MONTREAL. 141 



is moderate, in the American sense of the word. Mr D 



had let the cutting of his barley crop, which was good, and 

 the work well executed (to both of which I testify) to French 

 Canadians, at 7s. 6d. sterling per acre, without food, or any 



etcetera. Mr , near Laprairie, paid a stout active East 



Lothian ploughman by the year, L.I 5 Halifax money, 6J Lo 

 thian bolls of oatmeal, 3 bolls potatoes, 2 bushels peas, and 

 a month s meat in harvest, a cow s keep, a house and garden, 

 with 10 cords of firewood. A second servant got the same 



wages in kind, with L.I 2 in money. Mr , also, near 



Laprairie, paid his servant $8 per month, and his second, 87 

 both found, or L.20 sterling a-year, with bed and board. 



The city of Montreal is situated on an island of the same 

 name, on the north bank of the St Lawrence, and at the head 

 of the ship navigation of the river. The houses consist chiefly 

 of stone, and are disposed in narrow streets. The principal 

 building is the Catholic church, a capacious building, not 

 quite finished on the original plan for want of funds, and said 

 to be capable of holding nearly 10,000 souls. The popula 

 tion amounts to about 30,000 souls, and the trade is most ex 

 tensive. While Upper Canada, and the western part of the 

 Lower Province, continue to prosper, limits cannot be set to 

 the increase of Montreal, which is at present the most import 

 ant place of trade in the British American possessions. Should 

 manufactures ever flourish in Lower Canada, Lachine rapids 

 could supply Montreal with an unlimited water-power. 



