Project Gutenberg's The Backwoods of Canada, by Catharine Parr Traill

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Title: The Backwoods of Canada Being Letters From The Wife Of An Emigrant Officer, Illustrative Of The Domestic Economy Of British America

Author: Catharine Parr Traill

Release Date: September 30, 2004 [EBook #13559] [Last updated: August 4, 2013]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BACKWOODS OF CANADA ***

Produced by E.D. (Tedd) Brien

B A C K W O O D S O F C A N A D A =====================================

UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE DIFFUSION OF USEFUL INFORMATION

THE LIBRARY OF ENTERTAINING KNOWLEDGE

BACKWOODS OF CANADA.

————

THE LIBRARY OF ENTERTAINING KNOWLEDGE

THE

BACKWOODS OF CANADA

BEING

LETTERS FROM THE WIFE OF AN

EMIGRANT OFFICER,

ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE DOMESTIC ECONOMY OF BRITISH AMERICA.

[Catharine Parr Traill]

LONDON: CHARLES KNIGHT, 22, LUDGATE STREET.

MDCCCXXXVI.

————

LONDON: PRINTED BY W. CLOWES AND SONS, 14, CHARING CROSS.

————

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION

LETTER I.—Departure from Greenock in the Brig Laurel.—Fitting up of the Vessel.—Boy Passenger.—Sea Prospect.—Want of Occupation and Amusement.—Captain's Goldfinch

LETTER II.—Arrival off Newfoundland.—Singing of the Captain's Goldfinch previous to discovery of Land.—Gulf of St. Laurence.—Scenery of the River St. Laurence.—Difficult navigation of the River.—French Fisherman engaged as Pilot.—Isle of Bic.—Green Island.—Regular Pilot engaged.—Scenery of Green Island.—Gros Isle.—Quarantine Regulations. —Emigrants on Gros Isle.—Arrival off Quebec.—Prospect of the City and Environs

LETTER III.—Departure from Quebec.—Towed by a Steam-vessel.—Fertility of the Country.—Different Objects seen in sailing up the River.—Arrival off Montreal.—The Rapids

LETTER IV.—Landing at Montreal.—Appearance of the Town.—Ravages of the Cholera.—Charitable Institutions in Montreal.—Conversation at the Hotel.—Writer attacked with the Cholera.—Departure from Montreal in a Stage-coach.—Embark at Lachine on board a Steam-vessel. Mode of travelling alternately in Steam-vessels and Stages.—Appearance of the Country.—Manufactures.—Ovens at a distance from the Cottages.—Draw- wells.—Arrival at Cornwall.—Accommodation at the Inn.—Departure from Cornwall, and Arrival at Prescott.—Arrival at Brockville.—Ship-launch there.—Voyage through Lake Ontario.—Arrival at Cobourg

LETTER V.—Journey from Cobourg to Amherst.—Difficulties to be encountered on first settling in the Backwoods.—Appearance of the Country.—Rice Lake.—Indian Habits.—Voyage up the Otanabee.—Log- house, and its Inmates.—Passage boat.—Journey on foot to Peterborough

LETTER VI.—Peterborough.—Manners and Language of the Americans.—
Scotch Engineman.—Description of Peterborough and its Environs.—
Canadian Flowers.—Shanties.—Hardships suffered by first Settlers.—
Process of establishing a Farm

LETTER VII.—Journey from Peterborough.—Canadian Woods.—Waggon and Team.—Arrival at a Log-house on the Banks of a Lake.—Settlement, and first Occupations

LETTER VIII.—Inconveniences of first Settlement.—Difficulty of obtaining Provisions and other necessaries.—Snow-storm and Hurricane.— Indian Summer, and setting-in of Winter.—Process of clearing the Land

LETTER IX.—Loss of a yoke of Oxen.—Construction of a Log-house.—
Glaziers' and Carpenters' work.—Description of a new Log-house.—Wild
Fruits of the Country.—Walks on the Ice.—Situation of the House.—Lake
and surrounding Scenery

LETTER X.—Variations in the Temperature of the Weather.—Electrical
Phenomenon.—Canadian Winter.—Country deficient in Poetical
Associations.—Sugar-making.—Fishing season.—Mode of Fishing.—Duck-
shooting.—Family of Indians.—Papouses and their Cradle-cases.—
Indian Manufactures.—Frogs

LETTER XI.—Emigrants suitable for Canada.—Qualities requisite to ensure Success.—Investment of Capital.—Useful Articles to be brought out.—Qualifications and Occupations of a Settler's Family.—Deficiency of Patience and Energy in some Females.—Management of the Dairy.— Cheese.—Indian Corn, and its Cultivation.—Potatoes.—Rates of Wages

LETTER XII.—"A Logging Bee."—Burning of the Log-heaps.—Crops for the
Season.—Farming Stock.—Comparative Value of Wheat and Labour.—Choice
of Land, and relative Advantages.—Clearing Land.—Hurricane in the
Woods.—Variable Weather.—Insects

LETTER XIII.—Health enjoyed in the rigour of Winter.—Inconvenience
suffered from the brightness of the Snow.—Sleighing.—Indian
Orthography.—Visit to an Indian Encampment.—Story of an Indian.—An
Indian Hunchback.—Canadian Ornithology

LETTER XIV.—Utility of Botanical Knowledge.—The Fire-Weed.—
Sarsaparilla Plants.—Magnificent Water Lily.—Rice Beds.—Indian
Strawberry.—Scarlet Columbine.—Ferns.—Grasses

LETTER XV.—Recapitulation of various Topics.—Progress of Settlement.—
Canada, the Land of Hope.—Visit to the Family of a Naval Officer.—
Squirrels.—Visit to, and Story of, an Emigrant Clergyman.—His early
Difficulties.—The Temper, Disposition, and Habits of Emigrants
essential Ingredients in Failure or Success

LETTER XVI.—Indian Hunters.—Sail in a Canoe.—Want of Libraries in the
Backwoods.—New Village.—Progress of Improvement.—Fire flies

LETTER XVII.—Ague.—Illness of the Family.—Probable Cause.—Root- house.—Setting-in of Winter.—Insect termed a "Sawyer."—Temporary Church

LETTER XVIII.—Busy Spring.—Increase of Society and Comfort.—
Recollections of Home.—Aurora Borealis

APPENDIX

—-

ILLUSTRATIONS. 1. Falls of Montmorenci 2. Rice Grounds 3. Sleigh-driving 4. Silver Pine 5. Spruce 6. Log-house 7. Log-village.—Arrival of Stage-coach 8. Road through a Pine Forest 9. Newly-cleared Land 10. Chart showing the Interior Navigation of the Districts of Newcastle and Upper Canada 11. Papouses 12. Green Frogs 13. Bull-frog 14. The Prairie 15. Red-bird 16. Blue-bird 17. Snow-Bunting 18. Baltimore Oriole defending her Nest against the Black Snake 19. Red Squirrels 20. Flying Squirrel

INTRODUCTION

AMONG the numerous works on Canada that have been published within the last ten years, with emigration for their leading theme, there are few, if any, that give