The Backwoods of Canada

The Backwoods of Canada

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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]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** 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.
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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.
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LONDON: PRINTED BY W. CLOWES AND SONS, 14, CHARING
CROSS.
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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,