122 EMIGRATION, OR 



cutting and plashing. Dogs are much used for drawing- 

 trucks, &c. and it is astonishing what weights they will haul 

 up the steep roads to the Upper Town. 



As the assizes or courts of justice were open both here 

 and at Montreal, I had an opportunity of witnessing the 

 manner of conducting them, which is much the same as in 

 England, with perhaps a little more solemnity. As juries 

 are generally a mixture of French and Europeans, it is 

 necessary for the evidence to be interpreted in which ever 

 language it be given in. The courts were crowded with 

 spectators, who behaved with more becoming gravity and 

 decorum than I have often seen in courts in England. 



Canadians on Sunday flock to their churches, with Prayer 

 books in their hand, a decent deportment, and generally 

 clean and neat, if not respectably attired. As Irish Catholics 

 that emigrate, mostly go to the States, would it not be 

 good feeling to settle them liberally in Lower Canada, where 

 their own religious rites are performed ? They would make 

 loyal subjects, and neutralize the political influence of the 

 French Canadians, without exciting enmity, and probably 

 introduce the English language and customs more generally. 



Attended an agricultural meeting two miles out of Que 

 bec, and was highly gratified by the excellent show of cab 

 bages (drumheads), savoys, &c., carrots, beets, turnips, 

 potatoes, celery, onions, &c. and all good. A sample of 

 wheat, pretty good, but shorter than it grows in Upper 

 Canada. Some tolerable samples of barley, and a kind 

 called mountain barley; it is naked, and has some ap 

 pearance of large rye, but more of common barley, with 

 its skin taken off; also good English oats. Fine apples, 

 pears, &c. Ploughing, with cast iron ploughs, two horses 

 abreast, and held without exception by old country people, 

 Irish or Scotch, eight or ten ploughs, and the ploughing 

 good. The Canadians generally use clumsy wheel ploughs, 

 drawn by a yoke of oxen, and a horse for a leader. Some 

 pretty good cattle shewn. The society consists altogether 

 of settlers, or nearly so, and practical farmers. I was sorry 

 to see so few people at it. 



There has been another show and ploughing match since, 

 by another agricultural society, open to all competitors. It 

 was well attended, and the Canadians joined in competition 

 for the premiums. I am informed, the show of both cattle 

 and vegetables would have been a credit to most countries. 



