their determination not to assist the French against the Iroquois (or Five Nations.)

In 1649, in the month of March, a party of Iroquois, about 1,000 in number, attacked the Huron village of St. Ignatius, containing 400 persons, all of whom, with the exception of three only, were massacred. About five years afterwards, the Eries, a numerous tribe of Indians inhabiting the borders of Lake Erie, were so effectually exterminated by the Iroquois, that were it not for the name of the lake, we should have no memorial of their existence.

Fur trade in New France turned over to West India Company.

In 1665, M. De Courcelles, being appointed governor of New France, transported the regiment of Calignan Salieres to Canada : it consisted of 1,000 foot, and they were accompanied besides by numerous families, with mechanics, hired servants, horses (the first ever seen in Canada), cattle and sheep. The 100 associates in whom the property of the colony was vested, had grown weary of the expense of maintaining the colony, and from the year 1644 abandoned the fur trade to the inhabitants, reserving to themselves as their right of lordship an annual payment of 1,000 beavers. Reduced at length to the number of 45 associates, they made a total resignation of all their rights in 1662, to the French King, who soon afterwards included New France in the grant which he made of the French colonies in America, in favour of the West India Company formed by the great Colbert.

A year-by-year account of the war between the French and the Five Nations, from 1663 to the peace treaty in 1699 at Onondaga.

The Mohawks having greatly annoyed the French, were attacked in the following year by a French army of 28 companies of foot, and the whole militia of the colony. This formidable body of troops marched upwards of 700 miles, in the depth of winter, from Quebec into the country of the Mohawks, with a view of utterly destroying them; but the Indians retired with their women and children into the depth of the woods, leaving only a few ancient sachems in the villages, who chose rather to die than desert their habitations. These were murdered by the French, and their villages burnt, but nothing was gained by the expedition. In the following year, peace was at length established between the French and the Five Nations, which continued for several years, and they cultivated a mutual trade. In 1670 the small-pox broke out amongst the Indians in the northern parts of Canada, and swept off whole tribes, particularly the tribe of Atikamegues, which has never since been heard of. Tadusac, the chief mart of the Indian fur trade with the French, was deserted, as was also Trois Rivieres, where the small-pox carried off 1,500 Indians at once. In 1671, a grand congress of the French and of many Canadian Indians was held at the Falls of St. Mary; where the Indians professed submission to the king of France in a formal manner. In 1672, M. de Courcelles, governor of Canada, commenced building a fort on the north side of the outlet of Lake Ontario (near where Kingston now stands), as a barrier against the Iroquois, which was completed in the following year by Count Frontenac, who called it after his own name. The French likewise built a fort at Michilimackinac. In 1647 Quebec was made a bishopric. In 1678 M. de Sale rebuilt the Fort Frontenac with stone; he also launched a bark of ten tons on Lake Ontario, and in the year following another vessel of 60 tons on Lake Erie; about this time he also enclosed a little spot of ground at Niagara with stockades intended for a fort. In 1683, the French erected a fort between the Lakes Erie and Huron; and in the following year M. de la Barre with a large army from Canada made an unsuccessful expedition into the country of the Five Nations, and found it necessary to conclude his campaign with a treaty. He was met at the place appointed by the Oneidas, Onondagas, and Cayugas; the Mohawks and Senecas refusing to attend. Seated in a chair of state, surrounded by his own Indians, principally the Hurons of Lorette, and the French officers, he addressed himself to Garangula, an Onondaga chief, in a very haughty speech, which he concluded with a menace to burn the castles of the Five Nations, and destroy the Indians, unless the satisfaction which he demanded was given. Garangula, who sat at some little distance before his men, with his pipe in his mouth, and the great Calumet of peace before him, did nothing but look at the end of his pipe during this harangue: when it was finished, after walking five or six times round the circle in silence, he stood perfectly upright, and thus addressed the French general: "Onnuntio, I honour you, and all the warriors who are with me honour you. Your interpreter has finished your speech, I now begin mine: my words make haste to reach your ears; hearken to them. Onnuntio, in setting out from Quebec, you must have imagined that the scorching beams of the sun had burned down the forests, which rendered our country inaccessible to the French, or that the inundations of the lakes had shut us up in our castles; but now you are undeceived, for I and my warriors have come to assure you that the Senecas, Cayugas, Onondagas, Oneidas and Mohawks are yet alive." After ascribing the pacific overtures of the general to the impotence of the French, and repelling the charges brought against his countrymen, he thus concludes: "My voice is the voice of all the Five Nations; hear what they say; open your ears to what they speak. The Senecas, Cayugas, Onondagas, Oneidas and Mohawks, say, that when they buried the hatchet at Cataracuay, in the presence of your predecessor, in the very centre of the fort, and planted the tree of peace in the same place, it was then agreed that the fort should be used as a place of rendezvous for merchants, and not as a refuge for soldiers. Hear, Onnuntio, you ought to take care that so great a number of soldiers as appear now, do not choke the tree of peace, planted in so small a fort, and hinder it from shading both your country and ours with its branches. I do assure you that our warriors shall dance to the Calumet of peace under its leaves, and that we will never dig up the axe to cut it down, until the Onnuntio or the Corlar shall either jointly or separately endeavour to invade the country which the Great Spirit has given to our ancestors. This belt confirms my words, and this other the authority which the Five Nations have given me."

