The Backwoods of Canada. Catharine Parr Strickland Traill

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       Catharine Parr Strickland Traill

      The Backwoods of Canada

      Being Letters from the Wife of an Emigrant Officer, Illustrative of the Domestic Economy of British America

      Published by Good Press, 2019

       [email protected]

      EAN 4057664139481

Table of Contents

       INTRODUCTION

       LETTER I.

       LETTER II

       LETTER III.

       LETTER IV.

       LETTER V.

       LETTER VI.

       LETTER VII.

       LETTER VIII.

       LETTER IX.

       LETTER X.

       LETTER XI

       LETTER XII.

       LETTER XIII.

       LETTER XIV.

       LETTER XV.

       LETTER XVI.

       LETTER XVII.

       LETTER XVIII.

       APPENDIX

      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,