72 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Ontario, 5,984 in Nova Scotia, 1,368 in New Brunswick, and only 532 
in British Columbia, and 280 in Quebec.’ 
A few of the refugees followed the blacksmith and carpenter 
trades, fewer still kept small stores, and some accumulated real estate 
and a degree of wealth. Many of them owned small neat homes, 
though sometimes the unthrift inherited from slavery days was seen 
in the unkempt and dilapidated premises. Dr. Howe considered 
their state ‘better than that of the foreign immigrants in the same 
regions. Sunday schools were early established in the negro settle- 
ments, the Bible was read with interest in many humble homes, not 
a few learning to read and write after reaching adult years. 
The tendency of the negroes to association was shown in the 
organization of what were known as “True Bands,” a sort of mutual 
improvement clubs; one at Chatham had a membership of 375, and 
one at Malden a membership of about 600. Religious organizations 
were formed among them, chiefly of the Methodist and Baptist 
persuasion, perpetuating the modes of worship of these churches in 
the Southern States. Most of the meeting places were devoid of 
architectural pretensions and were sometimes rude and almost prim- 
itive. The worship was largely of an emotional character, marked 
by the vigour and often the eloquence of the address and the beauty 
of the singing, which were not infrequently accompanied by hand 
clapping and other physical demonstration. 
Among their ministers were some very devout and pious men, 
some of them possessing much ability and persuasive eloquence. Of 
these we may mention the Revs. Wm. Mitchell, Josiah Henson, Elder 
Hawkins, and Bishop Disney of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
(The latter three were born slaves.) They accomplished much good 
among the coloured race in Canada. A few of the negroes joined 
white churches, but for the most part they worshipped together. The 
franchise was freely given them on the payment of the same amount 
of taxes as was paid by the white people. 
As may well be imagined many touching scenes took place as 
each band of fugitives reached the land of liberty. Many families 
long separated were re-united. “Each new band of pilgrims as it 
came ashore at some Canadian port was scanned by little groups of 


+The negro population seems to be continuously decreasing in the 
Dominion. The census of 1871 reports a total of 21,496, not including Prince 
Edward Island, Manitoba, British Columbia and the Territories, which were 
not then in the Dominion. Of these, 13,425 were in Ontario, 6,212 in Nova 
Scotia, 1,701 in New Brunswick, and 148 in Quebec. In 1881 the negro popula- 
tion in the whole Dominion was 21,394, of whom 12,097 were in Ontario, 7,062 in 
Nova Scotia, 1,638 in New Brunswick, 274 in British Columbia, 155 in Prince 
Edward Island, 141 in Quebec, 25 in Manitoba, and 2 in the Territories. 
