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n 


THIRTEENTH   REPORT 


OF  THE 


BUREAU  OF  ARCHIVES 


FOR  THE 


PROVINCE  OF  ONTARIO 


BY 


ALEXANDER  FRASER, 
M.A.,  LL.D.,  Litt.  D.,  F.S.A.  Scot.  (Edin.),  F.A.G.S.,  etc. 


Provincial  Archivist 


1916 


PRINTED  BY  ORDER  OF 

THE  LEGISLATIVE  ASSEMBLY  OF  ONTARIO 


TORONTO ! 

Printed  and  Published  by  A.  T.  WILGRESS,  Printer  to  the  King's  Most  Excellent  Majesty 

1917 


fasn/. (rfwl*-^^&*+^ 


GENERAL    JOHN    GRAVES    SIMCOE. 


From   the   John  Roxs  Robertson 

Historical   Collection,    Toronto. 


MRS.    SIMCOE    IN    WELSH    DRESS. 


From  the  John  Ross  Robertson 

Historical    Collection,    Toronto. 


THIRTEENTH   REPORT 


OF  THE 


BUREAU  OF  ARCHIVES 

FOR  THE 

PROVINCE  OF  ONTARIO 

BY 

ALEXANDER  ERASER, 

M.A.,  LL.D.,  Litt.  D.,  F.S.A.  Scot.  (Edin.),':F.A.G.S.,  etc. 

Provincial  Archivist 


1916 


PRINTED  BY  ORDER  OF 
THE  LEGISLATIVE  ASSEMBLY  OF  ONTARIO 


TORONTO: 

Printed  and  Published  by  A.  T.   WILGRESS,  Printer  to  the  King's  Most  Excellent  Majesty 

1917 


Printed  by 
WILLIAM  BRIGGS 

Corner  Queen  and  John  Streets 

TOBONTO 


To  His  Honour  COLONEL  SIR  JOHN  STRATHEARN  HENDRIE,  K.C.M.G., 
C.V.O.,  LL.DV  etc. 

Lieutenant-Governor  of  the  Province  of  Ontario. 


MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  HONOUR  : 

I  have  the  pleasure  to  present  herewith  for  the  consideration  of  your 
Honour  the  Report  of  the  Bureau  of  Archives  for  Ontario  for  191.0. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

THOS.  W.  McGARRY, 

Treasurer  of  Ontario. 
Toronto,  1917. 


f/f'//f   ctwifi&menfa 


The  Honourable  THOMAS  W.  MCGARRY,  ESQ.,  K.C.,  M.P.P.,  etc. 

Treasurer  of  Ontario. 

SIR, — I  have  the  honour  to  submit  to  you  the  following  Report  in 
connection  with  the  Bureau  of  Archives  for  the  Province  of  Ontario  for 
1916. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  Sir, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

ALEXANDER  ERASER, 

Provincial  Archivist. 

Toronto  31st  December,  1916. 


IV 


CONTENTS 


Letters   of   Transmission    ». lii    and   iv 

Prefatory vii 

Introduction  3 

Tour   Through    Canada    15 

Notes  by  an  Anglo-Canadian 121 

Correspondence   by   Lieutenant-G-overnor   Simcoe    134 

Additional   Notes  by   Mr.   Justice   Riddell    -. 145 

Reference    Notes 172 

General    Remarks    .  186 


EX  REBUS  ANTIQUIS  ERUDITIS  ORIATUR 


Report 


OF  THE 


Ontario  Bureau  of  Archives 


PREFATORY 

Following  the  precedents  of  1904  and  1908  when  the  Report  on  the 
U.  E.  L.  claims  in  Canada,  and  "  Huronia,"  by  Rev.  A.  E.  Jones,  LL.D., 
were  issued  by  the  Ontario  Bureau  of  Archives,  this  year  La 
Rochefoucault's  Travels  in  Upper  Canada  is  published. 

The  Bureau  gratefully  makes  its  acknowledgments  to  Professor  J. 
Watson  Bain,  B.A.Sc.,  Toronto  University,  to  whom  it  is  indebted  for 
permission  to  publish  this  most  valuable  material;  and  to  whose  father, 
the  late  James  Bain,  D.C.L.,  Chief  Librarian  of  Toronto,  the  Ontario 
Archives  owed  much  in  years  gone  by. 

La  Rochefoucault-Liancourt  visited  Upper  Canada  in  1795.  The 
account  of  his  travels  was  given  to  the  world  in  1799,  followed  in  the 
same  year  by  a  translation  by  Henry  Neurnan. 

This  translation  was  rather  disappointing  and  when  it  reached  Upper 
Canada  naturally  aroused  anger  in  the  young  community  in  which 
personal  attachment  to  Governor  Simcoe  was  still  strong.  David  William 
Smith,  who  had  occupied  a  number  of  public  offices  including  that  of 
Surveyor-General,  and  was  one  of  the  best  informed  officials  of  the  Pro- 
vince, traversed  the  narrative  minutely  and  embodied  his  criticisms  and 
corrections  in  a  deliberately  prepared  manuscript,  which  for  preservation 
he  bound  up  with  his  copy  of  Neumanns  translation.  It  forms  part  of 
this  volume  and  for  the  first  time  is  now  made  public  as  has  been  said 
through  the  courtesy  of  Professor  Bain. 

With  a  readiness  characteristic  of  him  where  the  history  of  his  native 
Province  is  concerned  the  Honourable  Mr.  Justice  Riddell  undertook  the 
task  of  editing  the  material  thus  made  available.  As  a  French  scholar 
and  as  a  keen  student  of  Canadian  history  he  has  easily  held  an  even 
balance  between  the  author  and  the  translator  on  the  one  hand  and 
between  the  translator  and  the  critic  on  the  other,  while  adding  much 
of  real  value  to  the  work  in  his  -corrections  and  general  notes. 

vii 


viii  PREFATORY. 


William  Eenwick  Eiddell  was  born  near  Cobourg,  Ontario,  and  was 
educated  at  the  Cobourg  Grammar  School,,  Collegiate  Institute,  and 
Victoria  University.  He  graduated  B.A.,  in  1874,  B.Sc.,  in  1876,  LL.B., 
1878,  and  was  Ontario  Law  School  gold  medallist  and  first  in  all  his 
examinations.  In  his  early  years  he  was  mathematical  master  in  the 
Ottawa  Normal  School,  and  was  called  to  the  Bar  in  1883  and  to  the 
King's  Bench  division  of  the  High  Court  of  Justice  of  Ontario  in  1906. 
Throughout  his  life  he  -has  been  interested  in  the  study  of  historical  and 
constitutional  subjects,  ancient  and  modern,  and  has  specialized  in  the 
Canadian  field.  His  books,  brochures,  pamphlets  and  fugitive  sketches 
form  a  valuable  collection  of  "  Riddelliana "  in  public  libraries,  and 
testify  to  the  extent  and  variety  of  his  investigations  into  the  history  of 
the  past.  Honours  have  been  showered  upon  him  by  Canadian  and 
United  States  universities  in  recognition  of  his  devotion  in  this  respect. 
The  Ontario  Archives  has  found  in  him  a  constant  friend,  further  evi- 
dence of  which,  it  is  expected,  will  be  forthcoming  in  the  near  future. 

To  Mr.  John  Eoss  Eobertson,  Toronto,  whose  indefatigable  labours 
have  won  for  him  a  position  which  is  quite  unique  in  the  field  of  Can- 
adian history  and  antiquities,  the  Ontario  Archives  is  indebted  for  the 
portraits  which  illustrate  this  volume. 

ALBXANDEE  ERASER, 

Provincial  Archivist. 


NOTE. — The  figures  printed  in  heavy  black  type  which  intersperse  the 
book  denote  the  pages  of  Neuman's  translation  and  are  given  for  the  pur- 
pose of  reference. 


THE  HONOURABLE  MR.   JUSTICE  RIDDELL,  LL.D.,  L.H.DV  ETC. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT-LIANCOURT'S 

TRAVELS  IN  CANADA 

1795 


WITH  ANNOTATIONS  AND  STRICTURES 
BY 

SIR    DAVID    WILLIAM    SMITH,    Bart., 

Sometime  Deputy  Surveyor -General,  etc., 
of  Upper  Canada 


EDITED  WITH   NOTES 
BY 

WILLIAM    RENWICK   RIDDELL, 

LL.D.,  F.R.  HIST.  SOCY.,  ETC., 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Ontario 


2   T.C. 


4/7 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  volume  here  reprinted  is  from  the  library  of  Sir  David 
William  Smith,  Bart.;  it  was  purchased  in  England  by  the  late  James 
Bain,  Esq.,  D.C.L.,  and  is  now  the  property  of  his  son,  Professor  Bain 
of  the  University  of  Toronto.  The  book  is  a  leather  bound  8vo.,  con- 
taining that  part  of  La  Rochefoucault's  Travels  which  refers  to  Canada, 
followed  by  notes  in  Smith's  handwriting. 

I  have  indicated  in  notes  certain  passages  in  which  the  translation 

is  not  the  same  as  the  original,  etc.,  and  have  added  some  further  notes. 

FRANQOIS    ALEXANDRE    FREDERIC    LA    ROCHEFOUCAULT-LIANCOURT 

was  born  January  llth,  1747,  the  son  of  la  Rochefoucault  due  d'Estissac, 

Master  of  the  Robes  to  the  King  of  France. 

The  son  became  an  officer  of  Carabineers,  but  fell  out  with  Madame 
du  Barry  and  at  an  early  age  left  the  Court  of  Louis  XV  and  devoted 
himself  to  the  care  of  his  estate  at  Liancourt.  There,  after  a  visit  to 
England,  he  established  a  model  farm,  importing  cattle  for  breeding 
purposes  from  England  and  Switzerland:  he  also  established  a  school 
of  arts  and  trades  for  the  sons  of  soldiers,  which  was  the  parent  of  the 
more  famous  school  at  'Chalons. 

He  was  elected  to  the  States-General  in  the  stirring  times  of  1789, 
and  appointed  President  of  the  National  Assembly — it  was  he  who 
warned  the  King  of  the  perilous  condition  of  affairs  in  the  Capital,  and 
replied  to  his  statement  that  there  was  a  revolt  in  Paris,  "  Non,  Sire, 
c'est  une  revolution." 

Rochefoucault  did  his  best  for  King  Louis  XVI,  offered  him  a 
refuge  at  Rouen  and  gave  him  considerable  money.  His  friendship  for 
the  unhappy  monarch  brought  him  into  disfavour  with  the  Revolution- 
ists; and  in  August,  1792,  he  took  refuge  in  England,  where  he  was  the 
guest  of  the  well-known  Arthur  Young. 

His  cousin  Louis-Alexandre  having  been  assassinated,  he  assumed 
the  title  Due  de  La  Rochefoucault  in  1792.  Of  this  cousin  he  writes: 
"  His  inner  consciousness  induced  him  to  slight  the  advice  of  friends 
given  to  him  and  to  me  .  .  .  He  would  not  leave  France,  but  I,  who 
was  less  confident  and  less  virtuous,  fled  from  the  poignard  while  he  fell 
by  its  stroke." 

In  the  winter  of  1794-95  he  crossed  to  the  American  Continent, 
making,  as  he  says,  a  "  journey  for  philosophical  and  commercial  observa- 
tion "  in  North  America.  Arriving  in  Philadelphia,  still  the  Capital  of 
the  United  States,  he  remained  there  for  some  five  months,  during  which 
time  he  made  investigations  which  he  afterwards  incorporated  in  an 

3 


4  ,     LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

Account  of  the  Prisons  of  Philadelphia,  published  in  Philadelphia  and 
Paris  in  1796 :  ("Comparative  View  of  Mild  and  Sanguinary  Laws,  etc., 
exhibited  in  the  Present  Economy  of  the  Prisons  in  Philadelphia/5  8vo., 
pp.  48:  the  Philadelphia  edition  is  rare  but  the  London  reprint,  1796, 
turns  up  now  and  then  in  the  second-hand  book  shops.) 

He  left  Philadelphia,  May  5th,  1795,  and  travelled  through  a  great 
part  of  the  more  northern  states  and  also  Upper  Canada  until  the  sum- 
mer of  1797^  Some  account  of  his  travels  will  be  given  later. 

In  1799  he  returned  to  France,  but  was  not  received  into  the  favour 
of  Napoleon  and  so  lived  in  some  obscurity  in  Paris  for  a  time.  But 
he  busied  himself  with  philanthropic  schemes,  inaugurated  the  system 
of  dispensaries,  and  introduced  vaccination  into  the  City.  At  the 
Restoration,  he  took  his  place  in  the  House  of  Peers  but  failed  to  become 
Master  of  the  Robes,  an  office  which  had  been  bought  and  paid  for  by 
his  father.  He  became  a  member  of  the  General  Council  of  Hospitals 
and  President  of  the  Society  of  Christian  Morals,  taking  a  deep  interest 
in  the  abolition  of  the  slave  trade  and  the  suppression  of  gaming  houses, 
lotteries,  etc. 

Created  Inspector-General  of  the  School  at  Chalons  already  men- 
tioned, he  continued  in  office  twenty-three  years,  giving  invaluable  ser- 
vice. He  was  also  an  active  member  of  several  associations  of  an  indus- 
trial and  philanthropic  character. 

He  had  always  a  strong  inclination  toward  Liberalism,  which 
brought  him  into  disrepute  with  Louis  XVIII  and  the  ultra-conserva- 
tives. At  length  in  1823,  the  reactionary  Ministry  of  de  Villele  removed 
him  from  his  honorary  offices,  or  at  least  most  of  them.  The 
Academies  of  Medicine  and  of  Science  ( showed  their  appreciation,  of  him 
and  their  disapprobation  of  the  arbitrary  conduct  of  the  government— 
the.  latter  by  admitting  him  a  member,  the  former  by  appointing  him  on 
a  Commission  on  Vaccination  to  take  the  place  of  that  of  which  he  had" 
been  President,  but  which  had  been  suppressed  by  the  Administration. 
He  did  not  live  long  thereafter,  but  died  March  27th,  1827.  During 
this  interval  nevertheless  he  established  the  first  Savings  Bank  in  France 
and  inaugurated  a  system  of  schools  for  mutual  instruction  (in  sub- 
stance the  Lancastrian  system). 

La  Rochefoucault  was  a  very  voluminous  writer ;.  he  published  works 
on  taxation,  pauperism,  public  instruction,  savings  banks,  prison  dis- 
cipline, etc.,  all  displaying  sound  judgment  and  careful  observation. 

The  work,  part  of  a  translation  of  which  is  here  presented,  was  pub- 
lished in  Paris  in  1799.  It  is  in  eight  volumes,  8vo.,  of  about  350 
pages  each  (my  own  copy  is  beautifully  bound  in  contemporary  calf 
with  gold  tooling).  The  title  page  reads:  "Voyage  |  Dans  |  Les  $tats- 
unis  |  d'Amerique  !  Fait  en  1795,  1796  et  1797,  |  par  La  Rochefoucault- 
Liancourt  |  Tome — (Medallion  representing  a  pastoral  scene  with  a 
sheep  suckling  a  lamb  in  the  foreground).  A  Paris  1  chez  dn  Pont, 
Imprimeur-Libraire,  rue  de  la  Loi,  No.  1231  j  Buisson,  Libraire,  rue  St- 
Thomas  du  Louvre  |  I/an  VII.  de  la  Republique." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  5 

THE  TRANSLATOR. 

The  translation  here  reprinted  was  made  in  1799  by  Henry  Neuman, 
a  Professor  of  Languages  in  London,  who  in  the  same  year  published  a 
Marine  Pocket  Dictionary,  12mo.,  in  four  languages  and  a  Translation 

of  Kotzebue's  Self-immolation,  a  play,  8vo.  (from 

"Die  jiingsten  Kinder  meiner  Laune").  He  is,  however,  best  known 
by  his  New  Dictionary  of  the  Spanish  and  English  Languages,  1806, 
2  vols.,  8 vo.,  which,  improved  by  Baretti  (of  Italian  Dictionary  fame), 
passed  through  at  least  ten  editions  and  a  "  pocket  edition/' 

His  translation  of  La  Rochefoucault's  Travels  has  nothing  to  com- 
mend it.  It  is  diffuse  and  turgid  where  the  original  is  concise  and  clear : 
whole  passages  are  omitted;  some  not  wholly  omitted  are  displaced,  and 
not  infrequently  the  translator  fails  to  grasp  the  meaning  of  his  author. 

SIR  DAVID  WILLIAM  SMITH,  BART. 

David  William  Smith,  born  September  4,  1764,  was  the  only  child 
of  Major  John  Smith  the  well- known  Commandant  of  Detroit  (who 
became  Commandant  at  Niagara  in  1792)  by  Anne,  daughter  of  William 
Waylen,  of  Rowde  Hill  and  Devizes,  Wiltshire.  The  son,  born  in  the 
regiment,  became  a  Lieutenant  and  afterwards  a  Captain  in  his  father's 
regiment  (the  5th  Foot),  and  was  appointed  Deputy  Judge  Advocate 
at  Niagara.  On  July  7th,  1794,  i.e.,  immediately  after  the  institution 
of  the  Court  of  King's  Bench  in  Upper  Canada,  he,  then  living  in 
Newark,  received  a  licence  under  the  Act  34  Geo.  Ill,  c.  4,  from  Governor 
Simcoe  "  to  be  and  appear  as  Advocate  and  Attorney  in  all  and  every  of 
His  Majesty's  Courts."  (This  licence  is  copied  at  the  back  of  the 
King's  Bench  Term  Book,  No.  2.)  I  do  not  find  that  he  ever  appeared 
in  Court;  he  never  became  a  Barrister  or  even  a  Member  of  the  Law 
Society. 

In  1792  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  House  of  Assembly  in 
Upper  Canada  for  Kent  in  the  first  Parliament  of  the  Province,  in  1796 
for  the  second,  third  and  fourth  Ridings  of  Lincoln  in  the  Second  Parlia- 
ment (when  he  was  made  an  Executive  Councillor),  and  in  1800  for 
Norfolk,  Oxford  and  Middlesex  in  the  third  Parliament.  He  was 
Speaker  in  the  second  and  third  Houses. 

In  June  1799,  being  then  Speaker  as  well  as  Acting  Surveyor- 
General  (which  he  had  become  in  September,  1792)  for  the  Province,  he 
received  leave  from  the  House  to  go  to  Europe.  He  had  not  returned  to 
Canada  by  the  opening  day  of  the  succeeding  session,  June  5th,  1800,  and 
Samuel  Street  was  elected  in  his  stead.  Re-elected  Speaker  in  the  new 
Parliament,  May  28th,  1801,  he  presided  during  that  session  and  the 
next;  but  he  was  again  absent  in  1803,  and  Richard  Beasley  was  elected. 
He  went  to  and  returned  from  England  from  time  to  time,  and  finally 
being  allowed  a  pension  of  £200  sterling  per  annum  from  the  Provincial 
funds  (why?  is  a  mystery)  he  went  there  permanently — he  had  resigned 


6  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

his  position  of  Surveyor-General  in  May,  1804,  his  health  being  impaired. 
He  was  made  a  Baronet  in  1821  and  died  near  Alnwick,  England,  May 
9th,  1837,  aged  73. 

The -last  years  of  his  life,  he  was  manager  of  the  estates  of  the  Duke 
of  Northumberland,  who  had  been  his  patron  as  Lord  Percy.  No  doubt 
it  was  the  Duke's  influence  which  procured  him  his  title;  no  public  ser- 
vice of  any  moment  is  recorded  of  him,  although  he  had  been  Justice 
of  the  Peace,  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Requests,  Master-in-Chancery, 
Speaker,  Deputy  Judge  Advocate  and  Acting  Surveyor-General. 

Very  many  papers  of  his  which  are  of  extreme  value  in  the  early 
history  of  this  Province  are  now  in  the  Toronto  Public  Library  on  College 
Street :  several  others,  of  which  the  volume  here  reprinted  is  one,  are  the 
property  of  Professor  Bain.  Some  account  is  given  of  Smith  in  "  The 
Legal  Profession  in  Upper  Canada  in  its  Early  Periods,"  Toronto,  1916, 
pp.  181,  182. 

Sir  David  was  twice  married,  first  to  Anne,  daughter  of  John 
O'Reilly,  of  Bally  kilchrist,  County  Longford,  by  whom  he  had  seven 
children,  three  dying  in  infancy,  one  son  David  William,  of  H.'M.S. 
"  Spartan,"  killed  in  action,  and  three  daughters,  who  survived  him. 
His  second  wife  was  Mary,  daughter  of  John  Tylee,  of  Devizes,  banker, 
by  whom  he  had  one  son  and  one  daughter.  The  Baronetcy  seems  to  be 
extinct. 

THE  EDITIONS. 

Neuman's  translation  appeared  in  two  forms.  The  quarto  is  quite 
common:  it  is  in  two  volumes  (Vol.  I,  xxiii+642+12  of  Index:  Vol.  II, 
686+9  of  Index.)  "  Travels  j  through  |  the  United  States  of  North 
America,  |  the  Country  of  the  Iroquois  |  and  Upper  Canada  |  in  the  years 
1795,  1796  and  1797  |  With  an  authentic  account  of  Lower  Canada  |  by 
the  |  Duke  de  La  Rochefoucault-Liancourt  |  Vol.  I,  containing  the  Tour 
through  the  Northern  Provinces,  Upper  Canada  and  the  Carolinas  with 
an  account  of  Lower  Canada,  and  a  General  Map  j  London  |  Printed  for 
R.  Phillips,  No.  71  St.  Paul's  Churchyard  I  by  T.  Davison  |  Lombard 
Street,  Fleet  Street.  |  .Sold  by  T.  Hurst  and  J.  Wallis,  Paternoster  Row, 
and  by  Carpenter  and  Co.  |  Old  Bond  Street  |  1799."  (The  second  volume 
has :  "  Vol.  II  |  containing  the  Tour  through  Virginia,  Pennsylvania,  The 
Jerseys  and  j  New  York,  a  General  View  of  the  Commerce,  Politics  and 
Manners  |  of  the  United  States;  with  two  large  maps  and  four  large 
tables/')  Not  infrequently  the  maps  are  missing:  my  own  copy  is  com- 
plete and  bound  in  contemporary  calf.  The  octavo  edition  is  that  which 
Smith  possessed — it  was  also  published  in  1799  with  a  second  edition 
in  1800.  The  title  page  is :  "  Travels  |  through  |  the  United  States  |  of  | 
North  America,  the  |  Country  of  the  Iroquois  and  |  Upper  Canada  |  in 
the  years  1795,  1796  and  1797  I  by  the  |  Duke  de  La  Rochefoucault  | 
Liancourt  |  with  an  Authentic  Account  of  Lower  Canada  |  Three  Maps, 
several  Tables,  etc.  I  London,  R.  Phillips,  I  1800." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  7 

Smith's  copy  is  of  the  first  octavo  edition,  in  which  the  account  of 
Canada  is  to  be  found  in  Vol.  I,  pp.  380  to  591  (the  end  of  the  volume). 
In  the  quarto  edition  it  is  to  be  found  in  Vol.  I,  pp.  213  to  335 :  in  the 
French  original  in  Vol.  II,  pp.  1-236;  in  the  second  octavo  edition  of 
1800  the  same  as  in  the  first  octavo. 

OUTLINE  OF  THE  CONTENTS. 

An  outline  of  La  Rocliefoucault's  travels  may  be  interesting.  Volume 
I  of  the  original  edition  (French)  gives  the  account  of  his  leaving  Phila- 
delphia, May  5th,  1795,  with  one  Caleb  Lownes  and  Mr.  Guillemard,  an 
agreeable  young  Englishman  of  Huguenot  descent  whom  he  had  met  in 
Philadelphia.  He  passes  through  Rocksburry  (Roxborough)  and  Spring- 
mill  to  Norristown,  thence  to  Trapp,  Potsgrove,  White  Horse,  Reading, 
Ephrata,  Lancaster,  Maytown,  Middletown,  Harrisburg,  Sunbury,  North- 
umberland, Berwich  (Berwick),  Wilkesbarre,  Asylum.  Asylum  was  a 
small  town  on  the  right  bank  of  the  >Susquehanna  which  had 
been  founded  only  about  fifteen  years  before  and  was  inhabited 
mainly  by  French  refugees  from  St.  Domingo  and  by  French  im- 
migrants from  France.  Amongst  them  were  M.  de  Blacons, 
deputy  in  the  French  Constituent  Assembly  for  Dauphine,  who 
had  since  leaving  France  married  Mdlle.  de  Maulde,  late  Canoness 
of  the  Chapter  of  Bourbourg,  and  with  her  was  keeping  a  haberdasher's 
shop  in  partnership  with  M.  Colin,  formerly  Abbe  of  Sevigny,  Arch- 
deacon of  Tours  and  "  Conseiller  au  grand  conseil " :  also  M.  Du  Petit- 
Thouars,  an  officer  of  the  navy,  who,  encouraged  by  the  Constituent 
Assembly  and  assisted  by  a  subscription,  had,  some  years  before,  em- 
barked on  an  expedition  in  search  of  de  La  Perouse,  the  explorer,  last 
heard  of  at  Botany  Bay,  February,  1788.  (Wreckage  of  his  ships  was 
fallen  in  with  in  1826.)  De  Petit-Thouars  was  detained  on  the  coast  of 
Brazil  by  the  Governor  of  the  Island  Fernando  de  Noronha,  and  sent 
with  his  crew  to  Portugal,  from  which  he  escaped  to  America,  "  where 
he  lives  free  and  happy,  without  property  yet  without  want."  (Later 
on  and  after  this  trip  with  La  Rochefoucault  he  returned  to  France, 
obtained  the  command  of  a  ship  of  the  line,  the  Tenant,  and  was  killed 
at  the  Battle  of  the  Nile.)  Both  he  and  de  Blacons  now  joined  La  Roche- 
foucault in  his  trip,  du  Petit-Thouars  on  foot.  Passing  Old  She- 
shequeen,  Tioga,  Newtown  (in  New  York  State)  where  whiskey 
was  «  dollar  a  gallon,  Painted-Post,  Bath,  Friends-Mill,  settled 
by  Friends  or  Quakers,  but  then  dominated  by  Gemaima 
(Jemima)  Wilkinson,  who  claimed  to  have  risen  from  the  dead 
and  called  herself  the  Amie  universelle  (All-friend) — here  he 
first  met  maple  sugar,  and  de  Blacons  left  him — then  011  to 
William  sburg  on  the  Genessee  River  where  were  some  eighty 
families  of  German  immigrants — Canandargue,  Cananwaga,  where  they 
got  a  guide  (a  Canadian,  Poudrit  by  name,  with  an  Indian  wife)  to  help 
them  to  traverse  the  "deserts"  as  they  are  called — a  Seneca  village, 


b  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

then  through  the  forest  thirty-eight  miles  to  Big  Plain  on  the  Buffalo 
Creek,  where  the  mosquitos  tortured  the  travellers,  Tonnowanta, 
Buffalo  Town  to  Lake  Erie  "  a  small  settlement  of  four  or  -five  houses 
standing  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  Lake."  The  volume  closes 
with  an  extraordinary  story  of  the  adventures  amongst  the  Indians  of  an 
American,  Mr.  Johnson,  who  was  taken  prisoner  by  them  in  1790. 

Volume  I'l  is  here  reprinted  (in  Neuman's  translation)  as  far  as  p. 
232  of  the  original  French  edition.  Then  the  voyage  continues  from 
Oswego  up  the  River  to  the  Falls,  Three  Eivers  Point,  Fort  Brumpton, 
Rotterdam,  Wood-Creek,  Canada  Creek,  Fort  Stanurix  (Stanwix), 
Schuylertown,  German's  Flats,  Little  Falls,  Palatine,  "  Shenectady," 
Albany  (with  6,000  inhabitants,  2,000  slaves),  Saratoga,  Stillwater, 
Troy,  Philipstown,  Stevenstown,  Lebanon,  the  "  Shakings-quakers  " 
Settlement,  "  Pitts-Fields,"  Northampton  in  Massachusetts,  "  Belley- 
town,"  Marlborough,  where  La  Rochefoucault  was  taken  very  sick  "in 
addition  to  the  ague  "  ;  on  recovering  he  went  on  to  Cambridge  and 
Boston,  "  the  road  from  Marlborough  to  Boston  is  a  continual  village." 

Volume  III  contains  an  account  of  Boston,  of  Captain  Robert's 
Voyage  to  the  South  Sea  in  1791,  etc.  Then  the  Duke  set  out  with 
General  Knox  for  St.  George  River,  the  General's  home  in  Main  (Maine) 
a  sail  of  seventy-two  hours  ;  touching  at  "  Glocester  "  they  sailed  up  to 
Thomas-town  where  the  General  resided  on  "  Waldo's  Patent."  Warren, 
Thomas-town1  (Thomaston)  and  Waldoborough  are  described  but  Rock- 
land  was  not  yet  —  they  travelled  along  the  shore  of  Penobscot  Bay,  to 
Camden  (called  by  the  Indians  Myganticok  —  the  present  Meganticook), 
Dugtrap  Creek  (Ducktrap  Creek),  Belfast,  Brigadier's  Island. 

In  October  he  left  General  Knox's  hospitable  roof  for  Boston  by 
land,  passed  Thomas-town,  Broad-bay,  Nobleborough,  Newcastle,  Wis- 
casset,  crossed  the  Kennebeck,  thence  through  Yarmouth,  Portland, 
Biddefort  (Biddeford)  and  Berwick.  Entering  New  Hampshire  by  Dover 
he  went  on  to  Portsmouth,  Newbury-port  (in  Massachusetts),  Ipswich, 
Beverley,  Salem,  Marblehead,  Linn  (Lynn)  and  back  to  Boston  through 
Charlestown.  He  visited  Plymouth  (where  he  met  General  Warren2),  New 
Bedford,  Bristol  —  then  to  Rhode  Island,  Newport,  Warren,  Providence, 


railway  station  at  Thomaston,  Maine,  of  the  Maine  Central  Rail- 
way is  in  what  was  originaJllly  one  of  General  Knox's  outhouses.  General 
Henry  Knox,  born  in  Boston  in  1750,  early  took  an  active  part  in  the 
American  Revolution.  He  fought  at  Bunker  Hill  and  afterwards  dis- 
tinguished himself  in  many  important  engagements  as  subaltern,  colonel 
and  general.  He  was  appointed  Secretary  of  War  by  Congress  in  1785, 
filling  that  position  till  1795  when  he  resigned  on  account  of  insufficient 
salary.  During  part  of  this  time  he  was  at  the  head  of  the  Navy  Depart- 
ment also.  He  had  a  large  grant  of  land  in  what  was  afterwards  the 
State  of  Maine*,  but  then  part  of  Massachusetts  near  the  present  City  of 
Rockland  —  he  retired  to  this  estate  and  there  lived  till  his  death  in  1806. 
2This  was  James  Warren,  an  American  Revolutionary  leader  born  in 
Plymouth,  Mass.,  1726,  died  there  1808.  A  graduate  of  Harvard,  he  became 
a  merchant  in  his  native  place,  and  took  the  side  of  the  rebellious  colonists. 
He  was  for  a  time  paymaster  in  the  American  Army,  also  was  Speaker  of 
the  House  and  had  a  seat  on  the  Navy  Board. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  9 

Scituate,  Norwich,  New-London — then  to  Connecticut,  Lebanon,  Har- 
ford  (Hartford)  with  6,000  inhabitants,  Middletown,  Westfield,  New 
Haven,  whose  "aspect  on  the  whole  is  pleasing,"  Fairfield,  Nothvarck 
(Norwalk),  Stamford,  and  then  into  the  State  of  New  York,  Paulus 
Hook,  Elizabeth  Town  (in  New  Jersey),  Newark  to  New  York,  where  he 
visited  Aaron  Burr,8  "  one  of  the  most  amiable  men  I  ever  met.77  New 
Jersey  is  then  traversed,  "Voodbridge,"  Brunswick,  Prince-town  (Prince- 
ton), Maidenhead,  Trenton,  and  across  the  Delaware  to  Philadelphia  by 
way  of  Kensington.  Thus  he  returned  to  the  Pennsylvania  city  after 
a  seven  months7  journey,  the  fatigue  of  which  made  it  necessary  for  him 
"  to  take  some  time  for*  refreshment  and  repose." 

Volume  IV  describes  his  leaving  Philadelphia  March  26th,  1796, 
for  'South  Carolina  on  a  packet  boat,  one  of  his  fellow  passengers  being 
"M.  Elleword"  (Oliver  Ellsworth),  who  had  been  appointed  Chief 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  on  the  resignation 
of  John  Jay  (John  Eutledge  appointed  by  Washington  failed  of  con-, 
firmation),  and  "  to  whom  the  Americans,  most  of  them  young,  showed 
no  more  respect  than  to  the  negro  waiter.77  Arriving  at  Charles-town 
(Charleston),  he  describes  the  town,  the  forts,  etc.,  pays  tribute  to  the 
hospitality  of  its  inhabitants  and  then  gives  an  entertaining  description 
of  the  Sea  Islands  and  the  main  land  of  South  Carolina.  After  remain- 
ing in  Charleston  twenty  days,  La  Eochefoucault  set  out  for  Georgia  in 
company  with  a  French  botanist,  de  Beauvois,  each  hiring  a  "little 
cabriolet  and  a  little  negro.77  The  caymans  and  rattlesnakes  receive 
attention,  panthers  also — the  slave  mart  of  Savannah,  the  hostile  Indians, 
Augusta  "until  1794  the  chief  town  in  Georgia,"  Louisville  the  existing 
seat  of  government  with  only  about  thirty  houses — but  a  fever  which 
he  had  caught  in  Savannah  forced  him  to  give  up  his  project  of  visiting 
the  back  country  of  Georgia  and  Carolina.  A  description  is  then  given 
of  the  Spanish  settlements  in  Florida  and  Louisiana,  but  he  did  not 
visit  these  parts  of  North  America. 

May  2nd,  he  set  sail  from  Savannah  for  Charleston  and  spent  three 
weeks  there,  adding  to  his  information  materially.  He  describes  rice- 
culture,  the  "freshes77  (freshets)  and  goes  extensively  into  the  cotton 
products  and  general  commerce. 

He  was  not  able  to  visit  North  Carolina,  but  he  gives  the  information 
he  received  concerning  that  State  from  "  M.  Iredwell77  (James  Iredell), 
one  of  the  Justices  of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court. 

He  left  Charleston  in  a  sloop  of  twenty-nine  tons,  passed  Cape 
Fear  and  Cape  Lookout,  ran  aground  in  Chesapeake  Bay  and  at  length 
reached  Norfolk  in  Virginia  (renowned  for  its  malignant  epidemics, 
yellow  fever,  etc.),  then  Hampton,  "  Yorck,"  Williamsburg  (the  former 
Capital  of  Virginia),  and  Richmond.  Here  he  notes  the  prevailing 

EOnce  Vice-President  of  the  United  States — best  known  for  his  ambitious 
scheme  of  an  empire  in  the  South-west  and  his  subsequent  trial  for  treason 
before  Chief  Justice  John  Marshall  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 

States. 


10  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

passion  for  games  of  chance,  the  frequency  of  duels  and  (characteristic- 
ally) the  rigid  enforcement  of  the  laws  against  inoculation. 

The  journey  continued  from  Richmond  to  Manchester  by  "  the  worst 
and  most  dangerous  of  all  bridges/'  through  "  Osburne  "  to  Petersburg 
on  the  Appamatox;  and  with  his  return  to  Richmond  ends  the  fourth 
volume. 

Volume  V.  June  20th,  the  Duke  set  off  with  Guillemard  for  Monti- 
cello,  the  residence  of  Thomas  Jefferson,4  passed  Dover,  the  "  creek  de 
Fuckhehoe"  (Tuckahoe),  into  the  county  of  "  Gooekland"  (Goochland),' 
Milford,  to  Monticello.  Jefferson's  farm,  his  "  machine  a  battre  le  bled  " 
(threshing  machine),  his  "machine  a  semer  en  paquets"  (seed-drill), 
etc.,  come  in  for  admiration.,  while  his  kind  reception  of  the  traveller  is 
beyond  praise.  Then  to  Woods-tavern,  Rockfish  Mountain,  Staunton, 
Keyssel-town,  Pickering's  which  was  "  un  gite  comfortable  "  but  "  il  fait 
cruellement  chaud,"  Winchester,  Charles-town,  across  the  "  Potowmak," 
Harper's-ferry,  into  Maryland,  Frederick-town,  "  Poplars's-pring,"  Anna- 
polis, the  seat  of  government,  Ellicotsinill,  Baltimore;  leaving  Balti- 
more by  stage  4  a.m.  of  Monday,  June  19th,  stopping  five  or  six  hours 
at  Wilmington,  where  he  was  unable  to  sleep  for  the  bugs  and  fleas  which 
swarm  there,  he  arrived  at  Philadelphia  on  Tuesday  at  8  a.m.  On  the 
way  he  saw  a  Virginian  negro,  born  of  negro  father  and  mother,  who  had 
changed  his  colour  and  become  white.  Re  had  been  black  till  the  age  of 
forty,  then  the  skin  on  the  fingers  close  to  the  nails  grew  gradually  paler 
and  paler  till  it  was  quite  white;  on  nearly  all  the  rest  of  his  body  the 
same  process  had  taken  place. 

After  a  short  rest  at  Philadelphia  he  set  off  by  stage  for  "  New- 
Yorck,"  stopping  twenty-four  hours  in  Trenton:  then  to  Providence  by 
way  of  "  Stonning-town,"  and  Newport  (August  15th)  ;  then  by  stage 
again  to  Boston,  forty-five  miles,  by  "Patucket,"  Taunton  and  "Dehram" 
(Durham). 

A  second  trip  was  made  to  Thomaston  by  sea  (September  12th), 
and  after  a  visit  of  twelve  days,  the  Duke  returned  to  Boston  by  'way  of 
Portsmouth,  Exeter,  Haverhill,  etc. 

Finally  quitting  Boston,  he  passed  through  Marlborough,  Brook- 
field,  Palmer,  Springfield,  Westfield,  Stockbridge,  to  Kinderhook,  enter- 
ing New  York  State  to 'Kingston  ("formerly  called  Esopus"),  "New 
Pattz"  (New  Paltz),  Newburg,  New- Windsor,  West-Point,  Verplank- 
point,  to  "  New-Yorck."  Mineralogical  and  other  scientific  observations 
close  this  volume. 

Volume  VI  begins  with  the  commencement  of  a  journey  from 
Philadelphia,  March  26th,  1797,  to  Federal  City.  He  passes  Wilming- 

4The  second  President  of  the  United  States— the  estate  is  still  known 
as  (Monticello;  it  is  near  Charlottetown,  Virginia,  the  seat  of  the  University 
of  Virginia,  founded  by  Jefferson.  To  us,  Jefferson's  most  prominent 
characteristic  is  his  hatred  of  Britain;  but  he  is  held  in  reverent  memory 
(at  least  ostensibly)  by  the  Democratic  Party  in  the  United  States  as  the 
Father  of  Democracy. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  H 

ton,  Brandywine-mills,  Newcastle,  Chester,  Annapolis,  and  arrives  at 
Federal  City  (which  became  Washington,  D.C.)  to  which  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment was  to  be  removed  the  first  Monday  of  December,  1800.  Then  by 
water  to  Alexandria  to  Baltimore,  Havre-de-Grace,  Elk-town  and  Phila- 
delphia again.  A  very  full  description  of  Pennsylvania,  its  history, 
constitution,  laws  (civil  and  criminal),  prison  system,  commerce,  banks, 
etc.,  with  eleven  pages  devoted  to  the  manners  of  the  people  of  Phila- 
delphia (who  are  "  universally  accused  of  possessing  less  hospitality  than 
any  other  city  in  the  United  States/'  "  et  il  est  possible  qu'ils  meritent 
cette  reputation/'  but  this  may  perhaps  be  in  part  explained  by  the  fact 
that  "  les  quakers  vivent  entr'eux  et  vivent  retires  "),  completes  the  sixth 
volume. 

Volume  VII  contains  an  account  of  a  journey  to  Bethlehem  and 
the  Jerseys  in  June,  1797.  Germantown  and  Quakers-Town  lead  to 
Bethlehem  and  the  Moravian  Brethren  whose  settlement  is  described 
— Nazareth,  another  Moravian  settlement  six  miles  from  Bethlehem — 
Easton,  Belvedere  (of  some  twenty  houses)  Hacketstown,  Morristown, 
Chatham,  "  Newarck " ;  then  follows  a  description  of  New  Jersey. 

Next  we  have  the  account  of  a  stay  in  "  New-Yorck  "  in  August, 
1797;  here  are  set, out  at  considerable  length  his  observations  on  the 
laws,  constitution,  etc.,  of  the  State,  and  a  description  of  the  City — 
which  "  next  to  Philadelphia  is  the  largest  and  the  finest  city  in  the 
United  States/'  and  whose  inhabitants,  "  in  point  of  hospitality  hold 
a  middle  place  between  those  of  Philadelphia  and  those  of  Boston." 
Some  100  pages  of  general  observations  on  the  United  States  close  the 
volume. 

Volume  VIII  is  entirely  taken  up  with  general  observations  on  the 
United  States,  commerce,  army,  relations  with  the  Indians,  population, 
naturalization,  coinage,  constitution,  etc.,  with  many  tables.  The  book 
concludes  with  a  fervent  prayer  that  France  and  the  United  States 
might  draw  closer  to  each  other.  "  May  highmindedness  and  good  faith 
be  the  bonds  which  unite  them !  In  international  matters  as  in  private 
life  these  are  the  most  effective  as  they  are  the  most  honourable" — a 
prayer  which  the  present  writer  fervently  re-echoes,  inserting  before  the 
word  "  France  "  the  word  "  Britain." 

I  have  carefully  compared  the  translation  with  the  first  French 
edition  (Paris,  Fan  VII,  in  eight  volumes)  ;  and  have  at  the  foot  of  the 
page  indicated  some  deviations  from  the  original — all,  I  think,  which  are 
of  any  importance  and  some  which  may  be  considered  unimportant — 
thus  "  Page  383  .  .  ." 

I  have  not  attempted  to  make  the  rhetorical,  turgid  and  some- 
times obscure  English  of  the  translator  correspond  to  the  concise, 
simple  and  clear  French  of  the  author :  that  would  involve  rewriting 
much  of  the  book.  In  most  of  the  instances  in  which  the  translator  has 
misunderstood  his  author,  I  have  noted  the  error — any  omission  in  that 
regard  will.  I  trust,  be  found  to  be  of  no  moment. 


12  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

Ill  the  print  of  Smith's  manuscript,  the  capitalization  and  ortho- 
graphy have  been  carefully  followed.  It  will  be  seen  that  many  of  the 
nouns  are  written  with  a  capital  letter — it  is  still  the  practice  in  German 
and  was  once  almost  universal  in  English  to  write  all  nouns  with  a  capi- 
tal letter — this  custom  persisted  long  even  in  print,  and  at  least  in  manu- 
script well  into  the  nineteenth  century. 

Some  other  important  words  are  also  capitalized,  contrary  to  the 
modern  usage.  The  opposite  practice  of  writing  gentile  nouns  with  a 
small  letter  is  found  in  our  first  Upper  Canada  law  report,  published  in 
1823,  which  speaks  of  "six  nation  Indians/'  "indians"  and  "frenchmen." 
Taylor's  Eeport  of  Cases  in  the  Court  of  King's  Bench,  Upper  Canada, 
York,  U.C.,  The  King  vs.  Phelps,  54  at  pp.  59,  61,  62,  63  (although 
"Indian"  and  "French"  are  also  found  at  pp.  57,  61,  64).  Gentile 
adjectives  are  sometimes  spelled  by  Smith  with  a  small  letter  as  is  the 
(French  usage — this  was  not  at  all  unusual  in  English  till  toward  the 
middle  of  the  last  century. 

The  orthography  of  the  French  edition  is  the  orthography  of  that 
day  and  calls  for  no  comment;  that  of  the  English  edition  shows  an 
uncertainty  in  the  spelling  of  some  words  not  at  all  without  precedent, 
"  dependant "  or  "  dependent,"  "  smoak  "  or  "  smoke,"  etc;,  etc.  Some- 
times a  form  is  vised  which  would  not  now  be  employed,  e.g.,  "  bason  " 
[391],  [398],  [552],  where  we  would  now  use  "basin,";  "feldtspar" 
[571]  is  probably  a  mere  mistake,  as  that  form  was  not  known  in  Eng- 
lish. 

The  punctuation  of  the  text  closely  followed  in  this  reprint,  is  exces- 
sive, often  obscuring  rather  than  clarifying:  it  is  seemingly  without 
principle,  except  to  throw  in  as  many  commas  as  possible. 

Some  English  words  are  employed  in  a  non-English  sense,  e.g., 
"expediting"  [580],  for  "dispatching"  goods,  "certifying"  [588]  for 
"  verifying,"  etc.  It  would  almost  seem  that  the  translator  was  as  little 
versed  in  English  as  in  French — the  words  are,  I  think,  always  used  in 
a  sense  etymologically  correct  but  frequently  not  in  accordance  with 
usage  (I  am  reminded  of  the  recent  use  by  a  French  gentleman  of  ex- 
cellent English  education  and  speaking  English  like  a  native,  of  the  word 
"edification"  in  the  sense  of  "house-building/'  a  use  wholly  proper  a 
century  ago,  but  long  out  of  date,  etymologically  correct  as  it  is.) 

I  have  availed  myself  of  many  sources  of  information :  it  would  savour 
of  ingratitude  if  I  did  not  express  specially  my  thanks  to  Mr.  John 
Ross  Robertson  for  his  admirable  edition  of  the  Diary  of. Mrs.  Simcoe, 
the  notes  to  which  are  a  mine  of  information  concerning  Upper  Canada 
in  those  early  days. 

Amongst  others,  I  am  indebted  to  M.  Fauteux,  Librarian  of  the 
Sulpician  Library,  Montreal,  and  M.  Arthur  Robitaille,  Professor  of 
Botany,  Laval  University,  for  information  concerning  Lower  Canada. 

Professor  Bain's  courtesy  in  allowing  me  to  use  Smith's  notes, 
etc.,  is  on  a  par  with  his  uniform  kindness  in  permitting  me  the 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  13 

full  use  of  his  library,  containing,  as  it  does,  many  valuable  and  rare 
volumes  bearing  on  our  early  history. 

It  should,  at  all  times,  and  especially  in  the  present  crisis,  when  the 
Empire  is  calling  on  all  her  sons,  be  a  matter  of  pride  to  know  how  well 
Upper  Canadians  played  their  part  in  the  infant  days  of  our  Province — 
the  ignorant  or  malignant  strictures  of  La  Eochefoucault  are  harmless  to 
darken  the  immortal  fame  of  Simcoe,  Butler  and  their  fellows;  but  it  is 
well  not  to  allow  them  to  remain  unanswered.  I  am  wholly  convinced 
that  his  misrepresentations  have  had  something, to  do  with  the  interna- 
tional illwill  long  felt  by  many  Americans  toward  the  loyal  North. 

WILLIAM  RENWICK  RIDDELL. 
Osgoode  Hall, 

October,  1916. 


Franqois  Alexandre  Frederic  La  Rochefoucault-Liancourt. 


From  the  John  Ross  Robertson 

Hifttorirnl   Collection,    Toronto. 


TOUR  THROUGH  UPPER  CANADA. 

Saturday,  the  20th  of  June,  1795. 

[Page  38O.]  The  vessels,  in  which  we  crossed!  the  river  Niagara, 
belong  to  the  English,  and  are,  for  this  reason,  in  a  better  condition 
than  the  major  part  of  the  American  vessels  or  ferries,  which 
are  entirely  left  to  the  will  and  pleasure  of  the  owners,  with- 
out any  public  officer  taking  the  least  notice  of  their  condi- 
tion, and  providing  for  the  safety  of  travellers.  The  ferry  con- 
sisted in  a  vessel  of  considerable  capacity,  the  kides  of  which 
were  one  foot  and  a  half  high ;  it  was  tolerably  staunch,  and  sufficiently 
large,  to  -contain  five  horses  without  any  apparent  danger.  '  The  master 
of  the  vessel  is  directed  to  write  down  the  names  of  the  passengers ;  eur  s 
were  already  known.  General  Simcoe,  governor  of  Upper  'Canada,  in- 
formed of  our  journey  by  Mr.  Hammond,  the  English  am- 
bassador to  the  United  States^  had  long  ago  given  notice  by 
the  post  of  our  expected  [381]  arrival.  Mr.  Guillemard,  who  had  crossed 
over  on  the  preceding  evening  had  announced  our  intended  arrival  on 
the  next  morning;  and  the  Captain  of  an  English  frigate,  which  was 
receiving  some  repairs  on  the  opposite  bank,  sent  us  his  boat,  as  soon 
as  he  perceived  us.  Our  guide,  PONDRIT,  had  preceded  us  to 
the  river  to  call  the  ferrymen ;  and  the  ferry  arriving  sooner 
than  the  boat,  of  the  destination  of  which  we  were  ignorant, 
we  stepped  into  the  former.  The  passage  from  the  American 
to  the  English  side  requires  four  or  five  minutes,  and  from  the 
English  to  the  American  shore  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  Fort  Erie 
stands  on  the  shore  of  the  lake,  about  two  miles  above  the  ferry.  -The 
commandant  had  desired  the  captain  of  the  frigate  to  supply  his  place, 
until  he  should  be  able  to  visit  us  himself.  We  thought  it  right  to  return 
this  act  of  civility,  by  immediately  setting  out  to  present  to  him  our 
passports.  We  did  so,  though  we  were  not  dressed  to  pay  a  visit  of 
ceremony;  but  the  rain  having  made  our  appearance  still  worse,  we 
determined  on  drying  our  clothes  at  the  inn,  until  the  weather  should 
clear  up,  and  permit  us  to  proceed  to  the  fort.  We  were  not  yet  dressed, 
when  the  commandant  arrived  at  the  inn,  and  invited  us  to  dinner, 
acquainting  us,  at  the  same  time,  that  he  was  directed  to  shew  us  every 

Page  380.  "Simcoe"  is  invariably  written  "Simcoe"  in  the  original 
French. 

Page  381.  "  Pondrit "  is  "poudrit"  in  the  original.  "Erie"  is  "Erie." 
The  French  word  translated  "  frigate  "  is  "  fregate,"  which  has  a  somewhat 
more  flexible  meaning  than  our  word  "  frigate " — "  vaisseau  de  guerre 
moindre  que  le  vaisseau  de  ligne." 

15 


16  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

[382]  civility  in  his  power.  This  invitation  was  very  agreeable 
to  us;  a  dinner  at  a  Governor's,  after  three  day's  travelling  through 
floods,  is  a  real  feast.  We  accordingly  attended  him  to  the  fort. 

Fort  Erie,  as  it  is  called,  though  we  know  not  why,*  consists  of 
some  houses  roughly  formed  of  wood,  and  surrounded  with  tottering 
palisadoes.  It  has  neither  a  rampart,  a  covert-way,  nor  any  other  works. 
The  buildings,  which  are  all  of  them  block-houses,  are  inhabited  by  the 
officers,  soldiers,  and  a  commissary  of  provision.  Without  the  precincts 
of  the  fort,  stand  four  similar  houses,  destined  for  the  habitation  of 
the  workmen,  and  a  large  magazine,  or  store-house,  belonging  to  the 
king.  The  upper  story  juts  out  beyond  the  ground  floor,  so  that  all 
who  should  attempt  to  approach  the  store-house,  might  be  easily  kept  off 
with  firelocks,  by  means  of  openings  made  in  the  upper  story.f  This 
fort  is  to  be  considered  merely  as  a  point  of  defence  against  the  Indians 
for  the  British  trade  on  the  lake,  at  the  extremity  of  which  it  stands. 
The  term  [383]  FORT,  in  its  usual  import,  cannot  by  any  means 
be  applied  to  this  place,  which  is  even  now  in  a  worse  situation  than 
formerly,  since  the  impending  surrender  of  the  forts  situated  on  the 
opposite  shore  to  the  Americans,  leaves  the  English  no  alternative,  but 
to  have  either  no  forts  at  all  on  this  side  of  the  lake,  or  to  put  those 
which  they  shall  maintain  in  a  respectable  state  of  defence.  Fort 
Erie  is  garrisoned  by  a  company  of  the  fifth  regiment,  the  captain  of 
which  company  is,  at  the  same  time,  the  commandant  of  the  place. 
Captain  PRATT  holds  this  command  at  present ;  on  account  of  his  long 
service,  he  has  been  nominated  major  by  hrevet.  The  duty  of  the 
soldiers,  who  form  the  garrison,  consists  in  standing  sentries;  but  they 
are  also  obliged  to  serve  on  board  the  ships,  which  belong  to  the  govern- 
ment. Almost  all  the  provision,  and  all  ammunition,  without  excep- 
tion, come  from  England,  and  across  the  lakes.  The  navigation  on 
the  river  Niagara  ends  seven  miles  above  Lake  Ontario,  whence  there 
is  a  land-conveyance  as  far  as  Chippaway,  nine  miles  distant,  where 
the  navigation  for  boats  and  other  small  vessels  recommences,  extend- 
ing as  far  as  Fort  Erie.  Here  the  goods,  destined  for  Fort  Detroit, 
are  laden  in  ships,  navigated  by  soldiers  from  Fort  Erie  to  Fort  Chipp- 
away. The  return  passage  is  [384]  extremely  difficult;  and  for  this 
laborious  task,  they  are  allowed  only  fifteen  shillings,  to  be  distributed 
among  five  men,  who  compose  the  crew.* 

*Dr.  Morse  says  that  Fort  Erie  is  a  strong  fortification;  an  assertion 
which  it  is  impossible  to  reconcile  with  the  description  given  by  the  Duke, 
but  by  supposing  it  to  have  undergone  considerable  improvement  since  1795. 
— Translator. 

fBuildings  of  this  construction  are  very  common  in  the  United  States, 
as  well  as  in  British  America:  they  are  called  block-houses. — Author.  (This 
is  part  of  the  text  in  the  French  edition.) 

Page  382.  "Governor"  is  "Commandant"  in  the  original;  the  mistake 
is  the  translator's.  "  Block-houses  "  in  the  original  "  log-houses."  "  United 
States  " — "  1'Amerique  libre." 

Page  383.  "  Chippaway  " — "  Chippawa." 

*This,  no  doubt,  is  in  addition  to  their  pay  as  soldiers.— Translator. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  !7 

The  soldiers  have  a  garden,  where  they  cultivate  the  necessary 
vegetables,  which  by 'any  other  means  they  would  not  be  able  to  pro- 
cure. Their  allowance  of  provision,  which  consists  in  a  pound  of  flour, 
a  pound  of  salt  pork,  four  ounces  of  rice,  and  a  little  butter,  a  day,  is, 
no  doubt,  paid  for  by  the  government  at  a  very  high  rate;  but  to  the 
soldiers  it  is  delivered  for  two  pence  halfpenny  a  ration,  which  is  de- 
ducted from  their  pay,  amounting  to  six  pence  per  day.  All  the  troops, 
quartered  in  'Canada,  are  treated  in  the  same  manner.  Another  com- 
pany of  the  same  regiment  is  at  Fort  Chippaway,  and  the  remaining 
eight  companies  form  the  garrison  of  North  Niagaraf.  Fort  Detroit, 
and  several  other  forts,  which  the  English  still  hold  in  their  possession, 
but  which  are  to  be  given  up  to  the  Americans,  are  garrisoned  by  the 
twenty-fifth  regiment.  Fort  Detroit  stands  at  the  end  of  Lake  Erie,  on 
[385]  the  strait  or  river,  which  separates  it  from  Lake  St.  Clair. 
It  was  erected  about  the  year  1740.  The  inhabitants  are  mostly 
French,  and  consist  of  about  three  hundred  families.  It  is  said  to  be 
in  a  very  flourishing  condition.  About  one  hundred  artillerymen  are 
distributed  in  Detroit,  Fort  Niagara,  and  some  other  places,  which  I 
shall  have  occasion  to  mention.  The  troops  generally  remain  seven 
years  in  Canada,  during  which  time  the  garrisons  relieve  each  other 
every  year.  But  the  war  in  Europe,  and  the  fear  of  a  rupture  with 
America,  have  occasioned  various  alterations  in  these  ordinary  arrange- 
ments. The  regiments  now  remain  three  years  in  the  same  place;  a 
change,  with  which  they  alone  are  pleased,  to  whose  lot  it  falls  to  garri- 
son the  small  forts.  For  the  same  reasons,  the  regiments  at  present 
have  but  half  their  co'mplements. 

A  store-house,  belonging  to  a  private  gentleman,  is  also  included 
within  Fort  Erie,  but  stands  apart  from  the  buildings,  which  appertain 
to  government.  In  this  magazine  are  warehoused  all  the  goods,  which 
come  upwards,  and  are  destined  for  Detroit,  as  well  as  those  which  go 
down  the  river  to  Niagara,  Kingston,  Montreal,  Quebec,  &c.  They  are 
forwarded  to  their  places  of  destination,  either  in  boats,  when  they  go 
down  the  river,  or  in  large  vessels,  when  they  are  [386]  destined 
for  Detroit.  The  trade  on  Lake  Erie  is  carried  on  in  four  or  five  mer- 
chantmen, besides  three  or  four  armed  yachts  belonging  to  the  king. 

Peltry  is  the  chief  commodity  exported  from  Detroit;  but  we  also 
saw  several  casks  of  very  fine  maple  sugar,  made  by  the  Indians.  We 
were  informed,  that  the  quantity  of  this  article,  which  passes  yearly 
through  this  place,  is  very  considerable;  but  were  not  able  to  learn  its 
exact  'value  in  money.  The  owner  of  the  store-house  hires,  at  times, 
about  twenty  'Canadians,  for  the  shipping  and  unshipping  of  the  goods, 

fFort  Niagara,  as  well  as  the  other  forts  mentioned  by  the  Author,  were 
surrendered  up  to  the  Americans  in  July  1796.— Translator. 

Page  384.  "  necessary "  is  an  interpolation.  "  Fort  Chippaway " — 
"  Chippawa." 

Page  385.  "Three  hundred  families  "—"  Trois  mille  families."     "Kings- 
ton " — "  Kingstown."     "  Montreal  " — "  Mont-Real." 

Page  386.  "  yachts  " — "  Sloops,"  a  wholly  proper  designation. 
3  T.C. 


18  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

for  carrying  them  into  the  magazine,  and  transporting  the  boats  by 
land  to  the  lower  country.  The  'Canadians  no  sooner  learned,  that  we 
were  Frenchmen,  than  they  expressed  to  us  a  satisfaction,  attachment, 
and  respect,  repeated  demonstrations  of  which  our  peculiar  situation 
obliged  us  to  avoid. 

The  Chippaway,  a  king's  yacht,  commanded  by  Captain  HARA,  ar- 
rived here  during  our  residence  in  the  fort.  He  had  been  seven  days 
passing  the  strait,  which  ships  frequently  clear  in  two  days. 

Hard  cash  or  specie  is  extremely  scarce  in  this  corner  of  the  world. 
It  can  come  only  from  Lower  Canada,  but  they  like  to  keep  it  in  Quebec 
and  Montreal.  Nay,  the  paymaster  of  the  [387]  troops,  on  pretence 
that  the  conveyance  is  dangerous,  sends  no  specie  for  the  troops, 
though  he  receives  their  pay  in  hard  cash.  He  could  most  cer- 
tainly not  refuse  it  to  the  paymasters  of,  the  regiments,  if,  for  that  pur- 
,pose,  they  proceeded  to  Montreal  or  Quebec,  where  he  resides.  But  to 
undertake  this  journey  at  the  expense  of  the  corps,  would  occasion  too 
considerable  a  reduction  from  their  money,  which  should  reach  its  de- 
stination without  the  least  diminution.  He  accordingly  remits  it  in 
bills  of  exchange,  which  are  paid  in  paper-money,  that  every  one  makes 
to  any  amount  he  chooses,  arid  which  nevertheless  is  universally  re- 
ceived with  a  degree  of  confidence,  equal  to  that  which  obtained  in 
jFrance  in  the  second  year  of  the  revolution.  There  are  notes  of  this 
kind  of  only  two  pence  in  value.  They  are  small  strips  of  paper,  either 
written  or  printed,  frequently  without  any  signature,  and  mostly  effaced 
and  torn. 

During  our  dinner  several  Indians  arrived  in  boats.  They  formed 
a  small  camp  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  which  we  visited  on  our  return. 
We  experienced  from  them  the  most  cordial  reception,  to  which,  per- 
haps, the  state  of  one  of  our  companions,  not  dissimilar  to  that  in 
which  most  of  these  drinkers  of  rum  found  themselves,  contributed  not 
a  little. 

[388]  Sunday,  the  21st  of  June. 

After  a  hearty  breakfast  on  board  the  Chippaway  frigate,  where 
we  learned,  that  this  vessel,  which  is  about  four  hundred  tuns  burthen, 
and  pierced  for  sixteen  guns,  cost  five  thousand  pounds  sterling ! 
— a  proof  of  the  enormous  price  of  labour  in  this  country — we  embarked 
for  Chippaway.  Major  Pratt  insisted  on  our  taking  our  passage  in  a 
vessel  belonging  to  government,  as  he  had  particular  orders  to  that 

Page  386.  "  Chippaway  " — "  Chippawa."  "  Hara  " — "  Haro."  "  Yacht " — 
Sloop."  "  Seven  days  passing  the  Strait " — "  Sept  jours  dans  la  traversee 
depuis  le  Detroit,"  i.e.,  "  Seven  days  in  coming  from  Detroit."  "  Montreal  " 
— "  Mont-Real." 

Page  387.  "  Montreal  " — "  Mont-R6al."  "  Two  pence  " — "  deux  sols,"  i.e., 
"  two  half  pence."  "  Boats  " — "  pirogues." 

Page  388.  "  Chippaway  " — "  Lotowha."  "  Four  hundred  tuns  " — "  d'en- 
viron  40  tonneaux,"  i.e.,  "  about  40  tons."  "  Chippaway "  —  "  Chippawa." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  19 

effect.  He  manned  it  with  six  soldiers,  who  were  excellent  hands  at 
rowing ;  and  also  directed  Lieutenant  FAULKNER  to  attend  us  as  far  as 
Niagara.  No  denial,  on  our  part,  could  prevail  with  him  to  withhold 
this  act  of  civility,  which,  even  during  my  prosperity,  would  have  em- 
barrassed me,  and  which  now  bore  the  appearance  of  scorn  rather  than 
politeness.  We  were,  therefore,  obliged  to  submit,  and  to  assume  the 
air  of  persons,  whose  rank  demanded  this  distinction.  We  were  now 
approaching  the  prospect  of  the  Grand  'Cataract  of  Niagara,  one  of  the 
principal  objects  of  our  journey,  and  which  I  had  long  desired  to  see. 
We  formed,  every  one  of  us,  different  ideas  of  this  waterfall,  according 
to  our  different  powers  of  fancy;  each  stroke  of  the  oars  brought  us 
nearer  to  it,  and  our  attention  being  entirely  [389]  turned  to 
discover  the  foam,  and  hear  the  noise,  we  took  but  little  notice  of  the 
banks  of  the  river,  which,  on  the  side  of  Oanada,  are  tolerably  settled, 
of  the  uncommon  width  of  its  channel,  or  the  majestic  course  of  its 
stream.  At  last  we  heard  the  noise,  and  perceived  the  spray.  The 
weather  was  rather  unfavourable,  so  that  we  could  not,  at  any  con- 
siderable distance,  enjoy  this  grand  spectacle.  The  rapidity  of  the 
stream,  which  is  perceptible  several  miles  from  the  falls,  soon  carried 
us  to  Chippaway.  A  whole  mile  before  you  reach  that  place, 'you  must 
keep  close  under  the  shore,  without  which  precaution  the  stream  would 
soon  involve  the  boat,  and  irresistibly  hurl  it  to  destruction.  You  must 
even  make  the  utmost  exertion  in  rowing  to  remount  the  'Chippaway 
Creek,  from  which  the  fort  takes  its  name. 

We  had  no  sooner  landed,  than,  with  the  utmost  impatience,  we 
hastened  to  the  falls,  scarcely  returning  with  due  attention  the  civilities 
we  experienced  from  Captain  HAMILTON,  commandant  of  the  fort.  We 
accepted,  however,  his  invitation  to  dinner,  which  on  our  account  he 
kindly  deferred  until  four  o'clock,  mounted  our  horses,  and,  with  Lieu- 
tenant Faulkner,  proceeded  to  the  falls.  The  distance  of  Chippaway 
from  the  falls,  in  a  straight  line,  is  but  a  mile  and  a  half ;  but  the  banks 
of  the  river  form  so  [39O]  many  flexures,  that  the  road,  which  winds 
along  them,  is  three  miles  long. 

At  Chippaway  the  grand  spectacle  begins.  The  river,  which  has 
been  constantly  expanding  from  Fort  Erie  to  this  place,  is  here  up- 
wards of  three  miles  wide;  but  on  a  sudden  it  is  narrowed,  and  the 
rapidity  of  the  stream  redoubled  by  the  declivity  of  the  ground  on 
which  it  flows,  as  well  as  the  sudden  contraction  of  its  bed.  The  channel 
is  rocky;  and  the  interspersed  fragments  of  rocks  encrease  the  violence 
of  the  stream.  The  country  is  flat  and  even  to  this  point;  but  here  a 
range  of  white  rocks  arises  on  each  side  of  the  river,  which  is  contracted 

Page  388.  After  "  demanded  this  distinction,"  the  original  text  has  "  Nos 
chevaux  ont  6t6  nous  attendre  au  lieu  ou  nous  devions  debarquer  " — "  Our 
horses  were  to  await  us  at  our  point  of  debarkation." 

Page  389.  "  Foam  "— "  vapeur,"  i.e.,  "  spray."  "  Chippaway  " — "  Chippa- 
wa"  (three  times).  (As  this  spelling  is  constant,  we  shall  not  again 
notice  it.) 


20  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

to  half  a  mile's  breadth.  This  range  is  a  branch  of  the  Alleghany 
mountains*,  which,  proceeding  from  Florida,  previously  to  their  reach- 
ing this  point,  intersect  the  whole  continent  of  America.  The  river, 
more  closely  hemmed  in  by  the  rocks  on  the  right,  incroaching  upon 
its  channel,  branches  into  two  arms,  one  of  which  flows  along  the  bank, 
formed  by  the  rocks  on  the  right;  and  the  other,  far  more  considerable, 
being  separated  by  [391]  a  small  island,  makes  straight  on  to 
the  left,  and  sweeps  through  a  bason  of  stone,  which  it  fills  with  mucK 
foam  and  noise.  At  length,  being  again  obstructed  by  other  rocks, 
which  it  meets  on  its  right,  it  alters  its  course  with  redoubled  violence, 
and  along  with  the  right  arm  rushes  down  a  perpendicular  ledge  of 
rocks  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet  highf,  nearly  half  concave,  and 
probably  worn  out  by  the  incessant  impetuosity  of  the  waters.  Its 
width  is  nearly  equal  to  that  of  its  bed,  the  uniformity  of  which  "is  only 
interrupted  by  an  island,  which  separates  the  two  arms,  rests  unshaken 
on  its  rocky  basis,  and  seems,  as  it  were,  to  swim  between  the  two 
streams,  which  rush  down  at  once  into  this  stupendous  chasm.  The 
waters  of  the  lakes  Erie,  'Michigan,  St.  Clair,  Huron,  and  Lake  Super- 
iour,  and  of  the  numerous  rivers,  emptying  themselves  into  these  lakes, 
incessantly  replace  the  water  that  thus  dashes  down.  The  water  of  the 
falls  tumbles  perpendicularly  on  the  rocks.  •  Its  colour  is  at  times  a 
dark  green,  at  others  a  foaming  white,  brilliant  throughout,  and  dis- 
playing a  thousand  variegations,  as  it  is  struck  by  the  rays  of  the  sun,  or, 
according  to  the  time  [392]  of  the  day,  the  state  of  the  atmosphere,  the 
force  of  the  wind,  &c.  The  water,  which  rushes  down  the  rocks,  rises  in 
part  in  a  thick  column  of  mist,  aften  towering  above  the  height  of  the 
falls,  and  mixing  with  the  clouds.  The  remainder,  broken  in  its  per- 
pendicular descent  by  fragments  of  rocks,  is  in  continual  agitation; 
spouts  and  foams,  and  casts  on  shore  logs  of  wood,  whole  trees,  boats, 
and  wrecks,  which  the  stream  has  swept  along  in  its  course.  The  bed 
of  the  river,  formed  by  the  two  ridges  of  rocks  which  extend  a  great  way 
farther,  is  still  more  narrowed,  as  if  part  of  this  mighty  stream  had 
vanished  during  the  fall,  or  were  swallowed  up  by  the  earth.  The 
noise,  agitation,  irregularity,  and  rapid  descent  of  the  stream,  continue 
seven  or  eight  miles  farther  on.  and  the  river  does  not  become  suffi- 

Page  390.  "  Alleghany " — "  Alleganys."  After  "  the  river,"  (where  it 
occurs  the  second  time  on  this  page)  the  name  is  given  in  the  original, 
"Saint-Laurent,  ici  nomine"  riviere  de  Niagara." 

*This  principal  ridge  of  the  Alleghany  mountains,  which  extend  north- 
east and  southeast,  nearly  parallel  to  the  sea  coast,  about  nine  hundred 
miles  in  length,  and  from  sixty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  and  two  hundred 
miles  in  breadth,  is  descriptively  named  the  back-bone  of  the  United  States. 
— Translator. 

tOther  accounts  say,  that  the  perpendicular  height  at  the  cataract  is 
only  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  or  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet. — Translator. 

Page  391.  "Its  width  is  nearly  equal  to  that  of  its  bed "— "  La  elle 
tom.be  en  formant  une  nappe  presqu'  egale  dans  toute  son  etendue,"  i.e., 
"  there  it  falls  in  a  sheet  almost  uniform  throughout  its  whole  extent." 
"  The  waters  of  the  falls  " — "  Les  eaux  des  deux  cascades." 

"  Brilliant  throughout " — "  Quelquefois  absolument  limnide,"  i.e.,  "some- 
times absolutely  clear,"  limpid. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  21 

ciently  placid  for  a  safe  passage  till  it  reaches  Queenstown*,  nine  miles 
from  the  falls. 

I  crept  down  to  the  cataract;  the  descent  is  very  difficult;  perpen- 
dicular steps,  hewn  out  of  trees,,  caverns,  and  projecting  rocks,  the  scat- 
tered fragments  of  which  warn  the  traveller  of  the  danger  from  the 
descent,  without  offering  any  hold,  except  some  decayed  bushes,  which 
the  imprudent  adventurer  who  should  place  any  dependence 
[393]  on  them,  would  carry  with  him  into  the  unfathomed  abyss. 
Every  thing  seems  calculated  to  strike  with  terror;  but  curiosity  is  as 
heedless  as  any  other  passion.  The  certain  prospect  of  a  splendid  for- 
tune would  hardly  induce  me  to  attempt,  what  I  at  this  moment  did 
from  the  mere  impulse  of  curiosity.  I  frequently  crawled  along  on 
both  hands;  the  zeal  with  which  1  pursued  my  object  gave  me  a  dex- 
terous activity,  which  I  was  not  conscious  of  possessing..  I  several 
times  abandoned  myself'  entirely  to  chance,  and  thus  I  toiled  a  mile 
and  a  half  to  reach  the  foot  of  this  stupendous  cataract.  The  pleasing 
consciousness  of  having  attained  our  end  is  the  only  reward  of  the  ex- 
ertions, by  which  we  have  obtained  success.  In  the  course  of  our  life 
we  frequently  meet  with  similar  instances. 

Near  this  spot  is  a  whirlpool,  the  spray  of  which  drenches  your 
clothes  even  at  a  distance.  The  columns  of  foam,  arising  from  the  falls, 
mix  again  with  the  descending  stream.  The  bason  itself  is  hidden  by 
this  thick  cloud,  and  the  tremendous  noise,  which  is  more  violent  here 
than  anywhere  else,  is  the  only  enjoyment  to  be  attained.  You  may 
proceed  a  few  paces  on  pieces  of  rock,  lying  between  the  column  of 
water  and  the  rocks  from  which  it  rushes  down;  but  here  [394] 
you  are  completely  sequestered  from  the  world,  you  are  even  deprived 
of  the  prospect  of  the  falls  by  the  column  of  water,  which,  by  its  den- 
sity and  motion,  intercepts  the  free  access  of  air  to  such  a  degree,  that 
suffocation  must  unavoidably  be  the  result  of  a  long  cont'inuance  in  this 
place. 

It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  impression,  which  this  cataract 
made  upon  our  minds.  Fancy,  which  had  long  cherished  the  hope  of 
viewing  it,  now  offered  pictures,  which  might  seem  exaggerated,  yet 
were  much  inferior  to  the  reality.  To  attempt  a  description  of  the  im- 
pression we  felt,  would  be  equivalent  to  a  description  of  the  falls;  an 
attempt  far  exceeding  our  powers.  The  enthusiasm,  which  seized  mjy 
soul  at  the  aspect  of  this  magnificent  spectacle,  was  too  powerful  to  be 
weakened  by  our  unpleasant  journey  back  to  the  Fort;  and  it  was  not 
until  I  arrived  at  'Captain  Hamilton's,  that  I  found  leisure  to  notice 
my  weariness,  my  hunger,  my  bruises,  the  miserable  condition  of  my 
clothes,  and  the  time  of  the  day. — It  was  two  o'clock. 

*In  Upper  Canada,  on  the  west  side  of  the  straits  of  Niagara  — 
Translator. 

Page    393.  "  Foam  " — "  vapeurs." 


22  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

Poor  Lieutenant  Faulkner,  who  thought  himself  obliged  to  attend 
my  Highness,  unfortunately  partook  not  of  my  enthusiasm,  but  merely 
associated  in  my  struggles  with  various  obstacles,  and  bore  his  share 
of  contusions  and  fatigue.  In  [395]  spite  of  his  excessive  politeness, 
he  seemed  extremely  sad  and  dull,  until  some  glasses  of  wine  had  cheered 
up  his  spirits. 

Captain  Hamilton,  commandant  of  Fort  Chippaway,  which  is  even 
inferior  in  strength  to  Fort  Erie,  was  so  kind  as  to  detain  us  to  dinner. 
The  ennui  naturally  resulting  from  this  dreary  post,  the  most  dull  of 
any,  is  beguiled  by  the  society  of  a  handsome,  sweet,  and  lovely  wife, 
and  six  children,  who  constantly  surround  him.  They  both  received 
us  in  that  plain,  cordial,  and  easy  manner,  which  characterises  persons 
who  have  constantly  frequented  the  best  society. 

'Chippaway  was  formerly  the  chief  place  of  an  Indian  tribe,  which 
now  inhabit  the  borders  of  Virginia.  The  carriage  rendered  neces- 
sary by  the  water-fall  and  its  continued  effects  ends  here.  Previous  to 
the  treaty  of  peace  of  1783,  vessels  were  laden  and  discharged  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river-  near  fort  Slusher*,  opposite  Chippaway. 

Besides  the  barracks,  here  as  at  Fort  Erie,  are  store-houses,  which 
belong  to  government ;  and  others  appertaining  to  merchants.  The  whole 
village  consists  of  a  tolerable  inn,  and  a  small  number  of  other  houses ; 
the  stagnant  water  of  [396]  the  creek  renders  it  very  unhealthy,  and 
to  this  circumstance  are  imputed  the  endemic  fevers  which  every  year 
afflict  the  inhabitants  of  the  place. 

Monday,  the  22nd  of  June. 

We  left  'Chippaway  early  in  the  morning,  with  an  intention  of 
once  more  visiting  the  falls.  The  rain,  which  fell  iii  torrents,  could 
not  deter  us  from  our  design.  I  saw  it  now  from  a  spot,  from  which 
Mr.  de  Blacons  had  viewed  it  the  preceding  evening,  and  to  which  he 
desired  to  conduct  us.  This  place  is  known  in  the  country  by  the  name 
of  Table-Eock,  and  forms  a  part  of  the  rock  over  which  the  river  pre- 
cipitates itself.  You  here  stand  in  the  midst  of  its  bed,  and  almost  in 
the  -water,  so  that  you  can,  with  perfect  safety,  see  the  river  rushing 
down  at  your  feet ;  but,  advancing  only  two  paces,  you  would  be  hurried 
to  destruction.  On  this  spot  you  also  enjoy  the  beautiful  prospect  of 
the  foaming  water  dashing  along  over  the  rapids  of  the  awful  fall,  from 
which  you  are  not  separated  by  any  intervening  object,  and  of  the 
tremendous  whirlpool,  which  engulfs  it.  It  is  from  this  spot,  that  this 
wonder  of  nature  should  be  viewed,  if  you  would  see  it  but  from  one 
spot.  But  it  ought  to  be  .contemplated  from  all  sides ;  [397] 
your  astonishment  will  constantly  rise,  and  you  will  behold  and  admire 
in  awful  silence. 

Page  394.  "  My  Highness  "— "  Ma  Grace." 

*The  author  misnames  the  fort,  which  he  calls  fort  Skuyler. — Translator. 

Page  395.  "  Fort  Slusher  " — "  Sckuyler." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 


23 


The  descent  is  more  easy  to  the  Table-Eock  than  to  any  other  spot. 
It  is  much  to  be  regretted,  that  the  government  of  a  people,  which 
surpasses  all  other  nations  for  fondness  in  travelling  and  curiosity, 
should  not  have  provided  convenient  places  for  observing  this  cele- 
brated phenomenon,  at  all  possible  points  of  view.  It  is  pleaded  in 
excuse,  that  the  number  of  travellers,  whom  curiosity  leads  to  this  spot, 
is  inconsiderable;  that  even  they,  who  travel  this  way  on  account  of 
business,  and  stop  here  to  view  the  falls,  are  few  in  number;  that  only 
hunting  Indians  and  idle  children  form  the  idea  of  creeping  down  to  the 
falls;  and  that  consequently  nobody  would  be  benefited  by  the  money 
expended  in  providing  an  easy  access.  Yet  all  these  pleas  cannot  justify 
a  saving  of  thirty  dollars,  for  which  expense  the  greatest  curiosity  in 
the  known  world  would  be  rendered  accessible. 

It  is  superfluous  to  mention,  that,  notwithstanding  the  severity  of 
the  winter  in  this  country,  the  cataract,  as  well  as  the  river  above  it  are 
never  frozen.  But  this  is  not  the  case  with  the  lakes,  and  smaller  rivers, 
which  supply  it  with  water.  Enormous  flakes  of  ice  rush  constantly 
down  this  cataract  when  the  thaw  sets  in  [398J  without  being 
entirely  dashed  to  pieces  on  the  rocks  ;  and  thus  are  frequently  piled  in 
huge  masses,  up  to  half  its  height.  With  the  noise,  occasioned  by  the 
falls,  we  were  less  struck  than  we  expected;  and  Mr.  Guillemard,  as 
well  as  myself,  who  had  both  seen  the  "Rhine-fall  near  8chafhausen, 
could  not  but  acknowledge,  that  the  noise  it  produces  is  far  more  strik- 
ing. Yet,  I  must  repeat  it  again  and  again,  that  nothing  can  stand 
the  test  of  comparison  with  the  Falls  of  Niagara.  Let  no  one  expect 
to  find  here  something  pleasing,  wildly  beautiful  or  romantic;  all  is 
wonderfully  grand,  awful,  sublime  ;  every  power  of  the  soul  is  arrested  ; 
the  impression  strikes  deeper,  the  longer  you  contemplate,  and  you  feel 
more  strongly  the  impossibility  of  any  expressions  doing  justice  to  your 
perceptions  and  feelings. 

About  a  mile  above  the  falls,  two  corn-mills  and  two  saw-mills  have 
been  constructed  in  the  large  bason,  formed  by  the  river  on  the  left.  We 
examined,  with  peculiar  attention,  the  most  distant  of  them.  _fc  is  the 
most  remarkable  chiefly  on  this  account,  that  the  logs  are  cu+  here  into 
boards,  thrown  into  the  Chippaway  creek  near  its  mouth,  an  means 
of  a  small  lock  conveyed  into  a  canal,  formed  within  the  >f  the 

river  by  a  double  row  of  logs  of  timber,  fastened  together  &  bating 
on  the  water.  The  [399]  breaking  of  these  is  pr<  ifcd  by 
other  large  balks  floating  at  a  certain  distance  from  each  ot  -T\  which 
form,  as  it  were,  the  basis  of  this  artificial  canal.  The  water  us  in 
this  canal  the  rapidity  of  the  current,  and  conveys  the  logs  the 

lower  part  of  the  mill,  where,  by  the  same  machinery  which  m.  he 
saws,  the  logs  are  lifted  upon  the  jack  and1  cut  into  boards.  Om  j  ^wo 
saws  at  a  time  are  employed  in  this  mill.  The  power  of  the  water  is 

Page  397.  "  Table-rock  "  —  "  la  tableroke." 
Page  398.  "  Schafhausen  "  —  "  Shafousen." 
Page  399.  "  Jack  "  —  "  chantier,"  i.e.,  "  bed  of  the  saw." 


24:  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

almost  boundless,  but  the  present  wants  of  the  country  do  not  require  a 
greater  number  of  saws.  The  very  intelligent  owner  of  the  mill  has 
constructed  it  on  a  plan,  which  admits  of  the  addition  of  a  greater 
number  of  courses,  according  as  these  shall  be  required  by  an  increased 
consumption.  On  the  same  principle  he  has  built  his  corn-mill,  which 
has  at  present  only  four  courses.  The  miller's  dues  for  grinding,  as 
fixed  by  the  legislative  power,  amounts  to  a  twelfth  throughout  all 
Upper  Canada,  and  for  sawing  logs  to  a  moiety  of  the  wood  sawed. 

In  the  course  of  last  year  a  sulphureous  spring  was  discovered  at  a 
few  yards  distance  from  the  bank  of  the  river,  which  was,  however, 
filled  up  by  the  fall  of  earth  crumbling  from  its  verge.  This  spring 
has  again  of  late  shewn  itself  in  the  canal,  which  conveys  the  blocks 
to  the  mill.  A  stone  [4OO]  laid  over  the  spring,  prevents  its 
water  from  being  mixed  with  that  of  the  river.  On  the  approach  of  a 
fire-brand  the  vapour  or  steam  kindles,  assumes  the  colour  of  burning 
spirit  of  wine,  and  burns  down  to  the  bottom.  Much  time  will  probably 
elapse,  before  an  enquiry  shall  be  instituted,  whether  this  spring  be 
endowed  with  any  medicinal  powers. 

An  iron-mine,  too,  has  lately  been  discovered  near  Chippaway  creek. 
A  company  has  associated  for  the  working  of  this  mine,  and  resolved 
on  erecting  an  iron-forge  in  the  vicinity  of  the  falls.  But  this  they 
dare  not  establish  without  the  governor's  permission;  for  the  mother 
country  still  persists  in  supplying  all  its  colonies  with  its  own  manu- 
factures; and  refuses  to  relinquish  a  monopoly,  that  has  already  cost 
it  that  part  of  America,  which  composes  the  United  States*.  But  the 
company  hope  to  obtain  the  desired  permission. 

The  land  all  along  the  road  from  Chippaway  to  New  York  is  seem- 
ingly good,  though  not  of  the  best  quality,  and  exhibits  a  considerable 
number  of  dwelling-houses.  The  grants  of  land,  made  by  the  govern- 
ment in  this  country,  are  some  of  them  [401]  of  a  recent,  others 
of  a  more  ancient  date;  the  first  settlements  are  hardly  ten  years  old, 
and  the  major  part  only  three  or  four.  The  houses,  entirely  built  with 
logs,  are  better  constructed,  and  more  cleanly  than  in  most  other  parts 
of  the  United  States.  The  mode  of  agriculture  appears  to  be  much  the 
same,  as  in  other  parts  of  the  Union.  The  common  price  of  land  in  this 
neighborhood  is  one  pound,  New  York  currency,  or  two  dollars  and 
• 

Page  399.  "  Four  courses  " — "  deux  paires  de  meules,"  i.e.,  "  two  run  of 
stone."  "  Yards  " — "  toises,"  i.e.,  "  fathoms."  "  Blocks  " — "  Arbres,"  i.e., 
"trees  or  logs." 

"•Impolitic  disputes,  chiefly  relative  to  the  right  of  taxation,  not  this 
monopoly,  occasioned  the  dismemberment  of  the  British  Empire  in  America. 
— Translator. 

Page  400.  "  That  part  of  America  which  composes  the  United  States  " — 
"  l'Am6rique."  "  New  York  " — "  Navy-Hall  ou  Newarck  " — a  mere  mistake 
of  the  translator,  or  perhaps  a  misprint. 

Page  401.  "  Than  in  most  other  parts  of  the  United  States  " — "  Que  celles 
que  Ton  voit  communement  dans  les  Etats-Unis,"  i.e.,  "  than  are  commonly 
seen  in  the  United  States  " — the  translator's  mistake.  "  As  in  other  parts 
of  the  Union  " — there  is  nothing  in  the  French  text  corresponding  to  this. 


RESIDENCE   OF  IJOBETCT    HAMILTON,    QUEENSTOX. 


•Yom   the  John  Rons  Robertson 

Historical   Collection,   Toronto. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  25 

half  an  acre,  if  the  proportion  of  the  cleared  ground  to  the  wooded  be 
as  forty  to  two  hundred,  or  nearly  so.  Peculiar  circumstances,  a 
favourable  situation,  more  extensive  buildings,  &c.,  enhance  the  price. 
Throughout  this  whole  tract  of  country,  labourers  are  not  easily  pro- 
cured; and  they  receive,  besides  their  board,  from  five  to  six  shillings 
per  day.  "The  winter  continues  only  from  the  middle  of  December  to 
the  beginning  of  April. 

The  roads  from  fort  Brie  to  Newark  are  tolerably  open,  and  lie  for 
the  most  part  over  a  sandy  ground,  which  renders  it  more  easy  to  keep 
them  in  repair.  The  frequent  passage  to  and  fro,  in  this  part  the 
country,  does  not  destroy  them.  Such  commodities,  as  are  destined 
for  the  upper  country,  are  unshipped  in  Queen's  Town,  and  goods,  ex- 
pedited from  it,  are  embarked  in  this  place.  The  different  buildings, 
constructed  three  [4O2j  years  ago,  consist  of  a  ^plerable  inn, 
two  or  three  good  store-houses,  some  small  houses,  a  block-house  of 
stone,  covered  with  iron,  and  barracks,  which  should  be  occupied  by 
the  regiment  of  General  Simcoe,  but  which  are  now  unoccupied,  the 
regiment  being  quartered  in  another  part  of  the  province.  Mr.  Hamil- 
ton, an  opulent  merchant,  who  is  concerned  in  the  whole  inland  trade 
of  this  part  of  America,  possesses,  in  Queen's  Town,  a  very  fine  house, 
built  in  the 'English  style;  he  has  also  a  farm,  a  distillery,  and  tan- 
yard.  This  merchant  bears  an  excellent  character;  he  is  a  member  of 
the  Legislature  of  Upper  Canada,  but  at  present  in  England., 

The  portage  was  formerly  on  the  other  side  of  the  river;  but  as 
this,  by  virtue  of  the  treaty,  falls  under  the  American  dominion ;  govern- 
ment has  removed  it  hither.  The  whole  country,  though  extremely 
sandy,  is  covered  with  oaks,  chestnuts,  and  fine  hickory  trees,  and  such 
parts,  as  are  better  watered,  bear,  in  common  with  all  other  parts  of 
America,  ash  and  maple-trees. 

It  was  on  this  spot,  that  Mr.  de  la  JOXQUIERE,  commissioned  by 
the  French  Court  to  secure  the  free  navigation  of  the  lakes  to  French 
traders,  formed  his  first  settlements,  which  by  permission,  and  under 
the  protection  of  the  Indian  tribe  of  the  Yonnowshouans,  (who,  with 
many  [4O3]  other  tribes,  have  vanished  from  this  part  of  the  globe), 
were  afterwards  transferred  to  Niagara. 

From  the  civil  treatment  we  experienced,  as  soon  as  we  reached  the 
boundaries  of  the  government  of  General  Simcoe,  we  could  not  but 

Page  401.  "Newark" — Newarck  "  (this  spelling  will  not  again  be  noticed; 
it  is  uniform  throughout  the  French  text).  "The  frequent  passage  "--"  Le 
passage  assez  frequent  des  voitures,"  i.e.,  "the  fairly  frequent  passing  of 
vehicles."  "  Queen's  Town  " — "  Queenstown." 

Page  402.  "  The  regiment " — "  le  regiment  de  chasseurs,"  i.e.,  "  the  regi- 
ment of  Rangers." 

After  "  an  excellent  character,"  the  French  text  has  "  il  est  de*  1'espece 
d'hommes  la  plus  precieuse  pour  un  nouveau  pays,"  i.e.,  "  He  is  the  most 
valuable4  kind  of  man  for  a  new  country  " — an  enconium  which  all  we  know 
of  Hamilton  shows  to  be  well-deserved.  "  Yonnowshouans " — "  Yfiow- 
shouans." 


26  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

expect  a  kind  reception  on  his  part;  and  yet  the  event  exceeded  our  ex- 
pectation. No  sooner  was  he  informed  of  our  arrival,  than  he  sent 
his  adjutant-general  to  invite  us  to  dinner.  Having  just  alighted  from 
his  horse,  he  could  not  come  himself.  We  accepted  his  invitation,  and 
shortly  after  dinner,  he  entreated  us  to  remain  with  him,  to  sleep  in 
his  house,  and  consider  ourselves  as  at  home.  To  refuse  fhis  invita- 
tion would  have  ill  corresponded  with  the  politeness  of  his  conduct,  of 
the  sincerity  of  which  we  were  convinced.  By  accepting  it,  we  greatly 
promoted  our  own  convenience,  as  we  had  no  visits  to  pay  in  the  town, 
which  is  full  half  a  mile  distant  from  the  Governor's  house,  and  could 
not  but  expect  to  be  most  agreeably  entertained  in  his  society,  and 
to  obtain  from  him  the  most  satisfactory  information  respecting  the 
country,  which  so  forcibly  engaged  our  curiosity  and  attention. 

