254 LOWER CANADA. 



169; Lynx, S2? ; Wolverine, 517"; Fisher, 2,536; Raccoon, 39,521 ; 

 Wolf, 19 ; Elk, 534; Deer 32,551 ; Cat, cased and open, 2,428 ; Swan, 

 J, 833; Hare, 2,684. 



Government. ...By the Quebec act, passed by the parliament of 

 Great Britain, in the year 1791, it is enacted that there shall be with- 

 in each of the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, a legislative 

 council and an assembly, who, with the consent of the governor ap- 

 pointed by the king, shall have power to make laws ; but the king 

 may declare his dissent at any time within two years after receiving 

 any bill. The legislative council is to consist of not fewer than seven 

 members for Upper and fifteen for Lower Canada, to be summoned 

 by the governor, who must be authorised by the king. They hold 

 their seats for life unless they forfeit them by an absence of four 

 years, or transferring their allegiance to some foreign power. The 

 house of assembly is to consist of not less than sixteen members from 

 Upper and fifty from Lower Canada, chosen by the freeholders in the 

 several towns and districts. The council and assembly are to be called 

 together at least once in every year, and every assembly is to con- 

 tinue four years, unless sooner dissolved by the governor. 



Religion.. ..About nine-tenths of the inhabitants of these provinces 

 are Roman Catholics, who enjoy, under the present government, the 

 same rights and privileges as were granted them in 1772, by the act 

 of parliament then passed. The rest of the people are protestants of 

 various sects. 



Language. ...The general language of this country is the French ; 

 English being confined to the British settlers, who are much fewer 

 in number than the inhabitants of French descent. 



History. ...This country was discovered by the English as early as 

 1497; but the first settlement in it was made by the French, in 1608 ? 

 •who retained possession of it till 1760, when it was conquered by the 

 British arms, and, by the treaty of Paris, in 1763, ceded by France to 

 the crown of England, under the government of which it has ever 

 since continued. 



One of the most remarkable events which history records of this 

 country, is the earthquake in the year 1663, which overwhelmed a 

 chain of mountains of free-stone, more than 300 miles long? and 

 changed the immense tract into a plain. 



