96 An HiJJorical Journal of 



LETTER IX. 



Of the Caufes of the Cold of Canada, Of the Refources they ha^ue 

 for Suhf fence. Of the Charader of //^French Canadians, 



Madam, Montreal, April 7.2* 



IT is furpriTing that in France, where they fo often fee Per-^ 

 fons who have paiTed a good Part of their Lives in Canada^ 

 they lliould have fuch a wrong Idea of this Country. This pro- 

 Canada is not ^^^^^ without Doubt from the Information 

 kno^m in France ^^^^(q. People who know it by its worte 

 7 T a Side. The Winter generally besoins before 



tut by Its ^orjt ^1 ^ tr r *i r r j • 



the VelieiS lail tor prance^ and it begins in a 



^ Manner that ailonilhes thofe v/ho are not 



ufed to it. The firft Froft fills the Rivers with Ice in a few 

 Days, and the Earth is foon covered with Snow, which lalh 

 fix Months, and always rifes fix Feet high where the Wind has 

 not Power. 



There is indeed no Want of Wood to provide a^ainft the 

 ExcefJîve Cold which foon becomes exceff vc, and lafts 



c^tv 0 ^.jj Spring is pretty forward : But it is 

 very melancholy not to be able to ftir out without being frozen, 

 or without being wrapt up in Furs like a Bear. Befides, What 

 a Sight is the Snow, which dazzles one's Eyes, and hides all 

 the Beauties of Nature ! There is no longer any Difference be- 

 tween the Rivers and the Fields, no more Variety, even the 

 Trees are covered with a Rime, and all their Branches are hung 

 with Ificles, under which it is not fafe to (land. What can one 

 think when we fee the Horfes have Beards of Ice^a Foot long? 

 And how can one travel in a Country, where the Bears for fix 

 Months dare not venture out of their Holes ? And indeed, I 

 never pafTed a Winter in this Country, but I faw fome People 

 who were carried to the Hofpital, to have their Legs and Arms 

 cut off that were frozen. In Fa£l, if the Sky is clear, there 

 blows from the weftern Parts a Wind that cuts the Face. If the 

 Wind turns to the South or the Eaft, the Weather grows a little 

 milder, but there falls fuch a thick Snow, that you cannot fee 

 ten Paces at Noon Day. If there comes a thawing Air, adieu 

 to all the Capons, Quarters of Beef and Mutton, the Fowls and 

 the Filh, which had been laid up in the S tore-Rooms : So that in 

 Spight of the Rigour of the exceffivc Cold, they are ftill ob- 

 liged to wifli for its Continuance. It is to no Purpofe to fay 



the 



