VI>A. 







wheat nJ oUior t -nmU In Canada Wt out door, work may be 

 proMrutsd t all season*, but in Canada Eft* thi. it occwionally rm- 

 ojond impracticable by UM MTtrity of the cold. Tbe duration of 



otieable by the severity of 

 ! by ax or eight wek* in m 

 IM earth in Canada West it 



winter u less by six or'eight week* In *om* part* westward than in 

 Montreal Th earth in Canada Wo* i* seldom frown more than 1 2 

 or 18 iaclie* deep, and the covering of snow is generally not more 

 a foot and a half or two feet thick. The maximum beat of 

 seldom exceed* 85*, and it i* generally tempered by pleasant 

 i from the lake*. From observations made in her Majesty's 

 observatory at Toronto, it appeared that the highest mean maximum 

 WM in the month of July, when U reached 88 11*, and the lowest 

 mean minimum wa* in the month of December, when it stood at 

 3-52'. The annual mean was 44-39". The observation* extended 

 over eleven yean, 1840-50. 



Tbe great lake* are never icebound in their centres. The St Law- 

 rono* i* fro*en over every winter from Montreal to the Richelieu 

 Rapid*, but from thence to Quebec only once in about five yean. 

 The *frwnb"^* on the St Lawrence and Lake Ontario seldom cease 

 running till near Chrutma*, and from Toronto to Niagara they gene- 

 rally continue to run through the whole winter. The navigation is 

 entirely re-opened by the first or second week in May. 



Canada West is settled for the most part by emigrants and the 

 descendant* of emigrant* from Great Britain and Ireland, the Irish 

 having rather a majority. In some localities there are Urge settle- 

 ment* of Peunsylvanian German*. Canada East is inhabited prinei- 

 pally by the descendant* of the old French settlers, with the excep- 

 tion of Quebec and Montreal, where there are large trading popu- 

 lations of British origin, and the eastern townships which the ItritUh 

 American Land Company have for some time been engaged in settling 

 with British emigrant*. The Indiana in Canada belong to two nations, 

 the Chippeways or Ojibbeways, and the Mohawks or Iroquois. The 

 former are dispersed over the countries bordering on lakes Superior 

 and Huron, the Utter along those bordering the St Lawrence and 

 between lake* Ontario, Erie, and Huron. A few of them have settled 

 in village* and embraced Christianity ; the rest are hunters without 

 Axed abode. Their numbers hardly amount at the largest estimate to 

 16,000, and are continually decreasing especially in the neighbourhood 

 of the white settlement*. The Canadians of French origin have 

 preserved their native language, but they generally * peak it incor- 

 rectly, and with some intermixture of English words. They arc 

 Roman Catholics ; they have their own peculiar code of laws that, 

 namely, which was in use in the times of the ancient French monarchy, 

 and U called ' Coutumes de Paris ; ' and lastly, they hold their lands 

 by an antiquated feudal tenure that acts as au effectual bar to all 

 improvement The nature of this tenure will be explained hereafter. 

 The Ottawa River to about 20 miles from its confluence with the St 

 Lawrence, forms the boundary between the two main divisions of the 

 province. 



LOWER CANADA, or CANADA EAST, is divided into 36 counties, 

 the names of which we give here with the population of each 

 in 1851 : BeauharnoU, 40,213 ; Bellechasse, 17,982 ; Berthier, 34,608 ; 

 Bonaventure, 10,844; Chambly, 20,676; Cham plain, 13,896; Dor- 

 chester, 43,105; Drummond, 16,562; Gaspe", 10,904; Huntingdon, 

 40,845; Kamounwka, 20,396; Leinster, 29,690; L'lslet, 19,641; 

 Lotbiniere, 16,567; Megantic, 13,835; Mississquoi, 13,484; Moutmo- 

 wocy, 9598; Montreal, 77,381; Nicolet, 19,657; Ottawa, 22,993; 

 Portneuf, 19,366; Quebec, 61,526; Richelieu, 25,686; Rouville, 

 27,031 ; Rimouski, 26,882 ; Saguenay, 20,783 ; St. Maurice, 27,562 ; 

 St Hyacinthe, 30,623 ; Sherbrooke, 20,814 ; Slit-fiord, 16,482 ; 

 Stanctead, 13,898; Terrebonne, 26,791; Two Mountains, 30,470; 

 Vaudreuil, 21,429; Verchcres, 14,393; Yamaska, 14,748 ; total 

 popuUtion of Canada East, 890,261. 