We  soon  understood,  that  we  should  be  obliged  to  continue  longer 
in  Niagara  than  we  originally  designed.  On  my  acquainting  General 
Simcoe  [4O4]  with  my  intention  to  proceed  to  Quebec,  he  informed 
me,  that,  without  the  express  permission  of  Lord  DOECHESTEE,  it 
was  not  in  his  power  to  allow  any  foreigner  to  enter  Lower  Canada; 
he  even  shewed  the  Governor-general's  positive  orders  to  ,  that 
effect,  issued  in  the  month  of  October,  and  occasioned  by  the  conduct 
of  some  Frenchmen.  Although  the  wise  measures  of  prevention, 
adopted  by  the  Governor-general,  as  well  as  all  other  steps  tending  to 
avert  a  revolution,  met  with  my  fullest  approbation;  yet  I  could  not 
but  find  it  extremely  unpleasant,  that  'Mr.  Hammond  in  so  positive  a 
manner  should  have  assured  me  of  Lord  Dorchester's  perfect  concur- 
rence with  him  on  the  score  of  my  intended  journey.  On  his  asserting 
that  a  passport,  granted  by  him,  was  the  only  sufficient  mean  to  enable 
a  foreigner  to  proceed  from  the  United  States  into  Lower  Canada,  I  en- 
treated him,  in  addition  to  this  passport,  to  write  a  letter  to  Lord  Dor- 
chester, who,  by  ordering  the  subordinate  commander  to  let  us  pass, 
would  have  saved  us  a  tedious  delay  in  our  journey,  and  the  uneasiness 
naturally  arising  from  our  incommoding  General  Simcoe  for  such  a 
length  of  time.  Yet,  we  were  necessitated  to  conceal  our  dissatisfac- 
tion, and  wait  until  Lord  Dorchester  could  send  his  [4O5]  answer  to 
Kingston,  to  which  I  requested  him  to  direct  it. 

I  employed  my  long  residence  in  Niagara,  to  acquire  some  know- 
ledge of  the  country,  the  attainment  of  which  was  greatly  facilitated  by 
the  generous  openness  of  'Governor  Simcoe. 

So  late  as  in  the  year  1791,  the  administration  of  Upper  Canada 
was  separated  from  that  of  Lower  Canada.  It  formerly  constituted  a 

\ — — — . — — 

Page  404.  "  that  Mr.  Hammond  .  .  .  Lower  Canada,"  "  que  OVI.  Ham- 
mond m'eut  assure  avec  tant  de  confiance,  qu'il  6tait  convenu  avec  Lord 
Dorchester,  et  a  la  demande  de  celui-ci  que  son  passeport  serait  le  seul 
moyen  et  le  moyen  suffisant  pour  un  etranger  d'entrer  des  Etats-unis  dans 
le  Bas-Canada,"  i.e.,  "  that  Mr.  Hammond  had  assured  me  so  confidently 
that  he  had  arranged  with  Lord  Dorchester  (and  at  Lord  Dorchester's 
request)  that  his  (Hammond's)  passport  should  be  a  sufficient  and  the  only 
means  for  a  stranger  to  enter  Lower  Canada  from  the  United  States." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  27 

part  of  the  province  of  Quebec.  The  administration  of  it  was  much  the 
same  as  that  of  the  English  colonies,  and  depended  entirely  on  the  will 
and  pleasure  of  the  Governor ;  yet  was  undoubtedly  here  conducted  with 
still  more  precaution,  not  only  because  Lord  Dorchester,  by  all  ac- 
counts, is  a  man  of  a  mild  and  just  disposition,  but  also  because  the 
lesson,  given  by  the  United  States,  will  not  prove  altogether  fruitless. 
The  British  Parliament,  at  the  same  time  when  it  divided  these  two 
tracts  of  the  province  of  Quebec  into  Upper  and  Lower  Canada,  gave 
them  a  representative  form  of  government,  which,  though  all  the  springs 
of  this  political  machine  are  yet  in  the  hands  of  the  Governor-general, 
is  framed  in  such  a  manner,  that  if  this  country  should  grow  more  popu- 
lous, more  opulent  and  enlightened,  it  will  not  prove  an  arduous  task, 
to  rescue  the  management  of  public  affairs  from  this  influence,  which 
[4O6]  at  present  is  very  great,  and,  in  the  actual  state  of  things,  per- 
haps absolutely  necessary. 

Lord  Dorchester  is  Governor-general  of  the  British  possessions  in 
North  America;  the  governors  of  the  different  provinces  are  only  lieu- 
tenant-governors ;  who,  whenever  he  appears,  yield  to  his  superior  autho- 
rity; and  are  also  responsible  to  him  in  all  military  affairs,  if  they  be 
gentlemen  of  the  army,  which  is  by  no  means  an  indispensable  qualifi- 
cation for  the  place  of  a  lieutenant-governor.  In  regard  to  state-affairs 
of  whatever  nature  and  complexion,  the  lieutenant-governor  corresponds 
immediately  with  the  English  ministry.  It  is  from  them  he  receives 
his  order  and  instructions,  without  being  obliged  to  communicate  them 
to  the  Governor-general,  who  is  not  even  possessed  of  the  right,  on 
leaving  the  different  districts  of  his  government,  to  give  the  smallest 
directions  for  wrhat  is  to  be  done  during  his  absence.  For  this  reason 
the  Governor-general,  except  when  pressing  military  arrangements  call 
him  from  the  chief  town  of  his  government,  constantly  resides  there, 
while  the  lieutenant-governor,  who  has  no  business  in  that  place,  keeps 
as  much  as  possible  at  a  distance  from  it.  But  as  no  accounts  of  any  pub- 
lic expenditure  pass,  without  being  signed  by  the  Governor-general,  he 
possesses  a  powerful  influence  over  all  sorts  of  |4O7~|  operations 
and  projects,  which  at  least  require  his  approbation;  an  influence  that 
extends  through  all  the  different  branches  of  his  government. 

The  British  possessions  in  North  America  are  divided  into  Upper 
and  Lower  Canada,  New  Brunswick,  and  Nova  Scotia.  Only  the  first 
two  of  these  provinces  are  governed  by  the  new  constitution.  The  ethers 
are  governed  as  in  former  times. 

The  boundary  between  Upper  and  Lower  Canada  lies  about  one 
hundred  miles  above  Montreal*.  The  extent  of  Upper  Canada  far  ex- 
Page  405.  "  Governor-General  " — "  des  gouverneurs."  Page  406.  "  State- 
affairs  " — "  les  rapports  civils,"  i.e.,  "  in  civil  matters." 

*The  line  between  Upper  and  Lower  Canada  commences  at  a  stone 
boundary  on  the  N.  bank  of  Lake  St.  Francis,  in  St.  Lawrence  River,  in 
the  cove  W.  of  Point  an  Boudet,  thence  northerly  to  Ottawas  River  and  to 
its  source  in  Lake  Tomiscaning.  thence  due  N.  till  it  strikes  the  boundary 
of  Hudson's  Bay.  or  New  Britain. — Translator. 


28  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

oeeds  that  of  Lower  Canada,  as,  the  western  boundary  being  undefined, 
it  comprises  all  the  known  and  unknown  countries,  extending  as  far  as 
the  Pacific  or  Great  Sea,  and  is  bounded  northwards  also  by  unknown 
countries.  The  population  of  Lower  Canada  is  estimated  at  about  one 
hundred  and  forty  thousand  souls,  and  that  of  Upper  Canada  at  thirty 
thousand,  but  this  estimate  seems  rather  highf. 

[408]  The  leading  articles  of  the  new  constitution  of  Canada  are 
as  follows: — 

That  the  Province  of  Quebec  be  divided  into  two  Provinces :  Upper 
and  Lower  Canada. 

That  it  have  two  houses  of  legislature;  one  hereditary;  one  elec- 
tive. 

That  Upper  Canada  be  destined  for  the  reception  chiefly  of  British 
settlers. 

That  the  allotment  of  lands  .in  Upper  Canada  be,  under  certain 
restrictions,  left  to  the  authority  of  the  local  legislature. 

That  the  representative  house  of  legislature  be  septennially  elected. 

That  the  clergy  be  provided  for  by  an  ample  allotment  of  lands, 
amounting  to  one-seventh. 

That  certain  titles  of  honour  be  connected  with  the  right  to  a  seat 
in  the  hereditary  house  of  legislature. 

That  the  liberty  of  introducing  more  or  less  of  the  municipal  law 
of  England  be  left  ,to  the  discretion  of  the  Provincial  Assembly. 

Upper  Canada  is  a  new  country,  or  rather  a  country  yet  to  be 
formed.  It  was  probably  for  this  reason  General  Simcoe  accepted  the 
government  of  it.  He  was  fully  aware  of  the  advantages,  which  his 
native  land  might  derive  from  such  a  colony,  if  it  attained  perfection; 
and  imagined,  that  means  might  be  found  adequate  to  [4O9]  this  pur- 
pose. This  hope  was  the  only  incitement,  which  could  impel  a  man  of  in- 
dependent fortune,  and,  as  he  says,  of  confined  wishes,  to  leave  the  large 
and  beautiful  estates  he  possesses  in  England,  and  to  bury  himself  in  a 
wilderness  among  bears  and  savages.  Ambition  at  least  appears  not  to 
have  been  his  motive,  as  a  man  in  General  Simcoe's  situation  is  fur- 
nished with  abundant  means  of  distinguishing  himself  by  useful  activity, 
without  removing  to  a  great  distance  from  his  native  country,  where, 

tDr.  Morse  estimates  the  population  of  both  these  provinces  at  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  souls.  Lower  Canada,  in  1794,  contained  one 
hundred  and  thirteen  thousand  and  twelve  inhabitants. — Translator. 

Page  407.  "  As  the  Western  boundary  being  undefined,  etc." — "  Puis- 
qu'elle  n'a  du  cote  de  1'ouest,  pour  bornes,  que  celles  de  la  souverainete 
anglaise,  qui,  dans  1'opinion  de*s  Anglais,  embrasse  tous  les  pays  connus 
et  a  connaitre,  etc.,"  i.e.,  "As  it  has  on  the  West  no  boundaries  except 
those  of  the  English  territory,  which  as  the  English  think,  embraces  all  the 
lands  known  and  to  be  discovered  as  far  as  the  Pacific  Ocean." 

Page  408.  The  Articles  of  the  Constitution  of  the  two  Canadas  as  given 
by  the  translator  are  not  at  all  those  in  the  text;  La  Rochefoucault  gives, 
section  by  section,  a  very  fair  abstract  of  the  Constitutional  Act  of  1791, 
31  George  III.,  c.  31,  covering  nine  pages  of  his  work.  "  Probably  "  has  no 
corresponding  word  in  the  French. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  39 

in  such  a  case,  he  is  almost  sure  of  being  forgotten.  But,  whatever  have 
been  his  motives,  his  design  has  been  attended  with  consequences  highly 
beneficial. 

The  plan  conceived  by  General  Simcoe  for  peopling  and  improv- 
ing Upper  Canada  seems,  as  far  as  he  has  communicated  it  to  us,  ex- 
tremely wise  and  well  arranged.  The  central  point  of  all  his  settle- 
ments, and  of  the  population  of  this  country,  he  means  to  place  between 
Detroit  River  and  the  plantations  already  established  in  Lower  Canada, 
within  a  square  formed  by  Lake  Ontario,  Lake  Erie,  Detroit  River,  and 
Lake  Huron.  From  a  supposition  that  the  Fort  of  Niagara  would  cer- 
tainly remain  in  the  possession  of  the  English,  he  at  first  intended  to 
make  Newark  the  chief  town  of  his  government.  But,  since  it  has  been 
[41O]  decided*,  that  this  fort  is  to  be  given  up,  he  has  been 
obliged  to  alter  his  plan.  A  chief  town  or  capital  must  not  be  seated 
on  the  frontiers,  and  much  less  under  the  guns  of  the  enemy's  fort.  He 
has  since  thought  of  York,  situated  on  the  northern  bank  of  Lake  On- 
tario, nearly  opposite  to  Niagaraf ;  it  is  in  this  place  he  has  quartered 
his  regiment,  and  he  intends  to  remove  thither  himself  when  he  shall 
withdraw  from  the  frontiers. 

York,  from  its  extent,  security,  and  situation,  offers  an  excellent 
road.  The  communication  between  Lake  Ontario  and  Lake  Huron  is 
facilitated  by  several  rivers  and  small  lakes.  The  surrounding  terri- 
tory possesses  a  good  soil,  and  affords  all  possible  means  to  improve  the 
trade  on  the  lake.  Even  in  a  military  point  of  view  its  situation  is  very 
advantageous.  The  banks  of  Lake  Ontario  are  likely  to  be  first  peopled 
by  the  Americans,  and  to  become  most  populous;  and  Lower  Canada 
will  always  prove  to  them  an  object  of  jealousy  and  envy  rather  than 
Upper  Canada.  On  this  ground  it  is  extremely  important,  to  choose  a 
[411]  situation,  which  renders  it  more  easy  to  succour  such  points 
as  are  most  exposed  to  an  attack .  Yet  Governor  Simcoe  seems 
to  have  relinquished  the  idea  of  establishing  his  residence,  and  the  seat 
of  government,  at  York.  He  intends  to  remove  them  to  the  banks  of 
a  river,  which  is  to  be  found  in  all  maps  under  the  name  of  De  la 
Franche,  and  which  he  has  named  the  Thames.  This  river,  which  rises 
between  Lake  Huron  and  Lake  Ontario,  but  is  not  yet  sufficiently  ex- 
plored, is  supposed  not  to  be  far  distant  from  the  Miami  or  Great 

*By  the  Treaty  of  1794. — Translator. 

fYork,  designed  to  be  the  seat  of  the  government  of  Upper  Canada,  is 
situated  on  the  north-west  side  of  Lake  Ontario,  forty  miles  north  by  west 
from  Niagara  Fort,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  west-south-west  from 
Kingston. — Translator. 

Page  410.  "  York  "— "  Yorck,"  always.  "When  he  shall  withdraw.  .  ." 
—"Pour  s'eloigner  de  la  frontiere,"  i.e.,  "in  order  to  withdraw,  etc.,  etc." 
"  An  excellent  road  " — "  Une  rade  admirable,"  i.e.,  "  an  excellent  roadsteud." 

Page  411.  "  de  la  Tranche- "  (Smith  corrected  this  with  a  pen,  changing 
the  initial  F  into  a  T,  the  original  has  the  correct  spelling.)  "  The  Miami 
or  Great  River  " — "  La  grande  riviere,"  a  mistake  of  the  translator.  "  Fftur 
or  five  miles  "  is  found  also  in  the  original  Fretich — of  course  an  error  in 
omitting  "  hundred." 


30  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

River.  It  flows  four  or  five  miles  in  a  south-west  direction,  and  empties 
itself  into  Lake  ,St.  €lair.  It  is  the  Governor's  intention  to  build  his  chief 
town,  to  which  he  has  already  given  the  name  of  London,  about  two 
hundred  miles  distant  from  the  lake.  A  communication  between  this 
river  and  another,  which  falls  into  Lake  Huron,  may  be  easily  estab- 
lished, in  the  vicinity  of  Gloucester,  and  by  land-carriage  a  communica- 
tion may  also  be  opened  with  Lake  Ontario.  The  Governor  is  at  the 
same  time  master  of  these  two  lakes,  as  well  as  of  Lake  Erie,  which, 
though  fifteen  miles  distant,  he  can  reach  without  any  intervening  port- 
age, but  one  of  three  miles.  Moreover,  that  part  of  Lake  Erie,  which 
lies  nearest  to  the  projected  capital  (Long  Point),  is  exactly  the  most 
important  point  for  the  defence  [412]  of  the  lake,  and  on  this 
point,  which  lies  opposite  to  the  American  settlement  on  the  peninsula, 
the  Governor  means  to  form  a  harbour,  and  erect  considerable  works 
for  its  protection.  If  the  capital  be  situated  on  this  spot,  it  will  of  con- 
sequence enjoy  several  advantages,  besides  those  which  York  would 
afford.  It  stands  nearer  the  centre  of  the  expected  population ;  is  more 
remote  from  the  parts  belonging  to  the  Indians;  and  the  Governor 
intends  to  station  the  troops,  which  yet  occupy  the  forts  to  be  delivered 
up  to  the  Americans,  in  the  posts  of  Gloucester  on  Lake  Huron,  of 
Long  Point  on  Lake  Erie,  of  Michigan,  in  two  or  three  towns,  which 
are  to  be  built  on  the  banks  of  the  Thames,  and  lastly  in  York.  This 
intended  capital  is  surrounded  by  all  possible  means  of  defence,  and  is 
so  situated,  that  it  may  speedily  give  succour,  wherever  it  may  be 
wanted. 

From  the  readiness  which  government  displays  in  granting  lands 
gratis,  the  Governor  entertains  not  the  least  doubt  of  soon  obtaining  a 
numerous  population.  Many  families,  who  at  the  beginning  of  the 
American  war  embraced  the  royal  cause,  have  since  the  conclusion  of 
peace  settled  on  lands,  which  were  bestowed  on  them  gratis.  The 
American  soldiers,  who  fought  under  the  same  unfortunate  banners, 
obtained  also  an  indemnification  in  lands,  on  which  most  of  them  [413] 
have  settled.  All  officers,  who  served  in  that  war,  are  likewise  entitled  to 
some  hundred  acres,  a  certain  number  of  which  are  already  cultivated 
by  them.  The  Governor  is  also  sanguine  in  his  hopes  of  procuring 
many  colonists  from  the  United  Stages:  he  relies  on  the  natural  fond- 
ness of  these  people  for  emigrating,  and  on  their  attachment  to  the 
English  government.  There  arrive  indeed  every  year  a  considerable 
number  of  families  from  different  parts  of  the  Union;  they  do  not  all 
settle,  it  is  true,  but  some  remain  in  the  country.  He  also  reckons  upon 
drawing  numerous  settlers  from  'New  Brunswick,  who  cannot  endure 
the  climate  of  that  country.  And  lastly,  the  considerable  emigration 

Page  411.  "  In  the  vicinity  of  Gloucester,"  refers  in  the  original  to  the 
point  at  which  the  river  falls  into  Lake  Huron.  "  Long  Point "  is  that  part 
of  Lake  Erie  nearest  to  the  projected  capital,  London. 

Page  412.  "  On   the   peninsula  " — "  L'establissement   de   Presqu'isle,"   i.e., 
"  the    settlement    at    Presqu'isle."      "  of    Michigan " — "  a    la    pointe    du    lac 
Michigan,"    i.e*.,    "  at    the    apex    of    Lake    Michigan."      "  Most    of    them  "- 
" foeaucoup,"  i.e.,  "many  of  them." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  31 

from  Europe,  which  he  fancies  he  foresees,  affords  him  certain  hopes  of 
obtaining  thence  a  very  numerous  population.  Yet,  by  his  account,  the 
prevailing  sentiments  of  the  people  render  the  "admission  of  new  in- 
habitants, who  present  themselves,  rather  difficult;  especially  of  those, 
who  come  from  the  United  States.  For  this  reason,  he  sends  such  colo- 
nists, as  cannot  give  a  satisfactory  account  of  themselves,  into  the  back 
country,  and  stations  soldiers  on  the  banks  of  the  lakes,  which  are  in 
front  of  them.  He  would  admit  every  superannuated  soldier  of  the 
English  [414]  army,  and  all  officers  of  long  service,  who  are  on 
half-pay,  to  share  in  the  distribution  of  such  lands  as  the  King  had  a 
right  to  dispose  of.  He  would  dismiss  every  soldier,  now  quartered  in 
Canada,  and  give  him  one  hundred  acres  of  land,  as  soon  as  he  should 
procure  a  young  man  to  serve  as  his  substitute.  With  his  views  to  en- 
crease  the  population  of  the  country,  he  blends  the  design  of  drawing 
young  Americans  into  the  English  service,  by  which  he  will  augment 
the  number  of  American  families,  attached  to  the  King  of  Great  Britain. 
In  the  midst  of  these  families  of  soldiers,  which  he  intends  to  settle  on 
the  lakes,  and  on  all  the  frontiers  towards  the  United  States,  he  means 
to  place  all  the  officers,  who  as  has  already  been  observed,  have  any 
claim  on  the  lands.  He  proposes  thus  to  form  a  militia,  attached  to 
the  King  from  habit  and  gratitude;  and  this  he  considers  as  one  of  the 
most  certain  means  for  suppressing  the  disturbances,  which  might  be 
excited  by  some  disaffected  new  settlers,  who  inhabit  the  midland  coun- 
ties, and  at  the  same  time  as  one  of  the  best  measures  of  defence  in 
case  of  an  attack.  By  this  plan  of  settling  amidst  the  soldiers  officers 
and  gentlemen  of  respectable  families,  whom  he  hopes  to  attract  from 
England,  he  wishes  to  form  a  class  of  gentry,  and  to  promote  more  or 
[415]  less  the  execution  of  the  project,  clearly  discernible  in  the  new 
constitution,  to  introduce  into  the  two  Canadas  an  hereditary  nobility. 

It  is  asserted  that  all  Canada,  vast  as  is  its  extent,  produces  not  the 
necessary  corn  for  J;he  consumption  of  its  inhabitants;  the  troops  are 
supplied  with  flour  from  London,  and  with  salt  meat  from  Ireland.  In 
General  Simcoe's  opinion  Upper  Canada  is  not  only  capable  of  satisfy- 
ing the  wants  of  all  its  inhabitants,  but  also  of  becoming  a  granary 
for  England,  and  of  creating  a  considerable  trade  by  the  exchange  of 
this  necessary  of  life  for  other  commodities;  nor  does  he  entertain  the 
least  doubt,  but  that  the  activity,  in  agricultural  pursuits,  which  he 
endeavours  to  excite  in  Upper  Canada,  will  operate  as  a  powerful  ex- 
ample in  regard  to  Lower  Canada,  and  rouse  it  from  its  present  supine- 
ness  and  indolence.  He  conceives,  that  the  vast  quantities  of  fish,  with 

Page  414.  "  Have  any  claim  on  " — "  Ont  droit  a  recevoir,"  i.e.,  "  have 
the  right  to  receive." 

Page  415.  What  is  called  "  Corn "  in  the  translation,  is  of  course  not 
our  Indian  corn  or  maize:  the  French  word  translated  "corn"  is  "bled" 
(in  modern  French  "ble")  which  generically  is  "grain"  but  is  here 
practically  synonymous  with  "  froment "  "  wheat "  (I  cannot  understand 
why  the  translator  has  [587]  given  "rye"  as  a  translation  for  "froment.") 


32  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

which  the  lakes  abound,  and  especially  of  sturgeons  in  Lake  Ontario, 
afford  the  means  of  a  successful  competition  with  Russia,  which  supplies 
England  with  this  article  to  a  very  considerable  amount. 

The  corn-trade  is,  in  his  judgment,  far  preferable  to  the  fur-trade, 
which  appears  to  him  at  once  unprofitable  for  Great  Britain,  and  a 
means  of  oppression  to  Canada,  in  as  much  as  it  throws  the  whole  trade 
into  the  hands  of  a  few  companies,  [416]  and  at  the  same  time  renders 
them  masters  of  the  commodities,  which  are  imported  from  England 
in  return.  It  is  his  wish,  that  merchants  may  settle  on  Lake  Ontario, 
in  Montreal,  and  in  Quebec;  and,  by  the  establishment  of  a  corn-trade, 
destroy  that  monopoly  which  very  justly  excites  his  indignation ;  and  he 
entertains  hopes,  that  this  will  actually  take  place. 

The  maxims  of  government,  professed  by  General  Simcoe,  are  very 
liberal  and  fair ;  he  detests  all  arbitrary  and  military  government  with- 
out the  walls  of  the  fort;  and  desjres  liberty  to  its  utmost  latitude,  so 
far  as  is  consistent  with  the  constitution  and  law  of  the  land.  He  is, 
therefore,  by  no  means  ambitious  of  investing  all  power  and  authority 
in  his  own  hands,  but  commits  to  the  lieutenants.,  whom  he  nominates 
for  each  county,  the  right  of  appointing  the  justices  of  the 
peace  and  officers  of  the  militia.  By  this  measure,  he  thinks, 
ue  shall  be  able  to  attach  men  of  weight  and  influence  to 
government,  and  subordinate  officers  to  their  superiors,  and  thus  secure 
additional  resources  for  preserving  the  good  opinion  and  affection  of 
the  Canadians  towards  the  British  Government.  All  the  justices  _of 
the  peace,  whose  number  is  very  great  indeed,  possess  the  right  within 
their  respective  districts  of  assigning,  in  the  King's  name,  to  every, 
settler,  with  whose  conduct  [417]  and  principles  they  are  ac- 
quainted, a  lot  of  two  hundred  acres  of  land.  The  surveyor  of  the  dis- 
trict is  informed  by  the  justice  of  the  peace  of  the  grant,  made  in  favour 
of  the  new  colonist,  and  of  the  oath  of  allegiance,  he  has  taken;  on 
receiving  which  information  he  gives  the  new  settler  a  certificate,  point- 
ing out  that  part  of  the  district,  where  he  is  to  find  the  land,  allotted 
to  him  by  the  magistrate.  If  he  should  wish  for  a  greater  quantity  of 
land,  he  must  apply  to  the  Executive  Council,. 

From  the  present  smallness  of  the  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  Upper 
Canada;  which,  however  considerable  the  migration  .may  be,  for  a  great 
length  of  time  will  bear  no  proportion  to  the  extent  of  country  to  be 
peopled ;  General  Simcoe  entertains  not  the  smallest  wish  to  enlarge 
his  territory  at  the  expense  of  the  Indians;  on  the  contrary,  he  receives 
with  the  utmost  kindness  those  whom  the  Americans  drive  from  their 
habitations;  and  this  conduct  is  extremely  wise.  If,  on  the  one  hand, 
the  policy  of  the  United  States  require  that,  in  the  intermediate  space 
between  them  and  the  English,  there  should  not  reside  a  people,  who 
may  prove  dangerous  from  their  extreme  susceptibility  of  seduction,  who 
cannot  be  useful  on  account  of  their  small  number,  and  who,  being  a 

Page   417.  "  Habitations  " — "  territoire,"    i.e.,   "  territory." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  33 

nation  that  lives  by  [418]  hunting,  demand  a  large  tract  of  country 
for  their  subsistence;  Governor  Simcoe  may,  on  the  other  hand, 
tolerate  them,  without  the  least  danger,  on  the  frontier  of  the  Eng- 
lish possessions,  connect  them  by  this  measure  more  closely  with  Eng- 
land, and  exasperate  them  against  the  Americans,  in  order  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  their  hatred  in  case  of  need ;  especially  as  he  finds'  they  will, 
at  any  time,  cede  to  him  whatever  lands  he  may  desire. 

Although  the  fur-trade,  in  General  Simcoe's  opinion,  is  not  so  pro- 
fitable to  England,  as  many  Englishmen  imagine  ,»  yet  he  will  not  divide 
its  profits  with  the  Americans;  who,  by  the  surrender  of  the  forts, 
acquire  a  share  in  the  navigation  of  the  lakes,  and  excellent  harbours  on 
their  coast;  and  of  consequence,  are  possessed  of  every  means  to  par- 
ticipate in  this  branch  of  commerce.  A  communication,  he  thinks,  may 
easily  be  opened  between  Lake  Huron  and  Lake  Ontario,  by  means  of 
St.  Joseph's  Eiver,  which  by  relieving  the  fur-traders  from  the  trouble 
and  expense  of  the  circuitous  navigation  of  the  Detroit  Eiver,  of  Lake 
Erie,  of  the  Niagara  Kiver,  and  of  a  great  part  of  Lake  Ontario,  would 
disappoint  the  United  States  in  their  hope  of  receiving  in  future,  as 
they  have  hitherto  done,  any  articles  across  the  lakes  from  the  forests, 
situate  above  [419]  Lake  Huron,  and  would  at  the  same  time 
free  English  ships  from  the  necessity  of  passing  by  the  forts  of  Detroit 
and  Niagara,  which  are  henceforth  to  belong  to  the  Americans.  Nay, 
he  is  of  opinion,  that  a  direct  communication  might  be  established 
between  Lake  Huron  and  St.  Lawrence  river,  which  would  however  re- 
quire several  portages,  on  account  of  the  numerous  rapids  which  in- 
terrupt the  navigation  of  that  river,  as  well  as  of  the  small  lakes  through 
which  it  flows. 

'The  plan  of  military  operation  conceived  by  the  Governor,  in  case 
of  a  war  with  the  Americans,  consists  in  chiefly  drawing  them  into  the 
English  dominions,  where,  under  the  protection  of  his  forts,  he  can 
fight  them  to  greater  advantage.  He  further  intends  to  establish  a  re- 
spectable navy,  composed  of  small  vessels,  mounting  heavy  guns,  which 
no  American  yacht  can  dare  to  engage,  and  which,  if  a  descent  were 
openly  attempted  on  the  territory  of  the  United  States,  would  be  well 
qualified  to  cover  the  landing.  He  also  promises  himself  much  from  the 
assistance  of  his  militia,  with  whom  he  would  make  considerable  inroads 
into  the  heart  of  the  enemy's  country.  x  The  communication  between 
Lake  Huron  and  Lake  Ontario  appears  to  him  still  more  necessary  in 
time  of  war,  as  by  means  of  this  communication  he  intends  to  convey 

Page  418.  "  On  the  frontier  of  the  English  possessions  "— "  Derriere  les 
etablissements  anglais,"  i.e.,  "  behind  the  English  settlements."  "  Across 
the  lakes  from  the  forest,  situate  above  Lake  Huron  "— "  par  les  lacs  des 
Bois,  Superieur,  Huron,"  i.e.,  "by  way  of  the  Lake  of  the  Woods,  Lake 
Superior  and  Lake  Huron." 

Page  419.  After  "  St.  Lawrence  river  "  is  found  in  the  French  text,  "  par 
la   baie  de   Quenti,"   i.e.,    "  by   way   of   the   Bay   of   Quints."     "  yacht " — 
"  chaloupe." 
4  T.c. 


34  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

into  the  latter  [42O]  lake  the  galleys,  bomb-ketches  and  gunboats, 
which  he  purposes  to  build  at  another  town,  lying  on  the  Thames, 
to  which  he  has  given  the  name  of  Chatham. 

The  views  of  Governor  Simcoe,  I  mean  those  which  concern  the 
civil  government,  are  undoubtely  extensive,  and  well  planned.  They 
are,  in  my  judgment,  the  best  which  can  be  conceived,  in  his  situation, 
as  an  English  governor;  and  the  possibility  of  their  being  carried  into 
effect  cannot  be  questioned,  if  he  possesses  the  confidence  of  govern- 
ment, and  has  plenty  of  money  to  expend.  He  may  also,  in  the  execu- 
tion of  his  plans,  derive  considerable  aid  from  the  soldiers,  quartered  in 
this  province.  He  is  aware  of  the  indispensible  necessity  of  habituating 
the  troops  to  labour  in  a  country,  where  he  cannot  hope  to  make  them 
masters  of  a  complex  system  of  tactics,  and  where  laborious  habits  pecu- 
liarly fit  them  for  that  sort  of  warfare,  which  is  best  adapted  to  the 
smallness  of  their  number,  to  the  enemy  they  have  to  combat,  and  to  the 
difficulties  they  have  to  encounter. 

But  the  execution  of  his  projects  is  nevertheless,  upon  the  whole, 
obstructed  by  numerous  obstacles;  the  greatest  of  which  consists  in  the 
Governor's  determination  to  return  to  England  at  the  expiration  of 
five  years.  A  plan  of  such  vast  [421]  magnitude,  and  which 
comprises  so  great  a  variety  of  designs,  can  be  carried  into  execution 
by  him  only,  who  was  able  to  conceive  it.  Prom  the  very  nature  of 
the  principles  on  which  it  is  built,  and  the  intimate  connection  of  its 
various  parts,  the  successful  execution  of  such  a  project,  supposes,  on 
the  part  of  the  executor,  besides  a  thorough  knowledge  of  its  structure 
and  complexion,  courage,  order,  and  a  laudable  ambition  of  achieving 
arduous  and  useful  undertakings;  requisites,  hardly  to  be  met  with  in 
any  person  who  may  be  sent  to  succeed  this  governor.  If  such  a  one  be 
a  man  of  moderate  capacity,  he  will  neitber  be  able  to  pursue  nor  to 
execute  a  plan,  which  is  not  of  a  nature  to  be  committed  to  subaltern 
officers;  and  if  he  be  possessed  of  some  parts,  as  is  generally  the  case, 
self-love  will  dissuade  him  from  pursuing  a  plan,  laid  down  by  another : 
and  however  positive  and  peremptory  his  instructions  may  be,  at  two 
thousand  miles  distance  they  will  be  easily  evaded.  Add  to  this,  that 
fondness  for  military  power,  and  the  love  of  arbitrary  authority  are 
in  every  region  of  the  globe  the  usual  attributes  of  men  in  power.  If,  there- 
fore, General  'Simcoe  should  execute  his  design  of  leaving  Upper  Canada. 
two  years  hence,  he  will  hardly  find  sufficient  time  to  lay  the  founda- 
tions of  a  plan,  which  appear  to  him,  and  I  [422]  think  very  justly,  ex- 
tremely well  adapted  to  promote  the  prosperity  of  Upper  Canada,  and 
greatly  enlarge  the  interests  of  Great  Britain.  The  various  branches 
of  this  plan,  are  so  extensive  and  so  numerous,  that  a  long  series  of 

Page  420.  "  If  he  possesses,  etc." — there  is  no  "  if  "  in  the  original. 

Page  421.  "  To  pursue  nor  to  execute  a  plan  " — "  ni  de  suivre,  ni  d'etendre 
un  tel  projet,"  i.e.,  "neither  to  pursue  nor  to  understand  such  a  plan." 
"  Two  thousand  miles  " — "  deux  milles  lieues,"  i.e.,  "  two  thousand  leagues." 


LA  HOCHEFOUCAULT.  35 

years,  spent  in  the  same  spirit  and  unwearied  exertion,  will  be  re- 
quisite to  execute  it  in  its  whole  extent. 

But  lie  himself,  I  believe,  would  meet  with  impediments  in  the  exe- 
cution of  his  plan.  Although  General  Simcoe  is  entirely  independent 
of  Lord  Dorchester  in  all  civil  concerns,  yet  he  is  not  so  in  regard  to  the 
military  department,  of  which  the  quartering  of  the  troops  forms  a  part. 
He  told  me  himself,  that,  in  this  respect,  he  feared  to  meet  with  oppo- 
sition ;  and  1  incline  to  think,  that  on  this  subject  he  did  not  express 
all  he  knows.  Unless  the  troops  be  stationed  in  such  posts,  as  to  cover 
and  defend  the  projected  capital,  and  the  various  settlements  which  he 
lias  in  contemplation ;  unless  they  be  kept  to  labour  rather  than  military 
exercises,  and  unless  those,  who  can  find  substitutes,  be  dismissed  from 
service,  his  project  fails  in  three  very  material  points,  which  can  hardly 
be  accomplished  by  any  other  means. 

Lord  Dorchester  is  advanced  in  years,  and,  like  all  aged  people, 
no  friend  of  new  ideas.  Besides  that  he  is  fond  of  boundless  power,  the 
prevailing  [423]  disposition  of  the  inhabitants  of  Lower  Canada 
may  excite  in  him  a  wish  of  drawing  more  troops  into  that  province; 
and  several  hints,  thrown  out  by  General  Simcoe,  incline  me  to  believe, 
that  he  thinks  his  Lordship  has  some  such  intention.  The  Governor 
may  also,  perhaps,  be  too  sanguine  in  some  of  his  expectations,  or  in- 
dulge delusive  hopes. 

As  to  the  emigration  from  the  United  States  to  Upper  Canada,  I 
mean  a  considerable  emigration,  it  appears  not  to  me  altogether  so  prob- 
able as  to  him.  The  free  grant  of  lands  seems  at  first  sight  a  much 
greater  inducement,  than  it  actually  is.  The  lands  are  indeed  given 
away  gratis;  a  certificate  of  the  surveyor,  granted  by  command  of  the 
Executive  Council,  gives  the  new  settlers  a  right  to  the  usufruct  of 
these  lands;  but  the  property  thereof  is  sooner  or  later  transferred,  ac- 
cording to  the  will  and  pleasure  of  the  Council.  To  the  best  of  my 
knowledge,  none  of  these  free  grants  include  a  transfer  of  the  right  of 
property.  If  an  occupier  of  this  description  dies  without  issue,  pre- 
viously to  his  having  acquired  that  right,  his  estate  escheats  to  the 
King;  no  collateral  friends  or  relations  succeed  in  the  possession  of 
the  estate;  and,  of  consequence,  the  money  and  labour  expended  in  its 
improvement  and  cultivation  [424]  have  been  spent  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Crown.  In  the  United  States,  a  new  settler,  on  purchas- 
ing a  certain  quantity  of  land,  the  price  of  which  is  to  be  paid  by  distant 
instalments,  has  a  prospect  of  discharging  them  by  selling  again  a 
small  portion  of  his  estate,  the  value  of  which  he  has  doubled  by  culti- 
vation; while  the  Canadian  planter  has  to  look  for  the  permanency  of 
his  possession  merely  to  the  will  and  pleasure  of  the  Governor;  and,  if 

Page  423.  After  "usufruct  of  these  lands,"  the  original  has  "mais  ils 
n'en  regoivent  pas  promptement  les  titres,"  i.e.,  "but  they  do  not  forth- 
with receive  the1  title  to  them."  "  Transferred "  means  "  transferred  to 
the  settlers." 

Page  424.  "The  Canadian  planter  "—"  le  colon  du  Canada,"  i.e.,  "the 
settler  in  Canada." 


36  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

he  understand  his  interest,  he  will  not  place  on  him  an  implicit  depend- 
ance.  Interest  and  an  acquaintance  with  substantial  and  respectable 
settlers  may,  no  doubt,  procure  him,  sooner,  the  right  of  property,  and 
thus  facilitate  a  second  sale.  But  favours  of  this  kind  are  always  con- 
fined to  a  part  of  the  estate,  and  depend  on  the  arbitrary  will  of  the 
•Council.  As  long,  therefore,  as  there  shall  exist  no  law,  determining 
the  period  and  terms  of  the  investiture  with  these  rights ;  the  possessors 
will  remain  uneasy  and  insecure;  and  consequently  the  progress  of  im- 
provement will  be  greatly  retarded.  Mines  of  every  description,  from 
gold  down  to  pit-coal,  which  may  be  discovered  in  the  lands,  thus  ceded, 
as. well  as  all  timber,  which,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Surveyor-general, 
is  fit  for  ship-building,  are  in  all  these  grants  reserved  in  favour  [425]  of 
the  King.  All  these  restrictions  cannot  but  render  a  good  settler  very 
uneasy,  and  may,  in  the  estimation  of  many  people  prone  to  emigration, 
far  outweigh  the  advantages  of  a  free  grant. 

The  attachment  to  the  King  of  Great  Britain,  which  is  frequently 
alleged  as  a  ground  for  emigration,  seems  an  empty  dream.  It  is 
•common  with  all  Englishmen,  who  hold  here  places  under  government, 
to  boast  of  this  attachment  of  many  inhabitants  of  the  United  States  of 
every  rank  and  description.  On  what  grounds,  this  opinion  rests,  I  know 
not ;  but  it  is  certainly  not  warranted  by  what  I  learned  in  the  United 
States.  They  there  profess  so  loudly  and  uniformly  principles,  which 
indicate  the  exact  reverse;  that  these  professions  ought  doubtless  to  be 
considered  as  better  pledges  of  the  true  sentiments  of  the  Americans, 
than  the  assertions  of  a  few  Englishmen  in  place. 

The  families,  who  arrive  here  from  the  United  States,  emigrate 
most  of  them,  it  is  asserted,  from  their  being  subject  there  to  a  tax, 
with  which,  however  trifling  it  may  be,  they  are  yet  displeased.  If  this 
be  really  the  case,  such  a  disposition  cannot  in  future  times  prove  favour- 
able to  Great  Britain.  We  were  also  told,  that  General  Simcoe,  from 
his  eager  desire  to  people  Upper  Canada,  is  by  no  means  difficult  in  regard 
to  the  [426]  qualifications  of  the  new  settlers,  who  present  themselves ; 
and  that,  notwithstanding  his  aversion  to  speculations  in  land,  and  his 
personal  disinterestedness;  frequently  a  whole  township,  nay  at  times 
two  or  three  together,  are  assigned  to  one  and  the  same  person. 

The  Governor  is  of  opinion,  that  the  trade  of  Upper  Canada  may 
be  encreased  by  the  commodities  of  the  Genessee  district,  for  which  he 
sees  no  other  outlet,  but  by  the  river  of  St.  Lawrence.  This  opinion, 
however,  seems  to  have  no  foundation;  when  it  is  considered  that  Lake 
Oneida,  the  Wood-creek  and  Mohawk-river  offer  ready  means  for  a 
water-communication  with  Lake  Ontario  and  the  North  Eiver;  which 
is  at  present  interrupted  only  at  three  places,  where  the  boats  are  to  be 
carried ;  and  that  the  Americans,  in  every  part  of  the  Union,  display  the 
utmost  zeal,  activity,  and  industry,  in  every  thing  which  tends  to  facili- 
tate communication  by  water.  But  upon  the  whole  the  Governor's  mis- 
Page  424.  "Fit  for  ship-building" — "propres  a  la  marine  du  roi,"  I.e., 
•fit  for  the  Royal  navy.'" 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  37 

calculations,  originating  from  national  prejudices,  are  of  too  little  im- 
portance to  impede  the  execution  of  his  project;  they  may  perhaps  pro- 
tract its  completion,  but  cannot  occasion  its  failure.  The  true  impedi- 
ments are  those,  which  1  have  before  mentioned,  and  the  chief  ob- 
stacle is  the  Governor's  return  to  England. 

[427]  The  present  population  amounts,  as  I  have  already 
stated,  to  thirty  thousand  souls.  The  principal  settlement  is  that  of 
Detroit;  which  consists,  entirely,  of  French  families,  and  is  mostly  situ- 
ated on  a  tract  of  land  that,  according  to  treaty,  is  to  be  given  to 
America.  The  English  flatter  themselves,  that  the  families,  who  have 
settled  there,  will  remove  from  the  American  to  the  British  side.  But, 
if  the  conduct  of  the  American  government  towards  these  families 
should  be  such,  as  the  interest  of  America  dictates;  there  remains  but 
little  probability,  that  they  will  leave  their  long  cultivated  estates, 
merely  from  a  desire  of  living  under  the  English  dominion.  The  other 
settlements  in  Upper  Canada  consist  in  a  very  considerable  colony, 
which  stretches  along  the  river  from  Fort  Erie  to  Newark,  is  not  fully 
occupied,  and  does  not  comprise  a  large  extent  of  ground;  in  a  few 
plantations  on  the  creeks,  which  run  into  Lake  Ontario  from  Newark 
up  to  its  northern  point;  in  an  insignificant  beginning  of  a  settlement 
in  York;  and  lastly  in  Kingston,  extending  along  the  banks  of  the 
River  St.  Lawrence  to  the  boundaries  of  Lower  Canada,  which  is  the 
most  populous  of  all. 

As  to  the  Governor's  military  plans,  his  measures  of  defence  only 
are  settled  and  determined;  [428]  his  plans  of  offensive  operation  are 
so  undefined  and  uncertain  as  not  to  deserve  any  mention. 

The  hatred  of  the  Governor  against  the  United  States  occasions 
him,  on  the  slightest  occasion,  to  overleap  all  the  bounds  of  prudence 
and  decency,  which  he  carefully  observes  in  all  other  matters.  He  was 
a  zealous  promoter  of  the  American  war,  in  which  he  took  a  very  active, 
yet  very  unfortunate,  part.  The  calamitous  issue  of  the  war  has  still 
more  exasperated  his  hostility;  and  it  was  with  the  sincerest  grief  I 
listened  to  his  boasting  of  the  numerous  houses  he  had  fired 
during  that  unfortunate  conflict,  and  of  his  intention  to  burn 
a  still  greater  number  in  case  of  a  rupture.  In  short,  the 
whole  of  his  intentions  on  this  subject  was  such  as  the  most 
'violent  party-rage  alone  can  inspire.  He  told  us,  that,  in  case 
of  another  war  with  America,  by  expending  vast  sums  of 
money,  he  would  force  them  to  expences  equally  great,  which  they 
would  not  be  able  to  meet,  and  much  less  to  support  for  any  length  of 
time;  in  short,  wage  against  them  a  money- war.  Yet  he  affirms  in- 

Page  427.  After  "thirty  thousand  souls,"  the  original  has  "  et  sans 
doute  elle  est  tres  infe>ieure  a  cette  estimation,"  i.e.,  "  and  doubtless  it  is 
much  less  than  that  estimate."  "Its  northern  point"— "la  tete  du  lac," 
i.e.,  "  the  head  of  the  lake." 

Page  428.  In  Sir  David's  copy  the  word  "  unfortunate "  before  "  con- 
flict" is  scored  out — the  words  in  French  are  "malheureuse  guerre." 


38  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

cessantly,  that  it  is  his  anxious  wish  to  preserve  peace  with  the  United 
States.  This  he  very  justly  considers  as  a  powerful  means  of  pro- 
moting the  prosperity  of  his  new  colony.  But  his  hatred  against  the 
rebels  [429]  is  so  violent;  and  his  displeasure,  occasioned  by 
the  surrender  of  the  forts,  is  so  strong;  that  the  charge,  preferred 
against  him  by  the  government  of  the  United  States,  of  his  having  last 
year  assisted  the  Indians  as  much  as  he  could,  without  making  him- 
self openly  a  party  in  the  dispute,  seems  not  devoid  of  foundation.  By 
exciting  this  war,  the  successful  issue  of  which  he  considered  as  certain, 
he  attained  the  twofold  purpose  of  satisfying  at  once  his  ambition  and 
his  revenge.  He  does  not  himself  deny,  that  he  had  adopted  the 
necessary  measures  for  conducting  to  the  district  of  Genessee  all  the 
Indians,  who  were  at  his  disposal,  and  who,  by  his  account,  amounted 
to  five  thousand  men — measures  which  would  naturally  have  been  at- 
tended with  the  firing  of  all  the  habitations,  and  the  slaughter  of  all 
the  inhabitants.  A  war,  thus  barbarous  and  destructive,  would  have 
been  waged  by  England  at  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century;  and  the 
founder  of  a  colony,  in  every  other  respect  a  man  of  generous  and  noble 
feelings,  would  have  projected  and  prepared  it.  I  should  not  have 
credited  these  projects,  had  I  heard  them  stated  by  any  individual  but 
the  Governor  himself;  or  should  I  have  ventured  to  introduce  them 
here,  but  that,  within  my  knowledge,  he  has  repeatedly  communicated 
them  to  several  other  persons. 

[430]  But  for  his  inveterate  hatred  against  the  United 
States,  which  he  too  loudly  professes,  and  which  carries  him  too  far, 
General  Simcoe  appears  in  the  most  advantageous  light.  He  is  just, 
active,  enlightened,  brave,  frank,  and  possesses  the  confidence  of  the 
country,  of  the  troops,  and  of  all  those  who  join  him  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  public  affairs.  To  these  he  attends  with  the  closest  applica- 
tion; ke  preserves  all  the  old  friends  of  the  King,  and  neglects  no 
means  to  procure  him  new  ones.  He  unites,  in  my  judgment,  all  the 
qualities  which  his  station  requires,  to  maintain  the  important  pos- 
session of  Canada,  if  it  be  possible  that  England  can  long  retain  it. 

In  his  private  life,  Governor  Simcoe  is  simple,  plain,  and  oblig- 
ing. He  inhabits  a  small  miserable  wooden  house,  which  formerly 
was  occupied  by  the  commissaries,  who  resided  here  on  account  of  the 
navigation  of  the  lake.  His  guard  consists  of  four  soldiers,  who  every 
morning  come  from  the  fort,  and  return  thither  in  the  evening.  He 
lives  in  a  noble  and  hospitable  manner,  without  pride;  his  mind  is 
enlightened;  his  character  mild  and  obliging;  he  discourses  with  much 
good  sense  on  all  subjects,  but  his  favorite  topics  are  his  projects  and 
war,  which  seem  to  be  the  objects  of  his  leading  passions.  He  is  ac- 

Page  429.  "  Within  my  knowledge  "  is  an  interpolation  of  the  translator. 

Page  430.  "Which  carries  him  too  far"— "  qu'il  porte  extr§mement  loin," 
i.e.,  "which  he  carries  very  far."  "  Commissaires,  who  resided  here  on 
account  of  the  navigation  of  the  lake "— "  Commissaires  a  ^la  navigation 
du  lac,"  i.e.,  "Commissioners  for  the  navigation  of  the  lake." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  39 

quainted  [431]  with  the  military  history  of  all  countries;  no 
hillock  catches  his  eye  without  exciting  in  his  mind  the  idea  of  a  fort, 
which  might  be  constructed  on  the  spot;  and  with  the  construction  of 
this  fort  he  associates  the  plan  of  operations  for  a  campaign,  especially 
of  that  which  is  to  lead  him  to  Philadelphia.  On  hearing  his  profes- 
sions of  an  earnest  desire  of  peace,  you  cannot  but  suppose,  either 
that  his  reason  must  hold  an  absolute  sway  over  his  passion,  or  that  he 
deceives  himself. 

Mrs.  SIMCOE  is  a  lady  of  thirty-six  years  of  age.  She  is  bashful, 
and  speaks  little;  but  she  is  a  woman  of  sense,  handsome  and  amiable, 
and  fulfils  all  the  duties  of  the  mother  and  wife  with  the  most  scru- 
pulous exactness.  The  performance  of  the  latter  she  carries  so  far  as 
to  act  the  part  of  a  private  secretary  to  her  husband.  Her  talents  for 
drawing,  the  practice  of  which  she  confines  to  maps  and  plans,  enable 
her  to  be  extremely  useful  to  the  Governor. 

Upper  Canada  pays  no  taxes,  except  a  duty  on  wine,  amounting  to 
tour-pence  per  gallon  on  Madeira,  and  two-pence  on  other  sorts  of  wine, 
and  another  of  thirty-six  shillings  sterling  a  year  for  a  tavern-licence, 
which,  during  the  session  of  1793,  was  encreased  by  twenty  shillings 
Canada  currency  [432]  [four  dollars]*.  The  sum  total  of  the 
public  revenue  amounts  to  nine  hundred  pounds  sterling,  out  of  which 
are  paid  the  salaries  of  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives 
and  of  the  secretaries;  the  remainder  is  destined  to  meet  the  expence 
which  local  circumstances  may  require  for  the  service  and  maintenance 
of  society. 

The  justices  of  the  peace  determine  in  the  quarter-sessions,  as  they 
do  in  England,  the  amount  of  the  country-rates  for  the  construction  of 
public  buildings,  for  the  repair  of  the  roads,  and  the  maintenance  of 
the  army.  (The  last  item  is  not  yet  known  in  Canada.)  These  rates 
are  raised  by  means  of  a  capitation  or  poll-tax,  assessed  in  proportion 
to  the  probable  amount  of  the  property  of  the  whole  who  are  in  the 
district,  liable  to  contribute;  the  largest  assessment  on  any  individual 
exceeds  not  four  dollars. 

Page  431.  "  Which  she  confines  to  maps  and  plans  " — "  qu'elle  applique 
au  trace  des  cartes,"  i.e.,  "  which  she  applies  to,  etc."  "  No  taxes "  is  fol- 
lowed by  "a  1'Angleterre,"  i.e.,  "to  England." 

*The  value  of  money  in  Canada  should,  according  to  law,  be  equal  to 
that  which  it  bears  in  Halifax,  and  consequently  a  dollar  be  worth  five 
shillings.  This  standard  is  strictly  adhered  to  in  all  government  accounts, 
but  not  so  scrupulously  observed  in  the  course  of  private  business.  The 
currency,  which  circulates  in  New  York,  passes  also,  especially  in  that  part 
of  Canada  which  borders  on  New  York. — Author. 

Page  432.  "  Of  society " — "  de  1'assemblee,"  i.e.,  "  of  the  Assembly." 
"  The  maintenance  of  the  army  " — "  le  soulagement  des  pauvres,"  i.xe.,  "  the 
care  of  the  poor." 

[Note.* — "The  currency  which  circulates  in  New  York,  etc." — "La  division 
de  la  monnaie  usite"e  dans  1'Etat  de  New  Yorck  prevaut  surtout  dans  les 
parties  du  Canada  qui  avoisinent  cet  Etat,"  i.e.,  "The  division  of  money 
as  used  in  New  York  State  prevails  especially  in  those  parts  of  Canada 
adjoining  that  State."] 


40  LA  ROCHBFOUCAULT. 

On  the  same  principle  is  raised  the  pay  of  the  members  of  the 
assembly,  who,  on  their  return  [433]  at  the  end  of  the  session, 
deliver  to  the  justice  of  the  peace  of  their  district  a  certificate  of  the 
speaker,  proving  the  number  of  days  they  have  been  present,  and  re- 
ceive two  dollars  per  day  out  of  the  money  raised  for  that  purpose, 
including  the  days  they  have  been  upon  their  journey. 

The  quarter-sessions  are  held  in  every  district;  and  the  division 
into  districts  is  connected  with  the  administration  of  justice.  The 
justices  of  the  High  Court  of  Judicature  for  civil  and  criminal  causes, 
who  are  three  in  number,  including  the  chief  justice,  hold  four  ses- 
sions annually  in  the  town  in  which  the  Governor  resides.  They  also 
go  on  circuits  in  the  different  districts  of  the  province  once  a  year; 
judges  for  the  different  districts  sit  at  shorter  intervals  to  settle  matters 
of  little  importance,  and  the  justices  of  the  peace  exercise  the  same 
jurisdiction  as  in  England. 

A  tribunal,  composed  of  the  Governor  and  two  members  of  the 
Executive  Council,  form  the  Court  of  Appeal  in  such  causes  as  have 
been  decided  by  the  High  Court  of  Judicature.  The  Governor  forms 
also,  with  the  concurrence  of  an  assistant,  the  choice  of  whom  depends 
entirely  on  his  option,  a  Court  of  Chancery  for  the  decision  of  causes, 
concerning  testaments,  intestate  heirs,  orphans,  &c. 

Respecting  the  frequency  and  punishments  of  [434]  crimes, 
Mr.  WHITE,  Attorney-general  of  the  province,  informed  me,  that 
there  is  no  district,  in  which  one  or  two  persons  have  not  already  been 
tried  for  murder;  that  they  were  all  acquitted  by  the  jury,  though  the 
evidence  was  strongly  against  them;  that,  from  want  of  prisons,  which 
are  not  yet  built,  petty  offences,  which  in  England  would  be  punished 
with  imprisonment,  are  here  mulcted,  but  that  the  fines  are  seldom  paid 
for  want  of  means  of  execution;  and  that  the  major  part  of  law-suits 
have  for  their  object  the  recovery  of  debts;  but  sometimes  originate 
also  from  quarrels  and  assaults;  drunkenness  being  a  very  common 
vice  in  this  country. 

The  province  of  Upper  Canada  is  divided  into  four  districts  of 
Detroit,  Niagara,  Kingston,  and  St.  John's.  The  justices  of  the  peace 
are  selected  from  among  those  persons,  who  are  best  qualified  for  such 
an  office;  but,  in  a  country  so  recently  settled  men  worthy  of  this  trust 
cannot  be  numerous. 

The  division  of  Upper  Canada  into  counties  is  purely  military, 
and  relates  merely  to  the  enlisting,  completing  and  assembling  of  the 
militia.  The  counties  are  about  twelve  in  number.  Their  names,  with 
which  I  am  unacquainted,  are  not  of  sufficient  importance  to  deserve 

Page  433.  "Proving" — " qui  constate,"  i.e.,  "certifying." 
"Intestate   heirs"    (these    words    Sir    David    underlines)     "  intestats," 
i.e.,  "  intestates." 

Page  434.  After  "  Strongly  against  them "  the  French  has  "  que  ces 
meurtres  avaient  pour  causes  rancune  inv6te"re"e  pour  argent  dft  et  ivrog- 
nerie,"  i.e.,  "  that  the  causes  of  these  murders  were  ill-will  of  old  standing 
on  account  of  debts,  and  drunkenness."  "  St.  John's  " — "  Saint-John." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  41 

to  be  here  mentioned.  The  militia  of  each  county  are  assembled 
[435]  and  commanded  by  a  lieutenant  and  second  lieutenant; 
they  must  be  divided  into  regiments  and  companies.  They  assemble 
once  a  year  in  each  county,  and  are  inspected  by  the  captains  of  the 
different  companies  at  least  twice  a  year.  Every  male  inhabitant  is 
considered  as  a  militia-man  from,  the  age  of  sixteen  to  fifty.  He  is 
fined  four  dollars  if  he  do  not  enlist  at  the  proper  time;  and  officers, 
both  commissioned  and  non-commissioned,  who  do  not  join  their  re- 
giments at  the  time  the  militia  are  assembled,  pay  a  fine ;  the  former 
of  eight  dollars,  and  the  latter  of  two.  An  officer,  who,  in  case  of  an 
attack  or  insurrection,  should  not  repair  to  his  assigned  post,  would 
be  punished  with  a  pecuniary  penalty  of  fifty  pounds  sterling,  and  a 
petty  officer  with  a  fine  of  twenty  pounds  sterling.  A  militia- 
man, who  sells  either  the  whole  or  part  of  his  arms,  ammuni- 
tion, or  accoutrements,  is  fined  five  pounds  sterling;  and,  in  default 
of  payment,  imprisoned  for  two  months.  The  Quakers,  Baptists,  and 
Dunkers  pay,  in  time  of  peace,  twenty  shillings  a  year;  and,  during  a 
war  or  insurrection,  five  pounds  sterling,  for  their  exemption  from 
military  service.  Out  of  these  fines  and  ransoms  the  adjutant-general 
of  the  militia  receives  his  pay,  and  the  remainder  is  at  the  Governor's 
disposal. 

This  is  nearly  the  substance  of  [436]  the  first  act  of  the  legislative 
body  of  Upper  Canada,  passed  in  1793.  In  the  following  year,  1794,  an 
additional  act  passed  relative  to  the  militia,  the  chief  regulations  of 
which  tended  to  improve  and  define  more  accurately  the  internal  form  of 
the  regiments,  battalions,  and  companies,  and  to  render  the  assembling 
of  detachments  more  easy  and  expeditious.  The  act  determines  that, 
in  time  of  war,  the  obligation  to  carry  arms  in  defence  of  the  country 
shall  not  cease  before  the  age  of  fifty ;  and  that,  of  consequence,  Quakers 
and  others,  who  enjoy  an  exemption  from  military  service,  shall  pay 
for  their  immunity  up  to  that  age.  It  also  obliges  the  militia  to  serve 
on  board  of  ships  and  vessels,  to  act  as  cavalry,  and  to  extend  their 
service  beyond  the  province,  on  condition  however,  that  the  same  men 
be  not  bound  to  serve  more  than  six  months  successively. 

The  exemptions  from  military  service  are  confined  to  the  officers 
of  justice,  and  other  public  functionaries,  whose  number  is  very  small. 
The  whole  militia  is  estimated  at  nine  thousand  men,  for  a  tract  of 
country  of  considerable  extent,  in  which,  however,  the  communication 
and  assembling  of  the  troops  are  much  facilitated  on  the  lakes. 

All  the  expences  of  the  civil  and  military  administration  of  Upper 
and  Lower  Canada  are  defrayed  [437]  by  England.  The  sum 
total,  including  the  political  expences,  or  the  money  paid  to  the  Indians, 
though  this  forms  an  item  of  the  military  expenditure,  amounts  for 

Page  435.  "  Second  lieutenant "— "  deputS-lieutenant."  After  "  once  a 
year  in  each  county"  the  translator  omits  "  le  premier  juin,"  i.e.,  "the 
1st  of  June."  "Baptist."  "  Memnonistes "  <Mennonistes),  i.e.,  "Mennon- 
itea." 


42  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

Upper  'Canada  to  one  hundred  thousand  pounds  sterling.  Nearly  two- 
thirds  of  this  sum,  or  sixty  thousand  pounds,  are  paid  to  the  Indians; 
including  the  pay  of  the  principal  agents,  under  agents,  interpreters. 
&c.  This  pay  deducted,  all  the  other  charges,  occasioned  by  the  In- 
dians, consist  in  presents,  tomahawks,  muskets,  powder  and  ball,  knives, 
blankets,  rings,  buckles,  hats,  looking-glasses,  and,  above  all,  in  rum. 
The  agents  are  charged  with  the  distribution  of  these  articles,  which 
by  some  are  distributed  every  year,  by  others  at  various  times,  accord- 
ing to  circumstances.  It  is  by  these  means  the  Indians  are  supposed 
to  be  gained  over.  Such  of  their  chieftains,  as  are  believed  to  possess 
considerable  influence,  obtain  a  larger  share  of  presents;  by  which,  and 
especially  by  a  profuse  distribution  of  rum,  their  friendship  is  gained 
and  preserved.  The  Americans  are  depicted  to  them  as  their  inveterate 
enemies;  they  are  made  to  swear,  that  they  will  burn  and  scalp  these 
foes  at  the  first  signal.  It  was  in  this  manner  the  Governor  imagined 
last  year,  from  the  reports  he  had  received,  that  he  should  be  able  to 
dispose  of  fifty  thousand  men,  who  had  all  taken  an  oath,  [438] 
not  to  leave  a  scalp  on  the  skull  of  any  American  they  should  fall  in  with. 
A  relation  of  these  atrocities  has  all  the  appearance  of  an  exaggerated 
account  of  some  nation  of  cannibals,  and  yet  it  is  literally  true*.  The 
English  assert,  that  the  Americans,  on  their  part,  proceed  in  exactly 
the  same  manner. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  the  colonists,  by  their  mean  and  barbar- 
ous policy,  teach  the  Indians  to  despise  them.  But  we  may  indulge  a 
hope,  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant,  when  the  latter  ghall  possess 
sufficient  sense,  to  take  the  presents  of  England  and  the  money  of  the 
United  States,  and  to  laugh  at  both  these  great  nations;  scorning  to  be 
any  longer  the  tools  of  their  ambition  and  revenge. 

We  have  here  been  told  that  England's  annual  expenditure  for 
Upper  and  Lower  Canada  amounts  to  four  or  five  hundred  thousand 
pounds  sterling;  whether  the  pensions  and  donations  which  England 
bestows  on  some  inhabitants  of  the  United  States,  be  compromised  in  this 
estimate  I  know  not;  but  this.  I  know,  from  a  very  respectable 

Page  437.  "  Fifty  thousand  " — "  cinq  milles,"  i.e.,  "  five  thousand." 

*With  all  candid  readers  it  will  undoubtedly  be  a  matter  of  regret, 
that  the  author  should  have  preferred  a  charge  of  such  a  serious  and 
heinous  complexion,  without  giving  himself  the  least  trouble  to  substantiate 
its  truth.— Translator. 

Page  438.  "  The  colonists " — "  les  Blancs,"  i.e.,  "  the  whites."  "  The 
tools  of  their  ambition  and  revenge."  "sans  servir  plus  long-terns  d'in 
struments  a  leur  querelle,"  i.e.,  "  tools  in  their  quarrel."  Before  "  we  have 
here  been  told,  etc.,"  the  translator  leaves  out  a  whole  paragraph  which  I 
translate,  "Next  to  the  expense  of  the  Indians,  the  most  considerable  in 
Upper  Canada  is  that  of  the  surveyors — I  do  not  know  the  precise  total; 
it  varies  from  year  to  vear,  according  to  the  work  they  are  given  to  do 
The  military  expenditure  should  be  made  under  the  direction  of  Lord 
Dorchester,  independently  of  Governor  Simcoe.  Lord  Dorchester  also  claims 
the  same  right  in  respect  of  certain  civil  expenditures,  amongat  others 
those  relating  to  the  navigation  of  the  lakes,  which  are  very  considerable; 
but  Governor  Simcoe  does  not  as  yet  agree  to  this." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  43 

[439]  source,  that  they  amount  to  a  pretty  large  sum.  Is  it  this  cir- 
cumstance, to  which  Messrs.  Hammond  and  Simcoe  allude,  when  they 
speak  of  the  numerous  friends  of  the  King  of  Great  Britain  in  the 
United  States? 

I  have  not  yet  mentioned,  that  the  Governor  is  also  President  of 
an  Executive  Council,  composed  of  five  members.  In  regard  to  the 
bills,  which  have  passed  both  houses,  his  assent  or  dissent  is  determined 
by  the  majority  of  votes.  But,  as  he  appoints  his  council,  and  has  also 
the  power  of  dissolving  it,  we  may  easily  conceive,  that  it  consists  of 
members  entirely  dependant  on  him.  The  major  part  hold  seats  in  the 
Legislative  Council. 

An  office,  which  was  exclusively  charged  with  preparing  for  the 
discussion  and  decision  of  the  council  such  matters  as  concern  grants 
of  land,  has  lately  been  abolished.  The  Executive  Council  has  reserved 
to  itself  the  introductory  disquisition,  as  well  as  the  definitive  deter- 
mination, of  all  business  of  this  description.  The  number  of  those, 
who  apply  for  lands,  is  uncommonly  great.  The  claims  of  the  peti- 
tioners are  generally  grounded  on  their  attachment  to  the  British 
Monarch,  and  their  disgust  or  hatred  against  the  government  of  the 
United  States.  But,  under  allegations  of  this  kind,  frequently  lurks  a 
spirit  of  speculation.  [44O.]  Notwithstanding  the  solicitude 
said  to  be  displayed  by  the  council  to  discover  the  truth,  many  grants 
of  land  are  made  on  no  other  grounds  than  favour.  By  the  letter  of  the 
law,  which,  however,  is  often  eluded,  one  individual  cannot  obtain  more 
than  one  thousand  two  hundred  acres.  Yet,  as  the  grants  contain  no 
clause  fixing  the  period  within  which  the  ground  is  to  be  cleared,  specu- 
lations frequently  occur,  and  not  the  least  security  is  obtained,  that  the 
land  will  be  a  moment  sooner  inhabited  for  being  thus  bestowed. 

I  have  already  observed,  that  officers,  who  served  in  the  American 
war,  have  a  right  to  a  share  in  these  lands,  which  amounts,  for  a  lieu- 
tenant to  twelve  hundred  acres,  and  for  a  colonel  to  five  thousand.  But 
officers,  who  never  acted  in  the  American  war,  nor  ever  held  a  colonel's 
commission,  have  obtained  shares  as  great  as  the  largest  allotted  to 
those  who  have.  These  lands,  though  most  favourably  situated,  are  not 
yet  cleared;  nor  is  there  the  least  appearance  of  their  being  speedily 
cultivated. 

Everything  is  excessively  dear  at  Newark.  The  shops  are  few,  and 
the  shopkeepers,  combining  against  the  public,  fix  what  price  they 
choose  upon  their  goods.  The  high  duty  laid  by  England  upon  all  the 
commodities  exported  from  her  [441]  islands  proves  a  power- 
ful encouragement  to  a  contraband  trade  with  the  United  States,  where, 
in  many  articles,  the  difference  of  price  amounts  to  two-thirds.  The 
government  of  Canada  is  very  vigilant  to  prevent  this  contraband  trade; 

Page  439.  After  the  question  ending  "in  the  United  States,"  the  French 
has  "  C'est  une  grande  bassesse  que  d'entretenir  de  tels  amis.  C'est  une 
grande  infamie  que  d'en  jouer  le  role,"  i.e.,  "  It  is  a  disgrace  to  have  such 
friends — infamous  to  play  such  a  part." 


44  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

but  a  certain  prospect  of  gain  excites  to  ex-ertion,  which  will  f requentty 
succeed  in  eluding  the  law,  as  well  as  the  vigilance  of  the  executive 
power.  The  shopkeepers  know  perfectly  well  how  to  favour  this  contra- 
band trade,  the  only  means  for  destroying  which  would  be  to  lower  the 
duties,  and,  of  consequence,  the  price  of  the  commodities.  The  Governor 
has  it  in  contemplation,  to  encourage  such  manufactures  as  produce 
these  articles,  which  are  run  in  large  quantities  into  this  province  from 
the  United  States,  such  as  hats.  But  all  his  exertions  to  this  effect 
will  fail  in  regard  to  sugar,  coffee,  tea;  in  short,  with  respect  to  all 
commodities,  which  are  directly  imported  from  the  United  States,  with- 
out being  there  subjected  to  as  high  a  duty  as  in  Canada. 

During  our  long  residence  at  Naryhall,  all  the  inhabitants  of  an 
Indian  village,  of  the  Tuscarora  nation,  came  toj  congratulate  the 
Governor  on  his  late  arrival  at  Naryhall.  All  these  visits  and  con- 
gratulatory compliments  have  no  other  object  but  to  obtain  some  drink, 
money,  and  presents.  These  [442]  Indians  generally  arrive  in  the  morn- 
ing, in  vessels,  from  the  opposite  banks  of  the  river,  which  they  in- 
habit. They  were  decked  out  with  uncommon  care,  covered  with  rags 
of  every  description,  and  adorned  with  horse-hair,  and  feathers  of  all 
possible  spejcies  of  birds.  In  their  ears  and  noses  they  wore  rings  of 
the  most  varied  forms  and  colours.  Some  were  dressed  in  European 
clothes,  others  wore  laced  hats,  and  some  were  naked,  excepting  the 
double  apron,  and  painted  from  head  to  foot.  It  is  in  the  manner  of 
painting  themselves,  that  their 'genius  is  especially  displayed.  In 
general  they  prefer  the  harshest  colours,  paint  one  leg  white,  and  the 
other  black  or  green,  the  body  brown  or  yellow,  the  face  full  of  red  or 
black  spots,  and  their  eyes  different  colours.  In  a  word,  they  unite  in 
their  decorations  the  utmost  absurdity  and  harshness.  They  are,  every 
one  of  them,  painted  in  a  different  style,  and  furnished  with  a  small 
looking-glass,  which  they  every  moment  consult  with  as  much  atten- 
tion as  the  most  finished  coquette.  They  comb  themselves  again  and 
again,  and  touch  up  the  colours,  which  may  have  faded  from  perspira- 
tion or  exercise.  Many  of  them  wear  silver  bracelets  and  chains  round 
their  necks  and  arms.  Some  have  a  white  shirt  with  long  sleeves  over 
their  clothes,  and  this  forms  their  [443]  most  elegant  garment; 
the  major  part  wear  as  many  silver  buckles  as  they  can  afford.  In 
short,  their  appearance  calls  to  recollection  the  whimsical  masks,  which 
throng  the  streets  of  Paris  during  the  carnival.  It  must,  however,  be 
confessed,  that  their  absurd  finery,  in  a  great  measure,  consists  of 


Page  441.  "The  shopkeepers  know  perfectly  well  how  to  favour  this 
contraband  trade " — "  les  marchands  et  les  surveillans  eux-memes  sont 
habiles  a  favoriser  cette  contrebande,"  i.e.,  "  the  shopkeepers  and  the 
customs  inspectors  themselves  are  skilful  in  advancing  this  contraband 
trade." 

"Naryhall";  this  form  is  constantly  used  by  the  translator.  Smith 
sometimes  changes  it  to  "  Navyhall."  The  French  form  is  almost  always 
"  Nawy-Hall,"  but  the  word  is  "  Navyhall "  where  it  occurs  for  the  first 
time  (p.  400  of  this  translation). 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  45 

things,  which  they  make  themselves,  of  horses',  buffaloes',  or  other 
hair,  or  of  the  bristles  of  the  hedge-hog.  They  twist  ropes  of  the  bark 
of  trees,  and  make  laces  of  a  species  of  herbs.  Many  of  these  articles, 
which  they  use  to  adorn  their  dress,  their  tobacco-bags,  their  scalp- 
ing-knives,  garters,  and  mockinsons,  (a  sort  of  shoes)  are  made  by  the 
women,  with  a  regularity,  a  skill,  nay,  I  may  say,  with  a  taste,  seldom 
to  be  found  in  Europe.  Their  chief  excellency  consists  in  the  great 
variety  and  richness  of  the  colours,  which  they  generally  extract  from 
leaves,  and  from  the  roots  of  certain  herbs;  but  they  possess  also  the 
art  of  extracting  them  from  all  dyed  linens  and  silks,  of  which  they 
can  obtain  a  piece.  They  boil  these  rags  in  the  juice  of  a  plant,  with 
the  species  and  name  of  which  I  am  unacquainted,  and  thus  obtain  a 
very  durable  colour  for  dying  hair  or  bark. 

On  their  arrival  this  morning  the  Indian  visitors  were  about  eighty 
in  number.  The  Governor,  being  particularly  engaged,  deferred  receiving 
[444]  their  visit  until  the  afternoon ;  at  which  time  only  thirty 
made  their  appearance,  the  rest  being  all  drunk  and  unable  to 
move.  The  visit  was  received  on  a  large  plot  of  grass,  without  the 
smallest  compliment  on  either  part.  The  Governor  was  present,  but 
kept  at  some  distance.  The  Indians  danced  and  played  among  them- 
selves. Some  of  their  dances  are  very  expressive,  and  even  grace- 
ful. A  mournful  and  monotonous  ditty,  sung  by  one,  and  accom- 
panied with  a  small  drum,  six  inches  high,  and  three  in  diameter^ 
forms  all  their  music,  except  that  frequently  a  stick  is  added,  with 
which  a  child  beats  the  time.  They  dance  around  the  music,  which 
they  frequently  interrupt  by  loud  shrieks.  The  hunting  and  war 
dances  are  the  most  expressive,  especially  the  latter.  It  represents; 
the  surprise  of  an  enemy,  who  is  killed  and  scalped,  and  is  performed! 
by  one  person.  The  rest  are  hopping  about,  like  monkeys,  in  a  semi- 
circular figure,  and  watch,  with  the  utmost  attention,  every  movement 
of  the  dancer.  The  moment  when  the  enemy  is  supposed  to  have 
breathed  his  last,  a  strong  expression  of  joy  brightens  every  face;  the 
dancer  gives  a.  horrid  howl,  resumes  his  pantomime,  and  is  rewarded 
by  universal  shouts  of  applause.  When  he  has  thus  finished  his  dance, 
another  enters  the  stage,  who  is,  in  his  turn,  relieved  by  others;  and  in 
[445]  this  way  the  dance  is  continued,  until  they  become  tired 
of  it.  When  the  dance  was  over,  they  played  at  ball;  a  game  in 
which  they  displayed  their  agility  to  the  greatest  advantage.  Every 
one  had  a  racket,  the  handle  of  which  was  three  or  four  feet  in  length, 
and  bent  at  the  end,  so  that  the  racket  had  the  form  of  a  bow.  The 
packthread  is  made  of  bark;  they  grasp  the  racket  with  both  hands, 

Page   443.  "  mockinsons  " — "  mockisson." 

Page  444.  "The  rest  are  hopping  about  like  monkeys" — "les  autres 
accroupis,  le  talon  sous  leur  derriere  comme  les  singes  sent  ranges  en 
demi  cercle,"  i.e.,  "  the  others  crouching  on  their  heels  like*  monkeys 
are  ranged  in  a  semi-circle."  "  A  horrid  howl " — "  cris  per^ans  et  terrible," 
i.e.,  "cries  piercing  and  terrible"  (warwhoop). 

Page  445.  "  pack  thread  " — "  les  cordes  de  eette  raquette1,"  i.e., '"  the  cords 
of  this  racquet"  (crosse). 


46  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

and  run  after  the  ball,  wherever  they  see  it,  with  the  view  of  catching 
it,  one  before  another.  This  ball  is  frequently  thrown  to  a  consider- 
able distance,  in  which  case  they  run  after  it  all  together,  to  catch  it, 
either  in  the  air,  or  on  the  ground.  No  bush,  no  ditches,  no  barriers 
check  their  ardour.  They  clear  every  thing,  leap  over  every  thing,  and 
display,  in  this  game,  a  versatility,  swiftness,  and  dexterity,  which  are 
truly  striking.  During  these  games  the  agent  came  up  to  the  general, 
with  one  of  the  chieftains,  and  told  him,  that  the  Tuscarora  nation 
wished  to  learn  whether  they  might  assist  at  a  meeting,  to  be  held  in 
Oiiondago  by  the-  Oneida  Indians,  for  the  purpose  of  selling  a  part  of 
the  Oneida  reservation,  which  the  State  of  New  York  had  manifested  a 
disposition  to  purchase*.  The  Governor's  answer  was  conceived  in  [446] 
terms  extremely  vague;  the  agent  translated  this  answer  as  he  pleased, 
and  in  reply  assured  the  Governor,  in  the  name  of  the  Indians,  that 
they  would  not  go  to  Onondago,  from  the  hope  that  this  would  prove 
more  agreeable  to  the  British  Monarch.  Whether  this  political  farce 
was  acted  only  by  the  agent,  or  whether  this  chieftain  took  a  part,  I  know 
not;  but  this  I  know,  that  this  chieftain,  a  moment  before,  begged  of 
me  two  shillings,  for  which  he  would  have  promised  me,  had  I  de- 
sired it,  to  visit  or  not  to  visit  all  the  meetings  throughout  the  uni- 
verse. Without  entering  further  on  this  subject,  I  shall  merely  ob- 
serve, that  the  whole  policy  of  England,  relative  to  the  Indians,  is  in 
the  hands  of  the  agents,  who  alone  understand  their  language,  and 
have  the  sole  management  of  the  presents.  It  rests  entirely  with  these 
agents  to  persuade  all  or  any  of  these  nations  to  engage  in  war,  and  to 
excite  their  enmity  either  against  the  United  States  or  against  each 
other.  The  Governor  is  altogether  incapable  of  judging  of  their  dis- 
obedience and  opposition  to  the  orders  of  his  cabinet  but  by  the  results. 
The  same  is  undoubtedly  the  case  as  to  the  American  States. 

[447]  The  English  agent,  here  referred  to,  is  Colonel  BUTLER, 
celebrated  for  his  ********* 
*  *  *  ******** 


*The  Oneida  Nation  receives  an  annuity  from  the  State  of  New  York 
of  three  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty-two  dollars  for  lands  purchased 
of  them  in  1795,  and  an  annuity  of  about  six  hundred  and  twenty-eight 
dollars  from  the  United  States. — Translator. 

Page  445.  "  one  before  another  " — "  avant  les  autres,"  i.e.,  "  before  the 
others"  (can  catch  it).  "Versatility"  —  "  souplesse "  —  "suppleness." 
"  Oneida  "— "  Oneyda." 

Page  447.  The  starred  passage  is  in  the  original  "  incendies,  ses  pillages 
et  ses  meurtres  dans  le  guerre  d'Amerfque  " — "  burnings,  pillage  and  murders 
in  the  American  war."  "  Son  pr6tendu  loyalisme  qu'il  a  su  se  payer  de 
brevets  et  de  traitemens,  lui  a  fait  commettre  plus  de  barbaries,  nlus  d'in- 
famies  contra  sa  pals  qu'a  qui  que  ce  soit:  II  conduisait  les  Indiens,  leur 
indiquait  les  fermes,  les  maisons  a  brfiler,  les  victimes  a  scarpeler,  les  enfans 
a  de'chirer,"  i.e.,  "  his  pretended  patriotism  which  he1  has  turned  to  good 
account  in  honors  and  rank  has  caused  him  to  commit  more  barbarities, 
more  infamies,  against  his  country  than  any  one  else.  He  led  the  Indians, 
showed  them  the  homesteads,  the  houses  to  burn,  the  victims  to  scalp,  the 
children  to  mutilate." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  47 

He  is  a  native  of  America  of  the  neighbourhood  of  Wilkesbarre.  His 

*  *  *  *.  England  has 

rewarded  his  loyalty  with  five  thousand  acres  of  land  for  himself;  the 
same  quantity  for  his  children;  a  pension  of  two  or  three  hundred 
pounds  sterling;  an  agency,  worth  five  hundred  pounds  sterling  a  year; 
and  the  privilege  of  taking  from  the  store-houses,  which  contain  the 
presents,  whatever  he  chooses.  He  is  treated  with  every  mark  of  re- 
spect by  the  Governor. 

The  Tuscarora  Nation  is  an  Indian  tribe,  the  men  of  which  share 
the  toils  of  their  women  in  a  greater  degree  than  any  other.  The 
Governor  mentioned  a  project,  he  has  conceived,  of  giving  a  half  civili- 
zation to  all  the  Indian  nations  in  the  interest  of  England.  Whether 
or  no  civilization  be  likely  to  promote  the  happiness  of  the  Indians, 
is  a  question,  a  full  discussion  of  which  might,  perhaps,  exceed  my 
powers,  or  at  least  seem  irrelevant.  But,  were  I  obliged  to  decide  it 
at  once,  I  should  answer  in  the  negative,  as  long  as  they  are  not  hemmec" 
in  too  closely  by  the  colonists,  possess  a  sufficient  tract  of  ground  for 
hunting,  and  have  plenty  of  game.  But,  I  repeat  it  once  [448] 
more,  to  do  justice  to  this  question  would  require  a  more  profound 
discussion,  than  I  can  enter  upon  in  this  place.  Besides  it  can  hardly 
be  satisfactorily  decided,  since  the  state  of  savage  nations,  left  en- 
tirely to  their  primitive  life,'  is  widely  different  from  the  condition  of 
those,  who  reside  in  the  vicinity  of  these  colonists^  and  hold  inter- 
course with  them.  If,  on  mature  deliberation,  we  were  obliged  to 
allow,  that  the  creation  of  wants,  the  necessity  of  providing  for  them, 
the  exercise  of  our  mutual  powers,  the  unfolding  of  our  faculties,  and 
the  refinement  of  our  feelings,  prove  more  frequently  sources  of  mis- 
fortune than  of  happiness;  every  degree  of  civilization,  pregnant  with 
all  these,  should  carefully  be  kept,  for  their  own  sake,  from  all  savage 
tribes.  But  the  same  conclusion  will  not  hold  good  in  regard  to  a 
barbarous  people,  who,  from  their  intercourse  with  civilized  nations, 
possess  alread}1"  some  degree  of  civility;  but  a  civility  which  acquaints 
them  with  vices  only,  and  consequently  introduces  them  to  sources  of 
misfortune,  and  who,  therefore,  from  a  higher  degree  of  culture,  may 
derive  an.  alleviation  of  their  fate  and  an  increase  of  happiness.  As  to 
the  advantages  likely  to  accrue  to  the  civilized  the  world  from  the 
civilization  of  the  savages,  the  question  seems  likely  to  demand  a  de- 
cision in  the  affirmative. 

[449]  However  this  may  be,  the  Governor,  in  conceiving 
this  project,  had  not  only  the  happiness  of  the  Indians  in  view,  but 
also  his  own  advantage.  He  intends  to  have  them  civilized  by  priests, 
and  would  give  the  preference  to  missionaries  of  the  Roman  Catholic 

persuasion.  The  policy  of  General  S inclines  him  to  encourage  a 

religion,  the  ministers  of  which  are  interested  in  a  connection  with 

Page  448.  "mutual"  is  a- misprint  for  "mental"    (la  pens§e).     "Civil- 
ity »_«  civilization." 

Page  449.  "  General  S "  means  "  General  'Simcoe." 


48  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

the  authority  of  thrones,  and  who,  therefore,  never  lose  sight  of  the 
principle,  to  preserve  and  propagate  arbitrary  power. 

I  learn  here,  that  rum  enervates  the  Indians,  shortens  their  lives, 
renders  their  marriages  daily  more  barren,  and,  when  fruitful,  pro- 
ductive only  of  poor  unhealthy  children;  and  that,  from  the  use  of 
this  poison,  which  now  cannot  either  be  wrested  from  them,  or  ren- 
dered harmless  in  its  consequences,  the  different  tribes  are  daily  de- 
creasing in  number. 

Eighty  miles  from  Naryhall,  on  the  Miami,  or  Great  Eiver.  is 
the  settlement  of  Colonel  Brant,  with  a  view  of  which  I  should  have 
been  much  pleased;  but  he  is  not  there  at  present,  and  they  assure  me 
that,  in  his  absence,  I  should  see  nothing  but  what  I  have  already  seen 
in  those  I  have  hitherto  visited. 

Colonel  Brant  is  an  Indian  by  birth.  In  the  American  war  he 
fought  under  the  English  banner,  [45O]  and  he  has  since  been 
in  England,  where  he  was  most  graciously  received  by  the  King,  and 
met  with  a  kind  reception  from  all  classes  of  people.  His  manners  are 
semi-European.  He  is  attended  by  two  negroes;  has  established  him- 
self in  the  English  way ;  has  a  garden  and  a  farm ;  dresses  after  the 
European  fashion;  and  nevertheless  possesses  much  influence  over  the. 
Indians.  He  assists,  at  present,  at  the  Miami-treaty!*,  which  the 
United  States  are  concluding  with  the  western  Indians.  He  is 
also  much  respected  by  the  Americans,  and,  in  general,  bears  so  ex- 
cellent a  character,  that  I  sincerely  regret  I  could  not  see  and  become 
acquainted  with  him. 

The  Indians,  who  inhabit  the  village,  which  we  passed  on  leaving 
Canawaga,  paid  also  a  visit  to  the  Governor  during  the  time  we  stayed 
with  him.  The  weather  being  too  hot  for  receiving  the  visit  on  the 
grass,  he  ordered  them  to  be  ushered  into  a  room,  where  he  was  at- 
tended by  some  officers  of  the  garrison.  The  chiefs  of  the 
[451]  Indians  said  a  few  words,  which  the  agent  interpreted  to  the 
Governor,  as  containing  an  assurance,  that  they  would  employ  their 
tomahawks  against  anyone  he  should  point  out,  and  expressions  of  re- 
gret, that  they  could  not  use  them  last  year  against  the  Americans. 
The  Governor  thanked  them  for  these  sentiments,  endeavoured  to  con- 
firm them  in  this  friendly  disposition,  and  told  them,  that  the  King 
of  Great  Britain  wished  for  peace,  whatever  lies  the  maize-thief  [Mr. 

Page  449.  "the  Miami  or  Great  River  "—la  grande  riviere,"  i.e.,  "the 
Grand  River." 

"The  treaty,  alluded  to  by  the  author,  is  the  Greenville  treaty,  concluded 
on  the  third  of  August,  1795,  at  Greenville,  a  fort  and  settlement  on  the 
south  side  of  a  north-western  branch  of  the  great  Miami,  between  the  Major- 
general  A.  Wayne  and  the  chiefs  of  the  following  tribes  of  Indians,  viz.: 
the  Wyandots,  Delawares,  Shawanese,  Ottawas,  Chippawas,  Putawatimes, 
Miamis,  Eel-river,  Weeas,  Kickapoos,  Pian  Kashaws,  and  Kaskaskias. — 
Translator.  (Smith  adds  in  ink  "and  Chickasaws.") 

Page  450.  "  dresses  after  the  European  fashion  "• — the  French  says 
"presqu'  entierement,"  i.e.,  <f almost  completely."  "Canawaga" — "Canan- 
waga." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  49 

P ,  Commissioner  of  the  United  States]   might  have  imposed  on 

them  last  year.        They  answered,  that  the   Governor  was  perfectly 

right,  and  that  P was  a  liar,  drank  as  much,  as  they  pleased,  and 

departed.  The  conference  was  held  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
and  before  nine  o'clock  half  of  them  were  intoxicated.  The  Governor 
is  very  anxious  to  oblige  and  please  the  Indians;  his  only  son,  a  child, 
four  years  old,  is  dressed  as  an  Indian,  and  called  Tioga,  which  name 
has  been  given  him  by  the  Mohawks.  This  harmless  farce  may  be  of 
use  in  the  intercourse  with  the  Indians. 

The  Niagara  river  and  lake  abound  with  a  great  variety  of  fishes. 
We  assisted  at  a  fishing,  intended  to  supply  the  soldiers  with  fish;  the 
net  was  drawn  thrice.  One  end  of  the  net  was  held  by  men,  who  re- 
mained on  shore,  while  the  remainder  [452]  was  carried  into 
the  stream  by  means  of  a  boat,  which,  after  the  net  had  been  entirely 
expanded,  conveyed  the  other  end  back  to  the  shore.  Both  ends  are 
joined  on  the  spot,  whence  the  net  is  drawn.  It  is  only  four  feet  deep, 
but  one  hundred  feet  in  length.  Upwards  of  five  hundred  fish  were 
caught,  among  which  were  about  twenty-eight  or  thirty  sturgeons, 
small  pikes,  whitings,  rock-fish,  sun-fish,  herrings,  a  sort  of  carp,  which 
in  point  of  shape  resemble  those  of  Europe,  but  differ  much  in  flavour, 
and  in  the  form  of  their  heads,  salmon,  trouts;  in  short,  all  the  fish 
was  of  a  tolerable  size.  Middle-sized  fish  are  easily  caught  by  anglers 
on  the  banks  both  of  the  river  and  the  lake ;  they  frequently  catch  more 
than  their  families  can  consume  in  several  days. 

The  town  of  Newark  stands  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  directly 
opposite  the  fort.  About  a  hundred  houses,  mostly  very  fine  struc- 
tures, have  already  been  erected,  but  the  progress  of  building  will  prob- 
ably be  checked,  by  the  intended  removal  of  the  seat  of  government. 
The  majority  of  the  inhabitants,  especially  the  richest  of  them,  share 
in  the  administration;  and  consequently  will  remove,  to  whatever  place 
the  government  may  be  transferred.  In  point  of  size  and  elegance,  the 
house  of  Colonel  SMITH,  [453]  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  fifth 
regiment,  is  much  distinguished  from  the  rest.  It  consists  of  joiner's 
work,  but  is  constructed,  embellished,  and  painted  in  the  best  style; 
the  yard,  garden,  and  court  are  surrounded  with  railings,  made  and 
painted  as  elegantly,  as  they  could  be  in  England.  His  large  garden 
has  the  appearance  of  a  French  kitchen-garden,  kept  in  good  order. 
In  a  country,  where  it  is  a  hard  matter  to  procure  labourers,  and  where 
they  are  paid  at  the  rate  of  one  dollar  per  day,  he  finds,  in  his  regi- 
ment, as  many  as  he  chooses,  for  ninepence  sterling  a  day,  because 

Page  451.  "  the  maize-thief  [Mr.  P—  etc.]  "— "  1'oiseau  noir  (Mr.  Picker- 
ing,   etc.)/'    i.e.,    "the   Black-bird    (Mr.    Pickering,    etc.)."      "  Mohawks  "- 
Mohaucks." 

Page  452.  "  Small  pikes  " — "  pickerells,"  i.e.,  "  pickerel."  "  Whitings  " — 
"  Whitefisli."  "Sun-fish" — "  Sem  fish"  (an  obvious  misprint).  In  the  list 
of  fish,  the  translator  omits  "perches." 

Page  453.  After  "  the  fifth  regiment "  the  translator  omits  "en  garrison  a 
Niagara,"  i.e.,  "  in  garrison  at  Niagara." 
5  T.c. 


