HIVER CHATEAUGUAY KINDS OF HOUSES. 131 



ing my friends and former neighbours possessing so many 

 more old country comforts than the backwood settlers in Upper 

 Canada, and all enjoying good health and spirits. This is 

 quite an East Lothian colony ; four farmers who have settled 

 here dined with us, and there are blacksmiths, tailors, &c. &c. 

 without number in the village. The township of Hinchin- 

 Lrooke is a thriving settlement, and in point of climate perhaps 

 the best in Lower Canada. 



The river Chateauguay is of small size, its banks have long 

 been settled by French Canadians, and for twenty miles above 

 its navigable point is almost a continued village, the mode 

 of French settlement being to place houses on each side of a 

 road or street, with narrow parallel portions of land attached 

 to each, extending a mile or two back. The farms are gene 

 rally free of wood, and the banks of the river, consequently, 

 without beauty. Towards Huntingdon there are few French 

 settlers, and above the village the banks are wooded, and some 

 good farms are seen. Here the Chateauguay is joined by the 

 Hinchinbrooke, Trout river, and Oak creek, the banks of all 

 of which are settled, and abound with good situations. 



The soil on the banks of the river occupied by the French 

 is strong clay, bearing alternately wheat and thistle pastures, 

 with occasionally a few oats, big, peas, and potatoes. The 

 houses are generally brick, and a few are of stone. Boys were 

 seen playing at cricket. 



For several miles below Huntingdon the soil is very infe 

 rior, but improves in the neighbourhood of the village. On 

 the small streams above the village the soil embraces every 

 description of clay, loam, and sand. This tract has been re 

 cently settled, chiefly by British emigrants, and when the 

 forest is subdued, likely to become valuable. Corn crops do 

 not occupy much extent of ground at present. Grass was in 

 many situations excellent, red and white clover abounding 

 without having been sown. In two instances I saw wheat 

 crops which had been sown in autumn, and neither were good ; 

 if such a crop succeeds any where in Lower Canada, it must be 

 in this district. The houses consist of wood, and are log*, 

 block, or frame, according to the wealth or taste of the owner. 

 A log-house consists of rough logs or unbarked trees, piled 



