صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

Among the lake fishes, the sturgeon is good eating, weighs from 70 to 100 lbs., affords isinglass, and differs from the sturgeon of the sea by wanting the shelly scales on the back. The masquenongé is delicious, and sometimes weighs 50 lbs. The white fish, caught in abundance, resembling the shad of the Atlantic coast, or very large alewives. It is excellent eating, but inferior to the masquenongé. The lake herrings are plentiful, but flabby and indifferent.

Trout are of all sizes, weighing from half a pound to sometimes 50 to 70 lbs. The large kind, called lake salmon, resemble those of the sea, but the flesh much paler, and not so richly flavoured.

Pike and pickerel are much the same in flavour as in England.

There are two or three varieties of bass; the black is the best. The other fishes which are found in the lakes and rivers of Upper Canada, are principally perch, eel pout, cat-fish, mullet, dace, chub, carp, sucker, dog-fish (small), bill.fish (the tyrant of the lakes, with a bill about a foot long), lamprey, silver eel, sun-fish.*

Fish are caught with seines, hooks, and by spearing. Forest sports are much neglected: even men who were poachers in the United Kingdom will scarcely move off their farms to shoot deer, or other wild animals.* There is excellent shooting, and some people indulge in deer-stalking, or watching for deer, waiting for the return of bears to shoot them, and occasionally killing water-fowl and forest birds.

* In the account of the expedition for exploring the country between the rivers St. Lawrence and Saguenay, published in the Appendix to the Journals of the House of Assembly, 1831, the following passage appears: - "When we embarked at the point of Baie des Roches, (north shore of the St. Lawrence,) we had not proceeded far when we were pursued by a monstrous fish of prey, in consequence of which we put ashore again. This animal was

The forest trees are of great magnitude and variety, and afford excellent timber for all purposes, and abundant fuel; great advantages to the inhabitants. Wild fruits are very plentiful. Medicinal plants abound; and gay and beautiful indigenous flowers adorn those places which are not densely covered with large trees.t

four hours about us, and apparently watching us. It came sometimes within twenty feet of the rock on which we were. It was at least from twenty to twenty-five feet long, and shaped exactly like a pike: its jaws were from five feet to six feet long, with a row of large teeth on each side, of a yellowish colour. It kept itself sometimes for nearly a minute on the surface of the water." I am not aware that any fish of the above description has ever been seen in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, or in the Lakes of Canada.

* A man who had been a noted poacher in Scotland, was asked in Upper Canada by Mr. Fergusson, what he principally shot, replied, " Indeed, sir, if you believe me, I scarcely ever think about it, for there's naebody here seeks to hinder us." A herd of deer had bounded past him two days before, yet Walter felt no inclination to leave the plough, although his rifle stood loaded in the shanty.

† See description of the forests, Vol. I. book ii.

CHAP. V.

DESCRIPTIVE SKETCHES OF UPPER CANADA. - ROUTES FROM MONTREAL BY THE OTTAWA, AND BY THE ST. LAWRENCE.

- HAWKESBURY.

THE usual route from Montreal to Upper Canada is by the River St. Lawrence; if in summer, partly by steamers, and partly by land in stages, or other modes of travelling.

Another route by the Ottawa and the Rideau Canal, or by roads, leads to the townships lying in the rear of those first quoted, along the banks of the St. Lawrence.

The route up the Ottawa has been already briefly described, where I have treated of Lower Canada. Settlements, still rather thinly inhabited, owing, principally, to the lands having been granted to absentees, appear rising on the Upper Canada banks of the river. Twelve miles above Point Fortune, we arrive at the flourishing village of Hawkesbury, in the first township of Upper Canada, near where the steam navigation begins, opposite the upper end of the Grenville Canal.

In this township are several sawmills, timber establishments, gristmills, distilleries, and many excellent farms.

The country along the Ottawa, from the seigniory of Longueil, in Lower Canada, to Bytown, at the entrance of the Rideau Canal, comprehends the district of Ottawa, divided into the counties of Prescott and Russell, and subdivided into twelve townships. Between these and the St. Lawrence lies the eastern district; and north-west of the Rideau, and in the rear of the district of Johnston, the district of Bathurst, containing the counties of Carleton and Lanark, divided into nineteen townships, which contain the most northerly settlements in Upper Canada, extends along the Ottawa to Lake Allumet, in about latitude 45° 50 Ν.

The front of this district exhibits some of the most sublime views in Canada. Mountains, woods, cataracts, valleys, lakes, and a magnificent river.

The principal place above Bytown is the township of MacNab, where a Highland chieftain of that name has fixed his residence, on the romantic banks of Lake des Chats. Most of the inhabitants are families of his own clan. Here we may find genuine Celtic manners, and true Highland hospitality. Chief MacNab had many difficulties to encounter before he planted his followers in a condition which requires nothing but common industry to secure their prosperity.

Bytown, founded by Colonel By of the engineer department, in 1826, is advantageously situated on elevated ground, around a bend and extension of the Ottawa, called Entrance Bay, from which, through the town, Rideau Canal enters the province. This thriving town has already near 160 dwelling-houses, a church, a large hospital, and three barracks built of stone.

The view from the heights of Bytown comprehends scenery of the greatest picturesque variety and grandeur. A splendid river, rolling impetuously over the falls of the Great Chaudier; islands, woods, mountains, precipices, and rocks, with the Union Bridge extending over a tremendous cataract ; the cultivated farms; the lively settlement, and the church of Hull opposite; immense rafts of timber floating along the rapid stream of the Ottawa; batteaux, Indian canoes on the water, and the progress of agriculture and clearing and burning of the forest on the land, impart additional and peculiar animation to the wild sublimities of nature.

The extensive territory lying between the River Ottawa from Longueil to Kingston, and from Kingston to Detroit, has been divided into townships; the position of which, and their respective distances from seaports and from navigable lakes and rivers, will appear more distinctly by a reference to the general map at the beginning of this volume, than by written description.

At the conclusion of the last war, nearly all the thriving townships in the rear of those fronting the St. Lawrence and Lakes Ontario and Erie, exhibited the almost impenetrable wildness of primeval forests. To obviate partially the obstructions in the St. Lawrence, and the facilities afforded an enemy to intercept the communication between Montreal and upper country, a military road was opened from the point of Nepean, on the Ottawa, to Kingston. Numerous other roads were also opened, and the lands through which they passed becoming accessible, were settled upon by emigrants and disbanded soldiers.

The settlements of Lanark, Perth, and Richmond then appeared; and others in every part of the province have sprung into existence, as the resources of the country developed the certain fruitful means of subsistence and independence, to those who should inhabit its wilds and subdue its forests.

« السابقةمتابعة »