50  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

the  men  otherwise  do  not  easily  obtain  leave  to  go  to  work.  It  is  in 
this  manner  he  is  now  clearing  five  thousand  acres,  which  have  been 
granted  him,  and  has  the  use  of  thirty  more,  which  belong  to  the  King, 
are  situate  in  front  of  the  town,  and  which  the  Governor  has  assigned 
him,  until  he  shall  be  necessitated  to  demand  them  again. 

The  scarcity  of  men  servants  is  here  still  greater  than  in  the 
United  States.  They,  who  are  brought  hither  from  England,  either 
demand  lands,  or  emigrate  into  the  United  States.  A  very  wise  act  of 
the  -Assembly  declares  all  negroes  to  be  free,  as  soon  as  they  arrive  in 
Canada.  This  description  of  men,  who  are  more  or  less  frequent  in 
the  United  States,  cannot  here  supply  the  want  of  white  servants.  All 
persons  belonging  [454]  to  the  army  employ  soldiers  in  their  stead.  By 
the  English  regulations,  every  officer  is  allowed  one  soldier,  to  whom  he 
pays  one  shilling  a  week;  and  this  privilege  is  extended,  in  propor- 
tion as  the  officers  have  need  of  a  greater  number  of  people.  The 
Governor,  who  is  also  colonel  of  a  regiment  of  Queen's  Rangers,  sta- 
tioned in  the  province,  is  attended  in  his  house,  and  at  dinner,  merely 
by  privates  of  this  regiment,  who  also  take  care  of  his  horses.  He 
lias  not  been  able  to  keep  one  of  the  men  servants,  he  brought  with 
him  from  England. 

The  regiments  quartered  in  the  vicinity  of  the  United  States,  it 
is  asserted,  lose  much  by  desertion.  Seeing  every  where  around  them 
lands,  either  given  away  or  sold  at  a  very  low  rate,  and  being  sur- 
rounded by  people,  who  within  a  twelvemonth  have  risen  from  poverty 
to  prosperity,  and  are  now  married  and  proprietors,  they  cannot  en- 
dure the  idea  of  a  servitude,  which  is  to  end  only  with  their  existence. 
The  ennui  naturally  arising  from  the  dull  and  secluded  manner  of 
living  in  garrisons,  where  they  find  neither  work  nor  amusement,  and 
the  slight  attention  shown  them  by  most  of  the  colonels,  darken  still 
more,  in  their  view,  the  dismal  picture  of  their  situation.  They 
emigrate  accordingly  into  the  United  States,  where  they  are  sure  to 
find  a  settlement,  which  if  [455J  they  choose  to  work,  cannot  fail  to 
make  them  rich  and  independent.  To  hold  out  to  them  the  same  hopes 
in  the  English  colony  of  Canada,  would  be  the  only  means  of  rendering 
less  dangerous  the  temptation  offered  by  the  United  States.  It  is  with 
this  view,  that  Governor  Simcoe  very  wisely  formed  the  project  of 
dismissing  every  soldier,  who  should  find  an  able  substitute  in  his 
room,  and  to  give  him  one  hundred  acres  of  land;  but  it  is  said,  that 
this  project  appears,  in  Lord  Dorchester's  judgment,  to  savour  too. 
much  of  the  new  principles,  to  obtain  his  consent.  If  it  were  actually 
refused,  such  an  unreasonable  denial  would  more  forcibly  provoke  the 
discontented  of  the  troops,  from  their  being  already  acquainted  with 
the  measure. 

During  our  residence  at  Naryhall,  the  session  of  the  Legislature 
of  Upper  Canada  was  opened.  The  Governor  had  deferred  it  till  that 

Page  453.  "  assigned  "— "  pret£s."  i  e.,  "lent."     "They  who,  etc."— "  Pres- 
que  tous,  etc.,"  i.e.,  "Almost  all  who,  etc." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  51 

time,  on  account  of  the  expected  arrival  of  a  chief-justice,  who  was  to 
come  from  England;  .and  from  a  hope,  that  he  should  be  able  to 
acquaint  the  members  with  the  particulars  of  the  treaty  with  the 
United  States.  But  the  harvest  has  now  begun,  which  in  a  higher  de- 
gree than  elsewhere  engages,  in  Canada,  the  publio  attention,  far 
beyond  what  state-affairs  can  do.  Two  members  of  the  Legislative  Council 
were  present  instead  [456J  of  seven;  no  Chief -justice  appeared  who 
was  to  act  as  Speaker;  instead  of  sixteen  members  of  the  assembly  five 
only  attended,  and  this  was  the  whole  number,  which  could  be  col- 
lected at  this  time.  The  law  requires  a  greater  number  of  members 
for  each  house  to  discuss  and  determine  upon  any  business*,  but  within 
two  days  a  year  will  have  expired  since  the  last  session.  The  Governor 
has  therefore  thought  it  right,  to  open  the  session,  reserving,  however, 
to  either  house  the  right  of  proroguing  the  sittings  from  one  day  to 
another,  in  expectation,  that  the  ships  from  Detroit  and  Kingston  will 
either  bring  the  members,  who  are  yet  wanting,  or  certain  intelli- 
gence of  their  not  being  able  to  attend. 

The  whole  retinue  of  the  Governor  consisted  in  a  guard  of  fifty 
men  of  the  garrison  of  the  fort."  Dressed  in  silk,  he  entered  the  hall 
with  his  hat  on  his  head,  attended  by  his  adjutant  and  two  secretaries. 
The  two  members  of  the  Legislative  Council  gave,  by  their  Speaker, 
notice  of  it  to  the  Assembly.  Five  members  of  the  latter  [457]  having 
appeared  at  the  bar,  the  Governor  delivered  a  speech  modelled  after 
that  of  the  King,  on  the  political  affairs  of  Europe,  on  the  treaty  con- 
cluded with  the  United  States,  which  he  mentioned  in  expressions  very 
favourable  to  the  Union,  and  on  the  peculiar  concerns  of  Canada.  Where 
no  taxes  are  to  be  settled,  no  accounts  to  be  audited  and  examined,  and 
no  military  regulations  to  be  adjusted,  public  business  cannot  occupy 
much  time.  But,  if  even  all  these  points  were  to  be  discussed,  the 
business  would  still  be  trifling,  from  want  of  an  opposition;  which 
seems  to  be  precluded  by  the  manner,  in  which  the  two  Houses  for 
Upper  Canada  are  framed.  The  constitution  of  this  province  is  well 
adapted  to  the  present  state  of  the  country.  The  members  of  both 
Houses,  who  bear  a  share  in  the  administration,  are  all  of  them  as 
useful,  as  can  be  desired,  at  this  period.  The  influence  of  the  Governor 
is  not  useless.  And  the  other  necessary  arrangements,  especially  such 
as  may  ensure  liberty  and  good  order,  will,  no  doubt,  be  made  in  the 
process  of  time. 

Fort  Niagara  stands,  as  has  been  already  observed,  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  river,  on  a  point,  opposite  to  that  of  Mississogas,  on  which 
Newark  is  built.  It  was  originally  constructed  by  Mr.  de  [458]  la 
TONQUIEEE,  three  miles  nearer  to  the  falls;  but  was,  some  years  after- 
wards, transferred  to  the  spot,  where  it  now  stands,  and  where  Mr. 

*By  the  Quebec  Act,  passed  in  1791,  it  is  enacted,  that  the  Legislative 
Council  is  to  consist  of  not  fewer  than  seven  members  for  Upper  Canada, 
and  the  Assembly  of  not  less  than  sixteen  members,  who  are  to  be  called 
together  at  least  once  in  every  year. — Translator. 
Page  468.  "  Tonquiere  " — "  Jonquiere." 


52  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

de  DEJSFOISITILLE  threw  up  an  entrenchment.  This  fort,  as  well  as  those 
of  Oswego,  Detroit,  Miami,  and  Michillimakkinak,  are  to  be  surren- 
dered to  the  Americans*.  Fort  Niagara  is  said  to  be  the  strongest 
of  these  places,  having  been  strengthened  with  some  new  works,  in  the 
course  of  last  year;  especially  covered  batteries,  designed  for  its  pro- 
tection on  the  side  of  the  lake  and  the  river.  All  the  breast-works, 
slopes,  etc.,  are  lined  with  timber.  On  the  land-side,  it  has  a  curtain, 
flanked  by  two  bastions,  in  each  of  which  a  block-house  has  been  con- 
structed, mounted  with  cannon.  Although  this  fort,  in  common  with 
all  such  small  fortified  places,  cannot  long  withstand  a  regular  attack; 
yet  the  besiegers  cannot  take  it  without  a  considerable  loss.  All  the 
buildings,  within  the  precincts  of  the  fort,  are  of  stone,  and  were  built 
by  the  French. 

With  very  obliging  politeness,  the  Governor  conducted  us  into  the 
fort,  which  he  is  very  loath  to  visit ;  since  he  is  sure,  he  shall  be  obliged 
to  deliver  it  up  to  the  Americans.  He  [459]  carried  us  through 
every  part  of  it,  indeed  more  of  it  than  we  wished  to  see.  Thirty 
artillery-men  and  eight  companies  of  the  fifth  regiment,  form  the  gar- 
rison of  the  fort.  Two  days  after  this  visit,  we  dined  in  the  fort,  at 
Major  SEWARD'S,  an  officer  of  elegant,  polite,  and  amiable  manners, 
who  seems  to  be  much  respected  by  the  gentlemen  of  his  profession, 
He  and  Mr.  PILKINSON",  an  officer  of  the  corps  of  engineers,  are  the 
military  gentlemen  we  have  most  frequently  seen  during  our  residence 
in  this  place,  and  whom  the  Governor  most  distinguishes  from  the 
rest.  In  England,  as  in  France,  the  officers  of  the  engineers  and  artil- 
lery are  in  general  the  most  accomplished  among  the  gentlemen  of  the 
army;  and  their  societ)^  is  consequently  preferred.  The  officers  of  the 
fifth  regiment,  whom  we  have  seen,  were  well-bred,  polite,  and  excellent 
companions. 

The  communication  of  the.  fort  with  Newark  is  in  winter  inter- 
cepted for  two  or  three  months,  by  masses  of  floating  ice,  carried  along 
by  the  stream.  At  times  it  is  free  for  a  few  hours  only.  The  Indians 
attempt,  now  and  then,  to  cross  the  river,  by  jumping  from  one  piece 
of  ice  to  another.  But  the  number  of  those,  who  venture  upon  this 
dangerous  experiment,  is  never  great. 

Some  trifling  excursions,  we  made  to  the  environs  [46O] 
of  the  city :  and  especially  a  tour  of  four  days,  with  the  Governor,  along 
the  banks  of  the  lake ;  afforded  us  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the  interior 
country.  The  chief  purpose  of  this  journey  was,  to  reach  the  extremity 

*A11  these  forts  were  actually  delivered  up  to  the  Americans  in  August, 
1796,  pursuant  to  the  treaty  of  1794.— Translator. 

Page  458.  "  Michillimakkinak  "— "  Machilimackinac." 

Page  459.  After  "  garrison  of  the  fort "  read  "  les  canons  .et  munitions  pour 
1'armee,  que  p6ut  lever  le  Haut-Canada,"  i.e.,  "  the  cannon  and  munitions 
for  the  army  which  can  be  raised  in  Upper  Canada."  "  Pilkinson  "  (which 
'Smith  changes  to  Pilkington)  "  Pilckinson." 

Page  460.  "  the  extremity  of  the  lake  " — "  a  la  t§te  du  lac,"  i.e..  "  the 
head  of  the  lake." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  53 

of  the  lake.  A  boat,  made  of  the  bark  of  trees,  and  designed  for  the 
Governor's  excursions  between  Detroit  and  Kingston,  contained  the 
whole  company;  which  consisted  of  the  Governor,  Major  Seward,  Mr. 
Pilkinson,  us  three  (Mr.  de  Blacons,  having  left  us  two  days  after 
our  arrival  in  Naryhall),  and  Mr.  RICHARD,  a  young  Englishman,  who 
arrived  here  by  the  way  of  the  North  River,  and  whom  we  had  already 
seen  in  Philadelphia.  Twelve  chasseurs  of  the  Governor's  regiment 
rowed  the  boat,  which  was  followed  by  another  vessel,  carrying  tents 
and  provision.  "We  halted  at  noon  to  eat  our  dinner,  and  in  the  even- 
ing to  pitch  our  tents  and  sup.  In  the  morning,  we  walked,  then 
breakfasted,  and  set  out  to  pursue  our  journey,  which  was  rendered 
rather  unpleasant  by  a  small  fall  of  rain. 

Fortymile-creek  was  one  of  the  chief  objects  of  our  tour.  This  stream, 
which  intersects  in  a  straight  line  the  range  of  mountains,  extending 
from  Queen's  Town,  flows,  with  a  gentle  fall,  into  the  plain ;  and  affords 
some  wild,  awful,  yet  very  pleasing  prospects  among  the  mountains. 
[461]  Before  it  empties  itself  into  the  lake,  it  turns  a  grist  mill,  and 
two  saw-mills,  which  belong  to  a  Mr.  GREEN,  a  loyalist  of  Jersey,  who, 
six  or  seven  years  ago,  settled  in  this  part  of  Upper  Canada. 

This  Mr.  Green  was  the  constant  companion  of  the  Governor  on 
th£s  little  journey;  he  is  apparently  a  worthy  man,  and  in  point  of 
knowledge  far  superior  to  the  common  cast  of  settlers  in  this  neigh- 
bourhood. His  estate  consists  of  three  hundred  acres,  about  forty  of 
which  are  cleared  of  wood.  He  paid  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
dollars  for  forty  acres,  through  which  the  creek  flows,  that  turns  his 
mill,  on  account  of  the  greater  value,  they  bear  for  this  reason ;  the 
common  price  being  only  five  shillings  per  acre.  Land  newly  cleared 
yields  here,  the  first  year,  twenty  bushels  of  corn.  The  soil  is  good, 
though  not  of  the  most  excellent  quality.  They  plough  the  land,  after 
it  has  produced  three  or  four  crops,  but  not  very  deep,  and  never  use 
manure.  The  price  of  flour  is  twenty-two  shillings  per  hundred 
weight;  that  of  wheat  from  seven  to  eight  shillings  per  bushel.  The 
bushel  weighs  sixty-two  pounds  upon  an  average.  Labourers  are  scarce, 
and  are  paid  at  the  rate  of  six  shillings  a  day. 

Respecting  the  feeding  of  cattle,  the  winter  is  [462]  here 
reckoned  at  five  months  and  a  half,  and  near  the  lakes  often  at  six; 
on  the  mountains  it  is  a  month  shorter.  A  few  habitations  are  scat- 
tered over  the  district.  Wheat  is  here,  as  well  as  throughout  all  Upper 
Canada,  generally  sown;  but  other  sorts  of  grain  are  also  cultivated. 

Page  460.  "A  boat,  made  of  the  bark  of  trees" — "  un  canot  d'ecorce," 
i.e.,  "  a  bark  canoe."  "  Queen's  Town  " — "  Queenstown." 

Page  461.  "  on  this  little  journey  " — "  pendant  le  terns  qu'il  a  passS  a 
Forty-mile-creek,"  i.e.,  "  during  the  time  he  spent  at  Forty  Mile  Creek." 
"  cleared  of  wood  " — "  cleared."  After  "  cleared  "  the  translator  omits  "  II  n'a 
pas  plus  de  titres  que  les  autres;  mais  ayant  voulu,  1'hiver  dernier,  vendre 
quelques-uns  de  ses  acres  et  en  acheter  d'autres,  il  a  obtenu  promptement  les 
titres  pour  ces  deux  parties,"  i.e.,  "  he  has  like  others,  no  deed,  but  desiring 
the  previous  winter  to  sell  some  of  his  acres  and  buy  others,  he  at  once 
obtained  the  deeds  for  both  parcels." 


54  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

Wheat  and  rye  are  sown  in  September;  oats,  in  May;  barley,  in  June; 
turnips,  in  July;  and  potatoes,  in  May.  The  hay  harvest  falls  between 
the  10th  of  June  and  the  10th  of  July.  Rye  is  generally  cut  about 
the  beginning  of  July;  and  wheat,  in  the  latter  days  of  the  same 
month;  potatoes  and  Turnips  are  dug  in  October  and  November.  Grass 
is,  in  general,  mowed  but  once.  Cultivated  meadows  are  sown  with 
timothy-grass.  The  cattle  are  fed,  in  winter,  with  hay;  which  is  kept 
either  in  barns,  in  Dutch  lofts*,  or  in  stacks,  after  the  English  manner : 
the  last  are  very  badly  made.  Until  the  winter  sets  in  with  great 
severity,  the  cattle  are  left  to  graze  in  the  woods;  they  tell  us,  that  in 
all  parts  of  Upper  Canada,  the  snow  lies  seldom  deeper  than  two  feet. 
The  whole  of  these  [463]  observations  apply  also  to  the  cultivated 
ground  near  Lake  Ontario  and  Lake  Erie. 

Mr.  Green,  who  has  a  very  numerous  family,  intends  to  bring  up 
all  his  sons  to  farming,  and  to  build  for  each  of  them  a  mill,  either  on 
this  or  on  a  neighbouring  creek.  He  grinds  the  corn  for  all  the  mili- 
tary posts  in  Upper  Canada;  where  General  Simcoe  has  ordered  all 
the  flour  of  a  good  quality  to  be  purchased,  which  shall  be  offered  by 
millers  in  larger  quantities  than  six  bushels. 

The  road  from  Fortymile-creek  to  the  extremity  of  the  lake, 
which  we  travelled,  on  horseback,  is  one  of  the  worst  we  have  hitherto 
seen  in  America.  But  for  our  finding  now  and  then  some  trunks  of 
trees  in  the  swampy  places,  we  should  not  have  been  able  to  disengage 
ourselves  from  the  morass.  Along  the  road,  which  is  fifteen  miles  in 
length,  the  soil  is  good;  but  we  scarcely  saw  four  plantations  on  the 
bank  of  the  lake.  At  the  very  extremity  of  it,  and  on  the  most  fruitful 
soil,  there  are  but  two  settlements. 

Burlington  Bay  borders  on  Lake  Ontario.  This  bay  is  five  miles 
in  length,  and  communicates  with  the  lake  by  a  streight  sixty  yards 
wide;  but  this  communication  is  interrupted  by  sand-banks,  which,  at 
the  extremity  of  the  lake,  form  a  bar,  the  base  of  which  projects  nearly 
half  a  mile  [464]  into  the  lake.  This  sole  passage  excepted. 
the  bay  is  separated  from  the  lake  by  an  isthmus,  from  two  to  four 
hundred  yards  broad.  At  the  point,  where  this  isthmus  begins  on  the 
southern  side  of  the  lake,  the  unnavigable  tract  is  about  fifty  feet  in 
width.  Small  vessels  are  worked  up  into  a  small  creek  in  the  bay; 
whence  they  proceed  without  any  impediment  to  any  other  part  within 
its  extent.  The  mountains,  which  near  Fortymile-creek  reach  close  to 
the  lake,  but  afterwards  recede  to  the  distance  of  five  or  six  miles. 

*In  this  neighborhood,  as  well  as  throughout  all  the  northern  parts  of 
the  Union,  they  call  a  thatched  roof  of  a  round,  square  or  polygonal  form., 
which  rests  on  long  posts,  but  can  be  raised  or  lowered  at  pleasure,  a 
Dutch  loft. — Author.  (Baraque  hollandaise). 

Page  462.  "  10th  of  June  " — "  20  juin,"  i.e.,  20th  of  June."  "  timothy-grass  " 
—"  thymothy." 

Page  463.  "  plantations  " — "  habitations."  "  borders  on  "— "  termine,"  i.e., 
"forms  the  end  of."  "interrupted"  followed  in  the  French  by  "dans  lee 
trois  quarts  de  1'ann^e,"  i.e.,  "  for  three  Quarters  of  the  year." 

Page  464.  "  the  unnavigable  tract  " — "  le  portage." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  55 

approach  it  again  at  the  extremity  of  Burlington  Bay.  Their  colour, 
as  well  as  the  quality  of  the  intervening  soil  between  them  and  the 
lake,  affords  ground  to  suppose,  that  they  once  formed  its  borders,  and 
that  the  tract  of  ground,  which  now  separates  them  from  its  present 
bed,  and  which  is  covered  with  very  old  and  beautiful  trees,  has  been 
formed  by  alluvia  from  the  waters  of  the  lake.  This  range  of  moun- 
tains, after  having  formed  an  opening,  through  which  a  pretty  con- 
siderable river  empties  itself  into  the  bay,  rejoin,  bound  the  lake  for 
about  a  fourth  part  of  its  length,  and  stretch  thence  towards  Lake 
Huron,  in  the  vicinity  of  which  they  divide  into  different  branches, 
the  farther  direction  of  which  is  not  known.  The  geographical  know- 
ledge of  this  country,  as  far  as  it  relates  to  the  course  [465]  of  the  rivers, 
the  shape  of  the  vallies,  and  the  direction  of  the  chain  of  mountains, 
is  yet  very  imperfect.  Governor  Simcoe  is  aware  of  the  necessity  of 
its  being  enlarged  and  perfected.  But,  in  a  newly  occupied  country, 
like  this,  the  number  of  objects  necessary  to  be  attended  to  is  immense. 
During  the  whole  of  our  excursion  we  passed  through  woods, 
copiously  adorned  with  flowers  of  the  most  exquisite  hues  and  frag- 
rance, the  names  of  which  we  could  not  learn.  The  numbers  of  fragrant 
trees,  of  a  size  unknown  in  Europe,  was  equally  great. 

The  banks  of  the  lake  are  rather  unhealthy,  and  intermittent  fevers 
are  almost  as  frequent  there,  as  in  the  district  of  Genessee.  But  few 
surgeons  reside  in  the  country;  they  are  not  suffered  to  practice,  till 
after  having  undergone  an  examination  by  a  physician,  appointed  by 
government.  This  prevention,  which  may  prove  very  beneficial  in 
future  times,  is  at  present  of  no  avail.  For,  as  very  few  apply  for 
leave  to  practice,  the  most  ignorant  are  admitted  without  difficulty, 
if  they  will  only  present  themselves  for  admission. 

By  one  of  them  I  was  informed,  that  the  inferior  classes  of  the 
inhabitants  dread  their  advice  in  intermittent  fevers,  because  they 
always  prescribe  [466]  bark;  and  that  poor  people,  instead  of 
following  their  advice,  have  recourse  to  a  sort  of  magic  charm,  in  which 
universal  confidence  is  placed  in  this  country.  If  seized  with  the  ague, 
they  go  into  the  forest,  search  out  a  branch  of  an  elm  or  sassafras,  of 
the  last  year's  growth;  fasten  to  this  branch,  without  breaking  it  off 
the  tree,  a  thread,  which  must  not  be  quite  new;  tie  as  many  knots,  as 
they  think  they  shall  have  fits  of  the  fever;  and  then  return  home, 
perfectly  convinced,  that  they  shall  not  experience  more  fits,  than 
they  have  bound  themselves  to  sustain,  by  the  number  of  knots  they 
have  tied.  The  first  discoverers  of  this  arcanum  used  to  make  so  few 
knots,  that  the  ague  would  frequently  disappoint  their  hopes,  but  they 
who  at  present  practice  the  superstition  tie  so  many,  that  the  febrile 

Page  464.  t"  Their  colour" — "Leur   circuit." 

Page  466.  "  bark  " — "  quinquina,"  i.e.,  "  Peruvian  bark." 


56  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

'matter  is  generally  carried  off,  before  the  number  of  fits  comes  up  to  that 
of  the  knots. 

A  tour  along  the  banks  of  the  lake  is  extremely  pleasant;  the  pros- 
pect of  this  vast  sheet  of  water  is  majestic,  and  the  traces  of  culture, 
which  upon  the  whole  has  been  commenced  on  the  best  principles,  offer 
a  picture,  on  which  both  the  eye  and  the  mind  dwell  with  equal  pleasure. 
The  Governor  is  a  worthy  man,  amiable  and  plain.  The  company  was 
agreeable,  and  we  enjoyed  every  convenience,  which  can  be  expected 
[467]  on  a  journey  of  this  kind.  And  yet,  during  the  whole 
time  of  our  residence  in  Naryhall,  where  he,  as  well  as  every  one  be- 
longing to  him,  loaded  us  with  civilities,  in  a  manner  the  most  agree- 
able, I  did  not  experience  one  moment  of  true  happiness,  and  real  un- 
tainted enjoyment. 

I  am  at  a  loss  to  account  to  myself  for  the  various  perceptions, 
which  pressed  upon  my  mind,  and  prevented  my  feelings  from  being 
entirely  absorbed  by  gratitude,  and  by  the  pleasing  sensations,  it  natur- 
ally produces.  I  love  the  English  more,  perhaps,  than  any  other  French- 
man ;  I  have  been  constantly  well  treated  by  the  English ;  I  have  friends 
among  them;  I  acknowledge  the  many  great  qualities  and  advantages 
which  they  possess.  I  detest  the  horrid  crimes,  which  stain  the  French  re- 
volution, and  which  destroyed  so  many  objects  of  my  love  and  esteem; 
I  am  banished  from  France ;  my  estates  are  confiscated ;  by  the  govern- 
ment of  my  country  I  am  treated  as  a  criminal  or  corrupt  citizen; 
severed  from  all  I  held  dear,  I  have  been  reduced  to  extreme,  inex- 
pressible misery,  by  Robespierre,  and  the  rest  of  the  ruffians,  whom 
my  countrymen  have  suffered  to  become  their  tyrants;  nor  #re  my 
misfortunes  yet  consummated — and  yet,  the  love  of  my  country,  this 
innate  feeling,  now  so  painful  to  me,  so  clashing  with  my  present  situa- 
tion, [468]  holds  an  absolute  sway  over  my  soul,  and  pursues 
me  here  more  closely,  than  elsewhere.  This  English  flag,  under  which 
I  am  sailing  over  lakes  where  the  French  flag  was  so  long  displayed; 
these  forts,  these  guns,  the  spoils  of  France,  this  constant,  obvious  proof 
of  our  former  weakness  and  of  our  misfortunes,  give  me  pain,  perplex 
and  overpower  me  to  a  degree,  which  I  am  at  a  loss  to  explain.  The 
success,  last  year,  obtained  by  Lord  Howe,  which  the  English  mention 
with  more  frankness,  because  they  suppose  our  interest  to  be  intimately 
connected  with  theirs;  the  eagerness  they  display  in  announcing  new 
defeats  of  the  French,  the  accounts  of  which  are  prefaced  by  the  assur- 
ance, that  English  [triumphs  and  exertions  shall  reinstate  us 

Page  466.  After  the  paragraph  ending  with  "  the  knots,"  the  French  text 
has  "  II  est  bien  difficile  que  le  secret  et  sur-tout  ce  dernier  raffinement,  ne 
soient  pas  1'invention  de  quelque  prStre,"  i.e.,  "  It  is  difficult  not  to  conclude 
that  this  secret  remedy,  and  especially  the  last  refinement,  are  not  the 
invention  of  some  priest."  "  A  tour  "— "  Cette  promenade,"  i.e.,  "  That  tour." 

Page  467.  "  Perception  " — "  Sentimens."  "  corrupt  citizen  " — "  mauvais 
citoyen,"  i.e.,  "  bad  citizen." 

Page  468.  "  Give  me  pain,  perplex  and  overpower  me "-  -"  me  genent, 
m'accablent,  et  me  donner  un  exces  d'embarras,  de  honte,"  i.e.,  "  disturb  me, 
overwhelm  me  and  give  me  a  terrible  sense  of  perplexity— of  shame."  "our 
guests" — "mes  h6tes,"  i.e.,  "my  hosts."  (Smith  has  corrected  the  text.) 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  57 

in  the  possession  of  our  estates,  and  followed  with  congratulations; 
all  these  common  topics  of  conversation,  which  our  guests  seem  to  in- 
troduce with  the  best  intention,  prove  more  painful  to  my  feelings,  as 
I  am  necessitated  to  hide  my  thoughts,  lest  I  should  be  deemed  a  fool 
by  the  few,  in  whose  eyes  I  am  no  Jacobin,  no  Robespierrian,  and  because 
I  am,  as  it  were,  at  cross  purposes  with  myself.  And  yet  it  is  a  senti- 
ment rooted,  deeply  rooted  in  my  soul,  that  I  would  continue  poor  and 
banished,  all  the  days  of  my  life,  rather  than  owe  my  restoration  to  my 
country  and  my  estates  to  the  influence  of  [469]  foreign  powers, 
and  to  British  pride.  I  hear  of  no  defeat  of  the  French  armies, 
without  grief,  or  of  any  of  their  triumphs,  without  my  self-love 
being  gratified  to  a  degree,  which  at  times  I  take  not  sufficient  care  to 
conceal*.  And  yet,  notwithstanding  these  feelings,  the  confession  of 
which  may  appear  ridiculous  in  my  present  situation,  I  cannot  discern 
the  period,  when  anarchy  shall  cease  in  my  ill-fated  country,  and  liberty, 
regulated  by  wise  and  efficient  laws,  afford  happiness  at  least  to  those, 
who  are  not  banished;  when  France  shall  rest  her  glory  on  a  safe  and 
lasting  foundation. 

I  do  not  know,  whether  those  of  my  friends,  who  shall  read  these 
lines,  will  understand  my  meaning ;  and  whether  they  will  be  more  able, 
than  1  am,  to  reconcile  these  apparently  incongruous  feelings  and  per- 
ceptions. I  have  here  thrown  them  together,  as  I  felt  and  conceived 
them. 

[47O]  In  addition  to  the  civilities  offered  here  to  our 
small  company,  Dupetitthouars  experienced  one  of  a  peculiar  com- 
plexion, consisting  in  a  offer  of  lands  in  Upper  Canada,  made  by  Major 
Seward,  who,  without  expressly  stating,  that  he  was  authorised  by  the 
Governor  to  propose  this  offer,  at  least  hinted  something  to  that  effect. 
The  polite,  yet  peremptory  answer,  returned  by  Dupetitthouars,  at  once 
ended  the  business. 

The  taste  for  news  is  not  by  far  so  prevalent  in  Upper  Canada  as 
in  the  United  States.  Only  one  newspaper  is  printed  in  Newark;  and 
but  for  the  support  granted  "hy  government,  not  the  fourth  part  of  the 
expense  of  the  proprietor  would  be  refunded  by  the  sale  of  his  papers. 
It  is  a  short  abstract  of  the  newspapers  of  New  York  and  Albany,  accom- 
modated to  the  principles  of  the  Governor;  with  an  epitome  of  the 
Quebec  Gazette.  In  the  front  and  back  of  the  paper  are  advertisements. 
It  is  a  weekly  paper;  but  very  few  copies  are  sent  to  Fort  Erie  and 
Detroit.  The  newspaper  press  also  serves  for  printing  the  acts  of  the 

"These  "Confessions  d'un  Emigre,"  which  ingenuously  express  the  true 
sentiments  of  a  very  considerable  part  of  the  emigrated  French  nobility 
and  gentry,  are  not,  it  seems,  unworthy  of  the  notice  of  foreign  powers, 
and  especially  of  our  government.  A  French  emigrant,  who  acted  in  the 
West  Indies  as  field-officer  in  the  British  service,  regretted,  that  the 
"pavilion  ch&ri"  was  not  waving  at  the  mast-head  of  the  vessels,  on  board 
of  which  he  was  going  to  combat  the  French. — Translator. 

Page  469.  "  Wise  and  efficient  laws  "— "  des  loix  bien  obSies,"  i.e.,  "  laws 
well  obeyed." 

Page  470.  "  Dupetitthouars  "— "  du  Petit-Thouars." 


58  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

Legislature,  and  the  notices  and  orders  issued  by  the  Governor;  and 
this  is  its  principal  use.  In  point  of  news,  the  situation  at  Niagara  is 
by  no  means  convenient,  especially  in  time  of  war. 

The  English  ships  are  not  yet  arrived  from  [471]  Quebec, 
and  this  day  is  the  sixth  of  July.  The  intelligence,  which  reached 
Philadelphia  about  the  time  of  our  departure,  has  but  just  been  re- 
ceived at  Niagara.  They  tell  us,  that  they  know  nothing,  but  what  they 
have  learned  directly  from  England.  What  little  information  we  have 
been  able  to  collect  from  different  quarters,  concerning  the  sentiments 
of  the  people,  and  which  we  could  only  now  and  then  obtain,  as  we 
should  have  otherwise  have  given  offence  by  too  much  inquisitiveness 
on  this  head,  coincides  in  representing  the  nation  at  large  as  desirous 
of  tranquillity  and  peace.  But  the  American  loyalists,  who  have  actually 
suffered  by  the  war,  still  harbour  enmity  and  hatred  against  their  native 
land  and  countrymen.  These  sentiments  however  are  daily  decreasing, 
and  are  not  shared  by  the  far  greater  number  of  emigrants,  who  arrive 
from  the  United  States,  Nova  Scotia,  and  New  Brunswick.  There  are 
mal-con  tents  in  this  country;  but  their  number  is  small.  Several  new 
settlers,  who  migrate  into  this  province  from  the  United  States,  falsely 
profess  an  attachment  to  the  British  Monarch,  and  curse  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Union,  for  the  mere  purpose  of  thus  wheedling  them- 
selves into  the  possession  of  lands.  The  high  price  of  provision,  the 
prohibition  of  a  commercial  intercourse,  and  the  protracted  delivery  of 
the  deeds  [472]  by  which  the  property  of  granted  lands  is  con- 
veyed to  the  occupiers,  form,  indeed,  grounds  of  much  discontent;  but 
this  is  by  no  means  of  a  nature  to  cause  uneasiness  to  the  government, 
which  seems  even  to  doubt  its  existence,  though,  in  case  of  a  war  with  the 
United  States,  it  might  render  its  situation  extremely  critical. 

The  Episcopal  is  the  established  religion  in  Upper  Canada.  In 
Detroit,  however,  half  of  the  inhabitants  arc  Roman  Catholics;  and 
some  families  of  Quakers,  Baptists,  and  Bunkers,  are  scattered 
through  the  province,  though  in  small  numbers. 

A  seventh  part  of  the  lands  is  allotted  to  the  support  of  the  Pro- 
testant clergy.  For  the  Roman  Catholic  service  nothing  is  paid,  ex- 
cept in  Detroit.  No  church  has  yet  been  built,  even  in  Newark.  In 
the  same  halls,  where  the  -Legislative  and  Executive  Councils  hold  their 
sittings,  jugglers  would  be  permitted  to  display  their  tricks,  if  any 
should  ever  stray  to  this  remote  country.  Our  last  excursion  in  the 
environs  of  Naryhall  brought  us  by  Queenstown  to  one  of  the  Tusca- 
rora  villages,  which  stands  on  the  Indian  territory,  four  miles  from 
Naryhall.  One  of  the  roads,  which  lead  thither,  passes  over  mountains, 

Page  470.  "from  Quebec"— "a  Quebec,"  i.e.,  "at  Quebec."  (Smith  has 
changed  "  from  "  into  "  at.") 

Page  471.  "  England  "— "  Londres,"  i.e.,  "London." 

Page  472.  "  Episcopal"— "  anglicane  episcopate,"  i.e.,  "Church  of  Eng- 
land." "half  of  the  inhabitants "—"  la  presquef  totaliteY'  i.e.,  "almost  all." 
"Baptists" — "  memnonistes  "  (Mennonistes),  i.e.,  "  Mennonites."  "  Tus- 
carora  " — "  Tuscororas." 


LA  RQCHEFOUCAULT.  59 

that  border  upon  the  falls.  This  road  affords  some  interesting  pros- 
pects, such  as  precipices,  dreary  [473]  recesses,  wild  romantic 
scenes  as  far  as  the  mountains  project  over  the  river.,  still  hemmed  in 
between  this  double  range  of  high  rocks.  They  become  truly  admirable 
where  the  mountains  slope  towards  the  plain,  which  separates  them 
from  the  banks  of  the  lake;  this  whole  plain,  Fort  Niagara,  the  bank 
of  the  lake,  the  lake  itself,  nay,  a  part  of  the  opposite  bank,  bursting  at 
once  on  your  view.  The  soil  seems  everywhere  to  be  of  a  good  quality. 

This  Tuscarora  village  has  as  dirty  and  mean  an.  appearance  as  all 
the  other  villages  we  have  hitherto  seen;  but  the  inhabitants,  being 
informed  of  the  intended  visit  of  the  Governor,  had  painted  them- 
selves with  the  utmost  care,  and  were  dressed  in  their  most  fashion- 
able style.  They  fancied  he  came  to  hold  an  assembly.  A  booth, 
covered  with  green  branches,  before  the  door  of  the  habitation  of  the 
chieftain,  on  which  the  English  flag  was  waving,  was  the  place  singled 
out  for  the  expected  solemnity.  The  inhabitants  were  rather  disap- 
pointed, when  they  learned  from  the  Governor,  .that  he  came  with  no 
other  view  but  to  pay  them  a  visit.  He  sat  down  in  the  booth.  The 
Indians  were  seated  on  benches  placed  in  a  semi-circular  form,  and 
smoaked  tobacco.  As  many  of  the  young  men  as  could  find  room  sat  at 
the  end,  or  stood  leaning  on  the  rails.  General  [474]  Simcoe  and 
ourselves  were  in  the  centre  of  the  semi-circle;  women  and  children 
were  kept  at  a  distance.  n 

PATEKSON",  an  American  by  birth,  whom  the  Indians  took  prisoner 
at  the  age  of  ten  years  (he  is  now  twenty-five)  acted  as  interpreter  to 
the  Governor.  All  his  speeches,  like  every  discourse  of  the  English 
agents  addressed  to  the  Indians,  turned  on  the  same  subject.  He  told 
them  also,  at  this  time,  that  the  Yankees  were  brooding  over  some  evil 
design  against  them;  that  they  had  no  other  object  in  view  but  to  rob 
them  of  their  lands;  and  that  their  good  Father  (King  George)  was 
the  true  friend  of  their  nation.  He  also  repeated  that  the  maize-thief 
(T P )  was  a  rogue  and  a  liar. 

His  speech,  however,  met  not  with  much  applause  on  the  part  of 
the  Tuscaroras.  The  Seneca-Indians  had  called  here  a  week  before,  on 
their  way  to  Naryhall,  and  told  them,  that  they  were  going  to  the 
Governor,  without  entering  into  any  particulars  respecting  the  object 
of  their  visit.  This  circumstance  led  the  Tuscaroras  to  conclude,  that 
something  very  important  was  in  negociation  between  the  Senecas  and 
the  Governor,  probably  tending  to  the  prejudice  of  their  nation;  for 
mistrust,  suspicion,  and  apprehensions,  form  the  prominent  features  of 
the  policy  of  the  [475]  Indians;  and  it  must  be  confessed,  that  this 
way  of  thinking  is  a  very  natural  consequence  of  the  conduct  of  the 
colonists  towards  them. 

Page  473.  "  tobacco  "— "  chns  de  longues  pipes,"  i.e.,  "  long  pipes,"  "  lean- 
ing on  the  rails  "— "  repose's  sur  leur  raquette,"  i  e.,  "  leaning  on  their  crosse." 

Page  474.  "the  maize  thief  (T—  P— ) "— "  1'oiseau  noir  (Timothy  Picfker- 
ing),"  i.e..  "the  Black  bird  (Timothy  Pickering)." 

Page  475.  "  colonists  "— "  blancs,"  i.e.,  "whites"  (as  almost  always). 


60  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

The  Governor  disclaimed  all  particular  negotiations  with  the 
Senecas;  and,  in  order  to  divert  them  from  this  opinion,  made  use  of 
all  the  compliments  and  assurances,  which  he  thought  any  way  fitted 
to  flatter  their  vanity,  or  allay  their  fears.  He  again  told  them  of  the 
Yankees,  of  the  maize-thief,  and  of  King  George;  but  all  this  did  not 
satisfy  them.  His  promise  of  granting  them  lands  in  Canada,  if  the 
Yankees  should  drive  them  from  their  homes,  made  no  deeper  impres- 
sion; nothing  could  brighten  that  cold,  nay,  gloomy  countenance,  which 
they  generally  preserve  while  they  are  treating  on  business.  The  ex- 
treme care,  which  they  employ  to  conceal  their  impressions  on  similar 
occasions)  may  either  be  the  effect  of  a  studied  dissimulation,  the  neces- 
sity of  which  they  may  have  learned  in  their  intercourse  with  the  colo- 
nists, or  merely  the  result  of  character  and  habit.  This  anecdote,  how- 
ever trifling  in  itself,  shows  how  easily  the  jealousy  between  the  differ- 
ent Indian  nations  is  roused;  a  disposition  which,  like  all  the  other 
foibles  of  the  Indians,  both  the  English  and  the  Americans  turn  to 
their  advantage. 

There  are  few  Indian  villages,  where  some  [476]  persons,  of  Euro- 
pean descent  have  not  settled,  who  generally  enjoy  a  considerable  share  of 
influence  over  the  tribe.  They  are  commonly  people  of  a  very  indifferent 
character,  attracted  by  the  idle,  extravagant,  and  drunken  habits  of  the 
Indians.  It  is  a  general  remark,  that  the  whites,  who  reside  among 
them,  are  extremely  vicious,  cruel,  and  covetous,  and  the  very;  worst 
husbands  and  fathers. 

Intermitting  fevers  are  very  frequent  in  this  village.  The  Indians 
frequently  take  the  advice  of  the  physician,  whom  the  English  Govern- 
ment appoints,  and  pays  on  their  account ;  but  they,  far  more  frequently, 
take  draughts,  which  they  prepare  themselves  from  the  juice  of  herbs. 
'Although  the  neighbourhood  is  much  infected  with  rattle-snakes,  yet 
none  of  the  present  inhabitants  of  this  village  were  ever  bitten  by  them. 
Their  remedy,  in  this  case,  would  consist  of  salt  and  water.,  which  they 
think  infallible,  and  fully  sufficient  to  effect  a  cure. 

We  met  on  this  excursion  an  American  family,  who  with  some  oxen, 
cows,  and  sheep,  were  emigrating  to  Canada.  "We  come/'  said  they, 
"  to  the  Governor,"  whom  they  did  not  know,  "  to  see  whether  he  will 
give  us  land."  "  Aye,  aye,"  the  Governor  replied,  "  you  are  tired  of  the 
federal  government;  you  like  not  any  longer  to  have  so  many  kings; 
you  wish  again  for  your  [477]  old  father,"  (it  is  thus  the  Gov- 
ernor calls  the  British  Monarch  when  he  speaks  with  Americans) ; 
"you  are  perfectly  right;  come  along,  we  love  such  good  royalists  as 
you  are,  we  will  give  you  land." 

On  our  return  from  Queenstown  we  descended  in  the  Governor's 
boat  the  noble  river  Niagara,  the  banks  of  which  imagination  delights 
to  fancy  covered  with  inhabitants,  and  reclaimed  by  culture  from  their 

Page  475.  "maize  thief "— "  1'oiseau  noir;"  i.e.,  "black-bird." 
Page  477.  "  boat "— - "  canot,"   i.e.,   "canoe." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  61 

present  wild  state,  and  views  rich  and  charming  landscapes;  but  this 
richness,  and  these  charms,  will  probably  yet,  for  a  considerable  time, 
enchant  the  eye  of  fancy  alone. 

During  our  residence  in  Naryhall,  Messrs.  Dupetitthouars  and 
Guillemard  took  the  opportunity  of  the  return  of  a  gun-boat,  and  made 
an  excursion  to  York.  Indolence,  politeness  to  the  Governor,  and  the 
conviction  that  I  should  meet  with  nothing  remarkable  in  that  place, 
united  to  dissuade  me  from  this  journey.  My  friends  informed  me  on 
their  return,  that  this  town,  which  the  Governor  had  fixed  upon  as  the 
capital  of  Upper  Canada,  before  he  thought  of  building  a  capital  on  the 
Thames,  has  a  fine  extensive  road,  detached  from  the  lake  by  a  neck 
of  land  of  unequal  breadth,  being  in  some  places  a  mile,  in  others  only 
six  score  yards  broad;  that  the  entrance  of  this  road  is  about  a  mile  in 
width;  that  in  the  [478]  middle  of  it  is  a  shoal  or  sand-bank, 
the  narrows  on  each  side  of  which  may  be  easily  defended  by  works 
erected  on  the  two  points  of  land  at  the  entrance,  where  two  block- 
houses have  already  been  constructed;  that  this  is  two  miles  and  a  half 
long,  and  a  mile  wide;  and  that  the  elevation  of  the  shore  greatly  facili- 
tates its'  defence  by  fortifications  to  be  thrown  up  on  the  most  con- 
venient points. 

Governor  Simcoe  intends  to  make  York  the  centre  of  the  naval 
force  on  Lake  Ontario.  Only  four  gun-boats  are,  at  present,  on  this 
lake;  two  of  which  are  constantly  employed  in  transporting  merchan- 
dize; the  other  two,  which  alone  are  fit  to  carry  troops  and  guns,  and 
have  oars  and  sails,  are  lying  under  shelter  until  an  occasion  occurs  to 
convert  them  to  their  intended  purpose.  It  is  the  Governor's  intention 
to  build  ten  similar  gun-boats  on  Lake  Ontario,  and  ten  on  Lake  Erie. 
The  ship-carpenters,  who  construct  them,  reside  in  the  United  States, 
and  return  home  every  winter. 

There  have  not  been  more  than  twelve  houses  hitherto  built  in 
York.  They  stand  on  the  bay  near  the  River  Dun.  The  inhabitants 
do  not  possess  the  fairest  character.  One  of  them  is  the  noted  BATY, 
the  leader  of  the  German  families,  who  according  to  the  assertions  of 
Captain  Williamson,  [479]  were  decoyed  away  by  the  English,  to  in- 
jure and  obstruct  the  prosperity  of  his  settlement. 

Notwithstanding  the  navigation  of  this  river,  there  is  a  portage  of 
thirty  miles  between  York  and  Lake  Simcoe,  by  which  the  merchandize, 
that  comes  from  Lake  Huron,  might  reach  that  place  in  a  straighter 
]ine.  The  barracks,  which  are  occupied  by  the  Governor's  regiment, 
stand. on  the  road,  two  miles  from  the  town,  and  near  the  lake;  de- 
sertion, I  am  told,  is  very  frequent  among  the  soldiers. 

Page  477.  "  road  " — "  rade,"  i.e.,  "  harbour  "  or  "  roadstead." 
Page  478.  "  that  this  is,  etc.,"  i.e.,  the  harbour.    After  "  a  mile,  wide,"  the 
French  text  has  "  au'elle  6tait  saine  dans  tout  ses  points,"  i.e.,  "  that  it  was 
clear  and  navigable  at  all  points."  "  Baty  "— "  Batzy,"  i.e.,  "  Berczy."  (Smith 
corrects   "Dun"    into    "Don    and    "Baty"    into    "Bertzy"). 


63  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

In  a  circumference  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  the  Indians  aT« 
the  only  neighbours  of  York.  They  belong  to  the  tribe  of  the  Missasso- 
gas.  I  shall  here  observe,  that  all,  who  have  visited  the  Indians  in 
Upper  Canada,  assure  us,  that  Father  €HARLEVOIX  has  delineated 
their  manners  with  the  same  exactness  and  truth,  which  has  he  in  general 
displayed  in  the  description  of  the  countries  he  traversed. 

After  a  residence  of  eighteen  days  at  Naryhall,  we  took  leave  of 
the  Governor  on  Friday  the  10th  of  July.  He  wished  us  to  stay  a 
little  longer;  but  Lord  DORCHESTER'S  answer  had  probably  reached 
Kingston  by  this  time;  and,  notwithstanding  the  Governor's  true  polite- 
ness and  [48O]  generous  hospitality,  we  were  not  entirely  free  from  ap- 
prehensions of  incommoding  him. 

I  hope  that  he  has  been  as  satisfied  with,  the  sincerity  and  frank- 
ness of  Mr.  Dupetitthouars  and  myself,  as  we  were  with  his  kindness. 
As  to  Mr.  Guillemard,  I  make  no  mention  of  him,  since,  he  being  an 
Englishman,  his  situation  is  altogether  different  from  ours.  We  en- 
joyed in  the  General's  house  the  most  perfect  freedom  of  opinion,  which 
a  man  of  his  distinguished  talents  will  always  cherish,  and  but  for 
which  we  should  not  have  been  able  to  continue  so  long  at  Naryhall  as 
we  did. 

Everything  we  have  seen  and  heard  in  this  part  of  Upper  Canada 
renders  it,  in  our  judgment,  extremely  probable,  that  her  dependanee 
on  England  will  not  be  of  long  duration.  The  spirit  of  independance, 
which  prevails  in  the  United  States,  has  already  gained  ground  in  this 
province,  and  will,  no  doubt,  be  much  encreased  by  a  more  immediate 
connection  with  the  United  States.  The  comparison  drawn  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Upper  Canada,  between  the  price  of  commodities  sub- 
ject to  English  duties  and  customs,  and  the  value  of  the  same  articles 
on  the  opposite  shore,  will  be  a  sufficient  source  of  envy  and  discontent. 
The  navigation  being  carried  [481]  on  by  both  countries  on  the  same 
lakes  and  canals,  it  will  be  impossible  to  prevent  the  contraband-trade : 
and  this  cannot  but  prove  highly  prejudicial  to  Great  Britain,  at  least  ac- 
cording to  the  system,  by  which  she  is  guided  in  the  government  of  her 
colonies.  This  contraband-trade  will  be  a  constant  object  of  dispute 
between  the  two  states,  and  will  furnish  the  Governor  of  Upper  Canada 
with  sufficient  pretences  for  commencing  and  promoting  a  war.  But,  a 
contest,  the  natural  consequence  of  which  would  be  an  increase  of  the 
price  of  provision  in  Canada  far  above  what  it  would  bear  in  the  United 
States,  could  not  be  a  popular  war.  It  would  be  a  repetition  of  the 
American  War  of  the  Stamp-act,  and  of  the  Tea-tax-,  and  would  prob- 
ably be  attended  with  the  same  consequences. 

The  natural  order  of  things  at  this  moment  and  the  universal  dis- 
position of  nations,  announce  the  separation  of  Canada  from  Great  Britain 
as  an  event,  which  cannot  fail  to  take  place.  I  know  nothing,  than  can  pre- 
vent it.  By  great  prosperity  and  glory,  by  signal  successes  in  her  wars, 
and  by  undisturbed  tranquillity  at  home,  Great  Britain  may  be  able  to 
maintain  her  power  over  this  country,  a?  long  as  considerable  sum?  shall 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  53 

be  expended  to  promote  its  population  and  prosperity;  as  long  as  it 
shall  enjoy  the  most  complete  [482]  exemption  from  all  the  taxes 
and  burthens  of  the  mother  country;  in  fine,  as  long  as  a  mild  govern- 
ment, by  resources  prompt  and  well  applied,  by  useful  public  estab- 
lishments, not  yet  existing,  and  by  encouragements  held  out  to  all  classes 
and  descriptions  of  citizens,  shall  convince  a  people  already  invited  and 
qualified  by  a  wise  constitution  to  enjoy  all  the  blessings  of  liberty,  of 
the  advantages  of  a  monarchical  government,  which  in  its  benevolent 
projects  unites  wisdom  of  conception  with  rapidity  of  execution. 

But  these  conditions  are  and  will  hardly  be  fulfilled.  In  our  time, 
perhaps  soon,  Great  Britain  will  lose  this  bright  jewel  of  her  crown*. 
In  regard  to  Canada,  she  will  experience  the  same  fate,  as  she  is  likely 
to  share,  sooner  or  later,  respecting  her  possessions  in  India;  as  will 
befall  Spain  in  respect  to  her  Florida  and  Mexico,  Portugal  [483] 
in  regard  to  her  Brazil,  in  short  all  European  powers,  respecting  such 
of  their  colonies,  at  least,  as  they  possess  on  the  continents,  unless,  en- 
lightened by  experience,  they  shall  speedily  change  the  colonial  form  of 
government. 

Before  I  close  the  article  of  Niagara,  I  must  make  particular 
mention  of  the  civility  shown  us  by  Major  LITTLEHALES,  adjutant 
and  first  secretary  to  the  Governor ;  a  well-bred,  mild,  and  amiable  man, 
who  has  charge  of  the  whole  correspondence  of  government,  and  acquits 
himself  with  peculiar  ability  and  application.  Major  Littlehales  ap- 
peared to  possess  the  confidence  of  the  country.  This  is  <not  unf re- 
quently  the  case  with  men  in  place  and  power;  but  his  worth,  polite- 
ness, prudence  and  judgment,  give  this  officer  peculiar  claims  to  the 
confidence  and  respect,  which  he  universally  enjoys. 

We  embarked  at  Kingston  on  board  the  Onondago,  one  of  the 
cutters,  which  compose  the  naval  force  on  the  lake.  This  cutter  is 
pierced  for  twelve  six-pounders,  but  carries  only  six  in  time  of  peace. 
When  these  vessels  are  not  laden  with  stores  for  the  King's  service,  they 
are  freighted  with  merchandize,  for  which  the  merchants  either  pay 
freight,  or  engage  to  transport  in  their  bottoms  an  equal  quantity  of 
the  King's  stores. 

*Readers,  endowed  with  a  larger  share  of  political  sagacity,  than  the 
author  displays  throughout  the  whole  train  of  arguments  on  which  he 
grounds  this  dismal  presage,  will  probably  incline  to  believe  the  predicted 
revolution  in  Canada  not  quite  so  near  at  hand,  as  it  appears  to  the  Duke, 
who  seems  not  to  recollect,  that  the  British  government,  by  substituting, 
as  he  himself  calls  it,  "a  wise  constitution"  in  the  stead  of  the  ancient 
constitutional  form  of  Canada,  has  adopted  the  very  means,  to  prevent 
her  loss,  which  at  the  close  of  his  observations  on  the  subject,  he  advises 
as  the  only  preventive  of  such  a  calamity. — Translator. 

Page  482.  "  these  conditions  are,"  add  "  not."  "  Mais  toutes  ces  con- 
ditions ne  sont  pas  et  ne  peuvent  pas  etre  remplies."  "  But  all  these  con- 
ditions are  not  and  cannot  be  fulfilled." 

Page  483.  "  ability  and "  is  an  interpolation  of  the  translator's.  "  not 
unfrequently  " — "  toujours,"  i.e.,  "  always." 


64  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

[484]  The  Onondago  is  of  eighty  tons  burthen.  On  this 
occasion,  she  had  two  detachments  on  board ;  one  of  the  fifth  regiment, 
destined  for  Kingston  to  bring  money;  and  another  of  the  Queen's 
rangers,  to  receive  at  Montreal  new  cloathing  for  the  regiment?.  There 
were,  besides,  forty-one  Canadians  on  board,  who  had  conducted  ten 
vessels  for  the  King's  service  from  Montreal  to  Niagara.  The  cabin- 
passengers  were,  Mr.  Eichard,  Mr.  Seward,  whom  I  have  already  men- 
tioned, Mr.  BELLE W,  who  commanded  the  detachment  of  the  fifth  regi- 
ment, which  was  going  to  fetch  money,  Mr.  HILL,  another  officer  of 
the  same  regiment,  who  was  ill,  and  was  going  to  Kingston  for  the 
recovery  of  his  health,  Mr.  LEMOINE,  an  officer  of  the  sixtieth  regi- 
ment, quartered  at  Kingston,  and  our  party. 

The  wind  was  tolerably  fair  during  our  passage;  this  is  generally 
accomplished  in  thirty-six  hours;  at  times  in  sixteen;  but  it  took  us 
forty-eight  hours.  Dead  calms  are  frequent,  especially  at  this  time  of 
the  year,  and  last  sometimes  five  days.  Scarcely  any  motion  was  ob- 
servable on  the  waters  of  the  lake.  This  passage,  which  is  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles  long,  offers  no  interesting  objects;  the  coast  soon 
disappears  from  your  view,  especially  in  hot  weather,  when  the  horizon 
is  [485]  clouded  with  vapours,  as  when  we  sailed.  Ducks' 
Islands  form,  to  speak  generally,  the  only  trifling  danger  on  this  pas- 
sage. They  are  three  in  number,  lying  in  a  line;  there  is  no  passage 
for  ships  either  between  the  coast  and  the  island  on  the  left,  or  between 
this  and  the  middle  island,  on  account  of  the  rocks  under  the  water, 
on  which  ships  would  unavoidably  be  lost.  You  must  pass  between 
the  middle  island  and  that  on  the  right,  where  the  water  is  from  four 
to  five  miles  in  width,  and  sufficiently  deep  to  afford  a  safe  naviga- 
tion. The  only  danger,  to  be  here  encountered,  might  arise  from  a 
sudden  gust  of  wind,  springing  up  the  moment,  you  approach  the 
islands,  and  driving  the  ship  into  one  of  the  dangerous  channels.  To 
the  best  of  my  knowledge,  but  one  shipwreck  has  happened  here,  within 
the  memory  of  man;  but  no  vessel  ventures  near  the  islands  by  night, 
except  when  the  weather  is  perfectly  fair  and  clear.  A  more  common 
and  more  real  danger  arises  from  the  storms,  which  frequently  on  a 
sudden  arise  on  the  lake,  render  it  even  more  boisterous  than  the  sea, 
and  cause  the  ships  to  labour  and  strain  more  severely,  on  account  of 
the  shortness  of  the  waves,  bounded  by  the  small  extent  of  the  waters. 
The  ships  are  then  in  constant  danger  of  being  driven  on  shore,  and 
would  hardly  be  able  to  avoid  it,  if  the  [486]  storms  lasted 
longer.  But  they  generally  continue  only  for  a  short  time,  especially  in 

Page  484.  "  the  recovery  of  his  health  " — "  pour  changer  d'air,"  i.e.,  "  for 
change  of  air."  "Dead  calms  are  frequent,  especially  at  this  time  of  the 
year,  and  last  sometimes  five  days  " — "  elle  dure  souvent  cinq  jours,  dans  ce 
tems-ci  sur-tout  ou  le  calme  est  habituel,"  i.e.,  "it  (i.e.,  the  voyage)  often 
lasts  five  days,  especially  at  the  season  when  it  is  steady  calm." 

Page  485.  "  Ducks'  Islands  " — "  Ducks-islands."  "  lying  in  a  line,"  prefix  "  a 
peu-pres,"  i.e.,  "  nearly."  "  more  boisterous  "  add  "  dit-on,"  i.e.,  "  they  say." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  65 

summer,  and  the  clearing  up  of  the  weather  is  as  sudden  as  the  coming 
on  of  the  storms.  They  are,  properly  speaking,  only  violent  gales  of 
wind,  which  in  autumn  frequently  blow  two  days  together,  and  succeed 
each  other  very  rapidly.  Five  or  six  years  ago,  a  ship  was  lost,  with 
every  hand  on  board,  and  instances  of  this  kind  are  said  not  to  be  un- 
common at  that  time  of  the  year.  From  November  until  April,  the 
navigation  is  entirely  discontinued  on  the  lake. 

During  our  passage,  Lieutenant  EABL,  who  commanded  the  cutter, 
and  almost  all  our  fellow-passengers,  behaved  to  us,  in  the  most  civil  and 
obliging  manner.  The  weather  was  very  warm,  and  had  been  so  for 
the  last  eight  or  ten  days.  The  mercury  in  Fahrenheit's  thermometer 
stood,  at  Naryhall,  frequently  at  ninety- two;  but  on  board  the  vessel, 
in  the  cabin,  it  was  only  at  sixty-four.  It  is  less  the  intensity  of  the 
heat,  than  its  peculiar  nature,  which  renders  it  altogether  intolerable; 
it  is  sultry  and  close,  and  more  so  by  night,  than  by  day,  when  it  is 
sometimes  freshened  by  a  breeze,  which  is  not  the  case  in  the  night; 
the  opening  of  the  windows  affords  no  relief;  you  do  not  perspire,  but 
feel  oppressed;  you  respire  with  difficulty;  your  sleep  [487]  is 
interrupted  and  heavy;  and  you  rise  more  fatigued,  than  when  you 
lay  down  to  rest. 

I  have  already  mentioned,  that  we  had  a  detachment  of  the  fifth 
regiment  on  board.  They  dressed  before  we  arrived  at  Kingston.  Eight 
days  before  we  had  seen  the  Indians  painting  their  eyes  with  lamp- 
black and  red-lead,  and  braiding  their  hair,  to  fix  in  it  feathers  or 
horses'  manes,  dyed  red  or  blue.  This  day  we  saw  European  soldiers 
plastering  their  hair,  or  if  they  bad  none,  their  heads,  with  a  thick 
white  mortar,  which  they  laid  on  with  a  brush,  and  afterwards  raked, 
like  a  garden-bed,  with  an  iron  comb;  and  then  fastening  on  their  head 
a  piece  of  wood,  as  large  as  the  palm  of  the  hand,  and  shaped  like  the 
bottom  of  an  artichoke,  to  make  a  cadogan,  which  they  filled  with  the 
same  white  mortar,  and  raked  in  the  same  manner,  as  the  rest  of  their 
head-dress. 

This  is  a  brief  sketch  of  the  spectacle,  which  these  soldiers  ex- 
hibited to  us,  the  last  two  hours  of  our  passage;  though  their  toilette 
was  not  exactly  the  same  as  that  of  the  Indians,  yet  they  consulted  their 
looking-glass  with  the  same  anxious  care.  These  observations  are  less 
intended  to  throw  a  ridicule  on  the  dress  of  the  soldiers,  and  the  childish 
attention  paid  to  it  in  all  countries,  than  to  check  the  forwardness  of 
those,  who  are  ever  [488]  ready  to  ridicule  all  manners  and 
habits,  which  are  not  their  own.  The  Indian  savage  would  be  at  a  loss, 
whether  to  laugh  more  at  the  Turk,  who  covers  his  shorn  head  with  a 
turban,  containing  more  or  fewer  folds  in  proportion  to  his  rank  and 

Page  486.  "ninety-two"  add  "(26  degres  deux  tiers  de  Reaumur),"  i.e., 
"26%*  Reaumur."  After  "sixty-four"  add  "(23  degre"s  demi-quart  de 
Reaumur),"  i.e.,  "23%°  Reaumur."  This  is  an  error;  64°F.  is  14  2-9° 
Reaumer;  and  23%°  Reaumur  is  84^*  Fahrenheit. 

Page  487.  "  cadogan  "— "  catogan."    "  head-dress  "—"  t§te,"  I.e.,  "head." 
6  T.C. 


66  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

consequence — at  the  women  in  the  island  of  Melos,  whose  petticoats 
scarcely  cover  half  their  thighs,  while  their  sleeves  reach  down  to  .the 
ground — or  at  our  belles,  who  .ten  years  ago  confined  their  breasts  and 
waists  in  huge  stays,  with  false  hips,  and  strutted  along  on  high  heels, 
and  who  now  screw  up  their  waist  to  the  middle  of  their  bosoms,  tied 
round  with  a  girdle,  which  looks  more  like  a  rope,  than  a  sash,  wear 
their  arms  naked  up  to  the  shoulders,  and  by  means  of  transparent 
garments  exppse  every  thing  to  view,  which  formerly  they  thought 
themselves  obliged  to  conceal,  and  all  this,  forsooth,  to  resemble  Grecian 
ladies. 

Sunday,  the  12th  of  July, 

When  Ducks'  Islands  were  about  twenty  miles  a-stern  of  us,  the 
lake  grew  more  narrow,  and  the  number  of  islands  increased.  They 
seemed  all  to  be  well  wooded,  but  are  not  inhabited,  and  lie  nearly  all 
of  them  along  the  right  bank.  On  the  left  is  Quenty  Bay,  which  stretches 
about  [489]  fifty  miles  into  tjie  country,  and  the  banks  of  which  are  said 
to  be  cultivated  up  to  a  considerable  extent.  The  eye  dwells  with  pleasure, 
once  more,  on  cultivated  ground.  The  country  looks  pleasant.  The  houses 
lie  closer,  than  in  any  of  the  new  settled  parts  of  Upper  'Canada,  which 
we  have  hitherto  traversed.  The  variegated  verdure  of  the  corn-fields 
embellishes  and  enriches  the  prospect,  charms  the  eye,  and  enchants  the 
mind.  In  the  back-ground  stands  the  city  of  Kingston,  on  the  bay  of 
the  same  name,  which  the  French,  in  imitation  of  the  Indians,  called 
Cadarakwe.  It  consists  of  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  or  one  hun- 
dred and 'thirty  houses.  The  ground  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
city  rises  with  a  gentle  swell,  and  forms,  from  the  lake  onwards,  as  it 
were,  an  amphitheatre  of  lands,  cleared,  but  not  yet  cultivated.  ISTone 
of  the  buildings  are  distinguished  by  a  more  handsome  appearance  from 
the  rest.  The  only  structure,  more  conspicuous  than  the  others,  and 
in  front  of  winch  the  English  flag  is  hoisted,  is  the  barracks,  a  stone 
building,  surrounded  with  pallisadoes. 

All  the  house?  stand  on  the  northern  bank  of  the  bay,  which  stretches 
a  mile  farther  into  the  country.  On  the  southern  hank  are  the  build- 
ings belonging  to  the  naval  force,  the  wharfs,  [49O]  and  the  habita- 
tions of  all  the  persons,  who  belong  to  that  department.  The 
King's  ships  lie  at  anchor  near  these  buildings,  and  consequently  have 
a  harbour  and  road  separate  from  the  port  for  merchantmen.  We 
landed  at  Port  Royal.  However  kingly  were  the  commander  and  his 
ship,  he  took  our  money.  Governor  Simcoe  expressly  desired  us  not  to 
pay  for  our  passage,  as  the  cutter  was  a  King's  ship,  and  he  had  amply 

Page  488.  The  description  of  the  existing  ladies'  dress  is  given  by  the 
author  as  a  "  dit-on,"  "they  say:"  and  he  adds  at  the  end  of  the  paragraph 
"1'Indien  sauvage  serait  sans  doute  embarrasse  de  savoir  desQuels  il  aurait 
a  rire  davantage,"  i.e.,  "the  savage  Indian  would  hardly  know  which  to 
laugh  at  the  more."  "  Ducks'  Islands  " — "  les  iles  aux  Canards."  "  Quenty 
Bay  " — "  la  baye  de  Quenty." 

Page  490.  After  "  at  anchor  "  add  "  dans  la  riviere,"  i.e.,  "  in  the  river." 
"  kingly  " — "  royal." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  67 

supplied  us  with  provision.  But  my  friend  Dupetitthouars,  as  well  as 
myself,  were  so  much  displeased  with  the  idea,  of  making  this  passage 
at  the  expence  of  the  King  of  England,  that  we  ventured  to  offer  our 
money  to  Captain  Earl.  Offers  of  this  kind  are  seldom  refused,  nor 
did  ours  meet  with  a  denial.  Yet,  it  is  but  justice  to  add,  that  Cap- 
tain Earl  is  a  worthy  man,  civil,  attentive,  constantly  on  the  deck,  ap- 
parently fond  of  his  profession,  and  master  of  his  business. 

No  letter  from  Lord  Dorchester  had  yet  arrived,  and  it  was  ex- 
tremely uncertain  when  it  would  arrive.  The  calculation,  made  at 
Kingston,  respecting  the  probable  time  of  the  return  of  an  answer,  is 
less  favourable  than  what  they  made  at  Niagara.  We  shall,  perhaps, 
be  obliged  to  wait  a  week  longer.  How  much  time  will  be  lost  for  our. 
journey,  and  why?  Because  Governor  Simcoe  is  not  on  good  terms  with 
Lord  Dorchester;  [491]  and  because  he  observes  the  nicest  punc- 
tuality, from  which,  in  consideration  of  the  letters  we  brought  with  us, 
he  might  well  have  departed  in  this  case.  Our  friend,  Mr.  Hammond, 
might  have  saved  us  this  unpleasant  delay,  by  writing  sooner  to  Lord 
Dorchester,  as  I  requested  him  to  do.  Unfortunately  such  accidents 
cannot  be  foreseen.  If  they  could,  how  many  things  should  we  alter 
in  the  course  of  our  life  ?  We  must  wait.  Patience,  patience,  and  again 
patience. 

Kingston  is  the  place,  to  which  L'ord  Dorchester  wishes,  that 
General  Simcoe  should  transfer  the  seat  of  government  in  Upper  Canada. 
In  this  choice  he  is,  perhaps,  in  a  great  measure  influenced  by  the  ad- 
vantage, which  he  would  thus  enjoy,  of  having  all  the  troops,  in  case 
of  an. attack,  in  the  vicinity  of  Quebec,  which  is,  in  his  opinion,  the 
only  tenable  place  in  Lower  'Canada.  He  thinks,  that  if  the  seat  of  the 
government  of  Upper  Canada  were  removed  to  Kingston,  which  lies 
nearer  to  Quebec  than  any  other  place,  the  orders  and  news,  which 
arrive  from  Europe,  would  reach  this  place  with  more  '  rapidity  and 
safety,  and  would  also  be  more  rapidly  circulated  through  the  pro- 
vince. He  further  imagines,  that  the  naval  stores,  sent  from  Europe, 
would  here  be  safer,  and  that  the  refitting  of  ships  would  be  cheaper, 
and  with  more  security  erected  in  Kingston,  [492]  whither,  at  all  times, 
they  might  be  sent  directly  from  Quebec,  at  least  more  expeditiously  than 
to  any  other  place  on  the  lake,  where  the  inconvenience  of  a  tedious  and 
uncertain  passage  must  be  added  to  the  expence  for  shifting  the  cargo 
on  board  of  another  vessel. 

Governor  Simcoe,  on  the  contrary,  is  of .  opinion,  that  by  the 
aggregate  of  his  arrangements,  the  defence  of  Upper  Canada  might 
be  easily  effected.  He  adds,  that  the  wealth  of  the  country,  which  he 

Page  490.  "  A  week  " — "  huit  jours,"  literally  "  eight  days,"  but  often 
equivalent  to  our  obsolescent  "  se'nnight." 

Page  491.  "  Punctuality  " — "  ponctuelle  exactitude,"  i.e.,  "  nicest  exacti- 
tude." "  again  patience  " — "  toujours  patience,"  i.e.,  "  ever  patience."  After 
"Lower  Canada"  read  "pour  de  la  envoyer  des  partis  en  avant,  si  la 
guerre  peut  devenir  offensive,"  i.e.,  "  in  case  of  an  offensive  war,  to  send 
thence  advance  troops." 


68  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

considers  as  the  necessary  result  of  his  projects,  will  attract  the  enemy; 
and  that  if  they  should  make  themselves  masters  of  Upper  Canada,  it 
would  be  impossible  to  dislodge  them.  He  also  observes,  that,  in  time 
of  war,  by  the  various  means  of  navigation,  considerable  parties  might 
be  easily  sent  from  Upper  Canada  to  every  point  of  the  United  States, 
even  to  Georgia ;  that  Upper  Canada  is  the  key  of  the  territories  of  the 
Indians;  and  that  thence  succours  may  be  easily  sent  to  every  part  of 
Lower  Canada,  which,  on  the  other  hand,  is  not  able  to  send  any  to 
Upper  Canada,  at  least  not  so  expeditiously  as  circumstances  might  re- 
quire. 

As  to  the  more  rapid  circulation  of  orders  and  intelligence,  and  the 
earlier  receipt  of  them,  the  Governor  allows  the  truth  of  these  allega- 
tions ;  but  answers,  that,  from  the  vast  extent  of  Canada  [493]  it  is  ex- 
tremely improbable,  that  in  case  of  its  being  peopled,  this  territory  should 
be  divided  only  into  two  governments.  He  adds,  that  the  best  method  of 
peopling  such  parts  of  Canada,  as  have  hitherto  been  explored,  would 
be,  to  encourage  the  population  of  the  two  extremities,  in  which  case, 
the  prosperity  of  the  centre  would  be  more  easily  and  rapidly  at- 
tained. He  further  observes,  that,  in  such  a  case,  Kingston  would 
become  the  capital  of  a  new  province^  and  that,  in  regard  to  the  more 
difficult  and  more  expensive  distribution  of  ships,  no  facility  and  sav- 
ings, to  be  obtained  under  this  head,  could  balance  the  advantage  of 
uniting  in  its  centre  the  whole  naval  force  stationed  on  the  lake,  and 
especially  in  a  place,  where  it  is  most  essentially  protected  against  an 
attack. 

All  men  seek  after  reasons  or  pretensions  to  enlarge  the  extent 
of  their  authority  and  power.  Here,  as  every  where  else,  good  and  bad 
reasons  are  alleged  in  support  of  a  system,  of  a  project,  and  especially 
of  the  interests  of  self-love.  Yet  power  is  also  here,  as  every  where  else, 
the  best,  at  least  the  most  decisive  of  reasons;  and  if  Lord  Dorchester 
should  not  be  able  to  prevail  upon  the  British  government  to  declare 
Kingston  the  capital  of  Upper  'Canada,  he  will,  at  least,  prevent  the  seat 
of  government  from  being  established  between  the  lakes  Erie,  Huron, 
and  Ontario,  according  [494]  to  the  wish  of  General  Simcoe. 
As  to  the  project  of  transferring  it  to  York,  he  declares  himself  in  a 
manner  by  no  means  favourable  to  that  city;  and  in  this  opinion  he 
is  joined  by  all  the  inhabitants  of  Kingston,  whose  displeasure  at  their 
city  not  becoming  the  capital  of  the  province  is  greatly  increased  by  the 
consideration  that,  in  consequence  of  this  project,  their  town  will  cease 
to  be  the  emporium  of  the  small  naval  force  stationed  on  this  lake.  The 
friends  of  Kingston  further  allege  against  the  project,  and  not  with- 
out reason,  that  York  is  an  unhealthy  place,  and  will  long  remain  so, 
from  the  nature  of  the  ground,  which  separates  the  bay  from  the  lake. 

Dupetitthouars,  who  is  a  zealous  partizan  of  York,  as  far  as  he 
considers  it  in  the  light  of  an  establishment  for  the  navy,  cannot  help 

Page  494.  "  Unhealthy  " — "  extremement    mal-sain,"    i.e.,    "  extremely   un- 
wholesome." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  69 

allowing  that  it  has  the  air  of  being  an  unhealthy  place.  General  Sim- 
coe  apparently  possesses  the  love  and  confidence  of  all  the  inhabitants 
and  soldiers.  But  his  projects  are  deemed  too  extensive ;  and,  above  all, 
too  costly,  in  proportion  to  the  advantages,  which  England  is  likely  to 
reap  from  their  being  carried  into  effect. 

The  merchants  on  the  lake,  whose  rapacity  the  Governor  is  en- 
deavouring to  restrain,  lay  great  -stress  on  these  two  objections,  and  be- 
stow much  praise  on  Lord  Dorchester's  profound  wisdom  and  [495] 
consummate  abilities ;  while,  by  other  accounts,  he  was  formerly  an  use- 
ful man,  but  is  now  superannuated. 

Lord  Dorchester  being  an  utter  stranger  to  me,  I  am  altogether 
unqualified  to  judge  of  his  abilities  and  talents.  I  am  also  unacquainted 
with  the  amount  of  the  expence,  which  the  execution  of  Governor  Sim- 
coe's  plans  may  require,  and  with  the  resources  which  England  may 
possess  to  meet  them.  But  I  am  clearly  of  opinion,  that  Great  Britain 
cannot  fail  to  reap  signal  advantages  from  his  views  and  projects,  if 
they  should  ever  be  carried  into  effect;  and  that  they  compose  a  com- 
plete system,  which,  if  properly  pursued  in  all  its  parts,  will  do  great 
credit  to  him,  who  shall  execute  it. 

But,  at  the  same  time,  all  the  information  we  here  obtain  on  this 
subject  confirms  our  opinion,  that  General  Simcoe  meets  with  much  op- 
position in  his  plans;  that  the  jealousy,  which  Lord  Dorchester  shows 
in  regard  to  him,  and  which  is  the  natural  result  of  his  age  and  temper 
of  mind,  is  carefully  kept  alive,  by  those  who  hold  places  under  him; 
and  that,  with  the  exception  of  grants  of  land,  and  other  matters  of 
government,  in  respect  to  which  the  Governor  is  perfectly  independent, 
he  can  do  and  enact  nothing  without  the  consent  of  the  Governor 
General.  As  to  his  [496]  rooted  aversion  against  the  Americans,  1 
have  heard  it  censured  even  by  private  soldiers ;  but  he  is  allowed  by  all 
to  possess  military  talents. 

In  relating  these  particulars,  which  finish  the  picture  of  the  man, 
I  have  no  other  object,  but  faithfully  to  draw  the  character  of  Governor 
Simcoe,  who,  being  undoubtedly  a  man  of  superior  abilities  and  en- 
dowments, deserves  to  be  known.* 

Kingston,  considered  as  a  town,  is  much  inferior  to  Newark;  the 
number  of  houses  is  nearly  equal  in  both.  Kingston  may  contain  a  few 

Page  495.  "  I  am  clearly  of  the  opinion " — "  il  me  semble,"  i.e.,  "  it 
seems  to  me."  In  the  exceptions  to  the  power  of  Dorchester  add  "  les 
jaffaires  de  son  regiment,"  i.e.,  "  the  affairs  of  his  regiment." 

^Governor  Simcoe  has  since  left  Upper  Canada,  and  returned  to  England, 
whence  he  has  been  sent  to  St.  Domingo.  In  that  colony  he  has  found  no 
opportunity  for  displaying  his  military  talents,  but  has  endeavoured  to  curb 
the  rapacity  of  the  small  army  in  the  pay  of  Great  Britain,  and  by  this 
meritorious  conduct  excited  the  hatred  both  of  the  French  and  English, 
who  have  gratified  it  in  a  dreadful  manner. — Author. 

Page  496.  "Private  soldiers  "—"  militaires,"  i.e.,  "the  military."  Note* 
"gratified  it  in  a  dreadful  manner" — "en  profitaient  outrageusement,"  i.e., 
"profited  by  it  (the  thefts  of  money,  which  the  translator  calls  'rapacity') 
outrageously." 


70  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

more  buildings,  but  they  are  neither  so  large  nor  so  good  as  at  Newark. 
Many  of  them  are  log-houses,  and  those  which  consist  of  joiner's  work, 
are  badly  constructed  and  painted.  But  few  new  houses  are  built.  No 
town-hall,  no  court-house,  and  no  prison  have  hitherto  been  constructed. 
The  houses  of  two  or  three  merchants  are  conveniently  situated  for 
loading  and  unloading  ships;  but,  in  point  of  structure,  these  are  not 
better  than  the  rest.  Their  trade  chiefly  consists  of  peltry,  [497] 
which  comes  across  the  lake,  and  in  provision  from  Europe,  with 
which  they  supply  Upper  Canada.  They  act  as  agents  or  commissioners 
of  the  Montreal  Company,  who  have  need  of  magazines  in  all  places, 
where  their  goods  must  be  unshipped./ 

The  trade  of  Kingston,  therefore,  is  not  very  considerable.  The 
merchant  ships  are  only  three  in  number,  and  make  but  eleven 
voyages  in  a  year.  Kingston  is  a  staple  port.  It  is  situated  twelve 
miles  above  that  point  of  the  river,  which  is  considered  as  the  extremity 
of  the  lake.  Here  arrive  all  the  vessels,  which  sail  up  the  river  of 
St.  Lawrence,  laden  with  provision  brought  in  European  ships  to  Quebec. 

The  barracks  are  constructed  on  the  site  of  Fort  Frontenae,  which 
was  built  by  the  French,  and  levelled  by  the  English.  The  latter  built 
these  barracks  about  six  years  ago.  During  the  American  war  their 
troops  were  constantly  in  motion;  and,  in  later  times,  they  were  quar- 
tered in  an  island,  which  the  French  call  Isle  aux  Chevreaux,  (Goats' 
Island)  and  which  the  English  have  named  Carleton,  after  Lord  Dor- 
chester. Fort  Frontenac,  which  was  liable  to  be  attacked  on  all  sides, 
would  answer  no  other  purpose  but  to  protect  the  small  garrison,  which 
the  French  kept  there,  against  the  attack  of  the  Indians  and  [498] 
English ;  a  part  of  the  garrison  was  quartered  in  Cadarakwe, 
for  the  protection  of  the  French  trade.  Here  were  also  built,  by  Mr. 
DE  LASALLE,  the  first  French  ships,  which  navigated  the  lake. 

Kingston  seems  better  fitted  for  a  trading  town  than  Newark,  were 
it  only  for  this  reason,  that  the  ships,  which  arrive  at  the  latter  place, 
and  are  freighted  for  Lake  Erie,  pass  by  the  former,  to  sail  again  up 
the  river  as  far  as  Queenstown,  where  the  portage  begins.  Nor  is  its 
position  equally  advantageous  for  sharing  the  trade  in  provision,  with 
which  the  lake  may  one  day  supply  Lower  Canada,  England,  perhaps 
all  Europe,  if  Upper  Canada  should  ever  answer  the  expectations  en- 
tertained by  Governor  Simcoe. 

Page  496.  "  Those   which   consist   of  joiner's   work " — "  celles   en   menui- 
,  serie,"  "  frame  houses."     "  Painted  "  should  foe  preceded  .by  "  badly." 

Page  497.  "  Comes  across  the  lake  " — "  arrivent  des  lacs,"  i.e.,  "  come 
from  the  lakes."  "  A  staple  port " — "  un  des  points  de  depot,"  i.e.,  "  one 
of  the  points  at  which  goods  are  kept  stored."  After  "  extremity  of  the 
lake  "  read  "  plus  loin,  la  navigation  serait  jugee  dangereuse,"  i.e.,  "  Further 
on,  the  navigation  would  be  considered  dangerous."  "  Six " — "  dix,"  i.e., 
"  ten." 

Page  498.  "  Cadarakwe  ''— "  Cadarakees."  "  Queen's  Town  "-  -"  Queens- 
town." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  71 

Kingston  is,  at  present,  the  cliief  town  of  the  middle  district  of 
Upper  Canada,  the  most  populous  part  of  which  is  that  situated  on 
Queen's  Bay.  This  district  not  only  produces  the  corn  requisite  for  its 
own  consumption,  but  also  exports  yearly  about  three  or  four  thousand 
bushels.  *  This  grain,  which  in  winter  is  conveyed  down  tliQ  river  on 
sledges,  is  bought  by  the  merchants,  who  engage,  on  the  arrival  of  the 
ships  from  Europe,  to  pay  its  amount  in  such  merchandize,,  as  the  sellers 
may  require.  The  merchants  buy  this  grain  for  government,  which  pays 
for  it,  in  [499]  ready  money,  according  to  the  market  price  at 
Montreal.  The  agentn  o£.  government  causes  a  part  to  be  ground  into 
flour,  which  he  sends  to  the  different  posts  in  Upper  Canada,  where 
it  is  wanted;  and  the  surplus  he  sends  to  England,  probably  with  a 
view  of  raising  the  importance  of  the  colony  in  the  estimation  of*  the 
mother  country.  The  price  of  flour  in  Kingston,  is,  at  present,  six 
dollars  per  barrel.  „ 

The  district  of  Kingston  supplied,  last  year,  the  other  parts  of 
Canada  with  large  quantities  of  pease ;  the  culture  of  which,  introduced 
but  two  years  ago,  proves  very  productive  and  successful.  In  the  course 
of  last  year,  one  thousand  barrels  of  salt  pork,  of  two  hundred  and 
eight  pounds  each,  were  sent  from  Kingston  to  Quebec ;  its  price  was 
eighteen  dollars'  per  barrel.  The  whole  trade  is  carried  on  by  merchants, 
whose  profits  are  the  more  considerable,  as  they  fix  the  price  of  the  pro- 
vision, which  they  receive  from  Europe,  and  either  sell  in  the  vicinity, 
or  ship  for  the  remoter  parts  of  Upper  Canada,  without  the  least  com- 
petition, and  just  as  they  think  proper. 

Although  the  number  of  cultivators  is  here  greater  than  in  the 
district  of  Njagara,  yet  the  vast  quantity  of  land  under  cultivation  is 
not  better  managed  than  theirs.  The  difficulty  of  procuring  labourers 
obstructs  agricultural  improvements  [5OO]  and  encourages  them  to 
insist  on  enormous  wages. 

The  process  of  clearing  woodlands  is  here  the  same,  as  all  over 
America.  The  husbandmen  harrow  the  cleared  ground  two,  three,  or 
four  years  successively;  during  which  time  wheat  is  sown.  Then  they 
plough,  but  in  a  very  imperfect  manner,  and  sow  pease  or  oats,  and 
again  wheat,  and  so  on,  according  to  the  common  routine.  The  land 
yields,  in  this  state,  from  twenty  to  thirty  bushels  per  acre. 

Corn,  for  the  winter,  is  sown  from  the  beginning  of  August  till  the 
end  of  September.  Snow  falls  generally  in  the  latter  days  of  Novem- 

Page  498.  "  middle  district "— "  du  Milieu,"  i.e.,  "  Midland  District." 
(The  District  which  by  Dorchester's  Proclamation  of  1788  was  the  Mecklen- 
burgh  District  has  its  name  changed  to  "Midland  District"  in  1792  by  the 
Upper  Canada  Act,  32  George  III.,  c.  8,  s.  3.)  "Queen's  Bay" — "la  baie 
de  Quenti,"  i.e.,  "  the  Bay  of  Quenti." 

Page  499.  After  "to  England "  add  "en  nature  de  bled,"  i.e.,  "in  the 
shape  of  wheat."  "  With  a  view  of  raising  the  importance  of  the  colony 
in  the  estimation  of  the  Motherland  " — "  pour  favoriser  les  moulins  de  la 
metropole,"  i.e.,  "  for  the  advantage  of  the  mills  of  the  metropolis."  "  In  the 
course  of  last  year  " — "  les  deux  dernieres  annees,"  i.e.,  "  the  last  two  years." 

Page  500.  At  the  end  of  the  paragraph  ending  "  per  acre  "  read  "  voilo 
le  trantran  commun,"  i.e.;  "  that's  the  usual  thing."  "  Corn,  for  the  winter  " 
— "  Les  bleds  d'hiver,"  i.e.,  "  Fall  wheat." 


72  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

ber,  and  remains  on  the  ground  until  the  beginning  of  April.  Under 
this  cover  the  blade  gets  up  remarkably  well;  the  corn  ripens  in  July, 
and  the  harvest  begins  about  the  end  of  that  month.  For  want  of 
reapers,  the  scythe  is  made  use  of,  which  causes  a  great  waste  of  corn, 
that  cannot  be  housed,  and  merely  serves  'for  feeding  pigs.  Labourers, 
whose  common  wages  are  from  three  to  four  shillings  (Halifax-  cur- 
rency), are  paid  during  the  harvest  at  the  rate  of  one  dollar,  or  six 
shillings  a  day.  Some  farmers  hire  Canadians  for  two  or  three  months, 
to  whom  they  pay  seven  or  eight  dollars  per  month,  and  find  them  in 
victuals.  It  frequently  happens,  that  these  [5j01]  Canadians,  who  bind 
themselves  by  a  written  contract,  meet  with  people  offering 
them  more  money  than  they  receive  from  their  masters,  which  not  being 
allowed  to  accept,  they,  of  course,  grow  dissatisfied,  and  work  negli- 
gently. They  must  be  procured  from  the  environs  of  Montreal.  Farmers, 
who  have  no  acquaintance  in  that  country,  find  it  difficult  to  obtain 
them;  and  this  difficulty  deters  many  cultivators  from  recurring  to  that 
resource,  from  which  they  might  else  derive  considerable  advantages. 
The  harvest  work  is  therefore  generally  performed  by  the  family:  thus 
the  housing  of  the  crops,  though  it  proceed  slowly,  is  yet  accomplished ; 
but  the  farmer  has  much  additional  trouble,  and  the  loss  he  sustains, 
by  his  harvest  being  less  perfect,  far  exceeds  the  few  dollars,  which  he 
would  have  been  obliged  to  spend  in  gathering  in  his  crops  in  a  more 
expeditious  manner.  The  soil,  which  is  but  of  a  middling  quality  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  town,  is  excellent  about  the  bay;  many  farmers  possess 
there  to  the  number  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land,  thoroughly 
cleared. 

The  climate  of  America,  especially  that  of  Canada,  encourages  the 
the  imprudence  and  covetousness  of  the  farmers.  There  is  no  danger 
here,  as  in  Europe,  of  the  hay  rotting,  and  the  grain  being  spoiled  by 
rains,  if  not  speedily  housed.  [5O2]  There  seldom  passes  a  day 
without  sunshine ;  the  sky  is  seldom  entirely  overcast,  it  never  rains  but 
during  thunder-storms,  and  this  rain  never  continues  longer  than  two 
hours.  Grain  is,  besides,  seldom  liable  here  to  blights,  or  any  other  kind 
of  disease. 

The  cattle  are  not  subject  to  contagious  distempers ;  they  are  numer- 
ous without  being  remarkably  fine.  The  finest  oxen  are  procured  from 
Connecticut,  at  the  price  of  seventy  or  eighty  dollars  a  yoke.  Cows  are 
brought  either  from  the  state  of  New  York,  and  these  are  the  finest ;  or 
from  'Canada:  the  former  cost  twenty,  and  the  latter  fifteen  dollars. 
These  are  small  in  size,  but,  in  the  opinion  of  the  farmers,  better  milch- 
cows,  and  are  for  this  reason  preferred.  There  are  no  fine  bulls  in 

Page  500.  "Scythe" — "la  faulx  a  rateau,"  i.e.,  "cradle."  ("Faux  a 
rateau  "  is  still  good  French  for  "  cradle,"  the  spelling  faulx  is  archaic. ) 

Page  501.  "  Acres " — "  arpents,"  not  quite  the  same.  "  Grain  being 
spoiled  " — "  les  bleds  germed,'  i.e.,  "  the  grain  sprouted." 

