Quebec. 107 



Weft- Indies, All the foreign goods, which 

 are found in Montreal, and other parts of 

 Canada, muft be taken from hence. The 

 Erench merchants from Montreal on their 

 fide, after making a fix months flay among 

 feveral Indian nations, in order to purchafe 

 f]uns of beafts and furrs, return about the 

 end of Auguft) and go down to Qiiebec in 

 September or October, in order to fell their 

 goods there. The privilege of felling the 

 imported goods, it is faid, has vaftly en- 

 riched the merchants of Quebec; but this 

 is contradicted by others, who allow that 

 there are a few in affluent circumftances, 

 but that the generality poffefs no more 

 than is abfolutely neceffary for their bare 

 fubfiftence, a-o$ that feveral are very much 

 in debt, which they fay is owing to their 

 luxury and vanity. The merchants drefs 

 very finely, and are extravagant in their 

 repafts ; and their ladies are every day in 

 full drefs, and as much adorned as if they 

 were to go to court. 



THE town is furrounded on almoft all fides 

 by a high wall, and efpecially towards the 

 land. It was not quite completed when I 

 was there, and they were very bufy in finifli- 

 ing it. It is built of the above mentioned 

 black lime-flate, and of a dark-grey fand- 

 ftone. For the corners of the gates they 



have 



