NO EMIGRATION. 37 



their vaunted prowess in the late puny war, and superi 

 ority over all other nations. They assume it as a self- 

 evident fact, that &quot; the Americans surpass all others in 

 virtue, wisdom, valour, liberty, government, and every 

 other excellence! 1 Yet much as the Americans deserve 

 ridicule for this foible, still I admire the energy and en- 

 terprize every where exhibited, and regret the apathy of 

 the British government with regard to the improvement 

 of this province. A single glance down the banks of the 

 Niagara tells on which side the most efficient government 

 has resided. On the United States side large towns 

 springing up; the numerous shipping, with piers to protect 

 them in harbour, coaches rattling along the road, and 

 trade evidenced by waggons, carts and horses, and people 

 on foot, in various directions. On the Canadian side, 

 although in the immediate vicinity, an older settlement, 

 and apparently better land, there are only two or three 

 stores, a tavern or two, a natural harbour without piers, 

 hut few vessels, and two temporary landing places. Farm 

 houses there are all over the district, nearly one on each 

 farm, and probably the farmers, &c. doing very well. 

 A town cannot be bnilt, as government retain the land 

 for fortifications. Trade there cannot be much till the 

 upper part of the province is more settled. Inquired 

 of two EnglishmeFi, who had considerable farms, if they 

 wanted a person to superintend them, or knew of any 

 person who did ; but no, every person looks after his own 

 business in this country. The land is a stiffish black 

 earth, on a rock several feet under the surface : it is 

 excellent for wheat, clover, and grass, and is chiefly 

 settled and owned by Dutch from the States. Left my 

 trunks and travelled down the level banks of the wide 

 Niagara river; the roaring sound of the Great Falls 

 broke on my ear at twelve or fourteen miles distance. 

 This wonder of the world, although it does not come up 

 to the idea I had formed of it by reading travellers de 

 scriptions, is yet truly grand; the immense body of water 

 which accumulates in the Great Lakes above, from a 

 thousand creeks and rivers, is here concentrated. From 

 Chippawa it rushes down a sharp rapid, dashing over 

 huge stones and broken rock (which, for a moment, 

 appear to arrest its impetuous course), near a mile before 

 it comes to the precipice, where it is converged to a com- 