In 1685, according to a return made by order of the Government, the inhabitants of Canada amounted to 17,000, 3,000 of whom were supposed to be capable of bearing arms.

In 1687, M. Denonville, who had succeeded De la Barre, took the field at the head of 1,500 French and 500 Indians, in order to attack and destroy the Senecas, who had refused to attend at the late treaty, and were known to be firmly attached to the English. He commenced his march from Cataraqui in June; and the scouts of the French army advanced as far as the corn of the Indian settlements, without seeing a single Indian, although they passed within pistol shot of 500 Senecas, who laid on their faces, and suffered them to pass and repass without attacking them. At length, when the invading army had approached within a quarter of a league of the chief village of the Senecas, they raised the war shout, accompanied with a discharge of fire arms from all sides. This surprise threw the French into confusion, and the Senecas fell upon them with great fury; but the French Indians being rallied, repulsed them in the end. In this action about 100 French, ten French Indians, and 80 Senecas were killed. The next day Denonville continued his march, with the intention of burning the village, but he found it already in ashes; the Senecas had burnt it and fled. Two old men only were found in the village, who were cut into pieces and boiled to make soup for the French allies. Before Denonville returned into Canada he built a fort with four bastions at Niagara, in which he left a garrison; but it was soon afterwards abandoned.

In 1689 Denonville was recalled, and Count Frontenac came over as governor of Canada. On the 26th of July in this year a body of 1,200 Indians of the Five Nations invaded the Island of Montreal, burnt all the plantations, and made a horrible massacre of men, women and children, throwing the whole French colony into the utmost consternation; insomuch that Valrennes, the commandant at Cataraqui, was ordered by Denonville to abandon that place. In this attack 1,000 French are said to have been slain, and 26 carried off and burnt alive.

In the following year an attack was made on Quebec by an English fleet, under command of Sir W. Phipps, which proved unsuccessful. Between this time and the year 1698, when the Count Frontenac died, the war between the French and Indians still continued, with varying fortunes, neither party gaining any very signal advantage over the other; and on the arrival of M. de Calliers in 1699, who succeeded Count Frontenac as Governor of Canada, he terminated the disputes with the Indians by agreeing to an exchange of prisoners; which treaty of peace took place at Onondaga.

A short account of the British capture of Quebec.

In 1705 the loss of a large and richly laden ship bound to Quebec (which was captured by the English), compelled the colonists to raise their own hemp and flax, which by permission of the French court they manufactured into linens and stuffs.

In 1714 the whole number of men capable of bearing arms, between the ages of 14 and 60, that could be raised in Canada, only amounted to 4,484; and in 1749 the population had increased so much, that the militia of Canada numbered 12,000.

In 1759 Quebec was taken by General Wolfe, and Niagara was captured by Sir. W. Johnston; and on the 8th September, 1760, Montreal, Detroit, Michilimackinac, and all other places within the government of Canada, were surrendered to his Britannic Majesty; and the destruction of a fleet ordered out from France in aid of Canada, completed the annihilation of the French power on the continent of North America. As a reward to those soldiers and officers who had fought during the late war, the governors of the British possessions in North America were empowered to grant to each field officer 5,000 acres of land; to a captain, 3,000; to a subaltern or staff officer, 2,000; to a non-commissioned officer, 200; and to each private 50 acres of land. At this time Canada contained upwards of 65,000 inhabitants; and the exports for the year from Great Britain to Canada amounted to £8,623.

The division, naming and settlement of the two provinces.

