62 ONTARIO. 



them. I was much amused by seeing a lumberman 

 without coat or waistcoat a magnificent fellow about 6 

 feet 2 inches in height, and as shaggy as a bear solemnly 

 taking his pleasure on a hot July day in one of those 

 gorgeous vehicles, drawn by two horses. He drove all 

 round the town, stopping here and there to have a friendly 

 glass with a comrade. When he wanted to get out he 

 stopped the driver with a whoop that could be heard two 

 miles off on the river. He disdained to open the door, 

 but stepped backwards and forwards over it a proceeding 

 that somewhat detracted from the dignity of the turn- 

 out. 



In the Ottawa district there are plenty of improved 

 farms always in the market. In an accessible locality a 

 farm of 200 acres half cleared, with fair house and out- 

 buildings, can be bought for from 800Z. to 10007. Close 

 to the city the price of good farms is 20Z. an acre. In the 

 more remote sections of this district equally good farms 

 can be bought for half the money, viz. for 400/. or 500/. 

 The latter are situated generally on the borders of the 

 lumber woods, and the objections to them are, (1) the 

 difficulty of obtaining labour, the best men being picked 

 up by the lumberers ; and, (2) distance from society, &c. 

 As regards markets, the proprietors of these back farms 

 are as well off as their neighbours near the cities. They 

 can dispose of all their surplus produce at high prices to 

 the lumber merchants. In fact, the nearer to the lumber 

 woods the higher are the prices of farm produce such as 

 hay, oats, pork, and beef. These back farms are gene- 

 rally in the hands of native-born Canadians, who, as we 

 have seen elsewhere, are in the habit of selling out their 



