UNITED STATES. 329 
and petioles. From the high banks of the St. Lawrence above the 
falls we enjoyed a fine view of the Isle of Orleans, said to be the 
garden of Quebec, which its rich and well-cultivated aspect appeared 
to confirm. The falls themselves, picturesque as they undoubtedly 
are, and worthy of a visit, should be seen before, and not after, Niagara, 
or at least not till the impression produced by the latter has lost some- 
what of its vividness by time. 
The trees and shrubs remarked at the falls are, from the rocky 
nature of the soil, of small size. They consist of two or three species 
of Crategus ; Corylus Americana, plentiful ; a species of Amelanchier, 
not determinable, through want of fruit and flowers; Acer Pennsyl- 
vanicum, here quite a shrub; Acer rubrum and A. saccharinum, both 
very diminutive ; Fagus ferruginea ; Populus balsamifera, as a shrub ; 
Betula populifolia, or perhaps B. papyracea, abundant, and the largest 
tree here; Pinus balsamea (Balm of Gilead Fir), plentiful here and 
about Quebec generally ; Shepherdia Canadensis, as a very low bush 
on the rocks, which at Niagara grows six or seven feet high; Cornus 
stolonifera and Pyrus Americana (P. Aucuparie var. ?), both common 
around Quebec. The berries of the latter, both wild and in the 
gardens, were bright red, as in the European Mountain-Ash, not fulvous 
or purple, as described by Pursh and others. 
September 3015.— Yesterday and to-day were pretty much alike in 
general character, beginning with cold rain, and ending with the same 
dull, damp, and foggy atmosphere, uncheered by even a transient gleam 
of sunshine. There was this difference, however, between them, that 
whereas yesterday was perfectly calm and not very cold, it reminded one 
exactly of dull November weather in England, whilst to-day we seemed 
to have made a leap into downright December ; indeed, it would be a 
libel on that month, as it usually comports itself at home, to ascribe 
to it, as an ordinary attribute, such ultra-winterly weather as we 
experienced on this the closing day of September. A piercing, and 
at the same time damp, north-east wind blew a heavy gale all the fore- 
noon, when the garrison in the citadel might be seen relieving guard 
in closely buttoned-up greatcoats of thick grey cloth, or hurrying 
across the parade-ground with their hands withdrawn into their cuffs 
for protection against the nipping blast, which a kind friend, who had 
brought me up to view the fortifications and the noble prospect from 
Point Diamond, had with myself some difficulty in breasting, such were 
VOL. II, 2v 