In 1791, by an act of parliament, the Province of Quebec was divided into two separate provinces, to be called the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada; and the first parliament of the Upper Province met at Niagara on the 17th Sept. 1792. In 1797 the second parliament met at Little York (now Toronto); which place continued to be the capital of the Upper Province till after the re-union of the two provinces in the year 1841, when Lord Sydenham removed the seat of government to Kingston, where it remained till 1844, when it was again removed to Montreal. When the two provinces were re-united their designation was changed from Upper and Lower Canada, to Canada West and Canada East. Canada East is inhabited principally by the descendants of the old French settlers, with the exception of Quebec and Montreal (which, being the principal shipping places and commercial depots of the Lower Province, have amongst their population many English, Irish and Scotch merchants, and other persons connected with the trade and shipping interests of the province and Great Britain), and the Eastern townships, which the British American Land Company have been for some time engaged in trying to settle with British emigrants.

The Upper Province, or Canada West, (to which province this work is limited), is settled principally by emigrants and the descendants of emigrants from Great Britain and Ireland. There are also large numbers of U. E. Loyalists (or persons who fought on the side of Great Britain during the American war, a mixture of all nations) and their descendants; and in particular localities there are large settlements of Pennsylvanian Dutch; and there are also many Americans scattered over the country. The Irish have rather a majority in the province, and next to them the English.

Putting to right many misconceptions, common in Britain, about the Canadian climate.

Much has been written against, and strange notions are prevalent in Britain respecting, the climate of Canada. Most persons on the other side of the Atlantic imagine that the winter is so severe, and the snow so deep, that it is impossible for any one to stir out of doors without being wrapped up to the eyebrows in furs or woollens; nor even then without the risk of being frozen to death, or lost in the snow. This is a very erroneous idea; and persons after being a short time in Canada are not a little surprised to find the climate very different to what they had expected, and to what it had been represented. Emigrants from England find but little difference between the climate of Canada and that which they have left, except that the former climate is much drier, much more so indeed than any one would be led to expect, considering the immense bodies of water distributed over it and by which it is surrounded. Persons in Upper Canada generally clothe themselves much more lightly than they have been accustomed to do at home; and many persons who in England always wore both cloak and great-coat in winter, in Canada seldom put on either. It matters little how low the thermometer may be, if there is no wind, a person taking exercise does not feel the cold; the atmosphere being remarkably clear and bracing, with a cloudless sky, the weather is generally very pleasant; and the finest winter's day the author was ever out on, was spent in travelling between Barrie and Penetanguishene, the mercury in the thermometer being early in the morning down to 28 degrees below zero. Indeed, in Upper Canada, parties are heard much more frequently complaining of the heat than of the cold; and (which seems rather singular, considering their colour) the Indians say they suffer much more from the heat in summer than from the cold in winter. To convey a more definite idea of the severity of a winter in Upper Canada, it may be mentioned that the chain of shallow lakes which are distributed over the Newcastle and Colborne districts are seldom or never frozen over hard enough to bear a man with any heavy burden before Christmas, and they are generally open again before the middle of April. Lake Simcoe is seldom ventured upon with sleighs before the end of January; and farther west the winter is still shorter. Owing to the want of proper explanations, and misstatements by travellers and others who have attempted to describe the country (some of whom have seen very little of it), an idea has been formed in England that the great lakes are frozen over in winter, which is entirely a mistake. Lake Erie alone, which is very shallow, is said to have been frozen over two or three times within the last 40 years; which, however is very doubtful. The earth is seldom frozen to a greater depth than from 12 to 18 inches, and the snow does not generally lie deeper than from 18 inches to two feet. The length of the winter and the depth of the snow vary very much according to the latitude of the locality; for instance, in the south of the Western District there is at least six weeks less winter than in Montreal; and while the snow at Sandwich or Amherstburg is seldom more than a foot in depth, at Penetanguishene it is frequently four feet deep. East or north of London there is generally sufficient snow for sleighing by about the third week in December; this usually lasts for two or three weeks, sometimes a little longer, when a thaw (called from its regular periodical appearance the January thaw) takes place, which continues for a few days, when it is succeeded by a fresh fall of snow; and the sleighing then continues good till the end of February or the beginning of March, when it breaks up altogether. In Upper Canada the occurrence of winters with scarcely any snow at all is not unfrequent; and such seasons are generally found to be injurious to the fall crops of wheat, and are besides considered to be a great misfortune, as they are found in many places to be a serious hindrance both to business and pleasure travelling, the snow when well beaten making the worst road in the province fuly equal to a railroad. In fact, the winter is the season for travelling on the roads in Canada; in summer the principal part of the travelling is performed by steamboat. There is a material difference between the climate of Upper and Lower Canada. In Upper Canada a man can, if he chooses, work out of doors at all seasons of the year; but in the Lower Province there are occasionally days in the winter when the cold is so severe that it would be impossible for him to work in the open air.

