Part 4 (1/2)

_Tuesday_ morning.--Finished my business satisfactorily. We visited the old Parliament-house, now a library and museum. There is also the French Roman Catholic cathedral in the Marketplace, and the English cathedral.

The monument to Wolfe and Montcalm, the most n.o.ble general France ever had,--

Mortem virtus communem; Famam historia; Monumentum posteritas dedit.

or--

Valour gave a common death; History a common fame; Posterity a common monument.

is situated on the west side of Des Carriere's-street, leading from the Place d'Armes to the glacis of Cape Diamond. In front is a broad walk overlooking the Castle-gardens, the harbour, and the sh.o.r.e of Orleans.

We had not time to visit the Chaudiere Falls, but took the fine steamer _Montreal_, and found ourselves at Montreal at seven on Wednesday morning, where we sojourned Tetue's Hotel, being sickened of the Exchange, at as they wanted to rob us. Attended to business all day, and had Mr. Kidson (Glasgow), Mr. Redpath, Mr. Hall, Mr. Easton, and Mr. A.

M'Farlane to dinner.

_Thursday._--At business all day. Rained incessantly. Dined with Mr.

Geddes, who treated me like a prince. He has a nice wife and an amiable family. Supped and spent the evening with Mr. and Mrs. Leeming, and appointed him our agent for the retail trade. Home, and to bed, and had a good night's rest.

_Friday._--Rained incessantly. Found the benefit of my new rig-out of flannel and India-rubber boots. Visited the House of a.s.sembly. The Speaker, my kind friend Mr. Cuvillier, had given me an order. He has 1000 a year, and the representatives two dollars a day. The Legislative Council Chamber is worth seeing. I spent the evening with Mr. Rickards.

I finished up the most satisfactory business I had done in any town since I left home. Montreal is very flouris.h.i.+ng--the metropolis of Canada--and will double its population, now 50,000, ere long, if Sir Charles Metcalfe is supported; but the French Canadians, and the Irish, who abound, led by their priests, are brewing dissatisfaction and discord. His councillors have just resigned, and a general election is taking place. May he succeed is my earnest wis.h.!.+

_Sat.u.r.day_, 6th.--We left Montreal at twelve at noon per stage to Lachine. We pa.s.sed the mountains and Sir C. Metcalfe's private house on the road. We took a steamer (the _Chieftain_) here to d.i.c.kenson's Landing, thirty-eight miles. We pa.s.sed on the left, at starting, an Indian village, called Cachnawago, where the Ojibbeway tribe live. We saw several in their canoes. On the left, just before we landed, we saw the Beauharnois Ca.n.a.l, of E.G. Wakefield notoriety. He must either have been bought, or, if not, he certainly must have been a fool to allow the ca.n.a.l to be cut on the American side of the St. Lawrence. The Yankees are thirsting for British blood; and, should they be successful in Canada, this costly ca.n.a.l goes. We now took stage for sixteen miles, on a planked road, and with a first-rate team. On the left were the rapids of the St. Lawrence, or Cascades. I would not have believed had I not seen a small steamer, drawing about four feet of water, going down at an awful rate. I expected every minute it would have been dashed to atoms.

How they escape, eight or ten a day, as they go up the ca.n.a.l and return that day, is astonis.h.i.+ng. This is the most incredible sight I have witnessed. Roebuck, the Member for Bath, was born here. On arriving at Chateau-du-Luc we got on board a very fine boat, the _Highlander_, Captain Stearns--a fine fellow. After proceeding forty-one miles, we reached the Cornwall Ca.n.a.l, where we were much impeded by seven locks.

This splendid ca.n.a.l, the finest in the world, is one hundred feet wide, and the locks fifty-two: it is twelve miles long, and about fourteen feet deep. We now pa.s.s from Lower to Upper Canada, direct from east to west; and about six miles forward we find the State of New York on the left. About thirty miles farther we call at Ogdensburgh, on the American side, and Prescott right opposite, where the windmill stands dilapidated from the skirmish the patriots had here, when the English demolished the lot. We called at Maitland for wood, and thence to Brockville, and glided up the Thousand Islands: there really are a thousand islands between here and Kingston. The foliage on the trees was grand--all colours. It pa.s.sed all description; and the trees actually grow out of the rocks with which all the islands are covered. About ten miles from Kingston, on one of the islands, lives the notorious Bill Johnston, the patriot. We arrived at Kingston at four P.M., 216 miles in twenty-eight hours.

