346 



CANADA. 



Canada. w ho travel during night, are most apt to suffer serious 

 injuries from this occurrence. 



To guard against the intensity of the wintry atmo- 

 sphere, the Canadians keep their houses extremely 

 warm by means of stoves, generally at the heat of 73 

 degrees ; and when they go out of doors, they thus 

 not only carry out much warmth along with them, 

 but so cover themselves with clothing, as to restrain 

 the escape of the heat, and prevent the influence of 

 the cold from being soon felt. 



In order to preserve the stones of the houses from 

 the accumulation of moisture in their fissures, and 

 from the injurious effects which would be produced 

 by the expansion of the watery particles in time of 

 frost, the walls are well plastered on the outside ; and 

 that the plaster may better withstand the severity of 

 the weather, two pounds of Muscovada sugar are 

 frequently mixed with each bushel of lime, which 

 renders the casting much more durable. 



When the snow begins to disappear, and the lakes 

 and rivers to break up, the ice, which is floated down 

 the St Lawrence, is carried up and down by the 

 tide, till it accumulates in immense quantities, and 

 frequently chokes up the channel from bank to bank 

 for the space of twelve or fifteen miles. Many of 

 the individual masses, which compose this collected 

 heap, are 400 or 500 yards in diameter; and these, 

 dashing against cash other by the tide or stream, 

 breaking up into a multitude of smaller pieces, shel- 

 ving up in a thousand forms and directions, present 

 a spectacle of extraordinary sublimity, and of perpe- 

 tual variety. 



A great proportion of the people, especially those 

 in towns, are destitute of employment during the six 

 months of winter ; but their wages during summer 

 are seldom less than four, five, or even six shillings 

 a day. Hence they dress as well and live as com- 

 fortably, as the lower classes in any other country : 

 but their long idleness during the winter season seems 

 to generate an indolent habit ; and they do not perform 

 so much work, even when they are employed, as^those 

 who are regularly engaged in labour throughout the 

 whole yeaj. In the country they sometimes employ 

 themselves in cutting and carrying home firewood, or 

 in any kind of work, that may help to keep them 

 warm, and occasionally in making a journey to the 

 nearest towns for the purpose of selling their surplus 

 provisions, or of purchasing some little comforts to 

 themselves, such as snuff, tobacco, spirits, &c. In 

 towns, the whole six months of winter may be said 

 to be devoted to amusements, of which the most pre- 

 valent is dancing ; and, besides the regular assemblies 

 for this purpose, they have occasional country parties, 

 which may be considered as a kind of pic-nic feasts. 

 The company ride out in the forenoon in their ca- 

 rioles, to some proper place, at a little distance from 

 town, every one carrying a dish ready dressed; and 

 after having dined, danced, and supped, they re- 

 turn home at midnight amidst the wind and snow ; 

 or, should the storm be unusually boisterous, con- 

 tentedly remain where they are, and continue the 

 dance till day -light appears, to guide them through 

 the drifting blast. 



The descendants of the ancient Canadian colonists 

 retain all the politeness, sprightliness, and easy man- 



6 



ners of the old French^ from whom they are 

 sprung. 



They are healthy and robust in early life, and. Character 

 when urged by necessity, capable of enduring pa- ? f fi e m " 

 tiently the greatest fatigues ; but they soon lose their 

 strength, and begin to have an aged appearance* 

 Every man in the country is his own tradesman, suf- 

 ficiently intelligent in his own affairs, and not liable 

 to be easily overreached. They are naturally lively 

 and thoughtless; and hence perhaps rather charge- 

 able with inconstancy and ingratitude. The land- 

 holders are described, as honest, hospitable, religious, 

 inoffensive, modest and civil ; but extremely indo- 

 lent, and strongly attached to ancient prejudices. 

 Contentment of mind and mildness of disposition are 

 said to constitute the leading features of their cha- 

 racter. The Country people still retain much of 

 their ancient simplicity, in point of domestic accom- 

 modation, and mode of living. The furniture of their 

 habitations is generally of their own workmanship, 

 and of consequence is seldom very ornamental. Their 

 principal article of food consists of pease soup, with 

 a small quantity of pork boiled in it, and a dish of 

 thick sour milk. They sometimes indulge them- 

 selves with a little tea or coffee ; but, in these cases, 

 the frying pan is generally made to perform the of- 

 fice of a tea-kettle. The women and children sel- 

 dom use any other drink, than milk and water, but 

 the men are all passionately fond of rum ; and few of 

 them, when they go to market with their commodi- 

 ties> return home perfectly sober. , Their address to 

 strangers is more polite and unembarrassed, than that 

 of any peasantry in the world. " It adds greatly," 

 says a recent and intelligent writer on this country, 

 " to the comfort of travelling in Canada, that you 

 are every where treated with the greatest politeness 

 and attention."" A Canadian landlady, the moment 

 you stop, receives you at the door with a degree of 

 politeness and urbanity, which is as unexpected, as 

 it is pleasing ; Voulez vous bien, Monsieur, avoir la 

 complaisance d'entrer ; voila une chaise, Monsieur^ 

 asseyez vous s'il vous plait. If they have got any 

 thing you want, it is given at once with a good 

 grace. If they have not, they tell you so in such a 

 tone and manner, as to show that they are sorry for 

 it. Je ti'en ai point, Monsieur; j'en suis mortifie" 

 " Indeed you need never be at a loss for a house to 

 stop at. There is not a farmer, shopkeeper, nay, 

 nor even seigneur^ or country gentleman, who, on 

 being civilly applied to for accommodation, will not 

 give you the best bed in the house, and every ac- 

 commodation in his power." Grey's Letters from 

 Canada, p. 126. 



The following character of the French settlers 

 contrasted with that of the British or American, and 

 from a pen, which must be considered as sufficiently 

 impartial, may prove interesting and even instructive 

 to our readers. That the description may have its 

 full effect, we shall adhere very closely to the words 

 of its ingenious and lively author. " The American 

 settler, of English or German- descent, naturally cold 

 and phlegmatic, sedately forms a plan of managing 

 a farm. He turns his mind, not ardently, but with- 

 out ceasing, to every thing conducive to its forma- 

 tion or improvement. If, as some travellers have 



