76 EMIGRATION, OR 



descended the mountain again into a more open, level, and 

 better settled country, and dined at Sumner s Tavern, at a 

 small village in Dundas Street. This appears a tolerably 

 thriving part, which is evidently caused by the stimulus of 

 a cash market near at hand, for all kinds of produce. Con 

 siderable quantity of wheat is grown in this neighbourhood ; 

 twenty-two to twenty-five bushels per acre considered a 

 good crop. Not much corn grown ; the ground appears too 

 stiff for it. The street from this place to York runs parallel 

 with the north shore of Lake Ontario, about two or three 

 miles from it. 



Nov. 8. Came a heavy rain in the night, which has 

 washed the remains of the snow and some of the dust from 

 the roads. Crossed a number of creeks (small rivers) over 

 some pretty good wooden bridges, near which are mills, 

 stores, &c. &c. the buds of future towns and villages. The 

 river Credit, a small fine clear stream with a strong bottom, 

 is a great resort of salmon, trout, &c. in the spring or fall ; 

 numbers of people every night spearing and selling them, 

 at 30s. to 35s. per barrel of 2001b. weight. No nets 

 allowed in the river or near its mouth, as they would soon 

 destroy all the fish, or at least keep them from going up the 

 river into the country. Two persons in a canoe,* with a 

 spear and a torch, will sometimes kill eight or ten barrels of 

 salmon in one night, yet sometimes none at all, as they 

 swim in shoals. From this place to York there are some 

 sandy plains, with white oak, pines, &c., and a cedar swamp 

 or two, and here and there a fertile spot ; on one of which 

 was a fine large nursery of thriving young fruit trees. 

 Stopped at a tavern two miles from York, (taverns every 

 few miles), kept by an agreeable American, who is just 

 starting a furnace for casting all kinds of iron ware. 



Nov. 9. -At York, the present capital of Upper Canada, 

 being 1 in 43 degrees 35 minutes north, contains between 

 2000 and 3000 inhabitants, and is a fast increasing and im 

 proving place, having a number of good buildings, villas, &c. 

 The government offices are large, and built of brick. The 

 houses and other buildings, although generally small, are 

 neat, and better furnished than what I have seen in some 



* There has bsen an act passed in the Assembly since, to prevent 

 any but the Indians, who own the land in its neighbourhood and li\e 

 on it, from fishing therein. 



