THE 
 
 EMIGRANT’S ASSISTANT: 
 
 on 
 
 REMARKS 
 
 ON THE 
 
 AGRICULTURAL INTEREST 
 
 OF 
 
 THE CANADAS: 
 
 PART I. 
 
 Containing an account of the most effectual means of assisting Set • 
 tiers on their arrival in the countr) — Observations on the dif- 
 ferent Tenures by which Lands are held in botli Provinces. 
 Directions for procuring grants of waste Lauds, and 
 some account of the different methods of clearing 
 them— -collected from documents and various 
 papers furnished for the information of 
 the Montreal Emigrant Society, 
 in the year 1820. 
 
 BY A. J. CHRISTIE, A. M. 
 
 I " 
 
 WITH AN APPEND X, 
 
 • EXHIBITING THE LATEST OFFICIAL ORDERS OF GOVERN- 
 MENT RESPECTING THE GRANTING OF WASTE LANDS, 
 FORMS OF PETITIONS — LOCATION TICKETS, 
 
 &C. dp. <fcp. 
 
 MONTREAL : 
 
 PRINTED BY NAHUM MOWER. 
 
 1821 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 THE writer of the following remarks having had 
 the honor of acting as Secretary to the Emigrant 
 Society of Montreal, on the first establishment of 
 that Association, felt himself called upon, from his 
 situation, to use every diligence in acquiring such in- 
 formation as would be useful for strangers on their 
 first arrival in this Country. With this intention, cir- 
 cular letters, containing queries on rural affairs, (chief- 
 ly relating to Agriculture,) were distributed over the 
 two Provinces, to such gentlemen, as might be expect- 
 ed, (from their long residence in the country and an 
 intimate knowledge of its situation,) best able to give 
 correct information, on these subjects. From the an- 
 swers to these letters, and from other sources of in- 
 formation the writer had an opportunity of consulting, 
 he scon found himself in possession of a greater mass 
 of Statistical facts, than perhaps had ever been ob- 
 tained by any other person, in the count vy. 
 
 On a reference to the various publications relating 
 to the Canadas, which late years have produced, he 
 was struck with the defectiveness of information on 
 some points most essential to be known. The nature 
 ef the various tenures by which landed property is held, 
 
IV 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 for instance, is a subject on which many of these au- 
 thors had not even touched, and others of them who 
 had written upon it, gave very imperfect and erroneous 
 ideas of the matter, much more calculated to mislead 
 and to cherish prejudices, than to remove those al- 
 ready existing. The importance of this subject, to 
 every person intending to become a land-holder, will 
 be readily admitted ; and the anxious desire, to obtain 
 some knowledge of it which had been expressed by 
 many of our most intelligent Emigrants on their arrival 
 in the country, will plead the writer’s excuse for no- 
 ticing it in the early part of his remarks. He has been 
 further induced to devote his earliest attention to this 
 point, from the well known fact, that many of our 
 wealthiest and best informed Emigrants, arrive in the 
 country imbued with strong partialities in favour of one 
 species of Tenure, and with corresponding prejudices 
 against others, whereas there appears to be no founda- 
 tion in reality for such a distinction. 
 
 It was solely with the desire of conveying to others 
 what he knew upon this, and other points in Canadian 
 Agriculture, that the writer has been induced to give 
 his remarks to the world ; and if a kind public should 
 receive bis lu»» lble efforts with feelings corresponding 
 to those which actuated him in their publication, and 
 with that favourable indulgence which he has on many 
 occasions experienced at their hands, he may at a fu- 
 ture period be enabled to give a sequel to the present 
 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 V 
 
 work, embracing a statistical account of some of the 
 most important places within the two Provinces. 
 
 For the style of the language, the author offers no 
 apology. The elegant and tasteful scholar will never 
 reject or despise truth, though presented to him in a 
 plain and homely dress ; and had the present work been 
 embodied in high coloured metaphors, or incumbered 
 with fine sounding similees, it would have rendered it 
 less comprehensible to that class of readers by w hom 
 it is most required, and for whose use it was originally 
 intended. Put he cannot omit this opportunity of pub- 
 licly expressing bis thanks to those gentlemen who 
 have kindly contributed to forward his design, by send- 
 ing answers to his queries. They will find a due at- 
 tention paid to their obliging favours, on the appear- 
 ance of the second part of the w ork. 
 
 Montreal, 1821 . 
 
 * 
 
EMIGRANT’S ASSISTANT 
 
 CHAPTER L 
 
 CHANGES in the Agricultural system 
 of any coifntry are not the work of a day ; 
 they proceed from causes which in some 
 instances require the lapse of many years 
 to bring them into sensible operation, and 
 in every case they lake a long period of 
 time to manifest their whole force. 
 
 But the connection between cause and 
 effect being as completely established in 
 the progress of this, as of any other sci- 
 ence, a brief retrospect of the most im- 
 portant events which have operated as 
 the promoting causes of this great nation- 
 al object in Canada, may, without iropro- 
 
8 emigrant’s 
 
 priety, be prefixed to any remarks upon 
 the present state of Agriculture in that 
 country. 
 
 At the time the Canadas became a colo- 
 ny of Great Britain, by the definitive trea- 
 ty of 1763, the great proportion of the in- 
 habitants, were a poor and simple race of 
 peasantry from old France. Some of them 
 were the descendants of the first settlers of 
 the country, others had emigrated after- 
 wards, along with such of the Noblesse as 
 had been induced by the liberality of their 
 Sovereign, (who at the time gave large 
 grants ot land,) or from some other cause, 
 to quit their native country for the North 
 American Colonies. These people having 
 been born and brought up in a country, 
 blessed as France is, with a climate and 
 soil yielding to the husbandman all its pro- 
 ductions with little exertions on his part, 
 imported into the Canadas their former 
 habils, and rigidly adhered to those of 
 their forefathers. In this new country 
 they found a land equally fertile as that 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 9 
 
 1 which they had left, and equally ready to 
 yield its fruits at a low expense of labour. 
 Some exertions on their first outset w ? cre 
 o- no doubt necessary. The lands, which 
 u were covered with forests, completely im- 
 pervious to the sun’s rays, required to be 
 t cleared, before a crop could be procured 
 k from them ; but to make this exertion they 
 n had the most powerful of all stimulants, 
 k namely, self-preservation. They soon dis- 
 s: covered that if they did not clear the land 
 
 ik and raise crops, famine must be their in- 
 k evitable lot ; and the dread of this produ- 
 !B ced all the effort requisite for such an un- 
 icr. dertaking. In a short time, experience 
 e shewed that a little more than a com- 
 mr mencement was required, for the attain- 
 s ment of their object. Lands partially 
 |, cleared, without being tilled, produced 
 pti them luxuriant crops and soon removed 
 rffi the apprehension of want. This facility of 
 e attaining their object, destroyed the origin- 
 0 al motive which had produced the exertion 
 lb on their part, and they soon relapsed into 
 
f 
 
 10 
 
 EMIGRANT £ 
 
 their former negligent habits, as far as re- i 
 gar Jed the business of farming. The con- 
 tinuance of these feelings and habits, may 
 be discovered among the lower classes of 
 the Canadians to this day ; notwithstand- 
 ing the numerous opportunities they have 
 had of profiting by the examples of oth- 
 ers : and it is no doubt to their inexorable 
 adherence to the old customs and habits of 
 their predecessors that we may ascribe the 
 wretched system of husbandry they at pres- 
 ent carry on. Agriculture at the period 
 alluded to was at a low ebb in France it- 
 self. For in no part of the world had it 
 attained that eminence as a science, or that 
 importance as a national object, which it 
 now so justly holds. Hence it may be ad- 
 vanced as some excuse that the first set- 
 tlers in Canada, and all who came to it for 
 many years after its discovery, had not the 
 opportunities of good example from the 
 mother country, and could hardly 7 be ex- 
 pected to improve in a profession, the ex- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 11 
 
 is* tent of whose value was either totally un- 
 its known, or not justly appreciated. 
 iE Few will attain eminence in any pursuit 
 sb when no motive is held out for exertion, 
 sta and wherein there is no desire to excel, 
 b It has been the opinion of many, that 
 'ft the tenures by which the lands in Canada 
 M were at that time granted, formed a barri- 
 fc er to the improvement of Agriculture ; 
 ib and the same idea operates against the un- 
 it* proveraent of husbandry, in the lower Pro- 
 ps vince, at the present time. Lands were 
 act then granted under Seignorial titles, (the 
 hai nature of which will be explained hereaf- 
 jr: ter) and the descendants of those who ob- 
 lic: tained property from the French Govern- 
 ki ment under this tenure, still retain it by 
 it) the same.* How far it actually militates 
 'ii: against the advancement of Agriculture, or 
 5!: that it really does so, is a question not yet 
 a: 
 
 * This description of Tenure prevails only in part of 
 Lower Canada ; in almost the whole of the Upper Pro- 
 $ • vince, the Lands are held in what is termed free and com* 
 mon Soccage. 
 
MIGRANT S 
 
 decided. The Seigniors rents and itmnu- 
 nities are very similar to the Quints in 
 England, and none will pretend to say those 
 have retarded the improvement of Agri- 
 culture in that country. But to return 
 to our subject : The local position of the 
 Canadas, combined with political occur- 
 rences, which happened subsequent to the 
 period we have been describing, soon pro- 
 duced a very important change for the 
 better in the Agricultural interest of these 
 Provinces. Their vicinity to the United 
 States, at that time a colony of Great Bri- 
 tain, and which had become a receptacle for 
 such men of talents and genius as were de- 
 sirous to leave their native country, soon 
 brought them under the notice of many of 
 these characters. The fineness of their 
 soil, and the superior salubrity of their cli- 
 mate, induced many to give the Canadas a 
 preference to the United States, when both 
 were under the British Government, and 
 brought many to settle in them who were 
 eminently qualified, both by talents and 
 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 13 
 
 habits, to promote the improvement of a 
 new country. 
 
 In the progress of time, another political 
 change took place, attended with giany sol- 
 id and real benefits to the Canadas. I al- 
 lude to the rejection of the British Govern- 
 1 ment and the declaration of Independence 
 by the United States : an occurrence which 
 f was followed by an influx of talent, indus. 
 try and capital, which would not have ta- 
 
 * ken place for many years after this period, 
 1 had affairs continued in their former state. 
 
 All those who wished to adhere to the Bri- 
 ^ tish Constitution left the United States, and 
 '■ many of them came and settled in Canada. 
 
 * The effect of this change soon became vi- 
 E ! sible in the improvement of the Agricul- 
 4 tme of the country. These men not onlv 
 i brought with them the means of carrying 
 ® on agricultural pursuits on an improved 
 i scale ; but they had also the desire to do 
 i* fi0 » and at the same time they introduced 
 
 * all the improvements in the practical parts 
 
 * B 
 
14 . 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 of husbandry which they had seen followed 
 in the country they had left. 
 
 And it is not to the individual exertions 
 of these loyalists alone we are indebted for 
 the improvements in husbandry which oc- 
 curred at this period: other causes con- 
 curred in producing them. Of these it is 
 only necessary to mention the following, 
 being one of the most obvious and power- 
 ful in contributing to the same effect. The 
 Canadas being now placed in the immedi- 
 ate neighbourhood of a powerful nation, 
 (which, it was but too obvious, looked upon 
 all the British possessions on this continent 
 with a jealous eye,) found it necessary for 
 their safety to draw the bands which uni- 
 ted them to the mother country still closer 
 than they were before. With this view 
 they began to cultivate a more intimate in- 
 tercourse with Great Britain, and they be- 
 came better known to each other than they 
 had pieviously been. This intimacy was 
 not confined to the Government depart- 
 ments and to political affairs ; many of those 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 15 
 
 loyal Britons whom the revolution had dri- 
 ven from the United States, to take shelter 
 under their favourite system of Govern- 
 ment in the Canadas, had friends and rela- 
 tives in Great Britain with whom they kept 
 up a close correspondence. In their inter- 
 course, they detailed to each other the 
 comparative advantages attending their res- 
 pective situations — they described the con- 
 ditions and benefits which the different 
 countries held forth, in the shape of en- 
 couragement to men of various characters 
 and professions. The consequence was, 
 that many who had been engaged in differ- 
 ent pursuits in the old country relinquished 
 them, and came to join their friends in Ca- 
 nada in the hope of meliorating their situa- 
 tions. The policy adopted by the British 
 Government at this time, in the way of 
 granting lands, likewise contributed to the 
 advancement of the Canadas. The Minis- 
 try found, by the conquest of these Provin- 
 ces, that they had got possession of an ex- 
 tensive country so thinly inhabited, that it 
 
10 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 could be defended against foreign invasion 
 with the greatest difficulty, if any hostile 
 attempt should ever be made against it. 
 
 The lands in their present condition were 
 of no value to the nation, being covered 
 with immense forests and in the wildest 
 state of nature. 
 
 They therefore adopted the plan, of giv- 
 ing extensive tracts of those lands, to such 
 true royalists as had adhered to their cause, 
 and to such officers and men as had been 
 useful in the late struggle with the United 
 States. X his plan, they believed would an- 
 swer two good purposes ; it would afford 
 an oppoi tunitv of rewarding, at a cheap 
 late, the services of those men, and the soil 
 would pass into hands, where it would in 
 time be settled and cleared so as to increase 
 its, value and augment the strength of the 
 country. 
 
 Although this method has not been at- 
 tended with all the success that was expect- 
 ed, it must be obvious that it would be fol- 
 lowed by some good ; and there can be lit- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 17 
 
 tie doubt that it was flic adoption of this 
 measure, which first directed the spirit of 
 enterprize among commercial men towards 
 the Canadas, and produced a correspond- 
 ing degree of exertion in its agricultural 
 interest. It augmented the rage for going 
 to settle in Canada which hitherto had been 
 very limited in Great Britain. This soon 
 produced an increase of population, and at- 
 tracted the notice of the merchant. Trade 
 (which h^d been heretofore confined to 
 some trifling speculations in furs,) began to 
 extend its operation ; respectable houses 
 from Great Britain established agencies in 
 the country ; the superabundant produce 
 "of the land was given in exchange for the 
 necessaries the country did not produce of 
 itself. To procure these articles, the hus- 
 bandman was constrained to' increase his 
 diligence, and to adopt every scheme to 
 augment the quantity of his crops. This 
 soon led to the adoption of the most impro- 
 ved system of agriculture the nature of the 
 
 country would admit of, and both the far- 
 B 2 
 
18 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 mer and the merchant reaped a benefit 
 from their mutual efforts. The success at' 
 tending this trafic, lp-ought numbers of en- 
 terprising individuals from other countries 
 to join in it, and their collective efforts 
 have been the means of promoting the im- 
 provement of the country in a very great 
 degree. Among those who have aided in 
 effecting this object, there is one class of 
 people, meriting some notice as having 
 been most instrumental in extending the 
 agriculture of the Canadas. These are far- 
 mers from the United States, who may 
 with more propriety be denominated land- 
 dealers. 
 
 Many of these have come to Canada 
 from various motives, and have for vears 
 carried on the following singular mode of 
 life, I hey are from their infancy accus- 
 tomed to the use of the axe ; possess an in- 
 vincible talent for perseverance ; and be- 
 ing habituated to endure all the privations 
 attendant on such an undertaking, are eve- 
 ry way qualified for clearing the wood-lands 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 1'9 
 
 and preparing them for cultivation. One 
 of these men with his axe on his shoulder, 
 his waggon containing his provisions, &c. 
 and a pair of horses, goes into the wood : 
 where lie commences his operations by cut- 
 ting down trees and building a hut to shel- 
 ter himself from the weather. This being 
 done, he proceeds with his labour, until he 
 clears a piece of ground ; and after taking 
 one or two crops front it, or perhaps before 
 he sows it, he sells it to the highest purchaser 
 he can find, and sets out with the money 
 to buy another uncleared spot, with which 
 he proceeds in the same manner. How t 
 soon a farmer from the old country, gets 
 his farm cleared and under a proper slate 
 of cultivation ; he sits down quietly for the 
 remainder of his life, to enjoy the fruits of 
 his labour. With him, his farm constitutes 
 his fortune, on which he lives ; with the 
 United States farmer on the contrary, his 
 farm is an article of merchandise, which he 
 will sell to the best advantage and with the 
 money he gets, lay in a new stock of the 
 
20 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 same kind of Goods as quick as possible. 
 It is scarcely necessary to add, that t he lat- 
 ter forms a character of great utility in a 
 country, such as this is; and it cannot be 
 denied, that Canadian Agriculture has reap- 
 ed very important benefits from the labours 
 of such men* 
 
 Other political events, which succeeded 
 these, bad a no less powerful effect in bring- 
 ing the Canadas into notice. The late war, 
 dming which the Canadians behaved so 
 well, demonstrated their sincere attach- 
 ment to the British constitution, and that 
 they were deserving the protection of the 
 Government. That contest brought num- 
 bers of men belonging to the army to the 
 country ; who, fascinated by its superior 
 advantages, embraced the offer held out by 
 Government — took their lands, and settled 
 on them when released from their military 
 duties. So great indeed was the attraction 
 to this, that of some regiments who were 
 
 * These in the language of the Country are termed 
 Squatters. 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 21 
 
 disbanded in the country, almost three 
 fourths of their numbers, both officers and 
 men, remained and turned their attention 
 to agriculture. 
 
 Every country, after having been the 
 seat of war, becomes an object of attention 
 to the curious traveller, and this brought 
 numbers to Canada who were travelling for 
 the gratification of curiosity. 
 
 These characters have carried home flat- 
 tering accounts of the country, and sent 
 many works from the press, which are loud 
 in the praise of its superior advantages. 
 The dissemination of these reports and wri- 
 tings, has excited a general desire for emi- 
 gration, among all classes who feel either 
 real or imaginary grievances at home •, and 
 this has been the cause of bringing num- 
 bers to settle in the Canadas, who will in 
 time draw fortli the immense resources the 
 country possesses. It may also be remark- 
 ed, that the mania for emigration is not 
 now, as formerly, confined to the poorer 
 classes and such as could not gain a living 
 
22 emigrant’s 
 
 at home. Of late years, (since the war) ma- 
 ny people possessing capital have come out 
 to settle, and it cannot be doubted, that 
 their talents and industry, united with the 
 pecuniary means they possess, will soon, 
 produce the best effects. The distresses in 
 the mother country, arising from the taxes, 
 and the sudden transition from war to 
 peace, have contributed to increase emigra- 
 tion. Many men possessed of limited in- 
 comes, when they could not procure such 
 a price, for what they had to dispose of, as 
 would pay the public burthens, left their 
 native country, for another, where they 
 would not have taxes to pay. Others, 
 who, from the former situations they had 
 held, were obliged to keep up a certain 
 rank in society, when they found their an- 
 nual receipts inadecpxate to do so, adopted 
 the same plan, and rather chose to quit 
 their country and their friends, than to sub- 
 mit to the mortification consequent on a 
 change of life for the worse, among; those 
 who had been their equals in better times. 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 23 
 
 From these, and a number of other caus- 
 es, which might be mentioned, emigration 
 to the Canadas has of late years attained 
 such an extent that it becomes, very de- 
 servedly, an object of national attention. 
 England, it is said, requires some means to 
 throw off her superfluous population. The 
 effects of these people settling in Canada 
 are already visible, in the more extended 
 and improved state of her agriculture j if 
 therefore they can be spared from the for- 
 mer country, and are required in the latter, 
 it follows that every facility and help, con- 
 sistent with prudence, ought to be given 
 them, for accomplishing their views here. 
 It ought also to be remembered that, every 
 •man who comes to the continent of Ameri- 
 ca, and does not settle in a colony of Great 
 Britain, goes to a country, where he in- 
 creases the strength of England’s enemies 
 in a double ratio. If another war should 
 happen, (and it is not an event beyond the 
 bounds of probability,) that man will be 
 compelled to bear arms against his mother 
 
24 . 
 
 EMIGRANT s 
 
 country, or to relinquish his pursuits in life, 
 and perhaps sacrifice all his property, the 
 fruits of many years anxiety and toil; Few 
 of this class are so ardent in their patriot- 
 ism as to give a preference to the last alter- 
 native ; with many the amor palricv is little 
 more than a name, after its vitality has 
 been deadened and its force blunted by a 
 distant residence for some years. 
 
 It is therefore a preferable plan, both 
 for the individuals themselves, and on the 
 principle of sound policy, to retain our har- 
 dy peasantry within the verge of our own 
 dominions, while it is in the power of Go- 
 vernment to do so. Jt is said, that many 
 of those who go to the United States, re- 
 turn to the Canadas ; and there is no doubt 
 that nothing but inability to accomplish the 
 journey, prevents many more from follow- 
 ing their example. l>ut this cannot be 
 done, without their undergoing many hard- 
 ships, and at the loss of much time and la- 
 bour. I hey may return with some dear- 
 bought experience, but it is not to be sup- 
 
ASSIST AN T. 
 
 25 
 
 - posed that this is all they acquire ; the so- 
 ciety to which they have access in the Uni- 
 ted States, and the treatment they receive, 
 -is not calculated to give them favourable 
 opinions of mankind j nor to improve their 
 own morals ; to make them better men or 
 more loyal subjects, than they were before. 
 Whatever injury they may reap from such 
 an association, it is too obvious they can re- 
 ceive no benefit from it. But this leads 
 me to the next part of the subject. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 HOW EMIGRANTS CAN BE SIOST EFFECTUALLY 
 ASSISTED. 
 
 THE way in which this can be effected, 
 forms a subject of no minor importance. 
 The immense numbers of those who emi- 
 grate, and the multiplicity of their wants, 
 preclude the possibility of extending direct 
 
 pecuniary aid to them all ; and if such a 
 C 
 
SO EMIGRANT^ 
 
 thing were pracable, it remains uouotful 
 how far it would be oi service to them, or 
 if it would answer the end designed. 
 
 Neither the greatest exeition of indivi- 
 dual benevolence, nor the utmost stretch of 
 national bounty, would be found adequate 
 to such a task. Still the necessity for some- 
 thing being done is so urgent, that any plan 
 which will mitigate, if not entirely relieve 
 their difficulties, on their first arrival, ought 
 to be adopted. In the execution of this 
 plan, a reference ought to be had to their 
 comparative necessities, so as to suit the re- 
 lief afforded to the exigencies of these re- 
 ceiving it. And this naturally leads into 
 an enquiry of what classes of persons the 
 emigrants are composed ? 
 
 But it is proper to premise, that the best 
 and most effectual relief that can be given 
 to any description of emigrants, is, direc - 
 lions and advice in what way they can most 
 readily attain the olyects they have in view. 
 It has been seen, from what was stated 
 above, that there are insurmountable ob- 
 
 r 
 
ASSISTANT, 
 
 27 
 
 jections to their being assisted with money ; 
 such a measure, would lead them to depend 
 upon receiving assistance in this way, en- 
 courage them in idle habits, and totally dis- 
 qualify them for the hardships they must 
 [ inevitably undergo* There is therefore 
 only one alternative, give them sound ad- 
 ? vice and directions for their future proceed- 
 ings, and little more will be required in 
 the generality of cases. 
 
 The emigrants who come to Canada, are 
 t composed of a mixture of all classes ; from 
 it Great Britain and Ireland. As far as res- 
 pects their necessities on their coming to 
 this country, they may be divided into two 
 
 i sorts, 1st those possessing capital, 2nd 
 those not possessed of capital ; or more 
 
 ii properly into capitalists and non-capitalists, 
 r This is a division that will perfectly well 
 i answer every purpose in view j but to ena- 
 ble those unacquainted with this country, 
 
 j to comprehend it, some further explanation 
 may be necessary : — 
 
 [i The greater number of farmers, who 
 
58 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 emigrate to Canada, are totally ignorant 
 of that description of information most re* 
 quisite for them. Their topographical 
 knowledge of the country is necessarily 
 very' limited ; they are equally unacquaint* 
 ed with the habits and customs of those 
 people they are to meet, and associate 
 with. Their ignorance in this last point, 
 frequently renders them the dupes of de- 
 signing characters, and the subjects of im- 
 position. It may also be observed, that 
 the agriculture proper for the Canada farm 
 is widely different from that applicable to 
 an English or Scotch farm. They have in 
 this country to commence with a train of 
 operations in husbandry, almost unknown 
 to any district in Great Britain ; and these 
 accompanied with the unavoidable difficul- 
 ties attendant on them, require an effort of 
 labour and of mental energy they never 
 have had to make before. These people 
 leave home buoyed up with the hopes of 
 procuring lands, and becoming proprietors 
 of the soil. This they can easily accora- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 29 
 
 plish ; as every possible facility for their 
 obtaining lands is given. But although 
 this forms at the time, the ultimatum of 
 their desires, and they can readily attain it, 
 they will still find it a poor supply for their 
 wants, unless judiciously managed. They 
 are not aware that the lands they procure, 
 are covered with tremendous forests ; nor 
 do they reflect, that they must make up 
 their minds to endure many privations, and 
 to undergo years of incessant labour, before 
 their lands can be brought into cultivation. 
 The clearing of woodlands is for very obvi- 
 ous reasons, a branch of agriculture little 
 known in the mother country ; the mind 
 of the ingenious, and scientific agriculturist 
 has been seldom directed to it ; hence lit- 
 tle improvement has been made in the 
 method ; and the practical farmer, has had 
 no opportunity of seeing what is the best 
 way ot proceeding. In Canada this forms 
 the first, and most important step, in the 
 settler’s operations ; and even, in this, he 
 
 must be assisted by the advice and direc« 
 C2 
 
30 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 tion, of those more experienced, otherwise 
 he may exhaust his means, his time and his 
 labour, to very little purpose. 
 
 If he does not adopt the most suitable 
 method, he will make but little progress by 
 his individual exertions ; and unless infor- 
 med correctly of the value of pei forming 
 this step, he will be deceived and cheated, 
 by others whom he may employ. The 
 price of clearing lands varies, according 
 to the situation of the grounds, and the 
 method of doing it ; but this will be more 
 fully explained hereafter. 
 
 Such are a few of the many obstacles to 
 which a farmer is subjected, on coming to 
 a new country ; and which can only be 
 removed by sound advice, and correct di- 
 rections as to the proper method of pro- 
 ceeding. — 
 
 But, to return to the distinction we for- 
 merly adopted. The term capitalist which 
 we have here used, must not be taken in 
 the same signification, as it is employed in 
 the old country. Every person possessed 
 
 r 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 31 
 
 of as much money, as will supply his fami- 
 ly with provisions for the first year ; pur- 
 chase a few tools, and a small quantity of 
 seed for the portion of land he may be able 
 to clear, may be considered as possessing 
 sufficient capital, to commence as a farmer 
 in Canada. If he be in possession of more 
 cash than is sufficient for these purposes, he 
 will the sooner attain to independence j 
 but many instances have occurred, of per- 
 I: sons going on lands who had not a suffi- 
 
 cient sum for this purpose, and who have 
 become independent, and even affluent, in 
 the course of a few years. There is anoth- 
 k er description of men, who may with jus- 
 tice be considered as capitalists, on their 
 * arrival in Canada. The distresses atten- 
 ! j dant on the payment of the unavoidable 
 public burthens, combined with other caus- 
 . es, have of late years pressed hard on ma- 
 , ny deserving characters in the old coun- 
 try. Many of those who were, from various 
 : reasons, compelled to hold a certain rank 
 
 £ in society, and from their limited means 
 
iH J 
 
 32 emigrant's 
 
 unable to do so, have been obliged, (though 
 with reluctance,) to collect the sliattered 
 remains of their fortunes, and seek an asy- 
 lum in Canada. They have come there, 
 with the laudable hope, of either preserv- 
 ing what they had left, or with the wish 
 of increasing it for the benefit of their off- 
 spring.* Such men, though not the most 
 numerous, are obviously the most valuable 
 settlers. They not only import with them 
 the best and newest plans of every science, 
 but also bring the means of carrying these 
 
 * This more particularly alludes to officers whom the 
 late peace has placed upon half-pay. These men will find 
 that slender pittance, very inadequate, to support their fami- 
 lies in England, and maintain the rank they ought to hold. 
 For them, Canada holds out very flattering prospects; there 
 they can have their farms, and the conveniences and com- 
 forts attached to them. They are exempted from taxes, 
 and can employ their half-pay wholly, or as much of it as 
 they can spare, from the purchase of necessaries, either in 
 improving their farms, or in clearing more new lands. In 
 short, by a moderate share of prudence, men so situated can 
 not only insure a competence for themselves and families 
 during their lives, but may leave their children well provi- 
 ded for at their death. 
 
 \ 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 33 
 
 plans into operation. It is with such men 
 as these, that the United States farmers 
 traffic in cleared lands in the manner for- 
 merly described. One of these capitalists, 
 on his arrival in this country, purchases a 
 farm either wholly or partly cleared, of such 
 an extent, and in such a situation, as will 
 best suit his finances. This, at once, gives 
 him a comfortable home for his family } 
 and should he incline to do so, he may 
 avail himself of the bounty of Government, 
 get his location of new lands, and clear it 
 by degrees by the sale of the superfluous 
 produce of his farm. 
 
 From this account of the process, it 
 might be imagined that, such as bring cap- 
 ital to Canada require no assistance, even 
 in the way of advice. A moment’s reflec- 
 tion will however be sufficient to convince 
 any one of the reverse. Men, in the situation 
 we have described, require advice no less, 
 than such as are totally destitute of means. 
 Their ignorance of the topography of th& 
 country, is frequently the cause of much 
 
3i 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 disappointment, and inconvenience to them. 
 They may purchase a farm, in a situation 
 where they cannot carry their futuie plans 
 into operation their unacquaintance with 
 the characters they have to deal with, may 
 be the means of ruining them, by their 
 purchasing lands of some one, who has no 
 legal right to them himself, and perhaps they 
 lose their farm after having paid for it. It 
 is obvious, that they require to be made 
 acquainted with the difference in the mode 
 of pursuing farming as a trade, as well as 
 the poorer sort, or they may soon expend 
 their limited means, and reap no benefit 
 from them. 
 
 If we turn our attention to the second des- 
 cription of emigrants, namely, the poor and 
 destitute ; we shall find they stand in need 
 of advice, and more urgently require to be 
 directed to what is best for them, than the 
 former. Persons of this description have 
 the same object in view, on coming to this 
 country, as the foregoing have. Their 
 grand and chief desire is to get lands, lands 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 35 
 
 is their continued cry ; and they not unfre- 
 quently subject themselves to a very great 
 degree of misery and hardship, by their pre- 
 cipitancy in acquiring their object. With 
 the former class of emigrants, the posses- 
 sion of their capital, although small, may in 
 some measure alleviate the distresses they 
 have to encounter in settling on new lands ; 
 but the latter have no such relief, they 
 want support for the present-experience 
 to guide them in their future operations — 
 and encouragement to cheer them on in 
 their laborious progress. To persons so 
 situated, good and salutary directions are 
 of the utmost importance. By this their 
 labours may be much abridged, if put 
 on the most proper method ; it will also 
 support them under their fatigues from the 
 idea that they possess friends who take an 
 interest in their prosperity, and thereby 
 prevent that despondent feeling their soli- 
 tary situation renders them too apt to in- 
 dulge in. 
 
 Hitiicrto I have only directed my at- 
 
3(3 emigrant’s 
 
 tention to agriculturalists, but other classes 
 of emigrants are equally in want of advice 
 on their arrival in Canada. Among me- 
 chanics and labourers their ignorance of 
 the country forms an equally insuperable 
 barrier to their progress. Many of this 
 description, on their reaching Quebec, 
 have a little money saved from their for- 
 mer labour, and some of them are reduced 
 to their last shilling. Both classes will 
 soon be reduced to the same state of penu- 
 ry, unless directed by timely and salutary 
 advice. These are more the objects of de- 
 ception than the agriculturalists we have 
 mentioned, for they have not so ready a 
 way of having their, hopes realised as those 
 who come out in quest of lands. Full of 
 extravagant notions respecting the high 
 rate of wages, they at first reject the pro- 
 posals of those who wish to employ them, 
 and loiter away their time in the hopes of 
 receiving an offer, on more favourable terms. 
 The longer they delay, the chance of their 
 finding work daily diminishes, as they will 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 37 
 
 be followed by others whose expectations 
 are not so high. Their total ignorance ol 
 the country, prevents their going to those 
 places, where people of their occupations 
 are required. In this way, they in fruit- 
 less expectation waste their time, either in 
 one place, or in waudering about, till they 
 are reduced to absolute beggary, and soon 
 lose that self respect and spirit of inde- 
 pendence which is their greatest stimulus 
 to industry, and their best safeguard from 
 vice. From the foregoing remarks, it is 
 obvious that all classes of emigrants, on 
 coining to this country, stand in need of 
 advice ; it is likewise evident that this is 
 the description of help best suited to their 
 wants, and such as can be most easily given 
 to them. Direct charity, when bestowed 
 on people, who have not hitherto been ac- 
 customed to receive it, is in every instance 
 attended with disadvantage ; and the plen- 
 tiful supply of the necessaries of life which 
 this country affords, with little labour pro- 
 perly applied, renders this description of 
 
38 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 assistance unnecessary, except m a very 
 few cases. Let the emigrant, on Ins am. 
 val in Canada, be directed in the pursuit 
 of his views, by some disinterested person ; 
 let the easiest mode of attaining his object 
 be pointed out to him ; and if this be done, 
 with a proper regard to his situation and 
 circumstances, nothing further will be ne- 
 cessary. Furnished with this, and endow- 
 ed with virtuous and sober habits, although 
 he may have difficulties to struggle with at 
 his first outset, these are never insupporta- 
 ble, and he cannot fail to acquire a mode- 
 rate competence, if not a handsome inde- 
 pendence, by perseverance. 
 
 Much has been written, and many vari- 
 ous opinions agitated respecting the en- 
 couragement of emigrants, in a political 
 point of view. This not being a subject 
 adapted to the present work, a very briel 
 remark on it shall be deemed sufficient. 
 When emigrants arrive in Canada, their ex- 
 treme ignorance of the country, bewilders 
 their ideas and perplexes their minds ; un- 
 
 r 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 39 
 
 der this state, there are numbers of design- 
 ing characters perpetually ort the outlook 
 to lead them astray. In the United States, 
 they are perfectly sensible of the advanta- 
 ges which result from a hardy and industri- 
 ous peasantry, and they, are using ever) ef- 
 fort to obtain it. Their views on this sub- 
 ject are developed, in the plans they pursue 
 to draw them over to their country. 
 
 It has been already remarked, that eve- 
 ry one of these persons who leave Canada 
 and do not return home, strengthen the 
 enemy, and in proportion weaken the Eng- 
 i lish nation. Let this simple fact be suffi- 
 cient to guide the people, and the govern- 
 ment, in their conduct towards the emi- 
 grants, and nothing further need be said to 
 induce them to put a stop to this proceed- 
 ing on the part of our neighbours. If this 
 j be attended to, we shall then retain in Ca- 
 nada, where they are wanted, all those emi- 
 grants who are deserving characters in any 
 government, and if deprived of the rest it 
 will not be attended with any loss. 
 
40 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 In the cursory view of this important 
 subject which has now been detailed, it will 
 appear, that emigrants of all descriptions, 
 on their arrival in this country, require to 
 be assisted ; that the most effectual help 
 that can be afforded them, is information 
 relative to the state of the country, and its 
 aptitude to suit their wishes. It has also 
 been seen, that, even in a national point of 
 view, and as a measure of sound policy, 
 this aid ought to be extended to them. 
 The next part of the subject for considera- 
 tion is the means by which that informa- 
 tion can be most effectually communicated. 
 Hitherto, the emigrant, on his arrival in 
 Canada, has had no authentic source from 
 which he could procure information ; he 
 was left to seek it, from any person he 
 could meet with, and frequently exposed to 
 the operations of interested characters, who 
 had more inclination to forward their own 
 projects, than to assist in his. It may be 
 said, that the publications which have of 
 late been given to the world, w’ere suffi- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 41 
 
 cient • for this purpose ; but these works, 
 although valuable for the information of 
 the curious, and perhaps well adapted to 
 amuse the superficial reader, are but little 
 calculated for this end. They are, in some 
 cases, too expensive for the means of the 
 generality of these persons ; they do not 
 contain a sufficient mass of that local infor- 
 mation, and those practical facts best adapt- 
 ed for them ; and some of them are more 
 calculated for shewing the circumstances 
 under which emigration may be underta- 
 ken with advantage, than for directing 
 those people after they have come to Can- 
 ada. One great defect in all of them is, 
 the scarcity of information they give res- 
 pecting the Tenures by which lands are 
 held, and the difficulty with which they are 
 obtained. Every man who arrives in Can- 
 ada, and has an intention of procuring a 
 farm, will of course be desirous of getting 
 one under a tenure as secure as possible, 
 and of that description to which the fewest 
 
 conditional burdens are attached. It is no 
 1 ) 2 
 
4‘i emigrant's 
 
 less requisite that the poor agriculturist 
 should have his designs as little letaided as 
 possible, and be enabled to procure his 
 lands with the least possible delay and ex- 
 pense. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 BEFORE entering on a particular ac- 
 count of the more minute subjects it is in- 
 tended to describe. Some attention to the 
 general state of the Canadas may be deem- 
 ed proper. On this part of the subject but 
 a very brief sketch is required ; those fot 
 whom the present work is chiefly designed 
 are but little interested in general history, 
 and have but little concern with political 
 subjects ; minute and particular information 
 is what they require, and that which ought 
 deservedly to engage their attention. 
 
