I 
110 TRAVELS THROUGH LOWER CANADA * 
those that remained alive been removed, pur¬ 
suant to the advice of the physicians, to other 
quarters, the whole regiment might possibly 
have perished.^ 
From the town of Niagara to Queenstown,, 
the country in the neighbourhood of the riVer 
is very level; but here it puts on a different 
aspect; a confused range of hills, covered with 
oaks of an immense size, suddenly rises up 
before you, and the road that winds up the 
side of them is so steep and rugged, that it is 
absolutely necessary for the traveller to leave 
liis carriage, if he should be in one, and pro¬ 
ceed to the top on foot. Beyond these hills 
you again come to an unbroken level country; 
but the soil here differs materially from that on 
the opposite side; it consists of a rich dark earth 
intermixed with clay, and abounding with 
stones; whereas, on the side next Lake Onta¬ 
rio, the soil is of a yellowish cast in some 
places inclining to gravel, and in others to 
sand. 
From the brow of one of the hills in this 
ridge, which overhangs the little village of 
Queenstown, the eye of the traveller is grati¬ 
fied with one of the finest prospects that can be 
imagined in nature: you stand amidst a clump 
of large oaks, a little to the left of the road, 
and looking downwards perceive, through the 
branches of the trees with which the hill is 