Page  502.  "  Canada  " — "  Bas  Canada,"  i.e.,  "  Lower  Canada."  After  "small 
in  size  "  read  "  donnent  de  fai'bles  eleves,"  i.e.,  "  bring  forth  weakly  calves." 
"  Better  milch  cows  " — "  au  moins  aussi  bonnes  laitieres,"  i.e.,  "  at  least 
as  good  milch  cows."  After  "  preferred  "  read  "  par  beaucoup  de  f ermiers," 
i.e.,  "by  many  farmers." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  73 

the  country;  and  the  generality  of  farmers  are  not  sensible  of  the 
advantages  to  be  derived  from  cattle  of  a  fine  breed.  In  summer  the 
cattle  are  turned  into  the  woods ;  in  winter,  that  is,  six  months  together, 
they  are  fed  on  dry  fodder,  namely,  with  the  straw  of  wheat,  rye,  or 
pease,  and  on  most  farms  with  hay  cut  on  swampy  ground,  but  by  rich 
and  prudent  farmers  with  good  hay.  The  hay  is  frequently  kept  the 
whole  winter  within  a  sort  of  fence,  covered  with  large  branches, 
through  which,  however,  the  snow  finds  its  way;  but  commonly 
[503]  it  is  preserved  in  ricks  badly  made,  and  under  Dutch  hay- 
sheds.  The  meadows  yield  to  the  quantity  of  four  thousand  pounds  per 
acre,  but  no  aftercrop.  There  is  no  ready  market  at  which  a  farmer 
can  sell  that  part  of  his  cheese  and  butter,  which  is  not  wanted  for  the 
use  of  his  family.  Of  cheese  and  butter,  therefore,  no  more  is  made, 
than  .the  family  need  for  their  own  consumption.  They  generally  begin 
in  the  first  days  of  May  to  make  a  provision  for  the  winter.  Some  few 
farmers  manufacture  coarse  woollens  for  their  own  clothing;  the  more 
usual  way,  however,  is  to  buy  the  clothes.  The  farmer  is  too  busy,  has 
too  little  assistance,  and  makes  his  calculations  with  two  little  judgment, 
to  engage  in  such  a  multiplicity  of  labours. 

Sheep  are  more  numerous  here  than  in  any  part  of  the  United 
States,  which  we  have  hitherto  traversed.  They  are  either  procured 
from  Lower  Canada,  or  the  state  of  New  York,  and  cost  three  dollars 
a  head.  They  thrive  in  this  country,  but  are  high  legged,  and  of  a  very 
indifferent  shape.  Coarse  wool,  when  cleaned,  costs  two  shillings  a 
pound.  There  are  few  or  no  wolves,  rattle-snakes,  or  other  noxious 
animals,  in  this  country. 

The  farmers  make  but  little  maple-sugar,  though  the  woods  abound 
with  the  trees,  from  [504]  which  it  is  procured.  The  Indians 
import  about  two  or  three  thousand  pounds,  and  sell  it  to  the  retail 
traders  for  one  shilling  a  pound.  Maple-sugar  is  prepared  in  much 
larger  quantities  in  Lower  Canada.  The  Canadians  eat  it  here  on  bread, 
or  make  cakes  of  it,  mixed  up  with  flour  of  wheat,  or  Indian  corn.  On 

Page  502.  "  The  hay  is  frequently,  etc.,  etc." — the  translator  wholly  mis- 
jimderstands  the  text;  the  author  is  speaking  of  the  cattle,  not  the  hay. 
The  author  goes  on  "  Les  bonnes  granges,  au  moins  pour  le  foin  n'y  sont 
pas  plus  communes  que  les  bonnes  etables,  le  foin  est  generalement  con- 
serve's en  mauvaises  meules  ou  sous  des  barraques  hollandaises,"  i.e., 
"Good  barns,  at  least  for  hay,  are  as  scarce  as  good  stables;  the  hay  is 
commonly  kept  in  poorly  made  stacks  or  under  Dutch  sheds." 

Page  503.  After  "  after  crop  "  the  text  reads  "  le  cultivateur  ne  trouve 
pas  facilement  a  vendre  ce  qu'il  en  conserve  au  dela  de  sa  eonsommation," 
i.e.,  "it  is  hard  for  the  farmer  to  find  a  market  for  the  hay  he  does  not 
require  for  home  consumption."  After  "buy  the  clothes  "  add  "  au  store," 
i.e.,  "  at  the  store."  "  Two  shillings "— "  deux  schillings  demi,"  i.e., 
"2s.  6d."  (half  a  dollar).  "Few  or  no  wolves,  no  rattlesnakes  or  noxious 
animals  "  is  the  correct  translation. 

Page  504.  "  import " — "  apportent  "  "  bring  in."   "  here  "  "  la,"  i.e.,  "  there." 


74  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

the  maple- tree  frequently  grows  a  sort  of  knobs,  or  fungusses,  of  a  very 
large  size.  If  these  excrescences  be  torn  from  the  tree,  and  dried  in  the 
sun,  they  form  an  excellent  tinder,  which  the  Indians  and  Canadians 
use  to  light  their  pipes.  Notwithstanding  the  great  number  of  pines, 
no  resin  has  yet  been  gathered.  The  culture  of  hemp  and  flax  has  been 
tried,  but  hitherto  without  success;  the  experiments,  however,  are  con- 
tinued. 

The  price  of  wheat  is  one  dollar  per  bushel;  last  year  the  price 
was  much  lower ;  but  it  lias  risen  from  the  general  failure  of  the  har- 
vest. Fire-wood,  delivered  in  the  town,  costs  one  dollar  a  cord;  in 
winter  it  is  conveyed  thither  in  sledges  from  all  the  islands  and  banks 
of  the  river,  which  are  covered  with  wood. 

The  river  freezes  over  at  the  distance  of  twenty  miles  above  Kings- 
ton. 

The  price  of  land  is  from  two  shillings  and  six-pence  to  one  dollar 
per  acre,  if  .the  twentieth  part  be  cleared.  This  price  rises  in  propor- 
tion [5O5]  to  the  number  of  acres  cleared  of  wood,  though  in- 
fluenced by  occasional  circumstances.  Two  hundred  acres,  one  hundred 
and  fifty  of  which  were  cleared,  were  very  lately  sold  for  one  thousand 
six  hundred  dollars.  The  expence  for  cutting  down  all  the  large  trees 
on  an  acre,  and  inclosing  it  with  a  fence  as  rude  as  in  the  United  'States, 
amounts  to  eight  dollars. 

There  is  no  regular  market  in  Kingston;  every  one  provides  him- 
self with  fresh  meat  as  well  as  he  can,  but  frequently  it  cannot  be  had 
on  any  terms. 

For  this  information  I  am  chiefly  indebted  to  Mr.  STEWARD, 
curate  in  Kingston,  who  cultivates  himself  seventy  acres,  part  of  two 
thousand  acres,  which  have  been  granted  him  as  an  American  loyalist. 
He  is  a  native  of  Harrisburg  in  Pennsylvania,  and  seems  to  have  zealously 
embraced  the  royal  cause  in  the  American  war.  Fifteen  hundred  pounds 
sterling,  which  he  had  placed  in  the  American  funds,  have  been  con- 
fiscated. Although  he  continues  warmly  attached  to  the  British  Monarch, 
yet  he  has  become  more  moderate  in  his  political  principles;  he  has 
preserved  some  friends  who  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Republic,  among 
whom  is  Bishop  White,  of  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Steward  is  a  man  of  much 
general  information,  mild,  open,  affable,  and  universally  -£5O6]  re- 
spected; he  is  very  sanguine  in  his  expectation  that  the  price  of  land 
will  rise,  and  that  he  shall  then  be  enabled  to  portion  out  his  numer- 
ous children.  Without  being  a  very  skilful  farmer,  he  is  perfectly  ac- 
quainted with  the  details  of  agriculture,  so  that  I  can  place  implicit 
confidence  on  his  statements,  the  truth  of  which  has  also  been  confirmed 
by  other  husbandmen. 

Page  505.  "  curate  " — "  ministre,"  i.e.,  "  minister  "  (Rev.  John  Stuart, 
the  Rector  at  Kingston).  After  "American  funds"  read  "  du  chef  de  sa 
femme,"  I.e.,  "in  right  of  his  wife." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  75 

The  number  of  farmers  is  very  small  about  Kingston.  By  Mr. 
Steward's  report,  the  agreement  between  the  land-owner,  and  farmer  is 
generally  made  for  their  joint  account,  but  not  always  faithfully  per- 
formed. From  his  having  been  imposed  upon  in  such  agreements,  he 
leased  out  last  year  four  hundred  and  thirty  acres,  which  are  situated 
on  the  bay,  and  forty  of  which  are  cleared,  for  a  yearly  rent  of  one 
hundred  and;  fifty  bushels  of  grain;  on  condition  that,  if  at  the  ex- 
piration of  three  years  his  tenant  be  desirous  of  acquiring  the  pro- 
perty of  these  lands,  he  must  pay  him  one  thousand  dollars;  in  de- 
fault whereof,  he  is  bound  to  quit  the  land,  and  will  consequently  lose 
all  the  money  and  labour  spent  in  clearing  the  ground. 

The  clergy  of  the  Episcopal  church  are  the  only  ministers  in 
Upper  Canada,  who  are  paid  by  government.  The  members  of  other 
religious  sects  pay  their  pastors  if  they  choose  to  have  [5O7] 
any.  In  the  district  of  Kingston  are  Baptists,  Presbyterians,  Eoman 
Catholics,  and  Quakers;  but  they  possess  no  building  devoted  to  re- 
ligious worship.  Some  of  the  inhabitants  of  Kingston  are  American 
loyalists;  but  the  majority  is  composed  of  Scots,  English,  Irish,  Ger- 
mans, and  Dutchmen.' 

The  emigration  from  the  United  States  is  not  considerable ;  during 
the  last  three  or  four  years  it  has  been  very  insignificant  indeed,  but 
gains  now,  it  is  asserted,  a  more  promising  appearance.  This  intelli- 
gence, which  we  first  received  from  people  attached  to  the  English 
government,  has  since  been  confirmed  to  us  by  a  great  many  labourers. 
These  new  colonists  emigrate  most  of  them  from  the  States  of  Con- 
necticut, Vermont,  and  New  Hampshire.  The  emigration  from  Canada 
to  the  United  States  is  far  less  considerable. 

If  any  dependence  might  be  placed  on  the  report  of  persons,  who 
arrived  four  years  ago  from  the  Eiver  Mohawk,  such  families,  as  are 
suspected  of  an  attachment  to  Great  Britain,  are,  in  the  United  'States, 
looked  upon  rather  with  an  evil  eye;  but  perhaps  they  give  out  such 
reports,  merely  that  they  may  meet  with  a  better  reception  in  the  British 
possessions. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  district  of  Kingston  meddle  still  less  with 
politics  than  the  people  of  [508]  Newark.  No  newspaper  is  printed  in 
the  town ;  that  of  Newark  is  the  only  one  published  in  Upper  Canada, 
which  being  a  mere  imperfect  extract  from  the  Quebec  Gazette,  is  here 
taken  in  by  no  one.  I  know  but  of  two  persons  who  receive  even  the 
Quebec-paper.  As  to  the  interior  of  the  country,  no  news  penetrates 
into  that  quarter,  a  circumstance  that  excites  there  very  little  regret. 

In  this  district  are  some  schools,  but  they  are  few  in  number.    The 
children  are  instructed  in  reading  and  writing,  and  pay  each  a  dollar  a 
month.       One  of  the  masters,  superior  to  the  rest  in  point  of  know- 
Page  506.  "  The    number    of    farmers,     etc.,"     "  tenans,"     i.e.,    "  tenant 
farmers."     In    the1    original    the    number    of    acres    "  leased    out "    by    Mr. 
Stuart  is  given  as  4,300 — "  Episcopal  " — "  Anglicane." 
Page  507.  "  Baptists  " — "  Anabaptistes." 


76  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

ledge,  taught  Latin ;  but  he  has  left  the  school,  without  being  succeeded 
by  another  instructor  of  the  same  learning. 

There  are  yet  but  very  few  surgeons  in  this  district;  they,  who 
assume  this  appellation,  contrive  to  get  well  paid  for  their  trouble.  Ex- 
cepting intermittent  fevers,  which  are  rather  frequent  in  Kingston,  the 
climate  is  very  healthy.  The  houses,  as  has  already  been  observed,  are 
built  of  wood,  for  reasons  which  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  discern. 
The  town  is  seated  on  rocky  ground;  and  not  the  smallest  house  can 
be  built  without  the  foundation  being  excavated  in  a  rock,  a  sort  of  stone 
which  affords  the  two-fold  advantage  of  being  easily  cut,  and  of  growing 
hard  [509]  when  exposed  to  the  air,  without  cracking  in  the 
frost.  The  inhabitants  allow  that,  if  bricklayers  were  procured  even 
from  Montreal  (for1  there  are  none  in  this  place),  building  with  stone 
would  be  less  expensive  than  with  wood.  They  grant  that,  in  addition 
to  the  greater  solidity  of  such  buildings,  they  would  afford  more  warmth 
in  winter,  and  more  coolness  in  summer;  but  habit  is  here,  as  else- 
where, more  powerful  than  reason.  Carpenters'  wages  amount  to  six- 
teen shillings  a  day;  labourers  are  equally  scarce  in  Newark,  and  con- 
sequently as  bad  and  as  dear. 

This  district  contains  no  paupers,  and,  of  course,  there  exist  no 
poor  rates ;  the  taxes  are  managed  in  the  same  manner  as  at  Newark. 

The  roads  at  Kingston  are  much  the  same  as  at  Newark;  they  are 
kept  in  good  repair  by  ten  days'  labour,  from  which  none  of  the  in- 
habitants are  ex-cepted,  all  being  obliged  to  work  ten  days  at  the  roads. 
Labouring  people  complain,  and  not  without  reason,  that  this  public 
burthen  has  not  been  assessed  in  a  manner  more  proportionate  to  the 
means  of  the  inhabitants;  and  calculate,  with  some  degree  of  discon- 
tent, that  their  ten  days'  labour  is  tantamount  to  a  tax  of  twelve  dollars 
and  upwards;  for  they  must  also  find  their  own  victuals  when  they 
work  on  the  roads. 

There  is  but  one  church  in  Kingston,  and  this,  [51O]  though  very 
lately  built,  resembles  a  barn  more  than  a  church, 

We  had  a  letter  from  General  Simcoe  to  the  Commanding  Officer 
in  Kingston,  who,  at  our  arrival,  was  Captain  PAKE,  of  the  sixtieth 
regiment.  Six  hours  after  the  detachment,  commanded  by  that  gen- 
tleman, was  relieved  by  another  of  the  same  regiment,  under  the  orders 
of  Major  DOBSON.  This  circumstance,  however,  did  not  prevent  Cap- 
tain Parr  from  giving  us  the  most  obliging  proofs  of  civility  and  kind- 
ness. He  is  the  son  of  the  aged  Governor  of  Nova  Scotia.  At  first  he 
seems  cold,  grave,  and  reserved;  but  his  countenance  brightens  on  a 
nearer  acquaintance,  and  grows  more  open,  gay,  and  cheerful;  he  soon 

Page  509.  "  Bricklayers  " — "  macons,"  i.e.,  "  masons." — "  labourers  .  .  . 
Newark " — "  Les  domestiques  soul  aussi  rares,  au  moms  qu'a  Newarck, 
par  consequent  aussi  chers  et  aussi  Mauvais  "  "  domestics  are  at  least  as 
scarce  as  at  Newark  and  consequently  as  dear  and  as  bad  "  "  Ten  days  " — 
"  douze  .iournees,"  i.e.,  "  twelve  days." 

Page  510.  "  the  aged  Governor  " — "  1'ancien  gouverneur,"  i.e.,  "  the 
former  Governor." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  77 

fell  into  an  easy  familiarity  of  conversation,  which  was  heightened 
during  our  dinner.  His  behaviour  was  entirely  free  from  ceremony, 
and  indicated  that  he  was  not  displeased  with  our  society. 

This  dinner,  which  he  gave  to  the  newly  arrived  officers,  forms  far 
us  a  remarkable  epocha.  The  ingenuity  of  the  English  in  devising 
toasts,  which  are  to  be  honoured  with  bumpers,  is  well  known.  To  de- 
cline joining  in  such  a  toast  would  be  deemed  uncivil;  and,  although 
it  might  be  more  adviseable  to  submit  to  this  charge,  than  to  contract 
a  sickness,  yet  such  energy  of  character  [511]  is  seldom  dis- 
played on  these  occasions.  Unwilling  to  oppose  the  general  will,  which 
becomes  more  imperious  in  proportion  as  heads  grow  warmer,  you  re- 
sort to  slight  deceptions  in  the  quantity  you  drink,  in  hopes  thus  to 
avert  the  impending  catastrophe.  But  this  time  none  of  us,  whether 
French  or  English,  had  carried  the  deception  far  enough,  and  I  was 
concerned  to  feel,  the  remainder  of  the  evening,  that  I  had  taken  too 
lively  a  part  in  the  event  of  the  two  detachments  relieving  each  other. 

The  sixtieth  regiment,  to  which  they  belong,  is  the  only  regiment 
in  the  English  service,  excepting  the  guards,  which  consists  of  four 
battalions.  This  regiment,  which  at  the  time  of  the  war  of  1757  was 
composed  only  of  two  battalions,  was  raised  in  America,  and  as  many 
foreigners  as  Englishmen  were  enlisted.  It  was  afterwards  augmented 
to  four  battalions,  and  was  considered,  as  in  fact  it  is  still  in  many 
respects,  as  a  foreign  regiment.  The  first  two  battalions  have  never 
yet  left  A'merica ;  the  two  others  have  been  stationed  in  Jersey,  Guern- 
sey, and  the  Antilles.  General  AMHERST  is  colonel  of  this  regiment*. 
In  point  of  duty,  promotion,  and  command,  the  [512]  four  battalions, 
are  perfectly  independent  of  each  other. 

The  officers  we  have  seen  are  well  bred  and  extremely  polite.  * 
********  *  *  * 

Page   510.  "epocha" — "  epoque." 

Page  511.  After  "  As  many  foreigners  as  Englishmen  were*  enlisted " 
add — "les  officiers  ont  pu  etre  choisis  de  meme,"  i.e.,  "  the  officers  were 
chosen  in  the  same  proportion."  After  "  Antilles "  read  "  et  ce  n'est  que 
dernierement  et  avec  peine  qu'ils  ont  e'te'  regus  en  Angleterre,"  i.e.,  "  And 
it  is  only  recently  and  with  difficulty  that  they  have*  been  received  in 
England." 

*0n  the  death  of  Lord  Amherst,  His  Royal  Highness  the  Duke  of  York 
was  appointed  Colonel  of  the  sixtieth  regiment. — Translator. 

Page  512.  The  starred  part  reads  "  Nous  nous  croyons  en  droit  de  penser 
que  tous  sont  bien  loin  d'etre  ce  qu'on  appelle  aristocrates.  Beaucoup  d'eux 
desapprouvent  la  guerre  actuelle,  ainsi  que  la  derniere  guerre  d'Amerique, 
et  montrent  des  sentiments  de  liberte  et  de  politique  qui  me  semblent  etre 
justes,  liberaux  et  honnetes;  mais  que  certes  ne  sont  pas  ceux  que  pro- 
fessent  M.  Pitt  et  son  parti.  On  nous  dit  que  ce  genre  d'esprit  est  tres- 
repandu  dans  1'armee.  Comme  nous  ne  sommes  pas  en  situation  de  pousser 
fort  loin  ce  genre  de  conversation,  nous  n'en  avons  pas  su  tout  ce  que 
nous  aurions  peut-etre  pu  en  apprendre.  Aii  reste,  aucun  de  ces  officiers 
ne  sait  un  mot  de*  la  revolution  fran§aise  dont  cependant  chacun  veut 
parler  autant  par  obligeance  mal  entendue  pour  nous,  que  par  curiosite  et 
par  amour-propre,"  i.e.,  "We  believe  that  we  have  good  ground  to  think 
that  all  are  very  far  from  being  what  are  called  aristocrats.  Many  of  them 
disapprove  of  the  existing  war  as  well  as  of  the  recent  American  war,  and 


78  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

The  general  opinion,  in  regard  to  Canada,  is,  that  this  country 
proves,  at  present,  very  burthensome  to  England,  and  will  be  still  more 
so  in  future;  and  that,  of  consequence,  Great  Britain  would  consult  her 
true  interest  much  better  by  declaring  Canada  an  independent  country, 
than  by  preserving  it  an  English  colony,  at  so  enormous  an  expence. 
The  Canadians,  say  they,  will  never  be  sincerely  attached  to  England, 
so  that,  if,  in  time  of  war,  a  militia  were  raised,  not  half  of  them 
would  take  up  arms  against  America,  and  none  perhaps  against  France. 
The  British  government  commits,  therefore,  in  their  opinion,  a  gross 
error,  in  expending  such  vast  sums  in  attempting  to  improve  and  pre- 
serve a  country,  which,  sooner  or  later,  is  sure  to  secede  from  Great 
Britain,  and  which,  did  it  remain  faithful  to  the  mother  country,  could 
not  be  of  real  service  to  it  for  any  length  of  time. 

These  gentlemen  further  assert,  in  direct  contradiction  to  General 
Simcoe's  opinion,  that  the  majority  of  new  settlers  of  Upper  'Canada, 
who  emigrate  from  the  United  States,  and  who  are  [513] 
esteemed  loyalists,  would  certainly  assist  those  States,  if  they  marched 
any  troops  into  that  country.  I  am  not  qualified  to  form  a  correct 
judgment  on  these  opinions,  which  are  perhaps  mere  effusions  of  the 
displeasure  of  officers,  obliged  to  serve, at  so  great  a  distance  from  Great 
Britain*;  yet  they  appear  to  be  not  altogether  destitute  of  founda- 
tion. But,  however  this  may  be,  all  the  Canadians,  we  have  seen, 
whether  the  inhabitants  of  the  country  or  sailors,  constantly  expressed 
the  utmost  satisfaction  on  meeting  with  us  Frenchmen  of  old  France, 
and  evinced  a  degree  of  respect  and  obligingness,  to  which  we  had  long- 
been  unaccustomed.  I  cannot  say  much  on  the  character  of  this  people; 

exhibit  sentiments  of  liberty  and  views  of  government  which  seem  to  me 
to  be  just,  liberal  and  commendable,  but  which  are  certainly  not  those  of 
Mr.  Pitt  and  his  party.  We  are  informed  that  such  sentiments  prevail 
widely  in  the  army.  As  we  are  not  in  a  'position  to  pursue  very  far 
that  kind  of  conversation,  we  have  not  learned  all  we  perhaps  might  have 
learned.  None  of  these  officers  knows  anything  of  the  French  Revolution; 
nevertheless,  every  one  of  them  wants  to  speak  of  it  as  much  from  ill-con- 
ceived courtesy  toward  us  as  from  curiosity  and  self-complacency." 

After  "  the  general  opinion  "  read  "  parmi  les  officiers,"  i.e.,  "  among  the 
officers."  After  "to  England"  read  "  qu'ils  laissent  a  chaque  instant  percer 
leur  attachment  pour  la  France,  tout  en  convenant  qu'ils  sont  mieux  traites 
par  le  gouvernement  anglais,"  i.e.,  "  that  constantly  they  allow  to  appear 
their  attachment  to  France,  even  though  they  admit  that  they  are  better 
treated  by  the  English  government." 

*Whether  the  political  opinions  of  the  officers  of  the  sixtieth  regiment, 
alluded  to  by  the  Duke,  be  correctly  stated,  must  be  left  to  these  gentlemen 
to  explain.  But  the  supposition,  that  British  officers,  from-  a  mere  dislike 
to  remote  garrisons,  should  censure  administration  for  not  abandoning  a 
colony,  which  in  the  author's  opinion  is  "a  bright  jewel  in  the  British 
crown" — '"an  important  conquest,"  and  the  loss  of  which  appears  to  him 
"a  public  calamity,"  is  an  effusion  of  Gallic  petulance,  which  should  not  pass 
unnoticed. — Translator. 

Page  513.  After  "  sailors  "  add  "  et  nous  n'avons  pas  laisse  que  d'en  voir 
en  assez  grand  nombre,"  i.e.,  "and  we  have  not  failed  to  see  a  great  many 
of  them."  "  I  cannot  say  much  on  the  character  of  this  people — "  Je  ne 
puis  rien  dire  du  caractere  de  ce  peuple1  chez  qui  nous  ne  sommes  pas 
encore,"  i.e.,  "I  can  say  nothing  of  the  character  of  the  people  whom  we  have 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  79 

all  who  came  under  my  observation  were  full  of  spirit,  aotive,  gay  and 
merry. 

The  royal  navy  is  not  very  formidable  in  this  place;  sis  vessels 
compose  the  whole  naval  force,  two  of  which  are  small  gun-boats,  which 
we  saw  [514.]  at  Niagara,  and  which  are  stationed  at  York.  Two 
small  schooners  of  twelve  guns,  viz.,  the  Onondago,  in  which  we  took 
our  passage,  and  the  Mohawk,  which  is  just  finished;  a:  small  yacht  of 
eighty  tons,  mounting  six  guns,  and  lastly  the  Missasoga,  of  as  many 
guns  as  the  two  schooners,  which  has  lately  been  taken  into  dock  to  be 
repaired,  form  the  rest  of  it.  All  these  vessels  are  built  of  timber 
fresh  cut  down,  and  not  seasoned,  and  for  this  reason  last  never  longer 
than  six  or  eight  years.  To  preserve  them  even  to  this  time  requires  a 
thorough  repair;  they  must  be  heaved  down  and  caulked,  which  costs 
at  least  from  one  thousand  to  one  thousand  two  hundred  guineas.  The 
expence  for  building  the  largest  of  them  amounts  to  four  thousand 
guineas.  This  is  an  enormous  price,  and  yet  it  is  not  so  high  as  on  Lake 
Erie,  whither  all  sorts  of  naval  stores  must  be  sent  from  Kingston,  and 
where  the  price  of  labour  is  still  higher.  The  timbers  of  the  Missasoga, 
which  was  built  three  years  ago,  are  almost  all  rotten.  It  is  so  easy 
to  make  provision  of  ship-timber  for  many  years  to  come,  as  this  would 
require  merely  the  felling  of  it,  and  that  too  at  no  great  distance  from 
the  place  where  it  is  to  be  used,  that  it  is  difficult  to  account  for  this 
precaution  not  yet  having  been  adopted.  Two  gun-boats,  which  are 
destined  by  Governor  Simcoe  to  [515]  serve  only  in  time  of  war,  are 
at  present  on  the  stocks;  but  the  carpenters,  who  work  at 
them,  are  but  eight  in  number.  The  extent  of  the  dilapidations  and 
embezzlements,  committed  at  so  great  a  distance  from  the  mother- 
country,  may  be  easily  conceived.  In  the  course  of  last  winter,  a  judicial 
enquiry  into  a  charge  of  this  nature  was  instituted  at  Kingston.  The 
commissioner  of  the  navy,  and  the  principal  ship-wright,  it  was  as- 
serted, had  clearly  colluded  against  the  King's  interest;  but  interest 
and  protection  are  as  powerful  in  the  New  World  as  in  the  Old: — for 
both  the  commissioner  and  ship-wright  continue  in  their  places. 

Captain  BOUCHETTE  commands  the  naval  force  on  Lake  Ontario ; 
and  is  at  the  head  of  all  the  marine  establishments,  yet  without  the 

not  yet  visited."  After  "  merry  "  read  "  La  dixieme  partie  d'entr'eux  ne  salt 
pas  un  seul  mot  d'anglais,  et  se  refuse  a  1'apprendre:  leur  figure  est  ex- 
pressive, ouverte,  bonne,  et  je  les  vois  avec  plus  de  plaisir  que  je  n'ai  vu 
aucun  peuple  depuis  trois  ans,"  i.e.,  "  Not  a  tenth  of  them  know  a  word 
of  English  and  they  refuse  to  learn  it;  their  face  is  expressive,  open,  good- 
natured,  and  I  looked  on  them  with  the  greater  pleasure  as  I  had  not  seen 
any  common  people  (peasantry)  for  three  years." 

Page  514.  "  Eighty  " — "  quarante,"  i.e.,  "  forty."  "  Six  or  eight  '* — "  cinq 
a  six,"  i.e.,  "  five  or  six." 

Page  515.  "  dilapidations  and "  is  an  interpolation  by  the  translator, 
who  omits  "  on  en  fait  le  reproche  aux  commissaires  de  la  marine,"  i.e., 
"  the  commissioners  of  the  navy  have  been  charged  with  them  "  (the  mal- 
versations). "  Bouchette  " — "  Bouchotte,"  a  misprint  often  repeated. 


80  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

least  powers  in  money-matters.  This  gentleman  possesses  the  confi- 
dence both  of  Lord  Dorchester  and  Governor  Simcoe ;  he  is  a  Canadian 
by  birth,  but  entered  the  British  service,  when  Canada  fell  into  the 
power  of  England.  While  Arnold  and  Montgomery  were  besieging 
Quebec,  Lord  Dorchester,  disguised  as  a  Canadian,  stole  on 
board  his  ship  into  that  city,  on  which  occasion  he  displayed  much 
.activity,  intrepidity  and  courage.  It  was  not  at  all  a  matter  of  sur- 
prise that  Lord  Dorchester  should  bear  in  mind  this  [516]  eminent 
service.  By  all  accounts,  he  is  altogether  incorruptible,  and  an  officer, 
who  treats  his  inferiors  with  great  mildness  and  justice. 

In  regard  to  the  pay  of  the  royal  marine  force  on  Lake  Ontario ;  a 
captain  has  ten  shillings  a  day,  a  lieutenant  six,  and  a  second  lieutenant 
three  shillings  and  sixpence.  The  seamens'  [sic]  wages  are  eight  dollars 
per  month.  The  masters  of  merchantmen  have  twenty-five  dollars,  and 
the  sailors  from  nine  to  ten  dollars  a  month. 

Commodore  Bouchette  is  among  those,  who  most  strenuously  op- 
pose the  project  of  removing  to  York  the  central  point  of  the  force  on 
the  lake;  but  his  family  reside  at  Kingston;  and  his  lands  are  situated 
near  that  place.  Such  reasons  are  frequently  of  sufficient  weight  to 
determine  political  opinions. 

The  desertion  among  the  troops  is  not  so  considerable  from  Kings- 
ton, as  from  the  forts  Oswego,  St.  John,  Niagara,  and  Detroit;  from 
all  those  posts,  in  short,  which  lie  nearer  to  the  United  'States.  Yet,  it 
is  pretty  prevalent  in  all  the  garrisons  of  British  America.  We  were 
told  by  the  officers,  that  the  first  two  or  three  years  after  the  arrival 
of  the  regiment  fro>m  Europe,  no  soldier  deserts,  but  that  envy  and 
habit  soon  corrupt  their  mind.  The  discipline  appears  to  me  more 
severe  in  the  British  service,  than  it  [517]  ever  was  in  ours.  The  men 
are  treated  with  less  attention  and  kindness. 

Several  regiments  employ  the  Indians  to  apprehend  deserters.  In 
addition  to  the  eight  dollars,  which  a^e  allowed  by  government  for 
every  deserter,  brought  back  to  his  regiment,  the  captains  promise  them 
eight  dollars  out  of  their  private  purse,  and  inspirit  them  by  some 
glasses  of  rum.  These  Indians  then  enter  the  Aftnerican  territory, 
wheire  they  are  acquainted  with  every  foot-path,  every  track,  which 
they  pursue  without  ever  losing  their  way,  and  frequently  fall  in  with 
the  deserter,  whom  they  stop,  bind  and  bring  back.  If  the  deserter, 
which  is  frequently  the  case,  be  attended  by  inhabitants  of  the  United 

Page  515.  "While  Arnold,  etc." — "  c'est  lui  qui  dans  la  moment  ou 
Arnold  et  Montgomery  assiegeaient  Quebec,  y  a  fait  entrer  sur  son  bateau, 
Lord  Dorchester  d6guis6  en  Canadien,"  i.e.,  "  it  was  he  who  when  Arnold 
and  Montgomery  were  besieging  Quebec  effected  the  entry  into  that  city  on 
his  boat  of  Lord  Dorchester,  disguised  as  a  Canadian."  (After  the  word 
"stole,"  Smith  has  inserted  "from"). 

Page  517.  After  "losing  their  way"  add  "dont  tout  autre  qu'eux  ne 
dScouvrirait  pas  la  trace,"  i.e.,  "  of  which  none  but  they  could  discover  the 
trail."  After  "  bring  back  "  add  "  avant  qu'il  soit  arriv6  a  la  partie  habitue 
des  Ktats,"  i.e.,  "before  he  gets  to  the  settled  part  of  the  States." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  81 

States,  the  Indians  make  no  attempt  to  stop  him,  but  the  English 
officers  place  sufficient  confidence  in  the  honesty  of  the  Indians  to 
suppose,  that  they  will  not  suffer  themselves  to  be  bribed  either  by 
money  or  rum,  which  the  deserters  might  offer. 

The  nearest  regular  Indian  habitations  are  forty  miles  distant 
from  Kingston,  and  belong  to  the  Mohawks.  About  the  same  distance 
from  the  town  are  also  some  villages  of  the  Missasogas,  and  wander- 
ing tribes  of  the  same  nation  are  constantly  rambling  about  the  banks 
of  the  lake,  pass  a  few  nights  in  one  place  and  a  few  in  another,  cross 
the  river  on  the  confines  of  the  [518]  United  States,  and  stop 
in  the  islands.  Hunting  and  fishing  are  their  only  employments.  They 
are  the  filthiest  of  all  the  Indians,  I  have  hitherto  seen,  and  have  the 
most  stupid  appearance.  They  are  said  to  live  poorly,  to  be  wicked 
and  thievish,  and  men,  women  and  children  all  given  to  drinking.  The 
uncommon  severity  of  the  winter  in  this  country  occasions  not  the  least 
alteration  in  their  {mode  of  living.  In  their  small  canoes  they  carry 
with  them  some  rolls  of  the  bark  of  soft  birch*,  which  serve  to  cover 
the  huts,  built  in  form  of  a  cone,  wherein  they  sleep,  and  which  are 
supported  merely  by  some  slight  props,  on  which  rest  these  portable 
walls,  that  at  the  top  leave  a  passage  for  the  smoke. 

In  the  month  of  September  the  Indians  bring  wild  rice  to  King- 
ston, which  grows  on  the  borders  of  the  lake,  especially  on  the  Ameri- 
can side.  This  plant,  which  loves  marshy  ground,  succeeds  there  re- 
markably well.  The  Indians  bring  yearly  from  four  to  five  hundred 
pounds  of  this  rice,  which  several  inhabitants  of  Kingston  pur- 
chase for  their  own  consumption.  This  rice  is  of  a  smaller  and  darker 
grain  than  that,  which  comes  from  Carolina,  Egypt,  etc.,  but  grows  as 
•white  in  the  water,  is  of  a  good  flavor,  and  affords  full  as  [519] 
good  nourishment,  as  the  latter.  The  culture  of  rice  would  be  very  use- 
ful in  Europe  for  the  subsistence  of  the  poor,  especially  as  in  those 
parts  the  frequent  use  of  it  would  not  prove  injurious  to  health,  which 
it  certainly  does  in  hot  countries.  Wild  rice  is  said  to  be  the  same 
plant,  which  in  Canada  is  called  wild  oats  (folle  avoine).* 

The  same  banks  of  Lake  Ontario,  where  this  wild  rice  grows,  proj 
duce  also  a  species  of  hemp,  which  grows  up  to  a  considerable  height 
without  the  least  culture,  and  is  apparently  as  useful  as  that,  which  is 

Page  517.  "Missasogas" — " Missossogas." 

*Betula  lenta,  Linn,  called  by  the  French  inhabitants  of  Canada, 
me"risier. — Translator. 

Page  518.  "  Soft  birch  " — du  bouleau  connu  en  botanique  sous  le  nom 
de  betula  lenta"  i.e.,  "birch  known  botanically  as  betula  lenta."  After 
"  the  smoke "  add  "  ce  sont  les  memes  dont  ils  font  leurs  pirogues,"  i.e., 
"this  is  the  same  bark  of  which  they  make  their  canoes."  (Smith  has 
transposed  "wild  rice"  and  "to  Kingston"). 

*The  Duke  seems  to  be  misinformed  on  this  subject.  The  Wild  oat 
(avena  fatua)  is  a  plant  altogether  different  from  wild  rice,  (oryza 
sylvestris,  Linn) — Translator. 

Page  519.  "  The  culture  of  rice,"  "  de  ce  riz,"  i.e.,  "  of  this  rice."    "  Wild 
oats  "  is  an  interpolation  by  the  translator. 
7  T.C. 


82  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

cultivated  in  Prance.  It  is  stronger,  produces  more  seed,  and  its  trans- 
plantation to  Europe  would  probably  be  attended  with  beneficial  re- 
sults. 

To  beguile  ennui,  and  enjoy  a  few  hours  longer  the  society  of  our 
friend,  'Captain  Parr,  we  accompanied  him  to  the  distance  of  six  miles 
from  Kingston.  His  detachjment  occupied  seven  vessels,  and  he  had 
one  for  himself.  The  soldiers  were  without  exception  as  much  intoxi- 
cated as  I  ever  saw  :any  in  the  French  service.  On  the  day  of  their 
departure  they  were  scarcely  able  to  row,  which  rendered  our  tour  ex- 
tremely tedious  [52O] .  On  our  return,  wind  and  current  were  against  us, 
so  that  we  proceeded  very  slowly.  Canadians  rowed  our  boat,  and  ac- 
cording to  their  custom  ceased  not  a  moment  to  sing.  One  of  them 
sings  a  song,  which  the  rest  repeat,  and  all  row  to  the  tune.  The  songs 
are  gay  and  merry,  and  frequently  somewhat  more;  they  are  only  in- 
terrupted by  the  laugh  they  occasion.  The  Canadians,  on  all  their 
tours  on  the  water,  no  sooner  take  hold  of  the  oars,  than  they  hegin  to 
sing,  from  which  they  never  cease  until  they  lay  the  oars  down  again. 
You  fancy  yourself  removed  into  a  province  of  France;  and  this  illu- 
sion is  sweet.  Our  whole  day,  from  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  until 
nine  at  night,  was  consumed  in  this  tour.  So  much  the  better;  a  day 
is  gone;  for  although  the  unwearied  politeness  of  the  officers  afford 
us  every  day  in  Kingston  a  comfortable  dinner  and  agreeable  society 
from  four  to  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  yet  we  cannot  but  feel  [much 
ennui  in  a  place,  where  no  sort  of  amusement,  no  well-informed  man, 
and  no  books  shorten  the  long  lingering  day. 

Our  situation  is  extremely  unpleasant,  and  might  well  render  us 
melancholy,  did  we  give  up  our  mind  to  irksome  reflection.  Mr.  Guille- 
mard  is  gone  to  Montreal,  with  the  Captain.  He  is  perfectly  right,  for  he 
would  have  shared  in  [521]  our  weariness,  without  giving  us  the  least 
relief.  He  is  a  man  of  superior  worth.  The  goodness  of  his  heart, 
united  with  the  charm  of  an  enlightened  mind,  have  long  inspired  me 
with  the  strongest  attachment  for  him.  His  determination  to  leave  us 
gave  me,  therefore,  the  utmost  concern. 

After  a  hearty  breakfast,  served  up  at  a  place  somewhat  remote 
from  the  troop,  we  took  leave  of  Captain  Parr.  The  place,  where  we 
breakfasted,  belongs  to  Captain  STOEE,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  captain 
in  the  militia  of  Tipper  Canada,  a  loyalist  and  proprietor  of  seven 
hundred  acres  of  land,  by  virtue  of  a  grant  of  the  British  government. 
He  is  owner  of  a  saw-mill,  which  is  situated  on  the  creek  of  Guansig- 
nougua,  and  has  two  movements,  one  of  which  works  fourteen  saws, 
and  the  other  only  one.  The  former  may  be  widened  and  narrowed; 

Page  519.  "  six  miles  " — "  six  lieues,"  i.e.,  "  six  leagues."  "  as  much 
intoxicated,  etc." — "  plus  ivres,  etc.,"  i.e.,  "  more  intoxicated,  etc." 

Page  520.  "  With  the  Captain  "  "  avec  le  capitaine  Parr,"  i.e.,  "  with  Cap- 
tain Parr." 

Page  521.  "  Store "  is  corrected  in  pencil  by  Smith  to  "  Stone." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  33 

but  frequently  cannot  work  all  at  once,  from  the  size  of  the  logs  and 
the  thickness  of  the  boards.  We  saw  thirteen  saws  going;  a  log,  fif- 
teen feet  in  length,  was  cut  into  boards  in  thirty-seven  minutes.  The 
same  power,  which  moves  the  saws,  lifts  also,  as  it  does  near  the  falls 
of  Niagara,  the  logs  on  the  jack.  For  the  sawing  of  logs  the  'Captain 
takes  half  the  boards;  the  price  of  the  latter  is  three  shillings  for  one 
hundred  feet,  if  one  inch  [522]  in  thickness,  four  shillings  and 
sixpence,  if  one  inch  and  a  half,  and  five  shillings,  if  two  inches.  The 
same  boards,  if  only  one  inch  thick,  cost  five  shillings  in  Kingston.  On 
the  other  side  of  the  creek,  facing  Dutehmill  (this  is  the  name  of  Cap- 
tain Store's  mill),  stands  another  mill,  which  belongs  to  Mr.  JOHN- 
SON, who  uses  half  the  water  of  the  creek.  We  viewed  the  latter  only 
at  a  distance  from  the  shore;  the  whole  prospect  is  wild,  pleasing  and 
romantic,  and  made  me  sincerely  regret  my  unskilfulne'ss  in  drawing. 
The  land  is  here  as  good  as  at  Kingston. 

Although  a  communication  by  land  is  opened  between  Montreal 
and  Kingston,  and  though  half  the  road  is  very  good,  yet  the  inter- 
course between  these  places  is  mostly  carried  on  by  water.  The 
rapidity  of  the  stream  does  not  prevent  vessels  from  being  worked  up 
the  river,  and  this  tedious  passage  is  preferred  to  that  by  land,  even  for 
the  troops.  All  the  provisions,  with  which  Canada  is  supplied  from 
Europe,  are  transported  in  the  same  way;  and  the  whole  correspond- 
ence is  carried  on  by  this  conveyance,  but  in  a  manner  extremely  ir- 
regular; at  times  eight  days  elapse  even  in  summer,  without  any  vessel 
going  up  or  coming  down  the  lake. 

During  our  long  residence  in  Upper  Canada^we  had  an  opportunity 
of  seeing  a  Canadian  family  rjB23 ]"~who  were  emigrating  to  the 
Illinois  River.  The  husband  nad  examined  the  settk-aent  last  year, 
and  was  now  removing  thither  with  his  whole  family,  consisting  of 
his  wife  and  four  children,  all  embarked  in  a  boat  made  of  bark,  fifteen 
feet  in  length  by  three  in  width.  While  the  parents  were  trowing  at 
the  head  and  stern,  the  children,  excepting  the  oldest,  who  was  like- 
wise rowing,  were  seated  on  mattresses  or  other  effects;  and  thus  they 
sang  and  pursued  their  voyage  of  at  least  one  thousand  one  hundred 
miles.  We  met  them  at  Newark.  They  proceed  along  the  banks  of  the 
lakes  and  rivers,  lie  still  every  night,  make  a  sort  of  tent  of  their  sheets 
supported  by  two  poles,  dress  their  supper,  eat  it,  wrap  themselves  up 
in  their  blankets  until  the  morning,  set  off  at  eight  o'clock,  stop  once 

Page  522.  "  Five  shillings,"  add  "  et  demi,"  i.e.,  "  and  sixpence." 
"  Dutehmill  " — "  ce  dutch-mill,"  i.e.,  "  this  Dutch  mill."  "  Another  mill  " — 
"  un  autre  moulin  a  scie,"  i.e.,  "  another  sawmill."  "  From  a  distance  from 
the  shore " — "  du  bord  du  capitaine  Store,"  i.e.,  ."  from  Captain  Store's 
shore."  "  Going  up  or  coming  down  the  lake,"  omit  "  the  lake."  The  trans- 
lator here  omits  "  en  tout,  ce  pays  est  neuf  pour  toutes  les  ressources,  et 
il  n'est  pas  de  ceux  dont  1'habitation  m'aurait  tente  de  preference,"  i.e., 
"  this  country  is  new  in  all  respects  and  it  is  not  such  as  would  tempt 
me  to  choose  it  for  a  home." 


84  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

a  day  to  a  meal,  and  then  pursue  their  voyage  again  until  the  evening, 
They  generally  advance  from  fifteen  to  twenty  miles  a  day,  but,  when 
bad  weather  comes  on,  or  they  meen  with  rapids  or  other  obstructions, 
which  force  them  to  go  by  land,  their  progress  is  shorter,  and  they 
frequently  rest  a  whole  day.  Having  set  out  from  Montreal,  they  came 
up  Lake  Ontario;  thence  they  pass  Lake  Erie,  go  up  the  Miami  River, 
travel  about  six  or  seven  miles  by  land,  and  then  reach  the  Theakiki 
Eiver,  which  empties  itself  into  the  Illinois,  or  embark  on  [524] 
the  Wabash*,  which  communicates  by  several  branches  with  the  Illinois, 
and  thus  proceed  to  the  spot  where  they  intend  to  settle.  New  colonists 
commonly  form  their  settlements  on  the  banks  of  that  river,  and  chiefly 
consist  of  French  Canadians. 

There  is  another  way  from  Montreal  to  the  Illinois,  which  is  said 
to  be  more  frequented  than  the  former;  namely,  up  the  Ottawas  River 
or  Great  River  t  to  Nipissing  Lake,  and  thence  by  the  French  River  to 
Lake  Huron.  On  this  way  you  meet  with  thirty-six  places  where  the 
boats  are  to  be  carried  over  land,  which,  however,  are  very  short.  From 
Lake  Huron  you  proceed  by  the  Straits  of  Michillimakkinak  to  Green 
Bay,  thence  by  the  Crocodile  River,  Roe  Lake,  and  River  Saxe,  after  a 
short  passage  over  land  to  Ouisconsing  River,  which  empties  itself  into 
the  Mississippi,  which  you  descend  as  far  as  the  Illinois,  and  thence  go 
up  this  river.  The  way,  just  pointed  out,  is  much  longer  than  the 
other,  but  is  generally  preferred,  especially  by  the  agents  of  the 
[525]  fur-trade.  On  returning  to  the  westward,  this  is  the  same  way, 
which  you  travel  from  Montreal  as  far  as  the  Straits  of  Michillimak- 
kinak, which  you  leave  on  the  left,  to  reach  Lake  Superiour,  on  which 
you  proceed  to  the  great  carrying  place,  thence  to  the  Lake  of  the  Woods, 
and  so  on. 

The  settlement  on  the  Illinois  is  a  large  depot  for  the  fur-trade; 
nay,  it  is  the  last  principal  factory  in  that  direction,  the  chief  magazine 
of  which  is  at  Fort  Michillimakkinak;  but  the  agents  travel  one  hun- 
dred miles  farther  and  traffic  even  with  the  Indians  of  Louisiana. 

Page  523.  "Theakiki  River" — "  Theahikiriver."     (The  Kankakee  River.) 
*This  beautiful  river  of  the  north-west  territory  is  peculiarly  celebrated 
on  account  of  a  copper  mine  on  its  northern  foank,  which  is  the  richest  vein     - 
of  native  copper  that  has  hitherto  been  discovered. — Translator. 

f The  Duke  seems  misinformed  as  to  the  appellation  of  the  Great  River, 
by  which  the  Miami  is  meant  in  America,  not  the  Ottawas. — Translator. 

Page  524.  "Great  River"  —  "la  grande  riviere."  "Nipissing"  — 
"Nipissin."  "French  River" — "la  riviere  des  Frangais  (French  mom's 
river),"  a  misprint  for  "Frenchmen's  River."  "From  Lake  Huron,  etc." 
"  Du  lac  Huron  on  entre  dans  le  lac  Michigan  par  le  de"troit  de  Michilim- 
ackinack,  en  suite  dans  la  green  bay,  du  fond  de  laquelle  on  passe  dans 
la  riviSre*  du  Crocodile,  puis  par  le  lac  du  riz  (rice  lake),  et  par  la  riviere 
Saxe,  on  parvient  aprfcs  un  court  portage  a  la  riviere  Ouisconsin,  etc.," 
i.e.,  "  From  Lake  Huron,  Lake  Michigan  is  reached  by  the  Strait  of  Michili- 
macinac,  then  Green  Bay,  from  the  head  of  which  you  enter  the  Crocodile 
River,  then  by  Rice  Lake  and  the  River  Saxe  and  a  short  portage,  the  River 
Wisconsin  is  reached." 

Page  525.  "  Michillimakkinak  "— "  Michilimakinack." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  85 

This  traffic  is  chiefly  carried  on  with  rum,  but  also  with  guns, 
gun-powder,  balls,  blankets,  small  coral  collars,  small  silver  buckles, 
bracelets,  and  ear-rings,  which  are  all  worn  by  the  Indians  in  propor- 
tion as  they  are  more  or  less  rich. 

The  common  standard,  by  which  the  Indians  estimate  the  value  of 
their  peltry,  is  the  beaver-skin;  so  many  cat-skins  are  worth  one  beaver- 
skin  ;  buckles,  guns,  or  a  certain  quantity  of  rum,  are  worth  one  or  two 
beaver-skins,  or  perhaps  "only  a  part  of  one.  The  traders  generally  give 
the  Indians  in  summer  a  part  of  the  articles  they  want  on  credit;  but; 
t/he  skins  they  take  in  exchange  are  sold  at  so  low  a  price,  and  the  pro- 
vision they  sell  rated  so  high,  that  they  can  well  afford  to  give  credit, 
the  more  so  as  the  Indians  [526]  are,  in  general,  pretty  punc- 
tual in  fulfilling  their  engagements.  These  Indians  hunt,  live  in 
families  rather  than  in  tribes,  and  are,  by  all  accounts,  distinguished 
by  the  same  vices,  the  same  qualities,  and  the  same  manners,  as  those 
we  have  had  an  opportunity  of  observing  in  the  vicinity  of  the  lakes. 

The  trade  in  these  parts  is  carried  on  not  by  the  Hudson's  Bay^ 
Company,  but  by  two  or  three  houses  in  Montreal,  especially  by  Mr.. 
TODE,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  the  communication  of  these  par- 
ticulars. The  Missouri  Eiver  alone  has  hitherto  been  shut  up  against 
foreign  traders  by  the  Spaniards,  who  have  there  a  fort.  Besides  the 
Canadian  habitations,  which  stand  along  the  banks  of  the  Illinois  either 
scattered  or  assembled  in  villages  and  towns,  the  Illinois  Town  contains 
about  three  thousand  inhabitants.  There  are  also  some  Canadians,  who 
reside  among  the  Indians,  and  live  exactly  as  they  do.  All  these  settle- 
ments are  in  the  north-west  territory,  belonging  to  the  United  States; 
for  that  part  of  the  banks  of  the  Missouri,  which  appertains  to  Spain, 
is  not  inhabited,  excepting  'St.  Louis  and  St.  Genevieve,  for  eighty 
miles  from  New  Orleans,  and  but  very  thinly  peopled  beyond  this. 

Such  peltry  as  is  exported  in  the-  course  of  trade  is  conveyed  to 
Montreal  by  the  same  way  which  [527]  the  traders  travel  to 
these  points.  The  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  which  by  the  new  treaty 
with  Spain  has  been  ceded  to  the  Americans*,  and  the  friendly  manner 
in  which  the  Spanish  Governor  favours  this  branch  of  commerce,  pro- 
Page  62*5.  "  coral  collars  " — "  colliers  de  porcelaine."  "  cat-skins  " — "  de 
peaux  de  rats,  des  chats,  etc.,"  i.e.,  "  (musk)  rat  and  (wild)  cat  skins,  etc." 
After  "one  beaver-skin"  read  "  une  peau  de  loutre  en  vaut  deux,"  i.e.,  "an 
otter-skin  is  worth  two  beaver-skins." 

Page  526.  "For  that  part  of  the  banks  of  the  Missouri,  etc."— "car  les 
bords  espagnols,  a  Saint  Louis  et  Sainte  GSnevieve1  pres,  ne  sont  habites 
qu'a  quatre  vingt  milles  de  la  nouvelle  Orleans  et  le  sont  peu  jusq'ici,"  i.e., 
"for  the  Spanish  shores  almost  to  St.  Louis  and  Ste.  Genevieve  are  in- 
habited only  to  eighty  miles  from  New  Orleans,  and,  so  far,  only  sparsely." 
Page  527.  "The  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  .  .  .  ceded  to  the  Ameri- 
cans .  .  ." — "L'ouverture  du  Mississippi  accorded  aux  Ame"ricains  .  ." 
i.e.,  "  The  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  granted  to  the  Americans,  etc." 

*By  the  treaty  of  17%,  between  the  United  States  and  Spain,  the  former 
obtained  the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  but  not  the  cession  of  the 
mouth  or  rather  mouths  of  the  river. — Translator. 


86  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

cure  their  trade  a  more  expeditious  'and  less  expensive  outlet,  so  that  in 
this  way  the  expense  has  been  lessened  one-tenth.  By  the  same  way 
furs  can  be  transmitted  either  to  the  United  States  or  to  any  part  of 
Europe,  as  the  merchant  chooses,  while  all  peltry,  which  reaches  Mon- 
treal, by  the  English  laws  can  be  sent  only  to  Great  Britain.  The  pro- 
vision to  be  ex-changed  for  these  articles  may  also  be  bought  in  the 
cheapest  markets,  and,  consequently,  at  a  much  lower  rate  than  in 
Montreal,  where  the  exorbitant  duty  on  all  merchandize,  landed  in 
Canada,  and  which,  moreover,  Great  Britain  alone  has  a  right  to  im- 
port, raises  their  price  in  an  enormous  degree. 

The  furs  in  the  whole  of  this  country  are  of  an  inferior  quality, 
if  compared  with  the  peltry  of  those  parts  which  are  situated  north  of 
the  lakes,  where  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  alone  carries  on  this  trade. 
By  Mr.  Tode's  account  you  may  [528]  travel  in  an  easy  manner, 
from  Montreal  to  the  Illinois  in  fifteen  days,  and  from  the  Illinois  to 
New  Orleans  in  twenty.  The  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  is  good,  but 
requires  great  prudence  and  attention,  on  account  of  the  rapidity  of 
the  stream,  and  the  great  number  of  trunks  of  trees  with  which  ite 
bed  is  filled  in  several  places.  The  whole  country,  through  which  it 
flows,  is  extremely  fertile  and  delightful. 

On  Wednesday  the  22d  of  July  arrived  the  long-expected  answer 
from  Lord  Dorchester.  It  was  of  a  nature  to  strike  us  with  amaze- 
ment— a  solemn  prohibition,  drawn  up  in  the  usual  form,  against 
coming  to  Lower  Canada.  It  was  impossible  to  expect  anything  of 
that  kind.  Mr.  Hammond,  the  English  Minister  to  the  United  States, 
had  invited  us  himself  to  visit  Canada,  and  removed  the  difficulties, 
which,  from  the  report  of  other  Englishmen,  I  apprehended  on  the  part 
of  the  Governor-general,  by  assuring  me,  that  Lord  Dorchester  had  re- 
quested him  to  take  it  for  the  future  entirely  upon  himself,  to  grant 
passports  fox  Lower  Canada,  as  he  knew  better  than  the  Governor- 
general  the  travellers  who  came  from  the  United  States;  and  that  the 
letters  which  he  should  give  me  would,  without  previously  concerting 
with  Lord  Dorchester,  secure  me  from  all  unpleasant  incidents.  I 
-could  [529]  not,  therefore,  entertain  the  least  apprehension  of  a, 
'refusal,  as  I  had  not  the  smallest  reason .  to  suppose  that  Mr. 
Hammond,  who  had  loaded  me  with  civilities,  would  have  deceived  me 
on  this  subject. 

But  his  Excellency  had  been  pleased  to  order  his  Secretary  to  send 
me  an  order  of  banishment,  which  he  had  not  even  taken  the  tjouble 
to  sign.  They  told  me,  by  way  of  consolation,  that  his  Excellency  was 
rather  weak  of  intellect,  that  he  did  not  do  any  thing  himself,  &c. ; 

Page  527.  "  Provision  " — "  denrees,"  i.e.,  "  wares  "  (The  translator  con- 
sistently gives  "  provision "  or  "  provisions "  for  "  denrees,"  although  the 
English  word  seldom  expresses  the  meaning  of  the  French  "  denrees  "  in 
this  work). 

Page  528.  "  And  delightful  "  is  an  interpolation. 

Page  529.  "  An  order  of  banishment " — "  un  ordre  d' exclusion,"  i.e.,  "  an 
exclusion  order,"  i.e.,  a  prohibition  against  entering  Lower  Canada. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  37 

that  some  emigrated  French  priest  might  have  played  me  this  trick  by 
his  influence  over  his  Lordship's  secretary  or  his  "mistress; — and  well 
may  this  be  the  case ;  for,  though  Heaven  be  thanked !  I  have  never 
injured  any  one,,  yet  I  find  constantly  people  in  my  way,  who  endeavour 
to  injure  me.  But,  be  this  as  it  may,  a  resolution  must  be  taken,  and 
the  best  of  any  is,  to  laugh  at  the  disappointment.  May  it  be  the 
only,  or  at  least  the  most  serious  frustration  of  my  hopes,  which  yet 
awaits  me. 

On  my  arrival  in  Canada,  my  Grace  was  over-whelmed  with 
honours,  attended  by  officers,  complimented  and  reverenced,  wherever  I 
made  my  appearance;  and  now — banished  from  the  same  country  like 
a  miscreant! 

(t  Et  je  n'ai  merit  e 
"  Ni  cet  exces  d'h'onneur  ni  c&tte  indignite." 

[530.]  On  such  occasions,  as  in  many  other  situations  in 
life,  we  ought  to  call  to  mind,  that  our  own  sentiments  and  feelings 
can  alone  honour  or  degrade  us,  and  tFat  conscious  rectitude  exalts  us 
above  all  villains,  great  and  low,  above  all  fools,  and  all  tattlers. 

My  eagerness  to  quit  the  English  possessions  as  soon  as  possible, 
after  the  receipt  of-ihis  letter,  will  be  easily  conceived;  though,  upon 
the  whole,  I  cannot  too  often  repeat,  that  the  civilities  shown  us  by  the 
English  officers  at  Kingston,  as  well  as  Niagara,  deserve  our  warmest 
praise. 

Major  DOBSON  being  sensible  of  the  necessity  of  our  leaving 
Canada  with  the  utmost  speed,  assisted  us  with  true  and  sincere  polite- 
ness, but  for  which  we  should  not  have  been  able  to  attain  our  end  as  soon 
as  we  wished ;  for,  generally,  no  vessel  sails  from  Kingston  to  the  Ameri- 
can coast  except  twice  a  year.  He  lent  us  his  own  barge,  on  board  of 
which  we  embarked,  four  hours  after  the  receipt  of  the  Secretary's  letter, 
for  the  United  States,  where  no  commandant,  no  governor,  no  minister, 
enjoys  the  right  of  offending  honest  tnen  with  impunity. 

We  shaped  our  course  far  Oswego,  where  we  hoped  to  meet  with 
an  opportunity  of  a  speedy  passage  for  Albany.  The  four  soldiers,  who 
composed  our  crew,  were  intoxicated  to  such  a  degree,  [531] 
that  the  first  day  we  scarcely  made  fifteen  miles,  though  we  sailed 
twelve  of  them.  Mr.  Lemoine,  the  officer  who  commanded  them,  made 
them  pay  dear  for  the  delay  of  the  preceding  day,  by  obliging  them 
to  row  this  day  at  least  fifty-five  miles.  We  left,  at  four  o'clock  in  the 
motrning,  the  long  island  where  we  passed  the  night.  A  heavy  fall  of 
rain  had  wetted  us  through  to  the  skin;  the  wind  had  destroyed  the 
slight  covering  we  had  'made  of  branches  of  trees ;  the  musquitoes  had 
nearly  devoured  us;  in  short,  we  had  scarcely  enjoyed  a  moment's  rest. 

Page    530.  "  tattlers " — "  barbouilleurs,"    i.e.,    "  poor    writers    or    talkers, 
etc."    "  With  impunity  "  is  an  interpolation  by  the  translator. 

Page  531.  "This  day" — "  le  lendemain,"  i.e.,   "on  the  morrow." 


88  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

But  the  weather  cleared  up;  the  morning  grew  fine;  and  we  soon  for- 
got the  sufferings  of  the  preceding  night. 

We  reached  Oswego  at  half-past  eight  in  the  evening,  having 
scarcely  stopped  an  hour  in  the  whole  course  of  the  day.  This  passage 
is  seldom  effected  in  less  than  two  days;  but  instead  of  coasting  along 
the  shore,  we  stretched  from  the  place  where  we  breakfasted  straight 
over  to  Oswego,  without  approaching  the  land;  an  undertaking,  which, 
but  for  the  faiirness  of  the  weather,  might  have  proved  extremely  haz- 
ardous. 

Previous  to  our  departure,  we  enjoyed  the  satisfaction  of  hearing 
the  report  of  Admiral  Hotham's  second  victory  in  the  Mediterranean, 
and  of  the  capture  and  destruction  of  four  French  ships  [532]  with 
fifteen  thousand  land- troops  on  board,  destined  for  Corsica,  contra^ 
dieted  by  an  officer,  who  arrived  from  Quebec.  This  action  had 
'been  so  frequently  alleged  to  us,  as  a  proof  of  the  immeltse  super- 
iority of  the  English  ships  over  the  French,  that  we  felt"  extremely 
happy  on  finding  the  whole  report  vanish  like  a  dream. 

The  restoration  of  tranquillity  and  order  in  our  country  depends, 
at  this  time,  more  than  ever  on  the  successes  of  the  French. — May  they 
be  as  complete  as  I  wish.  Good  God,  what  would  have  become  of  us, 
if  Great  Britain  and  her  allies  should  prove  victorious !  I  am  free — 
Heaven  be  thanked! — from  the  rage  against  the  English  nation,  which 
possesses  so  many  Frenchmen,  and  cannot  be  justified  by  the  still 
fiercer  rage  of  some  Englishmen  against  the  French.  The  English 
are  a  gallant  and  great  nation;  I  wish  they  might  be  sincerely  allied 


with  France  — 

*          *          * 

***** 

* 

* 

* 

* 

*          *          * 

****** 

* 

* 

* 

* 

*               *               4 

S1*            *               *               *               *             * 

* 

Pag©  531.  "  Hotham  "— "  Hotam." 

Page  532.  The  starred  passage  reads  "  mais  croire  que  le  ministere 
Anglais  a  jamais  ecu  en  vue  de  r6tablir  1'ordre  en  France,  ou  meme  de 
travailler  au  retablissement  &e  la  monarchic,  c'est  donner  dans  une*  stupide 
erreur;  il  a  voulu  la  ruine  de  la  France,  et  voila  toutes  ses  vues.  L'argent 
anglais  a  provoque  tous  nos  premiers  malheurs;  1'Angleterre  eut  pu  arreter 
le  commencement  de  la  guerre  du  continent;  elle  eut  pu  sauver  les  jours 
du  roi;  son  ministere  n'en  a  rien  fait;  il  a  vu  son  interet  dans  le  supplice 
de  ce  prince;  il  a  voulu  se  venger  de  1'Amerique  perdue,  jetter  (sic)  le 
trouble  en  France,  1'y  entretenir,  y  rendre  les  crimes  plus  nombreux,  afin  de 
r6unir  centre  elle  plus  d'ennemis,  enfin  la  dSmembrer.  Cette  politique  est 
aussi  mal  calcu!6e,  aussi  peu  prevoyante,  aussi  dang'ereuse  pour  la  tran- 
<iuillite"  m§me  de  1'Angleterre,  qu'elle  est  immorale  et  cruelle.  M.  Pitt  a 
proteg6  les  Frangais  auxquels  il  a  cru  le  plus  de  dispositions  a  se  preter 
a  ses  vues  de  conquete;  c'est  a  ce  titre*  qu'il  les  a  secourus,  soudoyes,  enre- 
gimente"s,  et  en  cela  il  s'est  encore  trompe";  car  j'ai  peine  a  croire  que 
malgre  la  passion  de  1'esprit  de  parti,  beaucoup  de  Frangais  se  fussent 
pretes  &  enrichir  1'Angleterre  des  depouilles  de  la  France,.  On  verra  ce 
qu'il  fera  d'eux  a  la  paix;  ces  instrumens  de  1'ambition,  de  la  vengeance 
et  de  1'ineptie  du  ministere  anglais  seront  brises  des  qu'ils  seront  inutiles. 
En  attendant,  il  les  fait  tuer  a  Quiberon,  il  y  fait  egorger  les  officiers  de 
notre  precieux  corps  de  la  marine,  de  peur  que  la  marine  fran^aise  ne  se 
retablisse;  il  abuse  de  1'honneur  egar6  de1  ces  braves  gens  pour  les  envoyer 


LA  ROCHBFOUCAULT.  39 

Oswego  is  one  of  the  posts,  which  Great  Britain  has  hitherto  re- 
tained, in  open  violation  of  the  treaty  of  peace,  though  she  will  be 
obliged  to  deliver  it  up  to  the  United  States,  in  the  course  of  next 
year.  (It  is  a  miserable  fort,  which,  in  the  year  1782:,  was  built  at  a 
considerable  expense  by  General  HALDIMAN,  at  [533]  that  time 
Governor  of  Canada.  The  river  Oswego,  at  the  mouth  of  which  the 
fort  is  seated,  is  at  present  almost  the  only  course  for  American  vessels 
to  Lake  Ontario.  The  fort  is  in  a  ruinous  state;  one  single  bastion, 
out  of  five,  which  form  the  whole  of  the  fortifications,  is  kept  in  better 
repair  than  the  rest,  and  might  serve  as  a  citadel,  to  defend  for  some 
time  the  other  works,  indefensible  by  any  other  means.  The  present 
garrison  consists  of  two  officers  and  thirty  men,  under  wj^ose  protection 
a  custom-house  officer  searches  all  the  vessels,  which  sail  up  or  down  the 
river.  It  is  not  lawful  to  import  any  other  article  from  the  United 
States  into  Canada,  but  grain,  flour,  cattle,  and  provision,  and  no  com- 
modities are  suffered  to  be  exported  to  the  United  States,  without  ex- 
press permission  from  the  Governor  of  Upper  'Canada;  nay,  this  pro- 
hibition extends  even  to  persons,  who,  if  they  intended  to  proceed  to 
that  country  without  such  permission,  would  be  imprisoned.  As  to  the 
prohibited  exports  in  merchandize,  they  are  confiscated,  without  ex-cep- 

a  une  boucherie  certaine,  sans  espoir  de  succes,  sans  plan  concert^,  sans 
moyens.  Ceux-la  ont-ils  tant  de  tort  qui  croient  qu'il  y  avait  complicate 
entre  Robespierre  et  le  cabinet  de  Saint  James,"  i.e.,  "but  to  believe  that 
the  English  Ministry  ever  had  it  in  view  to  re-establish  order  in  France, 
or  even  to  endeavour  to  restore  the  monarchy,  is  to  fall  into  a  foolish  error; 
it  desired  the  ruin  of  France — that  was  its  whole  design.  English  money 
provoked  all  our  first  misfortunes.  England  might  have  arrested  the  out- 
break of  the  continental  war,  she  might  have  saved  the  life  of  the  king — 
the  English  Ministry  did  not;  it  saw  its  interest  advanced  by  the  sufferings 
of  that  prince,  it  wished  to  be  avenged  for  the  loss  of  America,  to  inject 
disturbance  into  France,  to  foment  it,  to  render  the  crimes  more  numerous, 
so  that  more  enemies  might  be  united  against  her — in  fine,  to  dismember 
her.  That  policy  is  as  ill-conceived,  as  little  farseeing,  as  dangerous  to 
the  tranquility  of  England  herself  as  it  is  immoral  and  cruel.  Mr.  Pitt 
has  protected  Frenchmen  in  whom  he  believed  he  found  inclination  to  lend 
themselves  to  his  schemes  of  conquest — it  is  for  that  reason  he  has  helped 
them,  paid  them,  enrolled  them  as  soldiers — and  in  that  he  is  still  under 
a  deception;  for,  notwithstanding  the  passion  of  party  spirit,  I  can  hardly 
believe  that  many  Frenchmen  could  lend  themselves  to  enriching  England 
with  the  spoils  of  France.  It  will  be  seen  what  he  will  do  for  them  on  the 
return  of  peace;  these  instruments  of  the  ambition,  the  revenge  and  the 
folly  of  the  English  Ministry  will  be  thrown  aside — broken  tools — as  soon 
as  they  are  useless.  In  the  meantime,  it  had  them  slain  at  Quib&ron;  it 
had  our  precious  marine  corps  slaughtered  at  that  place  for  fear  the  French 
navy  might  be  re-established;  it  took  advantage  of  the  reckless  courage 
of  these  brave  men  to  send-  them  to  certain  butchery  without  hope  of 
success,  without  concerted  plan,  without  supplies.  Are  those,  then,  so  far 
wrong  who  believe  that  there  was  a  conspiracy  between  Robespierre  and 
the  Court  of  St.  James?" 

"  Haldiman  " — "  Haldimann  '/;    generally  written   "  Haldimand." 
Page  533.  "No  commodities" — "provision,"  "what  will  serve  for  food." 
"without  exception"  add   "a  moms  qu'elles  ne  soient  accompagn6es  d'un 
passe-port  special,"  i.e.,  "  unless    they    are    accompanied    by    a    special    per- 
mit." 


90  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

tion,  for  the  benefit  of  the  customhouse-officer,  by  whom  they  are  seized. 
This  naturally  prompts  his  zeal,  and  increases  his  attention;  but  there 
are  so  many  points  along  the  coast,  where  the  contraband  trade  can  be 
carried  on,  that  it  will  hardly  be  attempted  in  this  place,  where 
[534]  the  Americans  are  sure  to  encounter  so  many  difficulties  and 
obstructions.  Yet  some  vessels,  now  and  then,  slip  out,  under  favour 
of  the  night.  Two  or  three,  which  failed  in  the  attempt,  were  last  year 
taken  and  condemned.  The  large  income  of  the  receiver  of  customs, 
placed  here  three  years  ago,  has  hitherto  been  confined  to  these  per- 
quisites. Americans,  who  from  an  ignorance  of  the  severity  and  lati- 
tude with  which  English  prohibitions  are  enforced,  have  a  larger  quan- 
tity of  provision  on  board,  than  the  rigour  of  the  English  law  per- 
mits, frequently  see  the  surplus  confiscated  to  the  augmentation  of  the 
customs,  which,  if  extracted  by  less  delicate  hands  than  those  of  the 
present  receiver,  might  be  carried  to  a  much  larger  amount. 

This  officer  is  called  Intendant-general :  a  fine  title,  which  orna- 
ments a  station,  that,  in  fact,  knows  no  superiors,  but  has  also  no  in- 
feriors, excepting  a  director,  who  resides  at  Niagara.  The  Intendant- 
general  has  not  even  a  secretary.  His  pay  is  ten  shillings  a  day,  and 
a  ration,  which  he  estimated  at  two.  He  receives  his  pay  all  the  year 
round,  though  the  navigation  of  the  lake  is  entirely  interrupted  for 
five  months,  and  he  himself  is  seven  months  absent  from  Oswego.  De- 
corated with  such  a  title,  and  furnished  with  such  an  income,  he  will 
hardly  be  supposed  to  transact  [535]  himself  the  trifling  busi- 
ness of  his  place.  This  is  entrusted  to  a  non-commissioned  officer,  who 
makes  his  report.  This  is  signed  by  the  Intendant-general,  who,  in 
case  of  absence  from  the  fort,  leaves  blanks  signed  on  his  table.  This 
pertmit,  which  authorizes  all  vessels  bound  for  Canada,  to  proceed 
thither,  must  also  be  signed  by  the  commanding  officer,  for  which  every 
vessel  pays  three-fourths  of  a  dollar.  For  sailing  up  the  lake  a  verbal 
permit  is  given  gratis. 

*The  present  Intendant-general  is  an  interesting  young  man,  of  the' 
name  of  Mac-Donald,  who,  in  addition  to  his  talents  and  abilities, 
possesses  all  the  peculiar  merits,  for  which  his  family  has  long  been 
distinguished  in  Canada.  They  came  from  Scotland,  and  settled  here 
about  twenty  years  ago.  Mr.  Mac-Donald  served  as  an  officer  in  the 
American  war.  He  is  now  on  half -pay;  his  brothers  hold  commissions 
in  a  Canadian  regiment,  lately  raised,  and  one  of  them  is  Speaker  of  the 
house  of  representatives  of  Upper  Canada. 

A  man  of  Mr.  Mac-Donald's  extraction,  in  France,  would  injure 
his  character,  in  the  public  opinion  by  accepting  a  place  in  the  cus- 
toms.    In  England  they  know  better.     There,  no  injurious   idea   at- 
taches to  any  profession,  which  concurs  in  the  execution  of  the  laws; 
and  not  blame  attaches  to  a  nobleman  for  liolding  a  place  in  the  coin- 
Page  534.  "  Last  year  " — "  il  y  a  deux  ans,"  i.e.,  "  two  years  ago." 
Page    535.  "Mac-Donald" — "  Mac-Donnall "      (several     times).       "noble- 
man " — "  le  gentlemen,"  a  misprint  for  "  le  gentleman." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  9! 

[536]  mission  oi?  the  customs,  or  turning  merchant.  lie  is,  on 
the  contrar)^  respected  as  much  as  if  he  belonged  to  the  church,  the 
army,  or  the  navy,  or  were  placed  in  any  other  honourable  situation. 
Yet,  if  public  opinion  were  altogether  founded  on  just  and  reasonable, 
principles,  it  should  stigmatize  all  persons,  who  hold  sinecures  without 
any  useful  employment,  and  press  consequently  as  dead  burthens  on  the 
state.  This,  however,  is  not  the  case  in  England./ 

The  number  of  vessels  which  ascend  and  descend  the  Oswego  during 
the  seven  months,  the  navigation  is  open,  amounts  to  about  thirty  a 
month.  By  Mr.  Mac-Donald's  account  by  far  the  greater  number  of 
them  contain  new  settlers  to  Upper  Canada,  at  which  I  am  not  aston- 
ished, it  being  a  certain  fact,  that  the  emigration  from  the  United 
States  to  Canada  is  far  more  considerable,  than  from  the  latter  to  the 
former  county. 

Fort  Oswego  is  the  only  settlement  on  the  banks  of  the  lake 
between  Kingston  and  Niagara,  excepting  Great  iSodus,  where  'Cap- 
tain Williamson  forms  one,  and  which  bids  fair,  as  has  already  been 
observed,  to  become  very  prosperous ;  it  is  thirty  miles  distant  from  the 
fort.  Twelve  miles  behind  Oswego,  stands,  on  the  river,  the  first 
American  settlement.  This  fort  must  therefore  [537]  shift  for 
itself.  The  officers  hunt,  read,  and  drink ;  and  the  privates  do  duty,  are 
displeased  with  their  situation  and  desert.  For  this  reason  the  oldest 
soldiers  are  selected  for  the  garrison  of  Oswego ;  and  yet,  though  less 
open  to  temptation,  they  desert  to  the  United  States.  This  fort;  which 
lies  too  remote  for  any  communication  with  foreign  countries,  is  for 
five  months  together  completely  cut  on*  from  the  rest  of  the  world;  the 
snow  lying  then  so  deep,  that  it  is  impossible  to  go  abroad  but  in  snow- 
shoes.  A  surgeon,  who  has  seven  shillings  and  sixpence  a  day,  aug- 
ments the  company  in  Oswego.  The  gentleman,  who  fills  this  place  at 
present,  contributes  much  to  heighten  the  pleasure  of  the  society,  by  sub- 
mitting to  be  the  general  butt  of  railleries  and  jests. 

The  nearest  Indian  habitations  are  forty  miles  distant  from 
Oswego;  and  yet  there  is  an  Indian  interpreter  appointed  at  this  fort, 
who  has  three  shillings  and  sixpence  a  day  and  a  ration.  He  was  em- 
ployed during  the  last  war.  In  other  places  his  appointment  might 
carry  at  least  some  appearance  of  utility';  'but  here  he  is  paid  without 
having  any  employment.  The  commanding  officer  has  five  shillings  a 
day  in  addition  to  the  pay  he  enjoys  by  virtue  of  his  commission;  he 
keeps  oxen,  cows,  sheep,  fowls,  etc.,  which,  as  a  [538|  perma- 
nent stock  one  commanding  officer  leaves  to  his  successor  at  a  settled 
price. 

The  gardens  are  numerous,  and  beautiful,  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
fort:  the  lake  as  well  as  the  river  abounds  with  fish;  the  chace  pro- 
Page  536.  "  Great  Sodus  " — "  le  grand  Sodus." 

Page  537.  "  Are  displeased  with  their  situation  " — "  s'ennuie,"  i.e.,  "  are 
bored";   "to  the  United  States"  is  an  interpolation. 


92  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

cures  plenty  of  game.  The  officers,  therefore,  live  well  in  this  wilder- 
ness, which  they  call  Botany  Bay,  and  yet  wish  to  wrest  from  the 
Americans.  We  experienced  from  all  of  them  a  very  kind  reception. 

The  land  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Oswego  is  very  indifferent ;  the  * 
trees  are  of  a  middling  growth,  and  the  wood-lands  have  a  poor  appear- 
ance. 

As  fate  would  not  permit  me  to  see  Lower  Canada,  I  shall  here 
throw  together  some  particulars,  I  had  collected  respecting  that  country. 
I  counted  on  certifying  and  arranging  them  on  the  spot;  and  although 
I  have  not  been  able  to  do  this,  yet  they  shall  not  be  lost,  either  to 
myself  or  my  friends. 

The  people  of  Canada  possess  the  French  national  character ;  they 
are  active,  brave,  and  industrious ;  they  undergo  the  severest ,  toils,  en- 
dure hardships  with  fortitude,  and  console  and  comfort  themselves 
with  smoaking,  laughing,  and  singing;  they  are  pleased  with  every 
thing,  and  [539]  checked  and  dispirited  by  nothing,  neither 
by  the  length,  or  excessive  fatigue  of  a:  journey,  nor  by  the  bad  quality 
of  their  food,  if  their  spirits  be  kept  up  by  pleasantries  and  jests.  They 
afre  employed  in  all  voyages.  At  the  beginning  of  spring  they  are 
called  together  from  the  different  districts  of  both  provinces,  either  for 
the  King's  service,  or  that  of  trade.  The  people,  employed  in  this 
manner,  reside  about  Montreal,  and  some  miles  lower  down,  as  far  as 
Quebec.  Several  of  them  live  in  Montreal,  where  they  carry  on  a 
trade,  which  occupies  them  in  winter.  Their  own  inclination  and  taste 
invite  them  to  this  active  and  roving  mode  of  life.  S^n.e  of  them 
are  farmers,  who  leave  the  housing  of  the  harvest  to  their  wives  and 
neighbours;  others  are  aftizans,  who  shut  up  their  shops  and  depart. 
We  met  some  of  them,  who  were  tanners,  saddlers,  butchers,  joiners,. 
&c.,  and  who  by  all  accounts  were  very  good  workmen.  They  leave 
their  country  for  a  summer,  for  one  year  or  more,  according  to  ,the 
work,  which  they  are  called  to  perform;  and  sometimes  only  for  a 
short  voyage.  In  the  King's  service  they  are  employed  in  working 
the  ships  from  Montreal,  or  rather  China,  which  is  three  miles  nearer, 
up  to  Kingston.  This  passage,  which  is  rendered  extremely  trouble- 
some by  the  numerous  rapids  in  the  river  [540]  takes  up  nine 
days,  more  or  less,  the  back  passage  only  three  days,  and  the  lading  and 
unlading  at  least  one.  For  this  voyage  they  receive  two  Louis  d'ors  and 
are  found  in  victuals;  if  not  employed  in  actual  service,  they  receive 
no  pay.  They  now  begin  to  serve  as  sailors  on  board  the  shipping  on 
the  lake.  Commodore  Bouchette  is  much  pleased  with  them.  Their 
wages  amount  to  nine  dollars  a  month  both  on  board  the  King's  ships,, 
and  in  merchantmen,  engaged  in  the  fur-trade. 

Page  538.  "  Certifying  "— "  verifier,"   i.e.,   "verifying." 
Page  539.  "  From  the  different  districts " — "  des  deux  differens  points," 
i.e.,  "  from  the  two  different  points."    "  China  "— "  la  Chine,"  i.e.,  "  Lachine." 
"Which  is  three  miles  nearer"— "qui  est  a  trois  lieues  plus  pres,"  i.e., 
"which  is  three  leagues  closer." 

Page  540.  "Nine  dollars "—"  huit  dollars,"  i.e.,  "eight  dollars." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  93 

Mr.  Mackenzie  was  attended  by  several  of  them  on  his  travels  to 
the  South  Sea;  he  brings  them  back  with  him  frotai  a  journey,  which, 
it  was  supposed,  would  extend  as  far  as  the  former,  but  which  he  in- 
tends to  terminate  at  the  last  factory.  By  the  account  of  the  Eng- 
lish themselves,  who  do  not  like  them,  they  are  the  best  rowers,  ex- 
tremely dexterous  in  extricating  themselves  from  difficulties,  inured  to 
labour,  and  very  sober,  though  at  times  they  are  apt  to  drink  rum 
rather  too  freely.  In  this  case  their  gaiety  grows  noisy,  while  the  Eng- 
lish in  a  similar  situation  frequently  grow  sad  and  melancholy. 

There  exist  few  people  among  whom  crimes  are  less  frequent,  than 
among  the  Canadians;  murders  are  never  committed,  and  thefts  very 
seldom;  yet  the  people  in  general  are  ignorant  [541.]  But  this 
defect  is  to  be  imputed  less  to  the  people,  than  the  government,  whose 
system  is  to  cherish  and  preserve  this  ignorance.  No  colleges  have  yet 
been  established  in  Canada;  and  the  schools  are  very  few  in  number. 
Hence  it  is  that  the  education  even  of  the  richest  Canadians  is  much 
neglected;  but  few  of  them  write  with  any  tolerable  correctness  of 
spelling,  and  a  still  smaller  number  possess  any  knowledge,  though  some 
of  them  hold  seats  in  the  Legislative  Council  of  the  province.  I  must, 
however,  mention,  that  I  have  received  this  information  from  Eng- 
lishmen, whose  accounts  of  the  Canadians  deserve  but  little  credit, 
from  the  most  prominent  feature  of  their  national  character  consist- 
ing in  a  warm  attachment  to  France,  which  on  every  occasion  they 
display  more  or  less,  according  to  the  class  of  society,  to  which  they 
belong,  and  to  the  extent  of  their  wishes  and  expectations,  relative  to 
the  British  Government. 

I  have  already  observed,  that  all  the  families  in  Canada  have  re- 
tained the  French  manners  and  customs;  that  but  very  few  Canadians, 
perhaps  not  one  in  a  hundred,  understand  the  English  tongue;  that 
they  will  not  learn  it,  and  that  none  of  those,  who  understand  that 
language,  will  talk  it,  except  those,  who  from  the  nature  of  [542] 
their  employment  have  a  constant  intercourse  with  the  military. 

The  British  government  has,  since  the  conquest,  from  a  silly  affec- 
tation, changed  the  names  of  the  towns,  islands,  rivers,  nay  of  the 
smallest  creeks.  But  the  Canadians  make  no  use  of  these  new  ap- 
pellations, but  either  from  affectation  or  habit  retain  the  ancient  French 
names. 

Many  members  of  the  Assembly,  as  well  as  of  the  Legislative  Coun- 
cil of  Lower  Canada,  are  French  inhabitants  of  Canada;  the  debates  are 
carried  on  there  in  the  French  and  English  languages;  the  speech  of 
the  French  member  is  immediately  translated  into  English,  and  of  the 
English  into  French. 

Page  541.  "  Hold  seats  in  the  Legislative  'Council " — "  employes  dans  la 
legislature." 


94  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULD. 

The  inveterate  hatred  of  the  English  against  the  French,  which 
is  at  once  so  ridiculous,  so  absurd,  and  so  humiliating  for  the  people, 
insomuch  as  it  proves  them  to  be  mere  tools  of  the  ambition  of  their 
ministry — this  hatred,  which  the  lights,  diffused  through  both  countries 
and  the  frequent  intercourse  between  the  two  nations,  had  nearly  de- 
stroyed in  Europe,  before  the  French  revolution  broke  out,  has  not 
abated  here  in  the  same  degree.  No  Canadian  has  just  grounds  of 
complaint-  against  the  British  government ;  the  inhabitants  of  Canad.a 
acknowledge  unanimously  [543]  that  they  are  better  treated  than  under 
the  ancient  French  government;  but  they  love  the  French,  forget  them 
not,  long  after  them,  hope  for  their  arrival,  will  always  love  them,  and 
betray  these  feelings  too  frequently  and  in  too  frank  a  manner,  not  to 
incur  the  displeasure  of  the  English, 'who  even  in  Europe  have  not  made 
an  equal  progress  with  us  in  discarding  the  absurd  prejudices  of  one 
people  against  another. 

When  Lord  Dorchester,  at  the  appearance  of  a  war  with  the  United 
States,  tried  last  year  to  embody  the  militia  in  Canada,  he  met  every- 
where with  remonstrances  against  this  measitr;<$.  A  great  number  of 
Canadians  refused  to  enlist  at  all;  others  declared  openly,  "that  if  they 
were  to  act  against  the  Americans,  they  would  certainly  march  in  defence 
of  their  country,  but  that  against  the  French  they  should  not  march,  be- 
cause they  would  not  fight  against  their  brethren."  These  declarations 
and  professions,  communicated  to  me  by  English  officers,  and  of  conse- 
quence unquestionably  true,  were  not  the  effects  of  Jacobin  intrigued; 
for,  it  is  asserted,  that  at  that  very  period  the  emissaries  of  the  Convipn- 
tion  complained  of  the  character  of  the  Canadians  being  averse  to  an 
insurrection;  but  they  are  the  natural  results  of  their  attachment  to 
France,  which  neither  time,  nor  the  mildness  of  the  English 
[544]  administration  has  hitherto  been  able  to  extirpate.  The  notions 
of  liberty  and  independence  are,  from  their  political  situation,  foreign 
to  their  minds.  They  pay  no  taxes,  live  well,  at  an  easy  rate,  and  in 
plenty:  within  the  compass  of  their  comprehension  they  cannot  wish 
for  any  other  good.  They  are  so  little  acquainted  with  the  principles 
of  liberty,  that  it  has  cost  a  great  deal  of  trouble  to  establish  juries  in 
their  country :  they,  oppose  the  introduction  of  the  trial  by  juries,  and  in 
civil  causes  these  are  not  yet  in  use.  But  they  love  France ;  this  beloved 
country  engages  still  their  affection.  In  their  estimation  a  Frenchman 
is  a  being  far  superior  to  an  Englishman.  The  French  are  the  ifirst 
nation  on  earth;  because,  attacked  by  all  Europe,  they  have  repulsed 
and  defeated  all  Europe.  The  Canadians  consider  themselves  as  French- 
men ;  they  call  themselves  so;  France  is  their  native  land.  These  sentiT 


Page  542.  "  of  the  English  against  the  French  " — "  des  Anglais  et  des 
Frangais,"  i.e.,  "  of  the  English  and  French  for  each  other."  "  the  people  " 
— "  les  peuples,"  i.e.,  "  both  peoples."  "  ministry " — "  ministeres,"  i.e., 
"  ministries." 

Page  544.  After  "  Englishman "  read  "  qui  est  son  ennemi,"  i.e.,  "  who 
is  their  enemy."  "  Native  land  " — "  patrie." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  95 

ments  and  feelings  cannot  but  be  highly  valued  by  a  Frenchman,  who 
must  love  and  respect  the  good  people  of  Canada.  But,  it  will  be  easily 
conceived,  that  they  displease  the  English,  who  frequently  display  their 
ill-humour,  especially  the  spirited  and  impatient  British  officers,  by 
despising  and  abusing  the  Canadians.  "  The  French,"  they  say,  "  beat 
them,  starved  them,  and  put  them  into  irons;  they  should  therefore  be 
treated  [545]  by  us  in  the  same  manner."  Such  are  the  opinions 
on  this  amiable  and  liberal-minded  people,  which  you  hear  delivered 
during  an  English  repast ;  several  times  have  I  heard  them  with  indigna- 
tion. People  of  more  prudence  and  reserve,  it  is  true,  do  not  profess 
these  sentiments  in  the  same  rash  and  public  manner;  but  they  enter- 
tain them,  and  the  people  of  Canada  know  full  well,  that  such  are,  in 
regard  to  them,  the  sentiments  of  the  generality  of  the  Englishmen. 

Lower  Canada,  which  pays  no  more  taxes  than  Upper  Canada,  has 
of  late  been  obliged  to  raise  a  yearly  contribution  of  five  thousand 
pounds  sterling,  to  meet  the  public  expense  for  the  administration  of 
justice,  legislature,  and  other  items  in  this  province.  This  contribu- 
tion or  impost  is  laid  on  wine,  brandy, -and  other  articles  of  luxury;  it 
is  raised  as  an  excise,  and  consequently  is  an  indirect  tax,  but  little 
burthensome  from  its  amount,  as  well  as  from  the  mode  in  which  it  is 
raised;  and  yet  it  has  excited  much  discontent  and  displeasure  against 
the  representatives,  who  sanctioned  it  by  their  consent. 

This  is  an  outline  of  the  sentiments,  which  prevail  among  the 
people  of  Canada,  and  which  I  should  have  more  closely  examined,  had 
I  been  permitted  to  visit  Lower  Canada.  I  have  been  assured  that  Lord 
Dorchester,  in  consequence  of  [546]  the  refusal  of  the  Canadians,  to  be 
embodied  in  regiments,  desired  last  year  to  return  to  england.  Whether 
this  be  the  true  motive  of  his  desire  to  resign,  which  is  a  certain  fact,  I 
know  not.  His  displeasure  may  also,  perhaps,  have  been  excited  by  the 
marked  disapprobation  of  the  English  ministry,  respecting  his  address 
to  the  Indian  nation.  However  this  "may  be,  his  resignation  has  not 
been  accepted.  Lord  Dorchester,  from  his  constant  good  and  kind  de- 
meanour to  the  Canadians,  imagined  he  was  beloved  by  that  nation;  his 
administration  has  throughout  been  marked  with  mildness  and  justice; 
he  has  supported  the  new  constitution;  he  loves  the  Canadians,  but  his 
self-love  as  well  as  patriotism  and  national  pride  have  been  *  much 
humbled  by  the  sentiments,  displayed  last  year  by  the  people  of  Canada. 