 From the time that the Canadas became 
 
ASSISTANT 4 . 
 
 43 
 
 a part of the British Empire until* the year 
 1774, the affairs of Government in this 
 country were managed by the person hold- 
 ing the office of Governor alone. But in 
 the above year, an impertant change was. 
 made, by the passing of the famous Quebec 
 Bill in the British Parliament. 
 
 It provided that twenty-three persons 
 should 'be appointed, under the name of a 
 Legislative Council, for the purpose of as- 
 sisting the Governor in the discharge of his 
 duty. This Council, in conjunction with 
 the Governor* was empowered to make 
 such ordinances and regulations as they 
 might think of advantage to the Province. 
 
 Their power of imposing taxes was con- 
 fined to such as were to be appropriated for 
 making roads, repairing public buildings 
 and the like ; and their power of punish- 
 ment, was restricted to the infliction of 
 fines or imprisonment for a period not ex- 
 ceeding three months. Every ordinance 
 they passed, was laid before the Governor, 
 for the purpose of being submitted by bim 
 
44. emigrant’s 
 
 for his majesty’s approbation, within six 
 months after it passed, and was not valid, 
 until such approbation was obtained and 
 signified by the Governor to the. Council. 
 In this manner the business of Government 
 was conducted from the year 1774- until the 
 year 1791, when another act of the British 
 Parliament produced a second change, and 
 established the Constitution on its present 
 footing. Tart of the Quebec Bill was re- 
 pealed, and a third branch, named a House 
 (f Assembly, composed of Representatives 
 chosen from the people, in a way somewhat 
 analogous to the mode of. electing members 
 
 of Parliament in Great Britain, was asso- 
 ciated in the functions of Government .with 
 the Governor and Council. 
 
 Thesb three branches, in their principle 
 of formation, resemble the three great 
 branches, viz : the King, Lords, and Com- 
 mons, in the old country, but differ from 
 them in so far as all the aefs passed by 
 them are subject to the controul of the 
 King, and in some instances to that of the 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 45 
 
 Imperial Parliament in England. It was 
 at this time the country was divided into 
 two Provinces denominated Upper and 
 Lower Canada.* Each Province is provi- 
 ded with a Governor, Council, and House 
 of Assembly, in the way above mentioned. 
 In addition to these three branches, there 
 are certain persons who derive their ap- 
 pointment from the King, and are termed 
 Executive Councillors. In Lower Canada 
 these are seventeen in number, and pos- 
 sess powers in the affairs of Government 
 somewhat similar to the Cabinet Council 
 in England. £ 
 
 The person at the head of affairs in Upper 
 Canada has the title of Lieutenant Gover- 
 nor, and in all civil matters is perfectly un- 
 
 * Lower Canada comprises all the eastern part of the old 
 Province of Canada. Upper Canada is formed of the wes- 
 tern part, and that immense territory lying on the north side 
 of the chain of lakes and rivers which separate the British 
 territories in North America from the United States. The 
 two provinces are separated from each other by a line com- 
 mencing at Point au Baudet, in Lake St. Francis in the Riv- 
 er St. Lawrence, and running in a northward direction 24 * 
 west till it reaches the Ottawa or Grand River. 
 
4, q emigrant’s 
 
 connected with the head of the Government 
 (called the Governoivih-Chief) m Lower 
 Canada ; but the latter. is Commanded. 
 Chief of the forces in both provinces, and 
 stands at the head of the military affairs, in 
 British North America, under the title of 
 Captain General. 
 
 The Quebec Bill of 1774 fixed the Judi- 
 cature of Canada. According to it, the old 
 French inhabitants are allowed to retain the 
 laws of Fiance, in as far as they relate to 
 property or civil rights ; and the same prac- 
 tice is followed in our Courts of Justice to 
 the present day. The English law in crim- 
 inal cases is universally adopted. This is 
 to be understood as applicable only to Low- 
 er Canada : for the great influx of British 
 subjects since that period, and the wise pol- 
 icy of the Government of the Upper Prov- 
 ince, has introduced the law of England in 
 all cases. 
 
 In religious subjects, the most ample tol- 
 eration prevails in the Canadas : The Epis- 
 copal religion is what may be denominated 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 the established Church of the country, but 
 every sect has the same privilege of exer- 
 cising their tenets, without controul. 
 
 In Lower Canada, the Roman Catholic 
 Religion prevails among a great proportion 
 of the inhabitants, and by the act of 1774, 
 
 sed to recover their dues and tythes, from 
 
 of law ; but no one of any other religious 
 denomination is obliged to pay them. 
 
 The act of 1791, ordained, that the per- 
 son administering the Government should 
 reserve one seventh, out of all the Jands 
 that might be granted by the Crown, sub- 
 sequent to that period, for the benefit of 
 the Protestant Clergymen of the Church of 
 England. This has been carefully done 
 ever since, and rectories or parsonages, are 
 appointed by the Governor and Council, 
 and endowed from these appropriations, the 
 same as incumbents in the Church of Eng- 
 land. Hitherto, little attention has bq^ji 
 paid to these lands ; some them h»fe I 
 
 < ' , 'M # 
 
 the clergymen of this Church, are authori- 
 
 people of their own persuasion, by course 
 
 i 
 
48 emigrant’s 
 
 been settled by farmers, who had no au- 
 thority to do so ; others have been leased 
 at low rents : but the Episcopal Clergy of 
 this country are now formed into a corpo- 
 ration, and the lands placed under then 
 own direction, of course more attention 
 will be paid to settling and improving them 
 in future. 
 
 I N Manufactures, the Canadas are at a 
 very low ebb ; some of the inhabitants 
 make a species of coarse cloth, for their 
 own use; but the extent of their opera- 
 tions in this way, is confined to the exigen- 
 cies of each family, where they are carried 
 on, and do not deserve the name of manu- 
 facturing. 
 
 It is a subject of regret that some atten- 
 tion has not been paid to the searching 
 for the mines with which this country 
 abounds. Iron-ore, copper and lead have 
 been found; there are also, in many places, 
 strong indications of the existence of other 
 valuable ores, but in no instance have these 
 been wrought under the British Govern- 
 
ASSISTANT. . 
 
 19 
 
 nent, and seldom ever looked for. The 
 great abundance of fire-wood, may in part 
 account for the negligence hitherto mani- 
 fested towards the coal-mines ; but the 
 probabilities of there being mines of this 
 valuable fossile in Canada, arc very strong, 
 and a time will no doubt come, when they 
 will be sought for and properly estimated. 
 Enough has beeft said to shew the capabili- 
 ties of this country for establishing manu- 
 factories. 
 
 In a work written with the intention of 
 this, there is obviously little use for enter- 
 ing minutely into the state of commerce, 
 
 : in the Canadas. 
 
 In their Legislatural proceedings, this 
 I >ranch is said not to have been well atten- 
 ded to ; but this is a complaint to which 
 - all new countries, and more especially colo- 
 nies, are subjected. 
 
 The chief articles of export from Cana- 
 da are Timber, of all kinds, Pork, Flour, 
 Pot and Pearl Ashes ; of the last a great 
 
 portion comes from that part of the United 
 E 
 
50 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 Slates bordering on Canada, although it is 
 an indisputable fact, that the latter country 
 is as capable of making and exporting all 
 these as the former, and only requires a 
 proper share of Legislatural protection to 
 enable it to do so. Furs and Peltries form 
 another article of Canada commerce, but 
 the trade in these is confined to a few Com- 
 panies, (almost to one,) and as they are 
 procured from Indian nations which inha- 
 bit the territories on the north and west of 
 Canada in exchange for British and foreign 
 wares, brought to the country by these com- 
 panies, they can hardly be considered as an 
 article either the produce of Canada, or 
 purchased by the productions of its soil. 
 Besides these there are others which forma 
 part of the exports of Canada, such as Oil, 
 dried Fish, Ginseng and some Medicinal 
 Drugs, but not in such quantities as to be 
 deemed staple articles of trade. 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 5L 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE TENURES OF LAND IN CANADA. 
 
 THE landed property of this country 
 is held by two descriptions of titles, name- 
 ly, in Jief Seignorial, and in free and com- 
 mon Soccage. 
 
 This difference of heritable right to lan- 
 ded property, has arisen out of the politic- 
 al situation in which the country has been 
 placed at different periods. Under the 
 French Government the civil Constitution 
 was established upon the Feudal System, 
 and their mode of granting lands was in 
 conformity to it. Subsequent to the Act 
 of King Charles II, which confirmed the 
 holding of lands in England by free and 
 Common Soccage, and when the Canadas 
 became a part of the British Empire, the 
 extension of the benefit of that act to them, 
 introduced the plan of granting lands ac- 
 cording to the same tenure, namely, in 
 
52 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 Free and Common Soccage. 1 lie Seigniori- 
 al titles had their origin in this way, and 
 owe their existence at the present day, to 
 the act of cession which yielded this coun- 
 try to England ; for by the articles of that 
 treaty, those holding lands under the French 
 grants, had them all confirmed, according to 
 the tenure on which they had been granted. 
 
 Besides the above reason, another oper- 
 ated with the French Monarchs in estab- 
 lishing the Seignorial tenure. It afforded 
 them an opportunity of rewarding their ad- 
 herents and followers at a cheap rate, and 
 they no doubt thought, it was the best te- 
 nure for facilitating the settlement of the 
 country. Influenced by this opinion, they 
 granted an immense tract of territory, ex- 
 tending from about 90 miles below Quebec, 
 along the banks of the River St. Lawrence, 
 to 40 miles above Montreal, a distance of 
 more than 300 miles, in large tracts under 
 thename of Seignories. These vary in size in 
 different cases, but are generally from 3G 
 to 50 square miles each, and contain in all 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 53 
 
 about 7,985,400 square acres. The gran- 
 tees, who held these Seignories, were bound 
 by their patents, to the performance of ma- 
 ny duties, as vassals of the King. They 
 also possessed many privileges and powers 
 within their Seignories, similar to those en- 
 joyed by the Seignors or Lords of the soil 
 under the feudal system, in other nations. 
 -The greater part of those powers being now 
 abrogated, by the Act 14th, of his late Ma- 
 jesty George III. which abolished their au- 
 thority in criminal matters, and confined 
 them to the civil part ; and as many of the 
 duties are not insisted on by the King, lit- 
 tle need be said relative to them. There 
 are however several reservations, made by 
 the King, in those grants which are still in 
 force. Among others, may be mentioned 
 ' the payment of the Quint, or fifth part of 
 ■ the purchase money, on the sale or aliena- 
 tion of the Seignories, unless in the direct 
 line of succession. The Grantee was also 
 bound to give notice to the King of all 
 
 mines, ores, and minerals, which were foun d 
 
 E2 
 
54 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 on the Seignory.* To preserve all the oak 
 trees fit for building ships to the King j 
 and to bind his sub-tennants to do the same. 
 Such are a few of the reservations in the 
 oldest grants which are still in foice. In 
 those more recently granted the King re- 
 served to himself, the right of taking back 
 such part, of the lands so granted as he 
 might require for the purpose of building 
 forts, batteries, or any public woiks, roads, 
 &c. and also the privilege of cutting timber 
 for the erection of these, and firewood to 
 supply his garrisons, without making any 
 recompense to the Grantee. 
 
 Other particular reserves are made in 
 certain Seignories ; such as the led or pitch 
 pine for making tar ; but the above include 
 almost all those generally in force. By 
 their patents, certain obligations were im- 
 posed on the Seignors or Grantees, respec- 
 ting the mode in which they were to con- 
 
 * There are two exceptions to this. In both the Seigno* 
 lies of Terrebonne the ores, minerals, and mines belong to 
 the Seignior. 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 55 
 
 cede their land to subfuers or those apply- 
 ing for it. 
 
 It being the wish of Government to pro- 
 mote the settlement and cultivation of the 
 country, a clause was inserted in the deeds, 
 conveying the Seignor’s lands, by which he 
 was obliged to concede them in farms, to 
 such as applied for them, under the penal- 
 ty of forfeiting his Seignory, and of its be- 
 ing reunited to the King’s Domain. 
 
 This right was put in force in several 
 Seignories near Champlain, which were re- 
 united to the crown for want of cultivation, 
 antecedent to the conquest ; and were af- 
 terwards regranted to others, and in some 
 cases to the original holders, on their fulfil- 
 ling, or promising to fulfill, the conditions. 
 By an arret dated March, 1732, when the 
 Seignor refused to concede lands to subfu- 
 crs, on the usual conditions ; the Governor 
 or Intendant was authorised to concede the 
 same, and the rents were to be paid to the 
 Receiver General t© the exclusion of the 
 Seignior. In some of the more recently 
 
56 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 granted Seignories, the Grantee was oblig- 
 ed to build a house, cultivate part of his 
 Seignorv, and stock it with cattle; but 
 they have been restricted from the sale of 
 wood-lands, being obliged to grant them to 
 applicants, under the penalty of nullity, res- 
 titution of the purchase money, and annex- 
 ing the lands to. the lloyal Domains. — 
 From these it would appear that the re- 
 venue or advantages* belonging to the 
 Seignior are very limited, and that the 
 possession of such a property is attended 
 with no benefit to the holder. A little 
 farther consideration will be sufficient to 
 
 f 
 
 do away this impression. The Seigniors 
 although obliged, as has been seen, to 
 concede their lands in lesser lots or farms, 
 free of all expense, except the costs for 
 surveying and the prices of a proces ver- 
 bal, were not left without a provision. 
 Those to whom such concessions were 
 made, were bound to pay them certain 
 sums, expressed by the deed of concession, 
 as annual rent and other perquisites under 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 57 
 
 tlie term of locls et rentes. From these two 
 sources, a considerable portion of the 
 Sfeigniors income was derived. The rents 
 are in all cases very low, although varying 
 in different Seigniories. They in no instance 
 exceed 5s. and 2 bushels of wheat per an- 
 num for every GO acres of land. Original- 
 ly they were limited to one halfpenny for 
 every acre in front by 40 acres deep, and 
 one halfpenny for every superficial acre, to 
 be paid on a certain day every year, to the 
 Seignior at his mansion-house. These were 
 denominated the certs, and were exacted, 
 for the purpose of maintaining the recogni- 
 tion of the subfuer to his Seignior, and to 
 secure to the latter, his right to the second 
 description of payment viz. the lods et 
 ventes. It also deserves to be mentioned, 
 that in many cases the seigniors on conce- 
 ding uncleared lands, do not exact this 
 rent for the first two or three years. 
 
 •The Lods et ventes , are a fine payable to- 
 the Seignior by the purchaser or successor 
 to any farm which has been once conce- 
 
5S- 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 tied ; unless the farm descends to the next 
 heir, by the lineal descent, in which case 
 no lods et ventes are payable. 
 
 This fine is paid to the Seignior, on the 
 same principle as a Quint or fifth is paid to 
 the king, in the event ot the sale ot a 
 Seigniory. The amount was fixed by the 
 French Government, at one-twelfth of the 
 purchase money, or of the value of the firm; 
 but in general, when it is promptly paid, 
 the Seigniors have been in the habit of de- 
 ducting one fourth, so that they only claim 
 six per cent instead of eight and a half 
 which the law allows them.. No inconsid- 
 erable portion of the seignior’s income, is 
 derived from this source ; and it is obvi- 
 ously capable of great augmentation, as 
 the lands become cultivated, and frequent 
 changes of the owners of farms take place. 
 
 Besides these two, there are other per- 
 quisites and privileges reserved to the seign- 
 iors, which constitute a part of their reve- 
 nue. They have the exclusive privilege of 
 erecting Grist-mills on their Seigniory ; and 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 50 
 
 their tenants are bound to grind all the 
 corn used for their own families, at these 
 mills, under the penalty of being fined in 
 double the amount of the Toll, which is 
 fixed to the 14th Bushel. A Seignior also 
 has a right to cut down timber on any part 
 of his estate, whether conceded or not, 
 provided the timber so cut is to be employ- 
 ed, in constructing mills making roads or 
 for any public purpose. 
 
 IIe can in many instances claim, all the 
 fisheries or fishing stations, or he may ex- 
 act a tell from such fisheries as are estab- 
 lished in his Seigniory: the amount of 
 which varies in different places. In additi- 
 on to these, other rights are held by the Seig- 
 nior. A portion of land varying in extent 
 in different Seigniories, is reserved under 
 the title of the domain ; which part he is 
 not obliged to concede to applicants, in the 
 manner above mentioned ; but may sell 
 lease, or dispose of it, in any way lie deems 
 most to his advantage. And if a seignior 
 brings the whole of his land under a state 
 
GO 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 of cultivation, the obligation to concede it, 
 on the usual terms, ceases '■> and lie may 
 sell or lease it if he chooses. hen any ol 
 his filers or tenants wish to sell theii farms ; 
 the seignior must be informed of it, and 
 he can take it himself at the price fixed by 
 the seller, having a preference as the pur- 
 ' chaser j but this is a right seldom enforced, 
 and appears to have been granted, only 
 with the view of preventing the Seignior 
 being defrauded of his Lods et ventes, by 
 the seller concealing any part of the pur- 
 chase money. 
 
 I have in the above description, confined 
 my remarks, to those large tracts of land 
 which were granted by the French mo- 
 narchs, under the fief or seignioral tenure, 
 because they are the greatest in extent, 
 and were I believe the first in point of 
 time. Besides these there are other tenures 
 on the feudal system, under which small 
 tracts of land, such as town lots were 
 granted. 
 
 These are held under a species of Igno- 
 
' ASSISTANT. 
 
 61 
 
 ble tenure termed \Rofarrtf, and likewise some 
 allodial grants denominated, Franc Aleu 
 Noble , and Franc Aleu Roturier, a few o- 
 tliers under a species of spiritual tenure, 
 called Pure Aumone, or Frank Almoign ; 
 but the extreme rarity of these and their 
 small extent render them unworthy of par- 
 ticular notice except in the Towns. 
 
 A slight attention to what has been 
 detailed respecting the seignioral title, 
 t will be sufficient to convince any reader, 
 that it possesses some trivial inconve- 
 niences ; but it cannot be denied that it is 
 : also pregnant with advantages, which will, 
 i (if the original system be fairly acted up- 
 on,) counterbalance all its defects. The 
 obligatory clause, which compells the 
 8 Seignior to concede his lands to an appli- 
 ■ f cant, facilitates the wishes of a farmer who 
 is desirous of obtaining a farm : and he can 
 ; effect this at a very trifling expense, for 
 t with the exception of a small sum, to de- 
 tray the charge of surveying it, and about 
 
 7s. 6d for the proces verbal, he has n# 
 
 F 
 
62 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 more money to pay for obtaining bis lands. 
 The local position of those lands, which are 
 held by the Seigniors ; their propinquity to 
 the river, anti the facility of reaching the 
 markets, will be found to compensate for 
 the difference of climate, and for all the 
 disadvantages attached to the tenure. 
 
 Another advantage of the seignioral ti* 
 ties, is the facility with which the farmers 
 can dispose of their farms, should a 
 change of circumstances, or any other e- 
 vent render it necessary to do so. In the 
 case of lands granted, in free and common 
 soccage, as will be seen hereafter ; the lo- 
 catee does not get his deed of concession 
 at once ; nor does he procure such a title 
 as is disposable. He obtains what is called 
 a Location ticket, by which he is obliged 
 to perform certain conditions, and it is on- 
 ly after the performance of these, that he 
 procures a right to the soil ; such as to en- 
 able him to transfer it to another. It has 
 happened in some cases, that the grantin 
 ot these deeds or patents, has been delay- 
 
 
ASSISTANT-- 
 
 G3 
 
 is a 
 
 ft 
 
 tyi 
 
 kiii 
 
 a 
 
 r i 
 
 UK, 
 
 F 
 e fr 
 
 sk 
 
 (ft 
 
 i !i 
 
 t: 
 
 t;4 
 
 COKt 
 
 at is : 
 is I 
 iditi 
 
 liaii 
 
 >r.l 
 egi * 
 
 eJ for years, and the oecupier of the land 
 having no power to sell has been deprived 
 of an advantageous opportunity of doing so, 
 when he might have embraced it. Among 
 the objections to the seignioral titles ene of 
 the best founded, and which has been the 
 most strongly reprobated, is the payment 
 of the Lods et ventes on the sale or muta- 
 tion of property. This burden is said to 
 operate, in deterring the industrious' agri- 
 culturist from expending his labour or 
 money, in improving his farm j because on 
 the sale of it, he is obliged to relinquish to 
 his Seignior 8| per cent of the capital laid 
 out ; or of the profits he would get from it. 
 
 This is a stubborn fact, which the most , 
 zealous advocates for that tenure cannot 
 deny ; and it is obvious if it were not com- 
 pensated by other advantages, would put 
 a stop to the cultivation of seignioral lands, 
 among all those who wished to improve 
 lands for the purpose of selling them. 
 
 The exclusive right of erecting mills by 
 the Seignior is another impediment, with 
 
C-4 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 many to settle under their tenure. It lias 
 been urged as a hardship* that a farmer 
 should be obliged to have his grain ground 
 at one particular mill, and to pay a specifi. 
 ed toll, when he might get it equally well 
 manufactured, and at a more reasonable 
 rate, at a mill perhaps more contiguous to 
 his farm. The same thing existed under 
 the feudal system in Great Britain, and the 
 advantages which have accrued there, from 
 a commutation of moulters and an abroga- 
 tion of this plan, may be fairly advanced as 
 a proof of its injurious consequences when- 
 ever continued. This duty however was 
 highly judicious, and indispensably neces- 
 sary, at the time it was imposed on the 
 Seigniors. The erection of mills, and 
 keeping them in proper repair is attended 
 witli an expense, which few of the subfu- 
 ers or teuants could afford. There were 
 not at that time, men of capital and enter- 
 prise in the country ; who would embark 
 in such an undertaking ; and unless mills 
 had been erected by the Seigniors, there 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 65 
 
 would have been but few, and perhaps 
 ll none, to supply the wants of the people. 
 ? If the tenants are obliged to grind their 
 l> corn at the Seignior’s mills, on the other 
 ty hand the seigniors are bound, to erect 
 - mills, and preserve them in proper order. 
 
 Hence it is attended with a mutual benefit 
 J. and as ought to be the case, in all con. 
 a tracts, a reciprocal advantage to the par- 
 re: ties concerned. 
 
 i i It is also deserving of notice, that in 
 ra some places where mills are erected by pri- 
 est vate individuals, the toll charged is always 
 re as high, and frequently higher, than that 
 i n exacted at the seigniorial mills. 
 
 [ jj A prejudice has arisen against seigno- 
 rial tenures, more difficult to overcome, 
 than that resulting from either of the above 
 objections ; and it is more difficult to op- 
 , , pose by argument, as it is purely ideal, and 
 has no foundation in any definite or known 
 circumstance. I allude to the derogatory 
 idea of vassalage, which some attach to those 
 
 sub-tenants, who hold land from Seigniors. 
 
 IV F 2 
 
emigrant's 
 
 66 
 
 During the operations of the feudal system, 
 the holder of lands was compelled to pay 
 homage and fealty to the sovereign, as the 
 Lord of the soil. He was also bound to 
 the performance of other duties, such as 
 furnishing his quota of foot-soldiers or horse- 
 men, when the king 'went to war. These 
 conditions however existed only between 
 the King and the Seignior ; they had no 
 reference to the subtenant or the farmer, 
 to whom the latter had conceded his lands. 
 In the deed of concession given by the 
 Seignior, as far as I have heard, no vassal- 
 age or fealty was exacted. In the early 
 time, when the Seigniors had the right of 
 exercising high and low justice, within 
 their territories, something of this kind 
 might have existed, but that ceased at the 
 time the Seigniors relinquished these lights ; 
 and at the present moment nothing is 
 claimed of the farmer, unless what is ex- 
 pressly stipulated in the deed of concession. 
 Under this view of the subject, it is obvi- 
 ous that this objection is founded on a 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 67 
 
 s )». 
 
 to 
 
 \* 
 
 ot 
 
 a 
 
 orb 
 
 1 
 
 Iff 
 
 jk 
 
 th 
 
 liiii 
 
 ik 
 
 non 
 
 tk: 
 
 •IE 
 
 e, * 
 
 th 
 
 »s 
 
 in 
 
 tis 
 
 toil 
 
 vague and incorrect opinion ; and forms 
 no valid argument against the Seignioral 
 tenure. On the contrary, it appears from 
 custom, that those holding lands under this 
 tenure are more independant and more ex- 
 empt from vassalage duties than those who 
 hold directly from the crown. 
 
 The King, as sovereign Lord of all 
 the soil, requires certain conditions from 
 such as hold it under him, as vassals, 
 which conditions may be either express- 
 ed or implied in the patents conveying 
 the lands. In the case of the seignio- 
 ral title, those who are the more im- 
 mediate vassals of the crown, step for- 
 ward and become bound for the perform- 
 ance of these duties ; whereas the subte- 
 nant, who holds of them, is exempted 
 from every description of fealty, unless 
 expressly stipulated at the time he takes 
 the lands. 
 
 In this argument, I am supported by the 
 opinion of some of our most eminent law- 
 yers. Blackstone Vol. 2. Cap. 5 says “ all 
 
6S 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 tenures being' thus derived of the king, 
 those that held immediately under him , in 
 right of his crown and dignity were called 
 his tenants in Capite ; which was the most 
 honourable species ol tenure, but at the 
 same time subjected the tenants to greater 
 and more burdensome ser vices, than inferior 
 tenures did.” In objecting to the seignio- 
 ral titles it has been asserted that they are 
 prejudicial to agriculture ; and many of the 
 advocates of this opinion, will maintain it 
 without advancing one solid reason in its 
 support. The best reply to this,, is the no* 
 torious fact, that the farms of good agricul- 
 turists, even when held by the seignioral 
 tenure, are under as good a state of culti- 
 vation, the occupiers of them as wealthy, 
 if not more so,, as those who hold farms in 
 free and common soccage. From which it 
 is obvious, that if the soil, and the exerti- 
 ons of the farmer be equal, no difficulty 
 will arise to the progress of improvement, 
 or the prosperity of the farmer under either 
 tenure. In reply to all this, it may be 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 G9 
 
 is asked, what is the reasou tlxe same pro- 
 k guess has not been made in settling the 
 a lands under the seignioral tenure, as those 
 ti in free and common soccage ? The cause 
 at: of tliis is obvious. The solid objections a- 
 {B rising from the existance of the lods et 
 ie ventes operated in the first place against 
 if; this tenure ; for no settlers from Great 
 ltji Britain would take lands subject to such a 
 yer burthen, when they could procure them 
 me without it. This, combined with other ob- 
 is jections to this tenure (many of which as 
 to; lias been already shewn have no foundali- 
 m on in reality) at first, excited a strong pre- 
 ijt judice against it. This unfavorable opini- 
 fa on has been kept up, by the avaricious con- 
 rf; duct of the Seigniors, in some cases ; and 
 r in others, by their remissness in not exert- 
 ( |jjj ing themselves to get their lands settled. 
 jjU Several of them have left the management 
 jk of their estates, to selfish or negligent a- 
 eJi gents, who were more intent on aggraudi- 
 lf . sing themselves, than in forwarding the 
 , wishes of settlers, or promoting the true 
 
70 
 
 C7 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 interest of their employers. Such mea 
 frequently put off those applying for lands, 
 ■with some trivial excuse 5 and it has been 
 said that they sometimes exacted a douceur 
 before a deed of concession could be ob- 
 tained from them. In some cases, the 
 Seigniors are said to have co-operated with 
 them in this unfair traffic, and to have sha- 
 red their spoil ; in others it lias been al- 
 ledged that the Seigniors preferred present, 
 though inconsiderable, emolument, to their 
 future and more solid interest^ and conce- 
 ded their whole seigniories to their agents, 
 in their confidence, and that in such cases, 
 applicants for lands could obtain them in 
 no way, but by a purchase from such a- 
 gent. On the amount of this purchase, 
 the Seignior became entitled to his lods et 
 ven-tes, and by these means, a difficulty and 
 an expense, attended the obtaining a seign- 
 ioral grant on such Seigniories, which few 
 men were willing to incur. These instan- 
 ces of unfair conduct on the part of the 
 Seigniors, it is to be hoped are exceedingly 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 71 
 
 n 
 
 fa 
 
 k 
 
 se5, 
 
 ltd 
 
 hr 
 
 if 
 
 it 
 
 ini 
 
 dt 
 
 tk 
 
 pun: 
 
 sW 
 
 call; 
 
 w 
 
 3 jg 
 
 trf 
 
 ftJf 
 
 rare ; and although they have contributed 
 to keep up the prejudices against this des- 
 cription of terure, it can never be said 
 they arise from an inherent defect in the 
 tenure itself ; for the more intelligent seign- 
 iors, who see and appreciate the advanta- 
 ges of having their estates settled, and well 
 cultivated ; readily concede their farms to 
 such as apply for them, on the fair condi- 
 tions by which they are bound to do so. 
 The complaints against the seignioral te- 
 nure are not of a recent date. In the year 
 1730, a committee of the whole council 
 was held at Quebec, by order of Lord 
 Dorchester then Governor in Chief, for the 
 purpose of enquiring into, and deliberating 
 upon the propriety of converting, the te- 
 nures held in fief and seigniorie, into that 
 -of free and common soccage. This order 
 was issued, in consequence of a petition 
 firom a Mr. Lanaudiere, to enable him to 
 make a conversion of his tenure j At the 
 same time the council, in the event of their 
 considering that legislative interference 
 
emigranVs 
 
 I 
 
 72 
 
 might be necessary for this purpose, were 
 ordered to prepare a draft oi a bill, such as 
 they thought proper, ' for the object in- 
 tended. 
 
 In the course of their investigation, ma- 
 ny facts and circumstances relative to the 
 seignioral tenure were elicited ; but in the 
 report they presented, it was stated, “ that 
 in exploring the causes of the tardy pro- 
 gression of the population of the country, 
 under the Government of France, there 
 seems t© be no ground for ascribing it to 
 the non-compliance of the Seigniors, with 
 the conditions for cultivation expressed in 
 their patents or grants.” The committee 
 on this occasion, after expressing their 
 doubt how far a conversion of these tenures 
 would be prudent, in a political point of 
 view', express their decided opinion that it 
 could not be effected without legislative in- 
 terference, and proceed accordingly to 
 draft a bill for this purpose. By this bill, 
 it was to be enacted, that every person de- 
 sirous -of effecting a change of his tenure, 
 
73 
 
 ASSISTANT. 
 
 from the seignioral to that of free and com- 
 mon soccage ; should make a surrender of 
 d his lands into the bauds of his majesty’s re- 
 presentative in the province : and after his 
 having done so, that the Governor or the 
 K person administering the Government, 
 
 • should be bound within a certain time, af- 
 I ter such a surrender is made, to cause a 
 i fresh grant to be made out to the said per- 
 x son, of the same lands, to be held in free 
 p and common soccage. This is the only 
 . way, by which such a conversion of the te- 
 nines could be effected. The accomplish* 
 .. ment of such an object, is of too great im- 
 portance, to be done without the interfe- 
 . rence of legislative authority ; and as it in- 
 volves the interests of two contracting par- 
 ties, it can never be accomplished but by 
 ^ their mutual consent. By this plan, it 
 ^ would be left optional with the parties to 
 embrace the change or not, as they chose, 
 
 , ' ' and unless such consent was given on their 
 part, it would be deemed an undue interfe- 
 |gi fence of legal authority to compell it. In 
 
74 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 all cases where lands have been granted by 
 the French crown, under the seignioral ti- 
 tie, the British Government have sedulous. 
 1y adhered to it •, and that, not only in ca- 
 ses, where the representatives of the origi- 
 nal Grantees are alive, but also in those in- 
 stances, where the lands from forfeiture or 
 ■other causes have reverted to the crown, 
 Ir has been alledged that a conversion 
 of the seignioral tenure, into that of free 
 and common soccage has been opposed, on 
 the principle that the crown would not re- 
 linquish the immunities it derives from te- 
 nures of the former description ; This, I 
 am inclined to think is an assumed argu- 
 ment, and totally devoid of foundation. 
 It has already been shewn, that the far 
 greater portion of the lands granted by the 
 French King, were given under the fief and 
 seignioral tenure. From these the crown 
 reaps no benefit, except the Quint on the 
 sale of a Seigniory, or the rentes and lods 
 et ventes, which it receives from such vas- 
 sals as hold lands by the inferior species of 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 75 
 
 It! 
 
 1ST; 
 
 let 
 
 iji 
 
 k 
 
 fe 
 
 fehc 
 
 *e 
 
 on 
 
 td 
 
 !|E 
 
 Idt: 
 
 ib 
 
 H 
 
 ii 
 
 tedi; 
 
 it 
 
 it* 
 
 i 
 
 sut 
 
 iff? 
 
 tenure, such as roture &c. from the crown. 
 I am not prepared to state the amount of 
 revenue which it derives from these sour- 
 ces at present, as a portion of it depends 
 upon casualties it can never be estimated 
 with precision. The part of the amount 
 which is fixed also depends upon the quick 
 transition of property, and unless in 
 towns cannot be very large. From the 
 Receiver General’s Books between the 
 years 1775, and 1785, the whole amount 
 did not exceed ten thousand pounds ster- 
 ling, including the arrears due previous 
 to that period ; a sum far too insignificent 
 to operate against any measure which 
 would be beneficial to the country, for 
 it cannot for a moment be imagined, 
 that Government would hold the possession 
 of this trifling sum in competition with the 
 advantages, which would arise from having 
 the country settled'and its wealth and poli- 
 tical importance encreased. 
 
 Free and Common Socccge 
 Tins, as already observed, forms the se- 
 
76 emigrant’s 
 
 contl species of tehuie, by which lands are 
 held in the Canadas, and the next subject 
 for the consideration of those who are de- 
 sirous ofheco niing landholders in the Coun- 
 try. There has been a difference of opini- 
 on among writers respecting the origin ol 
 the term soccage, while some have main- 
 tained that it is derived from an old saxoti 
 word signifying liberty, because the adop- 
 tion of this tenure conferred additional li- 
 berty on the tenants or vassals j others with 
 equal zeal have concluded that it owes its 
 origin, to an obselete word signifying a 
 plough, because one of the chief conditions 
 of this tenure obliged the tenant to plough 
 the manor of his lord, or to ghe so manv 
 days of his plough and" cattle for that pur- 
 pose. It is unnecessary to waste time, in 
 enquiring which of these derivations is the 
 most correct. The signification of the 
 term, as it i3 most generally understood at 
 the present time, and agreeable to the ac- 
 ceptation it has obtained from some of our 
 most eminent lawyers, is detailed in. the 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 / i 
 
 subsequent passages ; anil this is ail that is 
 required to be known in the present work. 
 AVhen any word or phrase conveys a clear 
 and accurate idea, of which every man of * 
 common information, can form a correct 
 conception ; it is surely unnecessary in a 
 work designed for public use, to hunt after 
 obscure and difficult authors, in search oi 
 the radical term from which it is derived. 
 
 The tenure of free and common soccage 
 is disti nguished/rom that in fief and seigni- 
 orial, and from all others, by its having the 
 services or returns, which the landlord ex- 
 acts from his tenant or vassal, clearly and 
 accurately defined ; as to nature extent 
 and time of performance. 
 