It is something rather singular with respect to the climate of Canada, that the weather generally changes every three days; for instance there is seldom more than three days of severe weather at one time, and if the weather continues fair for three days, and does not change on the fourth, there is almost certain to be a continuation of fine weather for two days longer. In summer the thermometer seldom rises above 85 degrees, and the heat is generally moderated by pleasant breezes from the lakes. By the following statement from the minutes of the Trinity House at Quebec, it will be seen that navigation never opens later, even there, than the sixth of May, and seldom later than the latter end of April; and the steamboats on the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario, seldom cease running till nearly Christmas, and from Toronto to Niagara they frequently continue to run (weather permitting) through the whole winter.

Table showing the dates of the opening of navigation.

Statement, from the minutes of the Trinity House at Quebec, for the dates of the opening of navigation, and of the arrival of the first steamboat from Montreal, in each year, from 1817 to 1844.

Navigation Opened		Arrival of First Steamboats
Year	Date	Date	Names of Boats
1817	May 6	May 7		Malsham.
1818	April 28	April 27		Do.
1819	No minute	May 2		Telegraph.
1820	"	April 24		Lady Sherbrooke.
1821	"	May 3		Quebec.
1822	"	April 29		Lady Sherbrooke.
1823	April 25	" 27		Quebec.
1824	" 20	" 21		Swiftsure.
1825	" 19	" 17		Do.
1826	No minute	" 22		Laprarie.
1827	April 14	" 16		Waterloo.
1828	" 15	" 12		Chambly.
1829	" 18	" 20		Lady of the Lake.
1830	" 16	" 17		Do.
1831	No minute	" 21		Do.
1832	May 1	" 29		St. Lawrence.
1833	April 19	" 18		Do.
1834	" 18	" 17		Lady of the Lake.
1835	May 4	May 4		Canada.
1836	" 10	" 11		Do.
1837	" 2	" 1		British America.
1838	" 1	April 28		St. George.
1839	April 23	" 21		British America.
1840	" 21	" 19		Lady Colborne.
1841	May 4	May 1		Queen.
1842	April 26	April 21		Lady Colborne.
1843	May 5	May 5		Canada.
1844	April 23	April 23		Alliance.

The climate causes less sickness in Canada than in Britain.

From the greater dryness of the climate, persons suffer far less from coughs and colds than they do in England; and many persons frequently expose themselves to the weather with impunity, in a manner that in any part of Great Britain would be fraught with great danger. Almost every work on the subject of Canada has a chapter or two devoted to that never-ending and ever-fruitful theme -- ague. An emigrant comes out, and (contrary to the advice of every one capable of giving it) thoughtlessly settles himself down in the immediate neighbourhood of a swamp; as might naturally have been anticipated, he catches the "ager," and forthwith he condemns the country -- unfairly so; he had been previously warned, but was unwilling to take the advice of those who knew better than himself, and he suffers the consequence of his folly. As well might the whole climate of England be condemned, because the fens of Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex produce ague. The Indians are as liable to suffer from ague as the whites.

Climate continues: the length of the growing seasons.

In consequence of the dryness of the climate, the surface of the country, in the latter part of the summer and autumn, has not that beautiful, verdant appearance that is so attractive in a moist climate like that of England; but this want is amply compensated for by the magnificent appearance, and the beauty of the tints of the forest trees in the autumn, when their leaves are changing. Here every variety of colour may be noticed, intermingled one with another -- crimson, orange, yellow, and every variety of brown; the whole forming one of the richest scenes that can well be imagined.

Canada may properly be said to have but three seasons -- summer, autumn, and winter; indeed were it not for the change in the appearance of the foliage, it would be difficult to say where summer ends and autumn commences. Generally, as soon as the snow disappears, warm weather sets in, and vegetation is exceedingly rapid, so much so, that although the spring is about a month later than in England, by the end of June vegetation of all kinds is as far advanced as in the latter country. It occasionally happens that frosts occur in May, which do a great deal of mischief, but these are only occasional, and the farmer may always reckon upon fine weather for his harvest. Corn, on an average, is ready for cutting about a fortnight or three weeks earlier than in England, and the grain, when once ripe, dries so fast, that it is not at all unusual for corn to be cut and carried on the same day.

Fruits and vegetables which may be cultivated in Canada.