1  have  already  mentioned  a  conversation,  in  the  course  of  which 
several  officers  delivered  it  as  their  opinion,  that  it  would  be  for  the  in- 
terest of  Great  Britain  to  give  up  Canada.  This  is  the  general  opinion 
of  all  Englishmen,  who  reside  in  this  country,  excepting  such  as  on 
account  of  their  stations  and  emoluments  hold  a  different  language.  They, 
who  share  in  the  government  and  administration  of  Canada,  the  Eng- 
lish merchants  and  families,  who  have  long  resided  here,  are  far  from 

Page  545.  After  "  to  visit  Lower  Canada  "  add  "  Quant  a  leur  verite,  je 
n'en  ai  et  n'en.  puis  avoir  aucun  doute,"  i.e.,  "  as  to  their  truth,  I  have  and 
can  have  no  doubt." 


96  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

possessing  these  principles,  from  a  conviction  [547]  that  in  the 
process  of  time  Great  Britain  will  reap  considerable  benefits  from  the 
possession  of  Canada.  These  are  not  the  ideas  which  I  entertain  on  this 
subject,  considering  either  the  extent  or  the  nature  and  complexion  of 
the  English  administration  and  government  in  this  part  of  the  globe.  I 
conceive  that  the  enormous  expence,  incurred  by  Great  Britain,  is  ab- 
solutely unnecessary,  and  that  the  state  of  independence,  in  which  she 
endeavours  to  keep  Canada,  does  not  afford  the  greatest  and  most  per- 
manent advantage  she  might  derive  from  that  country. 

What  would  be  said  of  a  ministry,  which  would  attempt  to  con- 
vince England,  that  the  proceeds  of  her  trade  and  extensive  navigation 
to  Canada  fall  much  short  of  her  yearly  expence  to  maintain  herself  in 
the  possession  of  that  colony,  and  propose  to  the  British  cabinet,  to  de- 
clare it  independent,  to  assist  it  with  subsidies  the  first  years,  and 
immediately  'to  conclude  with  the  Canadian  government  a  treaty  of  amity 
and  commerce?  Such  a  ministry  would  undoubtedly  be  considered  as  a 
set  of  rank  Jacobins.  And  yet  it  is  highly  probable,  that  Great  Britain, 
while  on  the  one  hand  she  saved  a  considerable  expenditure,  would  on 
the  other  lose  none  of  her  commercial  advantages,  form  a  permanent 
and  extensive  connection  with  Canada;  and  would  spare  herself 
[548]  the  humiliation  of  another  colony  being  dismembered  from  the 
British  empire.  But  such  a  resolution  should  be  embraced  without 
any  secret  views,  and  hidden  projects,  loyally  and  frankly;  so  that 
Canada,  enjoying  all  the  blessings  of  liberty  and  prosperity,  might  have 
no  just  grounds  for  any  sinistrous  apprehensions.  However  absurd  this 
language  may  appear,  it  is  perhaps  precisely  that,  which  all  European 
powers  should,  at  this  time,  hold  to  their  continental  colonies ;  nay,  with 
some  modification,  I  think  it  should  even  be  addressed  to  the  West- 
Indian  Islands.  But  away  with  political  speculations ! 

The  Eoman  Catholic  priests  in  Upper  Canada  are  of  the  same  cast 
as  our  former  country  curates;,  their  whole  stock  of  knowledge  being 
confined  to  reading  and  writing,  they  are  of  course  unenlightened  and 
superstitious.  The  French  revolution  has  brought  thither  some  of  a 
superior  character,  who  are  probably  less  indolent  'and  more  tolerant  than 
the  former.  I  am  unacquainted  with  them,  but  the  British  officers  are 
so  astonished  at  seeing  French  priests  possessed  of  some  sense  and  know- 
ledge, that,  in  their  opinion,  they  are  very  clever. 

The  only  branch  of  commerce  belonging  to  Canada  is  the  fur  trade ; 
with  the  whole  extent  and  annual  amount  of  which  I  had  some  hopes 

Page  547.  "  Independence  " — "dependence,"  i.e.,  "dependence."  (Smith 
has  made  the  correction  by  scoring  out  the  prefix  "  in  " ) .  "  ministry  " — 
"  ministre,"  i.e.,  "  minister."  "  To  the  British  cabinet "  is  an  interpolation. 
"  Canadian  government " — "  le,"  i.e.,  "  it "  "  Such  a  ministry  .  .  .  rank 
Jacobins  " — "  on  le  traiterait  de  Jacobin,"  i.e.,  "  he  would  be  considered  a 
Jacobin." 

Page  548.  "  So  that  Canada  .  .  .  sinistrous  apprehensions  " — an  inter- 
polation. "West  Indian  Islands "—" les  Antilles,"  i.e.,  "the  Antilles." 
"Upper  Canada" — "Canada,"  i.e.,  Lower  Canada.  "  Very  clever" — "  (very 
clever s)  trds-e'claire's." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  0.7 

of  [549]  getting  acquainted  during  my  intended  residence  at 
Montreal.  I  know  from  Governor  Simcoe,  that  it  is  far  more  insignifi- 
cant, than  is  generally  believed,  and  that  a  considerable  contraband 
trade  in  this  article  is  already  carried  on  in  the  United  States,  the 
chief  agents  of  which  are  Canadian  merchants.  I  know  also,  that  this 
contraband  trade,  which  they  encourage  on  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  may 
likewise  be  carried  on,  without  their  assistance,  with  the  United  States, 
on  Lake  Erie,  as  well  as  on  several  points  of  the  banks  of  Lake  Ontario ; 
and  that  the  surrender  of  this  fort  to  the  United  'States,  and  the  subse- 
quent American  settlements  on  the  frontiers,  will  render  it  altogether 
impossible,  to  prevent  this  contraband  trade.  Besides,  it  is  well  known, 
that  the  Canadian  merchants,  who  send  the  peltry  to  England,  are  the 
absolute  masters  of  this  trade  in  this  country,  and  that  a  monopoly, 
which  raises  the  price  of  commodities  to  an  exorbitant  height,  is  the 
most  powerful  incitement  to  smuggling. 

All  the  ships,  in  which  the  trade  between  Canada  and  Europe  is 
carried  on,  are  English  bottoms;  none  of  them  belong  to  merchants  of  the 
country.  These  possess  but  a  few  vessels,  which  are  built  at  Quebec, 
and  employed  in  the  inland  trade.  In  no  parts  of  British  America  are 
any  ships  built,  but  such  as  navigate  the  lakes;  even  [55O]  at 
Halifax,  ships  are  not  built,  but  merely  caulked  and  refitted.  No  ships 
but  English  bottoms  are  suffered  to  sail  from  Canada  for  Europe ;  whence 
it  is,  that,  if  this  navigation  be  intercepted  or  protracted,  the  utmost 
scarcity  of  European  provision  prevails  in  that  country.  This  year,  for 
instance,  all  the  magazines  and  warehouses  in  'Canada  were  empty,  on 
account  of  the  ships,  which  generally  arrive  about  the  15th  of  May, 
not  having  yet  come  in  on  the  20th  of  July.  Since  the  1st  of  July,  not 
a  bottle  of  wine,  or  a  yard  of  cloth,  could  be  procured  for  money,  either 
in  Quebec  or  Montreal.  The  officers,  who  came  from  these  towns,  and 
had  not  been  able  to  supply  their  wants,  complained  of  the  absolute  im- 
possibility of  procuring  any  necessary  article  in  Canada;  and,  I  under- 
stand, the  discontent,  which  prevails  on  this  subject,  is  not  confined  to 
the  military. 

It  is  agreed,  on  all  hands,  that  the  Canadians  are  indifferent  hus- 
bandmen, that  agriculture  is  imperfectly  understood  in  this  colony,  and 
that,  in  this  respect,  the  English  have  not  transplanted  hither  either 
their  own  agricultural  improvements,  or  any  branch  of  European  skill. 
The  land  is  good,  upon  the  whole;  the  best,  which  is  in  the  island  of 
Montreal,  is  worth  from  twenty  to  twenty-four  dollars  an  acre.  From 
the  circumstance,  [551]  which  is  certain,  the  wealth  of  the  country 
may  be  partly  estimated. 

Page  549.  "this  fort"— "des  forts," 'I.e.,  "forts."  "this  trade"— "  du 
commerce,"  i.e.,  "trade."  "employed  in  the  inland  trade" — "  encore  sont- 
ils  peu  employe's  au  commerce  d'Europe,"  i.e.,  "they  are  so  far  little 
employed  in  trade  with  Europe." 

Page  550.  " The  officers,"  add  "  du  soixantie"me  regiment,"  i.e.r  "of  the 
60th  regiment."  "  Branch  of  "  is  an  interpolation.  "  Halifax  "— "  Hallifax," 
as  always.  - •=••  =  .  - 

8  T.C. 


98  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

The  severe  frost,  which  in  winter  generally  prevails  in  Quebec, 
causes  the  mortar  to  crack,  and  every  year  occasions  expensive  repairs 
at  the  citadel,  which  never  last  long.  The  other  strong  places  in  British 
America  are  constructed  of  wood,  which  is  never  seasoned,  but  used  as 
soon  as  felled,  and  consequently  decays  very  soon.  In  the  whole  fort 
of  Oswego,  which  was  built  about  eleven  years  ago,  there  is  not  one 
sound  piece  of  timber  to  be  found;  and  for  the  same  reason  the  citadel 
of  Halifax,  which  was  constructed  only  seven  years  ago,  is  now  rebuilding 
from  the  ground.  This  is  all  the  information,  which  I  have  been  able 
to  collect,  and  which,  however  imperfect  it  be,  may  yet  serve  as  a  guide 
to  other  travellers  in  their  pursues  of  useful  knowledge. 

The  northern  borders  of-  the  bason,  which  holds  the  waters  of  the 
Niagara,  just  above  the  falls,  consist  of  a  fat  and  strong  reddish  earth, 
lying  on  a  ground  of  lime-stone. 

The  rocks,  between  which  the  stupendous  cataract  of  Niagara 
rushes  down,  are  also  lime-stone,  as  are  numerous  fragments  of  rocks, 
which  appear  within  the  chasm,  and  have  undoubtedly  been  swept  away 
by  the  tremendous  torrent.  At  the  bottom  of  the  bason  you  see  also 
large  masses  [552]  of  white  stone,  of  a  fine  grain,  which  the  in- 
habitants assert  to  be  the  petrified  foam  of  the  fall,  but  which,  in  fact, 
appears  to  consist  of  vitriolated  lime.  It  does  not  effervesce  with  acids. 
I  have  tried  no  other  experiments. 

The  ground  betAveen  the  falls  and  Queen's  Town  is  a  level  tract, 
some  hundred  feet  elevated  above  the  plain,  which  joins  Lake  Ontario, 
and  in  which  the  town  of  Newark,  and  the  fort  of  Niagara  are  situated. 

This  whole  tract  seems  to  consist  of  lime  and  free  stone,  which  con- 
tain petrifactions  of  sea  animals. 

Over  the  plain  near  Newark  are  scattered  large  masses  of  a  reddish 
granite,  which  lie  insulated  on  the  lime-stone,  like  the  large  blocks  of 
granite,  which  you  see  on  Mount  Saleve,  near  Geneva;  so  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  account  for  this  origin. 

In  the  environs  of  Toranto,  or  York,  the  soil  is  in  some  places 
sandy,  in  others  light  clay;  no  rocks  are  here  to  be  found. 

In  Kingston,  or  Kadaraque,  on  the  north-easterly  extremity  of  Lake 
Ontario,  you  find  again  the  argillaceous  fine  grained  lime-stone,  of  a 
dark  grey  colour.  Here,  as  nearly  all  along  the  borders  of  the  lake,  are 
found  different  sorts  of  flints,  schist,  quartz,  and  granite. 

You  also  find  at  Kingston,  at  no  great  distance  [553]  from 
the  shore,  a  large  black  conglomeration,  which  has  the  appearance  of 
basalt,  and  great  quantities  of  free-stone,  with  petrifications  of  sea 
animals. 

Page  552.  "  Vitriolated  lime " — "  sulfat  de  chaux,"  i.e.,  "  calcium  sul- 
phate." "  Queen's  Town  " — "  Queenstown." 

After  "  experiments/'  add  "  with  it."  "  Some  hundred  " — "  quelques 
cents,"  i.e.,  "  several  hundred.'  "  Insulated  " — "  isolSes,"  i.e.,  "  isolated." 
"  Kadaraque  " — "  Kataraqui." 

Page  553.  "  large  black  conglomeration "  "  de  grosses  pierres  noire, 
roul£es "  "large  black  stones,  rounded"  (i.e.,  boulders),  "petrifactions" 
— "  des  impressions." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  99 

The  trees  and  plants,  I  have  met  with  in  Upper  Canada,  are 
nearly  the  same,  which  I  observed  in  the  northern  district  of  Genessee. 
Yet  I  found  the  buck-eye,  called  by  the  Canadians  bois  chicot,  the  five- 
leaved  ivy,  which  I  have  seen  branched  thirty  feet  high  around  an  oak 
tree,  the  red  cedar,  the  small  Canadian  cherry  (ragou  minier),  and 
black  or  sweet  birch.  I  have  seen  neither  a  papaw  nor  a  cucumber  tree. 
The  ginseng  root,  which  is  pretty  common  in  the  territory  of  the  United 
States,  abounds  in  Canada,  but  forms  here  not  so  considerable  an  article 
of  trade,  as  in  the  former  country.  The  Canadians  use  an  infusion  of 
this  root  as  a  cure  for  pains  in  the  stomach,  especially  if  they  proceed 
from  debility;  for  colds,  and,  in  short,  in  all  cases  where  perspiration 
may  be  required.  They  also  make  use  of  the  leaves  of  maidenhair*, 
which  is  found  in  great  abundance  in  the  vicinity  of  Kingston,  instead 
of'tea. 

[554.]  Mr.  Guillemard  having  communicated  to  me  the  journal 
of  his  tour  to  Lower  Canada,  I  shall  extract  from  it  such  par- 
ticulars, as  appear  most  proper  to  fill  up  the  deficiencies  of  the  informa- 
tion, which  I  have  myself  been  able  to  collect.  This  journal  confirms, 
upon  the  whole,  the  general  observations,  which  I  made  on  that 
country.  Although  the  intelligence,  gathered  by  Mr.  Guillemard,  be 
not  altogether  as  minute  as  I  could  have  wished,  yet  from  the  correct- 
ness of  his  judgment,  and  his  character  for  veracity,  the  truth  of  his 
remarks  cannot  be  questioned. 

The  passage  from  Kingston  to  Quebec  is  made  as  far  as  China,  in 
Canadian  vessels  of  about  ten  or  fifteen  tons  burthen.  The  navigation 
from  China  to  Montreal  being  intercepted  by  the  falls  of  St.  Louis,  this 
part  must  be  travelled  by  land.  Ships  of  any  burthen  may  sail  from 
Montreal  to  Quebec.  \ 

The  rapids  are  of  various  descriptions.  They  are  either  whirlpools, 
occasioned  by  rocks,  against  which  the  water  strikes  in  its  course,  or 
strong  declinations  of  the  bed  of  the  river,  the  rapid  motion  of  which 
is  checked  by  few  or  no  obstructions.  Carried  by  rapids  of  this  nature, 
ships  may  advance  sixteen  miles  in  an  hour.  Those  of  the  former  de- 
scription are  the  most  [555]  dangerous,  though  misfortunes  but  seldom 
occur.  They  are  most  frequent  on  the  cedar  passage. 


*Adianthum  capillus  veneris,  Linn,  a  .plant,  from  which  the  once  cele- 
brated "syrop  de  capillaire"  took  its  name,  which  P.  Formius,  a  physician 
of  Montpellier,  recommended  as  an  universal  medicine,  in  his  treatise  "De 
Adiantho,"  published  1634. — Translator. 

Page     553.  "  Buck-eye  " — "  bonduc."     "  Five-leaved     ivy  " — "  ecoomanthus 
ou  bourreau  des  arbres."     "  Ragou  minier  " — "  ragoumimex."      "  Papaw  "- 
"  frangier."  "  Cucumber  tree  " — "  magnolia."     "  Maiden  hair." — "  capillaire." 
(See  additional  notes.) 

Page  554.  "  China  " — "  la  Chine,"  i.e.,  "  Lachinef." 

Page  555.  "  misfortunes  " — "  accidens,"     i.e.,     "  accidents."     "  The    cedar 
passage  " — "  le  passage  des  cedres"  i.e.,  "  the  Cedars." 


100  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

Prom  Montreal  to  Quebec  the  river  flows  with  great  velocity,  but 
without  any  rapids.  In  Lake  St.  Peter*  ships  must  keep  within  a 
natural  canal,  from  twenty  to  fifteen  feet  in  depth;  in  other  places  the 
lake  is  only  from  four  to  six  feet  deep.  It  is  under  contemplation  to 
make  a  *canal  from  China  to  Montreal,  by  which  the  interruption  of 
the  water  conveyance  from  China  to  Montreal  will  be  removed. 

There  are  few  or  no  settlements  between  Kingston  and  St.  John's, 
the  chief  place  of  the  lower  district  of  Upper  Canada,  about  midway 
between  Kingston  and  Montrealf.  Between  this  place  and  Montreal 
they  are  rather  more  numerous,  yet  still  few  in  number. 

The  right  banks,  belonging  to  England,  are  more  thinly  inhabited 
than  the  left.  The  few  habitations  you  here  meet  with  lie,  almost  all  of 
[556]  them,  contiguous  to  the  river.  Between  Montreal  and  Quebec 
they  stand  more  closely  together.  Even  the  inland  parts  are 
inhabited  within  three  or  four  miles  of  the  shore ;  and  so  are  almost  all 
the  borders  of  the  rivers  and  brooks  which  fall  into  the  stream.  To 
judge  from  the  habitations  and  the  mode  of  cultivation,  these  settlements 
are  the  worst  of  any  you  meet  with  in  the  United  States;  on  the  right 
side  of  the  river  the  plantations  do  not  extend  to  so  great  a  distance 
into  the  interior  of  the  country. 

The  soil  is  generally  good,  especially  in  the  islands.  It  bears  a 
variety  of  fine  trees  and  excellent  grass.  The  land  in  the  island  of 
Montreal  is  esteemed  the  best;  while  in  other  inhabited  parts  the  price 
of  the  land  is  at  most  five  dollars  per  acre,  it  costs  in  the  island  of 
Montreal  from  twenty  to  twenty-five.  There  are  estates  in  the  vicinity 
of  Quebec  either  somewhat  better  cultivated  than  the  rest,  or  furnished 
with  a  good  dwelling-house  and  out-buildings,  the  lands  belonging  to 
which  bear  a  still  higher  price.  Upon  the  whole  there  is  but  little  land 
sold,  either  from  the  "poverty  of  the  inhabitants,  or  the  difficulties  at- 
tending a  sale,  for  reasons  which  I  shall  detail  in  another  place. 

Agriculture  is  as  bad  in  Lower  Canada  as  it  possibly  can  be.  In 
the  vicinity  of  Quebec  and  [55T]  Montreal  no  manure  is  known 


*This  lake  is  a  part  of  St.  Lawrence  river.  -Its  centre  is  sixty-eight 
miles  above  Quebec,  and  two  hundred  and  five  north-east  of  Kingston,  at 
the  mouth  of  Lake  Ontario, — Translator. 

tSt.  John's  belongs  not  to  the  lower  district  of  Upper  Canada,  but  to 
Lower  Canada.  By  an  ordinance  of  the  7th  of  July,  1796,  it  has  been 
established  as  the  sole  port  of  entry  and  clearance  for  all  goods  imported 
from  the  interior  of  the  United  States  into  Canada. — Translator. 

Page  555.  "  twenty  "— "  12." 

"  St.  John's  " — "  Johnstown."  The  translator  has  confused  Johnstown 
(Cornwall)  in  Upper  Canada  and  St.  John's  in  Lower  Canada.  "The  right 
banks  belonging  .  .  ." — "  Le  cote  droit  qui  appartient  aussi  a  1'Angleterre 
.  .  ."  i.e.,  "  the1  right  bank  also  belonging,  etc." 

Page  556.  "the  worst  .  .  .  United  States "—"  de  1'espece  des  plus 
mauvais  dans  les  pays  nouveau  des  Etats-unis,"  "  like  the  worst  in  the 
new  settlements  of  the  United  States." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  101 

but  stable  dung,  and  even  this  the  farmers  used  not  long  ago  to  throw 
into  the  river.  What  is  here  called  cultivated  land  is,  even  on  the  banks 
of  the  river,  neither  more  nor  less  than  ground  merely  cleared  in  tracts 
of  about  forty  or  fifty  acres,  and  enclosed  with  rough  fences.  In  the 
midst  of  these  tracts  are  small  plots  of  cultivated  ground  sown  with 
wheat,  Indian  corn,  rye,  pease,  and  clover;  they  very  seldom  take  up  the 
whole  space  enclosed.  The  farmers  are  a  frugal  set  of  people,  but 
ignorant  and  lazy.  In  order  to  succeed  in  enlarging  and  improving 
agriculture  in  this  province,  the  English  government  must  proceed  with 
great  prudence  and  perseverance.  For,  in  addition  to  the  unhappy  pre- 
judices which  the  inhabitants  of  Canada  entertain  in  common  with  the 
farmers  of  all  other  countries,  they  also  foster  a  strong  mistrust  against 
every  thing  which  they  receive  from  the  English;  and  this  mistrust  is 
grounded  on  the  idea,  that  the  English  are  their  conquerors,  and  the 
French  their  brethren. 

There  are  some  exceptions  from  this  bad  agricultural  system,  but 
they  are  few.  The  best  cultivators  are  always  landholders  arrived  from 
England.  Mr.  Touzy,  an  English  clergyman  in  Quebec,  who  arrived 
very  lately  from  Suffolk,  in  England,  is  now  occupied  in  clearing  and 
cultivating  [558]  in  the  English  manner  from  seven  to  eight 
thousand  acres,  which  he  holds  from  government,  or  at  least  a  part  of 
this  grant.  'Should  he  be  gifted  with  sufficient  perseverance  to  succeed, 
he  cannot  fail  to  become  extremely  useful  to  this  part  of  the  globe.  In 
the  mean  while,  it  is  a  matter  of  general  astonishment  in  Quebec,  that 
lie  should  form  any  such  establishments  at  so  great  a  distance  from  the 
town,  and  jet  this  distance  exceeds  not  fifteen  miles. 

On  the  road  from  Montreal  to  Quebec  the  dwelling-houses  are  some 
of  them  built  with  small  stones,  and  others  with  wood  plastered  over 
with  lime,  which  abounds-  in  the  country;  the  inside  of  such  of  these 
buildings,  as  are  inhabited  by  Canadians,  is  miserable  and  filthy.  In 
most  of  them,  which  stand  along  the  road,  and  where  of  consequence  the 
death  of  the  King  of  France  is  known,  you  find  his  portrait,  the  print 
which  represents  him  taking  leave  of  his  family,  his  execution,  and  his  last 
will.  All  these  prints  are  something  venerable  to  the  Canadians,  with- 
out impairing  their  attachment  to  the  French. 

Montreal  and  Quebec  resemble  two  provincial  towns  in  France ;  the 
former  stands  in  a  pleasant  and  delightful  situation ;  the  latter  is  seated 
half  on  the  bank  of  the  river  and  half  on  the  adjoining  rock.  The  lower 

Pages  556  and  5-57.    The  sentences  beginning  "In  the  vicinity,  etc.,"  read 
"  On  n'emploie  de  fumier  que  dans  les  environs  de  Quebec  et  de  Montreal, 
encore  n'est  ce*  que  le  fumier  d'ecurie  qu'il  n'y  a  ipas  long-terns  les  fermiers 
jettaient  dans  la  riviere  pour  s'en  debarrasser,"  i.e.,  "Only  in  the  vicinity 
of  Quebec  and  Montreal  is  manure  used — and  that  but  stable  manure  which 
until  recently  the  fanners  threw  into  the  river  to  get  rid  of  it." 
Page  S57.  "  Unhappy  " — is  an  interpolation.     "  Touzy  " — "  FouzeV' 
Page  558.  "  plastered  over  with  lime  " — "  blanchies  extSrieurement  avec 
de  la  chaux,"  i.e.,  "whitewashed."     "and  where*  of  consequence" — "  et  ou," 
i.e.,  "  and  where." 


102  LA  ROCHBFOUCAULT. 

part  of  the  town  is  inhabited  [559]  by  the  merchant's  and  trade's- 
people,  and  the  upper  part  by  the  military.  From  its  position,  encircled 
as  it  is  with  the  mountains,  and  from  the  works  constructed  to  encrease 
its  actual  strength,  Quebec  belong  to  the  fortresses  of  the  second  or  third 
rank. 

The  military,  it  seems,  enjoy  in  this  city,  on  account  of  the  presence 
of  the  Governor-general,  and  of  the  great  number  of  officers  and  other 
persons  attached  to  the  army,  the  same  distinction  in  society,  which  the 
merchants  possess  at  Montreal. 

The  Canadian  gentry,  who  reside  in  towns,  are  much  poorer  than 
the  English,  invited  hither  either  by  considerable  pay,  attached  to  their 
places,  or  some  other  valuable  income.  They  live  in  general  by  them- 
selves: and  as  they  spend  less  than  the  English,  the  latter  are  apt  to 
call  them  avaricious  and  proud;  and  the  former  fail  not  to  return  the 
compliment  in  a  different  manner.  The  English  merchants  are  rich  and 
hospitable. 

In  point  of  furniture,  meals,  &c.,  the  English  fashions  and  manners 
prevail,  even  in  some  of  the  most  opulent  Canadian  families  connected 
with  administration.  In  other  Canadian  families  of  distinction  the 
French  customs  have  been  preserved. 

The  export  and  import  trade  of  Canada  employs  [56O] 
about  thirty  vessels,  and  is  merely  carried  on  with  and  through  Eng- 
land. From  an  extract  of  the  custom-house  books  for  1786,  procured 
by  Mr.  Guillemard,  the  exports  in  that  year  appear  to  have  amounted  to 
three  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixteen  pounds, 
Halifax  currency,  and  the  imports  to  two  hundred  and  forty- three 
thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty-two.  Since  that  year  not  only  large 
quantities  of  corn  have  been  exported,  but  the  trade  has,  upon  the  whole, 
been  considerably  encreased  by  the  great  agricultural  improvements  made 
in  both  provinces,  but  especially  in  Upper  Canada. 

The  whole  amount  of  a  common  harvest  in  Lower  Canada  is  estim- 
ated at  four  thousand  bushels,  three  fourths  of  which  are  consumed  in 
the  country.  The  principal  depot  of  the  peltry  trade  is  in  Montreal. 

I  shall  at  the  end  of  this  article  subjoin  some  satisfactory  informa- 
tion respecting  this  trade,  extracted  from  a  journal,  the  veracity  of 
which  is  unquestionable. 

The  navigation  of  the  River  St.  Lawrence  is  shut  up  by  frost  seven 
months  of  the  year. 

An  iron-work  on  the  Trois  Rivieres,  and  a  distillery  near  Quebec, 
are  the  only  manufactories  in  Canada,  and  both  in  a  very  low  state.  The 

Page  559.  "  gentry  " — "  gentlemen."  "  rich  and  hospitable  "  "  riches  et 
qu'ils  aippellent  hospitallers"  "rich  and  what  they  call  hospitable"  (a  nice 
distinction). 

Page  560.  "  merely  " — "  seulement,"  "  solely."  "  satisfactory  " — "  cer- 
tains." "  harvest,"  add  "  en  bled,"  i.e.,  "  of  grain."  "  on  the  Trois  Rivieres  " 
"  aux  Trois  Rivieres,"  i.e.,  "  at  Three  Rivers."  "  in  a  very  low  state  "— "  sur 
une  tr&s-petite  echelle,"  i.e.,  "  on  a  very  small  scale." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  103 

[561]  iron-work  cannot  even  supply  Lower  Canada  with  the 
necessary  articles ;  it  belongs  to  merchants  of  Quebec  and  Montreal,  who 
make  no  use  of  the  machinery  emplo}^ed  in  England  in  manufactories 
of  that  description.  The  iron-ore  is  found  in  the  neighboring  rivers,, 
and  also  in  grains  on  the  surface  of  the  soil.  It  is  very  rich,  and  known 
by  the  name  of  St.  Maurice  ore.  The  work  employs  twenty  work- 
men, all  of  them  Canadians;  they  forge  the  iron  into  bars,  manu- 
facture tools  for  artisans,  utensils,  pots,  &c.,  and  earn  three-quarters  of  a 
dollar  a  day,  but  are  not  boarded  by  the  owners  of  the  work. 

In  the  distillery  whisky  and  geneva  are  distilled,  but  very  little  of 
either.  The  number  of  workmen  is  very  small;  their  daily  wages  con- 
sist in  two  shillings  in  money  and  board.  The  Canadians,  like  the  in- 
habitants of  the  back  country  in  the  United  States,  manufacture  them- 
selves all  the  clothes  they  want  for  their  families. 

The  Roman  Catholic  religion  forms  the  established  church  in  Lower 
Canada ;  the  ministers  are  supported  by  tythes  and  gifts,  and  out  of  the 
estates  acquired  by  the  clergy.  All  the  churches  in  the  country  belong 
to  the  Roman  Catholic  persuasion,  and  'are  tolerably  well  frequented  by 
the  people.  The  clergy  of  the  Episcopal  church  are  paid  by  the  king; 
as  well  as  the  Protestant  [562]  bishop,  who  is  at  the  same  time 
bishop  of  Upper  Canada.  Divine  service  is  performed  by  Protestants,  in 
Roman  Catholic  churches  or  chapels,  at  Quebec,  Montreal,  and  Trois 
Rivieres.  In  the  country  there  is  no  religious  worship  but  according  to 
the  rights  of  the  Roman  Catholic  religion. 

A  convent  of  Urselines  in  Quebec,  and  another  in  Montreal,  and  a 
'society  of  Charitable  Sisters,  who  attend  the  hospitals  and  lazarettoes, 
are  the  only  nunneries  of  Lower  Canada.  The  revenue  of  the  hospitals 
consisted  in  part  of  annuities,  paid  by  the  city  of  Paris,  the  payment 
of  which  was  stopped  in  pursuance  of  a  decree  of  the  French  National 
Assembly;  and  this  deficiency  has  not  hitherto  been  made  up  in  any 
other  manner.  Two  Franciscans  only,  and  one  Jesuit,  are  remaining 
of  the  numerous  convents  of  these  orders  which  subsisted  here  at  the 
time  of  the  conquest  of  Canada.  One  of  these  Franciscans,  it  is  asserted 
ha^,  in  violation  of  the  treaty,  taken  the  vow  since  that  time,  and  the 
Jesuit  is  rather  a  priest  who  style's  himself  a  Jesuit,  than  really  a  mem- 
ber of  that  religious  community.  By  virtue  of  a  grant  of  His  Britannic 
Majesty,  all  the  estates  in  Canada,  which  belong  to  the  Jesuits,  go  to 
Lord  Amherst  at  the  decease  of  the  last  member  of  that  community  in 

Page  561.  "  very  rich  "  "  abondante  et  assez  riche  "  "  abundant  and  fairly 
rich."  "  whisky  and  geneva  " — "  du  whiskey  et  un  peu  d'eau  de  genievre," 
i.e.,  "  whisky  and  a  little  gin."  "  estates  acquired  by  the  clergy "— "  les 
biens  acquis  du  clerge." 

Page  562.  after  "Montreal,"  (where  it  first  occurs  on  this  page)  add 
"  Saurel,"  i.e.,  "  Sorel."  "  Charitable  Sisters  "— "  Soeurs  de  la  charite,"  i.e., 
"Sisters  of  Charity."  "  lazarettoes "— "  hotels-dieu."  "Franciscans"— 
"  recollets." 


104  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

the  province;  and  rumour  [563]  says,  that  the  proceeds  of  these 
estates,  enjoyed  by  the  soi-disant  monk,  which  amount  to  fifteen  hundred 
a  year,  are  the  true  cause  of  the  enmity  which  subsists  between  Lord 
Amherst  and  Lord  Dorchester. 

The  seminary  in  Quebec  is  kept  by  a  sort  of  congregation  or  frater- 
nity, known  by  the  name  of  the  Priests  of  St.  Sulpice,  who,  prior  to  the 
conquest,  possessed' three  such  houses,  namely,  one  in  Siam,  one  in  Pon- 
dicherry,  and  one  in  Quebec.  Since  that  time  the  seminary  supports 
itself  by  its  own  means.  The  estates  which  it  possesses  are  considerable, 
at  least  in  point  of  extent,  and  contain  from  fifty  to  sixty  thousand 
acres;  yet,  as  the  seminary  possesses  not  the  right  to  dispose  either  of 
the  whole  or  any  part  of  them,  and  consequently  cannot  gain  any  ad- 
vantage from  these  estates  but  by  farming  them  out  to  tenants,  who  pay 
no  more  than  about  a  bushel  and  a  half  of  corn  for  every  ninety  or  a 
hundred  cultivated  acres,  the  proceeds  exceed  not  in  the  whole  five  hun- 
dred dollars  per  annum.  The  mill,  which  the  seminary  possesses  in  the 
Island  of  Montreal,  is  let  for  somewhat  more. 

Besides  the  lectures  on  theology,  which  are  delivered  in  the  semin- 
ary, Latin  is  also  taught,  and  the  scholars  are  even  instructed  in  read- 
ing. This  business  is  confided  to  young  clergymen,  who  [564]  pursue 
their  studies  to  obtain  the  order  of  priesthood,  and  are  excused  from  cer- 
tain exercises,  without  which  they  would  not  be  qualified  to  take  orders, 
on  account  of  their  being  engaged  in  the  instruction  of  youth.  This 
seminary  forms  the  only  resource  for  Canadian  families,  who  wish  to 
give  their  children  any  degree  of  education,  and  who  may  certainly 
obtain  it  there  for  ready  money. 

Upon  the  whole  the  work  of  education  in  Lower  Canada  is  greatly 
neglected.  At  Sorrel,  and  Trois  Rivieres,  are  a  few  schools,  kept  by 
nuns,  and  in  other  places  men  or  women  instruct  children.  But  the 
number  of  schools  is,  upon  the  whole,  so  very  small,  and  the  mode  of 
instruction  so  defective,  that  a  Canadian  who  can  read  is  a  sort  of  phe- 
nomenon. Prom  the  major  part  of  these  schools  being  governed'  by  nuns 
and  other  women,  the  number  of  the  latter,  who  can  read,  is,  contrary 
to  the  custom  of  other  countries,  much  greater  in  Canada  than  that  of 
men. 

The  English  government  is  charged  with  designedly  keeping  the 
people  of  Canada  in  ignorance;  but  were  it  sincerely  desirous  of  pro- 
ducing an  advantageous  change  in  this  respect,  it  would  have  as  great 
obstacles  to  surmount  on  this  head  as  in  regard  to  agricultural  im- 
provements. 

Page  563.  "  rumour  says  .  .  .  Lord  Dorchester "  "  on  assure  que 
I'inimitig  du  Lord  Dorchester  pour  Lord  Amherst  est  la  veritable  cause 
de  la  jouissiance  laiss^e  au  faux  moine  usurpateur " — "  it  is  stated  as  a 
fact  that  the  enmity  of  Lord  'Dorchester  toward  Lord  Amherst  is  the  real 
cause  of  the  usurping  monk  being  permitted  to  enjoy  these  estates."  "fifteen 
hundred,"  add  "  liv.  sterlings,"  i.e.,  "  pounds  sterling." 

Page   564.  "  Sorrel  " — "  Saurel,"   i.e.,   "  Sorel." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  105 

[565.]  The  feudal  rights  continue  in  the  same  force  in 
Canada  as  previously  to  the  conquest.  The  proprietors,  or  lords  of  the 
manor,  have  alienated  or  alienate  the  lands  on  condition  of  an  annual 
recognition  being  paid  by  the  tenants;  which  amounts  to  a  bushel  or  a 
bushel  and  half  of  grain. 

'At  every  change  in  respect  to  the  occupiers  of  land,  except  in  a 
case  of  a  succession  in  direct  lineage,  the  lord  of  the  manor  levies  a  fee 
of  two  per  cent. ;  and,  in  case  of  sale,  he  not  only  receives  a  twelfth  of 
the  purchase  money,  but  has  also  the  right  of  redeeming  the  estate;  he 
moreover  enjoys  the  exclusive  right  of  building  mills,  where  all  the 
people,  who  inhabit  within  the  precincts  of  the  manor,  are  obliged  to  have 
their  corn  ground. 

The  mills  are  so  few  in  number,  that  frequently  they  are  thirty-six 
miles  distant  from  the  farms.  The  miller's  dues  amount  to  a  fourteenth, 
according  to  law ;  but  the  millers  are  as  clever  in  Lower  Canada  as  else- 
where, and  contrive  to  raise  them  to  a  tenth.  The  bolting  is  performed 
by  the  farmers  in  their  own  houses.  The  mills  are  numerous  in  the 
vicinity  of  Quebec  and  Montreal,  and  belong  to  the  seminary. 

On  lordships  of  the  manor  being  sold,  a  fifth  of  the  purchase- 
money  goes  to  the  crown;  [506]  these  fees  and  charges,  it  will  be 
easily  conceived,  greatly  impede  the  sale  of  estates. 

The  administration  of  justice  is  exactly  the  same  as  in  Upper 
Canada.  In  this  respect  Lower 'Canada  is  divided  into  three  districts, 
The  penal  and  commercial  laws  are  the  same  as  in  England;  but  the 
civil  law  consists  of  the  customs  of  Paris,  modified  by  the  constitutional 
act  of  Canada,  and  by  subsequent  acts  of  the  legislative  power.  Nineteen 
twentieths  of  all  property,  amenable  before  the  courts  of  justice,  belong 
to  merchants.  Criminal  offences  are  very  seldom  committed  in  Canada. 

The  five  thousand  pounds,  which  last  year  were  voted  for  the  ex?- 
pence  of  the  legislature,  &c.,  are  raised  by  means  of  an  excise  on  liquors. 

The  climate  in  Lower  Canada  is  rather  dry,  and  very  cold  in 
winter;  the  sky  is,  at  all  times,  beautifully  clear  and  serene.  In  the 
months  of  January  and  February  Reaumur's  thermometer  stands  gene- 
rally at  twenty  degrees  below  the  freezing  point.  In  1790  it  fell  quite 
below  the  scale,  and  the  quicksilver  retreated  into  the  ball.  In  summer 
some  days  are  excessively  hot,  and  the  thermometer  stands  at  twenty- 
four  degrees ;  this  year  it  mounted  to  twenty-eight.  The  heat  in  summer, 
it  has  been  observed,  becomes  more  intense  [567]  and  continues 

* 

Page  566.  "  penal  .  .  .  laws  " — "  les  loix  criminelles,"  i.e.,  "  the  crim- 
inal laws."  "  the  constitutional  act  of  Canada " — "  1'acte  qui  a  forme"  la 
constitution  du  Canada " — "  the  Act  which  framed  the  constitution  of 
Canada"  (of  course  the  Statute  of  1791,  31  George  III,  cap.  31  is  meant, 
not  an  Act  of  Canada).  After  "below  the  scale,"  add  "qui  est  a  quarante," 
i.e.,.  "which  is  40°  below  zero."  ( — >58°  Fahrenheit). 

N.B. — The  degrees  of  temperature  are  on  Reaumur's  scale,  24°  R=86°  F; 
28°  R  =  95°  F;  —20°  R  —  —13°  F. 


106  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

* 

longer,  and  in  winter  the  cold  grows  more  moderate  than  formerly.  The 
climate  is  healthy;  epidemical  diseases  are  very  rare;  but,  on  account 
of  the  severe  cold,  cancerous  sores  in  the  face  and  hands  are  very  fre- 
quent. The  declination  of  the  magnetic  needle  in  Quebec  is  twelve 
degrees  to  the  west. 

There  exists  no  incorporated  municipality  either  at  Montreal  or 
Quebec.  The  police  of  these  towns  is  managed  by  justices  of  the  peace, 
who  fix  the  price  of  provision,  and  direct  every  public  measure  relative 
to  this  subject.  They  also  meet  once  a  week  for  the  administration  of 
justice,  and  decide  on  petty  offences. 

As  to  charitable  institutions,  they  consist  in  two  hospitals,  one  at 
Montreal,  the  other  at  Quebec,  and  a  lazaretto  at  the  latter  place.  They 
are  inconsiderable  and  badly  managed,  especially  in  regard  to  the  abili- 
ties of  the  physicians  who  attend  the  sick. 

Throughout  all  Canada  there  is  no  public  library,  except  in  Quebec, 
and  this  is  small  and  consists  mostly  of  French  books.  From  the  political 
sentiments  of  the  trustees  and  directors  of  this  library,  it  is  a  matter  of 
astonishment,  to  find  here  the  works  of  the  French  National  Assembly. 
Tt  is  supported  by  voluntary  contribution. 

No  literary  society  exists  in  Canada,  and  not  [568]  three 
men  are  known  in  the  whole  country  to  be  engaged  in  scientific  pur- 
suits from  love  of  the  sciences.  Excepting  the  Quebec  almanack,  not  a 
single  book  is  printed  in  Canada.  Meteorological  observations  are  made 
with  peculiar  care,  but  only  for  his  own  amusement,  by  Doctor  KNOTT, 
physician  to  the  army,'  and  a  man  of  extensive  knowledge. 

Provision  is  much  cheaper  in  Lower  Canada  than  in  the  United 
States;  the  price  of  beef  is  three  or  four  sous  a  pound,  mutton  six,  veal 
five,  and  salt  pork  from  eight  to  twelve  sous.  A  turkey  costs  from 
eighteen  pence  to  two  shillings,  a  fowl  from  six  to  eight  sous,  wheat  from 
six  to  seven  shillings  a  bushel,  oats  three,  Indian  corn  from  five  to  seven, 
salt  one  dollar  a  bushel,  bread  two  sous  a  pound,  and  butter  eight  sous 
[money  of  Canada,  reckoning  the  dollar  at  five  shillings.]  Day-labourers 
generally  earn  in  summer  two  shillings  and  six-pence  a  day,  women  half 
that  money ;  in  winter  the  wages  of  the  former  are  one  shilling  and  three- 
pence a  day.  and  the  latter  are  paid  in  the  same  proportion  as  above.  A 

Page  567.  "  The  police  ...  is  managed  .  .  .  " — "  la  police  .  .  . 
est  faite  .  .  .  ,"  i.e.,  "  the  administration  of  municipal  affairs  is  in  the 
hands  of  .  .  .  ."  "  Provision " — "  pain,"  i.e.,  "  bread."  "  lazaretto " — 
"  hotel-dieu." 

Page  568.  For  "  not  a  single  book "  read  "  hardly,  etc."  (Smith  has 
made  a  note  "'North"  opposite  "  Knott.")  "Two  shillings" — "deux 
schellings  et  demi,"*  i.e.,  "  two  shillings  and  sixpence."  The  passage 
in  parenthesis  should  follow  "  Salt,  one  dollar  a  bushel " — the  French  word 
translated  bushel  is  not  the  usual  "boisseau,"  but  "minot";  the  content  is 
practically  the  same,  as  the  French-Canadian  "  minot  "  is  36.34  litres.  "  Day 
labourers  .  .  .  two  shillings  and  six  pence  .  .  .  ,"  "  deux  schellings 
six  sous,"  i.e.,  "  two  shillings  and  three  pence."  "  Autrefois,  le  sou  etait  la 
cent  vingtieme  partie  de  ce  qui  s'appelait  ici  la  piastre  franchise,  monnaie 
qui  valait  six  francs."  Clapin  "  Dictionnaire  Canadien— Francois,  etc.,  C. 
O.  Beaucheuein  &  Fils,  256  rue  Saint-Paul,  Montreal."  Sub-voc  "sou,"  p.  300. 
"  in  winter  the  wages  ...  as  above "  "  tout  cela  en  ete,  1'hiver  la 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  107 

man-servant  gets  about  five  dollars  a  month.  The  rent  for  a  good  con- 
venient house  amounts  in  Quebec  to  one  hundred  and  thirty  dollars,  and 
in  Montreal  to  one  hundred  and  fifty.  The  price  of  land  has  already 
been  stated. 

[569.]  The  markets,  both  of  Montreal  and  Quebec,  are  but 
moderately  supplied  in  comparison  with  the  abundance  in  the  markets 
of  the  large  towns  in  the  United  'States. 

Mr.  Guillemard  in  his  journal  assigns  to  the  Canadians  the  same 
character,  which  I  have  above  delineated.  The  first  class,  composed  of 
proprietors,  and  people  attached  to  the  British  government,  detest  the 
French  Revolution  in  every  point  of  view,  and  seem  in  this  respect  even 
to  outdo  the  English  ministry.  The  second  class  of  Canadians,  who  form 
a  sort  of  opposition  against  the  proprietors  and  gentry,  applaud  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  French  Revolution,  but  abhor  the  crimes  which  it  has  oc- 
casioned, without  their  attachment  to  France  being  in  the  least  impaired 
by  these  atrocities.  The  third,  or  last  class  love  France  and  the  French 
nation,  without  a  thought  of  the  French  Revolution,  of  which  they 
scarcely  know  anything  at  all. 

Lord  Dorchester  bears  the  character  of  a  worthy  man,  possessed  of 
all  the  vanity  of  a  darling  of  fortune.  His  Lady,  who  is  much  younger 
than  her  husband,  and  determined  not  to  sacrifice  any  of  the  enjoyments 
which  pride  can  afford,  takes  peculiar  care  to  keep  alive  the  vanity  of 
her  Lord.  ********** 
************ 

[57O.]  The  settlements  form,  as  already  mentioned,  a  large 
strip  of  about  seven  or  eight  miles  in  breadth  on  both  banks  of  the 
river.  The  whole  unsettled  country  appertains  to  the  Crown,  which  is 
ever  ready  to  make  any  grants  that  may  be  demanded ;  but  the  formali- 
ties and  reservations  connected  with  them,  deter  many  people  from 
making  application  for  land.  All  the  new  settlers  come  from  New  Eng- 
land. 

On  both  sides  of  the  road  which  leads  from  'St.  John's  to  Quebec, 
near  Lake  St.  Peter,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  towns  of  Montreal  and 
Quebec,  are  some  Indian  villages.  One  of  them  is  Loretto,  five  miles 
from  the  latter  place.  The  Indians  of  Loretto  have  attained,  it  is  as- 

moitie  moins " — "  these  are  the  wages  in  summer,  in  winter  they  are  a 
half  less."  "  Convenient "  is  an  interpolation. 

Page  569.  "  proprietors  " — "  seigneurs."  "  darling  of  fortune  " — "  par- 
venu." The  starred  passage  reads  "Les  pretres  sont  en  Canada,  ce  qu'ils 
sont  presque  par-tout;  intrigans,  bas,  adorateurs  et  soutiens  du  pouveir 
arbitraire,  parce  qu'il  peut  donner  au  clerge  et  etendre  son  influence  et  que, 
comme  1'eglise,  il  ne  permet  ni  reflexion  ni  raisonnement "  "The  priests 
are  the  same  in  Canada  as  almost  everywhere,  intriguing,  despicable,  wor- 
shippers and  supporters  of  arbitrary  power,  because  it  is  able  to  enrich 
the  clergy  and  extend  its  influence,  and  because  like  the  church  it  allows 
neither  reflexion  nor  reasoning." 

Page  570.  "  of  about  seven  or  eight  miles  " — "  depuis  un  jusqu'a  sept  a 
huit  milles,"  i.e.,  "  from  one  to  seven  or  eight  miles."  "  All  the  new 
settlers "  "  le  petit  nombre  de  nouveaux  settlers "  "  the  small  number  of 
new  settlers."  "  St.  John's  " — "  Johnstown."  "  Loretto  " — "  Laurette." 


108  LA  ROCHEFQUCAULT. 

serted,  the  last  stage  of  civilization,  at  least  in  the  point  of  corruptness 
of  morals  and  manners.  No  other  Indian  village  can,  in  tfyis  respect 
rival  Loretto.* 

These  Indians,  who  on  working-days  dress  like  the  Canadians,  wear 
on  feasts  and  Sundays  their  usual  dress.  They  cultivate  their  fields  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  whites,  live  like  them,  and  speak  the  same  lan- 
guage; they  are  of  the  Eoman  [571]  Catholic  persuasion,  and  a  curate 
resides  in  the  village. 

The  settlements,  which  carry  a  more  Indian  appearance  than  this 
village,  are  farther  distant,  and  not  numerous.  On  descending  the  River 
St.  Lawrence  you  meet  with  a  more  slaty  soil,  and  in  the  vicinity  of 
Thousand  Islands  with  a  range  of  rocks  of  granite.  These  isles  appar- 
ently consist  of  granite  of  a  reddish  colour,  well  crystallized,  and  the 
chief  component  piart  of  which  is  feldtspar.  In  Kadanoghqui,  between 
Kingston  and  Thousand  Islands,  a  species  of  steatite  is  found,  consider- 
able veins  of  which  are  said  to  be  discovered  in  the  neighbourhood.  The 
reddish  granite  of  Thousand  Islands  is  interspersed  with  more  perfect 
granite  of  a  larger  grain,  which  is  very  common  in  countries  consisting 
of  this  sort  of  stone,  such  as  the  Alps,  the  Scotch  Highlands,  and  others 
of  less  moment,  but  of  the  same  description. 

The  rapidity,  with  which  Mr.  Guillemard  descended  the  River  St. 
Lawrence,  prevented  him  from  examining  the  species  of  stone  of  which 
its  banks  are  formed.  But  at  ^Montreal  he  had  sufficient  leisure  to  enquire 
into  the  mineralogy  of  the  country.  It  consists,  north  of  the  River  St. 
Lawrence,  chiefly  of  lime-sbone ;  in  the  south,  where  the  little  populous 
village  La  Prairie  is  [572]  situated,  you  find,  besides,  a  sort  of  chert, 
nothing  very  remarkable  on  this  head. 

.  The  Island  of  St.  Helena,  a  little  below  Montreal,  consists  of  this 
stone.  On  the  banks  of  the  river  large  masses  of  granite,  quartz,  and 
pudding-stone  are  found,  which  seem  disjoined  from  the  beds  to  which 
they  formerly  belonged,  and  which  cannot  now  be  discovered.  The  soil 
on  the  mountains  is  rich  and  fertile,  and  full  of  quarries  of  lime-stone. 
Mines  of  pit-coal  are  said  to  have  been  discovered  in  these  mountains. 

The  houses  in  Montreal  are  mostly  built  of  lime-stone  of  a  dark 
colour  and  very  compact  structure.  It  whitens  in  the  fire,  and  assumes 
a  greyish  colour,  when  exposed  to  the  air  and  sun. 

*Loretto,  a  small  village  of  Christian  Indians  of  the  Huron  Tribe, 
north-west  of  Quebec,  has  its  name  from  a  chapel  built  after  the  model  of 
the  Santa  'Casa  at  Loretto  in  Italy,  whence  an  image  of  the  Holy  Virgin  has 
been  sent  to  the  converts  here,  resembling  that  in  the  famous  Italian 
sanctuary. — Translator. 

Page  570.  "  their  usual  dress  " — "  leur  habit  original,"  i.e.,  "  their  national 
dress." 

Page*  57}..  "  carry  a  more  Indian  appearance  "  "  un  peu  plus  re'ellement 
Indiens  "  "  a  little  more  truly  Indian."  "  little  populous  "  is  an  interpolation. 

Page  572.  "  you  find  ...  head  "  "  il  n'y  a  gu&res  que  des  puddings 
qui  ressemblent  beaucoup  a  cette  espece  de  roc  quartz  eux,  connu  en  Angle- 
terre  sous  le  nom  de  chert " — "  there  are  only  a  few  "  puddings  "  which 
closely  resemble  that  form  of  quartz  rock  known  in  England  as  chert." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  109 

The 'river  Sorrel,  after  having  left  the  basin  by  Chamblee,  flows  along 
the  foot  of  a  broad  and  high  range  of  mountains,  called  Beloeil.  Between 
this  river  and  the  river  St.  Lawrence  expands  a  vast  plain,  on  which 
neither  a  rock  nor  stone  is  to  be  found.  On  digging  up  the  ground  you 
find  to  a  considerable  depth  strata  of  different  sorts  of  earth,  sand,  clay, 
vegetable  earth,  and  in  many  places  another  kind  of  black  vegetative 
earth,  which  bears  a  close  resemblance  to  peat. 

The  summit  of  the  mountain  Beloeil  consists  of  granite  of  a  dark 
grey  colour  and  a  strong  [573]  grain.  It  contains  little  mica, 
but  much  schoerl.  The  declivity  on  both  sides  of  the  summit  consists  of 
slate  of  a  very  compact  texture;  some  pieces  resemble  basalt  in  shape 
and  grain. 

On  descending  the  Sorrel,  you  see  not  a  single  rock,  and  the  banks 
of  this  river,  which  the  English  at  present  call  William  Henry,  consist 
of  a  fine  micaceous  loam. 

If  you  cross  St.  Peter's  Lake  on  your  way  to  the  Trois  Rivieres,  the 
ground  rises  in  a  striking  manner  in  the  form  of  terraces ;  but  no  rocks 
meet  your  view.  The  sandy  banks  of  the  Trois  Rivieres  bespeak  a  poor 
soil,  exhausted  by  cultivation,  and  deprived  of  the  vegetable  earth.  Marl 
of  a  blueish  colour  has  fortunately  been  discovered  under  the  sand,  which 
has  much  contributed  to  restore  the  fertility  of  the  ground.  This  marl 
is  of  a  fine  gain,  very  compact  and  light;  it  lies  above  the  level  of  the 
stream  below  the  town  of  Trois  Rivieres. 

A  few  miles  thence,  farther  on  in  the  country,  are  the  only  iron 
works  in  Canada ;  the  ore  is  found  in  several  places  in  the  neighbourhood.  • 
It  is  bog-ore  and  said  to  yield  very  good  iron. 

Lime-stone  is  found  as  far  as  Quebec ;  its  farther  extent  is  not  known. 
CEt  is  of  various  forms  and  qualities;  in  some  places  very  hard  and 
compact;  in  others  in  the  state  of  calcareous  spar.  [574,]  The 
colour  passes,  by  imperfect  shades,  from  reddish  light  brown  to  a  dark 
blue,  approaching  to  black. 

South  of  the  river  St.  Lawence,  near  the  bason-falls,  lime-stone?  is 
still  found;  but  the  ground  consists  chiefly  of  strata  of  a  black,  clayey 
slate,  of  a  fine  grain,  interspersed  with  beds  of  lime-stone.  The  con- 
glomerations, which  form  the  banks  of  the  river,  are  of  the  same  nature 

Page  672.  "Sorrel" — "  Sorel."  "  Chamblee  " — "  Chambly  "  "nor  stone" 
— " presqu'aucune  pierre,"  i.e.,  "hardly  a  stone."  "vegetative" — "vegetale," 
i.e.,  "  vegetable."  "  strong  grain  " — "  a  gros  grains,"  i.e.,  "  with  large  grains." 

Page    573.  "iSchoerl  " — "schorl     noir,"     i.e.,     "black       schorl"       (black 

.tourmaline),      "slate" — "d'un    schiste    gris    noir,    et    tres-compact,"    i.e., 

"  schist,  black-gray  and  very  compact."     "  Fine  micaceous  loam  " — "  Friec 

micaceous  loam,"  the  first  word  a  misprint.    "  Above  the  level  of  the  stream" 

— "  a  la  surface  de  lai  terre,"  i.e.,  "  on  the  surface  of  the  earth." 

Page  574.  "  approaching  to  black " — "  et  meme  noir,"  i.e.,  "  and  even 
black."  "  bason  falls  " — "  la  chute  de  chaudiere,"  i.e.,  "  the  Chaudiere  Falls." 
"still  found,"  read  "again  found."  After  "lime-stone1"  (where  first 
occurring  on  this  page1)  add  "  II  y  a  dans  ces  lits  beaucoup  d'une  matiere 
rouge,  tendre,  argilleuse,"  i.e.,  "  In  these  beds  (of  limestone)  is  to  be 
found  much  of  a  red,  friable,  clayey  substance." 


HO  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  * 

as  the  adjoining  strata,  intermixed  with  different  sorts  of  schoerl  and 
granite,  which  must  have  been  washed  to  this  spot  from  more  elevated 
parts  of  the  country. 

The  rock,  on  which  stands  the  citadel  of  Quebec,  is  called  the  Dia- 
mond-rock, on  account  of  several  of  its  fissures  and  cavities  containing 
spars,  which  by  ignorant  people  are  esteemed  precious  stones.  This  rock 
consists  chiefly  of  strata  of  limestone,  which  is  in  general  very  compact, 
and  a  dark-grey  colour. 

Over  the  plain  lying  farther  up  the  country,  called  Abram's  plain, 
lime-stone  and  large  masses  of  granite  are  scattered,  which  are  pecu- 
liarly remarkable  on  account  of  the  great  quantity  of  schoerl  they  con- 
tain. Near  the  river  you  find  various  sorts  of  pebbles,  free-stone, 
granite,  quartz,  with  some  slate  and  lime-stone. 

In  Wolfslove  the  strata  of  stone  consist  of  a  [575]  black 
slate,  forming  an  obtuse  angle  with  the  horizon.  In  the  vicinity  of 
Quebec  most  of  these  layers  have  a  more  perpendicular  direction  towards 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  than  in  more  western  countries.  The  high 
mountains  north-east  of  Quebec  are  said  to  consist  of  granite.  Mr.  Gruil- 
lemard  has  not  seen  them;  near  the  falls  of  Montmorency  and  some- 
what farther  up,  the  strata  consist  of  lime-stone,  and  their  direction 
runs  nearly  parallel  with  the  horizon. 

Accounts  of  the  Fur-trade,  extracted  from  the  journal  of  Count 
j  Andriani,  of  Milan,  who  travelled  in  the  interior  parts  of 

America  in  the  year  1791. 

The  most  important  places  for  the  fur-trade  are  the  following, 
viz. : — 

Niagara,   Lake   Ontario,  Detroit,  Lake   Erie,  Michillimakkinak,   Lake 
Huron,  yielding  1,200  bundles  mixed  peltry.  0 

Michipicoton  .  . . 40  bundles  fine  peltry. 

Pic 30  ditto. 

Alampicon  #4  ditto. 

Near  the  great  carrying-place  or  portage  . .  1400  ditto. 

Bottom  of  the  lake 20  ditto. 

[576]  Point  of  the  lake 20  ditto. 

Bay  of  Guivaranun 15  ditto. 

Page  574.  "  spars  " — "  des  crystaux  de  quarz,"  i.e.,  "  quartz-crystals." 
"  Lying  farther  up  the  country " — "  audessus,"  i.e.,  "  above."  "  Abram's 
plain  " — «  ia  piaine  d' Abraham."  "  In  Wolfslove  " — "  A  Wolfslove,"  misprint 
for  "  Wolf's  Cove." 

Page  575.  "  (More  Western  countries  " — "  lea  pays  plus  a  1'ouest,"  i.e., 
"the  parts  further  west."  "Near  the  great  carrying-place  or  portage"— 
"  Grand  portage."  "  Bottom  of  the  lake  "— "  Fond  du  lac." 

Page  576.  "  Point  of  the  lake  " — "  La  Pointe."  "  Guivaranum  " — "  Guloa- 
vanan." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  HI 

The  skins  of  beavers,  otters,  martens,  and  wild  cats,  are  called  fine 
peltry. 

Mixed  peltry  are  furs,  consisting  of  a  mixture  of  the  finer  sorts 
with  a  larger  number  of  skins  of  wolves,  foxes,  buffaloes,  deers,  bears. 

The  finest  peltry  is  collected  north-west  of  the  lakes  in  the  British 
dominions;  the  furs  grow  coarser  in  proportion  as  you  approach  nearer 
the  lakes. 

This  fur-trade  is  carried  on  by  a  company,  known  by  the  name  of 
the  North-west  Company,  and  two  or  three  other  small  companies. 

The  north-west  company,  which  is  generally  esteemed  a  privileged 
company,  has  no  charter ;  for  the  preponderance,  which  it  enjoys  in  this 
trade,  it  is  merely  indebted  to  the  large  capital,  which  it  employs  in  the 
trade,  to  the  unanimity  of  the  members,  to  their  unwearied  exertion,  and 
to  the  monopoly,  which  the  company  has  appropriated  to  itself  in  conse- 
quence of  the  above  circumstances.  '*  ' 

Its  formation  took  place  in  the  year  1782,  and  originated  from 
the  commercial  operations  of  some  eminent  merchants,  who  used  to  carry 
on  the  trade  in  the  country,  situated  beyond  Lake  [577]  Winnipey, 
and  especially  Messrs.  FORBISHER  and  MACTARISH,  who  reside  at 
Montreal.  The  signal  success,  which  this  company  met  with,  soon  ex- 
cited the  jealousy  of  other  merchants,  and  ere  long  three  different  com- 
panies made  their  appearance  at  the  great  carrying-place,  and  rivalled 
each  other  in  the  purchase  of  furs  with  a  degree  of  emulation,  which 
could  not  but  prove  highly  detrimental  to  themselves  and  advantageous 
to  the  Indians.  The  north-west  company,  being  more  opulent  than  the 
rest,  made  use  of  its  wealth  to  ruin  its  competitors;  no  stone  was  left 
unturned;  the  agents  of  the  company's  rivals  were  bribed  and  seduced; 
and  the  animosity  between  the  different  traders  rose  to  such  a  height, 
that  they  frequently  proceeded  to  blows.  This  petty  warfare,*lliich  cost 
several  lives  and  large  sums  of  money,  at  length  opened  the  eyes  of  the 
rival  companies.  They  became  sensible  of  the  necessity  of  uniting  in 
one  body,  and  the  north-west  company,  essentially  interested  in  pre- 
venting any  further  molestation  of  this  trade,  made  several  sacrifices, 
to  attain  this  end.  They  formed  a  connection  with  different  members 
of  the  other  companies,  admitted  other  merchants  to  a  share  in  their 
trade  and  thus  secured  their  extensive  commerce  with  the  country  situ- 
ated [578]  north-west  of  the  lakes,  the  only  spot  where  fine  peltry  can 
be  had  in  abundance. 

Several  thousands  of  Indians  formerly  conveyed  their  furs  to  the 
great  carrying-place.  But  at  present  the  company  send  their  agents  a 
thousand  miles  into  the  interior  parts  of  the  Indian  possessions.  It 

Page  576.  After  "bears,"  add  "etc."  "  Charter "— "  privilege."  "Com- 
mercial operations  " — i.e.,  reunion,"  i.e.,  "  union." 

Page  577.  "Mactarish " — "Mactavish."  (This  mistake  is  madeJ  several 
times  later  as  well  as  here  and  above.)  "Great  carrying-place" — "Grand 
portage." 


J.12  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

frequently  happens,  that  these  agents  continue  there  two  years,  before 
they  return  with  the  peltry,  they  have  purchased,  to  the  great  carrying 
place. 

The  company  employ  about  two  thousand  men  in  carrying  on  this 
traffic  in  .the  interior  of  the  Indian  country,  which  is,  however,  so  ex- 
tremely barren,  that  whatever  articles  these  agents  stand  in  need  of 
either  for  their  clothing  or  subsistence,  must  be  sent  thither  from  Mon- 
treal with  considerable  difficulties  and  trouble,  and,  of  consequence,  at 
an  excessive  price, 

Near  the  great  carrying-place,  where  all  these  agents  meet,  and 
which  is  the  central  point  of-  this  trade,  stands  a  fort,  which  is  kept  in 
good  repair,  and  garrisoned  with  fifty  men. 

The  post  of  Michillimakkinak  is  the  rallying  point  of  the  different 
Canadian  merchants,  who  do  not  belong  to  the  north-west  company.  Their 
agents  traffic  only  with  such  parts,  as  are  seated  west  and  south-west  of 
the  lakes,  and  where  the  [579]  furs  are  of  an  inferior  quality. 
They  carry  on  this  trade  in  the  same  manner  as  the  north-west  company, 
but  as  these  small  companies  are  less  opulent  than  the  former,  their 
agents  penetrate  not  so  far  into  the  interior  of  the  country,  as  those  of 
the  north-west  company. 

The  agents  set  out  from  Montreal  in  the  month  of  June,  and  are 
six.  weeks  going  to  the  fort  near  the  great  carrying-place.  They  embark 
at  Montreal  in  boats,  forming  parties  of  eight  or  ten  persons,  proceed 
on  the  river  St.  Lawrence  from,  China  to  the  Lake  of  the  Two  Moun- 
tains ;  descend  the  river  Utacoha ;  cross  Lake  Mpissing ;  pass  by  the 
French  Eiver  into  Lake  Huron;  proceed  to  Fort  Michillimakkinak;  and 
thence  to  the  great  carrying-place. 

This  way  is  shorter  by  a  hundred  miles  than  by  the  lakes,  but  you 
meet  wiiJ^ihirty-six  carrying  places,  several  of  which  lie  across  rocks, 
over  which  the  boats  as  well  as  the  cargoes  must  be  carried  on  the  backs 
of  the  passengers,  and  that  with  great  precaution,  on  account  of  the 
narrowness  of  the  roads.  The  boats  are  but  of  four  tons  burthen;  they 
are  navigated  by  nine  men,  cost  twenty-eight  Louis  d'or  each',  and  serve 
but  for  one  voyage. 

The  ships  employed  in  the  passage  across  the  lakes,  are  from  one 
hundred  and  twenty  to  one  [58O]  hundred  and  thirty  tons  burthen.  Flat 
bottomed  vessels  of  fifteen  tons  are  also  made  use  of  for  this  purpose, 
"  which  are  easily  managed  by  four  or  five  men,  and  are  very  durable. 

Page  579.  "  Agents  set  out,  etc." — "expeditions."  "Six  weeks,"  prefix 
"about."  After  "great  carrying  place"  (i.e.,  Grand  Portage),  add  "II  faut 
quelques  jours  de  moins  pour  arriver  a  celui  de  Michilimackinack,"  i.e., 
"  It  takes  a  few  days  less  to  get  to  Michilimacinac."  "  Eight  or  ten  per- 
sons," "  persons "  is  an  interpolation,  the  reference  is  to  the  number  of 
canoes  (boats)  not  of  voyageurs.  "China" — "la  Chine,"  i.e.,  "  Lachine." 
"  descend  " — "  remontant/'  i.e.,  "  ascend."  "  Cross  Lake  Nipissing  " — 
"par  elle  au  lac  Nipissin,"  i.e.,  "toy  this  (viz.,  the  river  Ottawa  or  Utawa, 
misprinted  Utacoha)  to  Lake  Nipissing." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  113 

Notwithstanding  the  ad  vantages,  offered  by  this  passage,  the  former 
routers  preferred  for  the  fur-trade,  because,  although  it  is  attended  with 
much  trouble,  yet  it  admits  of  the  day  of  departure  as  well  as  the  ar- 
rival being  fixed  with  certainty  and  exactness,  which  point,  on  account 
of  the  wind,  cannot  be  attained  on  passing  over  the  lakes,  and  yet  is 
of  the  utmost  importance  for  the  Canada  merchants,  as  they  must  neither 
miss  the  period  of  receiving  the  furs  from  the  interior  of  the  Indian 
territory,  nor  that  of  expediting  them  for  Europe ;  the  navigation  of  the 
river  St.  Lawrence  not  being  open  for  a  long  time. 

About  the  end  of  June  the  agents  of  the  company,  sent  into  the 
interior  to  trade  with  the  Indians,  cause  the  articles  purchased  to  be 
transported  to  their  place  of  rendezvous. 

At  this  time  upwards  of  one  thousand  men  are  frequently  assembled 
in  Miohillimakkinak,  who  either  arrive  from  Canada  to  receive  the  peltry, 
or  are  agents  of  the  company  and  Indians,  who  assist  the  former  in  con- 
veying thither  the  furs  they  have  bought. 

[581.]  As  the  trade  of  the  north-west  company  is  far  more 
important,  than  that  of  the  other  traders,  the  number  of  people,  as- 
sembled in  the  fort  near  the  great  carrying-place  is  of  consequence  far 
more  considerable  at  the  time  of  the  delivery  of  the  skins ;  in  this  place 
there  is  frequently  a  concourse  of  one  thousand  people  and  upwards. 

The  method,  observed  by  the  agents  in  their  traffic  with  the  Indians, 
is  this,  that  they  begin  with  intoxicating  them  with  rum,  to  over-reach 
them  with  more  facility  in  the  intended  business.  The  agents  carry  on 
this  traffic  in  those  villages  only,  where  there  are  no  other  merchants. 

It  is  a  circumstance,  worthy  of  notice, 'that  an  ancient  French  law, 
enacted  at  .the  time,  when  Canada  belonged  to  France,  prohibits  any 
rum  to  be  sold  to  the  Indians  by  the  agents  on  pain  of  the  galleys. 
Hence  originates  the  custom,  still  observed  at  this  day,  of  giving  it 
away ;  yet  this  is  not  done  without  exception,  for  many  agents  sell  their 
rum. 

The  one  thousand  four  hundred  bundles  of  fine  peltry,  from  the 
great  carrying-place,  which  according  to  the  price,  paid  to  the  petty 
traders  in  Montreal,  who  collect  them  in  small  numbers,  are  valued  at 
forty  pounds  sterling  each,  and  which  by  the  company  are  sent  to  Lon- 
don, fetch  there  eighty-eight  thousand  pounds  sterling.  They  form 
[582]  about  a  moiety  of  all  the  fine  peltry,  yearly  exported  from 
Canada,  without  taking  into  the  account  the  furs  sent  from  Labrador, 
frem  the  Bay  of  Chaleurs  and  Gaspe  or  Gachepe. 

For  these  one  thousand  four  hundred  bundles  the  north-west  com- 
pany pay  about  sixteen  thousand  pounds  sterling,  and  for  the  proceeds 
thereof  such  articles  are  purchased  in  England,  as  the  Indians  are  fond 
of  receiving  in  exchange  for  their  peltry,  and  the  chief  store-house  of 

Page  580.  "expediting  them  for  Europe"  "  leur  expedition  en  Europe" 
''  their  despatch  for  Europe." 

Page  581.  "  one  thousand  people  " — "  deux  niilles,"  i.e.,  "  two  thousand." 
Page  582.  "  Gaspe  or  Gachepe  " — "  Gaspy." 
9  T.c. 


114  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

which  is  at  Montreal.  As  the  accounts  relative  to  this  trade  are  generally 
kept  in  Canada  in  French  money,  the  above  sixteen  thousand  pounds 
sterling  must  be  computed  in  the  same  manner,  as  this  actually  has  been 
done  by  Count  Andriani  in  his  journal. 

1.  Commodities  purchased  in  England   Hv.      354,000 

2.  Pay  for  forty  guides,  interpreters,  and  conductors  of 

the  expedition* 88,000 

3.  Pay  for  one  thousand  one  hundred  men,  who  are  em- 

ployed in  the  [583]  traffic  in  the  interior  of  the 
country,  and  who  pass  the  winter  there,  without  re- 
turning to  Montreal,  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
livres  for  each 1,980,000 

4.  Pay  for  one  thousand  four  hundred  men,  employed  in 

descending  the  river  with  the  boats  from  the 
great  portage  to  Montreal,  and  ascending  it  from 
this  place  thither,  and  transporting  the  merchan- 
dize    350,000 

5.  Price  of  the  provision,  consumed  on  the  passage  from 

Montreal  to  the  great  carrying-place,  and  at  the 

latter  place,  upon  an  average  per  year 4,000 


Total  amount  of  all  the  expence,  incurred  by  the  company 
for  one  thousand  four  hundred  bundles  fine 
peltry liv.  2,776,000 

On  comparing  the  eight-eight  thousand  pounds  sterling,  which  the 
sale  of  these  furs  produces  in  London,  with  these  two  millions  seven 
hundred  and  seventy-six  thousand  livres,  it  should  [584]  seem 
that  the  company  sustains  a  loss  of  six  hundred  thousand  livres*  Tour- 
nois.  But  this  loss  is  merely  apparent,  as  will  be  obvious  from  the  fol- 
lowing statement. 

The  pay  of  the  men,  employed  in  the  trade  as  mentioned  in  the 
above  account  is  merely  nominal ;  for  excepting  the  forty  guides  and  one 
.thousand  four  hundred  men,  who  are  employed  in  ascending  and  de- 
scending the  river  with  the  boats,  who  receive  half  their  wages  in  cash, 
all  the  rest  are  paid  entirely  in  merchandize,  which  at  the  great  carry- 
ing-place yields  a  profit  of  fifty  per  cent. 

*  Every  boat's  company,  consisting  of  eight  or  ten  persons,  has  a  guide; 
there  is  also  a  chief  guide  in  every  harbour,  where  they  winter.  They  afe 
all  inhabitants  of  Canada,  and  receive  each  two  thousand  five  hundred 
livres. — Author.  (This  is  wrongly  translated — the  French  reads  "  chaque 
equipage  def  huit  a  dix  canots  a  un  guide  .  .  ."  i.e.,  "  Each  flotilla  of 
eight  to  ten  canoes,  has  a  guide  .  .  .") 

Page  582.  After  "  Montreal,"  add  "  et  pour  le  prix  d#  leur  transport 
d'Angleterre  a  Montreal,"  i.e.,  "  and  for  the  cost  of  transporting  them  from 
England  to  Montreal."  NOTE. — "  inhabitants  of  Canada  " — "  Canadiens,"  i.e., 
"  (French)  Canadians." 

Page  584.  "one  thousand  four  hundred  men" — "400  hommes,"  i.e.,  "400 
men." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  115 

The  merchandize,  imported  on  behalf  of  this  trade  to  the  above 
amount  of  three  hundred  and  fifty-four  thousand  livres,  consists  of 
woollen  blankets,  coarse  cloths,  thread  and  worsted  ribbands  of  different 
colours,  vermilion,  porcelain  bracelets,  silver  trinkets,  firelocks,  shot, 
gunpowder,  and  especially  rum.  In  fort  Detroit  these  articles  are  sold 
for  three  times  their  usual  value  in  Montreal,  in  Fort  Michillimakkinak 
four  times  dearer,  at  the  great  carrying-place  eight  times,  at  Lake  Win- 
nipeg sixteen  times ;  nay  the  agents  fix  the  price  still  higher  at  their  will 
and  pleasure. 

As  the  men,  employed  in  this  trade,  are  paid  in  merchandize,  which 
the  company  sells  with  an  enormous  profit,  it  is  obvious  at  how  cheap  a 
[585]  rate  these  people  are  paid.  They  purchase  of  the  com- 
pany every  article,  they  want;  it  keeps  with  them  an  open  account,  and 
as  they  all  winter  in  the  interior  of  the  country  and  beyond  lake  Win- 
nipeg, they  pay,  of  consequence,  excessively  dear  for  the  blankets,  and 
the  clothes,  which  they  bring  with  them  for  their  wives.  These  servants 
of  the  company  are  in  general  extravagant,  given  to  drinking  and  excess ; 
and  these  are  exactly  the  people  whom  the  company  wants.  The  specu- 
lation on  the  excesses  of  these  people  is  carried  so  far,  that  if  one  of 
them  happened  to  lead  a  regular,  sober  life,  he  is  burthened  with  the 
most  laborious  work,  until  by  continual  ill-treatment  he  is  driven  to 
drunkenness  and  debauchery,  which  vices  cause  the  rum,  blankets  and 
trinkets  to  be  sold  to  greater  advantage.  In  1791,  nine  hundred  of  these 
menial  servants  owed  the  company  more  than  the  amount  of  ten  or  fif- 
teen .years  pay. 

This  is  in  a  few  words  the  system  of  the  company,  at  the  head  of 
which  are  Messrs.  Forbisher  and  Mactarish,  who  possess  twenty-four 
shares  of  the  forty-six,  of  which  the  company  consists.  The  rest,  divided 
into  smaller  portions,  are  distributed  among  other  merchants  in  Mon- 
treal, who  either  transact  business  with  the  company  [586]  or  other- 
wise do  not  concern  themselves  in  their  affairs. 

The  north-west  company  is  to  subsist  six  years;  at  the  expiration 
of  which  time  the  dividends  are  to  be  paid  to  the  share-holders;  until 
that  time  they  remain  with  the  capital. 

Page  i584.  "  dearer,"  omit.  "  great  carrying-place,"  "  au  grand  portage." 
"  Winnipeg " — "  Winnipey."  "  Nay,  the  agents  fix  the  price  still  higher 
.  .  .  " — "  et  plus  haut  le  prix  en  est  fixe"  arbitrairement  par  les  chefs 
traitans,"  i.e.,  "  And  further  up  the  price  is  fixed  at  their  will  and  pleasure 
by  the  chief  traders." 

Page  585.  Before  "beyond  lake  Winnipeg"  read  "generally."  After 
"  excessively  dear "  add  "  le  rhum  qu'ils  boivent,"  i.e.,  "  for  the  rum  they 
drink"  "  the  clothes  which  they  bring  with  them  for  their  wives "  "  les 
draps  qu'ils  donnent  a  leurs  femmes,  etc.,  etc."  "the  cloth  which  they 
give  to  their  wives,  etc.,  etc.'  "  Menial  servants  " — "  employes  " — occurring 
twice.  "  Mactarish  " — "  Mactavish." 


116  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT . 

Total  amount  of  the  Fur-trade. 

The  whole  amount  of  the  peltry,  which  the  north-west  com- 
pany receives  from  the  great  carrying-place  and  exports 

from  Canada,  is  estimated  at , £88,000 

From  the  Bay  of  Chaleurs,  Gaspe,  -and  Labrador 60,000 

From  different  places  in  the  interior,  with  which  the  trade 
is  carried  on  by  a  certain  number  of  merchants,  who  have 
associated  in  Michillimakkinak 60,000 

Total  ........... .........       £208,000 

That  branch  of  this  extensive  trade,  which  is  carried  on  by  small 
companies  in  such  parts,  as  are  situated  below  the  lakes,  is  likely  soon 
to  fall  into  the  hands  of  merchants  in  the  United  States,  as  the  free 
navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  stipulated  [587]  in  the  treaty  with 
Spain,  opens  a  more  expeditious,  a  safer  and  less  expensive  outlet  for 
those  commodities,  and  a  more  easy  importation  by  New  Orleans  to  all 
the  marts  of  the  United  States. 

Amount  of  the  Merchandize,  exported  from  the  Province  of  Canada  in 

the  Year  1786. 


Eye,  103,824  bushels,  valued  at  

.  .  .  £20,764 

0 

0 

Flour,  10,476  bushels  

.  .  .     12,571 

0 

0 

Biscuit,  9,317  hundred-weight  

6,05& 

0 

0 

Flax-seed,  10,171  bushels  

...       2>,034 

4 

0 

Oats,  4,015  bushels  

516 

0 

0 

Pease,  304  bushels  

62 

16 

0 

Timber  , 

706 

0 

0 

Masts,  staves,  planks,  shingles  .  

.;«/     3,262 

0 

0 

Potashes  .   .   , 

...       1,724 

0 

0 

Maiden  hair  (adianthum  capillus  veneris,  Linn.)  .  .  .  , 

186 

?o 

0 

Horses,  sixty-seven  

670 

0 

0 

Cast  iron  .""  

,..,      1,200 

0 

0 

Spruce-essence  for  beer  , 

211 

0 

0 

Shook  casks  , 

516 

0 

0 

Banala,    1984   hundred-weight    

-    1,289 

8 

0 

Page  586.  The  pounds  named  on  this  page  are  '?  sterling."  "  Gaspe  " — 
"  Gaspy."  "  who  have  associated  in  iM."  "  dont  le  point  de  reunion  est  M," 
i.e.,  "whose  place  of  meeting  is  M." 

Page  587.  After  "the  United  States"  add  "11  est  a  pr6sumer 
encore  que  quelques  marchands  ame'ricains  se  meleront  aussi  du  commerce 
de  ipelleteries  fines,  et  leur  donneront  une  direction  vers  le  sud 
beaucoup  moins  dispendieuse  pour  quelques-uns  des  points  ou  Ton 
peut  les  obtenir  que  le  debouch6  de  Montreal  par  les  lacs.  Le  terns 
et  les  succ&s  des  premieres  tentatives  pourront  seuls  faire  connaltre 
de  duel  profit  sous  ce  rapport  1'Amerique  pourra  priver  1'Angleterre,"  i.e., 
"  It  is  to  be  expected  that  some  of  the  American  merchants  will  take  a  hand 
in  the*  fine  fur  trade  and  give  these  finer  furs  a  direction  to  the  south; 
this  would  be  much  less  expensive  for  some  of  the  points  where  such  furs 
can  ibe  procured  than  by  way  of  Montreal  and  the  lake's.  Only  time  and 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  117 

^almon 759  0  0 

Potatoes  .    .    .    .    .    55  6  0 

Smoaked   salmon    .     .    ' . 68  15  0 

[588]  Onions '. 300  0  0 

Pork 376  0  0 

Beef.    .    . 310  0  0 

Train  oil 3,700  0  0 

Salt  fish  and  peltry  from  Labrador,  from  the  Bay  of 
Chaleurs  and  Gaspe,  according  to  the  list  transmitted 

by  Governor  'Coxe 60,000  0  0 

Amount  of  the  peltry  which  comes  from  the  great  lakes, 
from  the  factories  of  the  north-west  company,  and 

other  places,  according  to  the  under-mentioned  detail  225,977  0  0 

Sum  total £343,214     90 

being  the  amount  entered  in  the  customs-house  books  of  Canada. 

A  detailed  Account  of  the  different  sorts  of  Peltry,  exported  from 

Cdhada  in  the  Year  1786. 
6,213  foxes  skins. 
116,623  beavers. 
23,684  otters. 
5,959  minks. 
3,958  weasels. 
17,713  bears. 
[589.]  1,659  young  bears. 

126.079  dear  skins  in  the  hair, 
202,719  castors, 
10,854  racoon. 
2,277  wild  cat-skins,  loose. 
3,702  ditto  in  bundles. 
0  7,555  elk. 
*12,923  wolves. 
506  whelps. 
64  tygers. 
15,007  seal-skins. 
480  squirrel. 

the  success  of  the  first  attempts  can  show  of  what  profit  in  this  respect 
America  can  deprive  England."  .  ... 

Before  the  table  read  "Une  livre  sterling  erst  de  20  schellings,  cinq 
sehellings  font  une  piastre  forte  ou  dollar,"  i.e.,  "one  pound  sterling  is 
20  shillings;  five  shillings  make  a  "piastre  forte,  or  a  dollar": — a  clear 
mistake,  5s.  currency  made*  a  dollar. 

"  Cast-iron  " — "  Ginseng." 

"Rye" — "Froment"  i.e.,  "wheat"  "(adianthum  capillus  veneris, 
Linn.)"  is  an  interpolation,  "shook  casks" — " shook  casles,"  a  misprint. 

Page  588.  "  Train-oil "— " Huile  de  poisson,"  i.e.,  "fish  oil."  Train-oil 
is  "  huile  de  baleine." 

"Weasels"— "  (Fisher)-."  ;      . 

Page  589.  "Castors" — "chats  musques,"  i.e.,  "  muskrats."  "Whelps" — 
"  jeunes  loups,"  i.e.,  "  young  wolves." 


118  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

Although  a  variety  of  circumstances,  incident  to  the  chace,  occa- 
sioned by  the  weather,  or  originating  in  the  sentiments  of  the  Indians, 
cannot  but  produce  variations  in  regard  to  the  quantities  of  peltry 
yearly  received,  yet  the  results  of  the  years  1787,  1788,  1789,  1790,  and 
1791,  nearly  correspond  with  those  of  1786;  a  circumstance,  which  as  it 
happens  in  regard  to  a  trade,  that  extends  from  Labrador  to  a  distance 
of  three  or  four  hundred  miles  from  Lake  Superior,  is  very  remarkable, 

[59O.J  Account  of  the  Merchandize,  imported  into  Canada  in  the  said 
Year  1786,  extracted  from  the  Custom-house  Books. 

(Sterling) 

Rum £63,032 

Brandy 225 

Molasses 21,380 

Coffee 2,065 

Sugar 5,269 

Spanish  wine : 31,288 

Tobacco 1,316 

Salt I 2,912 

Chocolate  .  129 


Sum  total £127,616 

(Sterling). 

An  exact  account  of  the  value  of  piece-goods  has  not  yet  been  made 
*out  in  a  regular  manner;  but  in  pursuance  of  an  order  of  Lord  Dor- 
chester, the  sum  total  of  the  value  of  all  imports  was  by  the  merchants, 
upon  a  four  years  average,  determined  in  the  following  manner,  viz. : — 

Amount  of  the  above  sum £127,616     0     0 

Merchandize  for  Quebec 99,700     0     0 

Ditto  for  Montreal 97,800     0     0 


Amount  total  of  Imports £325,116  '  0     0 

Amount  total  of  Exports 343,214     9     0 


Balance  in  favour  of  Canada £18,098     9     0 

[591]  To  the  above  imports  is  to  be  added  the  value  of  six 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  nine  barrels  of  salt  pork,  and  of  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty-four  firkins  of  butter,  of  about  fifty 
or  sixty  pounds  each,  for  tiie  use  of  the  military.. 

The  imports  in  the  following  years  1787,  1788,  1789,  1790,  and 
1791,  were  nearly  of  the  same  value,  with  a  difference  of  about  five  or 
six  thousand  pounds  sterling  more  or  less. 

Page  589.  "  miles  "— "  lieues,"  i.e.,  "  leagues." 

Page  690.  "  in  the  following  manner  "  read  "  with  the  following  result." 
Page  591.  "one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty-four" — "1574."     "and 
1791 "  is  an  interpolation. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  119 

At  the  close  of  this  short  account  of  the  trade  of  Canada  I  shall  here 
repeat  once  more,  that  it  is  a  faithful  extract  of  the  journal  of  Count 
Andriani,  of  which  a  friend  of  his.  to  whom  he  had  communicated  it, 
permitted  me  to  make  use.  The  abilities  and  character  of  Count  An- 
driani, as  well  as  the  facility,  with  which  he  was  able  to  make  his  re- 
searches pursuant  to  the  direction  of  the  British  government,  inspire 
great  confidence  in  the  exactness  of  the  information,  which  he  has  col- 
lected. I  have  not  been  able  myself  to  substantiate  the  veracity  of  his 
accounts;  and  besides  it  is  easily  understood,  that  since  the  time,  when 
he  wrote,  some  alterations  may  have  taken  place,  in  point  both  of  the 
quality  and  the  value  of  the  exports  and  imports. 

Page  591.  " quality  "— "  quantity,"  i.e.,  "quantities."     (Smith  has  inter- 
lined the  word  "quantity"  before  "quality.") 


DAVID    WILLIAM    SMITH. 

(Anglo-Canadian) 


From   the  John   Ross  Robertson 

Historical   Collection,    Toronto. 


NOTES  UPON  MR.  DE  LIANCOURT'S  TRAVELS 
IN  UPPER  CANADA, 

BY  AN 

ANGLO-CANADIAN* 

D'Israeli,  in  his  "Curiosities  of  Literature/'  informs  us,  that 
"besides  the  ordinary  errors,  or  Errata,  which  happen  in  printing  a 
work,  there  are  others,  which  are  purposely  committed,  that  the  errata 
may  contain  what  is  not  permitted  to  appear  in  the  body  of  the  work." 

In  these  notes  which  are  intended  as  Errata  to  the  Duke's  travels  in 
Upper  Canada,  we  shall  dwell  very  little  on  the  ordinary  errors  of  the 
printing,  of  which,  however,  there  are  a  competent  Quantity — not  only  in 
the  Typography,  but  in  the  Orthography  of  the  work — we  shall  not  en- 
large much  on  the  descriptive  and  topographical  Errors  of  the  writer — 
but  we  shall  principally  observe  on  the  Errors  which  have  been  purposely 
committed — that  our  errata  may  contain  a  refutation  of  the  falsehoods 
with  which  the  work  abounds,  and  exhibit  to  the  world  truths  which  this 
Emigree  would  not  permit  to  appear  in  the  body  of  his  Travels — 
Truths,  that  we  hope  will  induce,  whoever  may  print  the  next 
Edition  of  this  Frenchman's  Book,  to  interlard  them  with  his  Calumny, 
and  by  their  mixture,  lessen  the  detraction,  so  infamously  aimed  at 
private  Character,  tending  to  undermine  all  Confidence  and  threatening 
to  pervert  the  Springs  of  Hospitality — for  who  will  dare  to  receive  the 
Traveller,  and  Stranger,  and  the  needy,  if  urbanity  is  to  be  repaid  by  the 
disclosure  of  all  private  conversation,  and  all  the  unreserved  interchanges 
of  Society  twisted,  coloured,  garbled  and  distorted,  into  ten  thousand 
shapes,  to  answer  ulterior  purposes!  Few  men  can  retain  a  mass  of 
private  conversation  sufficiently  accurate  to  carry  the  same,  through  the 
festivity  of  an  entertainment  to  their  chamber,  and  there  by  cursory 
memoranda,  to  make  faultless  notes,  to  be  the  groundwork  of  a  book, 
which  is  to  describe  the  'Continent  of  North  America. 

But  Mr.  de  Liancourt's  publication  has  a  more  expanded  object. 
He  not  only  endeavours  to  blacken  the  reputation  of  the  King's  officers  in 
Canada,  but  he  wishes  to  disseminate  a  belief  among  his  Majesty's 
subjects  in  that  Province,  that  its  natural  interests  are  incongruous 
with  those  of  the  Mother  Country,  and  that  they  will  not  long  be  a 
member  of  this  great  Empire.  But  God  grant  that  his  prediction  may 
be  as  false  as  it  has  been  in  regard  to  the  transactions  which  have  so 
recently  taken  place  in  his  own  Country. 

*David  W.  Smith. 

121 


122  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

The  Translator  in  his  Preface  to  the  travels  of  the  Duke  de  la 
Hochefoucault-Liancourt  is  certainly  mistaken  when  he  asserts  that 
"  Britons  and  Americans  now  think  of  each  other  only  as  brethren,"  and 
that  the  Duke  "  communicates  nothing  but  what  is  plainly  of  the  highest 
authority/7 

This,  of  course,  he  takes  from  Monsr.  de  la  Rochefoucault's  own 
assertion,  in  his  Dedication  to  his  Aunt,  wherein  he  says,  "  he  has  done 
everything  in  his  power  to  insert  nothing  but  what  is  authentic  "  and 
"  that  he  has  sought  after  truth  by  every  means  in  his  power." 

In  running  over  the  Catalogue  of  this  traveller's  good  Qualities,  the 
translator  calls  him  "  one  of  the  most  amiable  and  most  virtuous  of  all 
the  french  Nobility,"  but  if  Gratitude  is  any  integral  part  of  Virtue,  the 
misnomer  is  great  indeed,  for  want  of  Truth  and  want  of  Gratitude  are 
characteristics  properly  applicable  to  this  Frenchman,  not  that  they  are 
to  be  discovered  by  the  Header  of  his  book  in  England ;  but  he  is  known 
to  deserve  them  by  a  person  intimately  acquainted  with  his  visit  to  Upper 
Canada. 

