224 Cultivation of Hemp tn Lower Canada. 
“ 
ful. But freedom from bodily injury and 
pain is something desirable for itself. Were 
we to suppose it, like the objects preceding, 
only desirable for sumething further, and then 
that sométhing further for some other thing, 
and that again for another without cessation 
or stop: the progress would be infinite, and all 
our desires would be vague, as having by such 
infinity no scope at which to terminate. But 
this is absurd, and a stop there must neces- 
sarily be. Now this final or ultimate object, 
be it rational or not, is to the man who seeks 
it, not something useful, but something 
good: something more than useful, as use 
merely respects the means, but good respects 
the end, to which those means are supposed 
conducive. 
As to a continuation of my last piece, it 
must depend on health, leisure, and the fa- 
vourable hours of genius, none of which 
three it is in our power to controul. 
Your’s, &c. 
/ JaMES Harris. 
— 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
ONCEIVING that the following 
extract from a letter received from 
Lower Canada, will prove interesting to 
your numerous readers, £ beg leave to 
send it for insertion in your next Monthly 
Magazine. ‘The encouragement given 
by government to settlers in those parts, 
for the purpose of cultivating that va- 
luable article for our navy, hemp, must 
to every one appear Inghly political and 
meritorious, and it is much to be wished, 
that at no very distant period of time, 
we may become nearly independent of 
foreign nations for our supply of that 
article, as well as for iron and many 
other indispensable raw materials. 
It is dated Becaucour, Lower Canada, 
June 10, 1807. : 
“ T am, at length, quietly seated in 
Canada, after a dangerous and unplea- 
sant passage from Europe, as you have 
no doubt, before this time, been in- 
formed; we have been treated with the 
utmost attention and politeness, both by 
government, and by the individuals to. 
whom we had letters of introduction. 
“The government afford us every as- 
sistance to further the undertaking we 
are embarked in, we have purchased 
150 acres of land, in Becancour Seignory, 
situated about ninety mules from Que- 
bec, on the river St. Lawrence, and op- 
osite the Town of Three Rivers. We 
have already sown 100 acres of hemp- 
-seed, which we hope will prodace a 
good crop. ‘The principal gentlemen 
in the country, as weil as the farmers 
[Oct. qT, 
and country people, are all anxious fo 
cultivate hemp, now that they see the 
government are in earnest to promote at; 
many of them have sown a considerable 
quantity of seed this season. and are to 
manufacture under our imstructiou; in 
short, we have every prospect of suc- 
ceeding to the utmost of our wishes, 
We have, however, met with a few ob- 
stacies, but, at present, have got over them, 
There exist many people who are very 
inimical to the cultivation of hemp, cone 
ceiving it wili binder their speculations 
in wheat, which many at this time carry 
on to a considerable amount; but: they 
are very much mistaken, for we have 
laid i. down as ‘a general rule for the 
farmers to cultivate hemp only on those 
lands, which the year betore had grown 
wheat; consequently, the growth of that 
article will not be diminished.” - 
“ Another very serious obstacle, which 
we have experienced, but fortunately 
have now overcome, was the total loss- 
of all our farmers, millwrights, -and car- 
penters, whom we brought out with us, 
to the number of seventeen. Having to 
remain ali the winter in Quebec, our 
men got corrupted by bad advice and 
drunkenness, (for rum is only 43. 6d. 
per gallon), and, after giving us a vast 
deal of trouble, at length deserted our 
service, in spite of the orders of the ma- 
gistrates, and the laws of the country, 
which, in respect at least to hired ser~ 
vants, are by no means administered 
with that precision, they are in the mo- 
ther country ; nor is it easy for, persons 
in our situation to get them enforced, 
We have sustained a loss of some hun- 
dreds of pounds by their desertion; their 
passage and advances alone having cost us. 
5501. but we are in hopes that the govern- 
ment will reimburse us; we were mis- 
informed by them and the Canadian 
merchants, else would certainly have acted . 
otherwise ; for on your side of the 
water we were told, that labourers in Ca- 
nada were scarce, and that mechanics 
and farmers were not to be procured. 
We have experienced quite the contrary, 
for we have engaged Canadian farmers, 
carpenters, &c. and Yankee millwrights, 
who serve us for half the wages our own 
men cost us, and stand us besides im 
much less for their food. The soil is 
excellent for our purposes; and by the ~ 
help of God, and our own exertions, - 
we look forward with confidence for 
uitimate success,” 
Walworth Terrace, _ Your's, &e. 
dep. 11, 1807, i 