In Canada East are Montreal, which was selected at first as the 

 capita] of the united province, and Quebec. I MONTREAL ; QUEBEC.] 

 The other town* an Three Rivers, St Hyacinthe, Sherbrooke, and 

 8onL 7km Rirtrt i* prettily situated at the confluence of the 

 8t Maurice with the St Lawrence, and has a popuUtion of 4936. 

 There are iron mines near the town. There is a considerable trade in 

 pot- and peari-ashe*. Three Riven is one of the depot* of the north- 

 west trader*, and U on the whole a place of some importance in a 

 commercial point of view. . Hyacinth,, population 8813, in 

 St Hyacinth* county, i* situated on the left bank of the Yamaska 

 River, about SO mile* E. by N. from Montreal. It is the seat of a 

 college. Sktrtroot,, population S998, the district town of the eastern 

 " , U situated at the junction of the Magog with the St Francis 

 IU extensive command of water-power gives it great facilities 

 ifacture*. The chief public building here i* the court-house 

 and jail. Sorrl, or WiOiam Unary, population 8424, at the confluence 

 of the Richelieu and the St Lawrence, i* likely from it* advantageous 

 toation to be of much greater importance than it ha* yet attained. 

 By the Ckambly Canal there i* communication between LakeCham plain 

 and the 8t Lawrence at SoreL There in also a railway on the same 

 line of route. 



Tbe following villages in Canada Ea*t may be named witli the 

 population of each in 1851 : Aylmer, in Ottawa county, near the 

 border* of Canada Ea*t, popuUtion 1169; Batiscar, hi ChampUin 

 county, popuUtion about .50; Beauhamou, in Beauharnois county, 

 population 874 ; Borthier haut population about 1600 ; Chambly, 



ion, 884; Cot* Montreal county, 'J'.'j; 1'ras 



louaki oouir .:itingdoii, in Baauharooi* ooonty, 



Montreal county, 1U75 ; Lapruirie, in Huntingdon 

 1757; L'AaMiiiiptioii. 1084; Umgiv . Uoutmagny, in L'lslet 



county, l-'Jl; St Kustache, 784; St. John's, Chambly county, 

 3215; St Our'*, Richelieu county, 542; St Theresa, Terribo&M 

 county, 1129. 



UITER CANADA, or CANADA WEST, is divided into 42 coun- 

 ties, as follows: Addingtoii, imputation I.'.. I'..'.; Brant, 25,426; 

 Bruce, 2837; Carleton, 31,397; Ihmdas, 13,811; Durh. 

 Elgin, 25,418 ; Eeaex, 16,817; Frontenac, 30,785 ; Orcy, 13.-J17 : i:l.-n 

 gary. 17,596 ; IrcuvilU, UM .7<iT ; Haldimand, 18,788 ; Halt..n. 18 

 Hastings, 31,977; Huron, IW.lyS; Kent, 17,469; Lambton, 10,815; 

 Lanark, -J7,:tl7 : Leeds, 30,280; Lenox, 7955 ; Lincoln, 'J 'i.MIS : .Mid- 

 dlesex, 39,899; Northumberland, 31,229; Norfolk, 31,381 : Ontario, 

 30,576; Oxford, 32,638; Peel, 24,816; Perth, 15,545; IVtcrboro, 

 15,237; Prescott, 10,487; Prince Edward, 18,887; Renfrew, 9415; 

 Russell, 2870; Sinu.-,^, _>7,16.'i ; Stonnont, 14,1143; Victoria, r 

 Waterioo. 26,637 ; Wt-llington, 26,7I>6; Welland, 20,141 ; Wentworth. 

 42,619; York, 79,719; population of Canada West, 952,004. 

 population of Canada, 1,842,265. 