There  is  a  great  inconsistency  in  the  Duke's  Character,  and  probably 
the  real  object  of  his  visit  to  America  is  not  yet  known — he  tells  you 
he  "  fled  from  the  Poignard  "  of  the  revolution  in  France ;  and  yet  while 
safe,  in  another  Country,  he  descends  to  dedicate  his  work  to  his  Aunt  as 
"  Citizeness  "  La  Eochefoucault  D'Enville  and  "  shrinks  in  agony  from 
the  Exultations  with  which  british  officers  tell  him  of  the  ruin  of  the 
naval  force  of  republican  France." 

The  Translator  informs  us  that  "  he  visited  the  Lakes,  the  Bays,  the 
Creeks,  the  points  of  the  Influx  of  the  navigable  Rivers  into  the  Sea,  and 
those  beyond  which  navigation  cannot  ascend  towards  their  springs, 
etc.,  etc." 

Now  so  far  as  Upper  Canada  is  concerned  his  personal  knowledge 
was  confined  there  to  a  journey  of  thirty-six  miles  on  the  side  of  Niagara 
River,  from  Fort  Erie  to  Navyhall,  at  the  Emboucheur  thereof ;  and  from 
thence  to  Kingston  across  Lake  Ontario,  the  smallest  of  the  five  Lakes 
which  empty  themselves  by  the  St.  Lawrence. 

The  Duke  tells  you  that  "  General  Simcoe,  the  Governor  of  Upper 
Canada,  was  informed  of  his  journey  to  that  Province  by  Mr.  Hammond, 
the  English  Ambassador  to  the  United  States,"  and  that  the  Command- 
ant of  Fort  Erie,  where  he  entered  the  Province,  "  was  directed  to  show 
his  (and  his  party)  every  civility  in  his  power,"  which  he  accordingly 
did !  and  yet  his  Translator  acknowledges,  that  "whenever  the  views,  the 
interests,  and  the  public  servants  of  the  British  Government  come  to  be 
mentioned,  the  Duke  usually  speaks  the  language  of  a  foreigner  and 
a  foe !"  sb  much  so  that  in  some  places  "  it  has  been  found  expedient  to 
insert  initials  for  proper  names  and  to  substitute  asterisks  for  senti- 
ments." 

And  further  he  admits,  that  his  author  "tells  all  that  he  could 
learn,  without  being  restrained,  even  by  considerations  of  personal 
delicacy,  or  the  secrecy  of  honour  from  making  public  several  things 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  123 

which  were  certainly  not  intended  to  be  thus  proclaimed  to  all  Europe 
by  those  who  communicated  them  to  him." 

The  liberal  compiler;?  of  the  Monthly  Review,  make  this  remark 
upon  the  Duke :  "  We  cannot  refrain  from  observing  that  the  author 
has  taken  the  most  indecent  liberties  with  private  characters.  In 
numerous  instances  he  has  retailed  the  little  scandal  and  evil  reports 
which  neighbours  are  said  to  have  whispered  of  each  other ;  some  of  those 
stories  which  he  calls  ludicrous  are  incredible  and  foolish;  and  even 
little  familiarities  of  Courtship,  with  a  modest  young  woman,,  are  related 
with  the  same  wantoness." 

"  His  mention  of  persons  is  frequently  divested  of  delicacy  and 
discretion;  and  he  appears  to  be  but  little  restrained  by  the  dictates  of 
charity." 

"  The  Cool  Levity  with  which  Individuals  are  treated  by  him  is, 
perhaps,  without  parallel  among  writers  who  have  pretended  any  regard 
for  the  character  of  others,  or  for  their  own." 

'•  A  considerable  portion  of  his  communications  respecting  Canada, 
consists  in  relations  of  what  passed  in  private  Conversation.  Whether 
the  representations  of  M.  de  Liancourt  be  correct  or  otherwise  it  is  not 
our  Province  to  enquire:  but  it  is  painful  to  us,  to  behold  an  instance 
of  a  man  of  high  rank  and  liberal  Education  so  abusing  the  general 
confidence  observed  not  only  among  Gentlemen,  but  among  all  ranks  of 
people,  as  to  treasure  up  for  general  Circulation  whatever  might  be 
uttered  in  the  unsuspicious  intercourse  of  retired  society." 

The  Duke  indeed  had  small  means  and  very  few  opportunities  of 
procuring  information,  except  what  he  picked  up  at  private  Tables,  and 
that  he  has  not  only  disclosed  abundantly,  but  has  twisted,  turned,  garbled 
and  perverted,  to  suit  his  own  purpose.  The  great  kindness  shown  to 
him  by  Governor  Simcoe  has  been  ungratefully  returned,  and  fastidiously 
acknowledged;  he  lived  with  his  Excellency  near  eighteen  days,  during 
which  time  he  never  was  three  miles  from  the  General's  Residence,*  the 
remainder  of  the  time  he  was  in  Upper  Canada,  which  was  but  short,  he 
was  entertained  by  the  Officers  of  the  5th  Regt.  of  foot,  commanding 
at  the  Posts  of  Fort  Erie,  Fort  Chippewa  and  Niagara,  and  was  probably 
not  more  than  a  mile  from  any  of  their  respective  garrisons :  the  world, 
therefore,  may  easily  judge  of  the  scope  he  had  for  personal  observation ; 
and  as  to  Lower  Canada,  which  he  touches  upon  in  50  pages,  at  the 
latter  end  of  the  1st  vol.,  he  never  was  within  150  miles  of  that 
Province,  Lord  Dorchester  having  refused  to  permit  Mr.  de  Liancourt 
to  descend  the  St.  Lawrence;  and  for  many  reasons  it  was  just  as  well 
he  did  not. 

But  to  be  more  in  detail,  Mr.  de  Liancourt  surely  means  to  be 
sarcastic  when  he  calls  a  small  armed  vessel  on  the  lakes  [381]  an 
English  frigate! — and  a  Captain  commanding  a  company  at  a  small 
[382]  post  a  Governor !— the  fort  of  which  he  represents  as  surrounded 

*  Excepting  one  Tour  of  four   days,  along  the   banks  of  Lake  Ontario, 
in  a  bark  Canoe,  with  the  Governor,  in  order  to  see  the  interior  Country! 


124:  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

with  tottering  Palisadoes,  and  by  way  of  affording  great  information  to 
the  non-military  part  of  his  Readers,  the  Duke  tells  you  that  the  duty  of 
the  soldiers,  who  form  the  Garrison  of  Fort%Erie,  consists  in  standing 
[383]  sentries,  etc. 

[384]  Yes,  Translator,  the  15  shillings  per  trip  for  5  men  taking 
a  batteaux  from  Fort  Chippewa  to  Fort  Erie  is  in  addition  to  their  pay 
as  Soldiers ;  and  the  Duke  should  have  said  it  was  for  conveying  "  military 
stores  "  and  not  "  goods  "  destined  for  Detroit. 

By  way  of  further  information,  he  says,  the  Soldiers  have  a  Garden 
where  they  cultivate  Vegetables.  The  Duke  is  not  correct  in  the  items 
he  gives  as  composing  a  ration  of  Provisions,  nor  in  the  sum  paid  for 
them.  [385]  His  assertions,  too,  relative  to  the  tour  of  duty  taken 
by  each  Regiment,  etc.,  is  altogether  hypothetical. 

[386]  The  Schooners  and  other  armed  vessels  in  Lake  Erie,  he  is 
pleased  to  call  Yachts. 

A  great  deal  may  be  collected  from  the  following  passage,  speaking 
of  the  "french"  Canadians,  who  are  hired  as  boatmen,  between  Forts 
Erie  and  Chippewa.  "  The  Canadians  no  sooner  learned  that  we  were 
Frenchmen  than  they  expressed  to  us  a  satisfaction,  attachment,  and 
respect,  repeated  demonstrations  of  which,  our  peculiar  situation  obliged 
us  to  avoid/' 

Why  should  any  man  whose  pursuits  are  just  and  honorable  avoid 
the  receiving  of  that  respect  which  is  his  due?  Was  the  Duke  afraid 
that  the  homage  of  these  voyageurs  might  prevent  his  being  admitted  into 
Lower  Canada? 

[387]  His  Comparison  of  the  paper  money  of  France  with  that  of 
Upper  Canada  is  not  a  good  one — everyone  knows  the  depreciation  of  the 
one ;  and  the  other  has  never  yet  been  below  its  value.  Previous  to  the 
Province  being  organized  into  a  civil  government  of  itself,  the  Com- 
mandants of  the  posts  took  Securities  from  persons  issuing  paper  money 
and  appointed  a  check  [qu.  clerk?]  to  countersign  the  notes,  that  the 
Quantity  for  which  Security  was,  given  should  not  be  exceeded.  Since 
the  formation  of  the  Government  hard  Dollars  have  been  circulated  in 
abundance,  and  the  Receiver-General  has  sometimes  made  payments  of 
silver  in  wheelbarrows ! 

[388.]  When  Major  Pratt  insisted  on  sending  the  Duke  in  one  of 
his  boats,  attended  by  an  officer,  and  manned  with  6  soldiers,  to 
Fort  Chippewa,  he  requites  that  officer's  hospitality  and  civility,  by  say- 
ing this  act  of  kindness  bore  the  appearance  of  scorn,  more  than 
politeness. 

And  how  much  unlike  a  french  Nobleman,  of  the  [394]  Court  of 
Louis  XVI  is  Mr.  de  Liancourt,  when  he  condescends  to  take  off 
"Poor  Lieutenant  Faulkner"  for  addressing  him  as  "his  Highness," 
and  observing  how  dull  he  was  untill  some  glasses  of  wine  had  cheered 
up  his  spirits. 

[40O.]  The  Duke  makes  some  misnomer  in  talking  of  the  lands 
from  Chippeway  to  "  New  York." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  12g 

[405.]  And  he  very  much  mistakes  the  real  state  of  things  when  he 
says  that  though  the  Canadas  have  a  representative  form  of  government; 
yet  all  the  springs  of  the  political  machine  are  in  the  hands  of  the 
Governor-General! 

The  best  refutation  to  this  assertion  is  that  the  Government  have 
not  the  power  or  influence  to  return  one  member  to  the  House  of 
Assembly  of  either  Province. 

[4O8.]  The  Legislature  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  allotment  of 
Lands,  they  belong  to  the  Crown,  and  are  granted  by  the  <Governor-in- 
Council. 

The  Representatives,  or  Commons  House  of  Assembly,  are  elected 
for  four  years  only — not  for  seven.  No  titles  of  honour  have  yet  been 
connected  with  a  seat  in  the  Legislative  Council. 

[411.]  The  River  La  Tranche,  or  Thames,  is  not  near  the  Miami 
River,  and  for  the  Great  River  the  Duke  probably  means  the  Grand 
River. 

[417.]  The  Justices  of  the  Peace  in  their  individual  Capacities 
as  Magistrates,  had  no  power  to  grant  lands,  but  certain  Boards  which 
were  appointed  for  the  purpose,  and  of  which  the  Justices  were,  many  of 
them,  members,  had  the  power  of  recommending  for  200  acres,  that  being 
the  smallest  quantity  of  Land  granted  for  a  farm. 

[423.]  The  Duke  very  much  misrepresents  when  he  says  the 
property  in  these  lands  is  sooner  or  later  transferred  according  to 
the  will  and  pleasure  of  the  Council;  and  that  the  money  expended  in 
their  improvement  has  been  spent  for  the  benefit  of  the  Crown.  The 
Government  have  taken  every  pains  to  ascertain  the  person  legally 
entitled  to  the  right  promised  by  the  original  ticket  of  occupation;  and 
have  issued  Grants  under  the  Great  Seal  to  them. 

[424.]  Mr.  de  Liancourt  has  enlarged  very  illiberally  on  this  false 
statement,  as  no  order  of  Council  was  ever  revoked  where  the  necessary 
Improvement  was  made  within  the  prescribed  time,  or  unless  some  trick 
was  attempted  on  the  Government,  in  the  true  spirit  of  American  Land- 
jobbing. 

[427.]  The  principal  Merchants  who  were  settled  in  Detroit  did 
remove  from  the  American  to  the  British  side  when  the  american  posts 
were  given  up. 

[4O5.]  The  Duke  tells  you  he  employed  his  long  residence  in 
Niagara  to  acquire  some  knowledge  of  the  Country !  the  attainment  of 
which  was  greatly  facilitated  by  the  "generous  openness  of  Governor 
Simcoe,"  and  having  obtained  by  this  generous  openness  all  the  General's 
private  plans  and  sentiments.,  in  the  confidence  of  one  Gentleman,  to 
another,  he  embellishes  them,  to 'his  own  fancy,  and  publishes  them  to 
the  world;  wishing  to  impress  his  Readers  with  a  [429]  belief  that 
this  good  and  pious  officer  had  assisted  the  Indians  and  instigated  them 
to  make  war  against  the  Americans!  And  he  reproaches  the  General 
for  acts  done  in  America  during  the  Rebellion;  in  his  military  capacity; 
in:  the  Service  of  his  King  and  Country !  and  accuses  him  of  a  thirst  to 
be  revenged  on  the  separated  States. 


126  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

'     * 

The  llimsey  excuse  for  this  disclosure  is  that  the  General  had  com- 
municated these  projects  to  other  Persons.  If  an  ardent  and  passionate 
desire  to  serve  one's  Country;  if  humanity  blended  with  unlimited 
Courage;  if  great  conceptions  to  promote  honorably  the  Interests  of 
Great  Britain  can  be  called  revengeful  and  bloodthirsty,  then  General 
Simcoe  may  deserve  the  animadversions ,  of  this  Frenchman,  but  the 
friends  of  that  lamented  officer,  who  died  in  the  Service  of  his  Country, 
will  never  allow  his  memory  to  be  traduced  by  a  Cowardly  fugitive,  who 
has  since  (it  is  said)  made  his  peace  with  Buonaparte:  for,  had  the 
french  Nobility  manfully  stood  by  their  King  and  their  Estates,  the  con- 
vulsions of  France  might  have  been  lessened,  if  not  prevented. 

[43O.]  The  Duke  then  conjectures  on  the  possibility  of  England 
being  long  able  to  retain  Canada — if  he  be  alive,  let  him  read  the 
accounts  of  the  glorious  struggles  they  have  made  to  retain  it  in  1812  and 
1813,  in  conjunction  with  the  exertions  of  its  loyal  Inhabitants. 

[431.]  In  speaking  of  Mrs.  Simcoe,  Monsr.  de  Liancourt  for- 
gets all  his  polite  gallantry  as  a  frenchman  of  fashion,  he  loses  all 
the  dignity  of  a  nobleman,  and  he  clearly  shows  how  ignorant  he  is  of 
the  kind  and  amiable  reciprocity  which  exists  between  man  and  wife  in 
this  blessed  land  of  freedom  and  happiness !  Was  it  well  done  of  the 
Cidevant  Duke  de  La  Rochefoucault-Liancourt,  (while  he  was  fostered 
by  an  English  Governor,  in  a  country  where  he  was  received  with  as 
much  attention  as  if  he  had  then  actually  enjoyed  his  honours  and  his 
property),  to  publish  to  the  world  that  this  Exemplary  Lady  performed 
the  duties  of  a  wife  with  so  much  scrupulous  exactness  as  to  act  the  part 
of  a  private  Secretary  to  her  husband? 

Was  she  thus  to  be  metamorphosed  into  a  clerk  because  she  some- 
times copyed  her  husband's  confidential  dispatches? 

Fye,  sir!  you  should  have  respected  the  Ladies  delicate  feelings; 
altho'  you  had  none  such  for  her  Lord!  But  Mrs.  Simcoe  is  well 
known  to  all  who  loved  and  followed  the  General's  fortunes,  and  no  re- 
flections on  her  conduct,  Avhether  powerful  or  puerile,  can  shake  their 
attachment  to  the  relict  of  their  friend,  or  induce  the  world  to  believe 
or  form  any  opinion  on  the  Duke's  assertion,  except  that  of  ill  nature 
and  ingratitude  in  his  own  breast! 

[431.]  Note. — When  Mr.  Philips  was  about  to  publish  Monsr. 
de  Liancourt's  Book  he  wrote  a  very  civil  letter  to  General  Simcoe, 
desiring  to  know  if  he  wished  for  any  alteration  to  be  made  in  the  Duke's 
assertions  relative  to  him. 

The  General's  answer  of  the  25  June,  1799,  with  a  short  preface, 
a  note  to  Mr.  King  in  1800,  and  a  Letter  of  his  father's,  are  inserted  after 
these  notes,  to  which  the  reader  is  referred. 

[437.1  The  Duke  says  that  "all  the  Expences  of  the  civil  and 
military  administration  of  Upper  and  Lower  Canada  are  defrayed  by 
England,  and  that  the  sum  total,"  including  the  political  Expences  or 
the  money  paid  to  the  Indians,  "  though  this  forms  an  item  of  the 
military  Expenditure,  amounts  for  Upper  Canada  to  £100.000  sterling, 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  127 

nearly  two-thirds  of  this  sum  or  £60,000  are  paid  to  the  Indians/''  their 
agents,  etc. 

Mr.  De  Liancourt  seems  fond  of  dealing  in  large  round 
numbers,  the  accuracy  of  which  he  certainly  could  not  vouch  for,  for 
there  was  nobody  in  Upper  Canada  who  could  inform  him  what  the 
"  military  Expenditure "  was,  that  being  under  the  Controul  of  Lord 
Dorchester,  and  his  Lordship  did  not  chuse  to  afford  the  Duke  the 
means  of  information,  which  he  obtained  at  table  and  in  private,  other- 
wise by  "  Governor  Simcoe's  generous  openness." 

And  then  speaking  of  the  presents  given  to  the  Indians,  he  displays 
all  the  malignity  of  his  heart  by  a  falsehood,  which  must  tend  to  create 
bad  blood  between  the  British  and  Americans,  whom,  he  says  are  depicted 
to  the  Indians  as  their  inveterate  Enemies,  and  that  "  they  are  made  to 
swear  that  they  will  burn  and  scalp  these  foes  at  the  first  Signal."  And* 
he  would  then  induce  you  to  believe  that  General  Simcoe  had  contem- 
plated the  Service  of  50,000  of  [438]  these  Indians,  "who  had  all 
taken  an  oath  not  to  leave  a  scalp  on  the  skull  of  any  American  they 
should  fall  in  with !"  and  to  crown  all  he  says,  "  it  is  literally  true !" 

So  damnable  an  assertion  against  the  most  pious,  the  most  humane, 
and  one  of  the  bravest  Gentlemen  of  his  time,  is  not  to  be  borne  with 
Temper.  The  Duke's  own  Translator  admits  it  to  be  "  a  matter  of  regret, 
that  his  Author  should  have  preferred  a  charge  of  such  a  serious  and 
heinous  complexion,  without  giving  himself  the  least  trouble  to  sub- 
stantiate its  truth."  Had  he  taken  all  the  trouble  in  the  world  he  could 
not  have  proved  it,  for  'tis  as  unfounded  in  fact,  as  'tis  hellish  in  Idea. 
It  is  as  untrue  as  that  which  this  frenchman  tells  you  is  "literally  true" ; 
the  probability  of  collecting  50,000  Indians !  It  is  as  untrue  as  another 
infamous  assertion  he  makes,  where  he  would  lead  you  to  believe  that 
the  Americans  are  so  profligate  as  to  be  bribed  in  very  large  sums  of 
money  to  betray  the  Interests  of  their  own  Country  in  favour  of  ours! 

Had  this  attack  upon  the  American  character  been  published  before 
he  visited  their  Country  so  extensively,  he  probably  would  not  have  had 
to  record  the  Enthusiasm  with  which  he  tells  you  he  was  sometimes  re- 
ceived— particularly  at  G'oochland — where  he  "  flatters  "  himself  by  con- 
struing drunken  intrusion  into  Regard  and  affection. 

[439.]  The  Duke's  opinions  on  the  Grants  of  Land,  seem  only  to 
expose  his  want  of  good  information,  and  he  appears  [440]  to  know  but 
little  of  the  drawbacks  allowed  on  certain  articles  exported  from  England 
for  Canada. 

If  Mr.  de  Liancourt  was  within  the  pale  of  the  English  law 
he  ought  to  be  prosecuted  [447]  for  what  he  says  of  Colonel  Butler 
(which  the  Translator  has  noted  only  by  Asterisms).  This  Gentleman 
never  had  the  privilege  of  taking  from  the  Indian  store  houses,  which 
contain  their  presents,  whatever  he  chose ! 

[449.]  The  Duke  mistakes  again  in  calling  the  Grand  Eiver 
the  Miami  or  Great  Eiver.  The  Miami  Eiver  is  in  the  United  States, 


128  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

but  he  has  written  of  so  many  places  he  has  never  seen  that  this  may  be 
considered  a  trifling  mistake. 

[450.]  Brandt  does  not  dress  after  the  European  fashion;  he  never 
wears  breeches — perhaps  the  Duke  alluded  to  French  Sansculottes,  when 
he  asserts  this. 

[451.]  We  have  next  as  notable  an  account  of  the  drawing  of 
a  net  as  we  had  of  the  duty  of  soldiers,  which  was  to  stand  sentry. 
We  are  told  that  "  one  end  of  the  net  was  held  by  men  who  remained  on 
shore,  while  the  Remainder  was  carried  into  the  stream  by  means  of  a 
boat,  which  after  the  net  had  been  entirely  expanded  conveyed  the  other 
end  back  to  the  shore.  Both  Ends  are  joined  on  the  spot,  whence  the 
net  is  drawn."  Miraculous — great  information — fit  for  the  Dictionary 
of  "reticulated"  Johnson  himself.  Did  ever  anybody  hear  of  a  net 
being  drawn  on  the  shore  in  any  other  way?  Surely  this  information 
was  designed  for  the  Children's  Repertory  of  Arts,  and  ought  to  be 
classed  with  Wallis's  Progress  of  Wool  and  Progress  of  Wheat,  published 
at  the  Juvenile  Library ! 

[453.]  The  Duke  de  Liancourt's  misrepresentations  are  not 
easily  detected  by  his  Cis-Atlantic  readers,  for  his  assertions  are  broad 
and  positive  as  of  his  own  Knowledge ;  but  those  who  have  been  in  Upper 
Canada  can  refute  his  statements  by  as  positive  contradictions,  upon  the 
best  and  most  substantial  Evidence — The  Testimony  of  the  thing  itself ! 

What  can  be  more  mischievous  than  his  attempt  to  make  you 
believe  that  Colonel  Smith  was  clearing  5,000  acres  of  Land  by  the 
Soldiers  of  the  Regiment  under  his  command,  who  were  reduced  to 
labour  for  him  at  reduced  wages,  or  not  be  allowed  to  work  at  all? 
What  can  exceed  the  impudent  assurance  of  such  an  assertion?  But 
the  malignity  of  his  intention  perhaps  is  answered,  and  the  impression 
is  made  on  most  of  his  early  readers.  The  subsequent  perusers  of  his 
work,  as  his  character  is  more  canvassed,  become  better  acquainted  with 
his  untruths.  The  copy  to  which  this  is  annexed  was  purchased  out  of 
a  Circulating  Library,  and  this  false  statement  as  to  Colonel  Smith 
(which  cannot  be  called,  in  any  way  of  expressing  it,  less  than  a  Lye), 
induced  some  person  into  whose  hands  the  book  had  fallen,  to  write  in 
the  margin,  "  Bounce !  there  is  not  one  acre  of  it  cleared." 

Thank  you  anonymous  lover  of  Truth,  for  this  marginal  Correction. 

What  must  the  Duke  feel,  if  he  has  any  feeling  at  all,  when  he  re- 
flects, if  ever  he  reflects  at  all,  what  injury  might  have  been  done  to  this 
officer's  military  Character,  by  this  rash  "Assertion? 

What  must  he  feel  himself  as  a  man,  to  be  told  that  this  assertion 
is  as  barefaced  a  Lye,  as  it  is  evidently  a  Libel;  for  it  can  be  proved 
beyond  the  possibility  of  Contradiction,  that  there  never  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Fifth  Regiment  within  forty  miles  (as  the  Crow  flies  across  the 
Lake)  of  these  5,000  acres  or  about  120  miles  to  go  by  Land — at 
such  a  distance  was  this  Land  from  the  Garrison  of  Niagara,  Lake 
Ontario  laying  between.  Nay  more,  Colonel  Smith  never  cleared 'an  acre 
of  this  land;  neither  He  nor  any  of  his  family,  nor  any  Soldier  in  the 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  129 

.Regiment  ever  saw  it,  and  excepting  the  American  families  which  were 
put  upon  it  to  make  the  necessary  settlements,  it  is  in  wood  to  this  day, 
and  that  is  self-evident  Testimony  which  cannot  be  set  aside. 

The  Duke's  statement  is  almost  too  puerile  to  be  treated  seriously; 
but  as  Strangers  to  that  Country,  who  read  his  book  have  no  means  of 
discriminating,  they  ought  to  be  correctly  informed,  by  those  who  have 
been  in  Canada. 

The  good  Colonel  died  in  the  House,  which  the  Duke  mentions, 
unconscious  of  any  act,  to  disturb  his  latter  end,  and  little  suspecting 
that  the  attention  of  himself  and  Son  to  this  exiled  nobleman,  would 
have  been  requited  by  such  an  unfounded  attack  upon  his  military 
character.  His  Son,  who  built  the  House,  and  was  Surveyor-General  of 
the  Province,  to  which  he  was  passionately  attached,  with  an  equal  love 
combined  for  his  Country  and  his  King,  must  feel  somewhat  nettled  at 
having  his  improvement  compared  to  a  "  French  Kitchen  Garden !" 

[456.]  It  is  not  correct  that  5  members  only  of  the  Com- 
mons House  of  Assembly  could  be  collected  at  the  Parliament  which 
opened  while  Mr.  De  Liancourt  was  at  ISTavyhall,  tho'  it  is  possible 
that  number  only  resided  at  Niagara,  and  the  distant  members,  might 
not  have  arrived  in  time  for  the  Governor's  speech — and  the  Duke 
makes  one  grand  mistake  when  he  says,  speaking  of  the  Parliament, 
there  is  no  "  Opposition,"  for  [457]  negatively  speaking,  nearly  all 
the  Members  are  in  Opposition,  there  being  no  such  thing  as  a :  min- 
isterial party,  and  though  some  of  the  Officers  of  Government  have,  from 
their  individual  good  conduct,  and  consequent  popularity  been  returned 
to  Parliament,  the  Government  have  not  the  power  of  bringing  in  any 
one  Member.  But  it  has  happened  that  an  Officer  of  the  Govt.  has  been 
Speaker. 

[458.]  In  describing  Fort  Niagara,  the  Duke  says  all  the  buildings 
are  of  Stone,  and  were  built  by  the  French. 

We  beg  leave  to  say,  that  a  very  great  proportion  of  the  Buildings 
are  of  wood.  The  old  french  trading  house  (now  used  as  a  Mess  House) 
is  of  Stone — so  is  the  Magazine,  but  most  of  the  Officers'  Quarters  and  all 
the  men's,  and  the  upper  halves  of  the  Block-Houses  are  of  wood. 

[459.]  The  Duke  represents  the  Niagara  Kiver  as  intercepted  for 
two  or  three  months  by  masses  of  floating  ice,  and  that  the  Indians  now 
and  then  cross  it,  "  by  jumping  from  one  piece  of  ice  to  another/'  but 
the  number  who  venture  are  never  great. 

We  believe  this  last  Assertion  of  the  Author's  to  be  one  of  the  true- 
isms  of  his  book,  and  that  the  number  who  so  pass  are  very  small.  We 
never  had  the  pleasure  to  know  any  of  the  Jumpers !  Instead  on  months, 
liowever,  the  passage  of  the  Eiver  was  seldom  interrupted  for  2  or 
3  weeks — indeed  seldom  a  'week,  wherein  you  could  not  pass  over  in 
a  very  small,  light  boat,  assisted  with  Ice-hooks. 

What  a  dissatisfyed  traveller  this  Monsr.  de  Liancourt  must  be, 
who,  while  he  tells  us  that  Governor  Simcoe  [467]  loaded'  him 
with  civilities,  in  a  manner  the  most  agreeable,  yet,  His  "  Dukeship  " 
10  T.C. 


130  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

(for  "  Grace  "  he  had  none)  "  did  not  experience  one  moment  of  true 
happiness,,  and  real  untainted  enjoyment  during  thq  whole  time  of  his 
residence  at  Navyhall?"  But  then  after  a  Farrago  of  contradictory 
stuff,  he  shews  the  cloven  foot  and  tells  you  he  would  rather  be  poor  all 
his  life,  then  owe  his  restoration  to  British  Pride ! 

[472.]  One  of  the  greatest  "Jugglers"  who  has  ever  been  in 
Upper  Canada,  is  the  Cidevant  Duke  De  la  Eochefoucault-Liancourt. 

[478.]  The  good  people  of  York  are  very  much  obliged  to  this 
french  Gentleman  for  representing  them  as  "  Inhabitants  who  do  not 
possess  the  fairest  character,"  because  they  are  of  opinion  it  will  be 
considered  equally  false,  with  many  other  of  the  Duke's  statements, 
and  his  personality  to  Mr.  Bercsey,  the  leader  of  the 'German  settlers,  is 
gross,  and  deserves  correction. 

The  first  thing  our  traveller  contemplates  on  leaving  General 
Simcoe,  whose  plans  he  professes  sometimes  to  approve,  is  that  the  de- 
pendance  of  Canada  on  [48O]  England  will  not  be  of  long  duration. 

[481.]  He  says  the  separation  is  an  Event  which  cannot  fail  to 
take  place,  and  that  he  knows  of  nothing  that  can  prevent  it. 

One  thing  probably  has  retarded  it,  or  rather  perhaps  the  attempt 
to  separation,  and  that  is  Lord  Dorchester's  wise  refusal  to  let  this 
bigotted  frenchman  disseminate  his  notions  among  the  Lower  Can- 
adians. He  might  have  done  mischief  at  Quebec  and  Montreal. 

[482.]  The  Duke  then  dismembers  at  a  great  rate — he  not 
only  predicts  the  speedy  loss  of  Canada,  "  this  bright  Jewel  of  our 
•Crown/'  but  hints  that  India  will  share  the  same  fate.  With  equal 
facility  he  lops  off  Florida  and  Mexico  from  Spain,  and  dismembers 
Portugal  of  the  Brazils,  but  he1  does  not  foresee  the  loss  of  any  of  the 
French  Colonies — he  has  no  second  sight  there — he  could  not  foresee  that 
at  the  close  of  the  year  1813,  They  would  be  eased  of  all  their  foreign 
possessions,  and  that  the  ruler  of  his  nation  would  be  sighing  for 
"  Colonies,  Ships  and  Commerce." 

[469.]  He  could  "not  discern  the  period  when  anarchy  should 
cease  in  his  ill-fated  country,"  and  France  should  rest  her  Glory  on  a 
safe  and  lasting  foundation.  He,  despairing  runaway,  could  not  cal- 
culate upon  the  restoration  of  the  Bourbons  as  other  powerful  minds 
always  did. 

[468.]  He  who  would  prefer  to  "  continue  poor  and  banished  all 
the  days  of  his  life,  rather  than  owe  his  restoration  to  his  Country 
and  to  his  Estates,  to  the  influence  of  foreign  Powers,  and  to  British 
pride,"  ought  not  to  benefit  by  the  amnesty,  which  the  people  of  France 
have  obtained  by  the  personal  Interference  of  the  Emperor  of  Eussia  and 
the  King  of  Prussia! 

He  who  deserted  Louis  the  16th  and  afterwards  cringed  to  an 
usurper,  should  not  be  allowed  to  profit  by  the  restoration  of  Louis  the 
18th. 

No!  he  should  be  haunted  by  the  Manes  of  our  lamented  Simcoe, 
till  he  had  atoned  for  his  Ingratitude  and  made  a  public  recantation  of 
his  falsehoods. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  131 

[483.]  Captain  Littlehaies  was  General  Simcoe's  Major  of 
Brigade  and  not  his  adjutant. 

[484.]  When  the  Duke  leaves  Niagara  he  forgets  what  he  has 
said  about  the  troops  not  being  paid  with  money,  for  he  tells  you 
there  were  on  board  the  same  ship  with  him,  "  a  detachment  of  the  5th 
Kegiment,  destined  for  Kingston,  to  bring  money."  [487.]  He  lashes 
this  party  a  little  for  the  pains  they  took  to  make  themselves  clean 
and,  full  dressed  before  they  landed,  without  saying  a  word  about  the 
pains  the  french  Soldiers  of  old  took  under  their  Kings,  to  be  highly 
powdered  and  smart  in  their  appearance. 

[49O.]  And  if  ever  there  was  an  illiberal  disclosure,  it  is  that 
which  the  Duke  makes  on  leaving  the  King's  ship,  in  which  he  was 
sent  across  the  Lake.  He  tells  you  that  Governor  Simcoe  had  amply 
supplied  them  with  provisions  and  told  them  they  were  not  to  pay  for 
their  passage,  yet  to  pacify  the  french  rancour  of  his  breast,  and  to 
deceive  himself  with  the  idea  that  he  was  not  "  making  this  passage  at 
the  Expence  of  the  King  of  England  "  he  offered  poor  Lieutenant  Earl, 
who  commanded  the  Vessel,  a  present,  Avhich  it  seems  he  received;  and 
the  Duke  dishonourably  publishes  it  to  the  world  and  says,  "  However 
Kingly  were  the  Commander  and  his  Ship,  he  took  our  money." 

Mr.  Earl  was  not  an  officer  of  the  Eoyal  Navy,  but  a  Lieutenant  in 
the  provisional  marine  Department,  whose  pay  is  very  small,  and  if  by 
any  strained  Construction,  his  accepting  this  present,  from  a  Person 
calling  himself  a  Duke  could  be  twisted  into  an  improper  act ;  his  poverty 
must  be  blamed  for  it  and  not  his  will — besides  in  point  of  right,  custom 
would  give  him  some  claim  even  for  these  Kefugees. 

The  Duke  not  finding  his  passports  at  Kingston,  gets  much  out  of 
Temper,  says  'tis  owing  to  Governor  Simcoe  and  Lord  Dorchester  not 
being  on  good  Terms — reflects  also  upon  Mr.  Hammond — and  reiterates 
Patience !  Patience !  of  which  he  appears  to  have  none.  So  enraged  is 
he  with  his  Lordship  that  [495]  speaking  of  him  afterwards,  in  the 
opinion  of  two  Parties,  one  of  which  think  him  to  possess  profound 
wisdom  and  consummate  abilities,  while  the  other  considers  he  was 
formerly  an  useful  man ;  the  Duke  cannot  help  adding  "  but  he  is  now 
superannuated." 

Had  Lord  Dorchester  permitted  him  to  go  into  Lower  Canada  he 
might  have  been  considered  so. 

[498.]  By  Queen's  Bay,  he  probably  means  the  Bay  of  Quenty. 

[5O3.]  The  Duke  is  not  quite  correct  when  he  says,  "there  are 
few,  or  no  wolves,  rattlesnakes,  or  other  noxious  animals  within  country." 

[504.]  Resin  and  Tar  for  common  use  have  often  been  obtained 
from  the  Pines,  but  not  as  an  article  of  Trade ;  and  the  experiments  f or 
the  culture  of  Hemp  and  Flax  have  not  been  unsuccessful. 

[509.]  No  better  Carpenters  are  to  be  met  with  anywhere  than  at 
Newark. 

[51O.]  As  if  the  Duke  had  never  taken  too  much  wine  before, 
he  speaks  of  the  Hospitality  of  Capt.  Parr,  and  of  Major  Dobson  of  the 


132  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

60th  Regiment,  who  commanded  a.t  Kingston,  as  forming  a  remarkable 
Epocha  to  him  and  his  Companions — 

[512.]  but  in  speaking  of  the  officers  of  this  Regiment  after- 
wards, altho'  he  says  they  are  well  bred  and  polite,  his  translator  thinks 
proper  to  omit  something,  which  he  replaces  by  two  lines  of  Asterisms. 

The  Duke  then  speculates  a  little,  talks  of  its  being  better  for 
Great  Britain  to  declare  Canada  independent — that  one  half  of  the 
Militia  would  not  take  up  'arms  against  America  and  none  perhaps 
against  France. 

Would  Mr.  de  Liancourt  have  Britain  give  up  Canada,  that 
she  might  throw  herself  into*  the  Arms  of  France  ?  Let  him  read  the 
Quebec  Gazettes  of  1813,  for  a  refutation  of  his  assertions  on  the  Militia, 
in  thinking  they  would  not  fight  the  Americans !  and  his  premeditated 
Journey  to  Lower  Canada  was  possibly  to  enforce  by  the  subtilty  of  his 
arguments,  the  propriety  of  their  never  taking  up  Arms  against  France ! 

[5 IS.]  He  then  says  it  is  believed  the  Loyalists,  as  they  are 
esteemed,  would  certainly  assist  the  States,  if  they  marched  any  troops 
into  Upper  Canada. 

Let  him  read  the  papers,  I  say. 

And  then  forsooth  he  wishes  to  put  these  Conjectures  in  the  mouths 
of  the  Officers  of  the  60th  Regiment,  twisted,  no  doubt,  to  answer  the 
Duke's  -purpose,  and  garbled  from  the  generous  openness  of  Conversa- 
tion at  their  military  mess ! — a  grateful  return  upon  similar  principles 
to  those  exercised  towards  General  Simcoe. 

But  it  is  clear  from  what  the  Duke  often  drops  when  he  is  less  upon 
his  guard,  that  he  must  frequently  have  obtained  the  opinions  of  very 
low  and  perhaps  wicked  individuals,  which  he  has  set  down  as  senti- 
ments of  whole  classes  of  the  people,  however  erroneous ;  and  thus  by 
this  heterogeneous  mixture,  of  exposing  and  distorting  the  unreserved 
communications  of  confidential  and  unsuspected  Intercourse,  with  the 
tattle  of  every  Blackguard  he  could  interrogate  in  private,  he  has  con- 
jured up  a  publication  as  illiberal  as  it  is  in  many  parts  untrue,  and 
written  probably  for  ulterior  purposes  not  yet  developed. 

The  Duke  cannot  leave  the  Province  without  having  a  slap  at 
"the  Royal  Navy/'  which  he  tells  you  is  not  very  formidable  at 
Kingston.  This  is  one  of  our  traveller's  few  truisms,  for  certainly  the 
Royal  Navy  is  not,  very  formidable  on  Lake  Ontario,  no  part  of  them 
being  there — the  vessels  employed  are  for  the  conveyance  of  troops 
and  baggage  across  the  larger  waters,  and  being  peace  time  in  that 
Country,  were  neither  half  arrrued  nor  manned — the  crews  are  hired 
as  for  Merchant  vessels  and  this  Service  constitutes  a  department  which 
is  called  the  provincial  marine,  and  the  transport  duty  is  the  principal 
object  of  this  branch  of  the  military  establishment.  But  the  Duke 
uncharitably  informs  you  they  have  another  object,  namely,  the  em- 
bezzlement of  stores,  although  he  admits  that  an  enquiry  was  made  into 
two  officers'  conduct,  who,  not  being  dismissed,  he  rejects  the  benevolent 
conclusion  that  they  were  innocent,  and  hints  that  they  were  protected 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  133 

by  influence,  but  he  proves  nothing!  and  nothing  proves  more  how  little 
any  of  his  assertions  should  be  attended  to. 

[515.]  After  condemning  the  poor  Commissioner  and  the  prin- 
cipal Shipwright  he  transfers  his  affection  to  Captain  Bouchette,  a 
/rmc/i-Canadian,  who  certainly  deserves  all  he  has  said  of  him— but  we 
believe  the  Duke  would  not  have  rendered  this  officer  his  due  if  he  had 
not  been  a  frenchman. 

[516.]  Our  traveller  then  draws  an  invidious  distinction  between 
the  English  and  French  Services;  thinks  our  discipline  is  too  severe, 
and  our  men  not  treated  with  so  much  attention  and  kindness  as 
theirs.  This  only  exposes  his  venom  and  his  ignorance,  for  the  Eegi- 
ments  in  general  in  our  Service  are  more  connected  like  a  large  family 
than  any  non-military  man  can  conceive;  and  great  attention  is  paid 
to  the  comforts  of  the  Soldier  in  Canada. 

[519.]  The  Duke,  however,  admits  afterwards,  that  the  severity 
of  our  service  did  not  prevent  the  detachment,  which  was  relieved  at 
Kingston  while  he  was  there,  from  taking  a  hearty  farewell,  and  cheerful 
glass  with  their  friends,  for  he  says,  "The  soldiers  were,  without  ex- 
ception, as  much  intoxicated  as  he  ever  saw  any  in  the  French  Service  \" 

[52O.]  In  speaking  of  the  pleasure  he  received  in  a  batteaux 
rowed  by  french-Canadians,  who  always  sing  in  unison  with  the  motion 
of  the  oar,  he  says,  u  You  fancy  yourself  removed  into  a  Province  of 
France;  and  this  illusion  is  sweet!"  We  rather  apprehend  the  sweet 
illusion  upon  the  Duke's  mind  was  his  desire  to  have  Canada  a  french 
Province. 

How  ungentlemanly  to  talk  of  the  officers'  politeness  at  Kingston, 
and  then  to  insinuate  that  none  of  them  were  well  informed  men.  We 
should  imagine  the  Duke  was  not  the  best  judge  in  the  world  of  either. 

[523.]  In  speaking  of  a  Canadian  family  who  were  travelling,  the 
Duke  gravely  informs  us,  that  they  dressed  their  supper — "  and  eat  it !" 

[38O.]  The  Duke  entered  Upper  Canada  on  the  20th  June,  1795, 
and  on  the  22nd  July  [528]  receives  Lord  Dorchester's  refusal  to 
descend  into  Lower  Canada,  upon  which  he  vents  a  Philipic  against  his 
Lordship  and  Mr.  Hammond,  in  no  very  decent  terms,  and  draws  a 
comparison  between  "  His  Grace's "  reception  in  Canada  and  the  way 
he  is  obliged  to  leave  it.  [529.]  And  in  his  chagrin  he  admits  he 
did  not  merit  the  honours  he  had  received — [53O]  grumbling,  how- 
ever, in  Major  Dobson's  own  barge,  which  he  lent  the  Duke  to  carry  him 
to  the  United  States,  this  ingrate  exile  vents  his  disappointment  in  the 
indecent  sentiment  and  satisfaction,  that  he  was  going  to  a  country 
"  where  no  commandant,  no  governor,  no  minister,  enjoys  the  right  of 
offending  honest  men  with  Impunity."  How  soon  frenchman  you  have 
forgotten  the  civilities  you  received  from  the  Governor  and  the  Com- 
mandants of  the  Province  you  have  left,  where  the  Laws  of  the  land 
do  not  permit  any  honest  man,  whether  he  be  Duke,  or  Peasant,  to  be 
injured  with  impunity,  and  if  offence  could  always  be  conjured  up  into 
a  crime,  these  officers  would  have  a  heavy  complaint  to  make  against 


134  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

"  His  Grace  "  for  his  offensive  remarks  upon  them — when  he  had  ceased 
to  receive  their  favour  and  protection;  and  his  Ends  had  been  answered. 
[530.]  Having  got  the  Duke  to  Oswego  we  shall  leave  him  in 
the  United  States;  where  (while  he  so  much  praises  it),  he  did  not 
wish  to  go,  and,  as  he  could  know  so  little  of  Quebec,  where  he  did  want 
to  go,  but  was  not  permitted  to  be,  so  we  consider  all  he  has  written  of 
that  Province  to  be  too  hypothetical  to  require  any  notice,  and,  therefore, 
unworthy  of  being  corrected  in  these  Errata. 

The  following  is  the  publication  by  General  Simcoe  alluded  to  in 
the  note  after  the  observations,  upon  page  431. 

"Lieutenant-General  Simcoe,  understanding  that  the  translation 
of  the  Duke  de  Liancourt's  travels  has  been  much  circulated,  thinks  it 
not  improper  to  print  an  Extract  from  a  letter  of  his  to  the  Printer,  Mr. 
Phillips,  in  answer  to  a  very  civil  communication  received  from  him 
respecting  that  work.  This  extract  will  elucidate  the  purport  of  the 
Communication,  and  at  the  same  time  account  for  Lieutenant- General 
Simcoe's  speech,  on  the  closing  of  the  first  Parliament  of  the  Province 
of  Upper  Canada,  being  inserted  in  the  appendix  of  that  work. 

He  adds  a  paper  delivered  by  him,  when  he  was  very  lately  under 
orders  for  foreign  Service,  to  the  Honourable  Eufus  King,  Minister 
from  the  United  States." 

"  EXTEACT. 

"WOLFORD  LODGE, 

"25th  June,  1799. 

i 

"  I  feel  myself  highly  obliged  by  your  Letter  of  the  19th  of  June, 
and  the  more  so,  as  the  press,  since  the  commencement  of  the  American 
war,  has  fashioned  itself  to  the  views  and  interests  of  those,  who  have 
endeavoured  to  destroy  the  constitution  of  England. 

"  In  respect  to  the  subject  of  your  Letter,  I  do  not  see  how  it  would 
be  practicable  to  alter,  in  the  translation,  what  the  Duke  de  Liancourt 
has  printed  in  his  native  language.  The  Sheets  before  me  are,  I  think, 
uniformly  mistatements,  and  those  on  points  (such  as  the  Canada  con- 
stitution) where  he  had  the  subject  matter  in  print.  I  presume  these 
errors  not  "to  be  wilful.  In  respect  to  any  part  of  my  public  conduct, 
that  will  be  always  ready  to  meet  discussion  where  such  discussion  is 
useful  to  the  public ;  but,  I  trust,  our  american  enmity  has  ceased,  and  I 
know,  that  under  God,  I  am  the  instrument  that  prevented  the  war 
between  the  two  Countries. 

"  If  the  Duke  de  Liancourt,  on  his  return  to  Philadelphia,  told 
the  Americans,  that  should  a  war  commence,  I  said  '  it  must  be  a  war 
of  the  purse/  and  that  instead  of  their  attacking  Niagara,  ( I  meant  to 
attack  Philadelphia/  his  visit  (and  also  that  of  many  others)  was  of 
great  temporary  utility  to  the  King's  Service.  But  where  he  could  pick 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  135 

up  the  story  of  there  being  fifty  thousand  Indians  (which  no  american 
could  believe)  or  that  they  had  all  taken  oaths  to  roast  and  scalp  the 
Americans,  which  many  Americans  would  swallow,  I  am  at  a  loss  to  con- 
ceive. 

"  On  the  whole,  let  his  book  take  its  course  in  the  world :  if  neces- 
sary, I  shall  contradict  it;  if  otherwise,  still  in  process  of  time  my  post- 
humous Memoirs  may  appear,  and  a  niche  may  be  reserved  for  this  very 
ungenerous  Frenchman. 

In  the  240th  page  the  Duke  mentions  my  boasting:  I  detest  the 
word,  and  trust  it  has  never  infected  my  conduct:  I  wish  it  could  be 
altered  to  *  speaking/  or  any  other  word.  The  fact  is  not  true ;  I 
never  burnt  a  house  during  the  whole  war,  except  foundries,  gaols,  and 
magazines ;  and  in  the  *  Memoirs  of  the  Queen's  Hangers/  a  few  copies 
of  which  I  published,  in  one  view  to  contradict  such  Characters  as  La 
Fayette,  and  Chastellux,  I  expressly  remarked,  page  20,  '  on  the  return, 
and  about  two  miles  from  Haddonfield,  Major  Simcoe  was  observing  to 
some  officers  a  peculiar  strong  ground,  when  looking  back,  he  saw  a 
house  that  he  had  passed,  in  flames:  it  was  too  far  gone  for  all  his 
endeavours  to  save  it;  he  was  exceedingly  hurt  at  the  Circumstance, 
but  neither  threats  of  punishment,  nor  offers  of  reward,  could  induce  a 
discovery.  This  was  the  only  instance  of  a  disorder  of  this  nature  that 
ever  happened  under  his  command;  and  he  afterwards  knew  it  was  not 
perpetrated  by  any  of  the  Queen's  Rangers/ 

"  So  that  you  see,  sir,  my  proud  boasting  is  of  a  different  quality 
from  what  Monsieur  Liancourt  has  apprehended :  but  most  certainly,  if 
american  Avarice,  Envy,  or  folly,  had  attempted  to  overrun  Upper 
Canada,  I  should  have  defended  myself  by  such  measures  as  English 
Generals  had  been  accustomed  to,  and  not  sought  for  the  morality  of  war, 
in  the  suspicious  data  of  the  insidious  Oeconomist:  my  humanity,  I 
trust,  is  founded  on  the  religion  of  my  Country,  and  not  on  the  hypo- 
critical professions  of  a  puny  Philosophy. 

That  the  Duke  de  Liancourt  asserts  my  defensive  plans  were 
settled,  and  that  I  loudly  professed  my  hatred!  to  the  United  States,  I 
conceive  with  the  candid  reader,  will  make  all  those  shafts  fall  harmless, 
which  through  me,  he  aimes,  as  an  honest  Frenchman,  at  my  Country 
and  its  best  interest,  namely,  an  irrevocable  union  with  the  United 
States.  Those  sentiments  of  mine  were  called  forth  into  public,  by  the 
improper  conduct  of  Mr.  Randolph,  the  american  Secretary  of  State,  in 
1794,  and  are  printed  in  Debret's  collection.  I  know  they  gave  great 
satisfaction  to  the  English-Americans,  and  as  much  umbrage  to  the 
Philosophists  and  Frenchmen. 

"  I  will  trouble  you  for  a  moment  to  say,  that  if  you  publish  any 
papers  as  an  appendix  to  your  translation,  you  may  not  think  it  im- 
proper to  include  the  speech  I  inclose,  which  has  never  been  printed  in 
England,  and  is  illustrative  of  the  objects  I  had  in  view,  and  may,  by  a 
note  of  reference,  be  easily  connected  with  the  view  of  them,  as  exhibited 
by  Mons.  Liancourt. 


136  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

"  His  descriptions,  it  may  be  easily  traced,  originated  from  snatches 
and  pieces  of  my  conversation. 

"  Should  this  speech  not  enter  into  your  plan,  I  will  be  obliged 
to  you,  to  return  it  to  me. 

"  Does  the  Duke  de  Liancourt  mention  his  companion,  Petit 
Thouars?  Perhaps  your  translator  may  not  know  that  he  was  Captain 
of  the  Tenant,  and  killed  in  the  battle  with  Lord  Nelson ;  if  he  does  not, 
the  anecdote  may, be  agreeable  to  him. 

"1  am  now  to  apologize  for  the  trouble  I  give  you  in  this  hasty 
letter :  receive  it  as  a  mark  of  my  respect,  as  I  would  wish  to  stand  well 
in  the  opinion  of  a  man,  who,  like  you,  has  the  wisdom  to  see  that  the 
character  of  the  nation  is  interested  in  that  of  the  individual;  and  that 
unspotted  reputation  is  the  most  desirable  acquisition  for  a  military 
and  civil  servant  of  his  King  and  Country  to  secure  and  to  enjoy. 

.  "  I  observe  the  translator  says,  p.  229  '  York  designed  to  be  the  seat 
of  Government'  etc.  It  is  at  present  the  seat  of  Government,  but  before 
I  left  England  for  America,  I  designed  London,  on  the  Thames,  or  La 
Tranche,  as  the  seat  of  Government,  and  York  as  an  Arsenal.  I  did 
not,  as  Mons.  Liancourt  seems  to  suppose,  act  from  circumstances, 
for  I  always  expected  Niagara  to  be  given  up,  and  never  thought  its 
possession  of  importance." 

Copy  of  a  paper  delivered  to  the  Honorable  Rufus  King,  Minister 
of  the  United  States  (by  Major-General  Simcoe). 

"  London,  May,  1800. 

"  The  Duke  de  Liancourt-Bochefoucault,  in  the  recent  publication 
of  his  travels  thro'  North  America,  speaks  with  much  freedom  of 
Major-General  Simcoe,  then  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Upper  Canada. 

"  It  must  evidently  appear  to  any  person,  who  shall  give  the  subject 
due  consideration,  that  the  conclusions  which  the  Duke  de  Liancourt 
draws  from  his  supposed  communications  with  the  Lieutenant-Governor 
(while  living  in  his  family)  are  at  variance,  and  inconsistent  with 
themselves;  yet,  as  a  servant  of  his  King  and  Country,  Major-General 
Simcoe  deems  it  proper  to  say,  that  the  principles  which  governed  his 
conduct  while  in  the  administration  of  the  Government  of  Upper  Canada, 
were  the  reverse  of  what  is  insinuated,  by  the  Duke  de  Liancourt,  and 
that  he  was  actuated  by  the  most  sincere  intentions  to  preserve  peace, 
good  neighbourhood,  and  good  will  between  the  King's  subjects  and  those 
of  the  United  States;  and  he  lias  ever  been  of  opinion,  in  express  con- 
tradiction to  Mons.  de  Liancourt,  that  the  most  strict  union  between 
the  two  nations,  is  the  real,  interest  of  each,  and  will  mark  the  soundest 
policy  and  true  wisdom  in  those  who  shall,  respectively,  govern  their 
Councils.  Major-General  Simcoe  is  so  conscious  of  having  personally 
acted  upon  those  principles,  during  his  administration  of  that  Govern- 
ment, that  he  has  claimed  from  the  Duke  of  Portland  and  Mr.  Pitt,  pro- 
tection and  consideration,  as  having  been  the  principal  means  of  pre- 
venting hostilities  with  the  United  States,  from  the  mode  in  which  he 
executed  the  military  orders  he  receiver!  in  Upper  Canada. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  137 

"  In  testimony  of  these  premises,  Major-General  Simcoe  begs  leave, 
most  respectfully,  to  offer  this  representation  to  the  Honorable  Rufus 
King,  Minister  plenipotentiary  from  the  United  States  to  the  King  of 
Great  Britain." 

"  Lieutenant-General  Simcoe  adds  a  letter  of  jiis  father  to  the  late 
Lord  Barrington.  This  monument  of  the  elevated  views  and  statesman- 
like projects  of  an  accomplished  officer,  will  best  elucidate  the  earliest 
impressions  of  his  son,  relative  to  America,  and  indicate  the  motives 
of  his  conduct  from  any  misrepresentation.  The  Duke  de  Liancourt 
Eochefoucault  would  therein  find  what  incited  the  Lieutenant- General 
to  prefer  the  Lieutenant  Government  of  Upper  Canada  to  any  other 
object  that  might  be  fairly  supposed  to  be  in  his  reach.  The  events  of 
the  American  War  have  not  annihilated  the  essential  interests  of  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States." 

[Letter  to  Lord  Barrington.] 

"  Si  barbarorum  est,  in  diem 
vivere,  nostra  consilia  sempiternum 
tempus  spectare  debent." 

"TULL.  CICERO/' 
"  My  Lord ! 

"  I  will  not  offer  to  apologize  for  the  trouble  given  you  in  reading 
this  paper,  because  I  have  experience  that  any  sketch  presented  to  your 
Lordship  for  the  public  service,  will  meet  with  a  favorable  reception :  in 
the  subsequent  observations,  therefore,  if  the  principles  should  be 
erroneous,  or  the  means  ill-proportioned,  your  Lordship,  I  trust,  will 
pardon  the  mistakes,  because  the  end  is  just.  It  appears  to  me,  my 
Lord,  that  the  french  Government  has,  until  lately,  given  but  an 
imperfect  attention  to  their  North  American  Settlements,  and  whilst 
it  has  projected  claims  to  the  universal,  by  a  parsimonious  conduct,  has 
neglected  to  establish,  solidly,  a  partial  Dominion  there.  But  french 
genius  and  industry  has  tempered  these  errors,  the  discoveries  and  re- 
presentations of  their  Missionaries  have  opened  their  ears;  the  lucrative 
fishery  and  reduction  of  Louisbourgh  have  opened  their  eyes.  This 
capture  is,  or  might  have  been,  of  the  same  Service  to  them,  as  the  late 
rebellion  in  Scotland  was  to  this  nation :  past  errors  were  seen,  favorable 
occasions  given  to  correct  abuses,  and  to  prevent  future  evils.  When  the 
disparity  of  numbers  in  North  America  is  considered,  the  French  about 
50,000,  the  English  near  2,000,000,  we  are  surprized  that  a  frenchman 
there  dares  open  his  house  unless  with  obeisance,  but  when  he  lifts  his 
hand  and  strikes,  from  Carolina  to  Nova  Scotia,  it  seems  portentous. 

"Numbers,  however,  avail  not  without  counsel  and  valour;  the 
astonishment  ceases  on  a  nearer  survey,  and  we  easily  discern  the  balance 
more  than  restored  by  the  difference  of  genius,  manners,  pursuits, 
situation,  and  government  of  these  people.  The  English  are  of  a  com- 
mercial, the  French  of  a  military  disposition;  the  latter  enterprizing, 
restless,  subtle,  active,  and  ambitious;  the  former  sedentary,  softened, 
fond  of  quiet  and  lucre:  the  force  of  one  strengthened  by  the  union 


138  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

and  harmony  of  its  parts,  animated  and  directed  to  an  invariable  point 
by  one  government;  that  of  the  other  broken  and  dissipated  by  a  variety 
of  distinct  governments,  habits,  views,  and  humours:  the  English 
negligent  and  unskilful  in  applying  to  the  passions  of  the  Indians,  and 
in  anglicising  them ;  the  French  of  ready  address,  and  incessant  applica- 
tion in  their  management,  the  more  dangerous  and  difficult  to  guard 
against,  as  the  young  are  tutored,  and  the  sanguinary  disposition  of  the 
old  flattered  into  horrid  acts  of  treachery  and  massacre,  as  pleasing  to 
the  Deity  and  becoming  manhood. 

"  Hence  we  see  the  French  insulting  everywhere  with  an  evident 
superiority;  the  English  everywhere  invaded,  defenceless,  impotent  even 
to  the  perception  and  contempt  of  the  Indians.  Whoever  remembers 
the^american  brigade  in  the  West  Indies,  will  readily  discern  the 
mistake  of  those  who  judge  the  american  english  fitted  for  military 
purposes,  without  the  exercise;  of  some  painful  campaigns ;  and  if  they 
took  Louisbourgh,  that  event  was  less  owing  to  the  material  qualities 
and  skill  of  the  besiegers,  than  to  the  unparalleled  bad  behaviour  of  the 
besieged,  however,  the  circumstances  of  those  times  might  gloss  the 
capture. 

"  These  are  some,  but  not  the  principal  reasons,  which  led  me,  my 
Lord,  to  think  the  expedition  to  Virginia  no^  entirely  proportioned  to 
its  end,  if  that  was  to  secure  to  us  an  advantageous  termination  to  the 
disputes  subsisting  between  the  two  Crowns,  and  to  stop  the  french 
progress  on  that  continent. 

"  France  from  her  extent,  populousness,  and  the  genius  of  her 
people,  will  be  able  to  pour  in  ten  men  to  our  one,  in  support  of  her 
American  pretensions  and  designs,  if  the  war  should  last  fifty  years. 
In  the  plan  of  operations,  the  first  expedient  then,  which  naturally 
presents  itself,  is  that  of  cutting  off  all  communication  between  Old 
and  New  France;  this  the  seizure  of  Quebec  will  only  effect,  and  at  the 
same  instant  it  will  break  the  french  force  in  Canada — when  the  spring 
is  diverted  or  cut  off,  the  river  must  dry  up.  Such  is  the  position  of 
Quebec,  that  it  is  absolutely  the  Key  of  french  America,  and  our  posses- 
sion of  it  would  forever  lock  out  every  Frenchman,  be  the  signal  of  revolt 
to  the  Indians,  ever  determined  by  success,  and  probably  to  a  majority  of 
the  Canadian  french,  fond  of  liberty. 

"Montreal  must  fall  the  same  campaign,  and  Louisbourgh,  with 
every  stronghold  depending  on  them  for  subsistence,  and  all  french 
Canada  will  necessarily  follow  their  fate.  Such  is  the  happy  situation 
of  Quebec,  or  rather  of  Montreal  to  which  Quebec  is  the  citadel,  that, 
with  the  assistance  of  a  few  sluices,  it  would  become  the  center  of  com- 
munication between  the  Gulph  of  Mexico  and  Hudson's  Bay,  between  the 
Atlantic  and  Pacific  Oceans,  by  an  interior  navigation  formed  for  draw- 
ing to  itself  the  wealth  and  strength  of  the!  vast  interjacent  countries ; 
the  commerce  of  Europe,  Africa,  South  America,  and  Asia,  by  a  quick 
and  easy  exterior  navigation,  and  advantageously  placed,  if  not  destined, 
to  lay  the  foundation  of  the  most  potent  and  best  connected  Empire  that 
ever  awed  the  world. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  139 

-•- — rm,-." --?!)£.  .  •• 

r 

"  Its  utility  to  France  will  arise  from  a  most  rapid  and  independent 
commerce,  well  supplying  the  want  or  extinction  of  all  other,  since  its 
territories  from  north  to  south  do,  or  will  with  a  little  industry  and 
ministerial  address,  produce  whatever  characterizes  the  growth  and 
manufacture  of  every  country.  What  most  immediately  imports  us  is  the 
monopoly  of  furs,  with  their  fabricature;  and  the  vast  fishery  in  and 
about  the  Eiver  St.  Lawrence,  at  once  an  inexhaustible  mine  of  wealth, 
and  seminary  of  hardy  seamen.  These;  advantages  show  the  perpetual 
and  mighty  resources  which  Canada  alone,  in  the  possession  of  France, 
will  furnish,  in  constituting  a  naval  power,  to  our  most  dangerous  rival. 
A  political  necessity  will  determine  this  nation,  and  the  insidious 
practices  of  France  will  frequently  favour  us  with  pretexts,  to  destroy, 
at  intervals,  their  fleets,  thereby  to  preserve  our  naval  superiority,  on 
which  our  all  depends ;  for,  however  exalted  be  the  bravery,  or  happy  the 
conduct  of  our  officers,  a  reverence  for  truth  obliges  me  to  say  that  in 
neither  are  the  french  inferior;  their  military  knowledge  is  incom- 
parably greater,  and  well  exercised;  and  none,  or  few,  are  the  instances 
where  we  have  gained  victory  when  the  force  was  equal.  But,  my  Lord, 
the  temporary  expedient  of  destroying  their  fleet  will  be  but  lopping  off 
the  Hydra's  head,  whilst  the  fishery  of  Canada,  that  noble  nursery  of 
seamen,  those  excellent  harbours,  particularly  Quebec,  the  best  circum- 
stanced in  the  world  for  building  and  docking  ships,  those  deep  rivers, 
crowned  with  immense  forests  of  excellent  oaks  and  pines,  flax  planta- 
tions, the  best  iron  mines,  and  every  naval  requisite  for  pouring  out 
new  fleets,  remain  in  the  dominion  of  France. 

"What  hinders  now,  but  want  of  common  sense  or  honesty,  the 
french  ministry  from  seducing  and  settling  in  Canada  (with  recom- 
pences  which,  costing  nothing,  at  once  would  enrich  the  country  with 
inhabitants  and  their  industry),  all  the  naval  artificers  of  Europe,  to 
construct  with  materials  at  hand,  and  costing  nothing  for  ages  to  come, 
a  most  formidable  fleet  on  every  exigency,  and  from  making  a  continued 
naval  arsenal  from  Cape  Breton  to  Montreal? 

"  Our  seizure  of  Canada  would  then  undeniably,  by  this  destruction 
of  the  vital  source  of  their  rising  naval  power,  and  by  an  immense 
accession  to  our  own,  give  us  the  monopoly  of  the  fur  and  fishery  trades, 
open  to  us  so  many  new  and  vast  channels  of  Commerce  as  would 
take  off  our  every  possible  Manufacture,  especially  of  Woolen 
["woollen"  in  the  printed  paper]  and  Linen  whilst  it  poured 
in  every  growth  and  every  material  at  so  cheap  a  rate  as  would 
make  us  necessarily  the  mart  of  foreign  exportation,  and  most  amply 
compensate  for  even  the  extinction  of  all  our  other  foreign  trade  of  im- 
portation; a  circumstance,  in  such  a  situation  to  be  wished,  as  it  would 
reunite  and  fortify  all  our  colonists,  and  the  exclusive  possession  of  that 
continent  will  fill  each  ocean  with  British  shipping,  without  depopulat- 
ing this  Country.  Hence,  my  Lord,  posterity  will  ever  venerate  Lord 
Bolingbroke's  project  of  the  conquest  of  Canada,  as  the  wisest  and  most 
provident  ever  framed  by  british  Ministers,  and  had  the  execution  at 


140  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

home  and  abroad  been  entrusted  to  men  of  equal  zeal,  of  sufficient  spirit 
and  abilities,  its  benefit  to  this  nation  could  no  more  have  been 
estimated,  than  its  detriment  to  France,  which,  at  this  hour,  would 
have  been  in  no  condition  to  injure  or  molest  us. 

"  Hence,  my  Lord,  I,  with  anxiety,  saw  and  spoke,  particularly  to 
my  Lord  Northumberland,  in  November  last,  of  the  efforts  against 
french  usurpation,  purposed  to  be  made  on  the  Ohio,  where  nothing 
decisive  may  happen,  but  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  may  reci- 
procally fluctuate,  as  long  as  the  pass  of  Quebec  is  open  to  pour  in  fresh 
supplies  of  french  troops. 

"  The  conjuncture  seemed  favourable,  and  french  invasion  afforded 
the1  pretext  of  making  an  offensive  instead  of  a  defensive  war,  the  dif- 
ferent effects  of  which  on  the  minds  of  the  soldiery  are  well  known,  as  is 
the  greater  facility  in  conducting  the  former,  and  its  more  numerous 
advantages. 

"  Such  a  war  would  probably  have  had  an  advantageous  event,  if,  in 
the  last  autumn  the  fleet  of  England  had  been  manned  for  action  and 
the  army  sufficiently  augmented  to  guard  these  kingdoms  in  all  con- 
tingencies; if  a  strong  squadron  had  blocked  up  or  destroyed  (if  they 
had  put  to  sea)  the  armament,  which  it  was  easy  to  forsee  the  french 
would  push  to  support  their  pretensions  in  America ;  if  another  squadron, 
with  the  transports,  etc.,  all  sheathed,  by  previous  feint  orders  sent  to  the 
Windward  Islands,  and  provision  made  there,  apparently  destined  to 
seize  the  neutral  or  french  islands,  had  sailed  in  the  beginning  of  March 
with  6,000  or  7,000  old  troops,  with  some  brigades  of  foreign  engineers, 
and  munitions  for  sieges,  and  on  opening  at  sea  their  sealed  orders  had 
proceeded  to  besiege  Quebec;  if  the  independent  companies  and  levies 
of  the  southern  provinces  of  America  had  during  winter  assembled  at  a 
proper  post  in  Pensylvania,  formed  magazines,  levelled  the  roads,  and 
made  all  apparent  preparation  for  acting  on  the  Ohio  in  the  spring ;  if  a 
corps  of  6,000  men  had  been  raised  and  regimented  under  british  officers 
in  New  York  and  New  England,  and  desultory  ["  delusory " 
in  the  print]  measures  taken  for  their  joining  the  troops  in 
Pensylvania;  if  200  or  300  shipwrights  had  been  sent  to  the 
fort  on  the  Lake  Ontario,  as  a  reinforcement  of  the  Garrison, 
but  secretly  to  collect  and  build  as  many  sloops  and  boats  as  possible ;  if 
a  few  indian  companies  of  irregulars,  under  their  own  officers,  had  been 
entertained  to  attend  these  two  bodies:  if  the  Governor  of  New 
England,  solely  trusted  with  the  secret,  had  privately  collected  pro- 
visions, munitions,  etc.,  during  winter,  at  Boston;  and  in  March  had 
transported  2,000  of  the  new  raised  troops  to  Nova  Scotia,  under  pretext 
of  acting  offensively  there,  but  in  reality  to  relieve  the  old  Regiments; 
if,  in  April,  the  Governor  of  New  York  had  assembled  the  Militia, 
Indians,  etc..  at  Albany,  and  made  feigned  dispositions  for  attacking 
Crown  Point  and  at  the  same  time  the  Governor  of  New  England 
had  assembled  the  troops,  etc.,  at  Boston,  embarked  or  marched  them,  as 
most  convenient,  tho  beginning  of  May.  under  pretext  of  attacking 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  141 

Chignecto,  stopping,  however,  at  the  Kiver  Kennebeck,  where  the  Nova 
Scotia  old  Regiments  should  have  joined  them,  and  together  have 
inarched  to  Fort  Halifax,  entrenched  strongly,  and  established  their 
grand  magazine;  if  the  troops  in  Pensylvania,  whose  early  rendezvous 
and  preparations  would  naturally  have  drawn  most  of  the  french  troops 
from  Quebec  and  Montreal,  had  begun  to  move  in  May,  and  after  some 
feints,  had  suddenly,  and  by  forced  marches,  filed  off  and  seized  the 
petty  fort  at  Niagara,  entrenched  strongly,  have  seized  immediately 
and  built  armed  vessels,  and  scoured  the  Lake  Erie,  whilst  some  pro- 
vincial seamen  had  done  the  same  on  the  Lake  Ontario,  and  kept  open 
the  communication  between  Niagara  and  the  fort  on  the  Lake  Ontario; 
thisi  enterprize,  well  conducted,  would  necessarily  cut  off  the  retreat  of 
the  French  at  the  Ohio  and  moulder  them  away  by  famine  and  desertion. 

"  The  different  provisions  and  motions,  feigned  and  real,  made  at 
Boston,  New  York,  Pensylvania  and  Nova  Scotia,  with  other  attentions 
dictated  by  a  just  knowledge  of  the  country  and  a  proper  use  of  the 
Indians,  would  conceal  the  real  design,  whilst  they  corresponded  with 
its  execution  and  by  drawing  the  attention  of  the  French  Governor  every- 
where, incapacitate  him  from  acting  efficaciously  anywhere. 

"  On  the  arrival  of  the  fleet  at  Quebec,  or  in  the  middle  of  May*, 
the  troops  should  march  from  Fort  Halifax  and  join  the  forces  in 
carrying  on  a  vigorous  siege. 

"Quebec,  necessarily  reduced  and  garrisoned  with  some  New  England 
and  some  old  troops,  the  army  should  immediately  proceed  to  Montreal, 
the  reduction  of  which  must  necessarily  be  attended  by  the  surrender  of 
all  other  posts,  as  from  the  two  former  they  draw  their  whole  sub- 
sistence and  munitions. 

"  The  blow,  my  Lord,  would  have  been  bold,  but  with  these  pro- 
visions, no  less  easy  than  decisive  in  our  favor,  and  mortal  to  the  French, 
and  in  the  rupture  consequent  to  this  stroke,  the  coup  de  grace  be 
effectually  given  by  a  firm  adherence  to  and  vigorous  prosecution  of  a 
naval  war  in  all  seas,  soon '  extirpating  the  french  naval  power  and  com- 
merce, and  exhausting  and  weakening,  to  a  great  degree,  tier  natural 
wealth  and  strength. 

"  France  might  probably  act,  as  if  she  thought  our  weak  part  to 
lie  on  the  european  continent,  and  attempt  to  distress  or  divert  us  from 
the  prosecution  of  our  natural  interest  and  use  of  our  natural  strength 
by  an  attack  on  our  allies. 

"  I  presume  not,  my  Lord,  to  know  the  nature  or  reason  or  extent 
of  our  connections  there;  but  it  becomes  a  nation  as  a  private  person, 
to  be  tenacious  of  its  engagements,  and  these  might  probably  be  well 
answered  by  our  money  and  the  force  of  our  fleets  so  far  as  they  could 
be  useful. 

"  The  Germanic  body  might  not  suffer,  for  its  own  sake,  any  of 
its  members,  or  the  Dutch  to  be  long  a  spoil  to  the  French :  means  might 
arise  to  make  Prussia  an  acting  friend;  and  probably  Spain  be  induced 
to  co-operate  with  us,  on  the  terms  of  covering  with  our  fleet  any  body 
of  troops  sent  to  reunite,  which  they  are  thought  to  have  at  heart, 


14:2  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

Hispaniola  to  their  Crown;  an  island  of  signal  detriment  to  us  in  the 
hands  of  the  industrious  Frenchman,  but  of  no  consequence  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  lazy  Spaniard.  The  cession  of  the  neutral  Islands,  or 
whatever  France  might  take  in  the  West  Indies  or  Mediterranean, 
would  be  an  easy  purchase  for  Canada.  At  all  events  England  has  often 
taken  glorious  care  of  herself,  when  Scotland  and  Wales  have  been  in 
the  Enemy's  scale,  and  could  do  so  again,  maugre  the  efforts  of  France 
and  all  her  allies,  whatever  their  malice  might  be,  their  power  to  hurt 
would  soon  sink  never  to  rise  more,  by  the  loss  of  Canada  and  the  des- 
truction of  their  shipping. 

"  Your  Lordship  may  ask  why  I  mention  not  the  Missisippi  Colony 
and  inlet;  perhaps  it  would  be  expedient  to  take  no  further  notice  of 
them  more  than  to  prevent  any  considerable  reinforcement  from  being 
sent  thither,  but  not  to  seize  them  for  two  reasons;  the  first  is,  that  no 
present  umbrage  might  be  given  the  Spaniard  by  so  near  a  neighbour- 
hood in  the  Mexican  Gulph ;  the  second  is,  that  the  few  Inhabitants  who 
survive  their  migration  thither,  might  be  permitted  to  open,  plant,  and 
render  healthful  that  Country,  and  make  it  more  worth  capture,  inevit- 
able whenever  we  pleased,  for  the  same  reasons  that  the  Inhabitants  of 
cold  have  ever  and  ever  will  conquer  those  of  hot  Climates. 

"  A  good  fort,  or  two,  at  the  junction  of  the  Ohio  and  the  Missisippi 
Eivers,  would  be  sufficient  to  stop  the  Missisippians  from  penetrating  to 
the  northward  and  north-westward. 

"  An  objection  to  a  plan  of  this  tendency  may  arise,  my  Lord,  from 
the  projects  of  independency,  which  a  consciousness  of  growing  strength 
and  the  annihilation  of  french  power  might  give  birth  to,  in  our 
american  colonies,  and,  therefore,  a  balance  of  power  between  the  two 
people  there  might  be  more  advantageous  to  the  two  Crowns ;  but  besides 
the  moral  impossibility  of  fixing  such  an  equality  of  power,  by  no  means 
the  aim  or  end  of  the  french,  an  upright  and  steady  government  will 
always  have  due  weight  with  the  bulk  of  a  people  whatever  be  the 
practices. of  some  turbulent  or  ambitious  spirits. 

"  The  splitting  of  that  empire  into  many  distinct  governments,  the 
diversity  of  manners,  customs,  modes  of  religion,  and  interests  too  con- 
sequent to  the  difference  of  climates,  provincial  laws,  products,  and 
situation  inland  and  maritime,  will  render  a  coalition  of  political  views 
not  easily  practicable,  but  create  jealousies  and  an  indifference,  or  rather 
balance,  to  each  other's  projects. 

"  Twenty  thousand  regular  troops,  judiciously  posted,  and  chiefly 
in  the  conquered  provinces,  would  guard  and  command  the  whole 
Country.  These  troops,  maintained  as  levied  at  the  expence  of  America 
should  be  triennially  relieved  to  prevent  their  acquisition  of  any  natural 
interest  there,  and  all  considerable  posts,  civil,  military  and  ecclesiastical 
be  invariably  filled  by  Persons  of  proportionate  land  property  in  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland.  Such,  with  other  precautionary  provisions,  the 
command  of  the  Sea,  and  the  physical  dependence,  at  least  for  many 
ages,  that  continent,  from  its  great  inequalities  of  seasons,  lakes,  etc., 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  143 

? 

must  necessarily  have  on  this  Kingdom  for  its  woollen  manufactures, 
would  very  solidly  establish  british  dominion.  Perhaps  the  erection  of 
Canada  into  a  Kingdom  for  Prince  Edward  would  for  ages  answer  that 
purpose,  as  well  as  be  a  greater,  more  rational  and  permanent  accession 
of  strength  to  this  Kingdom  and  its  Royal  Family,  than  the  wearing  of 
so  many  crowns  by  the  house  of  Bourbon,  in  different  parts  of  Europe, 
can  possibly  be  to  that  family  or  to  France. 

"  But,  supposing  this  independent  spirit,  in  future  times,  to  take 
place;  the  Provinces  will  always  be  glad  to  receive,  and  this  nation 
strong  enough  to  impose,  as  their  head  a  younger  son  of  the  Royal 
Family;  and  certainly  the  union  between  two  people  of  the  same  blood, 
religion,  polity,  language,  laws,  humour,  and  genius,  under  the  same 
family,  would  be  iniinitely  more  strongly  cemented  and  complicated  than 
the  union  of  states  and  kingdoms,  dissimilar  in  almost  each  request, 
[respect?]  nursed  in  and  distinguished  by  national  prejudices,  can  be 
under  the  dominion  or  influence  of  the  Bourbon  or  any  other  family,  or 
the  combination  of  any  conjunctures  can  form. 

"  But,  my  Lord,  if  the  advantage  will  not  allure,  necessity  ought, 
and  I  have,  I  hope,  will  impell  us  to  conquer  Canada ;  the  pretensions  of 
the  French  to  that  whole  continent,  though  temporarily  dissembled  by 
their  government,  are  constant  and  avowed  by  the  people ;  and  the  hopes 
and  aim  of  both  invariably  terminate  in  its  reduction. 

Their  own  histories  of  New  France  are  histories  of  continued 
schemes,  plots,  enterprizes,  and  machinations,  ministerial  and  private, 
in  peace  and  war,  concerted  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  great  event 
and  to  facilitate  which,  perjuries,  poisons,  murders  are,  with  them,  law- 
ful means.  If  Canada  remains  in  the  hands  of  the  French  they  will 
equally,  from  the  operation  of  their  good  and  bad  qualities,  from  the 
nature  of  things,  arrive  at  this  supreme  sovereignty;  and  the  english 
colonies  experience  the  same  fate  which  the  Grecian  Colonies,  on  the 
coast  of  Asia,  underwent  from  the  Grand  Monarch  of  Asia ;  fall  a  prey  to 
the  grand  monarch  of  American  France:  nor  are  the  circumstances 
dissimilar,  but  in  favour  of  the  French,  excepting  numbers,  which  every 
day  will  improve.  The  very  political  independency  o-f  the  provinces  on 
each  other,  will  quicken  their  dependence  on  the  french,  and  the  whole 
power  and  wealth  of  the  continent  become  that  of  the  foe,  and  be  turned 
against  Great  Britain. 

r  "  Your  Lordship  will  readily  conclude  that  I  am  one  of  those 
who  wish  the  late  armament  from  Brest  had  not  been  permitted  to  sail, 
or  to  have  been  destroyed  if  they  had  sailed;  I  fervently  wished  it;  I 
shall  be  extremely  happy  if  I  am  mistaken  in  my  belief  that  the  arrival 
of  that  armament  in  Canada  will  be  eventually  productive  of  great 
mischief,  unless  timely  redressed  by  a  furious  attack  of  Quebec. 

"Although  that  reinforcement,  so  much  wanted  there,  and  which 
the  french,  knowing  their  weak  part,  resolved  to  send  at  all  hazards,  will 
render  its  reduction  more  difficult ;  yet  more  troops,  great  address  in  the* 
preparation,  and  great  resolution  in  the  execution,  which  a  good  General 


144  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

knows  how  to  inspire,  will  surmount  the  difficulty.  Whatever  the 
capture  costs  of  men  and  money  the  expence  of  both  will  be  small  to  that 
of  a  defensive  war  and  precautionary  provisions,  which  may  have  little 
intermission,  and  no  end,  until  the  French  be  formally  and  really  masters 
of  that  continent.  The  acquisition  will  be  to  us  a  temporary  expence, 
instantly  repaid  by  the  fur  trade  and  fishery;  the  benefit  perpetual:  but 
in  the  hands  of  the  French,  their  american  power  will  soon  grow  so 
strong,  and.  take  such  an  extended  and  deep  root,  to  which  a  defensive 
war  will  not  a  little  contribute, .that  it  will  prove  the  severest  thorn  in 
the  sides  of  England,  to  extract  which,  millions  in  vain  may  hereafter 
be  expended.  ./* 

"  I  just  beg  leave  to  say  a  word  of  the  navigation  of  the  river  St. 
Lawrence :  it  appears,  through  all  the  affected  obscurity  of  the  french 
voyage  writers,  and  the  horror  which  former  miscarriages  and  ignorance 
has  thrown  on  it,  to  be  safe,  though  sometimes  tedious;  the  mystery 
consists  in  timeing  the  Voyage  and  keeping  the  southern  coast  aboard, 
from  Cape  Eozier  to  Quebec,  with  due  respect  to  some  intervening- 
shallows  and  islands. 

"  If  any  suggestions  of  mine  could  contribute  towards  a  system  of 
operations  for  this  or  any  other  enterprize  your  Lordship  will  always 
very  heartily  command  me,  as  the  country  will  my  service;  and  if  any- 
thing here  said  appears  interesting,  Your  Lordship  will  do  me 
particular  favor  in  communicating  it  to  my  Lord  Halifax 
["  Hallifax "  in  the  print]  to  whom  I  have  not  the  honor 
of  being  known.  Your  Lordship  will  have  the  goodness  to  con- 
sider it  as  flowing  from  a  heart  -fervently  attached  to  the  public  service, 
and  your  favorable  acceptance  of  it  may  hereafter  inctuce  me  to  lay 
before  Your  Lordship  a  plan,  which,  in  the  course  of  some  military 
essays  occurred  to  me  for  the  establishment  of  a  marine  corps,  whose 
service,  in  peace  and  war,  might  possibly  give  satisfaction  to  Prince  and 
people;  certainly  would  be  more  useful  than  the  marines  now  raising, 
who,  I  humbly  apprehend,  cannot  in  their  present  form  be  good  soldiers, 
nor  in  any  form  good  seamen,  whatever  to  the  contrary  may  be  expected-'* 

"  I  am,  my  Lord,  etc., 

"J.   SlMCOE." 

"Lord  Barrington,  1st  June,  1755." 


Note  by  Sir  David  William  Smith. — These  papers  of  General  Simcoe's 
were  Drinted  in  1799,  by  Trewmans,  Exeter. 

Additional  Note. — Sir  David's  copy  is  bound  in  his  volume  containing 
the  Proceedings  of  the  House  of  Assembly,  U.  C.,  1801,  and  the  House  of 
Assembly,  L.  C.,  February  20  to  May  11,  1798-  (38  Geo.  III.);  this  volume 
is  owned  by  and  in  the  possession  of  Prof.  J.  W.  Bain,  of  the  University 
of  Toronto.  The  publication  is  a  square  quarto  of  18  pages:  Smith's  manu-. 
script  copy  follows  it  closely — I  have  noted  all  the  differences  except  in 
capitalization.  In  the  print  our  present  method  of  capitalizing  gentile 
adjectives  and  writing  common  nouns  with  a  small  letter  has  been  followed: 
Smith's  method  is  followed  in  this  reprint. 


ADDITIONAL   NOTES 

BY 

MR,  JUSTICE  RIDDELL.* 

La  Eochefoucault,  having  visited  this  Continent  under  the  circum- 
stances mentioned  in  the  Introduction  (p.  4),  met  Hammond,1  the 
British  Plenipotentiary  to  the  United  States,  and  was  invited  by  him 
to  visit  Canada.  The  Governor-General  of  Canada  at  that  time  was  the 
famous  Guy  Carleton,  Lord  Dorchester/  and  the  Lieutenant- Governor 
of  Upper  Canada,  Colonel  John  Graves  Simcoe.3 

France  had  never  sincerely  acquiesced  in  her  expulsion  from  the 
northern  part  of  North  America.  Genet,4  the  French  Ambassador  at 
Philadelphia,  then  the  seat  of  government  in  the  United  States,  had 
constantly  intrigued  against  the  continuance  of  British  rule  in  Canada. 
To  so  great  a  length  did  his  pernicious  activity  proceed  that  Washington 
was  forced  to  demand  his  recall.  He  was  succeeded  in  1794  by  Fauchet,5 
who  did  not  act  quite  so  openly,  but  did  not  omit  any  opportunity 
secretly  to  advance  the  wish  of  his  country  to  be  reinstated  in  North 
America.  Adet,6  who  followed  Fauchet  after  this  time,  was  almost  as 
open  as  Genet ;  he  did  not  hesitate  to  send  agents  into  Canada  to  stir  up 
the  habitants  to  rebellion,  one  of  whom,  David  McLarie/  was  convicted 
of  high  treason  and  suffered  the  horrible  penalty  for  that  crime  at 
Quebec  in  July,  1797. 

A  considerable  proportion  of  the  American  people  looked  with 
favour  on  these  movements;  and  the  British  Governors  of  Canada  were 
forced  to  exercise  .great  precaution  in  respect  of  these  admitted  into 
Canada  from  the  United  States.  Accordingly  Dorchester,  in  October, 
1794,  issued  specific  orders  that  no  foreigner  was  to  enter  Lower  Canada 
without  his  express  permission — it  was  no  secret  that  this  was  due  to  the 
conduct  of  certain  French  agents. 

Mr.  Hammond  seems  to  have  thought  that  his  recommendation 
would  be  all-powerful.  Whether  it  be  the  fact  (as  La  Eochefoucault  says 
Hammond  told  him)  that  Lord  Dorchester  had  requested  him  to  take  it 
upon  himself  to  grant  passports  for  Lower  Canada  or  not,  he  certainly 
acted  as  though  such  request  had  been  made.  He  wrote  Dorchester  and 
Simcoe  that  La  Eochefoucault  was  about  to  go  to  Canada,  and  recom- 
mended him  to  their  favourable  attention,  at  the  same  time  assuring  the 
Frenchman  that  he  would  have  no  trouble  in  entering  or  remaining  in 
Canada. 

On  Sunday,  June  20th,  1795,  he  entered  Upper  Canada,  crossing 
the  Niagara  at  Fort  Erie  in  an  English  boat,  his  friend  Guillemard  8 

*  For  references,  see  pages  177,  sqq. 

145 

11    T.C. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

'£T " 

5iaving"preceded  him  the  previous  evening.  With  him  were  two  French- 
men, Dupetit-Thouars9  and  de  Blacon,10  but  his  guide  the  Canadian 
Poudrit u  does  not  seem  to  have  come  farther  than  the  American  bank  of 
the  river. 

[381.]  The  strictures  of  Smith  on  the  alleged  mistakes  in  calling 
"  a  small  armed  vessel,"  "  an  English  frigate,"  and  the  captain  com- 
manding a  company,  a  Governor,  are  uncalled  for.  The  fault,  if  any,  is 
that  of  the  translator.  Much  more  valuable  is  the  statement  made  as  to 
the  issue  of  paper  money  by  private  individuals  and  Smith's  confident 
assertion  that  this  was  never  depreciated  in  value.  The  care  taken  against 
fraudulent  notes  is  worthy  of  note,  and  indicates  the  paternal  govern- 
ment of  the  time.  La  Eochefoucault  was  hospitably  entertained  by 
Captain  (Brevet-major)  Pratt 12  of  the  5th  Eegiment  of  Foot,  command- 
ing at  Fort  Erie,  and  sent  by  him  [388]  in  care  of  Lieutenant  Faulkner 
of  the  same  Eegiment  on  a  government  ship  to  Chippawa.  There  he  was 
received  with  all  due  respect  and  courtesy  by  Captain  Hamilton,13  com- 
mandant of  that  post  [389]. 

The  Falls  of  Niagara  were  visited,  and  a  vivid  description  is  given 
of  them  and  of  the  whirlpool.  Saw  and  grist  mills  [398]  above  the 
Falls  are  an  object  of  curiosity,  and  the  traveller  does  not  omit  to  mention 
the  amount  of  toll  taken  by  the  miller. 

The  very  singular  and  often-mentioned  sulphur  spring  at  that  point 
is  also  described  [399]. 

The  translator  makes  a  curious  error  in  mistaking  Newarck  for 
New  York  [4OO] .  The  "  misnomer  "  was  not  the  fault  of  the  Duke  or 
his  French  printer. 

Queen's  Town,  Queenstown,  now  Queenston,  is  reached  June  22nd 
[4O2],  the  chief  object  of  interest  at  which  is  the  "very  fine  house 
built  in  English  style  "  of  "  Mr.  Hamilton,  an  opulent  merchant."  This 
was,  of  course,  the  Hon.  Eobert  Hamilton,  M.L.C.14  Mrs.  Simcoe15  in 
her  Diary  says,  under  date  Monday,  July  30th,  1792 :  "  Mr.  Hamilton 
has  a  very  good  stone  house,  the  back  rooms  overlooking  on  the  river.  A 
gallery,'  the  length  of  the  house,  is  a  delightful  covered  walk  both  below 
and  above,  in  all  weather."  "  The  Diary  of  Mrs.  John  Graves  Simcoe," 
p.  127.  Col.  Simcoe  sent  Major  Littlehales18s(who  Smith  is  careful  to 
tell  us  was  not  his  Adjutant  but  his  Major  of  Brigade)  to  invite  the 
party  to  dinner.  After  dinner  he  invited  them  to  remain  with  him 
and  consider  themselves  at  home.  The  invitation  was  gladly  accepted 
[403].  Mrs.  Simcoe  does  not  seem  to  have  been  favourably  impressed 
with  the  visitors.  She  writes  under  date  Monday,  June  22nd,  1795 : 
"  The  Duke  de  Liancourt  arrived  strongly  recommended  by  the  Duke  of 
Portland,  Mr.  Hammond,  etc.;  therefore  General  Simcoe  is  obliged  to 
pay  every  attention  to  him.  He  is  attended  by  Mr.  Gilmard,  an  English- 
man, a  French  naval  officer  named  Dupetit-Thouars,  and  M.  de  Blacons. 
Their  appearance  is  perfectly  democratic  and  dirty."  Wednesday,  24th : 
"Monsr.  Blacons  returns  immediately  to  the  "United  States,  where  I 
hear  he  keeps  a  shop.  Monsr.  Dupetit-Thouars  and  Gilmard  are  going 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  147 

to  visit  York."  Monday,  29th:  "The  Governor  took  the  Duke  de 
Liancourt  to  see  Forty-mile  Creek.  I  dislike  them  all."  Thursday, 
July  2nd :  "  The  Governor  returned  .  .  ." 

