tions. They were to receive from the the Canadian Govern ment 150 acres of clear land, have their expences paid, and every facility afforded them. But no fooner had they arrived in Canada than thefe bright profpects vanifhed altogether. Strange to fay, the government had not one fingle acre of clear land to give them; they were compelled to dance attendance at the executive council room, for five months together before they received compenfation in any form. In this interval the farmers and artificers whom they carried out with them, were feduced from their service, or corrupted by idleness, and the bad example of the lower order of Europeans at Quebec. The original defign thus proving abortive, the author thought that he could not employ his time better, than to avail himself of the opportunity before him, to make himfelf acquainted with the country and its cuftoms and inhabitants. Remaining, therefore, for fome time at Quebec, he afterwards proceeded up the river to Montreal. From Montreal he croffed Lake Champlain, and entering the terrotories of the American Government, purfued his journey to New York; at this place he continued for a confiderable tune, and then embarked for Charleston in South Carolina. From Charleston he visited Savannah on foot, and defcribes New Georgia with fome minutenefs; returning to New York, he went from thence to Bofton. To the defcription of this place, its manners, commerce, and inhabitants, he fubjoins fome lively Biographical Notices of the more diftinguished characters of America, &c. in these more recent times, namely, of Jefferfon, Madifon, Burr, General Hamilton, Paine, &c. &c. From Bofton he again returned to Canada and the conclufion of the third volume leaves the traveller at Montreal.

We really know no book of the kind which gives fo circumftantial and fo fatisfactory an account of the British Settlements and of the United States of America, from the coaft of Labrador to the Gulph of Florida. Having faid this, and placed before our readers the outline of the travellers route, it becomes a point of juftice to introduce a few fpecimens of the amulement and information which may be expected. . The following anecdote in the beginning of the firft -volume introduces no feeble argument in vindication of the plan pursued by the British and Foreign Bible Society.

"Our pilot, Louis Le Clair, was an old French Canadian, pofleffed, like the rest of his countrymen, of a tolerable opinion of himself; yet was a good-humoured, friendly fellow. It was "not long before we found that his predilection for the clergy was not exceffive. He entertained us with many of his whimfical

opinions,

opinions, and declared, that for his own part, he never went to confeffion, though he allowed his wife and daughters to go. • Women,' fays he, can never be happy until they let out their fecrets, and on that account it is neceffary they should have a confeffor; I therefore pay him his fees, which is only juftice: but for myself I confider it all as a mere farce; and it must be so, fince the women say that they only tell the priests a part and conceal the reft. A few years ago the pilot picked up an English Bible, which had been thrown afhore from the wreck of a ship: as he understood the language, he read it through, and it opened his eyes fo much, that he could not forbear, foon after, difputing with his curé upon certain points of religion. The latter was much furprized to find him fo knowing, and inquired how he had obtained his information, upon which the old man shewed him the Bible. The priest declared it was not a fit book for him to read, and defired he would give it into his charge; this the pilot refufed, and the curé threatened to write to the bishop and have him excommunicated as a heretic but finding that neither threats, nor intreaties, had any effect, he was neceffitated to requeft that he would keep it to himself, and not let any of his neighbours know that he had fuch a book. The old pilot declared, that he confidered the finding of that Bible the happiest event of his life, in confequence of the comfort and confolation which he derived from perufing it." Vol. 1. p. .11.

The following account of the domestic manners of the Habitans will hardly be perused without a smile.

"The furniture of the Habitans, is plain and fimple, and moft commonly of their own workmanship. A few wooden chairs with twig or rush bottoms, and two or three deal tables, are placed in each room, and are feldom very ornamental; they, however, fuffice, with a proper number of wooden bowls, trenchers, and fpoons, for the ufe of the family at meals. A prefs, and two or three large chefts, contain their wearing-apparel, and other property. A buffet in one corner, contains their fmall difplay of cups, faucers, glaffes, and tea-pots, while a few broken fets may perhaps grace the mantle-piece. A clock is often found in their beft apartment, and the fides of the room are ornamented with little pictures, or waxen images of faints and crucifixes; of the holy virgin and her fon. An iron ftove is generally placed in the largest apartment, with a pipe paffing through the others into the chimney. The kitchen display's very little more than kettles of foup-tureens of milk-a table, a dreffer, and a few chairs. The fire-place is wide, and large logs of wood are placed on old fashioned iron dogs. A wooden crane fupports the large kettle of foup, which is for ever on the fire.

