122 PORT HOPE COBOURG. 



We left Bowmanville at seven in the morning, by the mail- 

 stage, which had taken fourteen hours to come forty-three 

 miles ; and my friend left my only thermometer at the door 

 of the hotel. A few miles from Port Hope our waggon was 

 changed for a small neat coach, which we found an agreeable 

 alteration, and soon reached Coburg. 



Port Hope is prettily situated near Lake Ontario, at the 

 mouth of a small stream, murmuring over a rocky bottom, 

 and well calculated for propelling machinery. There is a 

 pier, and general appearances betoken prosperity. 



Coburg is also situated near Lake Ontario, and much 

 larger and more advanced than Port Hope. It has much 

 trade with the country across Rice Lake. 



There is a considerable extent of cleared ground from 

 Bowmanville to Port Hope ; the soil poor and ill managed. 

 Near the latter it improves, and towards Coburg are some 

 good farm-houses and offices, around which the fields are 

 well cultivated and fenced. 



Around Coburg the vegetable mould in the woods was 

 three inches deep, and the soil sandy loam. The greater 

 part of the soil we have seen in America is of soft texture, 

 and easily laboured. Here we learned plough irons are only 

 repaired twice a-year. At Newmarket a plough was pointed 

 out, the irons of which had not been at the smithy since the 

 previous October, and were still in tolerable order. Mildew 

 was seen on wheat at Bowmanville and Coburg. A lime 

 kiln was preparing building-lime on the shores of the lake, 

 and stones of the same rock were quarried for building. 



We found the young men swallowing their food at the 

 table of the hotel as fast as those of Albany did. It is almost 

 a universal practice in the States and Canada to board men, 

 such as clerks and shopmen, in hotels. A large bell or horn 

 is sounded half an hour before meals, and again when served 

 up. Hence the rush to table, and expeditious eating. 



Next morning we set out in a waggon for Sully on Rice 

 Lake, a steamer carrying us across the lake and up the river 

 Otanabee to Peterborough, the head of navigation, where 

 we found accommodation at Macfadden s hotel. 



When about to sit down to breakfast, I was introduced to 