 Under the feudal tenures, the vassal 
 was bound to fulfill certain services and 
 duties to his lord, as a consideration for 
 the lands he held, and the latter might call 
 upon him for the performance of those sec- 
 vices, wherever he chose, and as often 
 as he pleased. But by the tenure in free 
 
 and common soccage, the conditions on 
 G 2 
 
78 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 which the vassal holds the lands, are ex- 
 pressly stipulated in the deed of concessi- 
 on $ and by their being thus defined, no- 
 thing beyond the performance of them as 
 specified in that agreement, can be exact- 
 ed. 
 
 It will be obvious to our readers, that 
 the adoption of a tenure such as this, (and 
 differing as above mentioned from the for- 
 mer feudal rights which gave the lord of 
 the soil an unlimitted sway over his vassal,) 
 conferred a very great and important aug- 
 mentation of freedom on the latter. Thence 
 it is probable that the epithet Jree was ad- 
 ded to this tenure, while at the same time 
 its coming generally into use, might have 
 given it the other title of common and front 
 the combination of these arose the whole 
 term Free and common Soccage. 
 
 Some of our writers on law, are of opini- 
 on that this tenure is only applicable to 
 those instances, wherein a fixed and defi- 
 nite sum of money is paid for lands, and 
 contend that, in all cases where personal 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 7*9 
 
 ® services of any description, (known of old 
 ■® by the name of Espuage or Sergentry) is 
 K demanded, it becomes a military tenure, 
 E under the feudal plan and different from 
 {e that under the free and common soccaire 
 But this opinion is neither accordant, with 
 ® the original acceptation of the term, nor a- 
 i greeable to the sense in which it has been 
 ilk received, by many other writers of equal ce- 
 ils lebrity with the supporters of the first opi- 
 isvs nion, who contend that it is* not the na- 
 tal ture or extent of the Conditions which 
 ,1; forms the specific distinction between this 
 •in tenure and others ; but that the difference 
 iffi consists solely, iir these conditions being 
 igit accurately defined, and stipulated for, be- 
 ast tween the lord and his vassal see Blackstone 
 tk 5 \ ol. II. Book ( 2d Cap 6. Writers on civil 
 law, when treating on this subject, have 
 id described different kinds of soccage tenure, 
 icalt but in as far as this is referable to lands in 
 juJ Canada, it is only necessary to notice one 
 
 lift description of this tenure ; there being no 
 fS hut what are granted under it, ex- 
 
QQ emigrant’s 
 
 ccpt such as are held by the seignioral or 
 other tenures formerly mentioned. 
 
 Tree and common Soccage was estab- 
 lished, (as has been already noticed,) by 
 an act of King Charles II, which act, not 
 onlv describes it, but also provides for its 
 
 V 
 
 continuation. . ,jm 
 
 After discharging the other kinds of te- 
 nine, by which lands had been formerly 
 granted, and securing certain rents and 
 fees which arose to the crown, from parti- 
 cidar customs fixed by these tenures; re- 
 serving the right to such monies as may be 
 due from the alienation of lands or tene- 
 ments, previously made, and also providing 
 for such suits at law as may hereafter oc- 
 cur respecting former tenures ; it P 10 * 
 ceeds, “ and be it enacted by the an- 
 “ thority. aforesaid that all tenures hereaf- 
 “ ter to be created by the King’s majesty, 
 “ his heirs or successors, upon any gifts or 
 “ gi ants of any manors lands tenements or 
 « hereditaments of any estate ot inheri- 
 «< tance at the common law shall he in ft# 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 81 
 
 “ and common soccage, and shall be adjudg- 
 “ ed to be, in free and common soccage on- 
 “ ly, and not by Knights service” vie. &c. 
 
 ' 1 2 Car. II Cap, 21 Sect. 4. 
 
 1C’ L 
 
 The Tenure of Free and common Soccage 
 being thus established, and provision made 
 for its continuance, by the common law of 
 England, it would obviously be extended to 
 1 this country, on its annexation to the Bri- 
 tish Empire ; as there was no provision to 
 the contrary in the treaty which ceded it, 
 ® nor any provincial statute passed since that 
 a> ' time that could operate against it. 
 
 That this has been the case, is evinced 
 P from the practice pursued since the above 
 ei ‘ period ; for almost all the lands ’Which have 
 i £ been conceded, under the authority of the 
 ft* British Government in Canada, have been 
 Ei u granted in free and common soccage, in con- 
 >*! formity to the provisions of the above 
 jf act.* 
 
 0 * 
 
 jjjj The only three exceptions to this are the Seigniories of 
 1 Malbay, Mount Murray, in the District of Quebec anti Mg; 
 1)6 ^ goacha Point in the District of Gaspe, 
 
$g ejAgeant’s 
 
 Th e advantages attached to this species 
 of tenure are so well known, and so just* 
 ly appreciated, that a minute ejium eiation 
 of them would be superfluous j but in re* 
 gard to the particular conditions which are 
 exacted from the landholdeis in Canada, 
 or what may be called the tenure by which 
 lands are at present granted in this coun* 
 try, some further illustration becomes ne- 
 cessary- 
 
 Tiiese conditions are fixed, I3y the au- 
 thority of the Governor and council* and 
 are as follows. Every person obtaining 
 lands is obliged to become bona Jide, a 
 settler upon them. He must build a house 
 and keep in repair the road in front of his 
 lot or farm ; and lastly he must clear five 
 acres for every hundred he has got before 
 he gets his title to them. It deserves to 
 be noticed that these conditions are strict- 
 ly enforced, in the Upper Province only, 
 and their exaction has only been made ot 
 late years. In Lower Canada, large tracts 
 of land have been ceded to individuals 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 83 
 
 without attaching to them the duty of ac- 
 tual settlement ; and here it is still allowed 
 to be done by proxy, neither is there any 
 clause obliging the settler to make the road 
 or to keep it in repair, that being provided 
 for by the Provincial road act. The ex- 
 tent to be cleared is also less in the Lower 
 Province than it is in the Upper ; four a- 
 crfcs on the whole grant, whatever be its 
 extent being all that is required in the 
 former. This constitutes what is called 
 the settlement duty, for the performance 
 of which the settler is allowed the^space of 
 three years, and at the expiry*of that time 
 he obtains a deed or patent for his lands, 
 and becomes, to all intents and purposes, the 
 lord erf the soil. Besides these, he has a 
 specific sum to pay in money, as the price 
 of his lands ; and certain fees which are 
 exacted for drawing out the papers, fur- 
 nishing the proper certificates, and other 
 necessary documents. The whole amount 
 of this sum varies in different parts of the 
 two provinces ; but it no where exceeds 
 
emigrant’s 
 
 84 
 
 3s. and 6d. per acie, and is made payable 
 in different small instalments, to suit the 
 convenience of the farmer, and this only in 
 Upper Canada, in Lower Canada he pays 
 only 23s. for fees of council, &c. The ex- 
 istence of a strong prejudice against the 
 seignioral or tief tenure, has already been no- 
 ticed •, and this is accompanied with a corres- 
 ponding partiality, in favour of the tenure in 
 free and common socage. It has also been 
 seen, that many of the prejudices urged a- 
 gainst the former, are totally’ - unfounded, 
 and owe their existence, rather to the abu- 
 ses which have crept in among the holders 
 of lands under that tenure, than to inhe- 
 rent defects in itself. 
 
 There have also been outcries, and 
 complaints, against the tenure in soccage; 
 and an enquiry into some of these may not 
 be useless, as it will shew that they are e- 
 qually destitute of foundation with those 
 urged against the former, and ought to 
 form no just objections to it. 
 
ASSISTANT. 85 
 
 The first thing the opponents of this te- 
 nure, have advanced against it, is .founded 
 on that clause in the conditions, which 
 compells the holder of lands to settle on 
 them. In consequence of this obligation, 
 say they, the possessor of an old cultivated 
 farm will never take a new one, for the 
 purpose of improving it, because he would 
 be obliged to leave the former and reside 
 on the latter, to undergo privations he 
 •could never submit to. The falsity of 
 this species of reasoning is so obvious, 
 that it may be thought unnecessary to 
 waste time in refuting it ; such an objecti- 
 on can never apply, but in cases where the 
 farmer is the possessor of an old farm, and 
 even in these instances it ought to be no 
 valid obstacle to the tenure. For if he 
 were not bound to actual settlement, it 
 would ultimately be found to his advan- 
 tage to reside on his lands, and for the 
 present will subject him to no additional 
 expense. He can build, in most cases, a 
 
 log house to live in for the sum of ten or 
 H 
 
g6 emigrant's 
 
 twenty pounds ; and while his operations 
 of clearing and fencing are going on, he 
 will find it proper for himself to be on the 
 spot, on the score of prudence. His cut- 
 tivated farm will furnish a home for his fa- 
 mily, supply stock for his own use, and 
 raise provisions for himself and labourers 
 while employed in clearing the other. 
 At the same time, if a prudent arrange- 
 ment be followed, it will not require his 
 undivided attention, so <ts to prevent his 
 devoting a large portion of his time to su- 
 perintend the operations on his new lands. 
 It is therefore obvious from a consideration 
 of these facts ; that even if this clause did 
 not exist, every intelligent farmer who 
 wished to cultivate his lands on the most 
 economical plan, would reside upon them, 
 and this part of the conditions requires no- 
 thing farther. The enforcing actual set- 
 tlement, upon those who have no place ot 
 residence, but their own lands, can be no 
 hardship, to them compliance becomes a 
 matter of expediency, and such as the} 
 
•assistant.. 
 
 s* 
 
 would never object to it. It is therefore evi- 
 dent that this part of the conditions, never 
 can militate against the interest of the indi- 
 . viduals themselves and ought not to he 
 objected to as a fault in the tenure, nor in 
 those who have imposed it, or whose duty 
 it is to see it duly performed and it ought 
 to be kept in mind that the settler may act 
 by proxy in Lower Canada. See appendix. 
 If we consider its operation in a national 
 point of view, instead of being objectiona- 
 ble it will be found one of the wisest mea- 
 sures our Legislature could have devised. 
 The plan of disposing of the uncultivated 
 lands in the United States, has been often 
 complained of, as it is found to subject the 
 poorer farmer to serious delay, and heavy ex- 
 pense before he can get a small lot. This ari- 
 ses from their waste lands being bought up in 
 immense tracts, by individuals, who wish 
 to sell them out again ; and who not unfre- 
 quently do so at such an exorbitant rate, 
 as subjects the small farmer to heavy bur- 
 thens, and cramps his best exertions for 
 
gg EMIGRANT’S 
 
 many years. It was with the intention dt 
 avoiding a similar state of tilings in Cana, 
 da, that the Legislature devised the condi- 
 tions by which lands are at present cor.ce. 
 ded. The imposing the duty of actual settle- 
 ment, and the obliging the holder to clear 
 five acres of every hundred, was perhaps 
 the best plan that could have been hit up. 
 on for this purpose. It effectually pre- 
 vents the waste lands from becoming the 
 prey of land-jobbers, and such as might 
 procure large tracts of it as an article of 
 speculation, and thereby protects the in- 
 dustrious cultivator, of the soil from many 
 unreasonable exactions he would otherwise 
 be exposed to. 
 
 The soccage tenure in Canada, as at pre- 
 sent exercised, is considered objectionable 
 from the expense attending it. The charge" 
 in this respect vary in the two province* 
 and in different parts of the same province; 
 but in no ease do they exceed three shil- 
 lings and sixpence per acre, including the 
 necessary fees, the price paid for the land?, 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 89 
 
 and all contingencies. This objection, if 
 it can be considered one, is only applicable 
 to the Upper Province a table of the fees 
 charged in which, will be seen in the Ap- 
 pendix. In Lower Canada there is no- 
 thing to pay until the final land patent be 
 made out for the settler, excepting some 
 trifling fees to the various offices and these 
 are not regulated according to the extent 
 of the grant : nor do they exceed 24s. 
 for 100 or 1000 acres. A circumstance 
 which of itself gives the Lower Province a 
 decided advantage over the Upper, for 
 a settler who may be in straitened circum- 
 stances. In a country such as Canada, 
 where the great abundance of waste lands, 
 rendersdt of little value as an article of 
 purchase, this sura, of 3s. Gd. small as it ap- 
 pears, will frequently be considered too high, 
 unless the lands possess some great. advanta- 
 ges as respects soil or situation. But al- 
 though the present price of lands may give 
 a colour of truth to this opinion, it will ob- 
 viously be of short duration, for as the va- 
 il 2 
 
DO 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 lue of lands comes to be known and appre- 
 ciated, and as cultivation extends, by the 
 country becoming more settled, this will in 
 a few years be reckoned a very small price 
 for lands of a middling quality. Even at 
 the present time, if all the circumstances 
 of the case be considered, it will not be 
 deemed an unreasonable demand for land- 
 ed property. It has already been remark- 
 ed, that, this amount is payable by instal- 
 ments, and the time given for paying it is 
 such, as to afford every convenience to the 
 farmer for doing so. In almost every situ- 
 ation, with a moderate degree of industry, 
 and attention, he can realize as much from 
 the produce of his lands, besides his own 
 expenses and the cost of clearing it, as will 
 pay his instalments when they become 
 due ; and when it is remembered, that for 
 this small amount, he can not only procure 
 a comfortable independance during his own 
 life, but also make a provision for his fami- 
 ly at his death, he certainly has but little 
 cause of complaint on this head. The 
 
ASSISTANT. ()1 
 
 Justice and liberality of government, have 
 been amply displayed in making this de- 
 mand for the lands, they concede. When 
 an applicant is so very poor, as to be una- 
 ble to pay for his lands, fifty acres aie giv- 
 en to him free of all charges : and in those 
 instances where individuals have claims on 
 Government for services rendered, they 
 obtain lands Gratis. This applies to the 
 cases of such men as have served, in the 
 Army or Navy, to all of whom land is giv- 
 en in quantities proportionate to the rank 
 they held, free of all costs. There appears 
 to be something unreasonable, (not to call 
 it unjust,) in complaints from this cause, 
 and it would seem as if such characters 
 could never be satisfied with the utmost 
 extent of national liberality. Government, 
 in order to carry on a regular system in the 
 land-department, is under the necessity of 
 supporting an extensive establishment, for 
 the purpose of surveying and appropriating 
 lots of land to the various applicants. This 
 cannot be done but at a heavy cost, and it 
 
B2 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 is surely unfair to expect, that Government 
 is to. bear the whole charge without any re- 
 muneration, or some means of defraying 
 the expense attendant on so extensive an 
 arrangement. From this, a good argument 
 may also be drawn, in favor of the amount 
 of these charges at the present day. Al- 
 though they may appear to be in many ca- 
 ses, more than the farmer can easily afford, 
 the whole sum resulting from them, is not 
 adequate to remunerate the labour of men 
 of talents, such as are capable of dischar- 
 ging the important trust, that must be pla- 
 ced in them in the above situations. The 
 last objection to the Soccage Tenure is 
 founded on an abuse of, and a mistaken 
 idea of it conditions. It is said to be diffi- 
 cult to obtain a regular title, so as to ena- 
 ble the farmer to sell or dispose of his farm 
 should he wish to do so. It has been al- 
 ready mentioned, that, three years are al- 
 lowed to the settler, to peiform the duties 
 which entitle him to a deed of his lands ; 
 but it must not be inferred from this, that 
 
assistant. 
 
 9 $ 
 
 he must wait for that space of time before 
 lie can procure such a document : on the 
 contrary, as soon as he can prove that lie 
 has performed the settlement duty, even 
 at the expiry of the first year he will ob- 
 tain his title deeds on applying for them. 
 
 In some of the old townships in Upper 
 Canada, the landholders have not yet ob- 
 tained titles to their lands, although they 
 are long since under cultivation ; but this 
 has arisen from some informality 01 error 
 m the form of conceding them, and no{, 
 from a defect in the soccage tenure ; A 
 similar delay is not likely to occur in fu- 
 ture ; as Government have of late paid more 
 attention to the granting of lands, they 
 are pledged to furnish deeds on it being 
 proved that the settlers have performed 
 the settlement duty ; and there is no doubt 
 they will fulfil their promise. 
 
 In the foregoing remarks, a few of the 
 most important properties, of the two prin- 
 cipal sorts of tenure in this country have 
 been detailed. The objections whiqh are 
 
94 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 commonly urged against them have also 
 been noticed. Many of these, which have 
 been ascribed to imperfections in the te. 
 nures, arise from the non-fulfillment of the 
 conditions they impose ; and others have 
 been created by interested men to serve 
 their own ends.. To proceed further with 
 the view of demonstrating the superiority, 
 of the one, or exhibiting the defects of the 
 other, would lead into a detail far exceed* 
 ing the intended limits. ^ 
 
 It is sufficient for the emigrant, who 
 comes to Canada in quest of lands to be 
 assured that the industrious and prudent 
 
 agriculturist, seldom fails to reap a due, 
 reward for his labours, whether he holds 
 
 his farm under the Seignioral right or in 
 free and common soccage. 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 95 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 DIVISIONS OF LAND. 
 
 Previous to entering on the particular 
 directions, as to the method of applying 
 for, and obtaining lands, some account of 
 the plan on which they are laid out, may be 
 deemed expedient. 
 
 The Seigniories, as formerly noticed, 
 are formed of large tracts of various ex- 
 tent, with their front bordering on the 
 river, and extending back to a greater 01 
 less distance. 
 
 These are divided into lots (differing in 
 size in different Seigniories,) by lines drawn 
 at right angles with the river, or nearly so, 
 and extending back to the depth of the 
 whole. Other lines, running at right an- 
 gles with these, cut them transversely, and 
 divide the whole into lots of an oblong 
 shape j each of which forms what is called 
 
96 
 
 emicbant’s 
 
 a concessio?i or farm. The desire to obtain 
 lots bordering on the river, induced the 
 seigniors to run the lines which go at right 
 angles with the river, as close to each other 
 as possible, so that in many cases they are 
 only the width of two acres apart.* 
 
 The transverse lines which separate the 
 concessions are at greater or less distance* 
 apait, 20, 30, or 40 acres. 
 
 By this arrangement the number of acres 
 front, multiplied by the number in depth, 
 or what is termed the length of the. eon- 
 cession, gives the amount of square acres 
 each lot or farm contains ; and which is 
 the smallest quantity generally conceded 
 to an individual, but does not confine him 
 in extent, as he may take one or more lots 
 as he feels inclined, or thinks his means 
 will enable him to cultivate. The lots are 
 numbered 1, 2, 3 &c. along the bank of 
 the river, the whole width of the Seignio* 
 
 (A ? otc.) Wherever the word acre referring to the Seigni- 
 oral lands occurs the French arpent is meant which u 8 
 weasure oflcngth about 180 feet as well as of surface. 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 97 
 
 i ry, and the concessions or ranges 1, 2, 3, 
 4 &c. through its depth. In specifying 
 any farm, it is described by the number of 
 its lot, and the number of its range or con- 
 cession as lot 4 in tire 2d or 3d concession 
 &c. : 
 
 * The lands which have been grant- 
 5 ed, and are still to be conceded, not in 
 
 the seignioral Estates are divided into 
 i Townships. A Township is a square tract 
 of land about ten miles broad, and as 
 many in width, and subdivided by diago- 
 nal lines, into lots and concessions, similar 
 to those above described in the Seigniories. 
 
 Each lot contains 200 square acres, if 
 
 * complete and unbroken in front by the in- 
 t tervention of any lake -or river, and forms 
 i the extent of land given to one family at a 
 i time. They are described by the number 
 < of the lot, and the number of the range, 
 
 * the same as in the Seigniories. The lands 
 which are reserved for the crown ; or the 
 clergy, are such a number of lots as will 
 
 i wake up the quantity provided for by law ; 
 
emigrant’s 
 
 98 
 
 but are not fixed to any particular part oi 
 the Township nor have they any prefer, 
 encc j on the contrary, when these hare 
 been laid out in such a way, as to inteifere 
 with the pursuits of the settler, or letard 
 his operations ; there have been instance! 
 in which Government have changed them 
 for others not lying in the way of the set- 
 tlement. 
 
 For the more ready administration of 
 justice, and various other purposes, each 
 of the provinces have been divided into 
 large districts, and the Government of 
 Upper Canada have lately taken advan- 
 tage of this division, to facilitate the grant- 
 ing of lands. They have established, in 
 each of these districts, a land board, su- 
 bordinate to the head of the department 
 at the seat of Government in York, to 
 which applicants for lands are to pm* 
 sent their claims, in the manner hereafter 
 described. 
 
 It is to be wished that some arrange- 
 ment of this sort was adopted in Lower 
 
assistant. 
 
 93 
 
 Canada, .where the farmer desirous of pro- 
 curing lands, is subject to a great waste of 
 time and labour, being obliged to make 
 one, and frequently more, long journies to 
 Quebec, before he can get a grant of lands. 
 
 CHAPTER VI- 
 
 The form qf obtaining Lands in Canada , 
 i with the mode of applying for them. 
 
 Undeh the Seignioral tenure, this is a 
 simple and cheap process. The farmer 
 has only to go to the Seignior, and after 
 fixing upon a lot, which has not been pre- 
 viously conceded, the Seignior gets it sur- 
 veyed and a process verbal made out j for 
 which the settler has to pay a small sura, 
 namely, about 15s. for surveying, and 7s. Cd. 
 for the process verbal. This is all that is 
 required ; the farmer can then proceed 
 with his operations, and has from this sim - 
 
100 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 pie arrangement all the title and right t« 
 the ground he ever can obtain under this 
 species of tenure. 
 
 In the tenure by soccage, some farther 
 formality is required, and the plan to be 
 pursued in the Lower Province differs ill 
 some respects from that in the Upper. 
 
 In the former, when a farmer wishes to 
 obtain lands, after fixing upon the spot 
 that suits him, he must go to the Surveyor 
 General’s office, where he obtains a certifi- 
 cate of the lot in question not having been 
 previously conceded. From this he pro- 
 ceeds to the office of the Provincial Secre- 
 tary, for the purpose of ascertaining if it 
 be vacant, from the records kept that 
 department. Having received from these 
 two certificates, of the lot he has chosen 
 being unconceded ; he has next to apply 
 to the Governor and Council by a memori- 
 al stating his wishes and specifying the lot; 
 and accompanying it with the certificates 
 of its being vacant. On this memorial the 
 Governor and Council decide, either for or 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 101 
 
 against die applicant. If the former, it is 
 returned to him and on presenting • it at 
 the Surveyor Generals office, a license of 
 settlement, denominated a location ticket, 
 is given, and his name enrolled as the pos- 
 sessor of the lot in question : on which 
 authority he goes and commences the per- 
 formance of the settlement duty as above 
 described, which being accomplished, he 
 obtains his title deed under the seal of the 
 Province, and the signature of the Govern- 
 or, for the time being, agreeably to the 
 forms prescribed for that purpose. 
 
 In Upper Canada, the mode pursued for 
 this purpose is somewhat different. 
 
 The settler, wishing to obtain lands, if 
 he goes to York the Capital of the country, 
 he must first appear before a commissioner, 
 appointed for the purpose, and take the u- 
 sual oaths of allegiance, abjuration, ami 
 supremacy, (if a Protestant,) but if a Ro- 
 man Catholic, he is only required to take 
 the oath of allegiance, agreeably to the 
 
 act of the 14th of his late Majesty. The 
 I ° 
 
102 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 Commissioner then gives him a certificate 
 of his having been sworn, for which a 
 charge of 2s. and Gd. Halifax Currency is 
 made. The applicant next makes out a 
 petition or memorial (see appendix) to the 
 Governor and Council, and lodges it ac. 
 companied with the above certificate, and 
 such other testimonials of character as he 
 may have, with the clerk of the Executive 
 Council, who charges a fee of 5s. and fid. 
 Halifax Currency, and directs him to ap. 
 ply on the the next day the council sits,* 
 when he is examined by his Excellency in 
 Council and the merits of his petition deci- 
 ded on. If the answer be favourable, he 
 receives from the clerk of the council, a 
 warrant addressed to the Surveyor General, 
 containing the order on his petition, and 
 on presenting it at the office of the latter, 
 his name is entered on the plan of the 
 Township, for the lot he has chosen ; and 
 he receives a licence or location ticket 
 (vide appendix) authorising him to proceed 
 
 * The Council meets every sctond Wednesday. 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 103 
 
 and settle on his lot, for the purpose of 
 - performing the settlement duty. This tic- 
 ket contains, a description of the land lo- 
 cated, and the conditions of location for- 
 merly mentioned, for which the Surveyor 
 General receives a fee of 2s. and Cd. Hali- 
 t fax Currency. The foregoing plan is pur- 
 ii sued in case of the applicant for land be- 
 s ing at the seat of Government ; but as it 
 is frequently happens that he is in a remote 
 t part of the Province, drawn there perhaps 
 ii from a desire of joining his relations, or 
 : from some other reason, a provision for 
 
 !; granting him lands, without exposing him 
 i to the expense of a long journey to the seat 
 i of Government was thought necessary. 
 In consideration of this difficulty, the di- 
 vision of the country into districts was ta- 
 ll ken advantage of, to facilitate the grant, 
 ing of lands, and a Land Board establish- 
 ed in each district by an order of the Exe- 
 cutive Council to that effect dated 13th 
 March, 1S19> as follows : 
 
104 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 u 
 
 Executive Council Chamber, > 
 13th March, 1813 . ) 
 
 Present, 
 
 His Excellency Sir Peregrine Maitland 
 K. C. B. Lieut. Governor in Council. 
 
 “ Whereas, great inconvenience accrues 
 to Emigrants desirous to become settlers in 
 this province, from the necessity of pre- 
 senting themselves at York, before they 
 can obtain a location on the waste lands 
 of the crown. For remedy thereof, His 
 Excellency the Lieut. Governor, by and 
 with the advice and consent of the Execu- 
 tive Council, is pleased to appoint, in each 
 of the districts, certain persons to form a 
 Board, with power to locate any emigrant, 
 or other person, desirous to become a set- 
 tler in the respective district, on a lot of 
 100 acres within the same, under such lim- 
 itations, restrictions, and rules, as from 
 time to time may be made for the govern- 
 ment of the said Boards by any order iu 
 Council.** 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 105 
 
 RULES & REGULATIONS. 
 
 The Boards will assemble, one day at 
 least, in each week, of which public notice 
 shall be given in the district. 
 
 They shall examine every applicant, and 
 minute his place of birth, age, and time of 
 coming into the province, shall receive and 
 minute a declaration, that he has not be- 
 fore received any land from the Crown, 
 within it. 
 
 W hereupon being satisfied as to his cha- 
 racter, and ihe propriety of admitting him 
 to become a settler, the Board shall admi- 
 nister to him the oath of allegiance, and 
 deliver to him a certificate to that effect, 
 signed, by two members at least, and hav- 
 ing entered his name in the Township plan, 
 shall at the foot of the said certificate, assign 
 to such settler the said lot, and deliver the 
 certificate with such assignment, in order 
 that upon the production thereof, with proof 
 of having performed the settlement duty, he 
 may receive a patent grant of the land. For 
 which purpose the Surveyor General shall 
 
106 emigrant’s 
 
 furnish the Boards, with plans of e„cl> 
 Township, shewing the lots therein unloca- 
 ted. — After the deposit of such plans with 
 the Board, no location to be made therein 
 by the Surveyor General, until he shall 
 have received, on special reference, a cer- 
 tificate from the Board, that no settler is 
 located thereon. In case of any apparent 
 occupation or improvement, made on any 
 lot, vacant on the plan, no location to be 
 made thereon, without further order from 
 the Surveyor General.. The Land Boards 
 may appoint a clerk to preserve a minute 
 of their proceedings, and countersign their 
 certificates, upon delivery of which he may 
 receive from the applicant, the sum of 
 Seven shillings and sixpence. 
 
 The advantages attending this arrange- 
 ment are too obvious, to require enumera- 
 tion. It, in the first place, lessens the 
 heavy and important duties of the Survey- 
 or General, thereby diminishing the chan- 
 ces of mistakes and irregularities in his de- 
 partment. It affords an opportunity to the 
 
ASSISTANT, 
 
 1QV 
 
 settler, to obtain his lands in a distant part 
 of the province, without the delays, expen- 
 ses, and many other inconveniences, at- 
 tendant on a long journey. It places the 
 settler more immediately under the eye of 
 • those from whom he has received his lands, 
 and thereby imposes on him an additional 
 inducement to exert himself in performing 
 the settlement duties. Add to all this, 
 that, the gentlemen composing the land 
 Boards in the different districts, are men 
 resident in those districts, who have an in- 
 terest in seeing them improved, and will 
 not fail to encourage the new settler with 
 iheir advice and countenance, in the labo- 
 rious exertions unavoidably attendant on 
 his first attempt. 
 
 In this way, the appointment of Land 
 Boards, has been attended with the most 
 salutary consequences in Upper Canada ; 
 and it is sincerely to be wished that a simi- 
 lar plan were adopted in the Lower Pro- 
 vince. The form of Location Ticket or 
 certificate of settlement, which is given by 
 
108 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 the district Land Boards, differs in some 
 trivial respects, from that which is issued 
 at the seat of Government j but it is equal- 
 ly valid in a legal point of view, and simi- 
 lar in the conditions it imposes on the set- 
 tler, (vide appendix.) The Regulation! 
 for these subordinate Land Boards, are 
 more minutely detailed in a letter from 
 the Provincial Secretary to D. M’Gregor 
 Rogers, Esq. Chairman of the Land Board 
 of the New- Castle district, Upper Canada, 
 dated 26th April, 1819, vide appendix. 
 
 Besides the foregoing methods to be pur- 
 sued for obtaining grants of lands, there 
 are others which deserve to be noticed 
 here. It has been already stated that reti- 
 red officers or men from the army or navy, 
 whose services give them a claim on Gov* 
 eminent, can readily obtain grants of Land 
 in the Canadas, on applying fdr them. 
 Such characters have also some prefer- 
 ences over others, and the government 
 has of late been sedulously careful that they 
 should reap the full advantages, these pre- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 109 
 
 ferences give them. The quantity 0 f lands 
 allowed to officers under these circumstan- 
 ces is in proportion to their rank. They 
 are exempted from paying the fees which 
 are exacted from settlers not so situated, 
 and no conditions beyond those connected 
 with the fulfilment of the settlement duty 
 are imposed upon them, In addition to 
 1 these the government has set apart particu- 
 lar portions of land in different parts of 
 the two Provinces under the denomination 
 of “ Military settlements” to he given to - 
 such characters. In these military settle- 
 ments, a much greater degree of regulari- 
 » ty and order, in settling prevails, than 
 among those who sit down promiscuously 
 in other situations. Each of them is un- 
 : der the immediate direction of an officer 
 termed a Superintendanl the discharge of 
 whose duty, is of material importance in 
 t preserving that order and regularity. On 
 any person who has procured a lot in one 
 of these, not fulfilling the settlement duty, 
 
 ' of in case of his abandoning it afterwards : 
 
 K 
 
no 
 
 ejiigrant’s 
 
 the superintendant, being on- the spot im- 
 mediately discovers this, and on making 
 liis report to Government of the lot in 
 question being vacated it is given to ano- 
 ther applicant, and thereby prevented 
 from being left uncultivated when all a- 
 round it are so. In many cases after th’e 
 petitioner for lands has obtained the order 
 in council for the lots he applied lor, and 
 when he has received his location ticket 
 and sets out to settle on them, either from 
 the negligence of those who have been em- 
 ployed in making the survey ; or perhaps 
 from some other cause, on his arrival at 
 the spot he finds the pickets marking the 
 boundary of his lot have been removed, 
 and he has to spend much time and labour 
 before he can ascertain the place where it 
 is, or the exact extent of it. In the mili- 
 tary settlements, the new comers are not 
 subjected to this inconvenience. The su- 
 perintendant is on the settlement, and the 
 applicant has only to go to him, and he 
 will accompany him, both pointing out his 
 
assistant. 
 
 Ill 
 
 lot and correctly designating its boundaries* 
 K But in the application to be previously, made 
 there is a slight difference irom the plan 
 above detailed. On an officer so situated, 
 
 ■ arriving in Canada, with the view of set- 
 
 11 tling on his lands ; after he has selected 
 fe the settlement lie wishes to go to, lie ap- 
 * plies to the Governor in Chief by a memo- 
 1, rial. This application is accompanied with 
 i: certificates of his service, and the other 
 » necessary documents, designating his rank 
 e Sec. kc. On the Governor giving a decision 
 f on this petition, it is then taken to the Quar- 
 e ter Master General, who writes an order 
 e on it, addressed to the superintendent of 
 a the settlement in question, stating the rank 
 ; of the applicant and the number of acres 
 [it he is intitled to. With this order the pe- 
 - titioner then goes to the settlement, when 
 the Superintendant lays out his location for 
 [ him in terms of the order, and lie proceeds 
 with his improvements accordingly. As 
 far as regard the subsequent proceedings 
 for obtaining the Patent deeds kc. the jni- 
 
1 12 emigrant’s 
 
 lilary settler is on the same footing with 
 others. 
 
 Another method by which lands may 
 be obtained in the Canadas is the follow, 
 ing ; and which will be found to .answer 
 the purpose of many who are possessed of 
 a small capital. In a former part of this 
 work, it has been stated that soon after 
 this country became a portion of the British 
 Empire, the Government desirous to re- 
 ward its adherents, had given to several 
 ot them extensive tracts of waste lands as 
 a recompence for their services. These, 
 extensive grants as well as others which 
 were subsequently procured were given to 
 the grantees without imposing upon them 
 any conditions, such as at present exist. 
 They were not liable for non-fulfillment of 
 the settlement duties, and many of them 
 never paid any farther attention to the 
 lands they had procured in this way. In 
 consequence of this there are at this day, 
 large tracts of excellent lands lying in a 
 state of nature, in many parts of the Pro- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 113 
 
 vince, which had been originally given out 
 in this manner, being too extensive for the 
 : original grantees to bring under cultivation 
 
 e ii themselves ; and they never have made any 
 oi exertions to procure farmers to settle upon 
 & them. The titles of these grantees or their 
 [5 representatives arc as valid as any descrip- 
 m tion of tenure which can be obtained ; and 
 ; f ; to the small capitalist it will be found an 
 object well deserving his attention to make 
 0; a purchase of some of them. Such lands 
 are frequently valuable from their quality 
 and situation ; and they can readily be pro- 
 cured at prices varying from 6 d. to 5 s. per 
 . acre. This plan will enable the settler to 
 make a deliberate selection of a lot adapted 
 to his future views ; he will not be subject- 
 ed to those conditions and obligations which 
 have been more recently imposed ; and in 
 the event of the purchase he thus makes, not 
 
 (J 
 
 being found to answer his expectations ; on 
 a trial of it, by being thus furnished at once 
 with a valid and transferrable title he may 
 
 dispose of it and buy another more suitable 
 
 11 K 2 
 
114 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 for his purposes. But, on the other hand, 
 it is obvious this plan cannot be taken ad- 
 vantage of by the poorer settler : he perhaps 
 hardly possesses the means oi living, while 
 cultivating for his first crop j far less can 
 he advance money for a purchase of lands j 
 to him there for there only remains the other 
 alternative namely, to procure his lands in 
 the way already described, either directly 
 from government, or from some of the 
 Seigniors as is most agreeable to him. 
 
 The mode to be pursued for obtaining 
 the patent grant or deed of the lands, is 
 nearly similar in both Provinces and is 
 as follows. How soon the settler has per- 
 formed the conditions specified in the loca- 
 tion ticket, he applies to the nearest ma- 
 gistrate, and if no magistrate reside neat 
 him, to two of his neighbours who proceed 
 to inspect his improvements ; and certify 
 upon oatli if they, are performed as requi- 
 red by law, before a magistrate. Their 
 affidavit, or the certificate of the magis- 
 trate, (provided he has inspected and re- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 113 
 
 ported the state of the lands,) is then at- 
 tached to the Location Ticket, and pre- 
 sented to the Surveyor General, whose du- 
 ty it is to note upon the ticket, if any al- 
 teration which could affect the interest or 
 right of the settler has taken place, since 
 he went on his lands. Provided nothing 
 of the kind has occurred, the Surveyor 
 General gives an authority' to the Receiv- 
 er General, to whom must be paid the 
 proportion of the crown fees, and also the 
 fees, for surveying the whole grant. 
 