Canada West contains the cities of TORONTO, Hamilton, and 

 Kingston. Hamiiton is beautifully situated at the western extr> 

 of Burlington Bay, near the shore of Lake Ontario. It was founded 

 in 1813, and became on incorporated town in 1833: the popu 

 in 1851 was 14,112. The construction of the Burlington Canal, n 

 short cutting which opens a clear navigation into Lake Ontario, and 

 the improvements of the Desjordins Canal, 5 miles long, which con- 

 nect* Hamilton with the manufacturing town of Dundos, have much 

 promoted the prosperity of the place. It is the district town of Gore 

 district, and as such contains the court-house for the < 

 other public building.". The streets are well laid oat, and many of 

 the houses are built of stone. There are two market-houses, cne of 

 them including an upper story used as the town-hall, a custom-house, 

 a post-office, and a theatre. There are places of worship for Episco- 

 palians, Presbyterians, Weslcyan Methodists, Independents, Baptist', 

 Roman Catholics, and others ; news-rooms ; and a mechanics institute. 

 Good roads extend in all directions from the city, and numerous 

 stage-coaches keep up communication with the surrounding district". 

 Steam-vessels ply regularly during the season to Toronto and to 

 Queenstown and Niagara. Hamilton has much increased in commer- 

 cial importance of late years. The Great Western railway, unitin ; 

 Hamilton with Windsor on the Canadian side of the Detroit River, 

 will when completed open up a direct communication with the eastern 

 states of the American Union. The line, which is in all abu 

 miles in length, has been finished to London, or about half the entire 

 distance. Kingston, popuUtion 11,585, situated on Lake Ontario, 

 distant 199 miles S.W. from Montreal, and 177 miles E.N.K 

 Toronto, was incorporated in 1838. It is advantageously situa- 

 the beginning of the Rideau Canal and the Catnraqui River, 

 important in n military as weU as a commercial point of view, being 

 the key of the central St. Lawrence, as Quebec is of the '. 

 ward extremity. In its neighbourhood is Navy Bay, a narrow and 

 deep inlet of Lake Ontario, which is the chief naval station > 

 lakes. Tbe market-house, which contains also the post-ofti. 

 town-hull, and several public offices, is a handsome stone building of 

 considerable dimensions. There are places of wonhip for 1! 

 paliaus, Presbyterians, Wesleyan Methodists, Baptists, 1: 

 Catholics, and others. There are here a Presbyterian college, nn 

 hospital, a mechanics institute, and news-rooms. Ship building H 

 carried on. A bridge nearly 600 yards long crosses the rive- 

 raqui at Kingston. There are several mineral springs in the vicinity. 



Of the towns of Canada West the following may be notii 

 Amherilbuiy, a garrison town on the Detroit River, population 1880, 

 is finely situated, the banks of the river in the vicinity .if the town 

 being very beautiful. The town received in 1845 a charter to hold 

 a fair twice a year. There are Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist, 

 Baptist, and Roman Catholic places of worship, a court-house, ne\\ 

 and reading-rooms, and n market-place. British and Am. 

 steamers frequently call. Several handsome dwelling-houses are in 

 the neighbourhood of the town. Barrir, population 1007, comni 

 in 1832, is now the district town of Simcoe district. One of tl, 

 railway project* of Canada U a line from Toronto to Barrie. Tin i 

 are iii the town a court-house, several places of worship, a met 1 

 institute, and a jail. Steam-vessels ply on Lake Simcoe, which 1 .. 

 the river Severn communicates with Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. 

 Helrillr, population 4569, situated about 60 miles W. from Kingston 

 on the Bay of Quint*?, is a place of considerable trade. There are 

 here a court-house for the district of Victoria, several places of 

 worship, and some other public buildings. Steam-vessels call regu- 

 larly at Bclvillo. Brant ford, population 3877, on the left bank of the 

 Grand River, about 74 miles W. by S. from Hamilton, wan commenced 

 in 1830. A canal about 2 J miles long with three locks enable* vessels 

 of moderate draught to reach the town, thus avoiding the falls of the 

 Grand River. There are chapels for Episcopalians, Presbyt. 

 Independent*, Baptist*, and Roman Catholics. Grist-mills, fulling- 

 mills, soap-factories, and other establishments give considerable em- 

 ployment Ilrockrillr, population 324C, situated on the 