For  the  first  time  now,  the  Duke  was  made  aware  of  Dorchester's 
orders  of  the  previous  October,  and  though  he  approved  of  these  to  the 
fullest  extent  as  wise  measures  of  precaution  tending  to  avert  a  revolu- 
tion, he  was  no  little  annoyed  at  Hammond  for  misleading  him.  How- 
ever, he  made  the  best  of  the  situation  and  applied  to  Dorchester  for  a 
.permit  to  enter  Lower  Canada,  asking  that  an  answer  might  be  sent  to 
Kingston  [4O4]. 

A  statement  made  by  the  Duke  vigorously  contradicted  by  Smith 
should  be  noticed.  After  saying  that  the  two  Provinces  have  a  repre- 
sentative form  of  government,  he  makes  the  statement :  "  All  the 
springs  of  this  political  machine  are  yet  in  the  hands  of  the  Gov- 
ernor-General." Smith  says  "  the  Government  have  not  the  power 
or  influence  to  return  one  member  to  the  House  of  Assembly  to  either 
Province  " ;  and  again,  "  the  Government  have  not  the  power  of  bringing 
in  any  one  member."  The  Frenchman  was  nearer  to  the  truth  than  the 
Anglo-Canadian.  The  power  of  the  Governor  was  such  that  except  in 
times  of  great  excitement,  he  could  be  almost  certain  to  have  a  member 
returned  whose  election  he  sought.  It  is  well  known,  for  example,  that 
Simcoe  procured  the  election  of  Attorney-General  John  White,  a  com- 
plete stranger  in  the  Province,  as  member  of  the  first  House  of  Assembly 
in  1792.  See  note 21  post. 

The  translator  does  his  author  grave  injustice  in  his  pretended 
translation  of  La  Bochefoucault's  account  of  the  "new  Constitution  of 
Canada"  [408].  Smith's  animadversions  should  have  been  directed 
against  the  translator  not  the  author. 

"  The  new  Constitution  of  Canada  "  was  given  by  the  Canada  Act, 
which  caused  the  rupture  between  Fox  and  Burke,  (1791),  31  George 
III,  cap.  31.  It  may  be  well  here  to  note  its  real  provisions. 

Sec.  1  repeals  much  of  the  Quebec  Act  (1774),  14  Geo.  Ill,  cap.  83. 

Sec.  2  provides  for  a  Legislative  Council  and  an  Assembly  in  each 
of  the  Provinces  of  Upper  Canada,  and  Lower  Canada,  with  power  to 
pass  legislation  valid  when  assented  to  by  the  Sovereign  or  the  Governor 
or  Lieutenant-Governor  appointed  by  the  Sovereign. 

(Sections  3  to  12,  inclusive,  contain  the  provisions  as  to  the  Legis- 
lative Council.) 

Sec.  3  gives  power  to  the  Sovereign  to  direct  by  Sign  Manual  the 
Governor,  etc.,  to  summon  to  the  Legislative  Council  such  persons  not 
less  than  seven  or  more  than  fifteen  as  should  be  selected  by  the 
Sovereign. 

Sec.  4  provides  that  no  one  shall  be  summoned  to  the  Legislative 
Council  under  twenty-one  years  of  age  or  not  a  British  subject  by  birth, 
naturalization  or  conquest. 

Sec.  5  makes  the  position  of  Legislative  Councillor  for  life,  subject  to 
vacation  in  cases  thereafter  mentioned. 


148  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

Sec.  6  empowers  the  Sovereign  to  annex  to  any  hereditary  title  of 
honour  in  the  Province,  the  hereditary  right  to  sit  in  the  Legislative 
Council.  (This  was,  of  course,  by  analogy  to  the  House  of  Lords  in  the 
mother  country;  the  power  has  never  been  exercised.) 

Sec.  7  provides  for  forfeiture  of  this  hereditary  right. 
Sec.  8  for  loss  of  seat  in  the  Legislative  Council  in  certain  specified 
cases r 

Sec.  9  protects  hereditary  rights  in  certain  cases  of  loss  of  seat. 

Sec.  10  declares  all  seats  and  all  heredity  forfeited  for  treason. 

Sec.  11  provides  for  determining  contested  rights  to  seats. 

Sec.  12 — The  Governor,  etc.,  is  to  appoinl,;  the  Speaker. 
(Sections  13  to  25  inclusive  contain  the  provisions  as  to  the  Legis- 
lative Assembly.) 

Sec.  13  empowers  the  Sovereign  to  direct  the  Governor,  etc.,  to  call 
together  an  Assembly. 

Sec.  14 — And  to  divide  the  Province  into  Ridings,  appoint  Returning 
Officers,  etc.,  for  an  Election. 

Sec.  15 — The  R.O/s  to  hold  office  for  not  more  than  two  years  from 
the  commencement  of  the  Act. 

Sec.  16 — No  one  to  be  compelled  to  be  R.O.  more  than  once. 

Sec.  17 — The  whole  number  of  representatives  not  to  be  less  than 
sixteen  in  Upper  Canada  or  less  than  fifty  in  Lower  Canada. 

Sees.  18  and  19  prescribe  the  Writs  for  Election  and  the  Return. 

Sec.  20 — The  electorate  to  consist  of  those  owning  land  worth  not 
less  than  40s.  (Sterling)  per  annum  in  country  districts;  in  towns  £5 
(Sterling),  or  paying  rent  not  less  than  £10  (Sterling). 

Sec.  21  prohibits  Ministers,  Priests,  Ecclesiastics  and  Teachers  of 
any  Church,  or  form  of  religious  faith  or  worship  from  sitting  in  the 
Assembly.  (This  provision  afterwards  proved  troublesome  to  the  Meth- 
odists— some  of  their  Local  Preachers  were  compelled  to  vacate  the  seats 
in  the  Assembly  to  which  they  had  been  elected.) 

Sec.  22 — None  under  twenty-one  or  not  a  British  subject  to  be 
allowed  to  vote  or  be  elected. 

Sec.  23 — And  no  one  attainted  of  treason  or  felony. 

Sec.  24 — An  oath  for  voters  is  provided. 

Sec.  25 — Eight  days'  notice  of  the  time  of  election  to  be  given. 

Sec.  26 — And  due  notice  of  the  sitting  of  Parliament. 

Sec.  27 — Parliament  to  be  called  together  at  least  once  every  twelve 
months. 

Sec.  28. — All  questions  to  be  decided  by  a  majority  of  votes,  the 
Speaker  of  Council  or  Assembly  to  have  a  casting  voice. 

Sec.  29. — Oath  for  Members  of  Council  and  Assembly. 

Sec.  30 — The  Governor,  etc.,  authorized  to  withhold  assent  to  legis- 
lation or  to  reserve  for  His  Majesty's  consideration. 

Sec.  31 — The  Governor,  etc.,  to  transmit  to  the  Secretary  of  State 
all  Bills  assented  to;  these  may  be  disallowed  by  His  Majesty  in  Council 
any  time  within  two  years  of  their  receipt. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  149 

Sec.  32 — Bills  reserved  for  His  Majesty's  pleasure  not  to  have  any 
effect  until  approval  communicated  to  Council  and  Assembly. 

Sec.  33 — Laws  in  force  at  the  passing  of  the  Act  to  continue  in 
force  until  repealed. 

Sec.  34 — The  Governor,  etc.,  "  with  such  Executive  Council  as  shall 
be  appointed  by  His  Majesty  for  the  affairs  of  such  Province  "  to  be  a 
Court  of  Appeal.  (This,  curiously  enough,  is  the  only  mention  of  an 
Executive  Council  in  the  Act  except  in  Sees.  38  and  50.  Troubles  over 
the  Executive  Council,  its  functions,  power  and  responsibility  soon  de- 
veloped and  continued  till  after  the  Rebellion  of  1837.) 

Sec.  35 — Certain  previous  regulations,  etc.,  in  respect. of  the  Eoman 
Catholic  clergy  to  continue  in  force. 

Sees.  36  and  37— For  the  support,  etc.,  "  of  a  Protestant  Clergy," 
land  to  be  allotted  "equal  in  value  to  the  seventh  part"  of  lands 
"  granted  by  and  under  the  authority  of  His  Majesty." 

(The  celebrated  Clergy  Reserves  of  one-eighth  of  the  ungranted 
lands  of  the  Crown,  not  one-seventh  as  ordinarily  supposed,  since  the 
Reserve  was  to  be  one-seventh  of  the  land  granted,  i.e.,  one-eighth  of  the 
whole.  What  was  "a  Protestant  Clergy"  was  soon  in  dispute.  The 
Church  of  England  claimed  a  monopoly  of  the  title,  but  on  the  advice  of 
the  Law  Officers  of  the  Home  Government,  the  Church  of  Scotland  had 
its  claim  allowed  as  being  an  Established  Church,  and  as  Protestant  as 
the  Church  of  England.  Other  and  Nonconformist  Presbyterians,  Meth- 
odists, and  some  other  religious  bodies  which  believed  themselves  to  be 
Protestant  Churches  and  to  have  a  Protestant  Clergy  then  advanced 
claims,  which  were  more  or  less  assented  to.  At  length,  after  being  for 
years,  a  constant  source  of  irritation  and  contention,  the  "  Clergy  Re- 
serves" remaining  were  applied  to  education  purposes.) 

Sec.  38— The  Governor,  with  the  advice  of  the  Executive  Council, 
might  erect  Parsonages  and  endow  them  for  the  Church  of  England, 

Sec.  39 — And  appoint  incumbents, 

Sec.  40 — Subject  to  the  rights  of  institution,  etc.,  of  the  Bishop  of 
Nova  Scotia. 

Sec.  41 — The  provisions  of  Sees.  36  to  40,  inclusive,  to  be  subject  to 
repeal  or  variation  by  the  Provincial  Parliament. 

Sec.  42. — Certain  Acts  to  be  laid  before  the  Imperial  Parliament 
before  receiving  the  Royal  Assent. 

Sec.  43 — Land  in  Upper  Canada  to  be  granted  in  free  and  common 
soccage. 

Sec.  44. — Existing  grantees  there  may  surrender  their  grants  and 
receive  new  ones  in  free  and  common  soccage. 

Sec.  45 — These  new  grants  not  to  bar  any  existing  right. 

Sec.  46 — The  Imperial  Parliament  not  to  levy  any  tax,  etc.,  except 
for  the  regulation  of  navigation,  etc. 

Sec.  47 — All  taxes  levied  for  navigation,  etc.,  to  be  applied  to  the 
use  of  the  Province. 

Sec.  48 — Act  to  begin  not  later  than  Dec.  31st,  1791. 


150  L.A  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

Sec.  49— Provincial  Elections  not  later  than  Dec.  31st,  1792. 

Sec.  50 — In  the  interim,  Governor  and  Executive  Council  may  make 
temporary  laws,  regulations,  etc. 

It  will  be  seen  that  while  there  may  fairly  be  said  to  have  been 
legislative  power  granted  to  Parliament,  all  executive  power  remained 
in  the  Governor,  and  neither  he  nor  his  Council  was  responsible  to 
Parliament.  Eepresentative  legislation  there  might  be,  but  not  Eepre- 
sentative  or  Eesponsible  government.  The  Point  au  Boudet  mentioned 
in  the  translator's  note  *  [407]  is  in  the  original  Proclamation  of  Sept, 
12th,  1791,  Baudet,  and  is  often  spelled  Bodet. 

The  Dr.  Morse  referred  to  in  note  f  [4O7]  and  in  note  *  [382] 
is  Jedidiah  Morse"  the  geographer.  On  p.  474  of  his  Geography  he 
bounds  Canada  "  North  by  New  Britain,  east  by  the  Bay  of  St.  Law- 
rence, south  by  Nova  'Scotia18  and  the  United  States,  west  by  unknown 
lands."  Of  the  population  he  says,  "  In  1784  a  census  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Province  of  Quebec  was  taken  by  order  of  Governor  Haldimand, 
when  they  amounted  to  113,012  English  and  French,  exclusive  of  the 
Loyalists  who  have  lately  settled  in  the  upper'  parts  of  the  Province  to 
the  number,  it  is  said,  of  10,000  "  (p.  474). 

[410.]  The  mistake  of  La  Eochefoucault  in  supposing  that  Simcoe 
intended  York  (Toronto)  to  be  the  capital  of  Upper  Canada  is  dealt  with 
in  Simcoe's  letter  to  Phillips  (p.  136,  ante) — Simcoe  always  intended 
London  to  be  the  political  capital. 

In  the  translator's  note  f  York  is  made  N.  by  W.,  instead  of  N.  by  E. 
from  Newark. 

[411.]  La  Eochefoucault  calls  what  is  now  known  as  the  Grand 
Eiver,  "la  grande  riviere."  The  translator  calls  this  "the  Miami  or 
Great  Eiver,"  then  misunderstands  his  author  and  makes  him  say  that 
the  Thames  is  not  far  distant  from  this  river.  What  La  Eochefoucault 
says  is,  "  This,  whose  source  between  Lakes  Huron  and  Ontario  not  yet 
precisely  known  does  not  seem  to  be  far  from  that  of  '  la  grande 
riviere/  flows  from  the  north  toward  the  west  a  course  of  four  or  five 
(hundred)  miles  and  empties  into  Lake  St.  Clair"  (the  word  "cents" 
is  omitted  by  a  clear  printer's  mistake,  faithfully  followed  by  the  trans- 
lator). Smith  castigates  the  Duke  for  the  fault  of  Neumann,  who  makes 
precisely  the  same  mistake  of  interpolation  and  mistranslation  [449] 
with  the  same  effect  (or  worse)  upon  Smith. 

[413.]  The  hope  entertained  by  Simcoe  of  drawing  settlers  from 
New  Brunswick  was  not  wholly  vain.  Many  valuable  immigrants  (chiefly 
of  United  Empire  Loyalist  stock)  came  to  Upper  Canada — not  that 
they  could  not  endure  the  climate  of  that  country  (en  trouvent  le  climat 
insupportable)  perhaps,  but  for  other  reasons.  It  is  possible  that  the 
immigration  to  Upper  Canada  in  the  same  year  as  Simcoe's  own  arrival, 
of  Christopher  Eobinson,  the  father  of  Chief  Justice  Eobinson  (who  came 
by  way  of  Lower  Canada  from  New  Brunswick),  may  have  had  some- 
thing to  do  with  these  hopes. 

[415.]  The  vast  quantities  of  sturgeon  then  in  Lake  Ontario 
affording  the  means  of  rivalling  Eussia  in  the  supply  of  caviare,  should 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  151 

be  noticed.  This  fish  is  now  almost  unknown  in  Lake  Ontario,  and  it 
seems  destined  to  the  same  fate  in  the  Lake  of  the  Woods  and  some  other 
Canadian  waters.  "  'Tis  true  'tis  pity,  and  pity  'tis  'tis  true." 

[419.]  Simcoe  foresaw  the  Trent  Valley  Canal,  only  now  approach- 
ing completion,  giving  direct  communication  between  Lake  Huron  and 
the  St.  Lawrence  Eiver,  "  par  la  baie  de  Quenti."  The  last  five  words 
the  translator  omits  for  no  apparent  reason.  The  original  does  not  con- 
tain these  words  later  when  speaking  of  the  "communication  between 
Lake  Huron  and  Lake  Ontario." 

The  plan  of  Simcoe  to  build  "  galeres,  galiotes  a  bombes,  chaloupes — 
canonnieres,"  at  Chatham,  take  them  down  the  Thames,  up  through 
Lake  St.  Clair  and  Eiver  St.  Clair  to  Lake  Huron,  and  thence  by  a  canal 
to  the  Bay  of  Quinte  and  Lake  Ontario  is  at  least  curious  and  interesting. 

[421.-]  The  translator  more  than  once  (as  here)  mistakes  "  lieues  " 
for  "  milles '" — probably  in  this  instance  from  the  occurrence  of  the  word 
'"  mille  "  immediately  before. 

[423.]  The  mistake  made  by  the  traveller  as  to  the  power  of  Jus- 
tices of  the  Peace  to  "  assign  "  lands  (donner  .  .  .  un  lot  de  deux 
cents  acres  de  terre)  is  corrected  by  Smith.  The  mistake  is  a  venial  one. 
The  members  of  the  Land  Boards  were  all  or  nearly  all  Justices  of  the 
Peace,  and  their  power  was  very  great.  It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  a 
foreigner  could  distinguish  between  Justices  sitting  in  the  Quarter  Ses- 
sions and  on  the  Land  Board. 

The  proceedings  of  these  Land  Boards  have  been  printed  by  the 
Ontario  Archives  and  will  be  found  interesting  reading. 

The  description  given  of  the  free  grants  of  land  in  the  translation  is 
involved.  AJHiat  is  meant  is  that  while  locatees  are  allowed  to  enter  on 
and  use  the  lands  at  once,  they  do  not  receive  their  patents  promptly.  The 
time  during  which  they  have  not  the  legal  title  is  more  or  less  prolonged 
according  to  the  will  of  the  Council.  So  far  as  La  Eochefoucault  knows 
they  do  not  receive  before  patent,  the  usual  rights  of  property  in  the 
land,  etc.,  etc.  His  view  of  the  law  as  law  is  perfectly  right :  Smith  tells 
us  that  the  rigour  of  the  law  was  not  exacted  "  where  the  necessary 
improvement  was  made  within  the  prescribed  time  or  unless  some  trick 
was  attempted  on  the  Government  in  the  true  spirit  of  American  land- 
jobbing."  It  will  be  seen  what  chances  there  remained  of  injustice,  and 
that  Smith's  account  of  the  common  practice  is  no  answer  to  La  Eoche- 
foucault's  criticism  of  the  law. 

[426.]  The  North  Eiver,  "  la  riviere  du  Nord  "  is  the  Hudson,  so 
called  by  the  Dutch  of  Manhattan  in  contradistinction  to  the  Delaware 
which  was  regarded  as  the  Southern  boundary  of  the  Dutch  colony. 

[427.]  By  Jay's  Treaty,  1794,  British  subjects  were  at  liberty  to 
remain  in  Detroit  after  it  was  given  up  to  the  Americans.  If  they,  did  so 
they  were  required  to  declare  their  intention  to  remain  British  subjects, 
and  if  they  failed  to  do  so  within  a  year  after  the  rendition  of  the  place 
they  were  regarded  as  having  chosen  to  become  citizens  of  the  United 
States.  As  Smith  says,  "  The  principal  merchants  who  were  settled  in 


152  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

Detroit  did  remove  from  the  American  to  the  British  side"  ("and/'  1  add, 
"many  who  were  not  merchants").  Moreover,  many  of  those  who  re- 
mained on  the  other  shore  registered  their  intention  to  remarn  British 
subjects.  A  list  of  over  120  names  is  to  be  found  in  Vol.  8  of  the  Michi- 
gan Pioneer  Collections,  pp.  410,  411.  La  Eochefoucault  being  then 
almost  "  a  man  without  a  country,"  although  he  records  his  great  love 
for  France,  could  not  estimate  at  its  proper  value  the  intense  love  of -the 
British  for  their  own  institutions.  The  same  want  of  appreciation  of  the 
strong  British  feeling  of  Canadians  has  been  manifested  time  and  again 
by  Americans — but  a  very  small  percentage  of  them  even  to-day  have 
any  conception  of  its  power — the  elemental  and  ineradicable  determina- 
tion of  the  Canadian  to  remain  British. 

[423.]  The  alleged  hatred  of  Simcoe  for  the  United  States  may  be 
left  to  Simcoe  himself  to  meet,  as  he  does  in  his  letter  to  Phillips  (Note, 
p.  135,  ante.)  That  he  desired  war  with  the  United  States  is  probably 
untrue;  that  he  expected  it  and  prepared  for  it  is  certain.  But  every 
other  resident  of  Canada  expected  it  also.  The  insensate  .hatred  of 
Britain  which  characterized  no  small  part  of  the  American  people  made 
it  certain  (once  Washington's  hand  was  removed)  that  whenever  it  was 
thought  success  was  assured,  an  attack  would  be  made  upon  Canada. 
Upper  Canada  at  least  lived  in  daily  apprehension  of  attack  until  at  last 
it  came  in  1812. 

The  atrocious  charge  that  Simcoe  boasted  of  the  number  of  houses 
he  had  fired  during  the  Eevolution  he  meets  with  spirit  and  truthfully.19 
Smith's  strictures  are  wholly  called  for ;  and  it  is  difficult  to  account  for 
La  Eochefoucault  writing  as  he  did. 

[431.]  The  description  given  of  Mrs.  Simcoe  has  drawn  down  on 
the  Duke  much  condemnation  by  Smith  and  others.  I  confess  I  do  not 
see  anything  discourteous  or  disrespectful  in  it,  but  de  gustibus  non  est 
disputandum.  That  every  one  may  judge  for  himself,  I  give  the  original 
French,  Vol.  II,  p.  61 : 

"  Madame  Simcoe,  f  emme  de  trente-six  ans,  est  timide,  a  de  1'esprit, 
-est  obligeante  et  bonne,  parle  peu,  est  occupee  de  ses  devoirs  de  mere  et 
de  femme,  qu'elle  pousse  jusqu'a  etre  le  secretaire  de  confiance  de  son 
mari;  son  talent  pour  le  dessein  qu'  elle  applique  au  trace  des  cartes,  lui 
donne  aussi  le  moyen  de  lui  etre  tres-utile." 

I  have  no  doubt  La  Eochefoucault  thought  he  was  complimentary  to 
Mrs.  Simcoe,  and  I  cannot  see  that  he  was  not.  Bearing  in  mind  the 
existing  conception  of  a  woman's  place  and  duties,  the  description  seems 
to  be  that  of  a  perfect  wife  and  mother. 

[431.]  The  translator  has  misunderstood  what  was  said  respecting 
taxes.  What  the  Duke  says,  is  this,  "  Upper  Canada  pays  no  taxes  to 
England.  A  duty  upon  wine,  of  fourpence  per  gallon  on  Madeira,  two- 
pence on  other  kinds,  and  a  licence  fee  of  thirty-six  shillings,  to  which 
has  been  in  1793  added  another  of  twenty  shillings  currency  ($4.00),  are 
the  only  taxes  levied  in  Upper  Canada." 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  153. 

This  is  not  quite  accurate.  Duties  were  levied  upon  brandy,  rum, 
spirits,  etc.,  under  the  Imperial  Act  of  1774,  14  George  III,  Cap.  88. 
And  to  these  was  added  by  the  Parliament  of  Upper  Canada  in  1793, 
33  George  III,  c.  10,  the  duty  mentioned  by  La  Rochefoucault  of  4d.  a 
gallon  on  wine  the  produce  of  the  Island  of  Maderia,  and  2d.  a  gallon 
on  all  other  wine.  The  license  fee  required  by  Sec.  5  of  the  Imperial 
Act  of  1774  from  publicans  of  £1  16s.  was  increased  by  20  shillings  (this 
to  continue  to  April  5th,  1797),  by  the  Provincial  Act  of  1793,  33  George 
III,  cap.  13. 

In  1793  the  Committee  of  Ways  and  Means  in  the  Assembly  reported 
in  favour  of  a  retail  licence  fee  of  £2,  but  finally  the  figure  of  20  shillings, 
in  addition  to  the  £1  16s.  of  the  Imperial  Act,  was  agreed  upon,  the 
Receiver-General  to  be  allowed  to  retain  3  per  cent,  of  all  money  raised 
in  this  way.20 

Even  at  this  early  day  there  was  a  conflict  between  the  Legislative 
Council,  composed  of  men  of  the  higher  class,  and  the  Assembly,  the 
representative  of  the  masses.  The  latter  desired  to  place  most  of  the  duty 
upon  imported  wine ;  the  f  orrner  opposed  this,  and  desired  to  raise  most 
of  the  required  revenue  from  the  more  democratic  drinks  and  licence  fees 
upon  stills  and  taverns.  The  full  story  is  yet  to  be  told— when  told  it 
will  prove  amusing  as  well  as  interesting. 

The  money  raised  from  the  tax  on  wine  and  the  additional  licence 
fee  was  to  be  made  into  a  fund  for  paying  the  salaries  of  the  different 
officers  of  the  Legislative  Council  and  Assembly  and  the  contingent 
expenses. 

[432.]  Halifax,  Quebec  or  Canadian  currency,  in  which  a  shilling 
was  worth  20  cents,  a  pound  $4.00,  remained  in  use  till  the  middle  of 
the  19th  century.  New  York  currency,  in  which  a  shilling  (a  York 
shilling  or  Yorker)  was  12^  cents,  a  pound,  $2.50,  was  also  known  in 
many  parts  of  Upper  Canada  quite  as  latev 

[433.]  What  the  translator  calls  "  the  High  Court  of  Judicature  " 
(the  author  "la  cour  superieure  ")  was  "His  Majesty's  Court  of  King's 
Bench  for  the  Province  of  Upper  Canada,"  instituted  in  1794  by  the 
Act  34\  George  III,  cap.  2.  The  three  judges  were  the  Chief  Justice 
of  Upper  Canada  and  two  Puisne  Justices.  At  the  time  of  La 
Rochefoucault's  visit  the  position  of  Chief  Justice  was  vacant,  Osgoode 
having  gone  to  Lower  Canada  in  1794  and  Elmsley  not  being  appointed 
till  1796.  The  Court  was  presided  over  by  William  Dummer  Powell 
(afterwards,  in  1816,  C.J.),  who  was  "assisted"  from  time  to  time 
by  a  layman  appointed  temporarily,  with  no  advantage  to  the  Court 
and  apparently  for  no  purpose  but  to  give  the  appointee  some  "honest 
graft."  (Peter  Eussell  was  the  notorious  sinner  in  this  respect.)  The 
translator  interpolates  "  a  Court  of  Chancery."  There  was  no  Court 
of  Chancery  in  Upper  Canada  till  1837,  when  Eobert  Sympson  Jameson, 
husband  of  the  authoress,  Mrs.  Anna  Jameson,  became  Vice-Chancellor. 
Moreover,  a  Court  of  Chancery  has  no  jurisdiction  in  cases  of  testaments, 
etc.  What  the  author  says  is,  "The  Governor,  assisted  by  whom  he  pleases,. 


154  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

holds  court  for  wills,  intestacies,  orphans,  etc."  This  is  not  strictly 
accurate.  The  Statute  of  1793,  33  George  III,  cap.  8,  provided  that  the 
Governor  should  preside  in  a  Court  of  Probate,  that  he  might  establish  a 
Surrogate  Court  in  each  District,  presided  over  by  a  Commissioner,  with 
an  appeal  lying  from  each  Surrogate  Court  to  the  Court  of  Probate. 
This  system  continued  till  1858,  when  a  system  in  substance  the  same  as 
the  present  was  introduced  by  the  Statute  22  Vic.,  cap.  93. 

[434.]  John  White  was  our  first  Attorney- General.  He  was  killed 
in  a  duel  by  John  Small,  Clerk  of  the  Executive  Council,  in  1800a.  In 
early  times  offences  against  the  person  were  much  more  leniently  dealt 
with  by  judge  and  jury  than  offences  against  property.  In  the  first 
criminal  case  in  Upper  Canada  of  which  the  report  is  extant,  a  coloured 
burglar  was  hanged.22 

"  St.  John's "  is  a  mistranslation  for  "  Saint  John,"  and  that  a 
mistake  for  "New  Johnstown."  New  Johnstown,  now  Cornwall,  re- 
ceived its  name  from  U.  E.  Loyalist  settlers  from  the  Mohawk  Valley, 
and  was  called  after  Johnstown,  the  seat  of  Sir  John  Johnston  in  New 
York.  By  a  proclamation  in  1788  Lord  Dorchester  divided  the  territory 
afterwards  to  become  Upper  Canada  into  Luneburg  from  the  eastern 
limit  of  the  Province  to  the  mouth  of  the  Gananoque  Eiver;  Mecklen- 
burg, west  to  the  mouth  of  the  Trent  Eiver ;  Nassau,  west  to  the  extreme 
projection  of  Long  Point  on  Lake  Erie,  and  Hesse,  west  of  that.  These 
roughly  corresponded  to  the  chief  settlements  of  the  Loyalists  near 
Cornwall,  Kingston,  Niagara  and  Detroit. 

In  1792  the  Act  of  32  George  III,  cap.  8,  changed  the  names  of  these 
Districts  to  Eastern,  Midland,  Home  and  Western,  and  directed  that  the 
gaols  and  court  houses  should  be  placed  at  New  Johnstown  (Cornwall), 
Kingston,  Newark  (Niagara),  and  for  the  Western  District  "as  near  to 
the  present  court  house  as  conveniently  may  be"  (this  was  at  L'Assomp- 
tion,  now  Sandwich). 

La  Eochef  oucault  has  wrongly  written  "  Saint  John  "  for  "  New 
Johnstown,"  and  his  translator  has  increased  the  error  by  writing  "  St. 
John's."  St.  John's  was  a  town  in  Lower  Canada ;  we  shall  come  across 
another  misunderstanding  of  the  same  kind. 

It  is  not  the  case  that  the  division  of  Upper  Canada  into  counties 
was  purely  military;  and  the  counties  were  nineteen  in  number,  not 
twelve.  Upper  Canada  was  divided  into  counties  by  Eoyal  Proclamation 
by  Simcoe,  July  16th,  1792.  These  were : 

1  Glengarry,  2  Stonnont,  3  Dundas,  4  Grenville,  5  Leeds,  6  Fron- 
tenac,  7  Ontario,  8  Addington,  9  Lennox,  10  Prince  Edward,  11  Hast- 
ings, 12  Northumberland,  13  Durham,  14  York,  15  Lincoln,  16  Norfolk, 
17  Suffolk,  18  Essex,  and  19  Kent.  "  Ontario  "  was  composed  of  the 
Islands  in  the  St.  Lawrence  west  of  the  Gananoque  Eiver — our  present 
County  of  Ontario  had  at  that  time  few  if  any  permanent  inhabitants. 

La  Eochefoucault  and  his  translator  between  them  have  rather  mis- 
stated the  law.  The  Act  of  1793,  33  George  III,  cap.  1,  provided  for  the 
Governor  appointing  a  Lieutenant  for  each  County  and  Eiding — 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  155 

apparently  to  take  the  place  in  this  Province  of  the  Lord  Lieutenant  of 
English  Counties.  This  Lieutenant  had  the  chief  command  of  the 
Militia  within  his  County  or  Riding,  and  had  a  Deputy  Lieutenant  to 
be  appointed  by  himself  with  the  approval  of  the  Governor.  This  was 
the  officer  the  translator  calls  "  second-lieutenant,"  but  La  Eochef  oucault 
gives  him  his  proper  title,  "  depute-lieutenant."  There  was  a  general 
meeting  of  the  Militia  of  each  County  or  Riding  at  least  once  a  year  on 
the  4th  June;  all  males  capable  of  bearing  arms  from  16  to  50  were 
enrolled  in  the  Militia,  a  fine  of  20  shillings  ($4)  being  imposed  for 
neglect  to  be  enrolled.  For  non-attendance  at  the  annual  review  the  fine 
was  $8  for  a  commissioned  officer,  $2  for  non-commissioned  officer  or 
man.  The  penalty  for  not  turning  out  in  time  of  war,  rebellion  or  other 
pressing  emergency  was  £50  ($200)  for  a  commissioned  officer  (with 
dismissal  from  the  service  and  future  incapacity)  and  £20  ($80)  for 
non-commissioned  officer  or  man — in  default  of  payment  of  fine,  6  to  12 
months  in  the  District  gaol.  A  "  Quaker,  Menonist  or  Bunker  "  paid 
$4  per  annum  in  time  of  peace,  $20  in  time  of  war,  for  his  exemption. 

The  Act  of  1794,  34  George  III,  cap.  7,  is  fairly  represented  in  the 
French  text  and  translation. 

[437.]  The  gross  and  dangerous  misrepresentations  of  the  dealings 
of  the  government  with  the  Indians  are  exposed  and  justly  censured 
by  Smith.  But  they  are  on  a  par  with  charges  made  then  and  till  the 
war  o*f  1812  by  many  Americans. 

The  "  Goochland "  remark  refers  to  what  the  Duke  writes  con- 
cerning his  reception  at  Goochland  Court-House,  Virginia  (which 
he  calls  "  Gooekland  Court-House").  In  Volume  5  of  the  French 
edition,  p.  5,  he  says,  "The  day  was  Court  day  at  Gooekland.  .  .  . 
It  was  near  nine  o'clock  p.m.  when  I  arrived.  .  .  .  The  com- 
pany was  about  to  break  up.  ...  By  my  manner  of  speaking 
English  to  the  landlord,  the  company  easily  perceived  that  I  was  a 
Frenchman.  Then  all  got  off  their  horses,  pulled  me  off  mine,  pressed  me 
in  their  arms  and  exclaimed,  'You  are  a  Frenchman.  Well,  you  are  our  dear 
friend ;  we  would  all  die  for  any  Frenchman ;  we  are  all  good  republicans ; 
we  would  kill  all  the  English ;  that  would  be  fine,  wouldn't  it  ?  Oh,  our 
friend,  our  dear  friend/  And  one  said  to  another,  '  He  is  a  Frenchman, 
the  dear  good  fellow  is  a  Frenchman.  Because  you  are  French,  you 
must  drink  some  grog  (boivez  du  grog)  with  us/  And  they  pressed 
round  me,  drew  me  this  way  and  that,  shook  my  hand,  '  Say,  what  do 
you  want  us  to  do  for  you  ?  You  are  our  brother/  "  He  adds,  "  Their 
drunken  enthusiasm  was  a  little  too  tender,  but  I  could  not  be  displeased 
at  it.  I  confess  that  it  pleased  me  in  fact."  All  this  was  followed  by 
"une  enorme  terrine  de  grog,"  of  which  the  unhappy  Frenchman  was 
forced  to  take  his  full  share  with  toasts  to  the  French,  to  France,  to 
America,  to  Virginia  and  to  La  Fayette.  It  was  with  difficulty  that  he 
escaped  a  second  bowl  of  grog ;  but  he  had  to  take  in  the  sight  of  one  of 
his  American  friends  who  had  left  to  fight  "another  drunkard"  and  who 
returned  to  the  company  in  full  battle  array,  that  is  to  say,  stark  naked, 
covered  with  blood  from  a  blow  that  had  torn  away  part  of  his  ear  and 


156  LA  ROCHBFOUCAULT. 

another  on  the  eye,  "  qu'il  avait  hors  de  la  tete."    The  "  gouger  "  was  in 
evidence  on  that  Court  day  at  Goochland. 

[442.]  The  description  of  the  Tuscarora  manner  of  painting  the 
body  remind  one  of  the  story  told  of  Joseph  Brant. 

During  his  stay  in  London,  it  is  said,  attending  a  fancy-dress 
ball,  he  dressed  himself,  at  the  suggestion  of  Lord  Moira,  in  the  costume 
of  his  nation,  the  Mohawks;  he  wore  no  mask,  but  painted  one  half 
of  his  face.  A  Turkish  diplomat  gave  him  great  attention;  mistaking 
his  red  and  black  face  for  a  domino,  he  pulled  his  nose,  intending  to 
remove  the  mask  and  have  a  look  at  the  face  beneath.  Brant  pretended 
to  be  greatly  incensed,  raised  his  terrifying  war-whoop  and  brandished 
his  tomahawk  around  the  head  of  the  trembling  Turk.  But  friends 
came  around,  the  joke  was  explained,  and  all  was  well. 

[445.]  A  fairly  good  description  of  a  lacrosse  game. 

[447.]  Colonel  John  Butler  2S  is  one  among  many  Loyalist  soldiers 
venomously  assailed  by  American  writers  and  charged  with  all  kinds  of 
villainy  during  the  Wars  of  the  Eevolution.  La  Rochefoucault  seems  to 
have  been  filled  with  such  stories,  and  to  have  given  them  full  credence. 
Hardly  even  now  are  these  valorous  and  loyal  men  receiving  justice. 

[45O.]  Even  in  describing  Brant's 23  dress  the  translator  cannot  be 
faithful,  and  again  Smith  punishes  the  author  for  the  others  fault — for 
it  would  seem  that  Brant  did  not  wear  knee-breeches,  and  was  at  least  to 
thr.t  extent  a  sansculotte. 

The  treaty  at  Greenville  followed  Anthony  Wayne's  ("Mad 
Anthony")  victory  over  the  Indians  at  Maumee  Rapids  (Fallen  Tim- 
bers). By  this  treaty  a  very  large  tract  of  territory  was  ceded  to  the 
United  States. 

This  Treaty  is  spoken  of  in  a  despatch  from  Simcoe  to  the  Duke  of 
Portland,  July  31,  1795.  The  Indian  tribes  are  there  stated  to  be 
"Wyandots,  Delaware,  Shawanoes,  Otiawas,  Chipewas,  Potawatimes, 
Miamis,  Eel  River,  Weeas  and  Kickapoos."  (Can.  Archives  Report  for 
1891,  p.  57.) 

[451.]  Why  "  L'Oiseau  Noir,"  the  nickname  given  by  the  Indians 
to  Timothy  Pickering  24  is  translated  "  maize  thief  "  I  cannot  say.  Of 
course,  the  black  bird,  the  crow,  is  a  notorious  maize  thief,  even  if  the 
blackbird  (merle)  is  not.  Pickering  had  as  American  Commissioner  con- 
cluded a  treaty  with  the  Six  Nation  Indians  in  1791.  In  1793  he  was  a 
member  of  a  Commission  (the  other  two  being  John  Randolph  and 
Benjamin  Lincoln)  to  treat  with  the  Indians  at  Sandusky.  Mrs.  Simcoe 
notes  in  her  Diary,  Sunday,  May  14th,  1793,  that  these  Commissioners 
were  entertained  at  the  Governor's  house  at  Newark,  pending  instruc- 
tions from  Philadelphia,  the  seat  of  Government  of  the  United  States. 
Their  mission  was  not  a  success. 

The  only  son  *  of  the  Governor,  named  "  Tioga  "  by  the  Mohawks, 
was  Francis  Gwillim  Simcoe,  born  at  Wolford  Lodge,  Devonshire,  Eng- 
land, June  9,  1791.  His  mother  relates  that  though  very  shy  and  un- 
gracious with  all  his  own  countrymen  he  was  very  friendly  with  the 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  157 

Indians.  When  Simcoe  determined  to  build  a  summer  residence  near 
York,  he  took  up  a  lot  of  200  acres  for  Francis  on  the  River  Don  and 
built  the  residence  there  which  in  honour  of  his  son  he  called  "  Castle 
Frank."  The  name  still  continues — the  place  is  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Don  in  the  north  part  of  the  present  City  of  Toronto,  on  a  beautiful 
elevation,  an  ideal  site  for  a  residence. 

Francis  when  a  lad  wished  to  become  a  sailor  and  his  mother 
approved  of  the  wish,  but  ultimately  in  1811  he  became  Lieutenant  in 
the  27th  Foot,  and  was  killed  in  battle  at  Badajoz  in  April  of  the  follow- 
ing year,  being  not  yet  twenty-one. 

[452,  3.]  Colonel  John  Smith  is  accurately  described  as 
lieutenant-colonel  in  the  fifth  regiment.  He  never  became  colonel,  but 
had  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel  only.  The  colonel  of  the  regiment  at 
this  time  was  Sir  Alured  Clarke,  G.C.B.,  who,  October  25th,  1794,  suc- 
ceeded Hon.  Edward  Stdpf ord,  who  had  ten  years  before  succeeded  Lord 
Percy  (afterwards  Duke  of  Northumberland). 

The  absurd  story  of  Col.  Smith  clearing  five  thousand  acres  is  justly 
corrected  by  his  son.  And  the  annoyance  of  that  son  (who  laid  it  out) 
at  the  comparison  of  the  garden  with  a  French  kitchen-garden  is  natural 
if  amusing.  Possibly  the  original  French  would  have  been  less  offensive, 
"  comme  un  potager  frangais  bien  soigne." 

The  Slavery  Act  spoken  of  in  the  text  is  that  of  17-93,  33  George 
III,  cap.  7,  passed  at  the  instance  of  Simcoe,  the  first  Act  of  the  kind  in 
British  territory  and  the  first  except  one  in  all  the  world — Denmark  passed 
her  legislation  a  few  months  before.  It  prohibits  the  importation  of 
slaves,  forbids  contracts  of  service  for  more  than  nine  years,  existing 
slaves  in  the  Province  remain  such,  but  their  children  born  after  the  Act 
became  free  at  25  years  of  age.  This  should  be  Simcoe7  s  greatest  title  to 
fame ;  the  Act  could  not  have  been  passed  but  for  his  influence. 

[457.]  We  have  here  an  interesting  contemporary  account  of  the 
opening  of  a  Session  of  Parliament.  So  far  as  is  known,  there  is  in 
existence  no  official  report  of  the  proceedings  at  that  Session,  those  of 
1795,  1796  and  1797  being  lost. 

The  first  Chief  Justice,  William  Osgoode,  had  gone  to  Lower  Canada 
in  July,  1794,  to  become  Chief  Justice  of  that  Province.  His  successor, 
John  Elmsley,  was  not  appointed  November,  1796. 

Smith's  proposition  that  nearly  all  the  members  of  the  Assembly 
were  in  opposition,  there  being  no  such  thing  as  a  ministerial  party,  is 
interesting  but  illusory.  There  were  always  those  who  followed  implicitly 
the  wishes  of  the  administration  and  those  less  subject  to  influence;  it 
is,  however,  substantially  true  that  there  was  not  till  later  a  well-defined 
party  system. 

[459.]  Major  Seward,  of  the  5th  Foot,  seems  to  be  unknown  to 
fame,  but  Eobert  Pilkington,26  of  the  Eoyal  Engineers,  is  mentioned 
more  than  once  by  Mrs.  Simcoe.  In  September,  1793,  he  coasted  the 
lake  from  Newark  to  York  in  two  days ;  in  March  of  the  following  year 
walked  from  Newark  to  York,  and  in  May  went  to  the  Miami  to 


158  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

fortify  the  new  fort  which  Simcoe  built  by  order  of  Lord  Dorchester.  In 
February,  1796,  he  is  mentioned  as  having  waded  across  the  entrance 
to  Burlington  Bay  on  his  way  from  Niagara. 

[460.]  The  four-day  trip  to  Forty-mile  Creek  (Grimsby)  is  men- 
tioned in  Mrs.  Simcoe's  Diary,  as  we  have  seen.  A  picture  of  Green's 
house  is  given  in  Mr.  Eoss  Robertson's  book  at  p.  316. 

I  have  not  been  successful  in  my  efforts  to  find  out  more  about 
Mr.  Green ;  he  is  mentioned  several  times  by  Mrs.  Simcoe. 

[462.]  La  Eochefoucault  says,  "  On  y  seme  le  bled  et  le  seigle  en 
Septembre,"  which  is  correctly  translated,  "Wheat  and  rye  are  sown  in 
September,"  showing  that  the  translator  knew  that  "seigle"  meant 
"  rye."  This  makes  it  still  more  curious  that  he  should  have  translated 
"froment,"  "rye"  [587]. 

[465.]  The  regulations  as  to  the  practice  of  medicine  and  sur- 
gery at  that  time  are  to  be  found  in  the  ordinance  passed  in  1788  in 
the  old  Province  of  Quebec.  It  was  not  till  1795  that  the  Province  of 
Upper;  Canada  passed  its  own  Statute,  35  George  III,  cap.  1.  At  the 
time  of  this  visit  no  person  was  allowed  to  practise  without  a  licence 
from  the  Governor,  which  licence  was  to  be  granted  without  examina- 
tion to  all  graduates  of  a  British  University  and  to  all  surgeons  of  the 
army  or  navy.  All  others  were  examined  by  a  surgeon  or  surgeons 
appointed  by  the  Governor.27  But  in  the  newer  parts  of  the  country 
this  ,was  to  a  great  extent  a  dead  letter.  Anyone  who  pretended  to 
medical  knowledge  practised  without  let  or  hindrance. 

[47O.]  The  Upper  Canada  Gazette,  published  at  Newark,  is  not 
unfairly  described  in  the  text.  There  are  still  in  existence  Acts  of  the 
Legislature  printed  in  1793  by  Louis  Eoy,  Printer  of  the  Gazette  and 
Printer  to  His  Majesty.  These  are  very  rare.  The  Sulpician  Library 
in  Montreal  has  the  Statutes  for  1792  and  1793  printed  in  1793  by 
Louis  Eoy,  which,  so  far  as  I  know,  is  unique.28 

[471.]  The  animosity  of  the  Canadian  Loyalists  toward  their 
former  country  and  countrymen  was  undoubtedly  dying  down.  It  prob- 
ably would  have  entirely  passed  away  in  that  or  the  succeeding  genera- 
tion but  for  the  war  of  1812 — a  wholly  useless  and  resultless  war. 

[472.]  The  extent  of  the  Clergy  Eeserves  was  not  one-seventh  of 
all  the  lands,  but,  as  we  have  seen,  one-eighth. 

[473.]  The  translator  had  never  seen  a  game  of  lacrosse,  and  did 
not  understand  what  was  meant.  Speaking  of  the  young  men  Eoche- 
foucault says  that  they  were  sitting  so  far  as  there  was  room,  "  ou  debout 
et  reposes  sur  leur  raquette,"  "  or  standing  leaning  on  their  crosse." 

[476.]  "Intermittent  fevers" — fever  and  ague,  caused  by  mos- 
quitoes. These  outlaws  of  creation  were  a  pest;  Mrs.  Simcoe  was  tor- 
tured by  them,  and  Gourlay  twenty  years  later  was  sent  to  his  bed  by 
their  stings.  He  says  that  it  was  tMs  illness  so  caused  which  kept  him 
in  Canada  beyond  the  few  months  originally  intended.  If  that  be  true, 
all  his  troubles  in  and  after  1819  were  due  to  these  insects. 

[477.]  The  visit  to  York  of  Dupetit-Thouars  and  Guillemard  is 
also  recorded  by  Mrs.  Simcoe. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  159 

The  "Island"  did  not  become  an  Island  till  the  50's,  when  a 
violent  storm  broke  through  the  neck  of  the  peninsula,  forming  the 
"  Eastern  Gap." 

[478.]  We  must  regret  the  bad  "  character"  the  original  in- 
habitants of  Toronto  are  said  to  have  had.  The  Duke  says,  "les 
habitans  n'y  sont  pas,  dit-on,  de  la  meilleure  espece."  And  we  shall 
have  to  let  il}  go  at  that.  But  he  is  certainly  wrong  about  "  Batzy," 
"  Baty,"  i.e.,  Berczy  ;29  and  one  may  be  permitted  to  hope  that  he  was 
in  error  as  to  les  autres  habitans. 

[481.]  The  expectation  that  Canada  would  be  severed  from  Great 
Britain  has  never  wholly  died  out ;  "  Manifest  destiny  "  has  been  over- 
worked. But  never  has  the  determination  of  Canadians  to  remain 
Britons  been  stronger,  never  their  loyalty  to  their  Empire  more  en- 
thusiastic than  now  when  Canada  is  giving  up  her  best  and  her  bravest 
to  suffer  and  if  need  be  to  die  in  the  world  struggle  for  democracy 
and  righteousness,  the  Armageddon,  beside  which  all  other  so-called 
Armageddons  are  but  as  childish  scuffling. 

[482,  3.]  But  the  Duke  was  a  better  prophet  than  his  critic  when 
he  foresaw  Spain's  loss  of  Florida  and  Mexico  and  Portugal's  of  Brazil. 

The  commendation  of  Major  Littlehales  was  well  deserved — all 
that  is  known  of  him  whether  in  Canada  or  elsewhere  is  most  creditable. 

[483.]  The  "  Onondago,"  upon  which  the  travellers  embarked 
"  pour  aller  a  Kingston  "  (not  "  at  Kingston,"  as  the  translator  makes 
it),  was  a  two-masted,  square-rigged  schooner  (a  copy  of  a  drawing  of 
her  by  Mrs.  Simcoe  is  given  on  p.  211  of  Mr.  Eoss  Kobertson's  book). 

[484].  M.  (Ensign)  Lemoine,  "of  the  60th  Kegiment,"  married 
Susannah,  a  daughter  of  Sir  William  Johnston  and  Molly  Brant,  sister 
of  Joseph  Brant,  at  St.  Mark's  Church,  Niagara,  June  5th,  1793. 

The  time  of  passage  of  the  "  Onondago "  between  Kingston  and 
Newark  varied,  of  course,  with  the  weather.  In  May,  1793,  she  made 
the  trip  in  twenty- two  hours,  in  June,  1794,  fifty  hours,  according  to 
Mrs.  Simcoe.  (Diary,  etc.,  pp.  162,  248.) 

[487.]  The  Cadogan.  (also  spelled  Catogan)  was  a,  tress  of  hair 
held  by  a  knot.  The  word  was  introduced  into  the  French  and  English 
languages  in  the  18th  century  and  is  derived  from  the  first  Earl 
Cadogan,  who  died  in  1726  (Murray,  Littre). 

[489.]  Cadarakwe  (the  final  letter  generally  with  the  acute  accent) 
is  another  form  of  Cataraqui. 

[49O.]  It  was  a  contemptible  and  ungentlemanly  thing  to  do  to 
disclose  the  petty  "graft"  (the  word  was  then  unknown,  the  thing  is 
primeval  and  sempiternal)  of  poor  Lieutenant  Earl,  but  it  cannot  be 
said  that  Smith's  excuse  for  the  sailor  is  valid. 

[498.]  The  mistake  in  writing  "Queen's  Bay"  for  "Bay  of 
Quenty  "  is  that  of  the  translator — the  French  is  clear,  "  Dans  la  baie 
de  Quenti." 

"  The  middle  district "  is  a  translation  of  "  district  du  Milieu,"  i.e., 
"  the  Midland  District." 


160  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

[5O2.]  While  there  was  in  1795  an,  Ursuline  Convent  in  Quebec 
there  was  none  in  Montreal:  the  female  orders  then  in  Montreal  were 
(1)  Ladies  of  the  Congregation  de  Notre-Dame ;  (2)  Grey  Nuns;  and 
(3)  "Les  Soeurs  Hospitalieres  de  Saint- Joseph "  in  the  Hotel-Dieu. 
(M.  Fauteux.) 

[5O3.]  Another  instance  of  carelessness  on  the  part  of  the  trans- 
lator is  found  here,  duly  noticed  hy  Smith  as  an  error  of  the  author. 

[5O5.]  "Mr.  Steward"  is,  of  course,  the  Reverend  John  Stuart, 
the  first  incumbent  of  the  Church  of  England  at  Kingston.30 

[5O7.]  The  shameful  treatment  of  Loyalists  in  the  Mohawk  Valley 
and  elsewhere  in  the  United  States  is  a  matter  of  history — it  cannot  be 
either  denied  or  justified. 

[5O8.]  La  Rochefoucault  is  certainly  right  in  saying  that  surgeons 
in  the  Kingston  district  contrived  to  get  well  paid  for  their  trouble. 
The  first  medical  case  (of  which  the  record  exists)  that  was  tried  at  King- 
ston was  in  the  summer  of  1790.  In  that  case  James  Connor,  a  Surgeon, 
charged  £50  ($200)  for  "  cureing  a  broken  leg,"  and  it  was  sworn  by  a 
reputable  medical  man  that  he  would  charge  £30  ($120)  at  least  for 
each  fracture  for  reducing  it  alone,  and  for  medicine  extra.  Another  said 
that  the  charges  depended  on  the  circumstances  of  the  patient,  say  from 
£2  ($8)  to  100  guineas  ($420)  for  this  kind  of  a  case.  He  himself 
would  think  30  guineas  ($126)  to  be  the  right  fee  for  the  case.  It  was 
said  but  not  proved  that  a  Montreal  Surgeon  would  charge  £50  ($200) 
for  "  cureing  a  broken  leg  " ;  and  sworn  that  in  Upper  Canada  the  usual 
fee  was  £10  ($40)  to  £70  ($280),  according  to  circumstances.  With 
the  purchasing  price  of  money  at  least  twice  that  of  the  present  day  it 
cannot  be  said  that  surgeons  were  not  liberally  paid — "  ils  font  payer 
cher  leurs  soins  " — vraiment.31 

[51O.]  Governor  John  Parr  was  Lieutenant- Governor  of  Nova 
Scotia  from  1782  till  1791,  Novr.  25,  dying  in  office  at  Halifax,  in 
the  66th  year  of  his  age.  "  During  his  administration,  which  was 
upwards  of  nine  years,  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  His  Majesty's 
subjects  was  his  invariable  study  and  pursuit,"  said  the  official  Gazette. 
He  had  been  a  Lieutenant  at  the  Battle  of  Minden,  and  had  risen  to  the 
rank  of  Colonel.  He  was  said  to  be  simple  and  parsimonious.  "  He  has 
left  us  no  indications  of  extraordinary  ability,  but  seems  to  have  been  the 
very  man  to  suit  the  time  in  which  he  acted  being  plain,  simple  and 
diligent." 

It  was  during  his  governorship  that  the  extraordinary  charges 
against  two  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  were  made  by  the  Assembly, 
December,  1787.  After  an  investigation  by  the  Governor  and  his  Council 
the  two  Justices,  Deschamp  and  Brenton,  "two  old  gentlemen  .  .  . 
both  highly  respected  and  eminently  loyal,"  were  acquitted  of  wrong- 
doing. Upon  this  result  being  reported  to  the  Assembly,  1788,  that 
body  approved  the  finding  by  a  vote  of  15  to  14.  In  1790,  thirteen 
articles  of  impeachment  were  laid  against  them  and  an  enquiry  with 
witnesses  held  by  the  Assembly  in  support.  The  impeachment  was 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  161 

directed  to  be  heard  and  determined  by  the  King  in  Council;  in  1792 
"  the  Committee  of  H.  M.  -Privy  Council  before  whom  the  charges  ex- 
hibited by  the  House  of  Assembly  against  the  assistant  judges  of  the 
Supreme  Court  have  been  heard,  have  reported  to  H.  M.  that  after  a 
mature  consideration  of  the  subject,  they  cannot  find  any  cause  of 
censure  against  those  gentlemen  and  consequently  have  fully  acquitted 
them."  The  Report  was  approved  and  the  matter  dropped. 

Murdoch's  "History  of  Nova  Scotia,"  Halifax,  1867,  Vol.  Ill, 
pp.  6,  60,  63,  66-72,  87-92,  97,  98,  101. 

Of  the  son  I  can  find  no  account. 

[513.]  The  difficulties  of  Brock  in  getting  the  Militia  to  join  him 
on  his  march  against  Detroit  and  other  unpleasant  experiences  in  the 
War  of  1812,  with  laggard,  recalcitrant  and  even  disloyal  Canadians, 
lend  some  colour  to  La  Rochefoucault's  idea  that  some  of  the  immigrants 
from  the  United  States  "  qui  passent  pour  etre  loyalistes  "  would  assist 
American  invaders.  Smith  is  right,  however,  in  intimating'  that  the 
Loyalists  (proper,  not  simply  those  who  passed  for  loyal)  showed  their 
firm  attachment  to  British  connection. 

[518.]  La  Rochefoucault  is  wrong  in  supposing  that  it  is  the 
betula  lento,  which  the  Indians  use  for  their  canoes  and  wigwams — it 
is,  the  betula  papyracea.  What  the  translator  makes  into  a  note  is  partly 
contained  in  the  text,  viz.,  that  the  wigwams  were  of  the  bark  of  the 
betula  lenta.  In  that  he  is  in  error,  but  in  his  statement  that  the 
betula  lenta  is  called  by  (some)  French-Canadians  "merisier,"  he  is 
apparently  right.  "Merisier"  (properly  "a  cherry  tree")  is  applied 
to  both  the  "bouleau  elance  "  (bouleau  blanc  or  bouleau  a  papier),  prop- 
erly the  yellow  but  sometimes  the  paper  birch,  and  the  "  bouleau  rouge  " 
(bouleau  merisier),  cherry,  'black  or  mahogany  birch.  The  former  is 
sometimes  called  "  merisier  blanc,"  the  latter  "  merisier  rouge."  "  Le 
Parler  Populaire  des  Canadiens  Frangais,"  by  Dr.  Dionne,  Quebec, 
Laflamme  &  Proulx,  1909;  Provencher  "  Flore  Canadienne,"  Vol.  II, 
pp.  547,  548. 

For  the  use  of  the  betula  papyracea,  see  Provencher,  "  Flore  Cana- 
dienne,"  Vol.  II,  p.  547 ;  Moyen,  "  Cours  de  Botanique,"  p.  254 ;  Lafitau, 
"Les  Moeurs  des  Sauvages  ameriquains,  compares  aux  Moeurs  des 
premiers  Siecles,"  Paris,  1723  (12mo.),  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  185  to  197.  The 
last  named  author,  Joseph  Frangois  Lafitau  (born  at  Bordeaux,  1670, 
died  there  1740),  was  a  Jesuit  and  for  some  years  attached  to  the  Jesuit 
missions  in  Canada.  On  his  return  to  France  he  published  a  book  on 
"la  precieuse  plante  ging-sang  de  Tartare"  (gensing),  which  he  had 
found  in  Canada;  also  the  work  above  spoken  of  (in  two  volumes  4to 
and  four  volumes  12mo),  a  history  of  Jean  de  Brienne,  Emperor  of  Con- 
stantinople, and  a  history  of  Portuguese  discoveries  in  the  New  World. 
He  was  very  competent  to  speak  of  the  habits  of  the  Indians  in  Canada. 
He  says  that  all  the  Indians  used  the  canoe  birch  (i.e.,  the  betula 
papyracea),  with  the  exception  of  the  Iroquois,  who  sometimes  used  the 
bark  of  the  elm. 

12  T.C. 


162  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

[519.]  The  Canadian  or  Indian  rice  is  now  called  zizania  aquatica; 
it  is  not  an  oryza.  While  folle  avoine  properly  means  wild  oats  (averon, 
aveneron,  avena  fatua),  the  term  was  and  (occasionally  at  least)  still  is 
by  French-Canadians  used  as  synonymous  with  riz  du  Canada, 
I  am  informed  by  Prof.  Robitaille,  Professor  of  Botany  at  Laval  Uni- 
versity, that  this  usage  has  fallen  into  desuetude — that  now  the  French- 
Canadians  apply  the  name  "  folle  avoine  "  to  the  avena  fatua.  See 
'Provencher,  Flore  Canadienne,  Vol.  II,  pN  665;  Moyen,  "  Cours  de 
Botanique,  p.  321,  for  the  use  of  "  folle  avoine."  At  the  time  of  the 
early  settlement  of  Quebec  the  wild  oat  was  not  known  in  Canada,  and 
its  French  name  "  folle  avoine "  was  given  to  our  wild  rice  zizania 
aquatka  not  wholly  unlike  wild  oats  in  the  grain;  but  the  true  "folle 
avoine  "  was  introduced  from  Europe  and  the  name  was  applied  indif- 
ferently to  both.  Now  the  correct  nomenclature  has  made  and  is  making 
its  way.  It  is  not  without  interest  that  a  well-known  tribe  of  Indians, 
the  Menominees,  were  known  as  "  Les  Folles  Avoines."  The  wild  hemp 
spoken  of  is  well  known  in  Canada. 

[521.]  "  Guansignougua,"  where  Captain  Stone  32  placed  his  mill, 
is,  of  course,  Gananoque ;  "  Gananowui "  is  another  of  a  dozen  ways  of 
spelling  the  word. 

[523.]  "  Theakiki  River/'  i.e.,  the  Kankakee  (it  was  also  known 
as  Kiakique,  Teatiky,  Theahiki). 

The  enormous  difficulties  of  the  fur  trade  and  of  internal  com- 
munication on  the  continent  are  now  a  matter  of  history.  It  is,  how- 
ever, interesting  to  read  how  immigrants  made  their  way  to  "the 
Illinois."33. 

The  translator  is  again  wrong,  the  author  right,  the  Ottawa  River 
was  long  called  the  Grand  River.  Another  Grand  River,  still  so  called 
in  the  peninsula,  Simcoe  gave  the  name  of  the  Ouse";  but  the  name  did 
not  stick,  it  had  the  same  fate  as  the  name  Newark  which  he  gave  to 
Niagara. 

[524.]  "Roe"  Lake  is  a  misprint  for  "Rice"  Lake,  i.e..  Lake 
Puckaway. 

[525.]  The  English  generally  sold  rum  to  the  Indians,  the 
French  brand}* — many  were  the  exhortations  of  the  traders  of  the  two 
nations  against  the  evil  effects  of  the  "  firewater  "  of  the  other ;  and  both 
were  right. 

[526.]  "  Mr.  Tode  "  may  possibly  be  Mr.  James  Tod,  Member  of 
House  of  Assembly  in  Lower  Canada,  1792-1796.  Desjardins  "  Guide 
parlementaire  historique  de  la  Province  de  Quebec,"  p.  126  (M.  Fauteux). 
It  is  I  -think  more  likely  that  this  was  Mr.  Isaac  Todd,  a  merchant  at 
Montreal,  who  got  into  trouble  some  years  later  (1806).  See  Kingsford'p 
History  of  Canada,  Vol.  VII,  p.  501. 

Isaac  Todd  was  a  prominent  merchant  of  Montreal,  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Todd  '&  McGill  who  did  a  large  outfitting  business  for  the 
North-West  (McGill,  his  partner,  was  the  Hon.  James  McGill,  the 
substantial  founder  of  McGill  University).  There  are  many  references 
to  him  in  the  Wis.  Hist,  Coll.  See  Index,  p.  514. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  163 

[527.]  The  Treaty  between  Spain  and  the  United  States  was 
concluded  October  27,  1795,  ratifications  exchanged  April  21,  1796,  and 
the  Treaty  proclaimed  August  2,  1796.  It  will  be  found  ~t  full  length 
in  the  official  "  Treaties  and  Conventions  concluded  between  the  United 
States  of  America  and  other  Powers  since  July  4,  1776,"  published  by 
the  American  Government,  1889,  at  pp.  1006-1014.  By  Article  IV., 
His  Catholic  Majesty  agreed  that  the  navigation  of  the  Mississipr>i  in 
its  whole  breadth  from  its  source  to  the  ocean  shall  be  free  only  to  his 
own  subjects  and  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  unless  he  should  ex- 
tend this  privilege  to  others  by  special  convention. 

[528.]  The  absurd  suggestion  that  Lord  Dorchester  might  have 
been  influenced  by  a  secretary  or  a  mistress  (!)  is  unworthy:  it  is  hard 
to  account  for  it — the  suspicion  that  a  French  priest  was  at  the  bottom 
of  it  is  quite  characteristic.  Although  an  emigre  (at  least  in  one  sense) 
himself,  La  Eochefoucault  had  enough  of  the  spirit  of  Eevolutionary 
France  to  hate  the  priesthood,  generally  more  loyal  to  the  King  than 
himself.  Why  any  French  priest  should  have  a  grudge  against  him  does 
not  appear. 

There  is  no  indication  from  any  source  that  Lord  Dorchester  had 
become  weak  of  intellect  (radoteur) ,  and  he  was  the  last  man  in  the 
world  to  be  influenced  by  secretary  or  anyone  else,  man  or  woman.  If 
the  manner  in  which  the  Duke  had  been  received — willingly  and  de- 
lightedly on  his  part,  at  Goochland  and  elsewhere  in  the  United  States 
— came  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Governor-General — and  that  is  not  at 
all  unlikely — he  had  ample  reason  for  tl\e  exclusion  of  a  Frenchman 
so  ardent  a  friend  of  the  United  States. 

[53O.]  Oswego  was  given  up  to  the  Americans  the  following  year 
under  Jay's  Treaty. 

[532.]  The  French  hatred  of  Pitt  then  and  for  long  after  was 
as  intense  and  indeed  as  well  founded  as  that  at  present  of  another 
people  seeking  world-power  for  Grey.  The  cry  was  that  England  might 
have  prevented  the  outbreak  of  the  continental  war  then  just  as  it  is 
now  a  cry  that  she  might  have  done  so  in  1914;  England  then  used  other 
peoples  as  her  tools,  as  she  does  to-day : 

No  rogue  e'er  felt  the  halter  draw 
With  good  opinion  of  the  law ; 

and  always  those  who  desire  mastery  of  the  world  will  rail  at  a  nation 
which  will  not  submit. 

Perhaps  the  height  of  folly  and  absurity  is  reached  in  the  charge 
that  the  French  marine  corps  was  sent  to  their  doom  at  Quiberon  by 
the  treason  of  a  political  party,  for  fear  that  the  French  navy  might  be 
re-established  and  the  supremacy  of  the  British  fleet  challenged.  That 
fleet  could  and  can  take  excellent  care  of  itself. 

The  extraordinary  Battle  of  Quiberon  (1759),  fought  in  the  dark 
one  autumn  evening  among  dangerous  rocks,  in  a  severe  gale  and 
on  a  lee  shore,  was  one  of  the  glories  of  the  British  Navy  and  of  Ad- 
13  T.C. 


164  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

miral  Hawke.  Though  the  French  suffered  defeat,  so  severe,  indeed, 
that  their  Navy  remained  quiescent  for  nearly  four  years,  they  suffered 
no  dishonour,  but  gave  a  good  account  of  themselves. 

The  Duke  cannot  refrain  from  casting  a  slur  upon  the  Revolu- 
tionist,  Kobespierre,  hardly  cold  in  his  grave — he  died  in  1794 — by 
intimating  his  belief  in  an  utterly  baseless  charge  which  was  made 
in  turn  against  every  man  of  prominence  in  France  in  that  bloody  and 
turbulent  time.  La  Rochefoucault  himself  did  not  escape  the  same 
charge,  and  his  life  gave  much  more  ground  for  it  than  that  of  Robes- 
pierre. It  is  probable  that  no  one  hated  the  Duke  with  the  intensity 
which  characterized  the  hatred  toward  Robespierre  of  the  Dantonists  and 
the  He"bertists ;  and,  moreover,  he  was  by  no  means  of  the  prominence  of 
Robespierre. 

General  Haldiman  was,  of  course,  General  Frederick  Haldimand35. 

[535]  The  interesting  young  man  Mac-Donnall  (which  the  trans- 
lator renders  Mac-Donald)  was  Angus  Macdonell  (of  the  Aberchalder 
family)  ;  his  brothers  were  Colonel  John  Macdonell  and  Hugh  Macdonell. 
The  Speaker  of  the  first  House  of  Assembly  was  John  Macdonell36. 

[54O]  The  value  of  the  Louis  d'or  was  £1  ~2s.  6d.  by  Statute  of 
1795,  35  George  III.,  Cap.  1,  the  Upper  'Canadian  Statute. 

The  "South  Sea"  "la  mer  du  Sud"  toward  (vers)  not  to  which 
Mackenzie  37  took  some  French-Canadians,  we  know  as  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie  in  1789  went  from  Fort  Chippewayan  along 
the  Great  Slave  Lake  down  the  Mackenzie  river  (called  after  him)  to 
the  Arctic  Ocean;  in  1792  and  1793  from  Fort  Chippewayan,  he  crossed 
the  Rockies  to  the  Pacific  Ocean  near  Cape  Menzies. 

[542.]  The  silly  affectation  which  caused  the  change  of  the  names 
of  places  was  as  marked  in  Upper  as  in  Lower  Canada — Toronto  became 
York;  Niagara,  Newark;  Frontenac  or  Cataraqui,  Kingston;  the  La 
Tranche,  the  Thames ;  the  Grand  River,  'the  Ouse ;  L'Assomption,  Sand- 
wich; Ganaraska,  Port  Hope,  etc.,  etc.  (See  note  34.) 

[553.]  "  Bonduc  "  is  defined  by  Littre,  "  abrisseau  epineux  a  fleurs 
leguminenses  qui  croit  aux  Indes  (Guilandia  bonducella)."  The  generic 
name  is  generally  given  as  Guilandina.  "  Bonduc  "  is  also  used  in  Eng- 
lish instead  of  its  English  equivalent  "  nickar-tree  "  or  "  nicker-tree  "- 
the  specific  name  is  given  as  Bonduc  or  Bonducella.  Maria  Riddell  in 
her  "Voyage  to  Madeira"  (1792)  speaks  of  a  "'Guilandina  moringa  or 
yellow-nickar."  But  La  Rochefoucault  does  not  mean  that  tropical 
plant. 

The  "  Bonduc  que  les  Canadiens  appellent  bo  is  chicot "  is  appar- 
ently the  "coffee-tree,"  Gymnocladus  Canadensis  of  Lamarck,  the 
"Chicot  du  Canada"  (see  Provencher,  Flore  Canadienne,  Vol.  I,  p.  157). 
Macoun,  "  Catalogue  of  Canadian  Plants,"  Vol.  I,  p.  123,  gives  this  as 
growing  very  large  at  the  north  end  of  Pelee  Island ;  also  near  Niagara, 
and  two  large  trees  close  to  Rideau  Hall,  Ottawa,  p.  512,  also  abundant 
at  Point  Penetanguishene,  Ontario.  It  is  sometimes  called  Guilandia 
dioica,  Provencher  loc.  cit. — this  writer  gives  the  habitat  as  "lords  des 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  165 

lacs  Erie  et  Ontario,  aussi  a  Flsle  Jesus."    The  translator  takes  it  for 
one  or  other  of  the  buckeyes  or  chestnuts. 

"  Le  ecoomanthus  ou  bourreau  des  arbres  "  is,  I  think,  not  the  five- 
leaved  ivy  (Virginia  creeper,  Ampelopsis  quinquefolia)  as  the  translator 
thinks.  The  name  "  bourreau  des  arbres  "  is  given  in  French  to  several 
plants  with  winding  stem  which  injure  trees,  amongst  them  the 
"  celastre  grimpant,"  Celastrus  seandens,  or  climbing  bittersweet.  This 
is  closely  allied  botanically  with  the  Euonymus,  and  it  may'  be  that 
ecoomanthus  is  a  misprint  for  the  word  euonymus.  Ecoomanthus  I  can 
find  no  trace  of.  Our  climbing  bittersweet  or  waxwork  has  beautiful 
berry-like  pods  in  autumn  and  it  sometimes  does  harm  trees.  The 
Virginia  creeper  climbs  trees  but  does  not  closely  entwine  them  like  the 
celastrus;  and  although  it  does  have  "  grappes  vertes,"  it  can  scarcely  be 
called  "  bourreau  des  arbres/'  Provencher  gives  as  the  common  French- 
Canadian  name  of  the  C.  scandens,  "  bourreau  des  arbres  " — that  of  the 
Virginia  creeper,  "  vigne-vierge,"  Vol.  I,  pp.  124,  111. 

"  Ragoumimex  "  the  translator  has  rightly  corrected  into  "  ragou- 
minier,"  which  is  good  French  for  minel  or  minel  du  Canada,  "nom 
donne  au  cerisier  Canadien  appele  aussi  dans  son  pays  nega,"  as  Littre 
has  it.  (Another  form  is  "ragoumier.")  The. Canadian  cherry  is  the 
Cerasus  Canadensis,  Prunus  borealis,  wild  red  cherry,  bird  cherry  or 
more  probably  the  Prunus  serotina — or  perhaps  the  dwarf  cherry,  "  sand 
cherry,"  "  cerisier  nain  du  Canada "  (Prunus  or  Cerasus  pumila) ; 
Provencher,  Flore  Canadienne,  Vol.  I,  p.  166  (see  General  Remarks  at 
p.  188,  post). 

"  Le  bouleau  noir  "  is  the  "  betula  lenta,"  the  sweet,  black,  or  cherry 
birch. 

What  the  traveller  means  by  "  frangier  "  I  do  not  know — the  word 
is  unknown  to  Littre  and  our  Canadian  botanists.  The  translator  calls 
it  the  "papaw."  The  papaw  is  the  Asimina  of  several  species,  and 
while  growing  west  and  south,  the  species  triloba  is  indigenous  in  Can- 
ada: it  is  found  near  Queenston  Heights,  on  Point  Pelee  and  in  the 
Townships  on  the  Lake  between  Point  Pelee  and  Amhersburgh,  Macoun, 
Vol.  I,  p.  29;  Dr.  Dearness,  of  London,  informs  me  it  is  indigenous  in 
Essex  'County. 

It  has  occurred  to  me  that  by  "frangier,"  La  Rochefoucault  may 
mean  the  fringe-tree  ( Chionantlms  Virginica)  -which  Provencher,  Vol.  II, 
p.  389,  says  "  reussisant  difficilement  sous  le  climat  de  Quebec."  I  have 
not  seen  it  so  far  north.  (See  General  Remarks  on  p.  553,  at  p.  188, 
post.) 

"  Magnolia,"  translated  "  cucumber  tree."  Some  of  the  magnolias 
are  called  "  cucumber-trees  "  from  the  appearance  of  the  young  fruit. 
These  are  the  Magnolia  acuminata  and  the  Magnolia  cordata;  the 
latter  is  found  even  in  New  England,  the  former  in  New  York  State, 
in  the  west  and  south.  But  there  are  several  species  of  magnolias  not 
called  "cucumber-trees"  but  "umbrella-trees."  None  of  these,  it  is 
said,  is  native  as  far  north  as  Canada,  nor  is  the  great-flowered  magnolia 
or  the  sweet  magnolia,  but  Provencher,  Flore  Canadienne,  Vol.  I,  p.  21, 


166  t,A  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

gives  the  Magnolia  acuminata,  a  cucumber  tree,  as  occurring  near  the 
Falls  of  Niagara. 

Ginseng,  the  Aralia  quinquefolia,  has  been  very  common  in  parts 
of  Upper  Canada  and  is  generally  exported  to  China,  although  still  a 
household  remedy  in  some  places. 

The  "  capillaire,"  translated  "  maidenhair,"  is  not,  as  the  trans- 
lator thinks,  the  Adiantum  (not  Adianthum)  Capillus-veneris  or  Venus- 
hair — that  is  a  southern  plant  and  found  only  in  conservatories  in  the 
north — but  the  Adiantum  pedatum,  our  maiden-hair,  capillaire  du 
Canada,  native  in  our  shady  woods.  Its  medicinal  properties  are  prob- 
ably the  same  as  those  of  the  A.  Capillus-veneris,  Capillaire  du  Montpel- 
lier,  which  is  used  as  an  expectorant  and  in  pulmonary  catarrh.  The 
Thomsonian  physicians  do  not  seem  to  have  discovered  the  virtues  of 
maidenhair,  although  they  used  the  betula,  the  celastrus  and  the  ginseng 
mentioned  by  La  Rochefoucault.  Formius  had  the  same  opinion  of 
adiantum  as  a  cure-all  as  Thomson  had  of  lobelia  or  Joe  Pye  of  "  Joe 
Pye  Weed/5  (Eupatorium  purpureum). 

[555.]  The  translator  first  mistranslates  "  Johnstown ",  "  St. 
John's  "  and  then  corrects  the  author  for  his  own  mistake — it  was  New 
Johnstown  (Cornwall)  which  was  the  "eapitale  du  district  inferieur  du 
Haut  'Canada,"  "  district  town  of  the  lower  district  (the  Eastern,  form- 
erly the  Luneburg,  District)  of  Upper  Canada/' 

[556.]  Within  living  memory  stable  manure  has  been  dumped 
upon  the  ice  of  the  Ottawa  River,  near  Ottawa,  as  well  as  in  the  St. 
Lawrence. 

[557.]  "M..Fouze,"  whom  the  translator  calls  "Mr.  Touzy," 
was  the  Reverend  Mr.  Toosey  (called  "Tosey"  by  Mrs.  Simcoe,  p.  58), 
mentioned  in  the  Quebec  Almanac  as  far  back  as  1788  as  Anglican 
Minister  of  Quebec.  In  the  Quebec  Almanac  of  1792  he  is  styled  Com- 
missary for  Lower  Canada  and  English  Minister  at  Quebec.  He  was 
licensed  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Charles  Inglis,  first  Bishop  of  Nova  Scotia, 
August  8,  1789,  and  seems  to  have  lived  two  miles  from  the  town.  He 
*died  about  October,  1797.  The  Canadian  Archives  Report  for  1913  has 
several  memoranda  concerning  Mr.  Toosey  from  the  journals  of  Dr. 
Inglis  (see  p.  236,  237,  239,  240,  241) ;  his  death  is  referred  to  in  Can. 
Arch.  Report,  1891,  at  p.  159.  He  was  succeeded  as  "  Minister  of  the 
Protestant  Church  at  Quebec "  by  Rev.  Salter  Mountain,  nephew  of 
Bishop  Mountain. 

[562.]  After  the  death  of  Father  Well  in  1791,  Father  Casot 
•was  the  sole  surviving  Jesuit — he  was  among  the  few  Jesuits  ordained 
in  1766  to  perpetuate  the  Order.  He  had  been  a  lay  brother,  and  the 
charge  that  he  was  a  "  faux  moine  usurpateur  "  was  made  against  him 
by  Roubaud,  his  former  colleague,  who  turned  Protestant88. 

Bishop  Charles  Inglis  tells  us,  under  date  June  19,  1789  (Can. 
Arch.  Rep.,  1913,  p.  237),  that  Lord  Dorchester  "disapproves  of  grant 
of  Jesuits'  estates  to  Lord  Amherst  and  agrees  that  it  should  be  appro- 
priated for  a  university.  It  amounts  to  between  £1,000  and  £2,000  per 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  167 

I  can  find  no  reason  to  suppose  that  it  was  Dorchester's  dislike  to 
Amherst  which  caused  him  to  leave  the  Jesuits'  estates  in  the  hands  of 
Father  -Casot,  but  no  doubt  that  was  part  of  the  gossip  of  the  day.  The 
Lower  Canadian  Parliament  was  very  strongly  opposed  to  the  grant  to 
Lord  Amherst,  and  it  was  considered  a  gross  outrage  that  one  person, 
however  exalted  and  meritorious,  should  receive  these  properties,  some 
of  the  best  in  the  Province. 

"  As  to  the  Recollets,  there  were  more  than  two  at  the  time  of 
La  Rochefoucault's  travels  in  1795.  The  convent  of  the  Recollets,  at 
Quebec,  was  burned  down  the  14th  of  September,  1796,  and  it  was 
this  event  which  led  to  the  secularization  of  the  Order  in  the  same 
year.  At  the  time  of  the  fire,  there  were  in  the  convent  at  least  fifteen 
Eecollet  brothers.  But  outside  the  brothers,  there  were  in  the  same 
time  in  Lower  'Canada  at  least  five  Recollet  friars  or  priests.  They 
were  Father  Carpentier,  who  died  in '1798;  Father  Petrimoulx,  who 
died  in  1799;  Father  Dugast,  who  died  in  1804;  Father  de  Berey,  who 
died  in  1800;  and  Father  Demers,  who  died  in  1813,  the  last  surviving 
priest  of  his  order  in  Canada.  Perhaps  we  might  add  Father  Veyssiere, 
who  died  in  1800,  but  in  1795,  he  had  left  the  Order  since  a  long 
time  and  was  a  Protestant  minister  at  Three-Rivers.''39 

[563.]  The  translator,  in  speaking  of  the  "  priests  of  Sft.  Sul- 
pice,"  leaves  out  the  words  "  de  Paris."  The  fact  is  that  "  the  Sul- 
picians  established  in  Montreal  never  had  anything  to  do  with  the 
Seminary  of  Quebec.  The  latter  institution  was  under  the  direction  of 
the  Seminaire  des  Missions  etrangeres  de  Paris."39 

[565.]  The  tenure  of  land  under  the  old  regime  was  not  suited  to 
a  democratic  people,  but  the  "  Seigneurial  Tenure,"  as  it  was  called, 
did  not  disappear  till  1854.  It  may  be  interesting  to  add  here  an 
account  given  of  it  and  of  the  Canacfians  of  the  olden  time  by  myself  in 
an  address  before  the  Canadian  Club  of  Toronto,  Nov.  6th,  1911,  on 
the  "  Constitutional  History  of  Canada." 

"  The  country  was  governed  on  feudal  principles.  In  the  country 
were  the  nobility — the  noblesse — the  seigniors  who  owned  the  land; 
they  paid  homage  to  the  King,  and  had  under  them  the  peasants 
(' habitants'  as  they  called  themselves)  to  whom  they  leased  land  to  be 
held  on  much  the  same  terms  as  the  lands  were  held  by  the  peasantry  in 
France.  This  seigniorial  tenure  was  introduced  substantially  by 
Richelieu  in  1627. 

Not  only  did  a  Seignior  when  he  succeeded  to  his  estate  pay  homage 
to  the  King  or  other,  his  feudal  superior,  but  when  he  sold  or  transferred 
his  seigniory  he  was  obliged  to  pay  a  part,  usually  (at  least  in  theory) 
a  fifth  part,  of  the  purchase  money  to  such  superior.  He  also  had  the 
glorious  privilege  of  being  eligible  to  be  appointed  a  member  of  the 
Superior  Council — if  the  authorities  saw  fit — he  might  also  have  a  com- 
mission in  the  militia — for  in  time  of  war  all  the  inhabitants  of  Canada 
might  be  called  upon  to  do  service  in  the  army  under  the  Governor  or 
other  commander.  Very  often  he*  did  not  own  his  land  in  the  fullest 


168  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

sense — frequently  the  Crown  reserved  mines,  minerals,  oak-timber  and 
masts  for  ship-building,  such  lands  as  might  be  required  for  military 
purposes,  and  the  like. 

The  Seigniors  had  in  theory  the  right  of  dispensing  justice,  but 
that  right  was  exercised  by  very  few,  and  very  seldom  even  by  them. 

The  habitant  as  '  censitaire '  (tenant)  was  under  many  feudal 
obligations  familiar  to  readers  of  Blackstone — for  example,  he  was  bound 
to  take  his  grain  to  be  ground  at  the  Seignior's  mill,  and  to  pay  for  such 
grinding.  If  he  went  to  another  mill,  that  did  not  relieve  him  from  pay- 
ing his  Seignior  all  the  same.  If  a  habitant,  being  the  feudal  inferior, 
desired  to  dispose  of  the  land  which  he  held,  he  was  obliged  to  pay  a 
substantial  part  of  the  purchase  money  to  the  Seignior;  and  worse,  the 
Seignior  might  himself  take  the  land  within  forty  days  of  the  sale.  He 
was  liable  to  the  corvee,  or  forced  labour,  for  his  Seignior,  as  in  France ; 
he  must  give  the  Seignior  one  fish  out  of  every  dozen  of  those  caught  in 
Seigniorial  waters.  Wood  and  stone  might  be  taken  from  his  land  by 
the  Seignior  to  build  or  repair  manor-house,  church  or  mill.  .  .  . 
But  they  all  loved  Canada — '  0  Canada,  mon  pays,  mes  amours ' — as 
their  descendants  do  still — and  no  one  can  understand  the  depth  of  that 
devotion  who  has  not  mingled  with  '  les  Canadiens.' 

They  were  free,  bold  and  adventurous,  frugal,  industrious  and 
moral;  and  made  the  very  best  of  soldiers  for  the  kind  of  country  in 
which  they  were  called  upon  to  fight. 

Next  to,  if  not  indeed  sometimes  above  the  Seignior,  was  the  Cure 
— sometimes  the  only  one  in  a  Seigniory  except  (or  possibly  not  even 
excepting)  the  Seignior  who  could  read  and  write.  The  essentially 
religious  character  of  the  French- Canadian  is  seen  in  the  high  place  the 
Cure  held  in  his  regard — a  place  which  is  little  lower  now  than  it  was  a 
century  and  a  half  ago.  Indeed  it  has  been  said  that  the  Canadian  Cure 
exercised  in  Canada,  the  power  in  France  of  the  King,  the  noble  and  the 
priest. 

But  neither  priest  nor  peasant  had  any  part  in  making  the  laws 
by  which  they  both  were  governed;  their  government  was  arbitrary  and 
military;  they  were  accustomed  to  obey  their  superiors — and  anything 
more  unlike  a  constitution  in  our  latter  day  sense  than  was  the  mode  of 
government  of  that  happy  and  fearless  primitive  people  it  would  be  hard 
to  find." 

[566.]  The  administration  of  justice  was  not  at  this  time  the  same 
in  Lower  Canada  as  it  was  in  Upper  Canada.  In  the  previous  year,  in 
Upper  Canada  the  one  Court  of  King's  Bench  having  jurisdiction  over 
the  whole  Province  and  sitting  in  Term  at  the  Capital  had  been  sub- 
stituted as  the  sole  Superior  Court  for  the  four  local  Courts  of  Common 
Pleas.  In  Lower  Canada  the  former  system  continued. 

In  Eeaumur's  thermometer,  still  used  in  some  countries,  the  freez- 
ing point  of  water  is  0°,  the  boiling  point  of  water  80°— in  our  common 
(Fahrenheit)  thermometer  the  freezing  and  the  tioilino:  points  are 
32°  and  212°  respectively — in  the  Centigrade  thermometer  used  every- 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  169 

where  in  scientific  investigations  and  in  many  European  countries 
generally,  they  are  0°  and  100°  respectively. 

As  is  stated  in  the  note,  24°  Reaumur  =  86°  Fahrenheit 
28°  Reaumur  =  95°  Fahrenheit;  this  temperature  is  a  little  high,  'but 
not  without  precedent  in  either  Montreal  or  Toronto.40 

[567.]  M.  Fauteux  shows  that  it  is  an  error  to  say  that  the  library 
at  that  time  in  Quebec,  "  est  petite  et  generalement  composee  de  livres 
frangais."  The  Catalogue  published  in  1796  shows  English  books  814, 
French  1001  in  number.41 

The  statement  of  La  Rochefoucault  that  hardly  a  single  book  had 
been  printed  in  Quebec  is  correct  sub  modo — there  are  not  many,  but 
the  translator  is  quite  wrong  in  saying  that  there  was  none.42  . 

[568.]  Smith  corrects  "Knott"  into  "North." 

[569.]  The  characterization  of  the  priesthood  (which  is  omitted 
by  the  translator  but  which  I  have  supplied)  has  called  out  much  un- 
favourable comment  by  French-Canadians  and  others — comment,  in  my 
view,  as  just  as  it  is  unfavourable. 

In  that  respect,  I  quote  from  a  letter  of  Prof.  Arthur  Robitaille, 
Professor  of  Botany  in  Laval  University;  we  can  approve  his  every 
word,  both  as  to  the  priests  and  as  to  the  other  French-Canadians. 

"  M'autorisant  de  la  permission  que  vous  m'avez  accordee  de  vous 
proposer  quelques  remarques,  si  la  chose  me  convenait,  je  me  permettrai 
de  vous  affirmer,  en  toute  sincerite,  que  La  Rochefoucault  n'est  pas 
considere  comme  un  historien  impartial:  vous  admettrez,  sans  peine, 
que  ce  n'est  pas  en  passant  dans  un  pays,  en  amassant,  au  hasard, 
certains  details,  qu'on  peut  apprecier,  a  sa  juste  valeur,  un  peuple;  les 
renseignements  qu'il  donne  sur  le  peuple  et  le  clerge  canadien-francais 
ne  sont  pas  serieux  et  des  etudes  plus  approfondies,  faites  par  des 
historiens  modernes  tres  au  fait  de  la  question,  ont  prouve  clairement 
Finanite  des  conclusions  de  La  Rochefoucault. 

En  effet,  le  peuple  canadien  a  su  etre  apprecie,  a  sa  juste  valeur,  par 
les  Gouverneurs  Anglais,  qui  vinrent  en  Canada  avec  autre  chose  que  des 
prejuges,  et  aussi  par  les  historiens  anglais.  Et  ceux-ci  etaient,  pour 
connaitre  et  juger,  plus  a  portee  que  ce  Noble  frangais,  qui  n'a  fait  qiie 
passer  et  dont  Fesprit  etait  imbu  des  prejuges  qui  poussaient  la  Noblesse 
frangaise  du  temps  de  Louis  XVI  a  regarder  la  plebe  comme  une  classe 
sociale  inferieure  a  tous  les  egards. 

Et  le  clerge  canadien  a-t'il  eu  en  partage  la  deloyaute  que  ce 
monsieur  lui  attribue?  Je  n'en  veux  prendre  qu'un  seul  exemple.  En 
1775,  grace  a  ce  clerge  si  injustement  calomnie,  le  peuple  canadien,  qui 
Faimait,  se  laissa  persuader  et  resta  fidele  a  la  couronne  britanique,  et 
ils  ne  furent  pas  ecoutes  dans  la  campagne  canadienne,  ces  appels  vers 
Findependance ;  ces  appels  si  souvent  repetes  par  les  voisins  des  Etats- 
Unis.  Ce  fait,  et  bien  d'autres  que  vous  connaissez,  suffisent  abondam- 
ment  a  montrer  que  le  tableau,  que  ce  passant  a  voulu  tracer  du  peuple 
et  du  clerge  canadiens,  ne  donne,  en  aucune  fagon,  une  idea  juste  et 
impartiale  des  Canadiens-Frangais  de  la  fin  du  XVIII0  siecle." 


170  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

"Availing  myself  of  your  permission  to  make  such  remarks  as  I 
should  wish,  1  state  in  all  sincerity  that  La  Kochefoucault  is  not  con- 
sidered an  impartial  historian.  You  would  readily  agree  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  appreciate  at  their  true  value  a  people,  by  simply  passing 
through  their  country  and .  gathering  a  few  chance  details.  What  he 
reports  of  the  French-Canadian  people  and  clergy  is  not  reliable,  and 
the  more  profound  investigations  made  by  modern  historians,  thoroughly 
versed  in  the  matter,  have  clearly  proved  the  conclusions  of  La  Koche- 
foucault wholly  worthless. 

In  truth,  the  French- Canadian  people  have  been  appreciated  at 
their  true  value  by  English  Governors,  who  came  to  Canada  with  some- 
thing other  than  prejudice,  and  by  English  historians.  And  did  the 
Canadian  clergy  exhibit  the  disloyalty  attributed  to  them  by  this 
gentleman?  I  give  only  one  example.  In  1775,  thanks  to  the  clergy 
so  unjustly  calumniated,  the  Canadian  people  who  loved  the  clergy, 
hearkened  to  their  persuasion  and  remained  faithful  to  the  British 
Crown;  in  the  Canadian  campaign  they  did  not  listen  to  the  appeals 
toward  independence  so  often  repeated  by  their  neighbours  of  the  United 
States.  This  fact  and  many  others  which  you  know  are  abundantly 
sufficient  to  show  that  the  picture  which  that  passing  traveller  has 
painted  of  the  French- Canadian  people  and  clergy  gives  in  no  wise  a 
just  and  impartial  idea  of  the  French-Canadians  toward  the  end  of  the 
18th  century." 

