162 FACE OF THE COUNTRY. 



spoke the English language in a broken imperfect manner, 

 and was an unassuming obliging person. This was the second 

 time drivers had appeared at table since reaching the American 

 shore, and I did not experience inconvenience of any kind on 

 either occasion from their presence, both having conducted 

 themselves with the utmost propriety. A meal in the United 

 States and Canada is simply a feeding, and not in any degree 

 a conversational meeting ; and ability to pay is therefore con 

 sidered the standard of admission to public tables. Britain 

 and America are similarly situated in this respect, but in 

 Britain the facilities of getting private tables, and various 

 degrees of entertainment, completely separate travellers into 

 different grades. Viewing meals as social meetings, texture of 

 coat or profession ought not to gain or deny an individual 

 admission to table ; and wherever the inhabitants of a country 

 Lave not been brutalized, true politeness at a public table 

 never fails to check vulgarity and impudence, as well as to 

 impart pleasure. 



The surface from Brantford to Gait, by way of Paris, is 

 undulating, chiefly oak openings, consisting of dwarfish de 

 caying oak-trees, with a good deal of underwood, and scarcely 

 a plant of grass or clover interspersed. In some places a good 

 deal of pine is seen, but every description of tree, including 

 larch, is small and stunted looking. 



From Gait to Guelph, and in the neighbourhood of the 

 latter, the soil is light, composed of sand or gravel, bearing 

 inferior crops, and, judging from the way sides, calculated to 

 produce excellent pasturage. The wood is small sized ; and 

 the district abounding with limpid streams. Annual thistles 

 were growing in vast numbers, and where cleared land had 

 &quot;been neglected, were occupying the entire surface. The 

 clearing of land was going on to a considerable extent. 



The wheat was much mildewed, and some fields we ex 

 amined nearly destroyed by it. Sleighs, mere arms of 

 trees, were passing along the roads, drawn by two oxen, on 

 which were small bags, seemingly going to the grist-mill, and 

 under guidance of a stout man, who could have carried the 

 &quot;bags on his shoulders. Such a misapplication of ox labour 

 arose, I fear, from laziness. 