From the warmth of the seasons, and the absence of summer frosts, many fruits that can only be raised under glass in England, such as melons, are grown in the greatest perfection in the open ground. In the southern portions of the province, fruit is grown in such plenty, that peaches have been sold in the Western District, on the shores of Lake Erie, at a quarter of a dollar per bushel, and apples have been sold on the Thames at three-pence halfpenny per bushel. Pumpkins and squashes grow in the open fields to an enormous size; from 50 to 80 pounds weight is not at all unusual. All the vegetable productions of England flourish under proper cultivation; apples, pears, plums, peaches, cherries, raspberries, currants and strawberries; damsons are not yet much cultivated, and gooseberries have had but little attention paid them. Cabbages, peas, beans, celery, asparagus, lettuce, onions, turnips, carrots, parsnips, tomatoes, cucumbers, rhubarb, and spinach grow luxuriantly; and almost every other description of vegetable, necessary or desirable for the table, may be cultivated with very little trouble.

The kinds of trees which grow in Canada and the many products made from them.

Of the natural productions of the country, amongst the monarchs of the forest may be found, white and red pine, the former of which will frequently be found 100 feet high to the first branch, and will occasionally reach 200 feet in height; the average size of the timber cut for the Quebec market, will be in logs of about 20 inches square, and 60 feet in length; white oak, which will cut to about 18 inches square, and about 50 feet in length; although sticks of both timbers are occasionally cut considerably larger. Of both these kinds of timber immense quantities are annually sent to England; and large quantities of white oak are split up into staves for the manufacture of puncheons, hogsheads, barrels, &c., for the supply of the English and West Indian markets. There are several kinds of ash : white ash, which is valuable for making oars; swamp ash; and prickly ash (or black ash, as it is frequently called), which is an ornamental wood, some of which is very handsome, and is used for making furniture; black and white birch, with the bark of the latter of which the Indians make their light and beautiful canoes; beech; elm; hickory; sugar maple, from the sap of which immense quantities of excellent sugar are made (some families occasionally making as much as 2,500 pounds), and the beautiful birds-eye or curled maple; butternut is also a tree the wood of which is highly ornamental, and the fruit of which is very good eating; it is rather larger than the walnut, which furnishes the most beautiful wood for cabinet work grown on the continent of America; this wood is as yet but little known in Europe, but it richly deserves to be so; it is much used for the best kinds of furniture in America, sawn into veneers; much of it is most beautifully veined, and some of it is richer in colour, and far more beautiful in appearance than the finest specimens of rosewood. The wild cherry tree (the Laurius Cerasus, or cherry laurel), is very abundant and is much used for common furniture; it is a hard and durable wood. The bass-wood or lime tree; on rich moist ground, the white sycamore and button-wood tree; in the marshes, alder, spotted alder, willow and varieties of thorn; and in the swamps red and white cedar, tamarack and hemlock; from the tamarack the gum is obtained with which the Indians cement and make water-tight the seams of their bark canoes; besides which there are the spruce fir, pitch pine (or Scotch fir), larch, black oak, and several other varieties; the cedar is a most useful wood for many purposes, and very lasting. Of shrubs there are many varieties, amongst which are the sumach and leather-wood tree.

The kinds of wild fruits which grow in Canada.

Of the wild fruits of the country may be mentioned the wild cherry, which is principally used for flavouring spirits; wild grapes, few of which however are to be found sufficiently sweet for eating; black currants, which although not equal to the cultivated, make a very good preserve; red currants; several kinds of gooseberries, red, green and black, the fruit of most of which is covered with prickles, and is only usable when young; raspberries, which are of a fine flavor; and nearly equal to the cultivated; black raspberries; cranberries, which make a most delicious preserve, and large quantities of which are exported; none of these however reach England in a state of perfection, the reason of which is that the berries are gathered much too early, long before they are ripe, through the jealousy of the Indians, each of whom is afraid he shall not get his share; they therefore generally pick them in August, although they are not thoroughly ripe till October; when they are allowed to hang on the bush through the winter, and are gathered in the spring, they are a very rich fruit. These cranberries grow in marshes, which are generally much infested with rattlesnakes, therefore the white settlers seldom venture into them, but depend for their supply of the fruit upon the Indians. Besides these there are wild plums; strawberries, which grow in great abundance in particular localities, and which are about equal to the English wild strawberry; blackberries and hazel nuts; and many other kinds of wild fruit.

The kinds of wild flowers which grow in Canada.

The flowers are almost innumerable, early in the summer the woods are literally clothed with them; amongst which will be found many beautiful varieties which are cultivated in the English gardens, such as the scarlet lobelia, blue lupin, purple gentian, columbine, violets (without scent), fleur de lis, the beautiful white water lily, two varieties of dog's-tooth violet, scarlet and other honey suckles, wild rose (rosa canina), dogwood, arbutus, diosma crenata, sweet briar, asclepias (two or three varieties), campanula, lychnis, golden rod, michaelmas daisy, hyoscyamus niger, hydrastis Canadensis, pyrola (or winter green), hare bell, mimulus, phlox, Solomon's seal, calceolaria, &c. To give, however, a detailed list of the botanical productions of Canada would occupy a volume. Hops grow wild and in great perfection.

