of hunting and shooting in Nature's own preserves, without the expense of a licence, or the annoyance of being warned off by a surly gamekeeper.
The climate of Canada West is healthier and really pleasanter than that of England or Ireland. The cold is bracing, and easily mitigated by good fires and warm clothing; but it is not so really chilling as the damp atmosphere of the mother-country. Those who have not visited the Canadas are apt to endow the Upper Province with the severe climate of the Lower one, whereas that of Western Canada is neither so extremely hot nor so cold as many districts of the United States.
Emigration to Canada is no longer attended with the difficulties and disadvantages experienced by the early settlers, of which such lamentable, and perhaps exaggerated accounts have frequently issued from the press. The civilizing efforts of the Canada Company have covered much of the wild forest-land with smiling corn-fields and populous villages. Indeed, the liberal manner in which the Company have offered their lands on sale or lease, have greatly conduced to the prosperity of the Western Province.
If the facts and suggestions contained in the following pages should prove useful and beneficial to the emigrant, by smoothing his rough path to comfort and independence, my object will be attained, and my first literary effort will not have been made in vain.
CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
CHAPTER I
. Embarkation for Canada. -- Voyage out. -- Sea-life. -- Icebergs. -- Passage up the St. Lawrence. -- Quebec. -- Memorials of General Wolfe. -- Cathedral. -- Hospitality. -- Earthquakes. -- Nuns. -- Montreal. -- Progress up the Country. -- My Roman Catholic Fellow-traveller. -- Attempt at Conversion. -- The Township of Whitby.
CHAPTER II
. Arrival at Darlington. -- Kind Reception. -- My Friend's Location. -- His Inexperience. -- Damage to his Land by Fire. -- Great Conflagration at Miramichi. -- Forest Fires. -- Mighty Conflagration of the 6th of October. -- Affecting Story of a Lumber-foreman. -- His Presence of Mind, and wonderful Preservation. -- The sad Fate of his Companions.
CHAPTER III
. Inexperience of my Friend. -- Bad State of his Land -- Fall Wheat. -- Fencing. -- Grasses. -- Invitation to a "Bee." -- United Labour. -- Canadian Sports. -- Degeneracy of Bees.
CHAPTER IV
. My Marriage. -- I become a Settler on my own Account -- I purchase Land in Otonabee. -- Return to Darlington. -- My first Attempt at driving a Span. -- Active Measures to remedy a Disaster. -- Patience of my Father-in-law. -- My first Bear-hunt. -- Beaver-meadows. -- Canadian Thunder-storms. -- Fright of a Settler's Family
CHAPTER V
. Canadian Harvest. -- Preparing Timber for Frame-buildings. -- Raising "Bee." -- Beauty of the Canadian Autumn. -- Visit to Otonabee. -- Rough Conveyance. -- Disaccommodation. -- Learned Landlord. -- Cobourg. -- Otonabee River. -- Church of Gore's Landing. -- Effects of persevering industry
CHAPTER VI
. Wood-duck Shooting. -- Adventure on Rice Lake. -- Irish Howl. -- Arrival at Gore's Landing. -- General Howling for the Defunct. -- Dangers of our Journey. -- Safe Arrival at Cobourg. -- Salmon-fishing. -- Canoe-building after a bad Fashion. -- Salmon-spearing. -- Canadian Fish and Fisheries. -- Indian Summer. -- Sleighs and Sleighing. -- Domestic Love
CHAPTER VII
. Employments of a Man of Education in the Colony. -- Yankee Wedding. -- My Commission. -- Winter in Canada. -- Healthiness of the Canadian Climate. -- Search for Land. -- Purchase Wild Land at Douro. -- My Flitting. -- Put up a Shanty. -- Inexperience in Clearing. -- Plan- heaps
CHAPTER VIII
. A Logging-Bee. -- Lime-burning. -- Shingling. -- Arrival of my Brother- in-law. -- Birth of my Son. -- Sad Journey to Darlington. -- Lose my Way. -- Am refused a Lift. -- My boyish Anger. -- My Wife's Death. -- The Funeral. -- I leave Darlington
CHAPTER IX
. Return to Otonabee. -- Benevolence of my Neighbour. -- Serious Accident to a Settler. -- His singular Misfortunes. -- Particulars of his Life
CHAPTER X
. Preparations for my second Marriage. -- Dangerous Adventure. -- My Wife's nocturnal Visitor. -- We prepare for the Reception of our uninvited Guest. -- Bruin's unwelcome Visit to an Irish Shanty. -- Our Bear-hunt. -- Major Elliott's Duel with Bruin. -- His Wounds and Victory
CHAPTER XI
. Canada the Poor Man's Country. -- Disadvantages of Inexperience. -- Township of Harvey Settlement. -- Pauper Emigration. -- Superior Advantages of the Labourer Colonist. -- Temperance and Temperance Societies. -- A dry Answer to watery Arguments. -- British and Foreign Temperance Society
CHAPTER XII
. Want of Home-pasturage in Canada. -- Danger of being lost in the Woods. -- Plain Directions to the Traveller in the Bush. -- Story of a Settler from Emily. -- An old Woman's Ramble in the Woods. -- Adventure of a Trapper. -- Fortunate Meeting with his Partner
CHAPTER XIII
. Directions for ascertaining the Quality
Continue reading on your phone by scaning this QR Code
Tip: The current page has been bookmarked automatically. If you wish to continue reading later, just open the
Dertz Homepage, and click on the 'continue reading' link at the bottom of the page.
