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
EAN 4057664139481
Table of 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,