176 STATE OF GODERICH SETTLEMENT. 



out regard to the ultimate welfare of settlers, and only pur 

 sue revenue without aiming to develope the permanent re 

 sources of the district. Such an extent of territory as the 

 Canada company possess, gives a monopoly of land, and a 

 power of enhancing price, operating on the emigrant as a 

 tax, which is transferred to the shareholders in England, in 

 stead of being employed on the spot. The affairs of the Com 

 pany are not likely to be soon wound up, as the lands of 

 insolvent purchasers will, from time to time, return to its ma 

 nagement, and the price of land will be raised beyond the 

 demands of the population, as well as let on lease. The 

 political power of the Company will soon be felt, and its mi 

 nions thrust into the legislature of the country, to the retarding 

 of every local improvement affecting the finances of the Com 

 pany. The shareholders will ultimately occupy the position 

 of absentee landlords, and become the most avaricious of 

 taskmasters. 



The first settlement in the Huron tract having been made 

 in 1829, it would be unreasonable to expect any thing like 

 luxury or old-country comfort in the neighbourhood of Gode- 

 rich. The habitations of the farmer are generally of the 

 meanest description, and often quite equal in wretchedness to 

 the worst hovels of Ireland and Scotland, and perhaps the 

 notions of many of the settlers lead them to desire no better 

 accommodation. It has already been noticed, that only one 

 of the original farmers retains his possessions, and their suc 

 cessors are an improved race. A change proceeding in this 

 manner may have benefited society, but at present there is 

 a coarse rawness about men and things at Goderich which I 

 felt far from being agreeable. 



We left Goderich at seven in the moraine: of the 28th of 



o 



August, and about seventeen miles distant, met Mr T 



and his friends journeying to Goderich, and resting on the 

 wayside till their horse had fed, and I enjoyed highly a piece 

 of bread which he presented to me. This gentleman had one 

 of his horses stolen by an Indian the night preceding, and 

 which was seen by ys grazing with a halter on its head a few 



miles distant. I had become acquainted with Mr T in 



travelling from Montreal to York, and we regretted missing 