 Having received a receipt for these, the 
 settler next goes to the Land granting Offi- 
 cers, to whom he pays the fees allowed 
 them for making out the patent grant, and 
 on presenting their receipt, along with that 
 of the Receiver General, his location ticket 
 and certificate of having performed the 
 settlement duty, to the Attorney General, 
 lie receives from him, a fiat for making out 
 the patent grant, addressed to the Surveyor 
 General. This grant is then made out, 
 containing an accurate description of the 
 
emigrant's 
 
 tl<5 
 
 extent, and boundaries aful also a specifi- 
 cation of the clergy reserves in respect to 
 the land granted j and is in thif state sent 
 to the Secretary of the province to be en- 
 grossed. 
 
 It is then transmitted to the Attorney 
 General, along with the Surveyor Generals 
 description, and after being examined by 
 the former, and his name signed on the 
 margin of it ; it is returned to the Provin- 
 eial Secretary, who affixes the great Seal of 
 the Province to it, and sends it to the Go- 
 vernor’s private Secretary for his Excellen- 
 cy’s Signature. After this it is sent to the 
 Provincial Secretary, who forwards it to the 
 Auditor General of Land Patents, when it 
 is docketed, and returned to the Provincial 
 Secretary, where it is registered and depos- 
 ited in his Office, until called for by the 
 Grantee or his Agent. 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 1 17 
 
 f HE METHOD OF CLEARING LANDS. 
 
 HAVING in the preceding pages, point* 
 k cd out the regular method to be pursued by 
 1 such as are desirous of procuring lands, a 
 ' few observations res-pecting the best plan of 
 proceeding to render these lands prod lic- 
 it tive, may not be superfluous in this place, 
 r It deserves however, to be remarked, that 
 the operation of clearing lands, is liable to 
 be affected by such an infinite variety of 
 concurrent circumstances, arising from the 
 quality of the timber — the local position of 
 f the land — the present views or ulterior de- 
 li signs of the settler, &c. &c. that no explicit 
 rule can be laid down applicable to all ca- 
 ses. — All therefore that can be done, is to 
 give a brief account of the methods most 
 generally in use ; leaving it to the judg- 
 ment of the settler to select that one which. 
 
113 emigrant’s 
 
 may be best adapted to his own particular 
 
 * 
 
 situation. 
 
 The plan most frequently pursued is, for 
 the settler to go over his ground and cut up 
 all the under- wood which is termed Brush, 
 as close to the roots as possible ; having done 
 this, he next cuts down the larger trees 
 at a convenient height from the ground, 
 taking care to make them fall as much in 
 one direction as he can. These last are 
 then cut up in pieces of eight or ten feet 
 long, so as to enable them to be drawn to- 
 gether in one place. In this state, inixoif 
 with the branches and brush wood, as they 
 have fallen, they are set on fire, and as 
 much consumed as possible. After the 
 fire of the first burning is extinguished, the 
 settler, by the help of his oxen, draws the 
 larger logs, which, are left unconsumed, 
 into heaps, when they are again set on fire 
 which commonly consumes them entirely. 
 
 Provided the quality of the timber, and 
 the circumstances of the farmer be such as 
 to induce him to manufacture Potash, he 
 
ASSISTANT* 
 
 119 
 
 it goes on his lands after this second burning, 
 and collects the ashes for that purpose ; 
 i but if on the contrary, his object be to pro- 
 I: cure a crop, his lands are in this state rea- 
 l! dy for sowing, and he may throw in the 
 i seed and cover it slightly with what is term- 
 ed a brush harrow. No ploughing is re- 
 quired on land in this state, and it could 
 i hardly be effected if requisite, owing to the 
 k numerous impediments from the fibrous 
 B roots, and the stumps which are left stand- 
 Ip ing. The alkaline property of the ashes 
 • I combining with, and acting on the rich ve- 
 . getable mould, always ensures a supera- 
 bundant crop from the simple process above 
 detailed. 
 
 The second method of clearing varies in 
 some respects from the above plan. Here 
 the settler cuts down the brush w’ood, and 
 
 $ 
 
 after collecting it along with the smaller 
 limber burns it. The larger trees are left 
 standing and are what termed girdled ; that 
 is, an incision or notch is»made round each, 
 at the height of three or four feet from the 
 
T 
 
 l&J E.MIGRAN 1*6 
 
 ground, and so deep as to penetrate quite 
 through the bark. By this means the cir- 
 dilation of the sap in the tree is impelled, 
 and it dies in the course of a year or two, 
 when it tails and is burned in the way 
 above noticed. Much has been said as to 
 the comparative advantages of these two 
 methods of clearing ; and like every thing 
 of the kind, the preference given to either 
 of them must be influenced by the state of 
 existing circumstances. As to the matter 
 of expense, the first method costs nearly 
 double that of the last, the cutting up of 
 the underbrush being but a trifling under- 
 taking, and when the larger trees are dried 
 and fall of themselves, they are burned at 
 a far less expense than when in a green 
 state. 
 
 The advocates for the first method, hart 
 advanced reasons in favour of it no less 
 substantial than these. It is in the first 
 •place the most elegant method of clearing. 
 In the case of girdling the shade of the 
 large trees which are left standing, impedes 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 121 
 
 in? the rays of the Sun and prevents the crop 
 
 lit coming to such perfection, as it does if 
 
 ii they were cut down : Hence if a settler 
 
 t only clears ten acres by the first plan, he 
 
 j will have as much crop from them, and 
 
 ^ will be more sure of reaping his reward, 
 
 k than he would from double the extent of 
 
 Evr ground, cleared in the manner last deseri- 
 
 uj bed. The experience of later years seems 
 
 ^ also to have sanctioned the first, in prefer- 
 
 jj. ence to the last plan, for few instances of 
 
 9f girdling are now to be seen, unless in pla- 
 
 ces where there are few r large trees, or 
 
 wheie the settler is not anxious for, or de- 
 IK 
 
 ‘ pendant on a large return the first year. 
 The expense of clearing lands by either 
 of the above processes, differs in different 
 parts of the country, and is generally esti- 
 mated by the value of labour in other ope- 
 
 lOi . 
 
 rations. 
 
 The Stumps, which are necessarily left 
 in the ground after clearing in both the 
 above methods, are allowed to remain there 
 until they rot out in the course q£ time ; 
 
 n l 
 
 
122 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 The period necessary for this will vary ac- 
 cording to the description of the land and 
 the species of timber ; in general the stumps 
 of the softer kinds decay in three or four 
 years, while others continue from ten to 
 fifteen j but as they are gradually diminish- 
 ing in number every succeeding year, the 
 facility for using the plough becomes pro- 
 portionally greater. 
 
 It will occur to any man conversant 
 with the best and readiest methods of sa- 
 ving labour that a more expeditious plan 
 than either of these might be adopted ; by 
 cutting down all the trees and underwood 
 together, and after they have been left a 
 sufficient time to diy, by setting fire to 
 them at once. By this method the labour 
 and time required for collecting the brush 
 wood into heaps might be saved, and as a 
 great portion of the larger timber would be 
 thus consumed, the labour of cutting up 
 the logs, and collecting them into heaps 
 (termed logging) would be very much a- 
 bridged. There are however serious objec- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 123 
 
 tions against this plan. Those experienced 
 
 • 
 
 in the business have discovered that the 
 excessive heat ■which is by this means ap- 
 plied to the whole surface destroys the vc- 
 i getative power of the soil j and if cleared 
 in this manner it will not bear a crop for 
 many years after. This is no doubt a valid 
 11 objection in many descriptions of soil. If 
 it contains a large portion of iron, the calci- 
 nation it would undergo in this process will 
 no doubt injure its fertility. If the soil be 
 1 of a lime stone or calcareous nature the 
 a complete destruction of the animal and ve- 
 getable matter, by this plan, will leave no 
 5 substance for the lime, thus formed, to act 
 upon. In Argillaceous or clay soils, the 
 surface may become so indurated by the 
 li: heat as to be unfit to produce a crop. Or 
 c: lastly the reduction of all the vegetable 
 
 substances in the soil into ashes along with 
 ~ that produced by the trees may render the 
 soil too alkaline in its nature. In either of 
 c these cases the views of the farmer who 
 * expects a crop will be frustrated j and it is 
 
124 . emigrant's 
 
 of but little consequence to enquire how 
 his defeat occurs j since ample experience 
 confirms the fact that lands cleared in this 
 manner are unfit to bear a crop for years 
 after* 
 
 A slight consideration of the above me. 
 thods of clearing lands exonerates, the Ca- 
 nada settler from a reproach to which he 
 has been long undeservedly subjected, by 
 strangers who have visited the country. 
 I mean the want of taste, in not leaving 
 groves and patches of wood in different 
 places, to beautify his farm. It is obvious 
 from what is above said, that were he incli- 
 ned to make such reservations ; it would be 
 hardly possible to do so but at an enormous 
 expense, as the ravages of the fire during 
 the first burning could seldom be prevent- 
 ed from extending to such a favorite spot. 
 Its limits can seldom be correctly circum- 
 scribed, far less is it possible to preserve 
 unscathed, a favorite bush or tree, in the 
 middle of the space over which it has to 
 pass. Another objection to the reservation 
 
1*5 
 
 ut 
 
 li- 
 
 fe 
 
 fe 
 
 ,lk 
 
 it 
 
 pb 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 il 
 
 u 
 
 ek: 
 
 m 
 
 etf 
 
 tl 
 
 lit* 
 
 riii 
 
 F 
 
 F 
 
 i 
 
 ASSISTANT. 
 
 of trees, for the sake of embellishment in 
 Canada, is the circumstance of their not 
 continuing. Trees which grow in large 
 thick forests, seldom extend their roots and 
 fibres so far in the ground, as those which 
 are planted detached or in small clustres. 
 Hence when a farmer in Canada leaves a 
 solitary tree, or even a clump of trees for 
 an ornament to his farm, they are generally 
 blown down by the first high wind, and arc 
 on this account not worth the trouble of 
 preserving. It has been asserted that the 
 farmer in this country, ought not to reserve 
 clustres of trees in the midst of his cleared 
 ground, even if such a thing were practica- 
 ble ; because such a reservation affords 
 shelter to small birds ami other vermine 
 which eat up his crop. It must be con- 
 fessed that this objection possesses consid- 
 erable force in some cases, but it only bears 
 in particular situations. If the farm be si- 
 tuated in the midst of a cleared country 
 with no timber in its vicinity, the reserving 
 
 of patches of timber would no doubt at- 
 L 2 
 
 I 
 
 
iat) emigrant’s 
 
 tract birds j but when it is surrounded by 
 extensive woods, as is generally the case in 
 Canada, such a reservation can hardly be 
 supposed to encrease their number. And 
 it requires no apology for leaving undone 
 that which it is impracticable to accom- 
 plish. 
 
^7 
 
 THE following Official Papers relative to 
 the granting of the waste lands of the 
 Crown in Upper Canada , contain the latest 
 regulations by Government on that subject 
 
 N°* ,1. 
 
 Executive Council Office , 7 
 York, 14 th December , 1819-3 
 Whereas it is desirable to alleviate the situation of 
 the poorer classes of settlers,, by an exemption from 
 any charge on the Patent deed, and also to remove all 
 obstacles from the more free accommodation of others 
 with larger grants, than have been usually made : 
 His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor in Council, 
 has been pleased to order that the first mentioned class 
 of settlers may receive a gratuitous Grant of fifty acres, 
 under exclusion, be it understood, from any further 
 Grant from the Crown, but with liberty to lease the 
 Reserves. 
 
 To meet the above gratuity, and encreased burthens 
 attending the purchase and distribution of Lands fyc* 
 
•Ti7 m 
 
 jg gv appendix. 
 
 It is ordered that the scale of demands on the Grant 
 of one hundred acres and upwards shall be regulated 
 according to the annexed table, to take effect from the 
 first of January, 1820. It is further ordered that the 
 restriction from the sale for three years be abolished, 
 and that deeds may issue on proper certificates of the 
 performance of settling duties being produced. The 
 grantee will be required to clear one half of the road 
 in front of each lot, and the depth of two and one half 
 chains from the road the whole length of every lot, 
 and erect a dwelling house. 
 
 TABLE OF FEES. 
 
 Upon 
 
 all 
 
 grants of Land issuing 
 
 under 
 
 orders in 
 
 Council, 
 
 bearing date subsequent to 
 
 the Ut January 
 
 1820, the following sums will be paid by the 
 
 patentee. 
 
 On Grants of 50 
 
 Acrer 
 
 
 
 On 
 
 do 
 
 100 
 
 do 
 
 12 
 
 £ 
 
 On 
 
 do 
 
 200 
 
 do 
 
 SO 
 
 do 
 
 On 
 
 do 
 
 soo 
 
 do 
 
 60 
 
 do 
 
 On 
 
 do 
 
 400 
 
 do 
 
 75 
 
 do 
 
 On 
 
 do 
 
 500 
 
 dd 
 
 125 
 
 do 
 
 On 
 
 do 
 
 600 
 
 do 
 
 150 
 
 do 
 
 On 
 
 do 
 
 700 
 
 do 
 
 175 
 
 do 
 
 On 
 
 do 
 
 800 
 
 do 
 
 200 
 
 do 
 
 On 
 
 do 
 
 900 
 
 do 
 
 225 
 
 do 
 
 On 
 
 do 
 
 -1000 
 
 do 
 
 250 
 
 do 
 
 On 
 
 do 
 
 1100 
 
 do 
 
 275 
 
 do 
 
 On 
 
 do 
 
 1200 
 
 do 
 
 300 
 
 do 
 
APPENDIX, 
 
 129 
 
 In three equal Instalments. The first on receipt $>f 
 the Location Ticket, the second on certificate filed of 
 settlement, the third on receipt of the fiat for the pa- 
 tent. 
 
 No petition can be entertained unless accompanied 
 by a written character or a satisfactory reason shewn 
 
 for such not being produced. 
 
 oh _ _ 
 
 Hts Excellency the Lieutenant Governor 
 '5 is pleased to direct that no Location requiring settle- 
 5 ment duty shall be confirmed by Patent, without a cer- 
 
 0 tificate from the Land Board of the district in which 
 ) such location may be situate that the settlement duty 
 ) required by the older in council has dona fide been 
 \ '• performed, within the time specified by the Location 
 
 1 1 Ticket. 
 
 (Signed) 
 
 JOHN SMALL, Clerk 
 of the Executive Council . 
 
 t ft 
 
 Ini 
 
 N°- 2. 
 
 if 
 
 Government Hous 
 Glh March , 1820 
 
 JOHN SMALL, Clerk of the 
 Executive Council > 
 
139 
 
 appendix^ 
 
 N°‘ 3. • ' 11 
 
 Surveyor Generals Office, j 
 • York, 2d August , 1820. J 
 
 The Tract of land in the long woods, on the river 
 Thames, in the District of London, having lately been* 
 surveyed and returned to this office. 
 
 Notice is hereby given that a Location of 100 acres, 
 on the north side of the road, laid out through that 
 tract may be made, at the Council Chamber on Satur- 
 day the 2d day of September next at noon, by any per- 
 son having an order in Council for land, who will per- 
 form the ordinary settlement duty, and make and main- 
 tain the whole road in front of his respective Lot. 
 
 Militia Grantees will be exempt from all fees, and 
 others will pay only the patent fee of 5 2 Province 
 Currency. 
 
 Should the number of applicants exceed tha number 
 of Lots. They will draw for priority of choice. 
 
 (Signed) THOMAS RIDOUT, 
 
 Surveyor Gencick 
 
appendix. 
 
 131 
 
 N°- 4# 
 
 Copy of a Letter to D. M’Gregor Rogers, Estj. 
 Chairman of the Land Board, Newcastle District. 
 
 Lieutenant Governors Office, 1 
 April 26th, 1819. 3 
 
 Sir, 
 
 I am directed by His Excellency the 
 Lieutenant Governor, to reply to your letter of 
 the 15th instant, in explanation of those particular 
 points, on which you, in the name of the Land Board 
 of the New Castle District, solicite more precise in- 
 formation than that contained in the instructions trans- 
 mitted to you by the Clerk of the Executive Council. 
 
 lN»the first place, with regard to such other persons 
 besides Emigrants, as the Board may be authorised to 
 ** grant locations to, I am to explain to you, that by such 
 ^ <{ other persons” are to be understood such able settlers 
 as have resided in the district before the late war, and 
 “ produce certificates of having done their duty in its 
 defence. 
 
 Secondly. — W ith regard to military claimants. No 
 ** military claimant as such is referred to the Board : 
 ME being to receive their land gratuitously in the military 
 •6s settlement, any dispensation of that sort must be ap- 
 proved on application to the Lieut. Governor in Coun- 
 cil. 
 
 Thirdly . — The sons and daughters of U. C. Loyal- 
 ists, being entitled to gratuitous grants of 200 Acre*, 
 must apply to the Lieut. Governor in Council. 
 
132 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Fourthly. Persons arriving from the United States, 
 
 and bringing due certificates of their being British bora 
 subjects, are admissible by the Board, 
 
 Fifthly . A form of location Ticket will be trans- 
 
 mitted to the Chairman of the Board, in which will be 
 specified the conditions of settlement. 
 
 Sixthly . — His Excellency is of opinion that the pre- 
 sence of the Chairman is not necessary at every meet- 
 ing of the Board ; any three of the members constitute 
 a Board, and may proceed to act accordingly. 
 
 Seventhly . — The settler should be thoroughly in- 
 structed, that, in the event of his finding any improve- 
 ment on the Lot to which lie may be located, he is im- 
 mediately to return with his Ticket of Location to the 
 Board, and report the circumstance for the information 
 of government. Should he fail in this particular, he 
 can expect no confirmation oi the grant to him. In 
 this case the Board will appoint him another location. 
 
 Eighthly . — With regard to the difficulty that maybe 
 experienced by the settler in finding his particular lot: 
 His Excellency bids me observe, that, in order to re- 
 munerate the person who might be employed to point 
 it 6ut to him, the settler must be burthened with ano- 
 ther fee, and that in case of persons located by the 
 Survey or- Gen oral’s Office no such precaution is prac- 
 tised, his Excellency does not perceive the necessity of 
 the regulation. 
 
 1 am &c. <$ c. 
 
 (Signed) GEO. IIILLElt, Private Secy. 
 
APPENDIX* 
 
 
 
 Form of a Location Ticket* from the sea r 
 
 OF GOVERNMENT CONFORMABLE TO AN ORDER 
 
 in Council of the 18th June, 1817. 
 
 the Lot 
 Concession, of 
 in the district 
 
 acres, which he is 
 
 a:i No. Ticket of Location not transferable , pur- 
 
 suant to an order in Council of the 18th June, 1817 
 and order of his 
 
 #' Bearing date 
 
 I do hereby assign to 
 an Emigrant settler from 
 <s number in tho 
 
 irt the Township of 
 nr containing 
 
 u authorised to occupy and improve ; and upon proof 
 a produced to the honourable the Executive Council, 
 of his actual settlement and residence on the said lot, 
 at the end of two years he shall be entitled to receive 
 ^ a grant of the said acres on the usual terms of 
 
 ],t payment of -fees, under the regulations of the sixth of 
 01 July, one thousand eight hundred and four. 
 
 Given at the Surveyor General's Office at Yorky 
 Upper Canada, this day of 
 
 One Thousand Eight Hundred and 
 
 M 
 
12 i> 
 
 ArrEKDix. 
 
 N°- 0. 
 
 FOP.M OF A LOCATION TICKET FROM A DISTR1CJ 
 LAND-BOARD IN UPPJER CANADA. 
 
 Land-Board , District, 
 
 A, B. born at in of the age 
 
 fif years, having arrived in this Province 
 
 and petitioned to become a Settlers therein, 
 lias been examined by u«, and we being satisfied with 
 his character, and of the propriety of admitting him to 
 become a Settler, and having administered to him the 
 Oath of Allegiance, de assign to him One Hundred 
 Acres of Land, being the half of Lot No. 
 
 in the Concession of the 
 
 in for which, upon due proof of having clear- 
 
 ed and cropped five Acres, and cleared half the Road 
 in front of his land, of having erected and inhabited a 
 house thereon for one year, he will be entitled to re- 
 ceive a Grant to him and his Heirs, he paying the Pa- 
 tent Fee of £ 5 - 14- - 1. Sterling. 
 
 N. B. — If the Settlement duty is not performed 
 within two years, this Location to be of no value, but 
 assigned to another Settler. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 1 * 
 
 rOILM OF A PETITION FOR LANDS. 
 
 fe To His Excellency, (Here introduce the titles of 
 the Governor , Lieutenant Cover nor , or person 
 
 That your Petitioner is a native of the Parish 
 
 £ and has lately arrived in this Province from 
 . with his family, consisting of a wife and 
 ^ children. 
 
 That your Petitioner has the means to improve 
 , Land, and is desirous of becoming a Settler on the 
 waste Lands of the Crown in this Province. 
 
 Wherefore your Petitioner humbly prays that your 
 Excellency would be pleaded t ) grant him lot No, 
 in the Concession of the Township of 
 
 \ District of 
 
 in* 
 
 And your Petitioner shall ever pray 
 York 
 
 g Administering the Government at the time , as the 
 
 I# case may be. 
 
 jgj. The Petition of 
 
 of the Township 
 
 of 
 
 Humbly Shewcth. 
 
 in the County of 
 
136 
 
 appekmx* 
 
 N°- 8. 
 
 FORM OF A LOCATION TICKET FOR THE 
 LOWER PROVINCE. 
 
 No. The bearer being entitled 
 
 to Acres of Land, by virtue of on order of 
 
 the Governor in Council of the day of 
 
 182 ,1 hereby assign to the said ( Here insert 
 
 the number of the Let, and Ms situation) on condition 
 that he the said shall immediately settle 
 
 thereon, and that he or his family, do remain thereon 
 for the terra of three years from the date of this 
 assignment, and that four acres, at least, of the said 
 land be cleared and cultivated during that period, and 
 that before the expiration of that period, a dwelling- 
 house be erected on the said land — At the end of 
 which term pf three -yp«re (prerided the said 
 shall have fully complied with the above conditions, 
 bu tnot otherwise,) he shall receive a grant of the said 
 land to him his Heirs, or Devisees, in clue form, or 
 such further terms and conditions as it shall please His 
 Majesty to ordain. And be it further stipulated and 
 provided, that it shall not be lawful for the said 
 to alien, transfer, or otherwise dispose of the said land, 
 or any part thereof or any right or title which the said 
 may claim thereto by virtue of this assign* 
 raent, or otherwise, until the expiration of the said terra 
 of three years, nor unt'I the said shall have 
 
 performed all the conditions above specified. And ajl 
 persons are desired to take notice that this assignment* 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 18? 
 
 and all others of a similar nature, are not transferable 
 •by sale, donation, or otherwise, on any pretence what- 
 ever except by an act under the signature of the Exe- 
 cutive Council which is yo be endorsed upon tins ccr- 
 
 tincate. ^ 
 
 Given at the Surveyor General's office 
 this day ot one thousand eight hundred 
 
 mid 
 
 (Signed) JOSEPH BOUCKETTE, 
 
 Surveyor General . 
 
 -N°* 9. 
 
 Extract of a report of the Com mittee of the whole Court* 
 .cildatcd the \\th August , 1818. 
 
 Approved by His Grace the Governor . in Chief 
 jk Council, 29th August, 1818. 
 
 On a petition for exemption from personal residence 
 ,on Lands recommended tp be granted to t}ic petitioner. 
 
 “ The Committee do humbly report, that the condi- 
 “ tion of the Location Ticket, being that .he or his fa - 
 * 4 milt/ do remain thereon far the period cf three fyears t 
 ** and that four acres thereof at least he cleared and cut* 
 “ Heated during that periody and a dwelling house erect - 
 cd, they arc humbly pf opinion that the Petitioner i^s 
 11 not bound to reside personally upon the land in ques- 
 il tion, and that the performance or the conditions by 
 n any person he may place upon it *»ll be sufficient. 
 (Certified) W. D. HYLAND* 
 
 ^3t. cut. lLwc\xuCm$\l 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I. Page 7* 
 
 Chances in the Agriculture or Canada — Its imperfect 
 state under the French government — The old system 
 of granting lands a barrier to agricultural improve- 
 ment. — Political changes which have operated to its 
 advancement — The declaration of independence by 
 the United States — Influx of Loyalists — Lauds given 
 to them — Emigration— its consequences in improving 
 the Agriculture — Influx of Farmers from the United 
 States their mode of procedure in clearing lands— 
 The effects of the late war on Canadian Agriculture. 
 Emigrants to be encouraged to settle in Canada. 
 
 CHAPTER I L— Page 25 . 
 
 ?The mode of assisting Emigrants — objections to giving 
 them direct charity — The different classes of Emi- 
 grants — the capital required for a Canada former.— 
 Poorer Emigrants, how assisted — The views of all 
 i-tpigrants the same. Emigrants to be encouraged 
 in a political view— remarks on former publication? 
 this subject. 
 
CONTENTS* lS(i 
 
 CHAPTER III.— Page <12, 
 
 General state of Canada — The farm of government, 
 the division of the Country into two Provinces — 
 Quebec Bill — Religion of the Canadas — lands reserve 
 cd for the church — Manufactories — Commerce $c. 
 
 CHAPTER IV.— Page 51. 
 
 Tenures of Lands. — Sdgnioral tenure, its origin na-' 
 ture and extent. Rights of the King — Quint — Rights 
 of the Seignior — rents — Lods et ventes — Inferior feu- 
 dal tenures— Advantages of the Scignioral tennre— 
 prejudices against it not well founded — abuses of it 
 Proceedings of the Council respecting a conversion of 
 the Seignioral tenure* — Free and common Soccage — 
 Its origin and nature— the advantages attending it 
 and its conditions in Canada. Settlement duty — pri- 
 ces paid for lands under the soccage tenure — the ob- 
 jections to this tenure not well founded. — The supe- 
 rior attention paid to granting lands by government* 
 
 CHAPTER V.— Page 9k 
 
 Division of Lands — Seigniories how devided — Toym- 
 ships — their extent and division — Crown and Clergy 
 reserves — Land boards established in districts — The 
 advantages of them in saving time and expence to 
 the settler* 
 

 cha 
 
 C \ 
 
 Form of obtaining lands in Canada — Under the Seig« 
 
 niors under the tenure by free and common soccage 
 
 In Lower Canada— in Upper Canada— At the scat 
 
 of government- — From the District Land boards- 
 Minutes of the Council of Upper Canada for estab- 
 lishing Land boards in the Districts — rules for their 
 government. Military settlements — their nature- 
 mode of obtaining lands in them — Purchasing lands 
 from the representatives of the original grantees— 
 method to be pursued for obtaining the patent deed. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. — Page 117. 
 
 Method of clearing lands — Cutting up the Brush* 
 wood — Chopping — Logging and burning — Girthing 
 —objections to burning all the trees together. '-Im- 
 practicability of preserving trees for embellishing 
 £irms in Canada. 
 
 APPENDIX. — Page 129i 
 
 Table of fees charged on grants of Land in Cppe^ 
 Canada — Instructions to District Land Boards.^ 
 Form of Location Ticket — Location Ticket from the 
 District Land boards — Form of Petition for Lands— 
 Extract of the minutes of Council relative to actual 
 settlement on lands in Lower Canada. 
 
1 Sartrir. . 
 
 Ik 
 
 IN presenting to the Public a secouu paitoi uie 
 r Emigrants Assistant, the Author has been influ- 
 ^ enced by a variety of motives, in addition to those 
 which led to the publication of the first part of the 
 Hi work. Among these may be mentioned, a desire to 
 fulfil the promise formerly made, (vide Preface to 
 la Part I.) which the indulgent attention of a liberal pub- 
 [?»■ lie has enabled him to perform. — A wish to render the 
 work as complete as possible, by withholding no part 
 u of the informatihn on the subject the author was in 
 possession of : — and lastly, a desire to give a more am- 
 ple testimony of his gratitude to those persons who 
 kindly aided his designs, by furnishing answers to his 
 Queries, than could be done within the compass of the 
 first part. The nature of the subject made it easily 
 •' divisible into two parts; the first referable to those 
 ;l points connected with the landed interest of the coun- 
 try in general the second embracing a detail of facts, 
 '•* peculiar to local circumstances, or such as influence 
 the Agriculturalist in particular situations. The con- 
 
IV 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ditions of those persons for whom the work was particu- 
 larly designed rendered it necessary to include both 
 parts, and hence the work would not have been com- 
 plete, without a sequel to that already published. To 
 the reader who peruses the subject merely to satisfy 
 curiosity, without any design of applying the know- 
 ledge he may acquire to practical purposes, what has 
 been detailed in the first part may be sufficient ; he 
 might from it learn something of the state of the land- 
 ed interest in Canada, aud the general situation of its 
 Agriculture ; but for the practical fanner who comes 
 to this country with the. intention of settling, and for 
 the purpose of pursuing his occupation, something fur- 
 ther is required. It is not a relation of general tacts 
 alone that will serve his purpose — he requires piiniite 
 and particular descriptions, applicable to time and place, 
 and the more minute they are, the better they are suit- 
 ed to his views. 
 
 Few Emigrants come to Canada, without having 
 friends or relatives previously settled in the couuntry, 
 whom they wish to join. It frequently happens they 
 have been induced to emigrate from the mother coun- 
 try in consequence of the advice of those very friends, 
 and who in giving such counsel have been actuated by 
 the very best motives. But although such advice may 
 be given and received in the spirit of pure and disin- 
 terested friendship, and although there is every wislijn 
 the advisers that it should be for the benefit of those to 
 whom it is given, it not unfrequently happens that it 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 V 
 
 •>) turns ou t the reverse. The friends of the Enpgrant 
 ** settled in Canada, sending him a glowing description 
 of their situation, and a cheering account of the advan- 
 ^ taces they enjoy, excite and encourage their relatives 
 to join them, when perhaps they have omitted to men- 
 5* tion some material circumstance, which renders the 
 «v place in which they reside, totally unsuitable to the 
 v ie W s of the friends they are thus unwarily encour- 
 !a 'i a ging to come to it. In an equally ignorant state the 
 * poor man leaves his' native country, along with his, per- 
 haps, young and helpless family : lie is impressed with 
 fa the firm belief, that if he could once rcacli his friends 
 «s in Canada, all his troubles would be at an end. Ho 
 jw looks forward with hope to a participation of those lial- 
 F" cyon pleasures they have depicted to him, and never 
 m dreams of the fatal omission they have made, which in 
 ty the end overthrows all his fairy prospects. He has no 
 means of discerning the fitness or unfitness of the place 
 ik to which he is going for his purposes, except irom the 
 description his friends have sent of it, as there is no 
 sjs other source from whence he can learn its real state, 
 nor Under this idea he presses on through a long and wea- 
 rer lissome journey, during which he passes many places 
 10 far better suited to his individual pursuits, than that to 
 ;; which he is going; and at last when he reaches the 
 ja. destined spot, lie finds himself reduced to the sad al- 
 jj, tentative of again moving in search of another, 
 ife " or of adopting a new plan of proceeding wide* 
 
 , l« different from what lie has been habituated to. 
 J A 2 
 
VI 
 
 INTRODUCTION* 
 
 and for which he is from his ignorance very ill qualiff. 
 ed. Had there been a correct description of the place, 
 to which he could have had access, it would have re* 
 moved ail this difficulty ; — he could have read carefully 
 and weighed maturely such a description— he might 
 there have seen if any circumstances unfavorable to hh 
 prospects existed in that place, and if its inaptitude 
 was so great as to influence his choice for another situ- 
 ation, he would have foregone the pleasure of a resi- 
 dence near his friends, for the more prudent desire of 
 settling where his own exertions would liaye rendered 
 him independent. Or if the obstacles in tire place in 
 question should not be of such a magnitude as to in- 
 duce him to change his destination, he would at all 
 events be informed of their existence, and go prepared 
 to encounter them. In this way minute local descrip- 
 tions are of the utmost service to the practical Agri- 
 culturalist, and if they be useful for such as can obtain 
 practical information relative to the country, hy corres- 
 pondence with friends and acquaintances, they it re still 
 more beneficial and indispensibly necessary for such as 
 come to the country totally ignorant cf it. 
 
 For the statistical accounts of the different places 
 contained in the following pages, the writer (as already 
 mentioned) is indebted to the kind attention of his 
 friends. They have been furnished’ by gentlemen 
 whose talents, long residence in the country, and inti- 
 mate kiaowledge of' its condition, rendered them well 
 qualified to give such information : and little more than 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 VII 
 
 completing and arranging the matter so famished was 
 required of the author. In doing this he has frequent- 
 ly employed the same words as those in which the facts 
 were conveyed to him, being well convinced that no 
 diction of his own could convey the meaning of his cor- 
 respondents In so clear and concise a manner as tliat 
 employed by themselves. 
 
 The writer is aware the prices current attached to 
 the account of the different places, must be received 
 with a degree of caution. Although every exertion has 
 been used to get them as correct as possible, they must 
 he liable to vary from the effluxion of time, and the va- 
 rious other causes, which produce a change in such 
 things. Mathematical accuracy could hardly be expect- 
 ed in this point ; but it was necessary to introduce the 
 prices at the present time in order to render the work 
 complete; and if the present state of these things which 
 affect the value of such articles be taken into consid- 
 eration, perhaps the utility of these price lists may be of 
 greater duration than might at first view be expected. 
 The advantages of them to emigrants coming to the Can- 
 adas at the present time will not be denied. During 
 late years, when this country was the seat of w ar, it 
 underwent all the changes incident to such a state. 
 The increased quantity of circulating medium produced 
 a corresponding diminution in the value of money, and 
 a rise in the price of every thing else. The produce of 
 the agriculturalist came in for its share in this change, 
 and attained a value, far be} ? ond its natural rate. While 
 
YITI 
 
 INTRODUCTION# 
 
 the productions of the soil were diminished in quantity 
 in consequence of many of the farmers being employed 
 as soldiers ; the influx of troops, and the additional 
 numbers to be fed occasioned an augmented demand 
 for these articles. The system of policy pursued by 
 the United States, at the time alluded to, left a great 
 portion of their northern division to be supplied with 
 foreign goods by the route of Canada ; a circumstance 
 which increased the demand for them, and raised their 
 price far beyond what it would have been had the de- 
 mand been circumscribed to the supply of Canada 
 alone. A combination of all these causes brought on 
 an increase in the price of every necessary of life, at- 
 tended by its never failing concomitant, a rise in the 
 price of labour, which attained a rate far beyond what 
 it ever could have done from a natural course of af- 
 fairs. Had the prices of articles as specified in tins 
 work been taken during the above period, it would 
 have exhibited a very different result— and very remote 
 from their actual value as dependant on the demand, 
 and the value of money. But the effects of these chan- 
 ges have been guarded against in estimating the.e pti 
 ces. These times are now passed away, and m most 
 
 places, with the ceasing of the causes, the effect has 
 
 also disappeared. The superabundant quantity of 
 ney, has left the country with tlie withdrawing of the 
 army, and it has risen to nearly its natural standard 
 value. The farmer in peace lias resumed his customa- 
 ry labours, and now obtains for the superabundant 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 IX 
 
 productions of his farm a price proportionate to the de- 
 mand. The merchant has begun to limit his importations 
 to the wants of the country, and the means it has of 
 paying for them. The plentiful supply of the necessaries 
 of life — and the ease with which they can be procured, 
 have brought the value of labour to nearly its proper 
 standard. And although the shock occasioned by the 
 rapid change, and subsiding of hostilities still continues 
 to bear hard on the commercial interest, it is uot pro- 
 bable til at it will have much farther effect on the pro- 
 ductions of the soil. # 
 
 In estimating the prices of different articles in differ- 
 ent parts of the Canadas, difficulties arose which would 
 not hayc intervened in other countries. In those pla- 
 ces denominated new settlements, which are but lately 
 begun to be cultivated, the price of every article is 
 higher than the distance of such places from the mar- 
 ket would warrant ; because in these situations the new 
 settler has every thing to purchase and nothing to sell : 
 hence a local demand far exceeding the supply is crea- 
 ted, and enhances the value of these things in addition 
 to the extra price which must be paid in consideration 
 of their being brought from a distance. W henever this 
 has occurred, in estimating the following prices, the 
 value of the article at the nearest market has been ta- 
 ken : it being presumed that every settler has of his 
 own the means of bringing his supplies from thence. 
 An additional charge for time and labour in transport- 
 ing them from the nearest, market to tlie settlement has 
 
X 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 therefore to be added to the price here specified in as, 
 certaining their real value, and ought to be borne in mind 
 by every new settler, in his outset. It is obvious that 
 increased prices in new settlements will continue for 
 some time after their first establishment, and will be 
 regulated by the greater or less influx of Emigrants to 
 them. In this state of aft'airs, the first comers to such 
 a settlement, will always find a ready market for their 
 superabundant produce in supplying those who immedi- 
 ately follow them : and the augmented demand will 
 continue until "such time as the productions of the first 
 cultivated farms be more than equal to supply the 
 wants of their owners, and to furnish the means of sub- 
 sistence to new comers. After this comes to be the 
 case, the farmer must travel to a distance in quest of 
 a market for his overplus produce; and the place 
 where he lives assumes all the characteristics of an old 
 settlement. 
 
