EMIGRANTS PASSING UP THE ST LAWRENCE. 143 



and, by way of varying the scene, I took the American line 

 of conveyances travelling by stage to Lachine, and from 

 thence to Cascades by steam, from Cascades to Coteau du 

 Lac by stage, and again by steam to Cornwall, which we 

 reached by 2 A.M. of the llth. 



The waters of the dark-coloured Ottawa, and limpid St 

 Lawrence, formed a striking contrast on the way to Cas 

 cades, situated on the former. The banks of the St Law 

 rence were observed in some places to consist of clay twenty 

 feet deep, without any admixture some excellent soil was 

 seen above Cascades the wheat crop from Montreal upwards 

 was perfectly ripe, and barley in some instances carried. 



At Coteau du Lac our steamer took seven batteaux, or 

 open boats, in tow, in one of which I counted 1.1 emigrants, 

 of all ages, who were doomed to pass the night on board. 

 Men, women, and children were huddled together as close as 

 captives in a slave-trader, exposed to the sun s rays by day, 

 and river damp by night, without protection. It was impos 

 sible to look upon such a group of human beings without 

 emotion. The day had been so intensely hot, that the stoutest 

 amongst them looked fatigued, while the females seemed 

 ready to expire with exhaustion. Conversation was carried 

 on in whispers, and a heaviness of heart seemed to pervade 

 the whole assemblage. Never shall I forget the countenance 

 of a young mother, ever anxiously looking at twin infants slum 

 bering on her knee, and covering them from the vapour rising 

 from the river, and which strongly depicted the feelings of 

 maternal affection and pious resignation. Night soon veiled 

 the picture, and, I fear, brought no relief to the anxious 

 mother. The navigation up the St Lawrence in batteaux is 

 accomplished by propelling them with poles, and is necessa 

 rily tedious. The accommodation is so wretched and irk 

 some, that the emigrants privations of transport may be said 

 only to commence at Montreal, where they perhaps expected 

 them to end, and when their spirits are ill fitted to bear up 

 against them. Steam conveyance of late must have shortened 

 their sufferings. 



On reaching Cornwall I immediately proceeded on board 

 the American steam-boat Dalhousie, which conveyed us across 