"Their chief article of food, is pork, as fat as as they can procure it. They all keep a great number of fwine, which they

Nn 2

fatten

fatten to their liking. Peas-foup, with a fmall quantity of pork boiled in it, conflitutes their breakfaft, dinner and fupper, day after day, with very little alteration, except what is occafioned by a few faufages, and puddings made of the entrails, when a hog is killed; or during Lent, when fith and vegetables only, will fuffice. They are extremely fond of thick four milk, and will often treat themfelves with a dish of it, after their pork. Milk, foup, and other fpoon-meat, are eaten out of a general difh, each taking a fpoonful after the other. Knives and forks are feldom in request.

"The old people will fometimes treat themselves with tea or coffee, in which cafe, they generally have to boil their water in the frying-pan; for it rarely happens that they have a tea kettle in the houfe.-An anecdote is related of a gentleman, who was travelling on the road to Montreal feveral years ago, when tea was almost unknown to the Habitans, and when accomodation on the road, was even worse than it is now; he carried with him his provifions, and among the rest he had a pound of tea. On his arrival at one of the poft-houses in the evening, he told the miftrefs of the houfe, to make him fome tea, and gave her the parcel for that purpofe. In the mean time, the woman fpread out her plates and dishes, knives and forks, upon the table, and the gentleman took his meat and loaf out of the basket; (for tea, without fomething more fubftantial, is poor fare when travelling, and I always found in fuch cafes, that a beef-fteak, or a flice of cold meat, was a confiderable improvement to the tea-table.] After waiting a longer time than the gentleman thought neceffary to make a cup of tea, the woman came into the room; but how thall I defcribe his aftonifhment, when he beheld the whole pound of tea nicely boiled, and fpread out on a dish, with a lump of butter in the middle! the good woman had boiled it all in the chauderon, and was placing it on the table as a fine difh of greens to accompany the gentleman's cold beef.

"Milk and water is the ufual drink of the females and younger part of the family. Rum is, however, the cordial balra which relieves the men from their cares and anxieties. They are paffion arely fond of this pernicious liquor, and often have a debauch when they go to market with their commodities. I have feen in the Upper Town market-place, at Quebec, a father and his fon both drunk. The young one, however, was not fo bad, but that he was fenfible of the impropriety, fo he tumbled the old man out of the fpirit fhop, into the street, and endeavoured to force him into the berlin, to carry him home. The old fellow, however, pulled his fon down by the hair, and began to belabour him with his fift, uttering ten thousand sacrés and 6rs upon his undutiful head. The young man could not extricate himself, and being pretty much in that flate which is called crying drunk,' he began to weep, calling out at the fame time, Ah my father, you de nai know me' ! ' My God you do not knoty me'! The tears ran

down

down his cheeks, though as much, moft likely, from the blows, and tugs of the hair which he received, as from the idea of his father not knowing him. His exclamations, however, caufed the old man to weep with him, and the scene became truly ludicrous; for the old fellow would not let go his hold, but continued his curfes, his blows, and his tears, until the fon was affifted by fome other Habitans, who forced the father into the berlin; upon which the young man got in, and drove him home.

Very few of the country people who frequent the markets in the towns, return home fober, and in winter time, when there is not room for more than one cariole on the road, without plunging the horfe four or five feet deep in fnow, thefe people, having loft their ufual politenefs by intoxication, do not feel inclined to make way for the gentry in carioles, and will often run their fleighs aboard, and upset them." P. 158.

The following anecdotes are related at p. 388 and p. 423.