 It is with the country so situated, and different 
 places under these circumstances, that, the following 
 prices have been taken. Every attention has been be- 
 stowed not to underrate those articles the settler has 
 to purchase, nor to estimate too highly what he may 
 have to sell ; a slight deviation from these prices may oc- 
 casionally be met with, but the alteration will not be 
 productive of disappointment to the Emigrant in his 
 outset, or in his future progress in the country. 
 
 Ox comparing the prices here mentioned, with those 
 paid for similar articles in the mother country, the 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 XI 
 
 greatest difference will be found in the rates of me- 
 chanic s wages. While a good Carponter, Mason, or 
 Shoemaker in the old country cannot get above 2s. or 
 2s. 6d. per day, in many places in Canada they will 
 iecei\ e as much as 5s. 7s. 6d. or sometimes 10s. per 
 day. But it ought to be kept in mind that while they 
 receive this sum in hard cash, at home, they are oft«n 
 obliged here to take it in agricultural productions, or 
 in other necessaries, rated at a very high price, an oc- 
 currence which very frequently happens in new coun- 
 tries. Many causes have concurred to produce this 
 high rate of wages in Canada, perhaps one of the chief 
 of them is the low value of landed property, and the 
 consequent scarcity of journeymen mechanics. It has 
 been already mentioned that the chief desire of ail em- 
 igrants on arriving in the country is to procure land. 
 1 he facility with which this can be accomplished lias 
 induced many mechanics on reaching the country to 
 tun, their attention to farming. The want of a requisite 
 amount of capital prevented many of them from com- 
 mencing as masters in their different occupations, and 
 they have preferred settling on farms, and becoming 
 piopr.etors or the soil rather than working as hired 
 journeymen under others. This will in part account 
 lor the high rates of wages which have hitherto been 
 prevalent here; but it deserves to be mentioned that 
 those are daily declining in price with the lessening val- 
 ue of every thing else. This is already visible in every 
 pan of the country and in many places they have al. 
 
xn INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ready fallen from the exorbitant war prices to nearly 
 
 their natural rates. _ , , . 
 
 In enumerating the advantages which Canada ho, ds 
 
 out for her settlers, many writers on this subject have 
 fallen into error in painting these in too glowing colours. 
 
 It would be unjust to ascribe this in every instance to 
 an unworthy intention to deceive. On the contrary, it 
 has more frequently proceeded from their ignorance of 
 the real state of the country. When any one of these 
 tourists (of whom late years have produced numbers) 
 passed through the country in the smiling season of sum- 
 mer, wherever he went he saw the fields clothed in ver- 
 dure. and the lands wherever cultivation had been ex- 
 tended covered with luxurant crops, of various de- 
 scriptions, to use a common metaphor, every farmer 
 reposing “ under his own vine and under his own fi" 
 tree.” A faithful description of such a state of affairs 
 would furnish a glowing picture, and the describer be 
 still kept within the bounds of verity. The error does 
 not therefore arise from a deception on their part but 
 from the circumstances of time and place. These peo- 
 ple saw the country only during that season of the year 
 when every rural beauty was in its full perfection. 
 Their researches ware confined to the old settlements, 
 where cultivation is in its best state and where 
 . goodness of the roads and the facility of conveyance, 
 tempted them to travel, they only saw the fair side o 
 the prospect and never extended their enquiries beyond 
 that ; and from this view of the subject they have mag- 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 XIII 
 
 nified the advantages of the Canadas beyond what they 
 are in reality ; from not having seen in the new settle- 
 ments the labour and exertion necessary to bring things 
 to this state. But it ought not to be concealed that 
 there are difficulties of no ordinary magnitude, to 
 which new comers to this country are subjected. Eve- 
 ry man in his outset here has privations to endure, and 
 hardships to struggle with to which he would not have 
 been liable in almost any other country which has been 
 long settled. This is particularly the case with the 
 agriculturalist. The very first step in his operations 
 viz. the clearing lands ot timber is a task requiring pa- 
 tient and laborious perseverance, beyond any other part 
 of husbandry ; and if it be considered, that it has often 
 to be performed here where labour is expensive, and a 
 market for procuring supplies at a distance, the difficul- 
 ties attending it will be very much augmented. These 
 facts are not mentioned with a design of deterring set- 
 tlers from coming to the Canadas, nor with the wish of 
 depreciating the many advantages this country holds 
 forth to them. Ample experience has proved* that 
 however great these difficulties may be, there are none 
 of them insunnountable ; and that by a due persever- 
 ance in a proper plan, the industrious settler, though 
 not possessed of a capital, may in a few years attain a 
 comfortable independence ; but it is only justice, to in- 
 form him that this cannot be attained without bodily ex- 
 ertion and mental energy, and that he ought to come 
 B 
 
XIV 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 f 
 
 to Canada prepared with those qualifications, For et!- 
 countering the difficulties he may meet with. Inde- 
 pendence in worldly concerns, is a prize which no man 
 in any situation can acquire but by time and labour, 
 and Canada forms no exception to the general rule. 
 
 Among the places described in the following works 
 it will be observed, only a few of those situated in Low- 
 er Canada are included. But it must not be inferred 
 from this omission that the Lower province is less descr- 
 ving the attention of Emigrants or less adapted to the 
 views of the agriculturalist, than the Upper ; on the 
 contrary, the soil of the former is equally good with that 
 of the latter ; and the superiority of climate which some 
 parts of Upper Canada may possess, is compensated for, 
 by Lower Canada being more conveniently situated for 
 
 a market. In. both Provinces there are immence tracts 
 of waste lands, still unconccded. In Lower Canada an 
 extensive country termed the Eastern townships, lying 
 in the rear of the Seigniorial lands on the cast side of the 
 river St. Lawrence and reaching to the line 45 which 
 divides the Canadas from the United States, is still ca- 
 pable of receiving a great number of settlers in addition 
 to its present occupants. And in rear of the Seignio- 
 ries on the West side of the river, there is a territory 
 able to sustain a population greater than the Un.teU 
 Kingdom of Great Britain. There being fewer places 
 in Lower Canada, here described is solely attributable 
 - to those, who were applied to, not having answered th« 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 XV 
 
 queries which were sent them. It deserves also to be 
 mentioned, that as the far greater proportion of the 
 emigrants come to the country with a decided prefer- 
 ence for the upper Ihrovince, information relative to it 
 was the more necessary for them. 
 
jsmottAXKra 
 
 PART II. 
 
 CHAPTER L 
 
 General directions for Emigrants on their com- 
 ing to Canada , Selection of Implements, 
 Manufacturing of Maple Sugar, tyc. See. 
 
 Tiie plan to be pursued by an Emigrant 
 in his journey to Canada, and on his arrival 
 there is so liable to be influenced, by his 
 ulterior views — the means he has of accom- 
 plishing them — the distance of the place of 
 his destination from the port where he lands — 
 the number of his family — and so great a 
 variety of other circumstances, that it be- 
 comes almost impossible to lay down rules 
 
 equally applicable to every case. As the 
 B 2 
 
18 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 intention of the present work, has been a- 
 vowedly for the use of Agriculturalists, 
 and as the poorer people of this class are 
 more in want of directions for their guid- 
 ance than others, and are besides more nu- 
 merous, the observations here offered will be 
 found chiefly applicable for men of this de- 
 scription. But the precepts here laid down, 
 as indespensibly necessary, for the poorer 
 settler will be found equally applicable to 
 the case of the rich man and the capitalist 
 who undertakes to clear lands in the wilds 
 of America. The difference will be found 
 in the quantity not in the nature or quality 
 of the requisites ; the object to be attained 
 by both being the same in reality, the meth- 
 od to be pursued for its attainment, al- 
 though it may differ in scale, or in some 
 trival points, will be found to coincide in 
 essentials, in both cases. The capitalist 
 may employ his greater means, in accelera- 
 ting the accomplishment of his designs, in 
 carrying on his works on a larger scale in 
 procuring additional help on particular oo 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 19 
 
 casions or perhaps in purchasing indulgent, 
 ties or comforts which the poor man can- 
 not afford, while engaged in his labours ; 
 but the former will find he cannot dispence 
 with any of the necessaries here enumera- 
 ted for the use of the latter. 
 
 The method to be followed in selecting 
 and applying for his lands having already- 
 been detailed in the former part of the 
 work, it is unnecessary to enlarge upon it 
 m this place, what remains of the subject- 
 devides itself into three branches, viz. 
 
 First. — The best mode of reaching the 
 country, and of travelling to the place where 
 he intends to settle. 
 
 Second— The articles the Emigrant 
 will require to provide for commencing and. 
 carrying on his operations. 
 
 Third— T he first thing to be attended 
 to on reaching his location, before he com- 
 mences clearing his lands. 
 
 THE .MODE OF PROCEEDING TO CANADA, &C. 
 
 In the present work it will hardly be 
 
30 emigrant’s 
 
 deemed necessary to enumerate minutely 
 the preparations the emigrant has to make 
 before leaving Great Britain on bis route 
 to Canada. These, as well as his oth- 
 er proceedings must be regulated m a 
 great measure by the means he is possesed 
 of He will find many persons m the old 
 country well qualified to direct him to where 
 he can find the cheapest passage to the 
 Canadas j and others equally able to give 
 him information as to the most economical 
 plan of laying in his sea stock of provisions. 
 From these he will readily learn what he 
 has to provide for this part of his under- | 
 taking, if he chooses to follow their advice, 
 but there are some errors of which Emi- 
 grants are guilty, in this the outset of their 
 undertaking, which are afterwards a source 
 of great expence and additional trouble to 
 them in their future progress ; and these 
 merit some attention in this place. 
 
 From whatever part the Emigrant may 
 set out , if it be his intention to settle in any 
 oj the provinces of Canada, he ought lo come 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 21 
 
 hy a vessel bound directly to Quebec or Mon- 
 treal , . The obviousness of this advice, to 
 such as know the relative situation of these 
 ports to the rest of the country may make 
 it appear superfluous : but to the poor Em- 
 igrant who has not the same advantages of 
 a geographical knowledge, it will be found 
 highly necessary ; sad experience having 
 convinced many of them, of the fatal con- 
 sequences of not attending to it. They 
 have no idea of the extent of the country ; 
 and the anxieties of ship masters to obtain 
 freights, has often led to imposition on the 
 ignorance and credulity of those poor peo- 
 ple. They will tell them a plausible story 
 of the easy conveyance and expeditious 
 travelling to any part of Canada from the 
 port to which they are bound. The poor 
 man, relying on the truth of this representa- 
 tion, embarks with his family, pays his pas- 
 sage, and does not discover until he reaches 
 America, that he has landed many hundreds 
 of miles distant from the place he intended 
 lo go to, and that by the deception thus. 
 
gg E^I.GrRANT S 
 
 practised upon him, the length, expence, 
 and fatigues of his journey are far more 
 than double what they ought to have been. 
 From inattention to this advice, many in< 
 stances have occurred of poor families be- 
 ing landed in Pictou, or Halifax, .or in some 
 port in Nova Scotia, when it was their design 
 •> to join some near relation or friend in up. 
 per Canada ! And similar cheats have been 
 imposed on others, by landing them in Que. 
 bee when their intended destination was 
 
 some place in Nova Scotia. 
 
 The next error Emigrants are liable to 
 commit on leaving Great Britain arises fiom 
 the foolish practice of bringing large quan- 
 tities of useless articles, such as furniture, 
 clothes, provisions or even merchandize a- 
 long with them. The absurdity and ill con- 
 sequences of this practice cannot be too 
 strongly impressed upon them. The Emu 
 grant on leaving the mother country Jot C 
 ada, ought to bring nothing with him but hu 
 money and such articles as he may requite 
 Jor present use v The freight he will hav* I 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 23 
 
 to pay for bulky [articles across the ocean, 
 often exceeds their value,* and it not un- 
 frequently happens, after landing in Canada 
 the route he has to travel renders it impos- 
 sible to carry such things along with him, 
 when for want of a purchaser lie can find 
 no means of disposing of them. The little 
 furniture he requires at first, (which will be 
 heieafter described,) he can always procure 
 in the country far cheaper than it can be 
 impoi ted \ even such of the richer inhabit- 
 ants, who have imported expensive and ele- 
 gant furniture to this country, find it does 
 not stand the influence of the climat'e and 
 the heat of the stoves so well as that which 
 is made in the country. Being ignorant of 
 the quality of clothing suitable for this coun- 
 try, it rarely happens that the emigrant 
 makes the most proper selection before he 
 
 * In vessels employed by government for the transport of 
 Emigrants, and sometimes in Merchant-ships, every passenger 
 is allowed a certain tonnage for his baggage, but the Emi- 
 grant, should never be wishful to avail himself of this, for the 
 above reasons. 
 
24 , emigrant’s 
 
 leaves Great Britain ; and as this article can 
 be purchased in the country nearly as cheap, 
 lie ought to limit the quantity he brings 
 with him to a moderate share of wearing 
 apparel for present use, and the necessary 
 bedding for his family. Provisions far bet- 
 ter adapted to the climate than any he could 
 import, are to be had cheap and abundant 
 in every place through which he passes, af- 
 ter he lands in Canada. And when he set- 
 tles on his location he should be caretul to 
 bring these supplies from the nearest maik- 
 et as the transport of them very much in- 
 creases their value. Of all the eroneous 
 practices an Emigrant can be guilty of, the 
 importing of Goods or Merchandize of any 
 description for the purpose of selling them 
 on his arrival in the country is the worst. 
 If the quantity be small, and even if he 
 should happen to sell at a fair profit on his 
 arrival (which is very doubtful) all he can 
 realise by the transactions will seldom 
 recompence him for the time and trouble, 
 he must spend in seeking a purchase! efiec 
 
\Z7 
 
 assistant. 25 
 
 ting sales, &c. And in these disasterous 
 , * 
 times for commerce, when the genious of 
 
 our best Merchants who are conversant in 
 these matters and possess an intimate ac- 
 quaintance with the state of the country, is 
 taxed to the uttermost to find sale for what 
 is imported ; it surely would not be advisa- 
 ble for an Emigrant, a stranger, and not pos- 
 sessing these advantages, to venture on the 
 importation of merchandize even if his capi- 
 tal permitted his doing it on an extensive 
 scale. 
 
 An attentive consideration of all these 
 .circumstances will be sufficient to convince 
 any person/ that the best plan an emigrant 
 can adopt on coming to Canada, is first to 
 convert all his property into money, and 
 bring it to the country with him in that 
 state. By this means he will know the ex- 
 act extent of his finances, he will be ex- 
 empted from the loss consequent on having 
 purchased any unnecessary article, he will 
 save the expence of freight which his prop- 
 erly in any other form will cost him, and 
 
emigrant’s 
 
 :2G 
 
 lastly, lie will in tliis way avoid the iisK ot 
 liad debts or doubtful payments, which he 
 would incur had he transpoitcd his means 
 in merchandize with the design of selling 
 them on his arrival in the country. 
 
 Money may be transported either in 
 bills of exchange or in specie, but the for- 
 mer, when they can be got, are preferable 
 on many accounts. 
 
 Bills of exchange arc less liable to be lost, 
 and although specie (particularly gold) will 
 sometimes bring a premium, it is liable to 
 many of the objections already mentioned 
 against the importing, merchandize, add to 
 this, if the quantity Jje large, a high freight, 
 frequently a per courage nearly equal to the 
 premium is demaiuted for transporting it. 
 Many of the poorer and mulling class of em- 
 igrants, have -Of late brought their money 
 to Canada fn notes of the bank of England 
 or some of the Provincial Banks. This is 
 always attended with a loss to such as do 
 so. If they should happen to meet with 
 some person returning to the old country 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 27 
 
 and have ail opportunity of selling them, 
 they will seldom get more than one pound cur- 
 rency for every pound sterling, and the sel- 
 ler in this case looses nearly one ninth or one 
 pound in every nine by the transaction, m 
 consequence of the difference of exchange 
 between Great Britain and Canada. Be- 
 sides, the person who gives the Canada mo- 
 ney, in this way always considers he is con- 
 fering a favour and laying the other under 
 obligations to him. 
 
 the METHOD OF TRAVELLING IN CANADA. 
 
 The Emigrant being landed at Quebec, 
 the next object for his consideration is the 
 best method of proceeding from thence to 
 his lands or to the pUce where he wishes to 
 settle. His plan of travelling here must be 
 varied according to the place to which he 
 intends to proceed. If he decides settling 
 in any part of the lower province, the pro- 
 cess is easy. He ought to proceed imme- 
 diately to obtain his lands in the manner 
 formerly described, having first gone and 
 
28 
 
 kmighant’s 
 
 examined the lot he ^desirous of procuring, 
 to ascertain its capability of answering his 
 views. In doing this he will incur an addi- 
 tional expence should it not be suitable for 
 his purpose, by taking his family along with 
 him in the first instance. It is therefore 
 preferable for him to leave his family in some 
 place in Quebec, to go alone and be con- 
 vinced of the suitableness of his lands; and 
 then on returning he can procure his loca- 
 tion ticket, purchase 'what necessaries he 
 will require for his future undertaking, and 
 proceed directly with his family to his lands, 
 to commence his operations. Should his 
 destination be to any part of the province of 
 Lower Canada, he will readily obtain direc- 
 tions in going to the 'place, from some per- 
 son at Quebec. On tire other hand if the 
 spot he wishes to reach be in Upper Cana- 
 da, a different plan is to be pursued. He 
 must keep in mind that he has still a long 
 and tedious portion of his journey to per- 
 form. This ought to prevent his wasting 
 time in unnecessary delay, and also to de- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 29 
 
 ter him from incurring any unnecessary 
 expence, or doing any thing which can 
 have a tendency to waste his means. 
 
 The Emigrant may go from Quebec to 
 Montreal by Steam Boat whicli is the 
 best mode of conveyance he can employ. 
 The number of these vessels now running 
 on this part of the river, by the competition 
 they produce keep the fare at a moderate 
 rate. They will transport him more expe- 
 ditiously than any other mode he can use 
 for the same distance, and as there are Sev- 
 ern of them plying on this part of the riv- 
 er seldom a day passes without one leaving 
 Quebec for Montreal, at the season the Em- 
 igrant comes to the country, hence he runs 
 no risk of being delayed in waiting lor a 
 passage. In making his arrangements for 
 this part of his journey, he may either 
 agree to be supplied with provisions by 
 the boat, or (which is a more economi- 
 cal plan) he may purchase them for himself 
 in the Quebec Market. In this last case 
 he ought to lay in a stock sufficient for 
 
so 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 three or even four days, for fear of heiri" 
 delayed by any accident, although the 
 passage is generally made in less than two 
 days, sometimes in 36 hours. On his leav- 
 ing Montreal it would also be advisable to 
 provide a small stock of provisions for the 
 rest of his journey upwards, particularly, 
 some bread of a quality to preserve fresh 
 (called Batteaux Biscuit,) a small quantity 
 of salt pork or beef, and a few groceries if 
 he wishes them. But it must not be un- 
 derstood from this, that he has to provide a 
 large stock of these articles. On the batiks 
 of the river, and in every part of the coun- 
 try adjoining to it, the lands are cultivated 
 and numbers of farmers settled, from whor 
 lie can purchase provisions when he requires 
 them ; and many Emigrants leave Montre- 
 al on their way to the upper Province with 
 no other provisions than a few loves of 
 bread, and trust altogether to drawing sup- 
 plies from the different places at which they 
 stop on the route. For such as can afford 
 to expend the money in purchasing that 
 
V 
 
 ASSISTANT. 51 
 
 and paying the expence of transport. Mon- 
 • treal is the best market for the Emigrant to 
 buy such other necessary articles as he may 
 require, particularly his clothes, household 
 utensils and farming implements, but these 
 will be more particularly described hereaf- 
 ter. 
 
 tf From Montreal to LaChine, a distance 
 B of about nine miles, the settler will have 
 ti to hire a cart to transport his family and bag- 
 gage, provided his children be too young, 
 ip or from other causes unable to walk that 
 d distance. But if his family be able to trav- 
 t- el, and he has no unnecessary baggage, a 
 whole cart for one family will not bp re- 
 quired, as there will not be a sufficient load. 
 n In this case two or more families may join 
 I- together and engage a cart amongst them, 
 ,i which will save a proportional part of the 
 II? hire to each. It is to be remarked here 
 how r ever that the rate of hire being so small 
 ( (generally 6s for a load) it would not be 
 prudent for the Emigrant to put off his 
 time in waiting for a fellow traveller to join 
 
32 emigrant’s 
 
 with him, should none happen to be there 
 at the time. 
 
 The journey up the river from LaChine 
 to Kingston is performed in Batteaux, or in 
 a species of flat built vessels termed Dur- 
 ham Boats. In one of these the Emigrant 
 will have to embark with his family as the 
 cheapest conveyance he can find : and as 
 there are numbers of these boats employed 
 at this season in bringing down the produc- 
 tions of the farmers from above, and in’ car- 
 rying up merchandize, he will never beat 
 a loss to find one. The rate of freight in 
 this part not being established hy any law, 
 he will of course have to make the cheapest 
 bargain he can, but as the numbers there 
 are here constantly looking out for cargoes, 
 excites a competition among them, he will 
 in general get his family and baggage car- 
 ried at a cheap rate, more particularly as 
 they generally allow every family to take 
 200 weight of baggage without charging 
 any extra freight for it. In the course of 
 the voyage up the river, there are several 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 33 
 
 J 
 
 shallow places, termed rapids, where a boat 
 if fully loaded cannot ascend. Here a part 
 of the cargo has to be discharged and carri- 
 ed up in carts by land. This augments the 
 rate of the fare, but is all included in the 
 charge made by the Captain at LaChine, as 
 there are many people who make it their 
 business to transport goods and passengers 
 by this route, they have not only boats of 
 their own, but also carts, stationed at the 
 proper places for the land conveyance. As 
 these boats and batteaux in ascending the 
 river, pass along shore in many places, and 
 as they generally put in during the night, 
 the passengers have many opportunities ot 
 going ashore, either for purchasing provis- 
 ions from the farmers on the banks oi 
 the river, or for any other purpose they 
 choose. 
 
 It sometimes happens that the place an 
 Emigrant is desireous of reaching, does not 
 require that he should go so far up as Kings- 
 ton, his nearest road being to strike across 
 the country from some port below that 
 
Si 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 town. In this case, these boats will put 
 him on shore at any place where he wishes, 
 and he will sometimes be conveyed at a re- 
 duction of fare ill proportion to the diminu- 
 tion of distance he is conveyed on the 
 river. 
 
 On reaching Kingston, the Emigrant 
 will find himself as it were in the center 
 of the inhabited part of Upper Canada, 
 with an easy conveyance to any point of it. 
 He is here at the South East end of Lake 
 Ontorio, which extends along the Southern 
 boundary of the Province and gives a great 
 portion of it all the advantages of a sea 
 coast. The lake is navigated by several, 
 small schooners, and a steam-boat, and by 
 embarking in one of these he can be con- 
 veyed to York, the seat of Government, 
 near the head of the lake, if he is desireous 
 of going so far, or he may be landed at some 
 intermediate point on its shores, near the 
 place where he is wishful to reach. 
 
 It deserves to be mentioned to the hon- 
 our of the parties concerned, as well as for 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 35 
 
 the information of Emigrants, that all the 
 steam-boats on the river St. Lawrence, and 
 also that on Lake Ontario, have been in the 
 habit of carrying poor people and their fam- 
 ilies, when on their way to settle in the 
 country for halt the freight they usually 
 charged from other passengers. And if 
 people under these circumstances should 
 prefer passing lake Ontario by any of the 
 schooners, the rate of freight is generally ex- 
 tremely moderate : and in some cases of 
 absolute poverty, they have been carried by 
 these vessels gratis, on furnishing their own 
 provisions. 
 
 The following table will give some idea 
 of the expences of conveying a family con- 
 sisting of the Lather, Mother and two chil- 
 dren from Quebec to Kingston. 
 
 From Quebec to Montreal. 
 
 Freight of two grown persons at 
 
 10s. each, : 00 : 0 
 
 Freight for two children (half price) 
 
 at 5s. each 0 : 10:0 
 
36 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 Front Montreal to LuChine > 
 
 To hire of a Horse and Cart 6s. €00 : 6 
 
 From LaChine to Kingston per Boat . 
 
 Freight for two grown up persons, 
 
 at 7s. 6d. eacli €00 15:0 
 
 Freight for two children half 
 
 price €00:7:6 
 
 For two Cwt. of extra luggage at 
 
 5s per cwt. 10 £l : 12:6 
 
 To allowance for provisions at 
 
 3s. per day for 20 days* £3 :0:0 
 
 Total, .€6:8:0 
 For this sum a respectable settler and 
 his family can be conveyed the distance 
 specified if he adopts the proper plan, and 
 perhaps it cannot be done for much less, by 
 any other method, he could pursue. 
 
 In proceeding from the spot where he 
 lands on the banks of the river or the shores 
 of the Lake, he must be guided by existing 
 circumstances, such as the state of the conn- 
 
 * In this estimate the time allowed for performing the 
 journey is far more than what is usually required ; hut under 
 such a variety of modes of travelling, unavoidable delays 
 must take place during the frequent changes, and it is proper 
 to be prepared for them. No harm can result from the Em* 
 igrant reaching his destination sooner than he expects, or at 
 a less expenee. 
 
'O 
 
 ASSISTANT. 57 
 
 try through which he has to travel, and the 
 means of conveyance it can afford him.— 
 Should he have to pass through a settled 
 and cultivated part of the country, he 
 will find roads and carts or waggons, which 
 he may hire to transport him ; but on the 
 other hand, if he has to go through an un- 
 cultivated part, he may not only have to 
 travel on foot, but be also reduced to the 
 necessity of hireing a guide to conduct him ; 
 but there are very few places of this last 
 description, on the banks of the river or ad- 
 joining the lake. No exact statement of 
 the expence of this part of his journey can 
 be given ; but as he can pass from one set- 
 tlement to another, his road will be chiefly 
 among people who have themselves experi- 
 enced similar difficulties, andVhowill com- 
 miserate his situation and be ready to help 
 him. Never was the assertion that the in, 
 crease of civilization and superior intercourse 
 with strangers, has a tendency to diminish true 
 hospitality, more strongly illustrated than in 
 
 these situations, for in passing through the 
 
 D 
 
38 
 
 emigrant’s . 
 
 most thinly settled places and among the 
 more recent settlers, the Emigrant will find 
 these far more ready to afford him aid, in 
 proportion to their means, than among the 
 more rich people in the older settlements. 
 Hence the difficulties of proceeding in this 
 part of his course are not so great as a su. 
 perficial observer would imagine. 
 
 Having decided on the spot where he 
 wishes to settle in the upper Province the 
 Emigrant will not be subjected to the neces- 
 sity of undertaking a long journey to the seat 
 of government before he can get his loca- 
 tion ticket there, he has only to leave his 
 family in the settlement adjoining the lot 
 lie pitches upon, and go to the Land Beard 
 ot the District from which he will get his 
 licence for settling, or location Ticket in the 
 manner formerly mentioned. 
 
 Travelling in the woods. — Those who 
 have not been accustomed to travel in such 
 situations, are apt to get bewildered and 
 loose their way on first going into the woods 
 et America. In such cases they may wan- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 39 
 
 dcr for several days before they happen to 
 fall into the right road, or perhaps sink un- 
 der the united force of hunger and fatigue 
 before any assistance comes in their way. 
 This however is an occurrence which rare- 
 ly happens to any one, and never to an ex- 
 pert woodsman who has been accustomed to 
 make jdurnies in those situations. These 
 have infallible marks by which they can 
 steer their course, and will without any dif- 
 ficulty proceed from one point to another 
 in the wood with the same accuracy and 
 readmes as if travelling by a direct road in 
 an open country. One of the chief reasons 
 for strangers loosing themselves in the 
 woods arises from their own misconduct. 
 As soon as they find themselves bewildered 
 they become alarmed at their situation ; 
 fear banishes reflection, and renders them 
 'incapable of attending to those marks which 
 would guide them out of their difficulty. 
 They double their exertions and thereby en- 
 crease their fatigue ; and while struggling 
 with accelerated speed to find their way 
 
40 
 
 EJrlieRANT’s 
 
 home, they are perhaps, plunging deeper is 
 the forest, and flying farther distant from 
 it. It ought therefore to be the first and 
 chief object of any one who looses his way- 
 in the woods, to preserve a calmness and 
 self possession as far as possible. He ought 
 to reflect cooly on the means of extricating 
 himself from his unpleasant situation ; and 
 instead of running about in despair, it is 
 preferable fojr him to set down for a while 
 to refresh his strength and afford him time 
 to weigh his case maturely. There are par. 
 ticular marks by which he can be guided 
 with certainty, but these are not so obvious 
 to a person unaccustomed to them, as net 
 to require close and attentive observation. 
 All this difficulty and danger might be 
 guarded against by the traveller carry ing a 
 small pocket compass* along with him; 
 but for those who are not provided with such 
 instruments, or who do not understand the 
 method of steering by it, Uifc following di- 
 rections may be acceptable. During the 
 
 * Those to which a sun dial is affixed are to be preferred. 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 41 
 
 greater part of the winter and spring, the 
 strong winds in this country blow from the 
 North West, hence the tops of the highest 
 trees in the woods are bent towards the 
 opposite direction or to the South East. 
 Observing this circumstance the lost travel- 
 ler will have a line to steer by. The moss 
 which grows on the trunks and larger 
 branches of old trees, will also serve to guide 
 him, if he keeps in mind that it is always 
 most abundant on the north, side of the tree. 
 By attending carefully to these tacts, and 
 allowing himself time for reflection, and al- 
 so, if he knows the direction of the woods 
 with regard to his residence, he wili readily 
 discover the direction in which he ought to 
 proceed. If he be uot acquainted with ei- 
 ther of these circumstances there is another 
 method he can adopt. When he has wan- 
 dered so far as to have lost all traces of the 
 direction by which he ought to return, he 
 should take advantage of the first stream of 
 water with which he meets. On procee- 
 ding along in the direction in which it run* 
 
emigrant’s 
 
 -42 
 
 he will at last come to a larger stream, or 
 lake into which it empties itself, and by go. 
 ing on, keeping by the banks of this last, 
 lie will at length reach the settled part of 
 the country and find his home. One great 
 objection to this last method of proceeding, 
 is the length of time it requires ; in pursu- 
 ing the course of a river or stream in this 
 way and following all its bends and turnings, 
 several days way elapse, before he reaches 
 a settlement, and he runs a risk of suffering 
 for want of food. Should he meet with 
 game of any kind, and have the means of 
 killing it, there is no danger from this cause, 
 bnt if he does not, he will have to subsist 
 
 on such eatible herbs and fruits as mav fall 
 
 • 
 
 in his way. These last are preferable, and 
 at some seasons he will find great variety of 
 berries of different kinds, on which lie may 
 contrive to subsist for a short time. Some 
 of these are of a deleterious quality to the hu- 
 man species, and if he be not sufficiently ac- 
 quainted to distinguish the kinds which may 
 he safely eaten from those which ought not. 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 m 
 
 he must depend on the instinct of animals 
 for his guide. In genera! such berries as 
 are used by birds for food, may be eaten by 
 man, hence he ought not to touch any of 
 them which he is unacquainted with, unless 
 he sees the marks of birds or other animals 
 having preyed upon them. By a slight at- 
 tention to those particulars, and a knowl- 
 edge of others which a very little experience 
 will make him acquainted with, any man 
 may soon become expert at travelling in the 
 woods, and all risk or fear of his loosing 
 himself will be removed. 
 
 Musqetor bites, <§r. — New settlers or 
 travellers on first going into the woods of 
 America, are subject to great annoyance, 
 from the bites of Musqnetoes, sandflies, and 
 other insects which abound in such situa- 
 tions at particular seasons of the year. 
 The Indians guard against the bites of these 
 by anointing themselves with bear’s greesc 
 and fat of animals. Many people endea- 
 vour to prevent their attacks by covering 
 up as much of the body as possible with 
 
*4 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 clothing. Both plans are objectionable. 
 The first is disgusting to the feelings of an 
 European from the filthiness of the practice, 
 and the second will not be found an effec- 
 tual barrier against them, for these little 
 divels will insinuate themseires under the 
 cloalhes if the smallest opening be left, ami 
 the en creased heat in consequence of the 
 wearer being muffled up with dress, be- 
 comes very oppressive in this climate. The 
 combined experience of all who have trav- 
 elled in these situations gives the decided 
 preference to open light clothing both for 
 comfort and convenience; and they consider 
 the most effectual preventive against the in- 
 cursions of these insects, is to kindle fires, and 
 produce smoke by burning green wood or 
 any other substance fit for the purpose. This 
 
 is the method alwavs had recourse to in the 
 * 
 
 vicinity of fixed dwellings in the woods, 
 and it may be employed, though in a less ef- 
 fectual degree, in travelling. By such as 
 can use it, smoaking tobacco is frequently 
 resorted to, and it is a very efficatious ren> 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 15 
 
 edy against Musquetoes and other flies; 
 but for those who cannot adopt this prac- 
 tice a substitute must be found. This is to 
 be met with in a species fungus which 
 grows plentifully in the form of an excres- 
 ence on the trees and is termed touch-wood ; 
 which does not emit flame when set on fire, 
 but burns for a long time with a smoke like 
 a slow match. A small bit of this kindled 
 and stuck on a bit of wood, either carried in 
 the hand or in the mouth will produce such 
 a quantity of smoke as will repell those in- 
 sects. • Washing the exposed parts of the 
 skin with salt brine is also found to be a 
 good antidote against AJusquetoe bites, but 
 it requires to be daily repeated, if not often- 
 cr and the traveller may not always-have it 
 in his reach. 
 
 The foregoing are deemed the best and 
 most effectual preventives which can be 
 employed against the attacks of those ani- 
 mals. But as many people suffer severely 
 from swelling and inflammation of the part 
 where they happen to be bitten, something 
 
46 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 as a remedy iti those cases, may also be 
 mentioned, gashing the part with cold 
 water, either pure or mixed with vinegar 
 will allay the pain'and inflammation ; but a 
 more effectual antidote has lately been 
 much extalled, namely rubbing the part 
 with powdered chalk or washing it with 
 chalk dissolved in water. This is employ- 
 ed on the principle that the poison these 
 creatures inject into the wound, is a species 
 of acid whose virulence and activity be- 
 comes thus corrected by the neutralization 
 with the chalk. If its action depends on 
 this principle diluted lees formed of wood, 
 ashes and water, will be found to answer the 
 same purpose and can always be bail at 
 hand ; but I believe experience is wanting 
 to ascertain its efficacy in all cases. 
 
 The articles a Settler requires to provide for 
 commencing and carrying on his operations. 
 
 THIS forms the next part of the subject 
 for consideration, anti as these necessaries 
 naturally divide themselves into three class- 
 
ASSISTANT. 47 
 
 oe that arrangement shall be adopted in des- 
 cribing them. 
 
 First. The tools or implements of la- 
 bour. 
 
 Second. Provisions requisite for the 
 support of a settler and his family. 
 
 Third. The selection and purchase of 
 other necessaries under which are ranked 
 furniture, clothing, household utensils, &c. 
 
 It is proper to premise here, that in the 
 event of the Emigrant going to any of the 
 Military settlements, he is furnished with 
 tools, and household articles, sufficient for 
 commencing with, at the expence of gov- 
 ernment. Put as these articles are all of 
 English manufacture, there are some of 
 them not so well suited for the purposes of 
 the woodsman as if they had been made in 
 the country. The chief objection is against 
 the form ot axes which government allows 
 him. It being well adapted for hewing, 
 hut not so well calculated for a felling axe, 
 it miglit be adviseable for the settler to bring 
 one lor this last purpose along with him, in 
 all cases. 
 