A lengthy account of the kinds of wild game to be found in Canada; the wanton destruction of many animals and birds, and the enactment of laws to prevent this.

The living, breathing denizens of the forest are various; but their numbers are fast diminishing before the destructive progress of civilization. When they shared the sovereignty of the land with the red man, they were comparatively but little disturbed; but as the country became settled up they were either gradually destroyed, or were obliged to retreat before the advancing footsteps of their common foe. On this subject there has been much misrepresentation in all works published on Canada. Game of all kinds has generally been represented as so plentiful, that no person would so much as dream of starting for Canada without at least one gun; and emigrants on their arrival, generally keep glancing from side to side as they walk up the streets, expecting every instant to see a bear or a wolf dart from the doorways; and in strolling into the country, they walk very cautiously along, lest they should inadvertantly tread upon and crush some poor partridge, hare, or turkey. In the present day, bears and wolves are only to be found in the more unsettled neighbourhoods, and it is very seldom that they are seen, unless regularly hunted after; and sometimes the hunters will be out several days before they can find a bear; and wolves are still more difficult to come at. Both these occasionally commit depredations in the farm yards bordering on the woods; and the Legislature in consequence established a premium or head money, payable for the head of each wolf. Formerly it was only neccessary to take the scalp (i.e., the skin from the top of the head, and the ears) to a magistrate, who granted a certificate entitling the applicant to the premium. But this was found to lead to abuses, as some of the Indians were in the habit of breeding a cross between the wolf and their own curs, which when sufficiently old were killed for the sake of the premium; and many instances have occurred of foxes' scalps being substituted by white settlers for those of young wolves. A new regulation was consequently made, and the party claiming the premium was compelled to present the whole head. The beaver is now seldom found within reach of the white settlements; and the panther, lynx and wild cat have emigrated far to the north. Foxes, both silver grey, cross and red, racoons, otter, fishers, martens, minks and muskrats, still remain in diminished numbers, and large quantities of fur are still annually exported.

Of the game -- deer have become gradually destroyed, and but few comparatively now remain. In some localities, as in the Western District, they were tolerably plentiful till the winter of 1842-3, when a numerous band of Pottawattamie Indians came to the province from the United States. These were noted hunters, and the winter being favourable for the pursuit, immense numbers of the deer were slaughtered. The Indians do not generally kill more than they want for use; but this roving band appeared to hunt merely for the sake of destroying, as many a deer was left where it fell to be devoured by the wolves. In Canada, large numbers of deer are killed, at what are called "deer licks;" these are wet swampy places, the water of which is strongly impregnated with salt, and which places the deer are in the habit of visiting at night, during certain seasons of the year. In order to get within shot, the Indians usually built up a kind of platform in the branches of a neighbouring tree, and watch there, rifle in hand, for the arrival of the deer, whose doom is soon sealed. Occasionally the deer, when hunted, will take to the lakes, and swim out sometimes more than a mile; the hunters generally follow in canoes or skiffs, and a desperate water fight ensues, which usually ends in the destruction of the poor quadruped. Previous to the winter of 1842, wild turkeys were also plentiful in the Western and London Districts; but the severity of that winter, and the great depth of snow, caused them to be completely starved out of the woods; and immense numbers were killed in the farm yards, whither they had ventured in search of food. This was complete murder, as most of them were little better than skin and bone. Had they been fed and taken care of during the winter, and allowed to escape in the spring, the breed would have been effectually preserved; whereas in consequence of the wholesale destruction practised amongst them, not a single turkey was met with during the following year. Last year, two or three flocks were seen, therefore there are still hopes of their continuing to exist in the province. In particular localities, and at certain seasons of the year, the partridge or pheasant, for by both names it is know, (which is in reality a kind of grouse), is tolerably plentiful in the woods. Woodcocks and snipes are not so numerous, but may occasionally be met with. There is also a species of hare, which turns white in winter. Pigeons are very plentiful in the spring and autumn, and are killed by hundreds. Of ducks there are many varieties, some of them are very beautiful; they are excellent eating, and being found in great numbers, particularly about the marshy parts of the lakes and rivers, afford excellent sport. Wild swans are occasionally seen, and wild geese very commonly. Amongst the smaller animals the squirrels must not be omitted, as they are in great numbers, and form the the principal game of Canada : of these there are four varieties, the black squirrel, the largest and most numerous; the grey squirrel, which is seldom met with; the red squirrel, and the ground squirrel or chipmonk : these when properly cooked are excellent eating, and most persons prefer them to pigeons.

