133 



after their entrance, but muft pafs through 

 a noviciate of two or three years, in order 

 to try, whether they will be conftant. For 

 during that time it is in their power to 

 leave the convent, if a monadic life does 

 not fuit their inclinations. Bat as foon as 

 they are received among the nuns, and 

 have made their vows, they are obliged to 

 continue their whole life in it : if they ap- 

 pear willing to change their mode of life, 

 they are locked up in a room, from whence 

 they can never get out. The nuns of this 

 convent never go further from it, than to 

 the hofpital, which lies near it, and even 

 makes a part of it. They go there to at- 

 tend the fick, and to take care of them. 

 I was told by feveral people here, fome of 

 which were ladies, that none of the nuns 

 went into a convent, till flie had attained 

 to an age in which fhe had fmall hopes of 

 ever getting a hufband. The nuns of all 

 the three convents in O^tebec looked very 

 old, by which it feems, that there is fome 

 foundation for this account. All agree 

 here, that the men are much lefs nume- 

 rous in Canada, than the women j for the 

 men die on their voyages; many go to the 

 Weft-Indies^ and either fettle, or die, there; 

 many are killed in battles, &c. Hence 

 I 3 there 