48 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 It has been already mentioned that 
 Montreal is the best market fof file Emi- 
 grant to purchase such necessaries as he 
 may require for clearing and cultivating his 
 lands. This however is to be taken with 
 some limitation dependant on existing cir- 
 cumstances. No doubt Montreal is the 
 cheapest market lie can find in the country 
 for this purpose, and the Emigrant who can 
 afford to lay in a stock of necessary articles 
 will do well to avail himself of it in passing 
 through that city, and if it be the nearest 
 market to the place where he intends to set- 
 tle, it is then his only alternative to pur- 
 chase all his necessaries from the Montreal 
 merchant. But if on the contrary he be so 
 cramped in his means, that he can only pur- 
 chase a very small supply ot those articles 
 he may want for the present, and if he has 
 n long distance to travel the expence of 
 carrying the few things he may be enabled 
 to buy, will- far exceed the difference in 
 price they would have cost him at the mark- 
 et nearest to his lands. When he is so sit* 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 40 
 
 uated it is obviously better for him to defer 
 making his purchases until he reaches tho 
 place where he can find them adjoining tho 
 spot where he is to reside. 
 
 Farming Utensils . — The commencing 
 operations of husbandry, on new lands in 
 Canada, being very different from what they 
 are in Great Britain ; must be prepared for, 
 by selection of very different implements. 
 The Emigrant before going into the woods 
 will have to provide himself with a pick axe, 
 a spade, a sythe, a hoe and a sickle, and a 
 trowel. Also, an axe, a case knife, a hand 
 saw, an auger, a hammer and a few' nails, 
 with such other carpenters tools as he can 
 afford. In addition to these a grindstone 
 will be found a very necessary appendage 
 to his stock of tools, although one of these 
 will serve for half a dozen of families if they 
 are going to settle close to each other. Be* 
 sides these, if his means will admit of it, he 
 ought to have a yoke of oxen with their ne- 
 cessary harness and chains, for drawing his 
 logs. These last have by many people been 
 
50 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 considered as indispensibly necessary for the 
 settler at his out set : although there are 
 many instances of some having gone into the 
 woods with hardly any other implement 
 than an axe, who are now in comfortable 
 and even affluent circumstances. With 
 these articles, and a small assortment of the 
 different kinds of seeds he designs to sew the 
 first season, the farmer will hardly require 
 any thing farther in the way of farming 
 stock or utensils to enable him to begin his 
 operations. 
 
 Selection of Seeds . — The first object of 
 every settler being to raise provisions for 
 himself and family, the desire to effect this 
 will point out the necessity of planting a 
 proper stock of edible roots, and garden 
 stuffs, and also the propriety of sowing a 
 sufficient quantity of grain for his own con- 
 sumption as soon as possible. Hence he 
 will require to be provided with a small as- 
 sortment of seeds for this purpose, at his 
 first outset ; the farther selection of seeds 
 will depend on his ulterior intentions wheth- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 v t 
 
 er they be to convert bis fame to the pur- 
 pose of grazing, or to rear grain. The 
 crops usually raised in this country arc 
 wheat, oats, bailey, rye, and Indian corn. 
 Potatoes, carrots and garden stuffs of all 
 kinds. Turnips have been reared in the 
 field and are found to answer very well, but 
 their culture is not yet come into general 
 use. Of the grasses, all the different kinds 
 i which have hitherto been tried, have been 
 found to grow very luxuriantly, but only 
 timothy and clover, (they being the hay us- 
 ed in the country) are commmonly cultiva- 
 E ted. If it be the object of the farmer to de- 
 vote his land to rearing grain, he can select 
 from the above kinds or from others, the 
 seeds requisite and most suitable for the 
 soil. But on the other hand if he be desire- 
 ous of rearing a stock of cattle, he must keep 
 £ in mind the great length of the w inter, and 
 t the difficulty of furnishing provinder for 
 i them in this country compared with that of 
 : the old country. Should his land by being 
 
 i situat 'd on the banks of a riverlet include 
 

 emigrant’s 
 
 a natural meadow, or if a beaver dam formi 
 a part of his farm, as is sometimes the case, 
 this will produce a large stock of natural 
 grass which may be cut and made hay of, 
 which will very much abridge his difficul- 
 ties in this respect. But if his situation 
 does not hold out these advantages he must 
 provide for them otherways, by sowing his 
 cleared land with Timothy grass and clover, 
 to rear hay for winter forage, with the same 
 view he ought to plant Indian corn, carrots, 
 potatoes or such other roots as are adapted 
 for winter food for live stock. A proper 
 attention to these remarks will guide the 
 farmer in his choice of seeds at the com- 
 mencement, and a little experience will reg- 
 ulate him in future. Little attention is re- 
 quired in feeding cattle during the summer 
 season, there being always an abundant sup- 
 ply of wild grass in the woods for their sup- 
 port ; and in turning them out to it, there 
 is no risk of their being lost, as they will al- 
 ways find their way to the houses. 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 53 
 
 Provisions. — The quantity of these a 
 farmer has to carry with him on his first go- 
 ing to the woods of America, for the pur- 
 pose of settling, depends upon the means he 
 has of purchasing them, the distance he re- 
 moves from market, and the number of 
 family he ha* to provide for. He must in 
 every case purchase what will be sufficient 
 to support his family until his own lands, 
 yield him a supply, but it is rarely necessa- 
 ry for him to provide the whole stock for 
 this purpose at one time. If not too far 
 from market he will find it more to his ad- 
 vantage to lay in his provisions in small 
 quantities, even if his means should permit 
 him to do otherwise. By this method he 
 can take advantage of such additional helps 
 as chance may throw in his way. If his 
 situation be favourable for it he may reap ve- 
 
 rv considerable advantage from fishing, or 
 •* 
 
 if game be plentiful, he will find it very use- 
 ful for supplying his table at certain seasons 
 of the year. Besides this, if he should lay 
 
 in his whole stock of provisions at once, he 
 E2 
 
emigrant’s 
 
 51 - 
 
 will have to live a great part of the time on : 
 salt food, whereas during the winter he may ' 
 have fresh meet which will keep for a long 
 time in a frozen state, and can be carried 
 easier and in general purchased cheaper at 
 that season than during the summer months. 
 The following are a few of what may be 
 termed the staple articles of provisions he 
 will have to procure. Flour, Salt Pork or 
 Beef, dried Codfish, Peas, Beans and Ear- 
 ley, if he wishes it. A few Groceries if he 
 chooses and providing he can afford it a 
 small quantity of Spirits. Should lie be a- 
 ble to attain any thing in the shape of lux- 
 uries, smoaked or cured hams, dried tongues, 
 pickled salmon, &c. will preserve well in the 
 woods, but they are generally high priced 
 and objectionable on that account. Cheese, 
 butter, or as a substitute for cooking, salted 
 hogs lard will be found to answer very well. 
 His supply of vegitables must necessarily be 
 limited to a small quantity, as they will not 
 keep fresh, and are besides difficult to car- 
 ry a long distance. A few potatoes may be 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 55 
 
 taken, and they will furnish a very great 
 delicacy to those who have been in the hab- 
 it of living much on them, but in general 
 the quantity must be restricted to what will 
 be required for planting, and the settler 
 will have to wait until his own lands pro- 
 duce them, before he can indulge in the use 
 of them as an article of diet. These com- 
 prise all that it is necessary for the settler 
 to take along with him as provisions at first. 
 Should the state of his funds admit of his 
 indulging in other articles as in luxuries he 
 will be regulated in his choice of them by 
 his particular taste. 
 
 Furniture, Clothing , Household, Uten- 
 sils Sgc . — The selection of these and all the 
 other necessaries for his family will depend 
 on the style in which he intends to live. 
 Some of the objections against transporting 
 furniture from a distance have already been 
 mentioned and many others could be addu- 
 ced to show the imprudence of doing so, 
 even for those possessed of means and who 
 can afford it : and in all cases where there 
 
5<i' emigrant’s 
 
 is a necessity for husbanding their finances 
 it is highly blameable. For people in this 
 situation it is not necessary. Settled in the 
 woods with an abundant supply of timber 
 at his hand and furnished with the tools be- 
 fore enumerated, the emigrant with a very 
 moderate share of ingenuity can always fab- 
 ricate for himself the few pieces of rude 
 furniture he requires in the first outset, 
 « necessity is the mother of invention,” 
 and never was this adage more clearly ex- 
 emplified, than in the exertions and contri- 
 vances employed by some Emigrants in this 
 situation. A piece of Bass or any oth- 
 er soft wood, cut of the wished for 
 length and split in two pieces, one of which 
 supported on four legs with the flat side 
 uppermost and smoothed with his axe, will 
 answer all th e purposes of a table. In the 
 same manner he may construct benches or 
 stools which will serve for seats, until such 
 time as he can construct a bed-stead, the 
 floor of his house formed in the manner- 
 to be hereafter described, will do to spread 
 
assistant. 
 
 57 
 
 hit mattrass to sleep upon, and if he choos- 
 es by spreading some fresh gathered boughs 
 from the hemlock tree under it, he may 
 form a rude couch ou which, when prepar- 
 ed for it by healthful exercise, he will en- 
 joy asleep, all the means of the rich cannot 
 purchase. 
 
 Clotiiikg. — The great difference of tem- 
 perature between the W inter and Summer 
 season in Canada, requires a corresponding 
 change in the article of dress. On this 
 subject a very eroneous opinion prevails in 
 Britain, which partly accounts for the un- 
 suitable selection of clothing which Emi- 
 grants commonly bring to this country a- 
 long with them. Hearing of our severe 
 frosts and the intense cold of our winters, 
 they imagine, the only qualification requi- 
 site for clothing in Canada, is to have it ca- 
 pable of resisting the cold. I hey never 
 consider that during part of the year, in 
 this country the heat is far more oppressive 
 than the cold, and that the clothes adapted 
 to defend the body against the latter can- 
 
58 
 
 eixigrant’s 
 
 not be worn, while undergoing the necessa- 
 ry exertion of labour during the hot weatb- 
 erin summer. To provide effectually a. 
 gainst these changes, and to secure his 
 comfort while employed at his work during 
 the heat, as well as to guard against the cold 
 in winter ; the settler ought to be furnish- 
 ed with two descriptions of wearing appar- 
 el. In summer the lightest stuffs such as 
 canvas, duck or fustian will be the most 
 suitable clothes ; and in winter the strong 
 woolen stuffs will be necessary. Check 
 shirts, either of cotton or linen, such as us- 
 ed by some of the labouring classes in the 
 old country will be found best adapted for 
 the former season and flannel shirts with 
 drawers of the same for the latter. Strength 
 and durability are the chief qualities to 
 be kept in view in selecting these, and as 
 fineness of texture is not necessary, they 
 need not be high priced. The article of 
 shoes being one of the most expensive ar- 
 ticles a new settler lias to provide for his 
 family, some further directions relative to 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 50 
 
 them may be requisite. One description of 
 these made from the the leather tanned, but 
 in an undressed state, termed Beef Shoes 
 are very commonly used by Canadians, and 
 are found very well adapted for the coun- 
 try. They are shaped so as to come high 
 up and fasten round the ancle, are soft 
 and pliant for the foot ; and while their 
 lightness renders them a comfortable wear 
 for summer, by wearing strong worsted 
 socks under them, they can resist the cold 
 very effectually in winter. These from 
 their cheapness and other properties will be 
 found to be the best description of shoes 
 the settler can use. As a covering for the 
 head, the fur cap is much used in win- 
 ter and among some of the lower orders of 
 the Canadians its place is supplied by a 
 species of worsted cap, netted in the same 
 way as a stocking and termed a teulce. 
 This last they also wear in summer. Nei- 
 ther of them is absolutely necessary as a 
 defence against cold in winter ; many peo- 
 ple who have resided for several years in 
 
GO 
 
 EMIGRANT*! 
 
 the country have never used any thing, but 
 the common hat, and if due care be taken 
 to guard the tips of the ears and nose fiom 
 being frost bitten in travelling it will answer 
 perfectly well. For summer, the best cov- 
 ering for the head is straw chip or willow, 
 hats ; a coarse description of the former is 
 manufactured in the country and sold very 
 reasonable. 
 
 House-hold Utensils . — It is hardly ne- 
 cessary to enter on an enumeration of' these 
 articles which come under the denomina- 
 tion of house-hold utensils, I hey are 
 known to every person who has been in the 
 habit of keeping a house. A tinder-box to 
 kindle his fire with, kettles and pots for 
 cooking his victuals, and a few dishes of 
 such quality and materials as the purchaser 
 pleases, almost comprise the whole cata- 
 logue. In selecting these for a new settler 
 in the woods, the only point to be attended 
 to, is to make as few serve as possible. The 
 first of these he will be under the necessity 
 of purchasing, but with a little ingenuity 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 Cl. 
 
 he may fall on many plans in inventing sub- 
 stitutes for the best. 
 
 The first and chief point every settler 
 lias to attend to in providing his necessa- 
 ries, is a strict adherence to economy : This 
 principle ought to prevail in all his opera- 
 tions, and should never for a moment be 
 lost sight of. He should keep in mind that 
 every shilling, he can save wili shorten the 
 duration of his labour and difficulties, and 
 in the same proportion accelerate his pro- 
 gress to independence. While this consid- 
 eration will operate in preventing his ex- 
 pending money on any article not absolute- 
 ly necessary, it will likewise make him care- 
 ful to purchase his supplies at the best mar- 
 ket and on the most reasonable terms. On 
 entering the woods of America, few of the 
 settlers are actually in a situation to indulge 
 in the luxuries, and a foolish expenditure 
 for the sake of keeping up an empty show 
 in such situations would be preposterous. 
 The settler in these cases if placed among 
 neighbours will generally find them men. 
 
62 
 
 EiVl lCHAN l ’s 
 
 who have gone through the same difficul- 
 ties, he has to struggle against. These 
 will feel for the situation of a new comer, 
 and rightly appreciate his motives for being 
 as economical as he can. They will ne 
 ver respect him the less for doing so, but 
 rather consider his conduct as a sure proof 
 of his prudence, and an ernest of his pros- 
 perity. Among men of this stamp, the 
 settler will find himself exempted from ma- 
 ny inducements to unnecessary extrava- 
 gance to which he would be exposed in oth- 
 er situations, and among persons of a differ- 
 ent character. He may here live as he 
 pleases, and use every just means of econo- 
 mizing without being subjected to the sneers 
 or contempt of the foolishly vain, and al- 
 though his former rank of life would not ad- 
 mit of his doing it in other places, he may 
 here with his own hands assist in any hon- 
 est undertaking without its being consider- 
 ed as derogatory to his station. 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 G3 
 
 The first things a Settler has to attend to, on 
 reaching his Lands, before commencing 
 to clear them. 
 
 Having brought the Emigrant into the 
 woods to the place he has fixed upon as his 
 residence, and prepared with the necessarj 
 articles for his future undertaking, the next 
 subjects for his attention are the previous 
 steps before he commences to clear his 
 lands. 
 
 The first thing he has to do is to build 
 a house for the shelter of himself and fami- 
 ly. To those who have been accustomed 
 to witness the tardy process of building 
 houses in the mother country, this will ap- 
 pear a formidable undertaking, but to the 
 expert woodman, or to the settler who a- 
 dopts the proper plan, it is neither difficult 
 nor tedious to build such a house as he re- 
 quires at first. Having first fixed upon a 
 pla‘ce proper for erecting his house on, (ta- 
 king care that it be in the vicinity ot some 
 stream or spring from whence he can be 
 supplied with water ; and also that it be as 
 
emigrant's 
 
 ti-i 
 
 contiguous as possible to the place where he 
 intends to begin to clear,) he commences 
 by cutting down and clearing away the trees 
 on the spot for its foundation. The de- 
 scription of house a settler first erects is 
 termed a Shantie which is the most proper 
 for his situation on various accounts. It is 
 built at a little expence of time or labour, 
 being of little real value, the loss he sustains 
 is not great if it should happen to be de- 
 stroyed by the fire, when he is clearing and 
 burning the trees around it ; and lastly it 
 would be imprudent to build an expensive 
 house at first, because he may find many 
 situations for a house preferable to the one 
 he first pitches upon, as he proceeds in 
 clearing his lands. A Shantie is built bv 
 cutting down the trees and laying them a- 
 bove each other horizontally so as to form 
 the firm walls, which are kept together, by 
 the ends of the trees being notched into 
 each other and fixed at the corners. The 
 roof is formed of rafters in the same way as 
 in other buildings, and covered with Irollovv- 
 
' 
 
 ASSISTANT. C5 
 
 ed Bass or Hemlock trees in the following 
 manner. Small trees of from four to 
 six inches in diamiter are split in two each, 
 and then hollowed out in the form of a 
 sewer. These are arranged alternately with 
 the bark and the hollowed sides uppermost, 
 and laid so as to overlap each other, some- 
 what similar to tiles. In this way they are 
 secured by pins, and form a covering com- 
 pletely impervious to rain. The opening 
 for the doors and windows are afterwards 
 made by cutting out a part of the trees 
 which form the wall, and securing their 
 ends by fastening them to the door posts 
 and window jambs. The interstices in the 
 walls, in those places where the trees form 
 their inequalities do not join close together, 
 are then filled up with pieces of wood, and 
 the whole joints and lesser openings be- 
 tween the trees covered with wet morter so 
 as to render them quite tight. The place 
 for the fire is constructed by building part 
 of the wall of stone and morter. It may ei- 
 ther be carried up to the whole height of 
 
(16 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 u 
 
 the house in the form of a chimney vent, or 
 an opening may be left in the roof immedi- 
 ately above the fire, to allow the smoke to 
 escape similar to the plan in many of the 
 peasants cabins or kitchens, in the old coun- 
 try. If it be constructed in the form of a 
 chimney, the fire-place ought to be made 
 very wide, so as to turn out the heat as 
 much as possible and give sufficient room 
 for the whole family to sit round the fire. 
 By having it of large dimensions, there will 
 also be a saving of labour as the fire-wood 
 will not require to be cut so small as if the 
 chimney was confined. The floor is form- 
 ed of trees split in two and pinned dow n on 
 the joints, with their flat sides uppermost, 
 being first made to join close by having 
 their edges streightened. The making 
 of his doors and window frames may re- 
 quire a greater portion of mechanical know!- 
 edge than the settler is himself possessed 
 of, but there are few parts of the country 
 where he cannot find carpenters to do this 
 for him. The locks and hinges for Iris 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 07 
 
 doors, &c. and also the glass for his windows 
 the settler will have to purchase with his 
 other necessaries at the nearest market 
 where they are to be found, and carry along 
 with him. 
 
 In the above description the settler is 
 supposed to be in one of the most remote 
 and uncultivated parts of the country. It is 
 obvious, if he were in the vicinity of a saw- 
 mill where he could procure boards and 
 plank at a cheap rate, his labour in building 
 might be abridged, and he would be ena- 
 bled to erect his house in a more elegant 
 manner. But where he has neither the 
 means nor apportunity of doing otherwise, 
 a house may be erected in the above way, 
 which will answer all the purposes of affor- 
 ding a shelter to himself and family until 
 lie be enabled to build a better. 
 
 Simple as this process of erecting his 
 first house may appear, it is obvious the 
 settler cannot accomplish the more weighty 
 part of it alone. He is however, never at 
 loss lor assistance. If settled near friends 
 
68 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 and relatives, as is frequently the case, they 
 will give him their help and directions in 
 this as well as in other parts of his opera- 
 tions ; and there is no part in Canada where 
 his neighbours will be so unfriendly, as not 
 to lend assistance in building a house for 
 his family to live in. Seven or eight strong 
 active men who are accustomed to this hind 
 of wort will build a house, sufficiently large 
 for an ordinary family, by the above plan 
 in the course of one day ; and three or four 
 of them will perform the heaviest part of 
 the work in that time, and put it in such a 
 trim that the settler can complete it himself. 
 The farmers in this country particularly 
 those of Upper Canada, are very friendly 
 in assisting each other in the performance of 
 any piece of work. This is examplified in 
 what is termed a JBee, which is often resort- 
 ed to by those who w'ish to get a particu- 
 lar piece of vrork done in a short space of 
 time, and who can afford to do it in this 
 manner. It is as follows : Suppose A. has 
 % certain number of acres of land to get 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 C9 
 
 cleared, a house or barn to build, or any 
 other job to accomplish which he wishes tu 
 get done in a less time than it could be per- 
 formed in, by the exertions of his own fam- 
 ily and servants, alone. He notifies his 
 neighbours that on a certain day he wishes 
 to have a Bee , specifying the purpose for 
 which he calls it. On the day appointed, 
 those who have been informed of it assem- 
 ble with the necessary implements, divide 
 themselves into different parties and peiform. 
 the work required. On these occasions, 
 there is frequently a great emulation exci- 
 ted among the different parties so that by 
 their united exertions they will accomplish 
 far more of the work than a similar number 
 of hired people would do in the same space 
 of time. The person who calls the Bee, 
 has to provide them with victuals and a 
 small portion of spirits (say a pint eachj 
 but no other recompence is expected. It 
 being always understood that he will be 
 ready to return the favour in the same man- 
 ner by going or sendin g to assist when any 
 
70 emigrant’s 
 
 of his neighbours requires a Bee for a sitn- 
 ular purpose. 
 
 The Manufacturing of Maple Sugar. 
 
 The manufacturing of Sugar from the 
 Maple tree being an operation the British 
 ^.migrant has no opportunity of becoming 
 acquainted with before he comes to Cana* 
 da, a brief description of the process m^y 
 be of service to him. Sugar he will find a 
 very useful article for many purposes in his 
 family, and as the making of it in the man. 
 ner here practised, is attended with little 
 expence. and does not interfere with more 
 important work, (it being done at a season 
 when the former can do nothing else) the 
 settler who has the advantage of Maple 
 trees on his land, ought never to wait a 
 year without making some of it. 
 
 The Sugar season commences early in 
 the spring as soon as the sun has attained a 
 sufficient power to make the sap circulate, 
 andcontinu es for two or three weeks accor- 
 ding to the state of the weather, until such 
 time as the buds make their appearance. 
 
emigrant’s 
 
 ?1 
 
 The most favourable weather for it is when 
 the days are clear and serene with the sun 
 strong, and after frosts during the night, 
 such as frequently occur during the end of 
 March and beginning of April. The im- 
 plements necessary for making sugar con- 
 sist of a kettle or pot to boil the sap in, a 
 few tubs or casks to collect it, and a parcel 
 of troughs made of hollowed pieces of wood, 
 to receive it in, as it distils from the trees, 
 together with an axe, a gouge or augur. 
 Provided with these, the sugar maker pro- 
 ceeds to the woods, and commences very 
 early in the morning by what is called Tap- 
 ping the trees. This ought to be done be- 
 fore sun rise, and is performed in the fol- 
 lowing manner. On the south side of each 
 tree about 16 inches from the ground ' e 
 cuts a diagonal notch quite through the 
 bark, forming an angle of about 45 degrees 
 with the horizon : At the lower end of the 
 notch a hole is made with the gouge or au- 
 gur, and a small piece of wood of 8 or 9 
 inches long in the form of a scope, termed 
 
72 
 
 ASSISTANT. 
 
 a spyle, is drove into it, which acts as a 
 sewer or conductor, and by which the sap 
 runs into the trough placed below r to receive 
 it. Some people who are very careful to 
 preserve their trees, do not notch them but 
 merely perforate the bark with the augur 
 and drive a spyle into the opening. In ei- 
 ther of these ways the sugar-man proceeds 
 to tap as many trees as he can attend to. 
 When the sun begins to shine strong on the 
 trees, the sap commences flowing into the 
 troughs, from which it is emptied into tubs 
 or casks prepared to collect it in. It is then 
 put into the kettle, and boiled down untii 
 it assumes the consistence of surup or mo- 
 lasses. In this state some eggs or milk are 
 added to it for the purpose of clarifying 
 it, and as the boiling continues, the impu- 
 rities rise to the top and are skimed off. 
 Some who are very careful to have their 
 sugar as clean as possible, pass it through 
 a strainer in this state, so as to free it from 
 any heavy substances which would not rise 
 to the top in boiling ; but if proper atten- 
 
75 
 
 
 ASSISTANT. 
 
 tion be paid to keep the sap clean in Codec* 
 ting it, this is not necessary. It is next put 
 over a slow, dear fire, and the boiling contin- 
 ued (taking care to stir it constantly to pre- 
 vent its burning) until it be quite dry, or 
 until it attains such a consistancy as to be- 
 come solid when cold, in which state it is 
 poured out into moulds or formed into cakes 
 and put up for use. 
 
 This process to a person acquainted 
 with it is easily performed. One man will 
 attend to one hundred trees, boil the sap 
 and do every thing required in making the 
 sugar. Good old trees of a proper size 
 (and not under nine inches diamiter are fit 
 for the purpose) and when in a favourable 
 exposure where the sun strikes strong upon 
 them will yield about three pounds of su- 
 gar each, in one season. And trees in the 
 woods, about half that quantity. 
 
 The sugar attained in this way is not so 
 strong as that which is made from the cane, 
 but when of a good quality aud carefully pre- 
 pared it answers every purpose to which su- 
 gar is applied. It possesses more of a bal- 
 
74 . 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 samic property than other sugar and when 
 mixed with water forms a pleasant cool and 
 wholesome beverage for drink. It is also 
 used for sweetning those numerous infu- 
 sions of different kinds of herbs which they 
 use as substitutes for tea, and of which 
 there is a great variety in the forests of 
 America. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The expence of some Farming operations m 
 Canada and remarks on the mode of Ag- 
 riculture, Qc. $c. 
 
 Notwithstanding the apparently high- 
 er price of labour there are some of the op- 
 erations of the farmer in Canada which can 
 by good management, be performed cheaper 
 than inthe old country. This is more partic- 
 ularly examplifiedin new settlements and in 
 dearing new lands j and arises from various 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 75 
 
 causes. It has been already stated that In 
 many places the wages of labourers are paid 
 partly or altogether in the productions of 
 the soil, or in necessaries brought from a 
 distance by the settler. In these cases al- 
 though the nominal rate of wages appears 
 high they are not really so, as the employ- 
 er who pays in these articles takes care to 
 charge them at an equally high rate, hence 
 his profits upon them are proportionally 
 great, and it is in fact the consumer who 
 gives his labour for them who pays the high 
 price. In this way settlers in tlie woods 
 have been known to charge two and three 
 
 hundred per cent upon the articles they 
 thus furnished their work people, above the 
 price they have actually cost themselves in- 
 cluding the expence of carriage. 
 
 New lands when cleared of wood re- 
 quire far less labour to prepare them for a 
 crop than if under a different condition. 
 The friability and great fertility of the soil 
 renders the plough or any substitute for it 
 unnecessary, for the first crop of lands in 
 
76 
 
 imigrant's 
 
 this state. And were it otherwise the 
 plough could not be used from the intrrup. 
 tions which arise from the stumps and roots 
 being left in the ground. Hence the ex- 
 pence of plowing may be saved in these 
 places. When the new settler has cut down 
 and burnt his trees, he has only to throw in 
 the seed and cover it with a bush harrow, 
 and seldom misses a good crop the first 
 year. The stumps and roots which are left 
 in the ground after the customary methods 
 of clearing, require a longer or shorter pe- 
 riod to decay, according to the situation of 
 the land and the species of timber. In gen- 
 eral if left to the effort of time alone they 
 will require from 10 to 13 years, and some- 
 times more ; but as there are some of them 
 disappearing every year the interruptions 
 from them and the difficulty of using the 
 plough becomes annually less. Ground 
 which has been for ages covered with thick 
 woods, has its surface composed of a statum 
 of rich mould, formed from the annual decay 
 ®f the leaves and othar vegetable substan- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 77 
 
 ces ; and as the waste of this mould is sup- 
 plied by the daily decaying of the roots and 
 stumps after it is partially cleared ; it is in 
 most cases sufficiently rich for the first crops 
 without any manure. From this cause the 
 farmer is not subjected to the expence of 
 collecting or carrying manure to his fields, 
 for several years in Canada, and this is well 
 known to the good agriculturalist to be one 
 of the most necessary and expensive parts 
 of husbandry. If settled in a new part of 
 the country, the farmer in Canada, has an 
 abundant supply of timber suitable to any 
 purpose he may want it for, without paying 
 a high price for it or an expensive carriage. 
 In this respect lie has decided advantages 
 over the old country farmer, who has to 
 pay an extravagant price for every price of 
 wood he may require, and often to carry it 
 a long distance. This gives the farmer in 
 Canada a great advantage, as he has not 
 only timber at his hand, for making what 
 utensils he needs, but also a sufficient quan- 
 tity for fencing his fields. In many places 
 G2 
 
78 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 where other materials for building fences 
 are to be had on the spot, a preference lias 
 been given to rail fences or pailing, on ma- 
 ny accounts. They are more expeditiously 
 erected, and where wood is cheap as it is 
 in this country they are far less expensive y 
 besides should the future plans of the fir- 
 mer require their^being removed, it can be 
 done at little expence and without injuring 
 them so as to prevent the same fence being 
 put up again in another place. It is true 
 for the sake of embelishment, and as an im- 
 provement to the appearance of the farm, 
 fences of quick set hedges are preferable, 
 but these are not found to answer in Cana- 
 ‘'da, being liable to be destroyed by field 
 mice, and objectionable, as they afford a 
 harbour for vermine which destroy the 
 crops. But the settler in the vicinity of 
 woods in Canada is not subjected to any 
 cutty on this head ; having plenty of 
 timber at his hand lie can at a comparative- 
 ly little expence enclose his iields securely 
 from the devastation of his neighbour’s cattle 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 79 
 
 or Ins own, and can besides with little trou- 
 ble keep his fences in repair. An expedi- 
 tious method of inclosing uncleared wood 
 lands is by what is termed s slash fence, for- 
 med in the following manner. The wood’s 
 man commencing on a tree at the point 
 from whence he wishes his fence to run, 
 cuts it nearly through on the side most re- 
 mote from the direction in which the fence 
 is to run. He then proceeds to the next 
 tree in the line of the fence and in a simi- 
 lar manner cuts it nearly through on the 
 same side. In this way he goes on cutting 
 partly through all the trees which stood in 
 the line of the fence for perhaps one or two 
 hundred yards. The last tree he comes to, 
 he cuts it down, taking care that it falls in 
 the direction of tha fence and against the- 
 other trees which he has partly cut; Jn its 
 decent it carries all those which have been 
 eut along with it, each tree bringing down 
 the one adjoining to it in a direct line. By 
 this means a ratnpart of these felled trees is 
 formed, and when its lateral brandies are 
 
so 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 loped off it forms a very effectual banner 
 against the incursions of cattle, and will 
 last for several years with little repair. 
 Another saving on a Canada farm is the 
 expence of. fallowing, that being a meth- 
 od of cleaning land seidom practised in 
 this country. A regular rotation of crops 
 is a thing seldom attended to in any 
 new country, and many circumstances 
 combine to prevent its being followed 
 here. There is however a similarity in 
 their method of cropping their lands at- 
 first to which almost all new settlers con- 
 form, being obliged to do so, partly from 
 the deficiency of funds, partly from the 
 difficulty of obtaining labourers in those 
 situations ; and in some cases from the 
 want of energy in the farmers themselves. 
 It is as follows : After the land is cleared, 
 it is sown with some sort of grain ; and the 
 subsequent year it is sown down with grass 
 either for hay or for pasturing. After ly- 
 ing in that state for the proper length of 
 time (say two or three yearsj it is then 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 81 
 
 broken up and a green crop or one of In- 
 dian corn sown in it so that it may be clear- 
 ed of weeds by the howing — summer fal- 
 lowing never being used for that purpose. 
 Grain and green crops are then used alter- 
 nately until it be necessary to lay it down 
 to rest in grass again. In some cases 
 where the soil is very rich and strong, two 
 or three grain crops may be taken after 
 clearing before it be sown down into grass, 
 blit care shoi-.ld be taken not to pu^ this 
 too far as the land at this time if empove.'jsh- 
 ed is found to be longer of recovering than 
 when it is in any other state. Two grain 
 crops is all that can be prudently ventured 
 upon in very good land, and they ought in 
 no case to exceed three. The foregoing 
 method of cropping new cleared lands is 
 that used by the more intelligent farmers 
 in this country, others of them are foolish 
 enough after clearing land to go on crop- 
 ping it with grain, so long as it will bear 
 any, and then trust to nature to cover it 
 with a coat of grass — without being sown. 
 
82 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 The above plans being (hose •which have 
 hitherto prevailed, a sufficient number of 
 trials of any other have not been made to 
 ascertain if there be any superior method. 
 The judicious agiiculturalist who has been 
 acquainted with the most approved sys- 
 tems of farming in the old country, will no 
 doubt see many things in these methods ad- 
 mitting of improvement, and many new 
 plans which might be adopted with advan- 
 tage, and it is to be hoped if the influx of in- 
 telligent farmers which we have seen of late 
 years continues a little longer, they will in- 
 troduce their superior schemes in husban- 
 dry along with them. It cannot be denied 
 that the method of running out the land by 
 a succession of grain crops after clearing is 
 highly reprehensible; as it not only dimin- 
 ishes the returns which might be expected 
 from (tie land, but also impoverishes the soil 
 so tiiat it cannot recover for many years af- 
 ter. The method of sowing in the grass seeds 
 along with the green crop, as practised in 
 old country, I believe has not yet com* 
 
assistant. 
 
 S3 
 
 into general use here. If the grasses were 
 of such a nature as to stand the winter there 
 is no doubt this plan would be beneficial 
 to the farmer, as the grasses when thus 
 mixed with the straw both increases the 
 quantity of it as winter forage, and after 
 his grain crops is collected the stubble 
 with the grass amongst it forms excellent 
 autumn pasturage. And besides these ma- 
 ny other improvements could be introduced 
 m the present system of Canadian Agricul- 
 ture. 
 
 The following extract of a letter rela- 
 tive to this pas t of the subject, from a gen- 
 tleman of undoubted varacity who has long- 
 resided in the District of Niagara, is so 
 pertinent to the point in question that 
 withholding it w-ould be an act of injustice 
 to the reader. 
 
 “ In a new or woody country, the Ameri- 
 "cans, or the sons of old countrymen born 
 “here or in the United States, have great 
 “ advantages over an Emigrant. Necessity is 
 “the mother of invention, and these can ac- 
 comodate themselves to circumstances and 
 
84 . 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 “ undergo great privations. An American 
 ‘‘ expects no favour or patronage.' With his 
 “ wife, a cow a crow-bill, an axe 4ft d a little 
 “ provisions, he begins in the woods and does 
 “ not grumble for the want of society. If 
 “ he lias agreed for the purchase cf his 
 “ land,” (with a certain time to pay it) “ af- 
 “ ttr a year or two he sells his improve- 
 “ rnents, begins again with augmented stock 
 “ and the new occupant stands in his stead 
 “ with the owner of the land. If the Em- 
 “ igrant has two or three hundred dollars 
 “ this is by far the most eligible mode of 
 “ proceeding, as he will purchase the im- 
 provement for one half less than it would 
 “ have cost him to make the same, and in 
 “ such cases he generally gets into the 
 “neighbourhood of a grist or saw mill and 
 “ school house, See. and if industrious, he is 
 “soon in independant circumstances. Slow 
 “ persevereance and steadines under moral 
 “as well as religious impressions are more 
 “characteristic of the old country men, 
 "than of the natives of America, and there 
 “ .-re numerous instances of them in this part 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 “ of the country (Niagara) who now live 
 “ compai itively ,in a state of ease andafflu- 
 “ ence, who entered the woods with little 
 * more than an axe. An Emigrant should 
 “ depend upon his own exertions, ami ex 
 “pect nothing from government, but pro- 
 « tection under an excellent constitution. 
 