For the purpose of preserving the game of the province, and in order to endeavour to prevent its utter destruction, a bill was lately brought into parliament by Colonel Prince (himself a keen sportsman), the enactments of which are as follows:

"That no person or persons shall, within this province, from and after the passing of this act, hunt, shoot, take, kill or destroy any wild swan, wild goose, wild duck, teal, widgeon or snipe, between the tenth day of May, and the fifteenth day of August, in any year.

"That no person shall hereafter trap or set traps, nets or snares for any grouse or quail, or kill, or hunt, or go in quest after the same at night, within this province.

"That if any person shall hunt, shoot, take, kill or destroy any wild swan, wild goose, wild duck, teal, widgeon or snipe between the tenth day of May, and the fifteenth day of August in any year, or shall sell, offer for sale, buy, receive, or have in his or her possession, any of the above mentioned birds, between those periods, (such birds having been taken or killed after the said tenth day of May, the proof to the contrary whereof shall be upon the party charged,) or if any person shall trap or set traps, nets or snares, for any grouse or quail, or if any person shall kill or hunt, or go in quest after the same at night, (that is to say, between sunset and sunrise,) on any such person being convicted of any or either of the said offences, before a justice of the peace, upon the oath or affirmation of one or more credible witness or witnesses, (which oath or affirmation the justice is hereby authorized to administer,) or upon view had of the offence by the said justice himself, shall pay a fine or penalty not exceeding five pounds, nor less than five shillings, current money of this province, together with the costs and charges attending the conviction."

It is to be feared, however, that no enactment of the kind will have much effect in preserving the game, as its provisions cannot be extended to the Indians, who are the principal hunters in the province; few other persons having much time or inclination for the sport.

The kinds of wild birds to be found in Canada.

Among the smaller feathered tribe are many beautiful birds : the jay, which is about the size of the English jay, but the whole of whose plumage is blue, and beautifully marked; several varieties of woodpecker, the largest of which is called the "cock of the woods," a bird nearly the size of a rook, with black plumage, and a tuft of scarlet feathers on his head; a smaller one, with the body and wings black and white, the head and neck of a glossy black shaded with green, and a crimson spot on the top of the head; another, about the same size, spotted over with black and white, with one or two other varieties. The scarlet taniger, a scarlet bird with black wings, and a very sweet note; the bluebird, nearly as large as a blackbird, of a most beautiful blue, with a red breast; the indigo bird, a smaller bird, of a deeper blue; three varieties of blackbirds, one of which has scarlet shoulders; the American canary, or flax-bird, a bird much resembling the canary both in plumage and note, the only difference in the former being that the wings are black; and there is also a patch of black feathers on the top of the head. The robin, a bird something resembling the English robin in appearance, but more than double the size; the meadow lark, (a different bird to the English sky lark); the thrush; the kingfisher; the whippoorwill; the sandpiper; several varieties of fly catchers, and tree creepers; the swallow, two varieties of plover; the curlew; two species of humming birds, one of which is of a golden green, and the other has a crimson throat; with many other species, some of which are equally handsome. Some of these birds, however, only spend the summer with us, coming in the early spring, and migrating to the south in the autumn. Besides these, we have the bald-headed eagle, a noble bird; the kite; the large fishing hawk; the sparrow hawk; the large horned owl, and two or three smaller varieties; the heron, the bittern and the crow.

The kinds of fish to be found in Canada; depletion of game fish and the passing of a fisheries act.

In the lakes and rivers, the principal fish are the sturgeon, which is frequently taken of from 80 to 100 pounds weight; the lake or salmon trout, which grows to the size of from ten to 40 pounds; the whitefish, (the most delicious fish in the lakes), and herrings; of these three many thousand barrels are annually taken and salted, a large portion of which is exported to the United States. There are also pike, of large size; pickerel; three varieties of bass; maskelonge, a magnificent fish; cat-fish; suckers; perch; and occasionally eels; and in most of the rivers and mill streams may be found the speckled trout. In the St. Lawrence, and rivers running into Lake Ontario, large quantities of fine salmon have formerly been taken during the migration of the fish in the spring and autumn. In the river Credit, in particular, a waggon load has frequently been taken by two or three persons in one night; but for the last two or three seasons the fish have almost deserted the streams running into Lake Ontario, the reason of which is supposed to be, the great number of dams erected across them, for the purpose of securing a supply of water for the grist, and saw mills, which have much increased in number within a few years, and the immense quantity of saw-dust which is consequently constantly floating down them. It being considered desirable to preserve the salmon if possible, and prevent their being altogether exterminated or driven from the lake, an act was passed, which provides as follows:

"That from and after the passing of this act, it shall not be lawful for any person or persons at any time between the tenth day of September in any year, and the first day of March in the succeeding year, to take, catch or kill any salmon or salmon fry, in any manner whatsoever.