_Sunday._--Sojourned at Lambton-house for the sake of its name, and walked about this very poor town. It is a straggling place. The late Government-house is neither elegant nor commodious, and is now a Sunday-school: still it is the only house of any importance in the neighbourhood. We walked down to a spring of mineral water, resembling Harrogate, and one spring much stronger--kept by a hearty couple, Bone and his wife, from Plymouth. They propose getting a large hotel built by next year, to vie with Saratoga. I wish them success. They were very kind. Mr. King came and spent the evening with me.

_Monday._--Found the tradesmen of the right sort: still their operations are confined. They bitterly complain, and I think _justly_, of Lord Stanley removing the seat of government. Rents are reduced half, and many houses are standing empty, and are likely to remain so. Many had built and enlarged their premises, through the a.s.surance of Sir C.

Metcalfe that the Government would not be removed. Perhaps it was not his fault: his councillors became, or rather wished to become, his masters; and the removal took place during the illness of Sir C. Bagot.

There is a faction in these provinces who will bring about rebellion and an outbreak worse than those of 1837 and 1838. I hope I may be deceived.

One thing is certain, the Governor will not get a majority, he having dissolved his Parliament; and if he continues to govern it must be with his Council, without representatives. My warm-hearted Herefords.h.i.+re friend, Mr. Wilson, drove me to see the gaol, which is well and wisely governed, and excellently regulated in every respect. The men are employed as shoemakers, ropemakers, blacksmiths, tailors, carpenters, and stonecutters, and are building the prison, which is far advanced.

The net profits the last year were 3000, after paying all expenses. The female prisoners are occupied in needlework. Among them was a beautiful girl of twenty, who had been there nearly three years. She acted as bearer of secret despatches for the self-styled patriots on Navy Island during the Canadian insurrection; sometimes dressed as a girl, and carrying them in her stays; sometimes attired as a boy, and secreting them in the lining of her hat. In the latter character she always rode as a boy. She could govern any horse that any man could ride, and could drive four in hand with the best whip in those parts. Setting forth on one of her patriotic missions, she appropriated to herself the first horse she could lay her hands on; and this offence had brought her where I saw her. She had a lovely face, though there was a lurking devil in her bright eye. I dined with my friend, and went on board the steamer _Princess Royal_, for Toronto, at eight.

_Tuesday_ morning, six o'clock.--We had arrived at Coburg, a thriving town on Lake Ontario, where I left letters for the importers of lace. It is a rising town of 3000 inhabitants, and will soon rank high in Upper Canada. We pa.s.sed Port Hope, another rising town; and on the right Bondhead and Windsor. Lake Ontario is a wonder indeed--216 miles long, and 90 miles wide--a truly magnificent sheet of water, very rough at times. We arrived at Stone's Hotel, Toronto, at three o'clock, P.M. The country round is flat, and bare of scenic interest; but the town itself is full of life, motion, bustle, and business. The streets are well paved and lighted with gas--the only place in Canada, except Montreal, where gas is introduced; the houses large and good; the shops excellent--many of them may vie with the best shops in thriving country-towns in England. There are a handsome church, courthouse, and public offices, and many commodious private residences. It is matter of regret that here, too, political differences run high. I visited the Reform a.s.sociation, where the noted Baldwin was holding forth, and preaching sedition under pretence of abusing the Governor-General. This body are spreading discord, by their branches, all through Canada: where it will end is to be seen. I saw all the importers, and retired to rest tired, at eleven o'clock.

Population of Toronto, 20,000.

_Wednesday._--This town must rise in commerce, and must stand second to Montreal. They are active business men, and have lots of back-country to depend upon--good land, and the farmers of the old Dutch sort. The women must necessarily wear more clothes than in England, in consequence of the climate. At two o'clock I took the _Eclipse_ mail-boat, Captain John Gordon, from Aberdeen; and let me observe, all these captains of steamers here are fine fellows, not very well paid--salary not more than 300 a year. We were again on Lake Ontario, and pa.s.sed Port Credit, Oakville, and Wellington-square on the right: healthy towns, but small. The farmers here all reserve a good portion of wood for fire, and rails and planks for domestic purposes. At the bottom of the lake we pa.s.sed through a short ca.n.a.l into Burlington Bay--a beautiful sheet of water; and arrived at Hamilton, at the terminus of the navigation.