 '• He should have no retrospect in recurring 
 “ with regret to the recollections of the so- 
 “ ciety he may have left, as in calm silence 
 ‘ r of the woods where neighbours are few 
 “ at first this often engenders dispondent 
 “feelings. A cheerful submission to cir- 
 “ cumstances is also one of the best preser- 
 “ vatives of health, the first of ail sublunary 
 “blessings, and although the Canadas are 
 “ remarkably healthy in general, yet all new 
 “ countries, from their being new are io- 
 “ cident to occasional fever and ague and 
 they are not entirely exempted from those. 
 “ When the richest land is cleared, and ex- 
 “ posed to the influence of the sun, fermen- 
 11 tation takes place, and the noxious vapours 
 
 “ which are exljaled are apt to generate 
 
 H 
 
$8 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 “ these complaints. Highlands aid ran- 
 “nine water are therefore the most salubrj- 
 “ ons, and where they can be found with 
 “ other advantages combined are to be pre- 
 “ ferred. At the same time when a suffi- 
 “ cient quantity of timber for fuel fences, 
 “ &c. is to be had, plane lands* will be 
 “ found to give the most immediate return to 
 “the farmer, wherever there is stagnant wa- 
 “ ter on the surface of the ground, or when 
 “ it is of a marshy nature, musquetoes will be 
 “ found, an insect exceedingly troublesome 
 “ to new settlers and their families, although 
 “ never thought of by an American. The 
 “ best situation for avoiding these is where. 
 “ there is a free circulation of air, hence. 
 “ prudence will dictate attention to this 
 “ point in the choice of a situation to set- 
 
 * It deserve^ to be mentioned tiiat what is here meant 
 by plane lands, are such as have been originally well wooded, 
 but from having been dry in their nature, and from being 
 frequently fired by the Indians near them, are now either en- 
 tirely destitute of timber, or only covered with that of a lew 
 ▼ears growth. It is obvious the labour of clearing and brea- 
 din" up of such lands is attended with less trouble, and tar 
 raore accordant with the habits of the European Emigrant, 
 than where the la»d heavy timbered. 
 
ASSISTANT'. 
 
 87 
 
 “WHEN a new settler is attacked with 
 
 “fever and ague; if he can procure it, he 
 « 0U ght to have recourse to professional ad- 
 “vice as rarely as possible ; but should that 
 “ not be within his reach, he ought to bc- 
 “ ware of taking any prescription of a vio- 
 lent nature, or any nostrum prepared by 
 “ignorance. Bile in the stomach and bow- 
 “els is generally the cause, and when that 
 “is removed by an emetic or some purga- 
 tive medicine, and the fever subsides, a 
 « lea-spoonfuls of bark taken <la>ly in 
 ‘ a glass of good port wine, if he can pro- 
 “ cure it, will be sufficient to remove every 
 “other symptom. Violent exercise at the 
 “commencement of the attack, parti Cii- 
 “ larly if the weather be hot ought to be 
 “avoided as it has a tendency to encrease 
 " the fever.” 
 
 “ An Emigrants coming to this Cour. . 
 “try, “ Quebec, the port of arrival is so dis . 
 “tant from the ultimate locations in Up- 
 “per Canada, that their little all, is often 
 “•expended before “ they reach their ulti- 
 
$8 ASS 1S*TAKT. 
 
 " mate destination “ or can say they have a 
 « home or covering to shelter them from 
 “ the climate. Hope recedes and despot). 
 “ dency makes her appearance ; and the 
 exercise of benevolence and charity is 
 “ left to compassionate individuals or phi. 
 “lanthropic associations. The habits, of 
 “ old country men and the institutions there 
 “ accostom them to different grades in so- 
 “ ciety, and here they look in vain for a lea- 
 “ der or dignified and disinterested princi- 
 “ pies, where adverse local policy and a 
 “ want of knowledge of sound political e- 
 “ conomy has hitherto been in opposition to 
 “ such a state. Colonel Talbot’s case tnay 
 “ pei haps be the only exception to this ob. 
 *' serration. This gentleman of rank and 
 “family in the old country has for the last 
 “ seventeen years made great sacrifices ; 
 “ and by his superintendance, advice and 
 “ humane conduct, has ministered in a 
 ” high degree to the ease, comfort and hap- 
 “ piness of a numerous population settled 
 “ on lands committed to his arrangement 
 
BMISRANT** 
 
 *$ 
 
 and disposition. And all this has been 
 “ done without any other view than the 
 41 prospect of advantage that is common 
 « to all, the calculation of benefit to him- 
 “ self being extremely dependent on the 
 “ contingent growth and prosperity of hi# 
 “ settlement. 
 
 * “ Population is the strength and wealth 
 “of "a country, and under a proper system, 
 “ the fine lands in Upper Canada, yet un- 
 “ conceded are capable of giving a comfor- 
 “ table living to more than 50,000 fami- 
 “ lies.” 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 MONTREAL. 
 
 This beautiful Inland which gives it* 
 name to one of the large districts into 
 which the Province of Lower Canada is di- 
 vided, is situated near the confluence of the 
 H 2 
 
( 
 
 yo ASSISTANT. 
 
 rivers Ottawa and St. Lawrence, about 185- 
 miles above Quebec. It is of a triangular 
 figure, extending about S2 miles in length 
 and nearly IS in its widest part. And is 
 bounded on the South and East by the riv- 
 er St. Lawrence, on the North and West, 
 by the Ottawa or Grand River,, and separ- 
 ated from the Isle Jesus which extends 
 along its North side by the river des Enti- 
 res. Besides these aqueous boundaries* 
 it is watered by a number of small streams 
 which rise in the interior, and flow into the 
 larger rivers. These answer the purposes 
 of irrigation ; and some of them are capaple 
 of driving miils at certain seasons of the 
 year, The whole Island is divided into 
 nine parishes, and held under the Seignori- 
 al title by the Seminary of St. Sulpice, a 
 branch of which is still existing in the City of 
 Montreal ; and their superior produces 
 their titles to the Seignory of the Island 
 when doing homage and fealty to represen- 
 tion of his Majesty in 1781. 
 
 Eveb y pfort of this island capable of euh 
 
EM-JGllAXT’ti 
 
 91 
 
 tiviuion lias been long since cleared settled, 
 and brought into that stale. The soil is 
 generally of that description turned yellow 
 or hasel loam, interspersed in many place*- 
 with large tracts of black vegitabie mould 
 lying about beds of shell marie ; and in a 
 few places detached spots of clay, and oc- 
 casionally small beds of sand are found* but 
 these are very rare. An. extensive bed ot 
 lime stone ’runs along the centre of the 
 whole island lengthways dipping into the 
 river at the law er and upper end aud ri- 
 sing into a ridge along the rest of it. Thi« 
 furnishes excellent stone for building, and. 
 answers equally well for lime when burnt. 
 The soiland exposure of this island rendering 
 it particularly well suited fot raising fruit,, 
 it has in many places been converted to that 
 purpose. A number of excellent orchards- 
 are established upon it and the fruit they- 
 produce and also the cider made fvom them 
 is very highly esteemed, It is to its excel- 
 lent soil, and high state of cultivation in 
 which it b, that the. hsiand of Montreal lias 
 
Sfi ASSISTANT. 
 
 been commonly called the garden, of Low- 
 er Canada. 
 
 Tut town of Montreal is situated on 
 the south east side of the island, with the 
 high ground termed the mountain (accor- 
 ding to writers 600 feet in height,) rising 
 •omewhat abruptly in its rear at the dis* 
 tance of nearly half a mile. From the top 
 of this mountain there is an extensive view 
 over the level country which surrounds it 
 with hardly any interruption for nearly GO 
 miles on all sides. This town was origin- 
 ally fortified with a wall ; but it has long 
 since given place to the rage for improve- 
 ment jpid the desire to beautify the town. 
 At present no vestige of the wall is to be 
 seen ; and tlut part ot the city formerly 
 termed the suburbs which stood without 
 tiie wall is now joined to the town and is 
 more than t?ix times its original size. There 
 having been no census taken for several years 
 past the exact population of Montreal is not 
 known at the present time, but from the 
 most authentic date which can be had it 
 
B*n«RANTV 
 
 ft°not perhaps less than £4000 composed 
 of Canadians, strictly so called (being de- 
 seen denis of the old French settlers,) Brit- 
 ish born subjects, natives of the United 
 States, and foreigners from \ arious other 
 places who have come here attracted by 
 the advantages the place holds out for com- 
 mercial enterprize. 
 
 There being no uncleared or unconce- 
 ded lands in this island it is only suitable 
 for such Emigrants as have capital suffi- 
 cient tQ enable them to purchase farms un- 
 der cultivation ; and for persons of this de- 
 scription it will be found a very eligible 
 situation. Possessing as it does an excel- 
 lent market for the sale of their pro- 
 duce, and the best port in the country 
 for the purchase of what necessaries 
 they may want. The price of land here 
 is liable to variation from all those cir- 
 cumstances which produce a change in its 
 value in other places ; such as its situation, 
 the value of the buildings, and its conti- 
 ghlty to Montreal, &c. In general a good 
 
94 
 
 ASSISTANT. 
 
 farm favourably situated with regard t« 
 distance from town, and having the requi-' 
 site number' of buildings upon it, may be’ 
 purchased from nine to six pound* pfcr’aK 
 pent.* 
 
 Some of the richer gentlemen in the- 
 town of Montreal who are engaged in com- 
 mercial or other pursuits which require 
 their close attendance in town, are proprie- 
 ters of farms in the vicinity. Many of 
 these are desirous of having their farms’ 
 cultivated under their own directions and’ 
 do so by hired servants. During the war 
 this plan afforded situations on very advan- 
 tageous terms to numbers of Emigrants who 
 came out in this line, but since that period 
 the wages here as well as in other parts of 
 Canada are much fallen. Among the Emi- 
 grants who come every year to the coun- 
 try, there are numbers of young men who 
 have been regularly bred as farmers, hence 
 
 It is necessary to observe here that the french ament 
 *-hen used as a measure of surface is equal to four fifths oi 
 a, scotch acre — and as a measure of length is 180 feet. 
 
B*UUB ANT’S 
 
 95 
 
 they find no difficulty in getting people 
 willing to engage for the purposes they 
 want them. At the present time a good 
 farm servant perfectly acquainted with ev- 
 ery branch of husbandry can be had for 
 £<& or £2, 10 per month — and a female 
 servant able to take the charge of a Diary 
 for half that sum exclusive of their board 
 and lodging. 
 
 Others of the gentlemen in Montreal 
 who are proprietors of farms on the island ; 
 and who from the want of time or inclina- 
 tion do not wish to superintend their culti- 
 vation themselves, will lease them out to 
 farmers at a stipulated yearly rent. This 
 ■forms an opeuing for a few of the Emi- 
 grants, who may have capital sufficient to 
 stock a farm with, and who are desirous of 
 getting near the town, but have ot the 
 means to purchase one of those cleared 
 farms. In these cases the amount of rent 
 varies from 10 to 15 shillings per arpent. 
 In some instances the proprietor will lease 
 hi* farm on halves, that is to say he will 
 
BJMI6RANT** 
 
 furnish part of the stock, and the farmer 
 provides the rest and gives his labour ; in 
 such cases the rent if paid in money will 
 be proportionally more than if the whole 
 stock belonged to the Tenant — but it is 
 most frequently paid in kind— the own- 
 er of the soil having one half the pro- 
 duce, for the rent of the land and the use 
 of his stock, and the tenant the other half 
 for his labour. 
 
 Tun following table exhibits the price 
 of farming stock, produce and utensils in 
 Montreal as purchased from the shops at 
 the present time : but as there are frequent 
 sales of the latter articles at auction, they 
 can often be had cheaper by those residing 
 on the spot, who have opportunities of 
 waiting for a favourable chance to purchase 
 them. 
 
y 
 
 ASSISTANT. 97 
 
 LITE ITO(K. 
 
 A Hone, from £\o to j£20, 
 
 A pr. of’ oxen 1 2, l os to l 7, 10s. 
 A Cow t, 10to5f 
 
 A Sheep 2- Gil. to 5s. 
 
 A Pig Is. to 25s. 
 
 Turkeys & Geese 3*. to 5$. 
 
 Fowles 1-3 
 
 FARMING rTEKSII.S. 
 
 An Iron Plough £ 9 . 
 
 A wooden do with ) r 
 
 Iron mould board ) 0 * 
 
 A Harrow 4 
 
 A Holler 5 
 
 A Dung Cart 10 
 
 A Hay Cart 8 
 
 A Pleasure Cart 10 
 
 A One More Chair 1 8 
 
 A Cart Harness 3*15 
 
 A set of Plough do. 5 
 bhovels and Spades 5*6 
 
 FARMIN'!} UTE N'SfLS. 
 
 An American axe 
 
 10s 
 
 A Box churn 
 
 40 
 
 Shoeing a horse 
 
 l-3d. 
 
 Small iron work 
 
 9d per fb. 
 
 Milk pails 
 
 4-6d 
 
 Milk pans 
 
 5 
 
 SEEDS. 
 
 
 Wheat per minot* 
 
 4-6 
 
 Pease 
 
 4-2 
 
 Polish oats 
 
 4-2 
 
 Canadian do. 
 
 2-1 
 
 Potatoe do. 
 
 3-6 
 
 Indian Com 
 
 4-2 
 
 Bock Wheat 
 
 .7-4 
 
 Timcthv grass 17-6 to 20s 
 
 Red Clover per lb. 
 
 lod 
 
 Turnip per lb. 
 
 5s. 
 
 Cabbage per lb. 
 
 5. 
 
 Carrots per lb. 
 
 , 12-6 
 
 Mangel Wrutzel 
 
 ! 7- 6 
 
 Potatoes per Minot 
 
 1-8 to 2» 
 
 The following are the prices of work by 
 tiie piece and of labourers, wages as nearly 
 »s can be ascertained, exclusive of board 
 which tiie fanner is always obliged to fur- 
 nish : . 
 
 Mowing 2-6 per arpent. I Reapers from 2-6 to4sa day 
 
 Hay-makers 1-6 to 2s. per diem. | Labourers 2-3 per day. 
 
 Rail fences of six rails high will be put up for 10s. per arpent, 
 OSO feet) when all materials are laid down on the spot. 
 
 * The Minot is equal to 36 quarts Winchester measure, 
 and is the general grain measure used iu Lower Canada. 
 
 1 
 
98 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 TERRBONNE. 
 
 The Seignory of Terrbonne, is one of 
 the handsomest in the Province of Lower 
 Canada, it is situated on the North bank of 
 that portion of the river which runs to the 
 North of the Isle Jesus, in rear of the Isl- 
 and of Montreal. Although this may with 
 justice be considered as only the north 
 branch of the Ottawa or the St. Lawrence 
 river, which surrounds the Island of Mon- 
 treal and the Isle Jesus ; in this place it is 
 termed the river Jesus or river St. Jeau. 
 Terrebonne extends along the k bank of this 
 river about two leagues, and along with the 
 Seignory of Desplaines under the same 
 proprietor which joins it in the rear, is a- 
 bout six leagues in depth. The lands ad- 
 joining the bank of the river are all long 
 since conceded, and a large part of them 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 99 
 
 tinder cultivation ; but there are still unlo- 
 cated lands both in this and in the adjacent 
 Seignoi ies ; perhaps one third of the whole 
 extent remains unconceded. The farms 
 on this Seignory are three arpents in front 
 by forty deep ; and the whole expence in 
 procuring one of them amounts to about 20 
 shillings for surveying, and 7-6 for a noto- 
 rial deed of concession. Every farm be- 
 sides this (which may be termed the first 
 cost) is subject to an annual rent of three 
 bushels of wheat and 10 shillings in money 
 payable to the Seignory j but as the pres- 
 ent proprietor ,vith a correct opinion of their 
 value is desireous of attracting settlers to 
 his lands, he holds out very favourable en- 
 couragement for Emigrants, seldom exact- 
 ing any rent for the first three yeais fiom 
 those who settle on new farms. 
 
 The soil of Terrbonne and the adjacent 
 6eignories is variable in quality but in gen- 
 eral may be considered good, every pait of 
 it being capable of producing the grains pe- 
 culiar to the country, though in some places 
 
100 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 more abundant than in others. Those high- 
 or lands more remote from the river are also 
 ■well irrigated with small streams and adap. 
 ted for grazing, as 'well as for grain crops. 
 When the soil is light and consequently the 
 timber less strong, it can be cleared for £2 
 or c£-2- 10 per acre : and the heaviest timber 
 on strong clay soil, can be cleared so as to 
 render it fit to receive a crop for about £$ 
 per acre. The manufacturing of potash 
 which has been hitherto extensively carried 
 on in this place has been of essential service 
 to those who were engaged in clearing 
 wood lands, as it has always given them a 
 ready sale for ashes, without being reduced 
 to the necessity of carrying them to a dis- 
 tance. The price obtained for these has 
 been to many a great help, instances hav- 
 ing been known of one man receiving as 
 much as two pounds per month for ashes 
 he collected in clearing his lands and burn- 
 ing his timber. 
 
 In this Seignorv, as in many other pla- 
 ces which have been long settled, there are 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 101 
 
 frequent opportunities of getting farms 
 partially cleared to purchase. The prices 
 of these are subject to variation from the 
 nature of the soil, the locality of the land, 
 quantity cleared and the value ot the boil- 
 ings upon them. At the present time the 
 average rate may be considered to be about 
 one pound per acre, for the whole farm, 
 cleared and uncleared ; and as this is a 
 much higher price than land in this place 
 formerly brought it may be deemed a proof 
 of its rising in value. Farms are also to be 
 had to lease sometimes; but as' they are 
 generally let on halves the exact amount 
 cannot be ascertained. The proprietor on 
 furnishing the stock and utensils receives 
 half the produce. 
 
 The vicinity of this place to the city of 
 Montreal and the easy communication with 
 the Litter either by land or water, gives the 
 farmers here all the advantages ot a icady 
 market for the disposal of the growth of 
 their farms, or for the purchase oi what ai- 
 ticles they may want. In addition they 
 
102 
 
 EMIGRANT'S 
 
 can at all times purchase what necessaries 
 they want at nearly the Montreal prices, 
 from some of the numerous shops which 
 are established throughout this part of the 
 country. The price of labour is nearly the 
 same as in other parts of the Lower pro- 
 vince, but as the necessaries of life are here 
 very abundant and low priced it may be 
 expected to fall. A good man servant ac- 
 quainted with the different branches of far- 
 ming will get about £' 21 ' per annum, and a 
 woman servant half that sum, exclusive of 
 their board. An industrious mechanic can 
 earn from 3s. to 3s. 6d. per day, and as 
 there is a greater circulation of money here, 
 than in remote parts of the country, and in 
 new settlements, he will receive his pay in 
 cash, whereas in other cases he might be 
 under the necessity of faking it in necessa- 
 ries at a high price or in the productions of 
 the soil. ; 
 
 The number of small rivulets wi th 
 which this and the adjacent lands are wa- 
 t«red, afford excellent mill seats, and many 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 1 Q'S 
 
 saw-milb and flour- mills have already been 
 erected upon them. This affords a favour- 
 able opportunity, for the new settler supply- 
 ing his family with flour, until his own land 
 begins to produce it ; and gives him also a 
 ready supply of boards and plank for buil- 
 ding at his hand. 
 
 Finally, there is perhaps no place in 
 Lower Canada which holds out greater ad- 
 vantages for a settler than Terrebonne and 
 its vicinity, and the cause of its having 
 hitherto met with so little attention from 
 these people is solely owing to the preva- 
 lence of the desire lor the Upper province. 
 But as the rear cf these seignories are now 
 settling, and as the townships beyond them 
 are laid open for such settlers as prefer the 
 tenure in soccage to that under the seigno- 
 ries; this combined with the exertions 
 which some of the public spirited land hol- 
 ders are making to get settlers to this part, 
 will soon bring it into that notice it so em- 
 inently deserves from the local advantage* 
 it is possessed of. 
 
104 
 
 KWIOKAN'i’s 
 
 CHAPTER V.- 
 
 ST. ANDREWS. 
 
 This flourishing little village is favour- 
 ably situated on the banks of the Norik a 
 River about two miles above its confluence 
 with the Ottawa, in the Seignory of Argen- 
 teuil and district of Montreal, from which 
 
 city it is about 45 miles distant. It con- d| 
 . tains about 400 inhabitants in nearly tio 
 
 houses, among which are several small shops 
 which supply the surrounding country with 
 necessaries of every description at a small 
 advance on the Montreal prices : and at 
 the same time furnish a market for the ag- 
 ricultural produce from the adjacent farms 
 on as fair terms as in any part of Lower 
 Canada. 
 
 For several miles around St. Andrews 
 the lands are held, under the Seignorial 
 tenure and have been long since conceded 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 105 
 
 and partly under cultivation. Their capa- 
 bility for agricultural purposes have been 
 long known. They exhibit every variety 
 of soil, from a light sand to a strong clay, 
 ml although it it has been ascertained that 
 they arc fit for the production of all the va- 
 rious kinds of grain raised in the country, 
 their rich meadows and abundant supply ot 
 water from the numerous springs and rivu- 
 lets, prove their superior aptitude foi the 
 purpose of the grasics or for Diary farms. 
 
 Farms partly cleared with a portion of 
 them under cultivation, may always he had 
 to purchase in tins neighbourhood; and 
 there is perhaps no place in the province 
 where there has been a greater number of 
 mutations of property within the last few 
 -years. T: is circumstance, has had a ten- 
 dency to excite a prejudice against the 
 place among strangers, as tney n.u .tally 
 conceived that the frequent changes of 
 ’ property a.ose from its being of> inferior 
 quality and not suitable to the expectations 
 of those who purchased it. In doing so, 
 
106 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 they have however ascribed it to a wrong 
 motive as will be seen hereafter : and on 
 comparing the prices of landed property at 
 St. Andrews at the present time with what 
 they were a few years ago ; it will be found 
 to be very much risen in value ; and clear- 
 ly proves, that notwithstanding the numer- 
 ous sales, few of them have been made on 
 disadvantageous terms. 
 
 The prices of farms here are liable to 
 fluctuate with all those things which pro- 
 duce an alteration in their value in other 
 places. In general a farm having from 5 
 to 20 acres cleared, and with a small cot- 
 tage erected upon it will cost from £ 5 0 to 
 ^100 according to its distance from the 
 village : and such as are situated close to 
 the village, under a good state of cultiva- 
 tion, and the requisite buildings upon them 
 will cost as high as four or even seven 
 pounds per acre. In either case it is com- 
 mon to make the conditions of payment ve- 
 ry easy for the purchaser; one fifth being 
 ■sually exacted every year. The general 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 107 
 
 ► 
 
 size of each farm in this place is from 90 to 
 100 acres, but as many of them are boun- 
 ded by the river, and have their borders 
 broken by indentations, some of them fall 
 a little short, and others exceed that quan- 
 tity. 
 
 Cultivated farms can be had to lease 
 on moderate terms in this place. In some 
 instances the tenant taking the k farm at a 
 stipulated sum of yearly rent, in the same 
 manner as is done in the old country ; but 
 a more frequent method here is by an ar- 
 rangment between the Landlord and Ten- 
 ant on halves, as has been formerly men- 
 tioned, when the proprietor furnishes the 
 stock, utensils and the seed, or a part of it ; 
 the tenant the labour, and the productions 
 are divided between them. It sometimes 
 happens that the tenant has as much capi- 
 tal as nearly will stock his farm ; and the 
 proprietor on furnishing the rest gets a cer- 
 tain sum of annual rent. By this method 
 a good farm with a small portion of it ua- 
 
 
EMlbRAfrtV 
 
 dor cultivation may be rented at St. An- 
 drews for 20 or 25 pounds per annum. 
 
 The prices of fanning stock and uten- 
 sils differ but little from the prices of those 
 articles in Montreal, (see the price currant 
 ipt that place.) In St. Andrews as well as iu 
 every other place in the Canadas, the value 
 of iabour has undergone a very great change 
 since the conclusion of the war ; but from 
 a variety of concurrent circumstances which 
 here give employment to numbers of work 
 people, it is still rather higher than might 
 be expected from the low juice of the ne- 
 cessaries. of life. At the present time an 
 able bodied servant will get from £2 to 
 £2-10 per month, and female servants in 
 proportion. It is hardly possible to csth 
 mate with correctness the wages a median. 
 ic will earn, pel haps they differ, very little 
 from the rates in Montreal. There are 
 numbers of this description of people set- 
 tled in the viji.tge, and their appearance, 
 and also that of their families indicate that 
 they are in prosperous circumstances. 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 109 
 
 Wood land can be cleared and prepared to 
 receive the first crop for about £Z to ^£2-10 
 per acre, according to the quality and quan- 
 tity of the timber and the situation of the 
 
 land. 
 
 Tiie favourableness of St. Andrews, for 
 the purpose has induced many cnterpiising 
 individuals to erect various descriptions of 
 Mills about the village. Besides several saw 
 and grist-mills, there are fulling mills, a pa- 
 per-mill and a carding machine erected 
 here ; which employ a number of work peo- 
 ple, and while they attract many to the 
 place, tend to keep their wages high. From 
 the saw-mills there is at all times abundance 
 of timber suitable for building 1o be had at 
 a cheap rate. Boards of the best pine can 
 be had for 4os. per thousand feet, and those 
 of hemlock fit for roofing, for C Z5 or 30s. 
 per thousand feet. But it is seldom the 
 settler on new lands has to pay this su n for 
 them ; a far more frequent plan is for the 
 farmer to cut down the timber on Iris own 
 land, and draw it to the saw mill where ha 
 K 
 
110 
 
 emiguastV 
 
 will get it cut up of any dimensions he 
 wishes on giving one half to the owner of 
 the mill for his labour. This is a plan a- 
 dopted in many parts of Canada, and in sit- 
 nations like that in question where there is 
 
 abundance of timber and easy access to the 
 mill, it is by far the most preferable plan a 
 
 settler can adopt, for getting his building 
 wood cheap. 
 
 The first settlers in and around St. An- 
 drews were chiefly composed of people from 
 the United Stales, with a few Canadians: 
 but of late years a consider able number of 
 Scots, English and Irish have been attracted 
 to tins place. The delightful scenery of 
 the surrounding country, its contiguousness 
 and easy acces to Montreal by good roads 
 or by water, and the other local advantages 
 of the place, have lately engaged the at- 
 tention of many Emigrants who catne to 
 the country with small capitals. Amongst 
 these arc several officers, who have retired 
 from the army on half pay, and ha\e pur- 
 chased small farms in this quarter i these 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 m 
 
 form an agreeable soeiefcyi intthis neighbour* 
 hood ■, and in the cultivation of their farms 
 give employment to a number of labourers, 
 cf all .descriptions. The Americans from 
 the United States, who were the first hold- 
 ers of the land as abcvementioned ; taking 
 advantage of the partiality of these new 
 comers to the place, have with their cus- 
 tomary desire to change, brought all their 
 farms into the market ; and hence the num- 
 bers which have been lately offered for sale 
 here is accounted for in this way. Such of 
 the people from the United States who did 
 not at first adopt this plan, have since done 
 sa ; Their national feelings and habits but 
 ill according with those ot British subjects 
 w !io have came there ; and as these last aie 
 now beginning to outstrip them in numbers, 
 they are becoming daily more anxious to 
 get rid of their farms here, and desirous to 
 retire to a society more congenial to their 
 feelings and customs. It is to the preva- 
 lence of this sentiment alone, and not to a* 
 ny inferiority in tho quality oi tl)£ land n» 
 
EMIGRANT** 
 
 *11 
 
 self, that the frequent sales of farms in this 
 place since the conclusion of the war are to 
 be Attributed ; and it is obvious this state 
 of tilings will continue, until the whole of 
 these farms get into the possession of Bri- 
 tish subjects, who instead of wishing to 
 bring them again into market, will reserve 
 them as a patrimony for their dependents. 
 
 From what has been already stated the 
 reader will be convinced that this place 
 holds out very considerable advantages for 
 such emigrants as have capital sufficient to 
 purchase farms partly cleared. In addition 
 to the above, it deserves to be mentioned 
 that there are other circumstances which 
 will lead to encrease the value of landed 
 property in this place ; but which not only 
 operate in this way on land under cultiva- 
 tion ; but will also encrease the desire to 
 obtain waste lands in this quarter. As 
 government have now turned their atten- 
 tion to the removal of the impediments in 
 the navigation of the Ottawa river ; there 
 is no doubt it will soon become the princi- 
 
113 
 
 ^ASSISTANT. 
 
 pal route to the whole of the Upper Pro- 
 vince } and in the event of a war, should 
 the enemy ever get possession of the river 
 St. Lawrence, this forms the only road by 
 which supplies can be carried to those a- 
 bove, or returns brought from thence. In 
 this case St. Andrews from its locality. must 
 become a place of the first importance^ 
 There will then be an opening in it for the 
 trader and speculator in every department j 
 and their exertions, will operate in augmen- 
 ting the value of every description of fixed 
 property by rendering it a place of com- 
 merce with all the advantages arising 
 therefrom. The realization of these expec- 
 tatatioi.s may not be so distant as many 
 people would at present suppose. I ire con- 
 templation ot such a state has already had 
 the effect of drawing many small capitalists 
 thither, who have made purchases in and 
 around St. Andrews, and there is no doubt 
 others will follow their example : Hence if 
 no such favourable and important change 
 should immediately take place, il the ex- 
 
m 
 
 EHISRANT’s 
 
 pcctanry of it be attended with this effect, 
 it will bring into that part of the country a 
 number of valuable settlers, whose exertions 
 cannot fail to meliorate its condition, and 
 en crease its value. There are already in 
 this village Churches and Clergymen of the 
 different religious persuasions. Schools for 
 the education of youth, mechanics of differ- 
 ent kinds as already mentioned and from 
 the plentiful surrounding country, it holds 
 out the means of procuring all die necessa- 
 ries and many of the comforts and conven- 
 iences of life at a very reasonable rate. 
 
 - — ■ « » » »» 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 RICHMOND. 
 
 The Richmond settlement as it is term- 
 ed, is situated between the river Ottowa and 
 the St. Lawrence in the Province of Upper 
 Canada, about 140 miles distant from Mon- 
 treal and 70 miles from Kingston. The 
 
ASSISTANT. 1 Ie * 
 
 direct communication from Montreal to 
 Richmond is by ascending the river St. 
 Lawrence from LaChine until it is joined 
 by the Ottawa and thence up that river to 
 point Nepean, from which place to Rich- 
 mond there is a land carriage ol nearly 15 
 miles. With Kingston this place commu- 
 nicates by a road passing through the Perth 
 settlement, which road is at present in tol- 
 erable good order, but will be soon materi- 
 ally improved as it will form part of the line 
 for transport from the Upper Province to 
 the Lower, by the route of the Ottawa riv- 
 er: and which is the line government con- 
 templates for the conveyance of the stores 
 or munitions of war, should thatbe ever ne- 
 cessary. 
 
 The extensive tract ol fertile land on 
 which Richmond and the adjoining town- 
 ships are situated ; was left unnoticed by 
 any one, almost until the conclusion of the 
 late war. At that time government were 
 induced (from the numerous applications 
 made to them for the purpose,) to appropn- 
 
LiVJlULwV-Vf’s 
 
 lie 
 
 .ate several Iawd, ships of the uncoiiccded 
 lands, to be settled by such military and na- 
 val characters as weie desireous of retireiiig 
 .from actual service to settle or. their lands, 
 which were granted to them in quantities, 
 proportionable to the rank they held. These 
 are denominated Military settlements ;* 
 and differ from others in the mode of 
 application for lands [in them ; in their 
 internal management and method of scttU- 
 ment. Richmond amongst other parts was 
 appropriated for this purpose ; but although 
 agreeable to the intention of government 
 its first settlers were chiefly men who had 
 served in the army or navy, it is not exclu- 
 sively confined to persons of this description. 
 Other Emigrants who have come from the 
 old country, and, were desireous ol procur- 
 ing lands there have also settled in this 
 place ; and although Richmond still retains 
 
 * There are three settlements of this description in Up- 
 per Canada, viz. Perth including the township of Shers* 
 brooke, Bathurst, Drummond and the West half of Beckwith. 
 Richmond including the East half of Beckwith ; Goulburn, 
 March and fiunrlv. Lanark containing the townships of 
 Djdhousie, E,an*irck and Harney. 
 
A SSI STAX*. 
 
 117 
 
 the name of a military settlement, and con« 
 tinues under the same regulations as such 
 places, out of its whole population amoun- 
 ting perhaps to nearly 12C0 souls, r.ot above 
 one half of them has ever been in actual 
 service either in the army or navy. I he 
 care of the settlement is however still ves- 
 ted in a military superinlendant and the 
 method to be pursued in applying for lands 
 here is that which is used in cases of milita- 
 ry settlement's. An account of this plan of 
 application for land has already bec-n de- 
 tailed in the first part of thisjvork, but as 
 bis being well acquainted with it may save 
 the settler a good deal of trouble and ex- 
 pence, a repetition of the outline of the 
 plan will not be deemed improperly placed 
 
 here. . . 
 
 The Emigrant desirous of obtaining 
 
 land in a military settlement, has first to 
 apply by petition to the Governor General 
 at Quebec, sending at the same time testi- 
 monials of his .character, and certificates o 
 lue being possessed of the means to culu- 
 
118 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 w 
 
 I 
 
 vale lands. His petition when favourably 
 received is returned to him with an order 
 upon it to the Quarter Master General, who 
 immediately issues an order in form, forth# 
 quantity of lands the applicant is entitled 
 to, addressed to the superintendant of the 
 settlement to which he is desirous of going. 
 With this he proceeds to the place, and on 
 presenting it to the superintendant he Jays 
 out his location for him accordingly. These 
 Military settlements possess seveial advanta- 
 ges and some disadvantages over others. 
 Being under the direction of a re-idem au- 
 tnoj ily invested in the superintendant, strict 
 attention is paid to have the settlement du- 
 ty performed by every peison who takes a 
 location in them, for absolute settlement on 
 their lots, is required of every person going 
 to one oi them. T here is also more regu- 
 larity observed in laying out ihe locations 
 than in other settlements ; and although 
 this may in some few cases interfere with 
 the views of individuals in preventing some 
 «f them from getting the precise lots they 
 
ASSIST ANt. 
 
 119 
 
 pitch upon, they can never be at a loss at 
 the present time where there are so many 
 lots unconceded, as they arc in most cases 
 allowed a choice among those ungranted ; 
 or have it in their power to obtion one by 
 ballot when there are many applicants, 
 each pitching on the same lots. The su- 
 perimendant by being always on the spot 
 can see the progress the new settlers make 
 in the improvement, and if he acts judi- 
 ciously can be of essential service to them, 
 in cheering the hopes of the industrious by 
 his example and advice, and in deterring 
 the lazy and sluggish from indulging in their 
 bad habits. He also takes care that such 
 as procure lots from him, reside upon them 
 and proceed with their clearing; and in 
 ease of any one absenting himself, from 
 his residence for an unreasonable time, or if 
 he should abandon his location it is imme- 
 diately granted to the next applicant, so 
 that no lot worth cultivating is allowed to 
 remain waste as an injury to those adjoin- 
 ing to , it. Another advantage which ac- 
 

 t20 eMICJRAN'T'3 
 
 ernes to a military settlement over others is 
 the support and assistance new settlers oil 
 it receives from government. Formerly 
 they were allowed to draw rations, until 
 such time as their own land produced the 
 means of support ; this plan however i9 now 
 abandoned as being too expensive, but they 
 still receive a supply of tools, and farming 
 implements, and also of such other articles 
 as are necessary to commence with. 
 
 The soil of' Richmond and tiie adjacent 
 townships is deemed of an- excellent quali. 
 ty ; on the low grounds it is a strong clay, 
 and in the more elevated situations a rich 
 black loam, very productive with little ex- 
 pence ot tillage. In this p'ace the climate 
 begins to be more temperate and the win- 
 ters are nearly a month shorter, than in the 
 coast districts of the Lower Province. Its 
 salubrity, has also been proved to be equal 
 to that of any place in Canada. 
 
 Lands may be cleared partially so as to be 
 fit for sowing the first crop for about £2-10 
 per acre, but if the whole timber be cut off 
 
ASSISTANT* 
 
 and the clearing made complete it will cost 
 as much as five pounds for every acre, 
 the prices of labour and the wages paid to 
 servants are nearly the same as in Montre- 
 al at present *, but as the tide of emigration 
 has set in towards this quarter, both must 
 fall with the encreased numbers who want 
 employment. This may be expected from 
 another reason, namely, from the abundant 
 supply of the necessaries of life which will be 
 had as soon the first settlers get there 
 farms so far cleared as to raise more than 
 they require for their own consumption. 
 The quantity of produce not yet being suf- 
 ficient to answer the demand for it, with the 
 increased numbers of new settlers who are to 
 be fed ; a part of it has to be brought from t 
 distance, from the adjoining settlements 
 this has a tendency to keep up the prices c 
 it, but there is at all times a plentiful sup 
 ply from these quarters, and no apprehe-n 
 sion of want. The same remark is appli- 
 cable to farming stock, such as oxen, hoi's 
 
 es, cows, &c. which sell at nearly the Mon 
 L 
 
I ® 2 ESI IG r AX 
 
 trea! prices, but in the present new state of 
 the settlement they hare to be brought from 
 a distance. At this tune a groat pait cf 
 these are brought from the Hi^n.ahe set* 
 iled parts of the Ottawa river, and item 
 the neigltboui hood of St. Andrews, hence 
 the price of transporting them lias to be ad. 
 ded to their original cost in these places, 
 which gives their value at Richmond. 
 