"That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons at any time to take, catch or kill in any manner, in any disrict in Upper Canada, any salmon or salmon fry nearer the mouth of any of the rivers or creeks emptying into Lake Ontario or the Bay of Quinté, than 200 yards, or within 200 yards up from the mouth of any such river or creek as aforsaid; Provided always, that nothing herin contained shall be construed to prevent the taking of salmon with a seine or net at any place along the shores of Lake Ontario between the first day of February and the first day of August.

"That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to take, catch or kill, or attempt to take, catch or kill any fish whatsoever, in any river or creek within Upper Canada, by torch or fire light within 100 yards of any mill which may now or hereafter be erected on any such river or creek as aforsaid.

"That from and after the passing of this act, it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to buy, receive or have in his or their possession, under any pretence whatever, any salmon taken or caught during the period in which persons are hereby prohibited from taking or attempting to take or catch salmon within Upper Canada; and the proof that any salmon was not so taken or caught, shall lie on the person or persons in whose possession any such salmon shall be found.

"That if any person or persons shall be convicted of any offence against this act, before any one or more of her Majesty's justices of the peace within the district in which the offence shall have been committed, upon the oath of one or more credible witness or witnesses, such person or persons shall upon conviction, as aforsaid, forfeit and pay a sum not exceding ten pounds, nor less than five shillings, for the first offence, at the discretion of the justice or justices before whom such conviction shall be had, with all reasonable costs both before and after conviction; and for every subsequent offence of a like nature, the sum of five pounds, with costs as aforsaid; and upon any such conviction, it shall be lawful for the said justice or justices before whom such conviction shall have been made, to issue his or their warrent of distress against the goods and chattels of the offender or offenders."

Other animals, snakes, frogs and insects found in Canada.

Two varieties of turtle are plentiful in the rivers and ponds -- the common and the snapping turtle. The North American porcupine should not be forgotten, it is considerably smaller than the South American porcupine, and the quills are both shorter and more slender; they are naturally of an opaque white; and the Indians dye them of many beautiful colours, and use them extensively in ornamental work.

Snakes are numerous; but venomous kinds are not so plentiful as in the country more to the south (in the United States); of the latter are the rattlesnake, adder; and the copper-head is also said to exist. The water-moccasin is also said to be venomous. Those which are harmless consist of the large black snake, the small brown snake and the garter snakes. Great numbers of the snakes are destroyed by the large hawks, which seem to consider them a very delicious morsel. Frogs (or Canadian nightingales) exist in great numbers in the ponds and ditches. Wild bees are also numerous : they make their comb in a hollow tree, and occasionally a tree (called a bee tree) is felled, in the hollow of which will be found two or three hundred weight of honey.

Of entomological specimens many beautiful varieties are to be met with, and mosquitoes are apt to form an early and sometimes rather too intimate an acquaintance with the newly arrived emigrant.

Minerals found in Canada.

Minerals, and those of the most valuable kinds, are very abundant in the province. Iron ore of the richest description (which is said to produce iron equal to the Swedish) exists in the townships of Madoc and Marmora, in the Victoria District; in Bathurst, in the Bathurst District, and in other places; and bog iron ore is found in great plenty in many places, and is used extensively for making stoves and other castings. Silver, tin and lead are known to exist in various parts of the Province, beautiful specimens being frequently seen in the possession of the Indians; but the exact locality of the mines is not known, and the Indians are not willing to discover them. Copper has lately been discovered on the Canadian side of Lake Superior, and gold is also said to have been found. Marble of many beautiful varieties -- pure white, green and yellow striped, spotted black and white, grey and black -- exists in great plenty in the Eastern, Bathurst, Johnstown, Midland and Victoria districts, and also on Lake Huron. Lithographic stone in the townships of Marmora and Rama : freestone, limestone and granite are also abundant. Gypsum (or plaster of Paris) is also found in large quantities on the Grand River and other parts. And in various parts of the province salt has been made from brine springs; the water, however, has not generally been found sufficiently impregnated with salt to make the operation profitable.


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