Our guide, a Cree, whofe fpirits had vifibly begun to droop eyer fince we entered the defiles of the mountains, was Jaft night prefented by Mr. with fome rum, to keep him hearty in the caufe; upon this he made fhift to get drunk with his wife. This morning he complained that his head and ftomach were out of order, and asked for a little medieme, which was given him; but finding it did him neither good nor harm, he called his wife to him, where he was fitting amidst us at a large fire we had made to warm ourselves. She readily came': he afked her if she had a fharp flint; and upon her replying the had not, he broke one, and made a lancet of it, with which he opened a vein in his wife's arm, fhe affifting him with great good-will. Having drawn about a pint of blood from her, in a wooden bowl, to our aftorishment, he applied it to his mouth, quite warm, and drank it off: then he mixed the blood that ad hered to the veffel, with water, by way of cleanfing the bowl, and alfo drank that off. While I was confidering the favagenefs of this action, one of our men, with indignation, exclaimed to our guide: I have eaten and smoked with thee, but henceforward thou and I fhall not fmoke and eat together. What, drink warm from the vein the blood of thy wife ! Oh, my friend,' faid the Indian, have I done wrong? when I find my ftomach out of order, the warm blood of my wife, in good health, refreshes the whole of my body, and puts me to rights: in return, when he is not well, I draw blood from my arm; the drinks it and it gives her life; all our nation do the fame, and they all know it to be a good medicine.' P. 388.

"It is a dangerous experiment to wander carelessly in the woods in Canada, without a guide, or a fufficient acquaintance with the paths; and inftances have occured, of people perifhing even within a finall distance of their own habitations,

Nn n 3

A few

years

years ago, two young ladies who were on a vifit at the house of Mr. Nicholas Montour, formerly of the North-weft Company, and who then refided at Point du Lac, near Three Rivers, strolled into the woods at the back of the house, one morning after breakfaft, for the purpofe of regaling themfelves with the ftrawberries and other fruit which grew abundantly there, and were then in great perfection. One of them had an amufing novel in her hand, which the read to the other; and so interested were they with the ftory; and the fcenery around them, that they never thought of returning to dinner. In this manner they ftrolled delightfully along, fometimes wrapt up in the charms of the novel, and at others times ftopping to gather the fruit which lay luxuriantly fcattered beneath their feet, or hung in clusters over their heads; when the declining fun at length warned them that it was late in the afternoon. They now began to think of returing, but un, fortunately they had wandered from the path, and knew not which way to go. The fun, which an hour before might have afforded them some assistance, was now obfcured by the lofty trees of the foreft; and as the evening clofed in, they found themselves yet more bewildered.

"In the most diftracted ftate they wandered about among the thrubs and underwood of the foreft, wringing their hands, and crying moft bitterly at their melancholy fituation. Their clothes were nearly torn off their backs; their hair hung in a dishevelled manner upon their necks; and the fruit which in the morning they had picked with rapture, they now loathed and detefted. In this wretched condition they wandered till nearly dark, when they came up to a small hut; their hearts beat high at the fight; but it was empty! They were, however, glad to take refuge in it for the night, to fhelter them from the heavy dews of the foreft, which were then rifing. They collected a quantity of leaves, with which they made a bed, and lay down: but they could not fleep; and fpent the night in unavailing tears and reproaches at their own carelefsnefs. They however at times endeavoured to confole each other with the hope that people would be difpatched by Mr. Montour, in fearch of them. The next morning, therefore, they wifely kept within the hut, or went out only to gather fruit to fatisfy the cravings of appetite; and that which the evening before they had loathed as the caufe of their misfortune, now became the means of preferving their lives. Towards the clofe of the day, they heard the Indian yell in the woods, but were afraid to call out, or fir from the hut, not knowing whether they might be fent in fearch of them, or were a party of ftrange Indians, into whofe hands they did not like to truft themselves.

"A fecond night was paffed in the fame forlorn ftate; though fingular as it may appear, one of them became more compofed, and, in fome measure, even reconciled to her fituation; which, deplorable as it was, and uncertain when they might be relieved

from