2 Dr. Bigsby's Sketch of the Topography 



regularity of a Hanse town. As a natural consequence, this 

 region has been visited and described in all its aspects, with 

 great care, by numerous writers, among whom the most cor- 

 rect and copious are SpafFord (Gazetteer), Darby (Tour to De- 

 troit), Wright (Letters on America). The several Tourist's 

 Guides for this district, published by Goodrich and others, 

 booksellers of New York, contain much valuable information. 



The northern or Canadian side of the lake has been ex- 

 amined with more or less attention by Bouchette, Hall, Gour- 

 ]ay, and others. Mr. Gourlay has contrived to comprise a 

 vast accession of excellent matter, in a cumbrous and in- 

 temperate work (to say the least) on the statistics of Upper 

 Canada. 1 have been frequently indebted to him in matters 

 of topography. It is to be regretted, that hitherto travellers 

 in the Canadas have contented themselves with delineations of 

 the principal towns, and of a few fine points of natui-al scenery, 

 swelling their descriptions with thrice-repeated histories and 

 traditions; and have overlooked the intermediate spaces, less 

 imposing or picturesque, pei'haps, but very often more im- 

 portant in physical or geological geography. 



Fully sensible of the superior commercial advantages of the 

 south side of Lake Ontario, its fertility, and great and rapidly 

 increasing population, I cannot withhold my admiration of the 

 bland and luxuriant landscapes of the north, and the exceeding 

 comfort and conscious independence of the inhabitants. I con- 

 sider it at present a most desirable residence for an English- 

 man with a family and a small capital, whose expectations are 

 moderate. The disposition and the actions of the British Go- 

 vernment are most paternal towards its Canadian subjects. 

 There are no tithes ; and no taxes, with the exception of some 

 trifling ones to meet the expenses of roads, the distribution of 

 justice, and the payment of a few civil officers and the House 

 of Assembly. English goods are imported under a duty of 

 2\ per cent, in place of 25—80 as in the adjacent United 

 States of America. Good parochial schools are established 

 everywhere ; and in the towns there are seminaries of a su- 

 perior character for the more opulent. In fact, men of fair 

 education are now to be found even in the most remote situa- 

 tions, nor are they inactive. They are projecting and forming 

 canals in every part of the country. In 1824 two were in pro- 

 gress at the west end of the lake — one to open a steady and 

 sufficient communication between Burlington Bay and the 

 open lake— another to connect Lakes Erie and Ontario by 

 ascending the parallel ridge at the 12-mile Creek, and then 

 proceeding through the level country to Chippewa Creek. 

 The last project is under the superintendence of Mr. Merritt 



of 



