CHATHAM PLAINS. 195 



more convenient situation ; but the growth of Chatham seems 

 to be independent of this alteration. 



After parting with Mr Goose, and dining at Chatham hotel? 

 kept by Mr Cartier, a French Canadian, and who was enlar 

 ging his house from an increase of business, we engaged Israel 

 Williams, a man of colour, who owned an excellent farm in 

 the vicinity of Chatham, to carry us with a waggon and pair 

 of horses south to Lake Erie, and round the lake and Detroit 

 river to Sandwich. 



Two roads led to Lake Erie, one by what was called the 

 town line, and another across the plains. Having heard 

 much of the plains from Mr Goose, who said all the farmers 

 in the neighbourhood cut hay from them, and that a squatter 

 had been successful in growing crops, although considered 

 barren, I was anxious to see the plains ; and accordingly 

 took them on our way to the lake, although Israel Williams 

 had never travelled the road. 



We left Chatham about half-past nine, and soon reached 

 the plains, two miles north of Chatham. At the east end, 

 where we passed through, they consist of an area between 

 two and three miles wide, and as far as the eye could reach to 

 the westward, destitute of trees, except small spots here and 

 there, bearing shrubs and stunted trees of various sizes, and 

 which resembled islands in a lake. A number of dwar 

 fish willows were growing in most places, and the grass con 

 sisted chiefly of two species, which occasionally reached the 

 horses ears. A number of beautiful flowering plants adorned 

 the plains, but being thoroughly wet, and rain falling heavily 

 at the time, my botanizing zeal abated, and I contented my 

 self with adding the seeds of four or five to my collection, 

 gathered without descending from the waggon. Williams 

 missed the tract leading into the forest on the south side of 

 the plains, which we perambulated for upwards of an hour, 

 till reaching a house, containing a ragged, dirty, and miserable 

 looking family, a boy of which acted as our guide till entering 

 the forest. We reached what the people of the country call 

 Frogmore-street, a newly opened road leading from Sandwich ; 

 from which we were directed to Lake Erie, but missing our 

 way a second time, it was about sunset before we came in 