 The lands in this settlement abound 
 with streams and rivulets capable of driving 
 nulls, but from the new state of it (having 
 only been established about three years ago.) 
 there are none of them as yet in operation, 
 though ssverals are building and in a state 
 of forwardness. The want of saw-mills hag 
 heretofore kept up the prices of beards, 
 there being none to be had but what were 
 sawn by the hand, at from 5 <. to 7s. Ctl. 
 per hundred feet } but their value must in- 
 evitably fall as soon as there are machine)/ 
 erected for sawing them.* 
 
 « Since the above wu* wiitttu a vaw-iuia ha. been tot 
 ttto operation* 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 128 
 
 It liar, been already mentioned that at 
 
 some future and perhaps no very remote 
 period, by the way of the Ottawa river will 
 
 form the principal road between Upper and 
 Lower Canada : as soon as this takes place 
 the road which will pass from this river a- 
 cross to Kingston on the St. Lawrence will 
 go through the Richmond settlement and 
 give it all the advantages resulting from be- 
 ing situated in the line of public communi- 
 cation. In addition to this, Richmond pos- 
 sesses other local advantages. Lying be- 
 tween two immence navigable rivers with 
 a ready access to either of them, (such as it 
 will have as soon the country becomes 
 settled and the roads opened,) the people 
 of this settlement can at any time select 
 whichever route they please to go to the 
 chief markets of the country for disposing 
 of their produce, or for purchasing their ne- 
 cessaries. By the Ottawa on the one side, 
 'aiul the St. Lawrence on the othei, they 
 have a ready access to Montreal or Quebec, 
 the great outlet of the country for exporta- 
 
1 24 
 
 ElI 16 RANT’s 
 
 •-■tion ; and in supplying the extensive coun- 
 try above them, they will find a ready sale 
 for such commodities as they bring back 
 
 from these places in return for their super, 
 abundant produce. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 PERTH. 
 
 This place, like the preceding is a Mil- 
 itary settlement, and subject to the same 
 regulations as others of the kind. It is sit- 
 . uated between the Ottawa and the St. Law- 
 rence rivers, about 200 miles from Montre- 
 „ al, 70 from Kingston and 40 from the town 
 of Brockville. 1 he nearest route to it 
 from Montreal is by ascending the Ottawa 
 -river until you reach the place where the 
 road strikes oft to Richmond, and thence to 
 Perth, by the great road leading to Kings- 
 ton. '1 he Perth settlement was opened h r 
 location under the auspices of government 
 
» ASSISTANT. 
 
 125 
 
 about five years ago, and as the rage for set- 
 tling there was very prevalent at that time, 
 it reaped all the advantages attendant on 
 an influx of Emigrants. These were prin- 
 cipally half pay officers from the army, and 
 as there is still a considerable nun ber of 
 them settled in the village, the burnishing 
 them with supplies, constitutes a market for 
 the disposal of pro luce trom the adjoining 
 farms, and also for the purchase oi necesa- 
 ries. 
 
 The great flow of Emigrants toward* 
 Perth on its first settlement, soon took up 
 all the good land in its immediate vicinity > 
 and with the exception ot a lew Attached 
 lots it is all occupied at present. There 
 are however two new townships -lately laid 
 out about ten miles distant whic h wiU afford 
 openings for numbers of new comers. The 
 soil in these is said to be ot an excellent 
 quality, and they are abundantly supplied 
 with water from numerous springs and 
 streams with many favourable situations for 
 the erection ot nulls upon tnem* 
 
KMIC! RANT’ff 
 
 ,1^6 
 
 Owing to some informality, not yet ac- 
 counted for, the first settlers in this place 
 have not received their deeds, although 
 they have resided on their farms for the 
 time specified, and have long since perform- 
 ed the settlement duty as required by the 
 government regulations.* On this account 
 hardly any sales of cleared farms have been 
 effected, and hence the difficulty of deter- 
 mining the value of cleared lands here. But 
 as they are daily in expectancy of obtain- 
 ing their deeds there will no doubt be ma- 
 ny eligable situations to be purchased in 
 this place, such as will render it well deser- 
 ving the attention of those possessed of a 
 small capital, as numbers of the present oc- 
 cupants would sell their farms, fend retire to 
 ne\v settlements could they do so by ob- 
 taining transferable titles. 
 
 Farms partly cleared, may be had to 
 rent in this quarter at from 10 to 20s. per 
 acre, yearly rent. 
 
 tcttIers obtained their JceJs since wi- 
 
ASSISTANTS. 
 
 157 
 
 Wood land can be cleared and fenced 
 ready to receive the seed, for £ 4-10s. or 
 £5 per acre; but as those persons com- 
 monly engaged in this description of work 
 will take a part or even the whole of their 
 wages in produce or necessaries ; by good 
 management it may be done on far more 
 favourable terms, than if the whole wages 
 were to be paid in cash. The value of ev- 
 ery description of labour in this place has 
 undergone the same changes as in other 
 parts of the country ; but as the rank and 
 circumstances of many of the settlers ena- 
 ble them to employ numbers of work peo- 
 ple, wages are not yet fallen so much as # 
 might be expected from the state of other 
 things on which the prices of labour usually .j 
 depend. A. good man servant capable of 
 working at a farm will get from £ IS to 
 £ 25 per annum, besides board and lodg- 
 ing; and an industrious mechanic such as 
 a Mason, Carpenter, Blacksmith or Shoe- 
 maker, can cam from Cs. to 7-Gd. per day. 
 
 The number of excellent seats for er'e©- 
 
iMfdRANT’s 
 
 128 
 
 ting Hydraulic mechinery, with which 
 this country abounds have been lakui ad- 
 vantage of and applied to this purpose ; in 
 many places both gi ist and saw-mills aie luig 
 since in operation. iVcfn these, new enn- 
 ers can always have a ready supply ol flour, 
 and also timber suitable lor erecting 
 their buildings on reasonable terms. Boards 
 and plank being always to be had as low as 
 from 40 to bOs. per thousand feet, and flour 
 at the prices marked below. 
 
 From whai lias been already stated, the 
 reader will be enabled to, form a correct o- 
 pinlon of the classes of society which in- 
 habit ilic village of 1\ rlli and its vicinity. 
 The settlers are chu fly from .Scotland Ebg- 
 land and Ireland, with perhaps a majority 
 of tiie first. There is a 1 resLyttriari ( lunch 
 already erected in the village, a Bdhrm 
 Catholic Church nearly finished; and a 
 Clergyman of the Church of FuglatiU resi- 
 ding in the place who pcrlbrfns divine ser- 
 vice in the school- house, for the present. 
 
 With regard to the general advantages 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 120 
 
 this place holds out for settlers they are 
 well meriting attention. Having been es- 
 tablished some "years ago, it approaches near- 
 ly to the character of an old settlement. 
 New comers can always depend on receiv- 
 ing supplies from the older residehters, 
 without the labour and expence of a long 
 transportation, and they can embrace the 
 same advantages in disposing of such arti- 
 cles as they may have for sale, being sure 
 of a market for this purpose at their own 
 doors. By means of this state of affairs, 
 the Emigrant who settles near Perth can 
 make more use of a small capital than he 
 could do in many 7 other remote places. Be-> 
 ing always sure of finding a supply as he 
 may want it he is not obliged to lay out so 
 much of his capital at once as it he weie 
 so situated, that it would be necessary to 
 purchase provisions to last him for several 
 months $ hence he may employ the money 
 which he would re (pure for this in some 
 other way, perhaps in clearing more of his 
 lands, and in hastening such undertakings 
 
830 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 as he may have begun. These advantages 
 combined with the encouraging feelings, 
 which arise at the idea of being near neigh- 
 bours, cheer him in his exertions, and pre- 
 vent the attack of those disponding sensa- 
 tions which are apt to invade the mind and 
 eramp the efforts, of strangers from the old 
 country when they settle in more remote 
 places in the forests of America. 
 
 Market Prices at Perth. 
 
 Flour 2 5 to 40s. per Bbl. 1 90 lbs. 
 Wheat 4 to 5s. per Bushel, 
 
 Oats 2 to 3s. per do. 
 
 Potatoes Is. to 1 Gd. do. 
 
 Potatoes for seed 2s. 3d. per do. 
 
 Indian corn 4 to 5s. per bushel. 
 
 Beef 3d. to Gd. per lb. 
 
 Oxen £ 15 to £ 30 per yoke. 
 
 Cows £ 5 to £ 7-10 each. 
 
 Farming utensils, of all kinds, about 15 
 per cent above the Montreal prices ; and 
 other articles in the same proportion. 
 
ASSISTANT-. 
 
 151 
 
 CIIATER VIII. 
 
 NIAGARA. 
 
 Tins village of Niagara is situated rear 
 the upper end of Lake Ontario, and gives its 
 
 | 
 
 name to one of the most flourishing and fer- 
 tile districts in Upper Canada. 'I his tf<u t 
 of country is bounded on the South by the 
 lower end of Luke Erie ; Or. the East by 
 the river Niagara which joins the Lakes 
 Erie and Ontario ; on the North l»v an in. 
 let of Lake Ontario, named Rmlington- 
 bay, and part of the district < f Yoik ; at d 
 on the West by the river Ouse, \c. Re- 
 sides there extensive rivers and lakes wlr'Ci 
 surround it nearly on ali sides, it is watered 
 by numbers of smaller rivulets and streams 
 which traverse it in every direction, and 
 some of them of such a size as to be navi* 
 gable for boat*. 
 
132 
 
 emigrant's 
 
 Tiie following extract of a letter which 
 was received from this district in reply to 
 the queries sent to it, is so pertinent to the 
 subject, and contains so full a detail of its 
 capabilities for agricultural purposes, that 
 the reader will feel a sitisfaction in peru- 
 sing it in the words of the writer with assur- 
 ance, that it is intitled to every attention 
 on the score of authenticity. 
 
 *» Being resident at Niagara “says the 
 “ writer,” I have to state, there is a very 
 “ small proportion of unconceded lands in 
 “ the district and but few Crown or Clergy 
 “ reserves, the greater part of the lands 
 “ having been granted to disbanded officers 
 “and soldiers -after the peace of 1783 and 
 “ before any appropriation under our con- 
 “ stitution ofl79'2. 
 
 “ In this district the aspect of the coun- 
 “ try is generally level, excepting a rise con- 
 sisting -of lime-stone, commencing at 
 “ Queenston which almost encircles lake 
 “Ontario to the North and Westward. 
 “ The soil following the river Chippawa” 
 
assistant. 
 
 1SS 
 
 “(one of the largest rivers in the district) “i* 
 “ perfectly level, the land rich and well a- 
 “ dapted for grazing. In this part, the wa- 
 iter is said to be indifferent, and that new 
 “ comers are subject to ague “but this will 
 “ no doubt disappear when the country be- 
 “ comes cleared and settled. The soil ia 
 “other parts of the district is in general ve- 
 “ry good, and throughout well timbered; 
 “very little plane land and all well adapted 
 “for Agriculture, except a tract of about 
 “ 000, acres in the rear of the township 
 
 “ of Humburton and W ainfleet which is 
 “still unconceded, being considered a 
 swamp ; but if drained into the Chippa- 
 “ wa might be well worth the attention of 
 “government. A proposal was made tin- 
 “ der Governor Gore’s administration to ac- 
 ‘ cotnplish this, by the late lion. Robert 
 “ Hamilton, upon terms of reciprocal ad- 
 “ vantage, but it was unattended to. The 
 “chesiiut tree, black walnut, and the occi- 
 “ dental plane, (button wood)” abound 
 
 “ here, which are not to be met with to the 
 M 
 
134 
 
 BMIGRANT S 
 
 “north or east of Burlington-bay. This is 
 “ indicative of the superiority ot the climate, 
 “ and as a proof of the same we find the 
 “ peach, apricot, and the Nectarine thrive 
 “well, and come to perfection.” 
 
 “ The value of money has been so flue- 
 “ tuating, and the price and mode so varia- 
 “ ble, as to clearing and fencing wood lands, 
 « that no very definite statement can be 
 “ given of its expence ; more especially as 
 « throug'hout this district, the farmer and 
 “his family generally clear their own wood 
 “lands as time and opportunity suits, anil ai 
 “ there are few people of such capital as to 
 “ hire others, expressly for this purpose at 
 “ so much per acre.” 
 
 “ There is a great quantity of cultiva- 
 “ ted land in this district for sale, and in 
 “the neighbourhood of Niagara” (village ) 
 “there are many well cleared farms, which 
 “ the owners would dispose of, and retire 
 “ towards the grand river, the 'lhanies or 
 “ other new settlements, not from any in- 
 clination to leave these, but who, from the 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 136 
 
 casualties of the late war have been in- 
 “ volved in difficulties, and owing monies 
 “they find from the decreased value of their 
 “agricultural produce, and the universal 
 “ scarcity of the precious metals a state of 
 “things they did not anticipate. In the 
 “ vicinity of Niagara land may be had to 
 “lease, of an excellent quality, but the to. 
 “talwantof Houses, stables, barns, aqd 
 “present comfort for an Emigrating family 
 “is a permanent objection to such a pros- 
 pect, and under existing circumstances, 
 “the rebuilding, by the Landlord of such 
 “accomodations, and consequent outlay 
 “ would not be warranted by a prospect of 
 “advantage in the rent." 
 
 “ Unconclded lands are at a distance 
 “front tins quarter, and chiefly in the rear 
 “ of the townships of Blenheim, Blanford, 
 “ Oxford, and the north-west of the Grand 
 “River, where there is a country of fine 
 “land, well watered with living springs, 
 “ and abounding with situations adapted for 
 c ‘ Hydraulic Machinery- 
 
ISC emigrant’s 
 
 “ The communication and transport t® 
 “the maikets of Montreal for Agricultural 
 “ produce when manufactured is as ccnven- 
 “ ient and cheap as front any part of the 
 “country; the cutlet cf Burlington-bay 
 “being the depot front the north and west 
 “ in a direct line, and on each side there is 
 “ a prospect of good roads being soon open- 
 “ed. Throughout this quarter shops are 
 “established, where European goods are 
 “sold by it tail at a price generally CO cr 
 “ CO pec cent above the Montreal invoice, a 
 < »« price for retailing which cannot be con- 
 ** sidered high when it is recollected that 
 “ long credit is often given, and the ] ay- 
 “ ment taken in produce. Salt is sold at 
 “ Burlington-bay, tor 4 cr 4^ dollars per 
 “ Barretof tive Bushels, brought there iiom 
 “ the Onondaga springs, in the State of 
 “New-Yoik; but in the interior of the 
 “ country the Merchants profit and expence 
 “ of transport has to be added to make up 
 “ the price the consumer pays for it.” 
 
 “ The necessaries *f life at lire market 
 
assistant. 
 
 137 
 
 •‘of Niagara, are at present unusually cheap 
 “from what they have been in former 
 “ years, h lour is sold from 8s to 9s ster- 
 ling per cwt. and potatoes as low as Is 2d 
 “ or Is 3d per bushel. During the winter 
 “ season tins neighbourhood is supplied 
 “ with white fish from the rivers, and also 
 “with sturgeon and heriings, at other sea- 
 “ sons with Pickerel, Black .bass and Salmon 
 “ Trout. At certain times vast quantities 
 “ of Herrinsrs are taken at Burlington Bay; 
 “ and when properly cured are not inferior 
 “ to auv imported. However strange ia 
 “ may appear, most articles of food, and al- 
 “so cattle for the purposes of draft, are 
 “cheaper in this quarter than in the interior 
 “of the country — only to be accounted for 
 “ from the encreased demand there is for 
 “ them, by the occupants of new lands- from 
 “the United States and elsewhere.” 
 
 “ The Townships of Waterloo and Wool- 
 “ wich have been settle 1 since the yetn 
 
 “ 180i), by a population from the State oi 
 
 u Pensylvauia, composed, of a very ipdu?- 
 M2 
 
emigrant’s 
 
 ISS 
 
 “trious, harmless and inoffensive people, of 
 “German extraction, and known as Qua- 
 “kers, xtfinorists, and 'hunkers, who have 
 “particular tenets in religious matters, and 
 “meet in congregation for public worship. 
 “ There are two or three English Schools 
 “ in these Townships, blit the nearest re» 
 “ gular Episcopal Clergyman is at IlamiU 
 “ ton or Burlington Bay. It is expected 
 “ one church will be soon built in Dum- 
 “ fries, and another in Woolwich, under the 
 “ patronage of Colonel Pilkington of the 
 “ Royal Engineers, who is proprietor of one 
 “third of the last Township, and is expen. 
 “ ding considerable sums in improvements 
 “ there. There is every reason to expect 
 “ that schools will soon be numerous, as the 
 “ Provincial Statute authorises a public tea* 
 “ cher and school in every Township, and 
 •‘allows an annual salary of fifty dollars 
 “(i£l2 10), over and above what he may 
 “ receive for Tuition money.” 
 
 “ The usual price of a yoke of good oxen 
 “ at present, including the chain and yoke, 
 
ASSISTING. 
 
 IS* 
 
 “is about 70 dollars (a£ 17 10); a pair of 
 “good plough horses will cost about 120 
 “dollars (<£ iO) ; good milch cows from 15 
 “ to 25 dollars each ; and sheep variable 
 “ from one to 3 dollars ; liogs numerous 
 “and cheap. Farming utensils — the iron 
 “work about lOd per lb. Halifax currency, 
 
 “ and wood work reasonable. A good wag- 
 “gon can be had for All kinds of 
 
 “seeds are cheap — good red clover for 10 
 “ dollars per cwt. ; most of the common 
 “ culinary seeds are to be had in the place, 
 
 “ but seeds imported or not ot local origin 
 “ are to be preferred. Where the necessa- 
 “ ries of life are first to be thought ofr the 
 “ attention to seeds, good fruit, &c. Sec. has 
 “been postponed or neglected to the mor- 
 “ tification of those more capable of reflec- 
 tion on the subject. Timothy grass seed 
 “ is easily and at all times obtained, it be* 
 “ ing the bay used in this country on low 
 “lands. Gypsum (Plaster of Paris,) is 
 “ found in abundance in the Township of 
 “Dumfries, and gives immeuce crops of 
 
140 
 
 EMIGRANT** 
 
 “Clover; on the highest and driest lands 
 “ its virtues are astonishing : one bushel ’ 
 “ground is sufficient for an acre, and will 
 “ last for two or three years.” 1 
 
 “ The mills at the great fails in the 
 “ Township adjoining Niagara, the proper- i 
 “ ty of Messrs. Clarke and Street, do most 
 “ of the business in that quarter ; but there 
 “are besides these throughout the district, 
 
 “a sufficiency of both grist and saw mills 
 “ for home work, as well as for mamriiictu- 
 “ ring for a foreign market. The toll for 
 “grinding is one twelfth by law. The 
 “ in the Township of Dumfries, own- 
 “ed by Mr. Absalom Shade, are the most 
 “ considerable in the province. The stream 
 “ and fall of living water is excellent ; t lie 
 “ house large and commodious ; ail the ma- 
 chinery of metal imported from New- 
 “ \ork, arid the abridgment of labour in 
 “ manufacturing very conspicuous, A fine 
 " bridge lately built by the united exer- 
 “ tioris of a few individuals, at these mills 
 “ over the Grand liiver, gives rreat facili- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 HI 
 
 « ties of access to the inhabitants on the 
 « west side ; and there is great appearance 
 “of active enterprise in that quarter.” 
 
 «< A reference to the map of Upper Can- 
 <*ada, will show the relative distances to 
 “the westward, if from Burlington Bay, 
 
 “ through Barton, Ancasler, and the Inm- 
 “ an L.ids below Dumfries. Through Bar- 
 “ ford, to Long Point and Col. Talbots’, 
 “the roads and communication are good. 
 .•The roads in a direct line from York to- 
 wards the head of the Grand River, and 
 “ from thence to the westward, are not yet 
 “cleared out ; but as the Townships thro’ 
 
 “ w licit these arc to pass, have lately been 
 “conceded by government to actual set- 
 “ tiers, it is presumed tins route w.ll be fol- 
 “ lowed from York to the westward, and 
 “from thence to Amherstburgh— -here y 
 “ shortening the distance by l )0sl at ' UUv 
 “twenty five miles, instead of the present 
 “ route to the head of the Lake, through 
 “ Dumfries, Lancaster and the Indian land. 
 
 4t on tH<* Grand Kivui* » 
 
142 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 “ The state of Society in this country, 
 “ the want of a monied capital, and the- 
 “ price ot labour, opposed to the value of 
 “ Agricultural produce when raised, is ad- 
 “ ven5e to the employment of overseers and 
 “farm servants: the husbandman and his 
 “ family doing the most of the labour them- 
 “ selves. Yet such as can afford to do so, 
 “ Wl11 P a ? a man who understands chop- 
 “ l )ul o» ^°SS in S and burning timber, from 
 “ 8 to 10 dollars per month, with board and 
 “lodging. The price of mechanics la- 
 “ ^ our > f fGm local circumstances, the daily 
 “ rise in the value of money, and ability in 
 “ their respective trades, varies so much, 
 that it is hazardous to name anj particu- 
 “ lar sum per day or per month. Carpen- 
 “ters, Millwrights, Millers, and Black- 
 smiths, aie most in requisition. 
 
 Thc vacant lands to the east and west 
 “of the Grand River are all well watered, 
 
 “ chiefly by living springs and abound in 
 “places adapted for mill seats; — indeed 
 “most of the lands in that quail er, lately 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 143 
 
 « purchased by government from the abori- 
 •n trines are remarkably well watered, lhe 
 «« r i ve r Thames, the Grand River and a ri- 
 o ver which falls into lake Simcoo in the 
 “rear of York, all arise from the same 
 “source in a large swamp near lake Huron 
 C« and with their tributary streams run thro’ 
 
 »* these lands.” 
 
 “The original settlers ‘in tne Magaia 
 “ District,’ were American Loyalists, but 
 '• natives of all countries are now settled 
 “here, chiefly emigrants from the Ur/.-.ed 
 “ States who have come of late years.” 
 
 “ I do not think Niagara or its vicinity 
 “holds out any peculiar advantages for 
 “poor settlers ■, but to those who Ua\e a 
 “little money, and who arc capable to pin - 
 “chase improved fatms it will be font d 
 “ well adapted. When a farm is leased, it 
 “ is not for a money rent, but generally ta- 
 “ ken by rendering a proportion of the crop 
 “ in kind. The climate is good and the soil 
 “ productive. Fruit of every kind (consul- 
 “eration being bad to the latitude) tmive# 
 
emigrant's 
 
 U4 
 
 “in luxuriance and every where we meet 
 “ extensive orchards. Grapes, under good 
 “ management and care come to great per. 
 “ Section. The country adjoining the falls 
 “is peculiarly favourable for sheep; and in 
 genera! the yeomanry have great plenty 
 “ oi all the necessaries of life. 
 
 Tn addition to the very ample information 
 1 dative to this part of the country ; in the 
 loregoing extract, the following farther ac- 
 counts have been furnished by esteemed 
 friends, whose situation gave them every 
 opportunity of becoming acquainted with 
 the subject ; and whose correctness of de- 
 tail may be implicitely relied upon.” 
 
 1 ‘xto.u the numbers of saw mills estab- 
 lished in every part of the District of Ni- 
 ag;ra, settlers can have an ample supply of 
 limber suitable for building or other pur- 
 poses. Pine hoards inch thick are sold 
 Cor ‘ 3s a,,J • 5s currency per 100 feet, and 
 others of a different thickness in proportion. 
 
 i he price of clearing land varies with its 
 situation and the na’ture or size of the tim- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 14 $ 
 
 her, ami also with the manner in which it 
 is clone. The most common method is to 
 cut down and burn all the trees under one 
 foot in diameter; and to girdle the rest.— 
 This will cost about 8 dollars per acre — but 
 if the whole be cut down — logged and burnt 
 it will cost nearly double that sum. 
 
 Farms partly under cultivation may be 
 bought from 8 to 20 Dollars per acre, ac- 
 cording to the extent of clearing and the 
 value of the buildings upon them. And in 
 case of leasing lands, a good farm of 100 
 acres in extent and a reasonable proportion 
 cleared will fetch from .=£15 to if20 yearly 
 rent. 
 
 MARKET PRICES AT NIAGARA. 
 
 Flour 1 2s 6d per Cwt. 
 Pork ~d per lb. 
 
 Veal 3d per lb. 
 
 Mutton 3d per lb. 
 
 Beef ‘it! per lb. 
 
 Potatoes Is 3d per busliel, 
 Wheat 3$ per ditto. 
 
 Barley 3s per ditto. 
 
 Bye 2s Gd per ditto. 
 
 Indian Corn 2s 6d per bush: 
 Oats Is Gil do. 
 
 Buck Wheat Is Gd do. 
 Oxen &Y5 per yoke, 
 
 Cows : 10 to ^5 cacb, 
 Horses £15 each, 
 
 A Plough £5, 
 
 An Axe 10s. 
 
 A lloe 5s. 
 
 A good man Servant, well acquainted 
 with country agriculture will get about ~-2 
 
 per month, and be provided with victuals 
 N 
 
146 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 and lodging. A maid-servant half that sum. 
 Good mechanics hired by the month will 
 get from £3 : 15 to £5 — exclusive of bed 
 and board. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 CONCLUDING REMARKS. 
 
 ENOUGH has been already said in the 
 present and former part of this work rela- 
 tive to the class of people for whose use it 
 was chiefly intended ; and it has been the 
 invariable aim of the author to render it as 
 suitable as possible for persons of this class. 
 Every Emigrant who comes to Canada with 
 an intention deserving encouragement, has 
 for his primary object a desire to find an 
 asylum and a country where his honest in- 
 dustry may be made subservient to the pur- 
 pose of procuring a living for himself and a 
 provision for his offspring. From the de- 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 147 
 
 tails given of the various subjects herein no* 
 ticed, it is hoped the attentive and reflect- 
 ing reader will be enabled to form some 
 opinion of the capability of the country for 
 agricultural purposes, and its fitntss for his 
 particular views in that line. Considerable 
 attention has been bestowed not to inter- 
 sperse the main subject with any matter 
 not immediately connected with it, as such 
 a plan would have defeated the intention of 
 the writer, by confusing and distracting the 
 minds of many of his readers, who were 
 perhaps but little in the habit of unraveling 
 complex details. For this reason all re- 
 marks relative to the state of political af- 
 fairs, or the \iews of contending parties, 
 have been sedulously avoided. Ihe same 
 cause has limited the observations relative 
 to the commercial resources of the Cana- 
 das, as far as possible. Ihe curious enqui- 
 rer after the objects of natural history, will 
 meet with but little here to engage his at- 
 tention, and what has been said respecting 
 the geography of the country, will not be 
 
148 
 
 emigrant’s 
 
 considered by many so comprehensive as 
 would be expected in a work of this kind. 
 Tiie brevity of the account of this last part 
 is attributable to other causes. There is in 
 fact but little known of the actual geo- 
 graphical stale of many parts of t his exten- 
 sive country. The attention of the first 
 settlers was naturally directed to the banks 
 of the St. Lawrence, and the shores of the 
 Lakes connected with that river. Political 
 and other causes bad long combined to lim- 
 it the settlements in a great measure to the 
 same parts of the country, or to those 
 immediately adjoining to them ; so that 
 till of late years, when the rapid increase 
 of inhabitants has pushed the settlements 
 in some places back from the banks of 
 the river, but very little was known of 
 the interior. This is peculiarly exemplifi- 
 ed in the state of the Ottawa, or Grand 
 Hiver. r Ihe whole of the immense- coun- 
 try on its banks, was with a very few ex- 
 ceptions till lately, tenanted by the wild 
 beasts of the forest, and only known as the 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 149 
 
 hunting ground of some wandering tribes 
 of Indians : and this state of affairs is said 
 to have been protracted by means not the 
 most honourable in every instance.* 
 
 It cannot however be denied that this 
 unacquaintance with the geographical state 
 of the country, and the consequent ignor- 
 ance of their statistics has been the means of 
 preventing the extension of cultivation to 
 many of the most fertile parts of it. The 
 elegant work on this subject by the present 
 Surveyor General, although entitled to an 
 ample share of merit, must from its expen- 
 siveness, be limited in its utility. l'ew 
 men can afford to purchase it ; and many 
 have not that avidity for reading which 
 would induce them to peruse with the re- 
 quisite attention, a volume of such a size. 
 Much benefit might be derived from a sta- 
 tistical account of this country, which could 
 
 ' *It is taiil there ars in existence certificates by accredited 
 Surveyors, declaring that there are not 50 acres ol eind on 
 the hanks of the Ottawa River worth the expence of cultiva- 
 tion; although it is now well known that in point ol salubri- 
 ty of climate, or fertility of soil, this extensive district is l.ot 
 inferior to any part of the Canadas. 
 
150 
 
 EMIGRANT* 3 
 
 be compiled on a far less expensive scale ; 
 but the collection of materials for such a 
 work would evidently be an undertaking 
 too great for any private individual, with- 
 out the assistance of government. 
 
 To many it will appear a defect, that 
 among the places described, no notice has 
 been taken of the city of Quebec as the 
 capital of Lower Canada, nor of York, the 
 seat of government in the Upper Province. 
 1 o this it is replied, that it would have ex- 
 tended the work far beyond the size de- 
 signed, had a statistical account of every 
 place been given ; and the omissions of 
 these could be made with more propriety 
 than of others. These places, from being 
 the seats of the Legislature, the residences 
 of the highest Courts of the country, and 
 the chief emporiums of commerce, have 
 long since attracted the gentlemen of the 
 greatest wealth and chief influence as their 
 inhabitants. The lands in their vicinity 
 having fallen into the possession of such 
 characters, and being by them appropriated 
 
ASSISTANT. 
 
 I5fc t 
 
 as country scats, embellished with elegant 
 buildings and expensive improvements, l ave 
 become for. these reasons mss deserving the 
 attention of Emigrants in general. ihc 
 selection of those places which have been 
 described in this work has been made, nom 
 a consideration of the views and wishes of 
 the Emigrants who have last come to the 
 country, as well as from other reasons. 
 The majority of Agriculturalists who have 
 arrived in the Canadas for the last three 
 vears. have come with the design of settling 
 in the vicinity of some one of the places 
 herein described, and as they will no doubt 
 he followed by friends and relatives who 
 will wish to join them, it was deemed pre- 
 ferable to describe more minutely those 
 places, to which there is at present the 
 greatest influx of Emigration. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Introduction — The author’s reasons for publishing 
 a second part— Emigrants liable to be deceived fro, a 
 imperfect accounts of the country— The causes which 
 induce changes in the prices of different articles in 
 Canada, and the difficulties which arose in estimating 
 those prices— The cause of the erroneous accounts 
 given by writers on this subject. 
 
 CHAPTER I. — Page 17. *!>, 
 
 General directions for Emigrants on their coming to 
 Canada — What they ought to bring from the old 
 country with them — The best method of transporting 
 their property — Method of travelling in Canada- 
 Travelling in the Woods — \I usejuetoes— The artic- 
 les a settler has to provide for commencing and car- 
 rying on his operations— Farming Utensils —Selec- 
 tion of Seeds, of Provisions, Furniture, Clothing, 
 Household Utensils, &c— The necessity and good ef- 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 158 
 
 ftct of Economy.— The first object to be attended to 
 on reaching his lands—The first sort of House a Set- 
 tier has to erect-the method of building it— Des- 
 cription of a Zto— Manufacturing of Maple Sugar. 
 
 CHAPTER II.— Page 74. 
 
 The expense of Farming in Canada less than in Eng- 
 land -The method of making a Slash fence- -Cana- 
 dian Agriculture. — Rotation of Crops on new cleared 
 land.— \ letter from a correspondent relative to the 
 subject— New grounds apt to produce Fever and 
 Ague, &c. 
 
 CHAPTER III— Page 89. 
 
 Tim Island of Montreal— Its extent -Rivers— Divis- 
 ion and Tenure. — Soil, and state of Lands in it. 
 cos of Farming Stock, Utensils, Seeds, &c. 
 
 CHAPTER IV— Page 98. 
 
 Tiie Seigniories of Terrebonne and Deplainee. 
 
 CHAPTER V— Page 104. 
 
 Ex. Andkews and tlie Seigniory of Argenteud. 
 
 CHAPTER VI— Page 114. 
 
 Richmond Description of the military Settlements— 
 
J 5i 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Their origin, Tenure and advantages over other ritua- 
 
 lions. 
 
 CHAPTER VII.— Page 124.. 
 
 Perth Settlement — Description of it. Market Pri- 
 
 ces, &c. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII.— Page 131 . 
 
 Niacara — A description of the District Extract o 
 
 a letter on the subject — Its Rivers, and aptness for the 
 erection of Mills — Market Trices Servants Wages. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. — Page 14 G. 
 
 COX CL U DISC REMARKS. 
 
 The Author’s reasons for avoiding entering on political 
 discussions, and matters r.ot immediately connected 
 with the subject — General ignorance of the geogra- 
 phy of the country to be attributed to various caus- 
 
 ^ — Relative to the I.ands on the Ottawa River. 
 
 The want of a Geographical Survey the cause of the 
 non-extension of Cultivation to many of the most fer- 
 tile parts of the country — Such a survey too great an 
 undertaking for an individual. 
 

 
 The following Errata, and others which may be observed 
 in this work, are attributable to the authors unavordable 
 absence during the publishing the ‘hi part. 
 
 Pago 5, line IS, for “ means of discerning" read means 
 ot discovering. 
 
 Page 7, line 1 , for “complcliog" -compiling. 
 
 Page 27, line 19, for “decides settling”— on set ■ 
 tling. 
 
 Page 29, line 12 and 13, for “sevcrn”-tt«*. 
 
 Page 32, line 18, for “excites”— excite. 
 
 Pa»e 35, line 3, for “also that on”— also those on. 
 
 1-age 42, line 10, for “days way elapse”-^ may 
 elapse. 
 
 Pa „e 45, line 4, for “species fubgos "-species rf/un^s. 
 
 Page 45, line 17, for “in his reaclf-wrf*™ hts reach- 
 Page 51 , line 1, for “convert his fame”— convert * 
 form. 
 
 Page 61, line 2, for “the best”-/** hut. 
 
 Page 61, line 20, for “in the luxuries”-.* luxuries. 
 Page 64, line 2, for “form walls "-Jour walls. 
 
 Page 65, line 16, for “trees form "-trees Jrom. 
 
 Page 66, line 16, for “joints”- jouts. 
 
 Page 68, line 14 , for “trim"— train. 
 
150 
 
 CRRATA. 
 
 Page 70, line 17, lor “never to wait ’ — never to omit. 
 
 1 age 7 >, line 21, for ‘'sugar attained" — sugar obtain'd, 
 Page 76, line 22, for “statum" — stratum. 
 
 Page 77, line 17, for “every price”— every piece. 
 
 Page 79, line 14, for “which stood” — which stand. 
 Page 80, line I , for “banner" — Lanier. 
 
 Page 815, line 7, for “crops" — crop. 
 
 Page 87, line 4, for “rarely”— early. 
 
 Page '87, line 20, for “An Emigrants’’-^* Emigrant* 
 Page 88, line 11, for “or dignified” — m dignified.. 
 luge 89, line 5, for “being extremely”. — being en- 
 tirely. 
 
 Page 89, line 16, for “Inland”— Island. 
 
 Page 90, line 20, for “produces”— produced. 
 
 Page 90, line 22, for “to representation” lo the ri ■ 
 
 presentative. 
 
 Page ‘91, line 3, for ^turned yellow”— termed yellow. 
 Page 91, line 21, for “from them”— from it. 
 
 Page 92, line 6, for “to writers”— to seme writers. 
 Page 92, line 21, tor “date”— data. 
 
 Page 97, line 5 Sf 6, for “a Sheep 2s. Cd. to 5s."— : 
 12s, to 15s. and for ‘ a Pig i to 25’ -^ 
 20s. to 25s. 
 
 Page 105, line 11, for “grasies” graaicr. 
 
 Page 119, line 5, for “obtion” — obtain. 
 
 Page 121, line 11 , for “then” — their. 
 
 Page 131, line 14, for “there extensive”—*/,^ ex/cn < 
 
 stre. 
 

4