It  should,  however,  in  fairness,  be  said,  that  La  Kochefoucault, 
in  speaking  of  Lower  Canada,  did  not  pretend  to  speak  with  know- 
ledge at  first  hand.  He  had  to  rely  upon  information  received  from 
Guillemard  (an  English  Huguenot)  and  others.  There  is  no  difficulty 
in  producing  statements  made  about  that  time  by  English-speaking 
persons  concerning  the  French-Canadian  people  and  clergy  quite  as 
severe  as  anything  La  Kochefoucault  says — and  more  so.  Nor  are  these 
statements  confined  to  the  18th  century;  racial  and  religious  prejudice 
dies  hard. 

However,  it  must  be  admitted  the  French-Canadians  have  always 
been  and  are  abundantly  able  to  take  care  of  themselves. 

[571.]  Kadanoghqui — Gananoque. 

[574.]  Wolfslove— Wolfe's  Cove. 

[575.]  The  author  and  the  translator  between  them  have  made 
the  places  of  origin  of  the  furs  rather  obscure.43 

[576.]  The  Northwest  Company  and  Frobisher  and  MacTavish 
were  well-known  at  the  time  throughout  Canada.44 

[579.]  "Descend  the  river  Utacoha "— " remontant  la  riviere 
Utacoha  " — the  last  word  a  misprint  for  "  Utawa,"  i.e.,  the  Ottawa. 

[584.]  The  livre  was  20  sols  (sous)  ;  by  the  Upper  Canadian  Act 
of  1795,  35  George  III,  cap.  1,  the  value  of  the  livre  Tournois  was  fixed 
at  11  1-9  pence  (Canadian  or  Halifax  currency),  i.e.,  almost  exactly 
cents  of  our  present  money. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  171 

[587.]  In  the  table  of  exports  there  are  several  mistakes  on  the 
part  of  the  translator.  "Froment"  "wheat"  he  calls  "rye." 
"  Capillaire "  he  properly  translates  "  maiden-hair/'  but  adds  the 
wrong  species  wrongly  spelled — the  "maiden-hair"  here  referred  to  is 
the  Canadian  maiden-hair,  Adiantiun  pedatum.  "  Ginseng  "  for  some 
reason  he  calls  "  Cast-iron."  "  Shookcasles "  are  no  doubt  "  cask- 
shooks,"  i.e.,  staves,  etc.,  for  casks.  "  Banala  "  is  not  found  in  Littre 
or  Murray  and  I  cannot  guess  at  its  meaning. 

[589.]  He  calls  "  chats  musques,"  "  castors "  instead  of  "  musk- 
rats."  Possibly  "  Tigres,"  "  Tygers  "  are  "  tigres  marins,"  "  sea  lions," 
but  the  term  "  tigre  "  is  applied  to  several  fierce  American  animals  such 
as  the  jaguar,  the  cougar  and  the  chatpard  or  mountain-cat — it  is  much 
more  likely  that  one  of  these  is  meant,  probably  the  cougar. 

The  spelling  "  oursins  "  instead  of  "  oursons  "  in  the  original  may 
be  noticed — the  former  now  means  "sea  urchins,"  the  latter  "bear 
cubs." 

What  the  author  means  by  "  open-cat "  and  "closed-cat"  I  do  not 
know — perhaps  the  translator  has  hit  upon  the  true  meaning. 

[591.]  Of  Count  Andriani,  Chester  Martin,  in  his  recent  work, 
"Lord  Selkirk's  Work  in  Canada,"  Oxford  University  Press,  Toronto, 
1916,  at  p.  17,  says  :— 

"  It  was  in  Switzerland  in  1794  that  acquaintance  began  with  Count 
Andriani,  the  traveller,  who  was  probably  the  first  to  direct  Douglas's 
attention  to  the  promise  of  the  New  World."  A  reference  is  made  to 
MSS.  Correspondence  of  Dunbar,  Earl  of  Selkirk,  and  his  sons,  in  the 
possession  of  Captain  Hope,  St.  Mary's  Isle,  Kirkcudbright,  Scotland. 

Andriani  is .  also  mentioned  by  Dr.  Reuben  G.  Thwaites  in  his 
"  Long's  Voyages,"  apparently,  however,  quoting  La  Rochef  oucault,  and 
also  in  the  Wisconsin  Historical  Collections,  Vol.  XI,  p.  125  n,  explicitly 
quoting  La  Rochef oucault.45 


172  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 


REFERENCE  NOTES. 

George  Hammond,  1763-1853,  born  at  Kirk  Ella,  East  Yorkshire,  educated 
at  Oxford,  went  to  Paris  in  1783  as  Secretary  to  David  Hartley,  Jr.,  one  of 
the  Peace  Commissioners;  1788  to  1790,  Charge  d' Affaires  at  Vienna;  1790 
at  Copenhagen  and  then  to  Madrid.  In  1791  sent  as  Minister  Plenipoten- 
tiary to  Philadelphia  (then  Capital  of  the  United.  States),  the  first  British 
Minister  there  accredited.  He  married  a  Philadelphia  lady,  and  was  very 
popular  until  he  insisted  on  the  rights  of  the  Loyalists.  In  1795  he  became 
Under  Secretary  for  Foreign  Affairs  and  had  important  missions  to  Berlin 
and  Vienna.  He  retired  in  1806,  resumed  his  position  in  1807,  and  finally 
resigned  in  1809,  after  the  Walcheren  disaster.  He  rendered  public  service 
thereafter  as  arbitrator,  etc.,  and  died  18i53. 

There  seems  to  have  been  some  misunderstanding  between  him  and 
Dorchester,  on  the  subject  of  admitting  aliens  to  Lower  Canada,  or  possibly 
Dorchester  was  led  by  circumstances  to  change  his  mind.  In  any  case, 
Dorchester  was  the  ultimate  authority  as  to  such  admissions;  and  the 
condition  of  Lower  Canada,  and  the  machinations  of  the  French  agents 
and  sympathizers  were  such  as  to  call  for  great  caution.  At  the  present 
time,  it  is  not  apparent  that  there  would  have  been  any  danger  in  admitting 
La  Rochefoucault  but  we  do  not  know  all  the  facts — Smith's  suspicions, 
however,  eeem  groundless.  Dorchester's  despatch  to  the  Duke  of  Portland, 
July  25,  1795  (Dom.  Arch.  Rep.  1891,  p.  106)  gives  no  reasons:  he  asks  that 
no  more  emigrants  be  allowed  to  come  from  the  West  Indies  to  Quebec. 
"  Where  they  must  be  a  burden  and  in  which  their  presence  may  be  pregnant 
with  dangerous  effect." 

2Sir  Guy  Carleton,  Lord  Dorchester,  1724-1808,  born  at  Strabane,  joined 
the  army  at  the  age  of  18,  took  part  in  the  conquest  of  Quebec,  1759,  in  1766 
appointed  Lieutenant-Governor  and  1767  Governor-General  of  Quebec.  He 
left  Quebec  in  1770,  but  was  reappointed  in  1775.  In  Montreal,  at  the  time 
of  the  investment  of  Quebec  by  Arnold,  he  made  his  way  to  the  latter  city, 
passing  through  the  enemy's  lines  in  a  whaleboat,  disguised  as  a  fisherman. 
His  successful  defence  of  Quebec  put  an  end  to  the  hope  of  the  Revolution- 
ists to  add  a  fourteenth  colony  to  their  federation.  In  1778  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Haldimand  (see  note  S5  post),  and  after  valuable  service  in  the 
American  wars  he  was  again  appointed  .Governor^General  in  1786.  From 
1791  to  1793  he  was  absent  from  Canada,  but  returned  in  September  of  the 
latter  year,  finally  retiring  in  1796. 

He  was  a  man  of  marked  ability  and  scrupulous  integrity.  His  know- 
ledge of  human  nature  and  sympathy  with  men  of  all  ranks  and  countries 
made  him  an  exceedingly  valuable  governor.  Had  there  been  more  like 
Carleton  the  course  of  history  on  this  continent  might  have  been  materially 
different;  and  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  it  is  chiefly  to  him  that  the 
credit  is  due  of  keeping  Canada  under  the  British  flag. 

3John  Graves  Simcoe  (1752-1806),  born  at  Cotterstock,  Northamptonshire, 
son  of  Captain  John  iSimcoe  (R.N.),  who  was  killed  at  Quebec,  1759.  Educated 
at  Eton,  he  entered  the  army  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  fought  through  the 
American  Revolutionary  war,  taken  prisoner  he  narrowly  escaped  with  his 
life.  Exchanged,  he  rejoined  the  army  and  was  among  those  surrendered 
by  Cornwallis  in  1781.  He  then  went  to  England,  was  returned  to  the 
House  of  Commons  and  in  1791-2  became  first  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Upper 
Canada.  The  legislation  during  his  regime  is  reviewed  and  discussed  in 
a  series  of  articles  in  the  Canadian  Law  Times  for  1913,  "  Some  Early  Legis- 
lation and  Legislators  in  Upper  Canada"  (33  Can.  L.  T.,  22,  96,  180).  He 
returned  to  England  in  1794  and  was  appointed  Commandant  of  San 
Domingo.  He  went  to  England  in  1797',  and  in  1806  was  appointed  Com- 
ic ander-in-Chief  in  India.  He  never  went  to  India,  however,  but  died  in 
1806  at  Torbay.  His  career  and  character  are  fairly  portrayed  in  hie  Life 
by  the  late  D.  B.  Read,  Q.C. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  173 

His  services  in  the  American  wars  are  minutely  set  out  in  a  volume 
which  he  had  privately  printed  at  Exeter  in  1787.  The  title  is  "  A  /  Journal  / 
of  the  /  Operations  /  of  /  the  Queen's  Rangers  /  from  /  the  end  of  the  year 
1777  /  to  the  /  Conclusion  of  the  late  American  War./  By  Lieutenant  Col- 
onel Simcoe,  /  Commander  of  that  Corps.  /  Exeter,  Printed  for  the  Author." 
4to.,  pp.  v.  1  to  184  with  48  pages  of  appendix.  The  quarto  edition  is  very 
rare;  most  of  the  copies  are  the  treasured  possession  of  the  descendants 
of  iSimcoe's  officers — the  copy  I  have  used  is  the  property  of  Mr.  ^Emilius 
Jarvis,  Toronto;  it  is  beautifully  bound  in  contemporary  calf,  and  printed  on 
excellent  paper.  But  an  enterprising  firm  of  publishers  in  New  York  issued 
an  octavo  edition  in  1844  which  is  rather  common,  copies  being  occasionally 
offered  for  sale.  "  Simcoe's  Military  Journal  /  A  History  of  the  Operations  / 
of  a  /  Partizan  Corps  /called  /  the  Queen's  Rangers,  /  Commanded  by  Lieut.- 
Col.  J.  G.  Simcoe,  /  during  the  War  of  the  American  Revolution.  /  Illus- 
trated by  ten  engraved  plans  of  actions,  etc.  /  Now  first  published  /  with  / 
A  Memoir  of  the  Author  /  and  Other  Additions,  /  New  York:  /  Bartlett  & 
Welford,  /  1844."  Cloth,  8vo./ pp.  xvii-j-14  to  328.  (A  copy  is  in  the 
Osgoode  Hall  Library.) 

Simcoe  in  his  dignified  letter  to  Philiips,  confidently  appeals  to  his 
record  as  refuting  the  calumny  of  La  Rochefoucault  in  respect  of  boasting 
about  burning  houses  during  the  Revolutionary  war — the  episode  he  cites 
is  to  be  found  in  p.  42  (I  cite  the  octavo  edition  as  being  more  easily  pro- 
curable). On  pp.  40,  41,  it  is  related  that  Simcoe  threatened  the  wife  of  a 
franc-tireur  to  burn  her  husband's  house  (to  deter  others)  if  it  were  shown 
that  he  had  shot  at  some  British  boats  from  ambush.  But  the  proof  failed 
and  the  house  was  not  fired.  On  pp.  115,  116,  he  is  said  to  have  told  certain 
women  to  inform  some  four  or  five  people  who  were  lurking  on  his  rear" 
"  that  if  they  fired  another  shot  he  would  burn  every  house  which  he 
passed."  A  man  or  two  had  been  wounded,  but  the  threat  seems  to  have 
been  effective. 

Simcoe  was  taken  prisoner  after  his  horse  had  been  shot  under 
him  (pp.  116-117).  A  boy  was  about  to  bayonet  him  as  he  lay  insensible, 
but  was  prevented  by  one  Marineer,  a  refugee  from  New  York,  in  command 
of  the  detachment,  who  said,  "Let  him  alone,  the  rascal  is  dead  enough"; 
another  person  regretted  that  he  had  not  shot  him  through  the  head, 
which  he  would  have  done  had  he  known  him  to  toe  a  colonel,  but  he 
thought  "all  colonels  wore  lace"  (p.  264). 

In  December,  1782,  the  Queen's  Rangers,  cavalry  and  infantry,  were  honour- 
aibly  enrolled  in  the  British  Army.  At  the  Peace,  the  regiment  was  dis- 
banded and  most  of  the  officers  received  land  in  the  loyal  provinces.  The 
charge  that  Simcoe  desired  war  with  United  States  is  almost  wholly  due  to 
La  Rochefoucault — whether  there  was  an  honest  misunderstanding  cannot 
now  be  determined.  There  is  nothing  in  Simcoe's  long  and  active  public 
life  to  indicate  that  he  had  any  such  wish. 

4;Genet — Edmond  Charles  Genest  (or  as  generally  written  in  English, 
Genet),  1765-1834,  born  in  Versailles,  showed  Republican  opinions  at  an 
early  age.  Being  appointed  Charge  d'Affaires  at  St.  Petersburg  in  1789, 
he  became  distasteful  to  that  court.  Returning  to  France  he  was  appointed 
Ambassador  to  Holland,  but  before  he  could  go  there  he  was  appointed 
Minister  to  the  United  States  in  1792.  Received  everywhere  with 
enthusiasm  he  seems  to  have  lost  his  head.  He  began  and  continued  a  course 
of  conduct  most  irritating  to  Washington  and  wholly  contrary  to  the  rules 
of  international  law,  and  even  to  a  decent  regard  for  the  country  to  which 
he  had  come.  He  openly  maintained  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the  United 
States  to  side  with  France  against  Britain;  he  fitted  out  privateers  at 
Charleston  to  cruise  against  nations  at  peace  with  the  United  States,  and 
seemed  to  think  the  United  States  a  mere  adjunct  to  France.  Ultimately, 
Washington  could  stand  him  no  longer  and  demanded  his  recall. 

Genet,  on  being  recalled  did  not  return  to  France  but  settled  in  the 
State  of  New  York,  became  naturalized  and  married  an  American  lady, 
the  daughter  of  George  Clinton,  dying  at  Schodack,  Rensselaer  County,  New 
York  State. 


174  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

5Fauchet,  his  successor,  was  almost  equally  noxious,  but  seems  to  have 
restricted  his  efforts  to  New  Orleans.  He  did  not  remain  long,  giving  place 
to  Adet. 

'Pierre  Auguste  Adet,  1763-1832,  born  in  Nevers,  France,  sent  by  the 
Directory  to  the  United  States  as  Minister  Plenipotentiary  in  1795;  he  was 
continually  thereafter  a  thorn  in  the  side  of  the  American  administration, 
-endeavouring  to  force  the  country  to  take  the  side  of  France*.  Before  his 
return  on  his  recall  in  1796,  he  issued  an  inflammatory  address  to  the  people 
of  the  United  States.  During  most  of  his  stay  in  'the  United  States  he  was 
•engaged  in  intrigue  against  British  rule  in  Lower  Canada.  After  his 
return  to  France  he  adhered  to  Napoleon,  but  attained  no  eminence.  An 
able  chemist,  he  invented  a  very  curious  system  of  chemical  signs  which 
liad  no  great  vogue  and  is  now  quite  forgotten.  Kingsford,  Hist.  Can.,  Vol. 
xii,  pp.  441,  sqq.,  has  some  reference  to  this  Frenchman.  See  also  my  paper, 
Hoy.  Society  of  Canada,  1916,  "  The  Trial  of  David  McLane  "  and  note7  post. 

'David  McLane  (the  name  is  variously  spelled),  born  in  Boston,  after- 
wards in  business  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  was  apparently  employed 
by  Adet  to  raise  disaffection  in  Lower  Canada.  At  all  events,  he  did  try 
to  do  this.  Being  apprehended,  he  was  tried  at  Quebec  for  High  Treason 
and  convicted  July  7th,  1797,  the  first  trial  for  this  offence  on  this  con- 
tinent. He  was  drawn  to  the  place  of  execution  on  the  glacis  of  Quebec 
upon  a  hurdle,  July  21st,  hanged,  cut  down,  beheaded,  part  of  his  bowels 
burned  and  nicks  cut  in  the  four  quarters  of  his  body  with  a  knife,  sym- 
bolical of  the  quartering  to  which  he  had  been  sentenced.  See  my  paper  on 
this  trial  in  the  Roy.  Soc.  Canada's  Transactions,  1916. 

•  Guillemard,  was  a  young  Englishman  of  Huguenot  descent,  amiable, 
intelligent,  pleasant,  good  company  and  fond  of  travel.  He  had  come  to 
America  solely  from  the  love  of  travel  and  not  to  make  money.  He  was 
•well-off  and  did  not  require  any  access  of  fortune.  La  Rochefoucault  con- 
gratulates himself  on  finding  such  a  travelling  companion.  It  will  be  seen 
that  La  Rochefoucault  depended  to  some  extent  upon  'Guillemard  for  his 
information  concerning  Lower  Canada;  it  is  not  unlikely  that  Guillemard's 
Huguenot  extraction  led  him  to  do  some  injustice  to  the  French-Canadian 
priesthood. 

9  Dupetit-Thouars,  a  naval  officer,  has  been  spoken  of  already  in  the 
Introduction,  q.v.  p.  7,  ante. 

10De  Blacons  has  also  been  there  spoken  of.  'Mrs.  Simcoe  was  informed 
that  he  kept  a  shop  in  the  United  States  and  this  information  was  quite 
correct;  he  kept  a  haberdasher's  shop  in  partnership  with  another  French 
immigrant. 

"Poudrit  was  a  French-Canadian  who  had  married  an  Indian  wife;  one 
Mr.  Chipping  had  supplied  him  as  a  guide  to  La  Rochefoucault,  giving  at 
the  same  time  the  erroneous  information  that  Poudrit  had  adopted  Indian 
customs  in  their  entirety — "pour  suivre  une  squawh  (c'est  le  nom  des 
femmes  indiennes)  dont  il  etait  amoreux."  However,  he  seems  to  have 
guided  the  travellers  satisfactorily  over  and  through  the  deserts  of  Western 
New  York. 

"Captain  Pratt  does  not  seem  to  have  taken  any  active  part  in  public 
affairs  in  Upper  Canada — I  do  not  find  him  mentioned  in  any  of  our  early 
records.  Perhaps  he  just  attended  to  his  business  as  a  British  officer. 

"Captain  James  Mathew  Hamilton,  an  Irishman,  born  at  Donaghadee, 
County  Down,  1768.  He  became  an  officer  in  the  Fifth  Regiment  of  Foot. 
Being  stationed  at  Mackinac,  he  was  married  there  by  Dr.  David  Mitchell, 
the  Regimental  Surgeon,  to  his  daughter  Louisa.  For  the  greater  caution, 
they  were  remarried  by  the  Rev.  Robert  Addison,  at  St.  Mark's  Church, 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  175, 

Niagara,  August  24th,  1792.  (See  my  article  "  Some  Early  Legislations  and? 
Legislators  in  Upper  Canada,"  33  Can.  L.  Times,  at  p.  101.)  He  and  his  wife- 
were  great  friends  of  Mrs.  Simcoe,  who  speaks  in  her  Diary  of  them  more? 
than  once. 

"Robert  Hamilton  was  a  Scottish  merchant  of  very  high  character.  He 
was  appointed  one  of  the  first  Legislative  Councillors  of  Upper  Canada  by 
Simcoe,  in  1792.  He  had  been  in  partnership  with  Hon.  Richard  Cartwright 
and  generally  saw  eye  to  eye  with  him:  Simcoe  thought  them  both  Repub- 
licans, an  unfounded  suspicion.  He  and  his  family  (one  of  his  sons, 
George,  was  the  founder  of  the  present  city  of  Hamilton),  played  a  very 
active  and  creditable  part  in  our  nascent  province. 

An  account  of  this  eminent  man  will  be  found  in  Miss  Janet  Carnochan's 
"  Queenston  in  Early  Years  "  in  No.  25  of  the  publications  of  the  Niagara 
Historical  Society.  See  also  Robertson's  History  of  Freemasonry  in  Canada, 
Vol.  1,  p.  468.  A  portrait  and  sketch  are  given  in  the  Buffalo  Hist.  Soc. 
Publications,  Vol.  vi,  pp.  73-95. 

The  amount  of  toll  referred  to,  p.  398,  as  to  be  taken  by  grist-millers  was 
fixed  by  Statute  in  1792  (32  George  III.,  cap.  7),  at  one-twelfth.  It  is  said 
that  it  was  proposed  that  the  amount  should  be  one-tenth  but  that  friends  of 
the  millers  stood  out  stoutly  for  one-twelfth.  The  toll  for  saw-millers  was  a 
matter  of  custom  and  not  of  statutory  provision.  The  rate  one-half  said  to 
be  charged  at  the  Niagara  seems  to  have  been  common.  See  what  is  said 
about  Captain  Stone  (not  Store)  and  his  sawmill  on  the  creek  of  Guansig- 
nougua  (Gananoque)  at  [521],  [522]. 

"Elizabeth  Posthuma  Gwillim,  wife  of  John  Graves  Simcoe  was  born 
in  1766  at  Whitchurch,  the  daughter  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Thomas  Gwillim, 
a  posthumous  child.  She  married  John  Graves  Simcoe  in  1782,  and  survived 
till  1850,  when  she  died  at  Wolford  Lodge,  not  far  from  Exeter,  her  hus- 
band's estate. 

She  accompanied  her  husband  to  Upper  Canada:  her  diary  has  been 
edited  with  great  skill  and  care  by  Mr.  John  Ross  Robertson,  a  true  labour 
of  love.  This  work  cannot  be  neglected  by  any  student  of  early  times  in 
Upper  Canada,  the  letterpress  and  the  illustrations  (many  of  them  from 
drawings  by  Mrs.  Simcoe)  being  equally  excellent.  "  The  Diary  /  of  /  Mrs. 
John  Graves  Simeoe,  /  Wife  of  the  /  First  Lieutenant-Governor  of  the  Pro- 
vince /  of  Upper  Canada,  1792-6.  /  With  Notes  and  Biography  /  by  /  J.  Ross 
Robertson,  /  and  two  hundred  and  thirty-seven  illustrations,  including  / 
ninety  reproductions  of  Interesting  Sketches  /  made  by  'Mrs.  Simcoe.  / 
Toronto:  /,  William  Briggs,  /  1911."  Cloth,  8vo.,  pp.  xxix -f  440. 

"Edward  Baker  Littlehales  (eldest  son  of  Baker  John  Littlehales),  Mili- 
tary Secretary  to  Simcoe,  accompanied  him  on  his  trip  from  Newark  to 
Detroit  in  1797.  After  returning  to  England  he  was  advanced  in  rank  to 
a  Colonelcy.  In  1801,  he  became  under  Secretary  for  Ireland,  remaining 
.  such  till  1820.  In  1802  he  became  a  Baronet  and  in  1817  assumed  the  name 
Baker  instead  of  Littlehales  and  became  Sir  Edward  Baker  Baker,  Bart. 
A  man  of  much  tact  and  bonhomie,  he  deserved  all  La  Rochefoucault's 
eulogy  and  more. 

"Jedidiah  Morse,  born  in  Woodstock,  Conn.,  in  1761,  died  1826;  he  was 
a  Congregational  minister  and  a  successful  teacher.  He  wrote  a  History 
of  New  England,  Annals  of  the  American  Revolution  and  a  number  of 
biographies. 

His  geography  was  well  and  favourably  known;  the  work  cited  by  the 
translator  is  not  the  folio  Morse's  Geography,  which  many  of  the  senescent 
will  remember  as  being  in  common  use  in  the  schools  of  Upper  Canada 
half  a  century  ago  and  more  (before  the  advent  of  Dr.  Hodgins'  Canadian 
work),  but  an  octavo.  My  own  edition  was  printed  in  London  for  John 
Stockdale,  Piccadilly,  and  bears  date  1792. 


176  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

"It  must  be  remembered  that  till  1784,  Nova  Scotia  included  what  is 
now  called  New  Brunswick.  Morse  does  not  anywhere  in  this  book  recog- 
nize New  Brunswick  but  treats  of  the  whole  territory  as  Nova  Scotia 
(pp.  475,  476).  New  Britain,  he  describes  (p.  473)  as  "all  the  tract  of 
country  which  lies  north  of  Canada,  commonly  called  the  Eskimaux  Country, 
including  Labrador,  New  North  and  South  Wales,  said  to  be  850  miles  long 
and  750  broad."  The  map  shows  New  South  Wales  west  of  James  Bay. 

1DThe  account  of  Simcoe's  services  in  the  war  of  the  American  Revolution 
must  be  read  with  caution.  See  note  3  p.  172  ante  and  Simcoe's  letter  to 
Phillips,  pp.  134,  sqq.,  ante. 

20  See  an  account  of  this  and  other  legislation  in  a  series  of  articles 
in  the  Canadian  Law  Times,  1913.  "  Some  Early  Legislation  and  Legislators 
in  Upper  Canada,"  already  mentioned  (33  Can.  L.  T.,  pp.  22,  96,  180). 


White,  an  English  Barrister  admitted  of  Gray's  Inn,  but  appar- 
ently called  by  the  Inner  Temple,  1785,  who  came  to  Upper  Canada  in  1792 
as  the  first  Attorney-General.  (His  diary  is  extant,  but  as  yet  unpublished). 
Through  the  influence  of  Lieutenant-Governor  Simcoe,  he  became  a  member 
of  the  House  of  Assembly  for  the  first  Parliament;  and  he  took  an  active 
part  in  legislation.  His  health  was  not  very  good  and  He  seems  to  have 
been  of  a  quarrelsome  disposition.  In  1800,  January  3rd,  he  was  killed 
in  a  duel  iby  John  Small,  Clerk  of  the  Executive  Council  (whose  wife1  he 
had  traduced),  and  in  1871,  his  bones  were  dug  up  from  their  first  resting 
place  and  reburied  in  St.  James'  Cemetery.  See  my  "  Legal  Profession  in 
Upper  Canada  in  Early  Times,"  Toronto,  1916,  at  pp.  151-153. 

His  account  of  the  difficulty  of  convicting  those  charged  with  crime 
in  Upper  Canada  sounds  odd  at  the  present  day  but  is  amply  borne  out  by 
his  diary  —  of  all  those*  noted  as  having  been  prosecuted  by  him  from  July, 
1792,  till  January,  1794,  only  one  was  convicted.  Shortly  after  this  time, 
the  disposition  of  juries  seems  to  have  changed  or  possibly  the  judges 
became  more  efficient,  for  there  has  not  for  a  century  been  any  real  ground 
for  complaint  (except  in  rare  cases)  of  undue  leniency  on  the  part  of  juries. 

22The  coloured  burglar  was  Josiah  Cutan,  tried  at  L'Aesomption  (now 
Sandwich),  September  7th,  1792,  at  the  court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  for 
the  District  of  Hesse,  before  William  Dummer  Powell,  then  the  first  (and 
only)  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  the  District  of  Hesse,  and  a 
jury.  Powell  at  the  time  of  La  Rochefoucault's  visit  was  the  only  Justice 
of  the  Court  of  King's  Bench;  he  afterwards  became  Chief  Justice  of  Upper 
Canada. 

The  prisoner  was  apprehended  shortly  after  midnight,  and  while  he 
denied  having  stolen  them,  admitted  that  he  had  taken  -some  articles  found 
in  a  bag,  "  some  smoked  skins,  and  two  kegs  of  rum  and  a  bundle  of  peltry" 
from  the  house  or  shop  of  Joseph  Campeau  of  St.  Anne's,  tr?der;  and  he 
also  admitted  that  he  had  broken  into  the  shop  at  night  with  an  adze, 
forcing  open  the  door.  The  jury  found  him  "  guilty  of  the  burglary  and 
felony  whereof  he  stands  indicted." 

Being  called  to  the  Bar  to  receive  sentence  he  was  thus  addressed  by 
Mr.  Justice  Powell: 

"  Josiah  Cutan,  you  have  been  found  guilty  by  the  verdict  of  twelve 
good  and  impartial  men  upon  the  plain  evidence  of  your  own  voluntary 
confession,  in  addition  to  other  proof,  of  having  committed  on  the 
eighteenth  of  October  last,  a  burglary  in  the  house  of  Joseph  Campeau.  This 
crime  is  so  much  more  atrocious  and  alarming  to  society  as  it  is  com- 
mitted by  night  when  the  world  is  at  repose  and  that  it  cannot  be  guarded 
against  without  the  same  precaution's  which  are  used  against  the  wild 
beasts  of  the  forest,  who,  like  you,  go  prowling  about  for  their  prey.  A 
member  so  hurtful  to  the  peace  of  society,  no  good  laws  will  permit  to 
continue  in  it;  and  the  Court  in  obedience  to  the  law,  has  imposed  upon 
it  the  painful  duty  of  pronouncing  its  sentence,  which  is  that  you  be  taken 
hence  to  the  Gaol  whence  you  came,  and  thence  to  the  place  of  Execution, 
where  you  are  to  be  hanged  by  the  neck  until  you  are  dead.  And  the  Lord 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  177 

have  mercy  upon  your  soul."  He  was  duly  executed  at  an  early  day — it 
was  not  the  custom  in  those  days  to  fix  the  day  of  execution,  and  the  sheriff 
carried  out  the  sentence  at  a  convenient  and  early  day  (generally  the 
Monday  following  the  sentence). 

The  proceedings  at  this  Court  are  to  be  found  in  the  Ontario  Archives; 
a  copy  is  in  the  Riddell  Canadian  Library  at  Osgoode  Hall,  Toronto. 

It  may  (be  noticed  that  the  prisoner  was  not  defended  by  counsel,  and 
indeed  the  only  lawyer  then  practising  at  Detroit  and  Sandwich  was  Walter 
Roe,  Clerk  of  the  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer;  and  he  conducted  the 
prosecution. 

23  John  Butler,  born  at  New  London,  Connecticut,  in  1728  (the  eldest  son 
of  John  Butler,  an  Irish  Officer),  educated  at  Connecticut,  became  Captain 
in  the  Indian  Department  under  Sir  William  Johnson  in  1755  and  dis- 
tinguished himself  at  the  disastrous  battle  of  Crown  Point  in  that  year. 
He  served  under  Abercromby  at  Ticoiideroga  and  Bradstreet  at  Fort  Fron- 
tenac,  then  went  with  Johnson  to  Fort  Niagara  as  second  in  command  of 
the  Indian  forces. 

In  1760  he  went  with  Amherst  to  Montreal  as  secqnd  in  command  of 
the  Indians;  and  thereafter  was  engaged  in  connection  with  the  Indians 
for  the  remainder  of  his  life,  his  knowledge  of  several  Iindian  languages 
rendering  him  an  invaluable  agent. 

He  took  the  Loyalist  side  in  the  American  Revolution,  and  raised  the 
celebrated  corps,  "  Butler's  Rangers,"  whose  activities  and  successes  were 
marked.  His  son,  Walter,  was  equally  active;  and  sometimes  certain  of  his 
actions  have  been  credited  (or  rather  debited)  to  his  father. 

Settling  at  Niagara  after  the  war,  he  continued  in  the  service  of  the 
Crown  until  his  death  in  GVTay,  17iJ6,  and  was  interred  in  the  family  burying 
ground  near  Niagara. 

"A  fat  man  below  the  middle  stature,  yet  active;  through  the  rough 
visage  of  the  warrior  showing  a  rather  agreeable  than  forbidding  aspect. 
Care  sat  upon  his  brow.  (Speaking  quickly,  he  repeated  his  words  when 
excited.  Decision,  firmness,  courage  were  undoubted  characteristics  of  the 
man."  So  wrote*  one  who  owed  him  no  love — Miner,  the  local  historian 
of  Wyoming. 

"  History  /  of  /  Wyoming  /  in  a  series  of  Letters  /  from  /  Charles  Miner  / 
to  his  Son  /  William  Penn  Miner  /  ...  .  Philadelphia  /  published  by  J. 
Crissy,  No.  4  Minor  Street  /  1845  " — the  description  is  given  at  p.  236.  This 
local  .history  seems  to  have  been  written  in  good  faith;  but  much  gossip 
is  set  down  as  sober  history.  A  copy  is  in  the  Riddell  Canadian  Library, 
Osgoode  Hall,  Toronto;  the  book  is  not  common. 

Many  wholly  groundless  charges  were  made  against  Butler,  as  against 
most  loyal  officers,  by  the  Revolutionists. 

A  fairly  full  and  (I  think)  wholly  accurate  account  of  Butler  and  his 
services  will  be  found  in  Lieutenant-Colonel  Cruickshank's  "  Butler's 
Rangers,"  published  by  the  Lundy's  Lane  Historical  >So,ciety.  Robertson's 
"  Freemasonry  in  Canada,"  Vol.  1,  p.  470,  has  also  a  sliort  account  of  him. 

Joseph  Brant  (Thayendanegea),  a  Mohawk  Indian  born  on  the  banks  of 
the  Ohio  about  1742  when  his  parents  were  on  a  hunting  expedition,  their 
home  being  at  the  Canajoharie  Castle.  His  father  dying  when  Joseph  was 
young,  his  mother  married  an  Indian  whose  Christian  name  was  Barnet  or 
Bernard  contracted  to  Brandt  or  Brant.  Joseph  took  this  name,  which  was 
spelled  both  ways.  Smith  calls  him  "  Brandt,"  but  the  usual  and  correct 
spelling  is  "  Brant." 

He  was  sent  to  a  school  at  Lebanon,  Conn,  (the  original  of  Dartmouth 
College)  by  Sir  William  Johnson  and  became  a  devout  Christian.  He  took 
an  active  part  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  Campbell's  calumny  of  him  in 
"  Gertrude  of  Wyoming,"  "  the  monster  Brant,"  was  conclusively  disproved 
and  Campbell  apologized  most  handsomely  for  hie  mistake — but  Brant  did 
lead  his  Indians  in  some  incursions  of  less  note,  and  was  not  wholly  destitute 
of  the  sternness  of  the  Redman. 

He  came  to  Canada  a  leader  of  the  Six  Nations,  and  continued  to  the  end 
of  his  life  to  be  a  devoted  adherent  to  British  rule — a  myth  (not  yet  dead) 
to  the  contrary  among  certain  Americans,  notwithstanding. 


178  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

He  visited  England  in  1786  and  was  received  with  great  distinction.  He 
died  in  1807. 

A  very  full  account  of  his  life  has  been  written  by  Col.  William  L.  Stone,  a 
work  readily  available.  Much  inaccuracy  has  been  exhibited  by  some  Cana- 
dian writers,  e.g.,  he  is  made  a  hereditary  chief,  which  he  was  not;  he  is 
represented  as  fighting  in  the  war  of  1812,  which,  indeed,  his  son  did,  etc., 
etc.  Brantford  is  called  after  him.  His  sister  Molly  was  iSir  William  John- 
son's "  Indian  wife,"  and  bore  him  many  children. 

"Timothy  Pickering,  1745-1829,  born  in  Salem,  Mass.,  educated  at  Har- 
vard, where  he  graduated  1763,  admitted  to  the  bar,  1768;  became  judge  of 
Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  Essex  County  1775.  He  took  the  continental 
or  revolutionary  side  in  the  disputes  wifh  the  mother  country,  and  in 
1776  was  placed  in  command  of  a  regiment.  He  served  during  the  whole 
war  and  at  the  conclusion  of  peace  became  a  commission  merchant  in 
Philadelphia,  removed  in  a  short  time  to  Wilkesbarre.  He  was  a  delegate 
to  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  Pennsylvania.  Later  he  became  a 
Commissioner  to  treat  with  the  Indians  and  concluded  several  treaties 
with  them  in  1790,  1791  aind  1794— he  received  the  name  "Black  Bird" 
from  the  Indians  with  whom  he  had  dealings.  Mrs.  iSimcoe  notes  in  her 
diary,  May  14th,  1793,  the  arrival  at  Navy  Hall  of  "  John  Randolph,  .  .  . 
a  Virginian,  Benjamin  Lincoln  and  Col.  Timothy  Pickering,  .  .  .  both 
of  Massachusetts,  New  England.  Col.  Simcoe  calls  the  latter  my  cousin, 
his  ancestor  left  England  in  Charles  Ist's  reign  and  this  gentleman  really 
bears  great  resemblance  to  the  picture  Mr.  Gwillim  [a  relative  of  Mrs. 
Simeoe's]  has  of  Sir  Gilbert  Pickering."  These  three  Americans  were 
Commissioners  appointed  by  the  United  States  to  treat  with  the  Indians  at 
Sandusky;  they  were  courteously  entertained  by  Col.  and  Mrs.  Simcoe. 
They  attended  a  ball  and  supper  and  were  struck  with  the  beauty  of  the 
Canadian  ladies  there. 

Pickering  afterwards  became  Postmaster  General,  Secretary  of  War, 
Secretary  of  State,  Senator  and  Representative;  he  opposed  the  war  in 
1812.  See  "  Life  of  Timothy  Pickering,"  by  his  son  aind  others,  Boston, 
1867,  1873. 

25  Two  other  sons  were  afterwards  born  to  Simcoe — John  Cornwall  in 
July  1798,  and  Henry  Addington  in  1800;  the  former  died  young,  the  latter 
survived  till  1868.  There  were  also  eight  daughters. 

26Robert  Pilkington,  born  at  Chelsfield,  Kent,  1765,  educated  at  the  Royal 
Military  Academy  at  Woolwich,  became  Second  Lieutenant  in  the  Royal 
Artillery,  1787;  two  years  after  he  exchanged  into  the  Royal  Engineers,  came 
to  Canada  1790  and  was  stationed  at  Quebec.  He  was  promoted  First  Lieu- 
tenant 1783,  in  which  year  he  joined  Simeoe's  staff.  In  1794  he  built  Simcoe's 
Fort  on  the  Maumee;  he  was  on  the  staff  till  1796,  and  became  Captain  Lieu- 
tenant 1797;  Captain  1801.  Leaving  Canada  in  1803,  he  was  stationed  for 
special  service  at  the  Waltham  Abbey  Powder  Factory.  Lieutenant-General 
in  1809  he  took  part  in  the  Walcheren  expedition,  and  was  wounded  at 
Flushing.  On  his  return  to  England  he  filled  several  offices  of  high  and 
responsible  command — finally,  in  1832,  becoming  Inspector-General  of  Fortifi- 
cations. He  died  in  London  in  1834.  "  Dictionary  of  National  Biography," 
Vol.  xlvi,  pp.  299,  300.  Mr.  Ross  Robertson  also  speaks  of  him,  "  Diary  of 
Mrs.  Simcoe,"  p.  192. 

He  seems  to  have  been  an  active  and  useful  public  servant. 

2TSee  an  article  in  the  Canadian  Journal  of  Medicine  and  Surgery,  Sep- 
tember, 1911,  "The  Medical  Profession  in  Ontario." 

^A  photographic  copy  of  this  is  in  the  Riddell  Canadian  Library  at 
Osgoode  Hall. 

"•William  Berczy,  born  in  Saxony  in  1749  or  possibly  a  little  earlier. 
While  very  young  his  family  removed  to  Vienna;  both  his  father  and  his 
uncle  were  in  the  employ  of  the  State  and  represented  Saxony  at  Vienna. 
He  was  educated  at  Leipsic  and  Jena,  and  travelled  much  in  adjoining  coun- 


LA  ROCHBFOUCAULT.  179 

tries.  He  went  to  Switzerland  and  Italy;  thence  to  London,  where  in  1791 
he  was  engaged  by  an  Association,  at  the  head  of  which  was  Sir  William 
Pultney  (afterwards  Earl  of  Bath),  to  secure  from  Germany,  settlers  for  a 
tract  of  land  in  the  Genesee  Valley,  New  York,  which  had  been  granted  to  the 
Association.  In  1792  he  brought  about  sixty  German  families  from  Hamburg 
by  way  of  Philadelphia  to  the  Genesee  Valley. 

Charles  Williamson,  whom  La  Rochefoucault  calls  Captain  Williamson 
[478-9]  was  the  chief  agent  of  the  Association  at  the  settlement.  Berczy  and 
he  disagreed,  and  Berczy  brought  his  people  (or  most  of  them)  to  Upper 
Canada  in  1794  under  an  arrangement  with  Governor  Simcoe. 

The  Township  of  Markham,  in  the  County  of  York,  was  selected,  and 
there  Berczy  settled  some  sixty-four  families.  Difficulties  arose  about  the 
patents  for  lands,  and  Berczy  was  compelled  to  appeal  to  the  Home  authori- 
ties, with  some  temporary  but  little  ultimate  success.  The  story  is  not 
pleasant  reading. 

Considering  himself  wronged  by  the  Upper  Canadian  Government  he  left 
the  Province  in  1805  to  reside  in  Montreal — there  he  employed  his  talent  for 
painting  to  earn  a  livelihood. 

In  1812  he  left  for  New  York,  where  he  died  in  1813. 

He  was  an  able,  active  business  man,  honourable  in  all  his  dealings  so 
far  as  known.-  La  Rochefoucault  seems  (as  often)  to  have*  accepted  the  state- 
ments of  an  enemy  as  giving  a  fair  representation  of  character.  Those 
interested  in  Berczy  and  his  settlement  may  consult  Morgan's  "  Sketches  of 
Celebrated  Canadians,"  1862,  pp.  110-113;  Robinson's  "History  of  Toronto 
and  County  of  York,"  1885,  Vol.  1,  pp.  114  sqq.;  Canniff's  "Early  Settlement 
of  Upper  Canada,"  p.  363;  Miles  &  Co.  "Atlas  of  the  County  of  York,"  1878, 
pp.  xiv,  xv. 

30  John  Stuart,  1740-1811,  born  at  Harrisburrg,  Pa.,  the  son  of  Andrew 
Stuart,  a  Presbyterian.     Desiring  to  join  the  Church  of  England,  he  went 
to  England  and  received   ordination  in  1770.     Returning  as  a  priest,  he 
became  a  missionary  to  the  Indians  on  the  Mohawk  River,  Port  Hunter, 
where  he  served  for  seven  years,  translating  the  New  Testament  into  the 
Mohawk  language.     He  remained  loyal  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  escaping  to  Canada,  St.  John's,  in  1781  where  he  became  Chap- 
lain to  a  Provincial  Regiment.     Settling  permanently  in  Kingston  in  1788, 
he  became  the  first  incumbent  of  the  church  there  in  1791.    His  son,  George 
O'Kill  Stuart,   Archdeacon   of  York,   is  better  known.     See  Miss   Machar's 
"Story  of  Old  Kingston,"  pp.  161,  162;  Morgan's  "Sketches  of  Celebrated 
Canadians,"  p.  126. 

31  See  ajn  article  in  the  Canadian  Law  Times  for  July,  1915   (33  Can.  L. 
T.,  580),  "The  First  Medical  Case  in  the  Province." 

82 Joel  Stone  of  Gananoque,  born  at  Guilford,  Connecticut,  1749;  a  direct 
descendant  of  William  Stone,  who  sailed  from  London,  England  in  1639. 
Stone's  father,  Stephen  Stone,  removed  with  his  family  from  Guilford  to 
Litchifield  in  1751  and  there  the  lad  grew  to  manhood.  He  went  into  business 
in  that  town  but  soon  was  forced  to  leave  Litchfield  on  account  of  his 
loyal  sentiments  freely  expressed.  Going  to  the  British  lines  in  New 
York,  he  took  up  arms  and  reaching  the  rank  of  captain  continued  to  serve 
the  King  until  the  evacuation  of  New  York  by  the  British  troops.  In  1783 
he  sailed  to  England  but  came  thence  to  Canada  in  1785  or  1786.  He 
determined  to  take  up  the  land  to  which  he  was  entitled  in  virtue  of  his 
rank  and  services. 

He  obtained  a  grant  west  of  Gananoque  River  where  he  settled  in  1792, 
at  a  place  called  by  the  Indians  Cadanoghue  (variously  spelled,  but  our 
Gananoque),  "Rocks  in  Deep  Water."  There  he  founded  the  town  of 
Gananoque  and  built  the  mills  described  in  the  text  and  other  mills;  he  also 
engaged  in  general  business  and  became  wealthy,  as  wealth  was  estimated 
in  those  days.  He  was  the  first  Collector  of  Customs  at  the  Port,  and  in 
1809  became  Colonel  of  Militia.  Gourlay  speaks  of  visiting  him  in  1818. 
"a  worthy  gentleman"  (see  my  Life  of  Gourlay,  1916,  p.  67);  and  a  worthy 
gentleman  he  continued  till  his  death  in  1833. 
14  T.C. 


180  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

A  short  account  of  Stone's  life  will  be  found  in  "  Olan  Donald,"  a  brochure 
privately  printed,  presented  to  the  Riddell  Canadian  Library  by  H.  M. 
Mowat,  Esq.,  K.'C.,  a  descendant  of  the  wife  of  Col.  Stone. 

The  Johnson  who  is  spoken  of  in  the  text  as  owning  the  opposite  shore 
was  Sir  John  Johnson,  "Knight  and  Baronite  "  (son  of  Sir  William  John- 
son) who  afterwards  sold  this  land  to  Charles  and  John  Macdonald. 

33  In  the  accounts  of  the  various  routes  from  Montreal  to  the  Illinois,  the 
original  French  text  should  always  ibe  consulted,  as  the  translator  makes 
absurd  blunders  in  several  instances. 

Page  523:  "Us  6taient  partis  de  Montreal:  leur  route  est  par  le  lac 
Ontario,  le  lac  Erie;  ils  remontent  la  riviere  de  Miami,  puis,  par  un  portage 
de  six  a  sept  milles,  ils  regagnent  la  Theahikiriver,  qui  donne  dans  celle 
des  Illinois,  ou  celle  de  Wabach,  qui  y  communique  par  plusieurs  petits 
creeks,  separes  par  des  courts  portages;  enfin  ils  se  dirigent  vers  la  partie 
du  pays  des  Illinois,  etc."  "  They  left  Montreal :  their  route  is  by  Lake  On- 
tario and  Lake*  Erie;  they  ascend  the  Miami  River,  then  by  a  portage  of  six 
to  seven  miles  they  reach  the  Kankakee  which  flows  into  the  Illinois  or  the 
Wabash,  which  there  connects  by  several  small  creeks  separated  by  short 
portages;  then  they  go  toward  that  part  of  the  Illinois  country,  etc." 

Page  524:  Another  way  is  this:  "  On  remonte  la*  riviere  des  Ottawas  ou  la 
grande  riviere  jusqu'au  lac  Nipissin,  et  de-la  par  la  riviere  des  Franc,ais 
(Frenchmom's  river)  on  arrive  au  lac  Huron.  Dans  cette  seule  navigation 
ou  recontre  trente-six  portages,  a  la  ve"rite  tr&s-courts.  Du  lac  Huron  on 
entre  le  lac  Michigan  par  le  detroit  de  Michilimackinack,  en-suite  dans  la 
green  bay,  du  fond  de  laquelle  on  passe  dans  la  riviere  du  Crocodile,  puis 
par  le  lac  du  ris  (rice  lake)  et  par  la  riviere  Saxe,  ou  parvient  apr&s  un  court 
portage  a  la  riviere  Ouisconsin  qui  se  jette  dans  le  Mississipi  que  Ton  descend 
jusqu'a  la  riviere  des  Illinois,  qu'alors  on  remonte."  "You  ascend  the  Ottawa 
or  Grand  River  to  Lake  Nipissing  and  thence  by  the  French  River  to  Lake 
Huron,  encountering  thirty-six  short  portages.  From  Lake  Huron  you  enter 
Lake  Michigan  by  the  Straits  of  Michilimacinac,  then  into  Green  Bay  [in 
Wisconsin],  from  the  head  of  Green  Bay  [not,  I  think,  the  present  Fond  du 
Lac],  you  pass  into  the  Crocodile  River  [Fox  River],  then  by  Rice  Lake 
[Puckaway  Lake]  and  toy  the  River  Saxe  [the  Upper  Fox  River]  after  a 
short  portage  you  reach  the  Wisconsin  River  which  flows  into  the  Mississippi 
which  you  descend  to  the  Illinois,  which  you  then  ascend." 

For  an  account  of  the  route  in  Wisconsin  see  "Wisconsin  Historical  Collec- 
tions," Vol.  ii,  p.  109,  cf.  do.,  Vol.  xiii,  pp.  307,  308;  Vol.  xx,  p.  362. 

It  seems  odd  that  the  Lakes  Winnebago  (des  Puans,  des  Puants,  Puan 
or  St.  Francis)  and  Big  'Buttes  des  Morts  (Death  Lake)  are  not  mentioned, 
but  probably  they  were  looked  upon  as  expansions  of  the  (lower)  Fox  River, 
called  by  La  Rochefoucault  the  Crocodile  River  (I  cannot  trace  this  name). 
The  Rice  Lake  (Puckaway)  was  also  called  Rush  Lake — a  description  of  it 
and  of  the  wild  rice  growing  in  it  is  given  in  the  Wisconsin  Hist.  Coll.,  Vol. 
viii,  p.  291 — the  rice  was  the  zizania  which  grows  in  our  own  Rice  Lake  and 
was  gathered  in  the  same  way.  In  the  early  30's  a  canal  was  dug  almost  on 
the  line  of  the  old  trail  from  the  lake  to  the  Wisconsin;  but  it  proved  to  be 
of  little  use  as  it  never  was  full  except  when  the  Wisconsin  was  high.  The 
present  canal  at  Portage  is  a  little  higher  up  the  river. 

The  name  "  fond  du  lac  "  was  applied  to  the  most  distant  end  of  many 
bodies  of  water,  e.g.,  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Michilimacinac,  the  Fond  du  Lac 
of  Lake  Superior,  Burlington  Bay,  etc.:  "  tete  du  lac,"  "bout  du  lac,"  etc., 
were  other  terms  used  in  the  same  way. 

Page  525:  Another  way  is:  "la  meme  route  que  Ton  prend  de  Montreal 
jusqu'au  de"troit  de  Michilimackinack,  on  le  laisse  a  gauche  pour  entrer  dans 
le  lac  superienir,  et  le  traverser  jusqu'au  grand  portage,  et  de-la  au  lac  des 
bois,  ect.,  ect."  "The  same  route  which  one  takes  from  Montreal  as  far  as 
the  Straits  of  Michilimacinac — these  are  kept  to  the  left  to  enter  Lake 
Superior;  cross  Lake  Superior  to  Grand  Portage  and  then  to  the  Lake  of 
the  Woods,  etc.,  etc." 

"  Grand  Portage  "  was  at  the  head  of  a  bay  on  the  N.W.  shore  of  Lake 
Superior  some  five  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Pigeon  River.  At  that  place 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  181 

there  was  a  portage  of  nine  miles  northerly  to  the  widening  of  the  Pigeon. 
It  was  the  great  halting  and  gathering  place  for  voyageurs  and  a  very  im- 
portant depot  for  the  fur  trade;  but  when  in  1803  the  united  Hudson  Bay 
and  North-West  Companies  erected  a  post  at  the  mouth  of  the  Pigeon  River 
(called  Fort  William  after  William  McGillivray,  one  of  their  partners), 
Grand  Portage  lost  its  importance. 

It  is  thought  that  it  was  the  belief  that  Grand  Portage  would  pass  to  the 
United  States  which  caused  the  erection  of  a  post  at  Fort  William.  Grand 
Portage  is  near  the  international  boundary  and  is  now  a  small  lakeside 
hamlet  in  Cook  County,  Minnesota. 

Fsfirly  full  accounts  are  given  of  this  place  in  the  "  Wisconsin  Historical 
Collections,"  Vol.  xi,  pp.  123-125.  In  a  note  on  p.  124  will  be  found  the  route 
followed  from  Grand  Portage  to  the  Lake  of  the  Woods.  On  page  579  the 
route  of  the  fur  traders  is  given. 

Page  579:  "  Les  expeditions  partent  de  Montreal  en  juin  et  emploient 
environ  six  semaines  pour  se  rendre  au  fort  du  grand  portage,  il  faut 
quelques  jours  de  moms  pour  arriver  a  celui  de  Michilimackinack;  ils  partent 
de  Montreal  en  canots  par  caravannes  de  huit  a  dix,  et  ils  vont  a  leur  des- 
tination en  suivant  la  fleuve  St.  Laurent  depuis  la  Chine  jusqu'au  lac  des 
deux  Montagues,  remontant  la  riviere  Utacoha,  par  elle  au  lac  Nipissin,  et 
de-la  par  la  riviere  des  Francais  dans  le  lac  Huron  et  au  fort  Michilimack- 
inack, puis  a  celui  du  grand  portage."  "  The1  expeditions  leave  Montreal  in 
June  and  take  about  six  weeks  to  arrive  at  the  Fort  of  Grand  Portage,  it  takes 
a  few  days  less  to  get  to  the  Fort  at  Michilimacinac.  They  leave  Montreal 
in  flotillas  of  eight  to  ten  canoes  and  go  up  the  St.  Lawrence  from  Lachine 
to  the  Lake  of  the  Two  Mountains,  ascend  the  Ottawa  to  Lake  Nipissing, 
thence  by  the  French  River  to  Lake  Huron  "and  Fort  Michilimacinac  and 
finally  to  the  Fort  at  Grand  Portage." 

34  The  proclamation  giving  the  name  Ouse  to  what  was  then  and  is  now 
called  the  Grand  River,  is  dated  July  16th,  1792. 

35  Sir  Frederick  Haldimand,   1718-1791.  born  at  Xeufchatel,  Switzerland, 
joined  the  Dutch  army  as  a  soldier  of  fortune,  and  was  appointed  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  of  62nd  Royal  Americans   (afterwards  the  60th  Foot)   in  1756.     He 
went  to  America  in  1758,  took  part  in  Ticonderoga,  and  served  with  Amherst 
at   Montreal   jn   1760.     He   remained   in    Canada   till   1766,    whe|n   he   was 
appointed  to  command  in   Florida,   remaining  in  command  till  1778.     He 
was  in  command  in  New  York  for  a  time,  but  in  1778  he  was  appointed 
Governor  of  Canada,  succeeding  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  continuing  in  that  post 
till  he  went  to  England  in  1784.     He  died  at  Yverdun  in  the  Canton  of 
Neufchatel   in   1791. 

His  governorship  of  Canada  has  been  represented  (and  not  wholly 
without  justification)  as  an  arbitrary  rule;  but  he  was  a  soldier,  he  did 
not  believe  in  lawyers  and  the  times  were  very  critical  for  British  rule. 
What  with  the  plotting  Americans  arid  the  discontented  French-Canadians, 
Haldimand  did  not  have  an  easy  or  a  pleasant  task;  and  he  probably  did 
as  well  as  most  could  have  done. 

His  manuscripts,  copies  of  which  are  in  the  Dominion  Archives,  are  of 
great  value  to  historians  of  Canada.  { 

26  It  is  difficult  to  trace  the  very  many  members  of  the  Clan  ftlacdonell 
who  have  done  good  service  to  the  Empire.  J.  A.  Macdotaell,  K.C.,  of 
Alexandria,  in  his  work  on  Glengarry  in  Canada,  1893,  has  given  an  account 
of  many;  he  has  been  good  enough  to  inform  me  that  this  gentleman  was 
Angus  Macdonell.  He  was  the  son  of  Alexander  Macdonell,  of  Aberchalder, 
who  settled  in  Tryon  County  in  the  Mohawk  Valley  and  with  all  his  family 
remained  loyal  during  the  Revolution. 

His  brother,  Colonel  John  Macdonell,  was  Speaker  of  the  first  House  of 
Assembly  in  Upper  Canada,  and  another  brother,  Hugh  Macdonell  was  a 
member  of  the  same  house;  John  became  a  Lieutenant-Colonel  in  1803  but 
was  a  subaltern  officer  at  the  time  of  La  Rochefoucault's  visit.  Another 
brother,  Chichester  Macdonell,  did  not  remain  in  Canada  after  the  peace  of 
1783,  but  did  good  service  for  his  King  elsewhere. 


182  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

"Alexander  MacKenzie  (the  name  is  variously  spelled),  a  Scotsman,  prob- 
ably born  in  Inverness,  1755,  came  to  this  continent  at  an  early  age  and  was 
stationed  at  Fort  Chippewayan,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Athabasca.  His  account 
of  his  two  journeys,  "  Voyages  on  the  River  St.  Lawrence  and  through  the 
Continent  of  North  America  to  the  Frozen  and  Pacific  Oceans,"  printed  in 
London,  1801,  is  not  very  rare;  it  contains  a  most  interesting  account  of  the 
natives,  and  is  prefaced  by  a  historical  account  of  the  fur  trade.  Knighted 
in  1802,  he  returned  to  Scotland,  where  he  died,  1820. 

"  Father  Casot.  In  The  Jesuit  Relations,  etc.,  Thwaites'  edition,  Cleveland^ 
1901,  at  p.  Ill,  Father  Casot  is  spoken  of  as  the  only  living  Jesuit  in  1791; 
the  note  on  p.  395  reads:  "'On  the  death  of  Father  Well,  towards  the  end 
of  March  or  the  beginning  of  April,  1791,  Father  Casot  came  up  to  Mon- 
treal a*nd  anticipated  the  cupidity  of  the  English  Government  by  giving 
away  in  charity  every  movable  possession  of  the  Montreal  Jesuits  (Amer. 
Cath.  Hist.  Res.,  Vol.  V,  p.  34).  On  page  38  of  Researches  here  cited  is  re- 
printed the  following  extract  from  the  Montreal  Gazette,  April  7th,  1791: 
'  The  Reverend  Father  Casot,  procurator  of  the  Jesuits  of  this  Province, 
arrived  at  the  residence  in  this  town  shortly  after  the  death  of  his  confrere. 
Father  Well.  The  noble  and  generous  manner  in  which  he  disposed  of  the 
money  and  effects  of  this  house  is  worthy  of  the  greatest  praise  and  deserves 
to  be  recorded  in  the  annals  of  benevolence.  He  distributed  the  corn 
which  he  found,  in  quantities  of  fifty  and  a  hundred  bushels  to  the  hospitals 
and  to  other  indigent  poor;  he  made  surprising  gifts  of  money  of  two, 
three,  four  and  even  ten  thousand  francs;  in  short,  he  extended  a  helping 
hand  to  those  whom  shame  restrains  from  making  known  their  wants. 
His  hand  is  always  open  to  the  poor  of  this  class,  by  whom  he  was  happily 
beset  up  till  yesterday,  which  was  the  day  of  his  departure.  'Not  one  person 
came  out  from  his  house  without  having  felt  the  benefit  of  his  disinterested 
charity.' 

Cf.  the  following  extract  from  the  Quebec  Gazette,  March  20th,  1800  (as 
cited  in  Christie's  Hist,  of  Canada,  Vol.  1,  p.  207)  regarding  Casot's  death. 
'  On  Sunday  last,  the  15th  inst,  died  the  Reverend  Father  Jean  Joseph 
Casot,  Priest,  of  the  Company  of  Jesus,  procureur  of  the  missions  and  col- 
leges of  the  Jesuits  in  Canada,  the  last  of  the  Jesuits  of  this  province.  The 
immense  charities  which  he  bestowed  assure  him  for  a  long  time,  the  bles- 
sings of  the  poor.  He  was  one  of  those  men  whose  life  was  a  hidden 
treasure,  and  his  death  is  a  public  calamity.' " 

•S9From  notes  kindly  furnished  me  by  M.  Aegidius  Fauteux,  Librarian  of 
the  Sulpician  Library,  St.  Denis  Street,  Montreal,  an  ardent  student  of  early 
Canadian  history. 

40 It  is  not  without  interest  to  note  that  it  was  (Sir)  David  William 
Smith  who,  when  Deputy  Surveyor-General  of  Upper  Canada,  was  the  first 
to  open  a  Register  for  the  entry  of  meteorological,  barometrical  and  thermo- 
metrical  observations  (August,  1794) ;  he  invited  by  public  advertisement  in 
the  Upper  Canada  Gazette  communications  of  that  nature  from  all  parts 
of  the  Province.  See  "  The  Legal  Profession  in  Upper  Canada  in  Early 
Times,"  p.  185,  n.  13. 

41"Les  Bibliotheques  Canadiennes  /  Etude  Historique  /  par  /  Aegidius 
Fauteux  /  Extrait  de  la  Revue  Canadienne,  /  Montreal,  /  Arbour  &  Dupont, 
Imprimeurs — Editeurs,  /  249  rue  Lagauchetiere  Est,  /  1916,"  8vo.,  paper, 
pp.  45.  See  pp.  25,  et  seqq. 

42  See  the  same  book,  pp.  26  et  seqq. 

^Frobisher  &  McTavish,  North  West  Company.  An  interesting  account 
of  Frobisher  and  McTavish  and  of  the  North  West  Company  is  given  in  Vol. 
1  of  "  Masson's  Les  Bourgeois  de  la  Compagnie  du  Nord-ouest  etc."  Quebec, 
1889.  The  struggles  between  this  Company  and  Lord  Selkirk  is  part  of  the 
thrilling  history  of  our  North  West  which  I  cannot  even  touch  on  here. 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  183 

Some  account  of  Frobisher  will  be  found  in  "  Borthwick's  Montreal 
History  and  Gazetteer,  1892."  See  p.  356. 

It  must  here  be  sufficient  to  say  that  Joseph  Frobisher  was  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  of  the  early  British  explorers  and  traders.  As  early  as 
1772  he  had  passed  beyond  Lake  Superior  and  soon  established  a  flourishing 
fur  trade.  He  did  not  remain  in  the  interior  in  the  winter,  but  came  out  to 
Grand  Portage  on  Lake  Superior.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  North- 
West  Company  and  exceedingly  active  in  its  management.  He  retired  in 
1798  and  thereafter  lived  in  Montreal. 

With  his  brother  Thomas  he  formed  the  firm  of  Frobisher  Brothers. 
Thomas  retired  in  1778  and  a  younger  brother,  Benjamin,  took  his  place  in 
the  firm.  Benjamin  died  in  1790.  (Another  Benjamin  Frobisher,  whose 
death  in  1819  was  one  of  the  many  tragedies  of  the  West,  was  a  nephew.) 

Simon  McTavish  was  quite  as  energetic  and  successful  a  fur  trader  as 
Frobisher  and  of  much  the  same  type.  He  was  "a  shrewd  and  autocratic 
Highlander  "  and  enjoyed  the  appellation  "  Premier  "  or  "  Marquis  "  of  the 
Canadian  fur  trade  till  "his  death  in  1804. 

Until  1783  the  fur  trade  was  carried  on  individually;  "unrestrained 
competition  wrought  great  evils,  the  Indians  were  debauched  and  the  traders 
being  without  legal  restraint  grew  lawless."  Several  times  interests  were 
pooled  for  a  brief  period.  Finally  in  the  winter  of  1783-84  a  sixteen-share 
company  (really  a  partnership)  was  formed  for  five  years  at  Montreal,  of 
which  the  Frobisher  Brothers  and  Simon  McTavish  were  agents:  the  other 
(or  wintering)  partners  dwelt  at  their  posts  in  the  far  North-West.  The 
general  rendezvous  was  at  Grand  Portage  on  Lake  Superior. 

In  1785  a  rival  company  was  formed,  which  brought  about  a  very  severe 
struggle  and  resulted  in  a  union  of  the  two  companies  in  1787.  This  was 
also  called  the  North-West  Company,  and  it  was  to  run  for  "nine  years  with 
twenty  shares."  This  reorganized  company  was  more  successful  even  than 
the  original ;  and  under  its  auspices  Alexander  MacKenzie  made  his  voyages 
of  discovery. 

At  the  time  of  La  Rochefoucault's  visit  the  managers  were  Joseph 
Forbisher  and  Simon  McTavish.  Afterwards,  in  1798,  the  company  was  again 
reorganized  "  with  forty-six  shares — some  of  the  old  partners  retiring  and 
clerks  being  promoted  to  partnership." 

In  1801  MacKenzie,  with  Richardson,  Forsyth  &  Co.,  of  Montreal,  and 
Phyn,  Inglis  &  Co.,  of  London,  formed  an  opposition  company,  commonly 
known  as  the  X  Y  Company,  sometimes  the  New  Company  or  MacKenzie's 
Company;  and  there  was  again  bitter  competition. 

On  the  death  in  1804  of  Simon  McTavish  the  two  companies  united,  and 
this  united  company  continued  till  1821,  when  it  sold  out  to  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company.  See  Wis.  Hist.  Col.,  Vol.  xix,  163  sqq.;  Chester  Martin's  "Lord 
Selkirk's  Work  in  Canada,"  which  gives  an  entertaining  account  of  the 
the  life  of  the  partners  in  Montreal  and  at  the  Posts.  Masson's  "  Bourgeois 
de  la  Compagnie  du  North-West,"  passim. 

It  perhaps  should  be  added  that  in  17'85  Simon  McTavish,  Joseph  Frobisher, 
John  Gregory  and  William  McGillivray  formed  the  Montreal  firm  of 
"'  McTavish,  Frobisher  &  Co." 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  know  the  persons  forming  the  company  in  1804, 
They  were  John  Gregory,  William  MacGillivray,  Duncan  McGillivray,  William 
Hallowell,  Roderick  McKenzie  (the  partners  in  the  House  of  McTavish, 
Frobisher  &  Co.),  Angus  'Shaw,  Daniel  McKenzie,  William  McKay,  John  Mac- 
Donald,  Donald  McTavish,  John  McDonell,  Archibald  Normand  McLeod,  Alex- 
ander MacDougall,  Charles  Chaboillez,  John  Sayer,  Peter  Grant,  Alexander 
Fraser,  Eneas  Cameron,  John  Finlay,  Duncan  Cameron,  James  Hughes,  Alex- 
ander MacKay,  Hugh  McGillis,  Alexander  Henry,  John  MacGillivray,  James 
McKenzie,  Simon  Fraser,  John  Duncan  Campbell,  David  Thompson,  John 
Thomson,  Sir  Alexander  MacKenzie,  Thomas  Forsyth,  John  Richardson,  John 
Foreyth,  Alexander  Ellice,  John  Inglis,  James  Forsyth,  John  Ogilvie,  Pierre 
Rocheblave,  Alexander  McKenzie,  John  MacDonald,  John  Mure,  James  Leith, 
John  Wills,  John  Haldane  and  Thomas  Thain.  This  sounds  like  a  roll-call 
of  the  clans,  and  one  wonders  what  the  Frenchmen,  Chaboillez  and  Roche- 
blave, and  a  straggling  Sassenach  or  two  are  doing  dans  cette  galere. 


184  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

In  the  table  given  pages  575,  576,  taken  from  Count  Andriani,  the  place- 
names  Niagara,  Lake  Ontario,  Detroit,  Lake  Erie,  Michilimakinak  and  Lake 
Huron  need  no  explanation.  In  the  other  place-names  the  author  has  in 
some  cases  misunderstood  or  miscopied  and  the  translator  in  others. 

Michipicoton  on  the  Michipicoton  River  was  a  small  French  fort  and  a 
dependency  on  the  larger  one  at  Nipigon. 

"Pic"  (Le  Pic  or  Peek)  was  a  trading  post  on  the  north  shore  of  Lake 
Superior  about  200  miles  from  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  It  was  not  founded  until 
after  the  beginning  of  the  English  regime.  Probably  it  belonged  to  Cotte, 
who  was  an  independent  trader  and  did  not  join  the  coalition.  Later  the 
post  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  North-West  Company,  and  for  many  years 
was  maintained  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  people.  The  Canadian  Pacific  Rail- 
way now  crosses  Pic  River  near  its  mouth  and  not  far  from  the  site  of  the 
old  fur  trade  post.  Wis.  Hist.  Coll.,  Vol.  xix,  p.  270,  n.  84.  The  Pic  empties 
Lake  McKay  and  flows  into  Lake  Superior  at  Heron  Bay. 

Alampicon  is  Alimiprgon,  Alepinigon  or  Ounepigon,  our  Nepigon  or 
Nipigon  on  Lake  Nepigon. 

"  The  first  post  founded  on  the  lake  was  built  by  Duluth  in  1684,  and  was 
held  "by  his  brother,  Sieur  de  la  Tourette,  as  late  as  1688.  It  was  located  on 
the  northern  shore  of  Lake  Nipigon  and  sometimes  was  called  Fort  La 
Tourette.  The  later  French  poet  (founded  probably  after  the  rebuilding  of 
Mackinac,  1713),  was  at  the  mouth  of  the  River  Nipigon  on  the  north  shore 
of  Lake  Superior.  Alexander  Henry  saw  the  ruins  of  this  post  when  he 
passed  in  1775  and  remarked  on  the  fine  furs  obtainable  there."  Wis.  Hist. 
Coll.,  Vol.  xviii,  p.  191,  n.  46.  These  posts  were  established  by  the  French  to 
draw  the  trade  away  from  the  English  at  Hudson  Bay.  After  the  conquest  the 
English  continued  the  trade  in  that  district. . 

Grand  Portage  is  spoken  of  in  note.33 

Fond  du  Lac  is  not  the  Fond  du  Lac  at  the  head  of  Lake  Winnehago  in 
Wisconsin,  tout  the  Fond  du  Lac  'of  Lake  Superior  where  the  present 
Superior  City  (Wisconsin)  stands.  The  post  was  apparently  at  the  base  of 
Connor's  Point,  near  the  city  gas-works.  Wis.  Hist.  Coll.,  Vol.  xix,  p.  173  n. 

La  Pointe  (which  the  translator  absurdly  enough  calls  "  Point  of  the 
lake")  and  Baie  de  Guloavanan  (which  the  translator  calls  Bay  of  Guivar- 
anum  but  which  is  almost  certainly  du  Chequamegon,  Chagaouamigon, 
Chegoiwegon,  Shagawaumikong,  etc.,  etc.,  St.  Esprit,  La  Pointe,  Wisconsin) 
are  really  the  same  place,  or  at  least  are  very  close  together,  possibly  one 
on  the  point  on  the  mainland  and  the  other  on  the  island  now  called  Made- 
leine Island.  An  interesting  description  of  this  place  is  given  in  Wis.  Hist. 
Coll.,  Vol.  xiii,  pp.  199-201,  401-425;  Vol.  xi,  p.  372:  In  Vol.  i,  p.  123,  we  are 
told  that  the  name  "  Mo-nung-wab-na-can-ing  "  was  also  given  to  this  place 
on  account  of  the  great  abundance  there  of  the  bird  of  that  name,  which 
we  call  the  yellow  wood-pecker. 

M.  Fauteux  suggests  that  by  "Guloavanan"  the  author  means  "  Kion- 
conan "  (Kiaonan,  Kiwewenan,  Kewiwenon,  Quinywenong,  Keowkonenan, 
Anse  Keewyweenon,  Keweewena),  Keweenaw,  Michigan.  That  there  was  a 
post  at  this  point  at  some  time  seems  reasonably  certain  and  there  may  be 
more  resemblance  between  the  word  used  by  La  Rochefoucault  and  some  of 
the  many  names  for  Keweenan  than  between  that  and  any  of  the  names  for 
La  Pointe.  Those  interested  will  find  a  number  of  references  to  Keweenaw 
and  the  fur  trade  there  in  the  Wis.  Hist.  Coll.  See  the  Index  at  p.  260. 

44I  have  had  great  difficulty  in  discovering  anything  about  Count 
Andriani — his  name  does  not  appear  in  any  Biographical  or  Literary  Dic- 
tionary that  I  have  seen. 

From  what  is  said  [591]  he  seems  to  have  pursued  his  researches  with 
the  approval  of  the  British  Government — the  original  text  is  rather  perverted 
in  the  translation,  it  reads  "la  facility  que  les  ordres  du  gouvernement 
anglais  lui  ont  procuree  pour  ses  recherches "  i.e.,  "  the*  facilities  for  his 
researches  which  the  orders  of  the  English  Government  procured  for  him." 

He  travelled  "  in  the  interior  parts  of  America  in  the  year  1791 "  [575] : 
but  he  certainly  wrote  to  a  considerable  extent  before  that  time. 

We  find  Colonel  David  Humphreys,  Washington's  Aide-de-Camp,  writing 
to  Washington  under  date  31  October,  1790:  — 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  185 

"  The  Count  Andriani  has  written  things  monstrously  absurd  and 
ill-founded;  such,  in  respect  to  their  import,  as  follows:  That  the  United 
States  are  divided  into  two  factions,  Mr.  Jefferson  and  the  northern  States 
in  favor  of  France,  the  southern  States  and  New  York  in  favor  of  Great 
Britain;  that  Congress  had  done  nothing  but  quarrel  about  the  seat  of 
government,  and  that  this  circumstance  was  what  probably  gave  you  the 
air  of  anxiety,  which  he  had  remarked;  that  there  was  no  man  in  Congress 
but  Mr.  Madison,  who  argued  in  a  gentlemanlike  and  solid  manner,  nor, 
in  short,  any  man  out  of  it  in  America  but  Colonel  Hamilton,  who  possessed 
abilities;  with  a  great  deal  about  American  parade  and  luxury,  not  worth 
repeating." 

Washington's  reply  was  such  as  would  be  expected:  — 

"The  remarks  of  a  foreign  Count  are  such  as  do  no  credit  to  his 
judgment,  and  as  little  to  his  heart.  They  are  the  superficial  observations 
of  a  few  months'  residence,  and  an  insult  to  the  inhabitants  of  a  country, 
where  he  has  received  much  more  attention  and  civility  than  he  seems  to 
merit." 

In  a  letter  from  John  Paradise  to  Washington,  received  in  June,  1790, 
is  the  following: —  , 

"  I  avail  myself  of  the  opportunity  afforded  me  by  my  friend,  Count 
Andriani,  of  conveying  to  you  an  Ode,  which  Count  Alfieri,  the  author 
of  it,  desired  me  long  ago  to  convey  to  you.  .  .  ." 

In  the  Madison  Papers  there  is  a  letter  from  Count  Andriani,  dated 
New  Orleans,  March  11,  1808,  in  which  he1  speaks  of  a  prospective  visit  to 
New  York  or  Virginia.  In  the  same  collection  there  is  a  letter  of  introduc- 
tion from  Philip  Mazzei  to  Madison,  dated  March  23,  1790;  and  also  a 
letter  from  Benjamin  Rush  to  Madison,  described  as  follows: — 

"  1790,  July  17,  Philadelphia.  Count  Andreani,  as  described  in  Madison's 
letter.  The  natural  productions  of  the  United  States  explored  and 
•  described  only  by  foreigners  who  are  imperfectly  acquainted  with 
our  language  and  who  derive  first  impressions  of  us  through  British 
publications.  The  "  residence "  bill  gives  general  satisfaction  in 
Philadelphia.  Our  domestic  debt."  4°.  3  pages. 

In  the  "  Archivio  Storico  Lombardo "  1881,  v.  8,  p.  312  is  found  the 
following  in  respect  of  a  balloon  ascension  and  a  previous  voyage  to  the 
East  Jndies: 

"  II  cav.  Paolo  Andreani,  che  gia  aveva  fatto  parlare-  di  s£  pel  suo 
viaggio  nelle  Indie  Orientali,  s'invoglio  di  quegli  sperimenti,  ideo  delle 
innovazioni,  assistito  (scrive  il  Giornale  Enciclopedico)  dal  goverhatore1 
Ferdinando,  che  si  dilettava  di  simili  ricerche;  e  il  13  marzo  1784  fece  una 
ascensione  dalla  sua  villa  di  Moncucco.  Gli  furono  campagni  due 
falegnami,  Gaetano  Rossi  e  Giuseppe  Barzago. 

"  Don  Paolin  col  so  ballon  1'e"  andaa 
Mi  credi,  finna  al  terz  ciel,  com6  Sant.  Pavol 
PerchS  anca  lu  1'e  vegnuu  gio  incantaa." 

In  the  diary  of  Ezra  Stiles,  clergyman,  scientist,  lawyer,  scholar,  Presi- 
dent of  Yale  College,  under  date  July  11,  1790,  is  found  the  following  entry. 

"11  Ldsdy.  Confined  at  home  all  day  by  illness.  Count  Andreani,  a 
Nobleman  of  Milan,  visited  me  on  the  Tour  of  America  with  Lett,  from 
Dr.  Price  of  London." 

(These  references  I  owe  to  the  kindness  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress.) 

I  have  not  been  able  to  trace  Andriani's  journal:  it  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  printed — it  is  not  in  the*  British  Museum,  the  Congressional 
Library  at  Washington,  the  Parliamentary  Library  at  Ottawa  or  Toronto, 
the  Public  Library  of  New  York,  Boston  or  Toronto — and  no  one  seems 
ever  to  have  heard  of  such  a  volume  anywhere.  Outside  of  those  contained 
in  this  note  and  that  in  Chester  Martin's  "Lord  Selkirk,"  p.  17,  all  the 
known  references  derive  from  La  Rochefoucault.  La  Rochefoucault  seems 
to  have  seen  Andriani's  journal,  but  where,  when,  or  in  what  form,  he  does 
not  say. 


186  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 


GENERAL   REMARKS. 

Page  385.  The  Fort  at  Detroit  dates  back  to  1701  when  Cadillac  with/  a 
priest  and  about  a  hundred  men,  established  a  fort  on  what  is  now  Jefferson 
Avenue — an  earlier  fort  at  Fort  Gratiot  built  in  1686  had  been  abandoned. 

La  Rochefoucault  is  out  in  his  chronology  when  he  says,  "  L'etablissement 
du  Detroit  a  ete  fait  en  1740." 

Page  395.  The  "  femme  jolie,  douce,  aimable  "  of  Captain  Hamilton  was 
Louisa,  daughter  of  Dr.  David  Mitchell  referred  to  in  note13:  and  the  "Six 
enfants  dont  il  est  entour6  "  were  her  children — she  died  in  1801.  Some  of 
her  descendants  are  still  living.  "  Diary  of  Mrs.  Simcoe,"  pp.  284,  285. 

Fort  "  Slusher,"  "  Sckuyler,"  was,  of  course,  Fort  Schlosser — "  the  author 
misnames  the  fort,"  says  the  translator,  truly;  but  so  does  the  translator. 

Page  402.  Jacques  Pierre  de  Taffanel,  Marquis  de  la  JonquiSre  came  to 
Canada  as  Governor  in  1749,  succeeding  Count  de  la  GalissoniSre :  he  stopped 
English  trade  on  the  Ohio  by  arbitrary  seizures,  and  in  1750  (built  Fort 
Rouille  (on  what  is  now  the  Exhibition  grounds,  Toronto),  to  counteract  the 
influence  of  Fort  Chouayen  or  Oswego,  built  by  the  British  in  1722 — this 
La  Rochefoucault  calls,  and  not  without  justice,  "  d'assurer  au  commerce 
franqais  la  liberte  des  lacs." 

The  first  post  at  Toronto  was  established  by  Denonville  in  1686  "  au 
portage  de  Toronto" — this  was  not  fortified.  In  1749  or  1750,  according  to 
some  but  more  accurately  in  1751,  a  fort  of  stone  was  built  by  La  Jonquiere 
to  which  he  gave  the  name  RoniHe"  but  which  was  popularly  known  as 
Toronto — this  was  demolished  a  few  years  later,  1756  or  1760  (the  date 
seems  uncertain).  Toronto  became  York  in  1793  and  regained  its  old  name 
in  1834;  "Muddy  York"  like  Troja,  fruit. 

La  Jonquiere  monopolized  the  sale  of  brandy  to  the  Indians  and  made 
enormous  profits:  fearing  an  investigation  by  the  French  authorities  he 
demanded  his  recall — but  before  a  successor  could  be  appointed  he  died  at 
Quebec  in  1752,  and  was  buried  in  the  Re"collet  Church  there. 

Page  415.  It  is  said  that  the  first  exportation  of  grain  from  Canada  was 
in  1752,  when  two  ships  laden  with  wheat  were,  sent  from  Quebec  to 
Marseilles. 

I 

Page  420.  In  view  of  the  scheme  of  Simcoe  concerning  "  une  autre  ville 
projete'e  sur  la  Tamise,  .  .  .  qu'il  nomme  deja  .  .  .  Chatham,"  it 
is  interesting  to  note  that  Dr.  John  Howison,  the  "  Traveller,"  speaks  of 
the  speculation  in  1819-20  in  building  lots  at  "a  spot  called  Chatham:  it 
contains  only  one  house  and  a  sort  of  church,  but  a  portion  of  the  land  there 
has  been  surveyed  into  building  lots  and  these  being  offered  for  sale  have 
given  the  place  a  claim  to  the  appellation  of  a  town  " — which  has  a  familiar 
sound.  See  an  article  "  Upper  Canada  in  Early  Times,"  Canadian  Magazine, 
May,  1913. 

As  the  present  edition  of  La  Rochefoucault  is  printed  from  Smith's  copy, 
the  following  may  prove  of  interest. 

In  a  work  published  by  Smith  in  1799,  of  which  the  title  page  is  "  A 
Short  /  Topographical  Description  /  of  /  His  Majesty's  Province  /  of  / 
UPPER  CANADA  /  in  /  North  America./  To  which  is  annexed  /  A  Pro- 
vincial Gazetteer./  London:  /  Published  by  W.  Faden,  Geographer  to  His  / 
Majesty,  and  to  His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  /  of  Wales,  Charing  Cross.  / 
1799.  /  Printed  by  W.  Bulmer  and  Co.  Russell-court,  Cleveland  Row,  St. 
James's,"  on  pages  39  and  40  this  appears: 

"  About  15  miles  up  the  river  Thames "  (the  name*  of  the  river  Is 
"  Sinclair "  in  the  original  but  Sir  David  in  his  own  copy,  now  in  the 
possession  of  Professor  Bain  of  the  University  of  Toronto,  has  corrected 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  137 

it  to  "Thames"),  "is  the  town  of  Chatham,  situated  in  a  fork  of  it,  on  a 
very  desirable  spot,  so  well  protected,  and  so  central,  that  as  the  population 
increases,  it  will  doubtless  become  a  large  and  flourishing  place;  a  block 
house-  was  erected  here  -by  His  Excellency  Major-General  Simcoe,  and  it 
was  made  a  depot  for  the  fine  whale  boats,  which  were  built  by  His  Excel- 
lency's directions.  Indeed  it  possesses  many  advantages:  the  point  is 
extremely  well  suited  for  the'  launching  of  vessels,  and  the  river  is  suffi- 
ciently deep  for  those  of  any  size;  so  that  a  secure  arsenal  and  building 
place  and  an  excellent  dock  might  be  made  in  the  lesser  branch  of  the 
forks,  upon  which  there  is  now  a  mill. 

"  Firs  are  easily  floated  down  from  the  pinery  above,  and  other  kinds 
of  timber  necessary  for  ship  building  may  be  procured  by  water  carriage. 

"  Its  greatest  disadvantage  is  the  bar  across  its  embouchure  into  lake 
St.  Clair;  but  that  is  of  sufficient  depth  for  small  craft  rigged,  and  for 
large  vessels  when  lightened;  and  it  would  answer  as  a  good  winter  harbour 
for  any  vessel  which  navigates  the  lakes,  if  she  made  herself  light  enough 
to  pass  over  the  bar,  and  go  into  the  river;  and  this  might  easily  be  effected 
for  all  vessels,  by  having  a  flat-bottomed  lighter  stationed  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river  for  that  especial  purpose. 

"  About  20  miles  above  Chatham  is  a  village  of  Moravians,  under  the 
guidance  of  four  missionaries  from  the  United  Brethren;  and  here  they 
have  a  chapel.  The  converts  are  Indians,  who  are  peaceable  and  civil; 
their  principal  employment  is  in  attending  to  their  corn-fields,  and  to  the 
making  6f  maple  sugar;  above  the  village,  on  the  river,  is  a  large  spring 
of  petroleum.  Passing  upwards  from  the  Moravian  village,  the  Thames  con- 
tinues a  fine  serpentine  canal,  without  falls,  with  a  natural  tracking  path 
great  part  of  the  way." 

Page  422.  Lord  Dorchester  was  now  71 ;  but  that,  being  "  vieux  "  and  "  un 
veillard,  il  repu&Tie  aux  idees  nouvelles,"  is  a  fancy  of  La  Rochefoucault, 
quite  baseless.  See  note  on  [628.J 

Page  458.  De  la  Jonquie're  has  been  already  spoken  of.  What  the  author 
says  is  that  where  Fort  Niagara  now  stands  is  "ou  M.  de  Denonville  avait 
construit  ime  redoute,"  (where  M.  de  Denonville  had  built  a  redoubt).  Jacques 
Re"ne"  de  Brisay,  Marquis  de  Denonville  was  a  distinguished  French  soldier, 
selected  for  his  valour  and  military  skill  to  replace  La  Barre  as  Governor 
of  Canada  in  168>5.  In  1687,  notwithstanding  a  threatening  letter  from  the 
English  Governor  of  New  York,  he  went  with  a  body  of  men  and  after  a 
skirmish  with  the  Indians,  erected  a  small  fort  at  Niagara,  garrisoning  it 
with  100  men.  An  epidemic  broke  out  in  the  garrison  and  destroyed  nearly 
all;  the  few  survivors  abandoned  the  fort,  which  was  then  speedily  destroyed 
by  the  Indians. 

It  was  in  Denonville's  time  (1689),  that  the  Iroquois  laid  waste  the 
Island  of  Montreal,  slew  all  who  opposed  them  and  carried  off  two  hundred 
prisoners;  he  was  relieved  in  1689  by  Frontenac,  who  then  assumed  the 
Governorship  of  Canada  for  the  second  time. 

The  forts  delivered  up  under  Jay's  treaty  were  Dutchman's  Point,  Point 
au  Fer,  Oswegatchie,  Oswego,  Niagara,  Buffalo,  Detroit*  and  Michillimacinac. 

Page  479.  Father  Charlevoix,  nomen  veneraMle  in  French  Canada.  Pierre 
Francois  Xavier  de  Charlevoix  (1682-1761),  the  French  Jesuit  traveller  and 
historian:  came  to  Quebec  in  1705,  where  he  became  a  Professor:  after 
four  years'  residence  there  he  returned  to  France,  but  came  to  Canada 
again  in  1720  and  1721:  from  Canada  he  went  west  and  down  the  Missis- 
sippi. Returning  to  France,  he  wrote  many  important  books  on  America, 
especially  the  very  valuable  "  Histoire  et  description  ge"ne"rale  de  la  Nouvelle 
France,"  1744. 

Kingsford,  History  of  Canada,  Vols.  II  and  III,  gives  a  good  account  of 
his  work  on  this  continent,  Vol.  II,  pp.  410,  511,  512;  Vol.  Ill,  173,  174n, 
367,  368,  369. 

Pages  487,  488.  Notwithstanding  the  professional  soldier's  (Smith's)  very 
natural  indignation,  most  at  the  present  time  will  probably  agree  with  La 


188  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

Rochefoucault  in  thinking  the  hair  powder  of  the  British  soldier  as  absurd 
as  the  paint  of  the  Indian. 

Page  494.  The  displeasure  felt  by  the  inhabitants  of  Kingston  at  their 
city  not  becoming  the  capital  of  the  Province — "  le  chagrin  de  renoncier  a 
voir  leur  ville  devenir  capital e " — was  most  natural;  and  a  strong  recru- 
descence of  this  displeasure  became  manifest  nearly  half  a  century  after 
this  time  when  Kingston  was  disappointed  in  her  hope  of  becoming  per- 
manent capital  of  the  United  Canada.  She  was  too  near  the  border,  and  the 
wanton  destruction  of  the  Parliament  and  other  public  buildings  in  York 
in  the  war  of  1812-14  has  never  been  forgotten. 

Page  498.  Rene  Robert  Cavelier,  Sieur  de  la  Salle,  born  at  Rouen,  1643, 
of  a  bourgeois  family,  came  to  Canada  about  1666  and  proceeded  to  explore 
the  interior,  apparently  seeking  a  route  to  China.  In  1669  he  went  up  Lake 
Ontario,  thence  to  the  Ohio  River,  down  which  he  went  perhaps  to  the 
Mississippi.  After  other  adventures  he  returned  to  Montreal  and  after  a 
visit  to  France,  he,  in  1678,  started  from  Fort  Frontenac  (Kingston),  for 
the  west.  He  went  as  far  as  Green  Bay  (Wisconsin),  and  then  southward. 
Later  on  he  sailed  down  the  Mississippi  to  its  mouth,  and  after  many  vicis- 
situdes he  was  murdered  by  his  men  (1687),  in  the  present  Texas.  Park- 
man's  "La  Salle  and  the  Discovery  of  the  Great  West;"  'Shea's  "Early 
Voyages  up  and  Down  the  Mississippi "  (Albany,  1861),  and  Kingsford's 
"  History  of  Canada,"  Vol.  I,  give  a  full  account  of  La  Salle  and  Ms 

labours. 

» 

Page  503.  As  to  sheep  in  Upper  Canada,  a  German  traveller,  Friederich 
Gerstaecker,  says  that  in  1837  when  he  visited  Upper  Canada  it  was  the 
belief  that  the  bite  of  the  Canadian  wolf  was  poisonous,  so  that  sheep  bitten 
by  a  wolf  were  sure  to  die.  "An  Early  German  Traveller,"  Queen's 
Quarterly,  iMay  14,  1913. 

Page  515.  The  Captain  Bouchette  here  named  was  the  father  of  the 
better  known  Joseph  Bouchette,  also  in  the  navy  at  this  time  on  the  Great 
Lakes,  who  became  (Surveyor-General  of  Lower  Canada,  and  published  in- 
valuable books  on  the  geography  and  topography  of  British  North  America. 

A  very  good  account  of  the  entry  of  Quebec  by  the  Governor  is  given 
by  Dr.  Benjamin  Suite,  "  Bulletin  Recherches  Historiques  "  for  1899,  pp.  317, 
318.  Of  Captain  Bouchette  it  is  said,  "Bouchette  fut  nomine  Commandant 
sur  le  lac  Ontario  apres  la  guerre  et  servit  avec  autant  de  zele  que  d'intelli- 
gence;  il  mourut  dans  ce  poste  en  1802.  Son  fils  Joseph  fut  le  geographe 
dont  les  travaux  n'ont  pas  e"te  surpasses  meme  en  Europe."  The  eulogy  of 
neither  father  nor  son  is  overdrawn  in  the  slightest.  Kingsford,  Hist.  Can. 
Vol.  v,  p.  462  gives  a  less  full  account  of  Bouchette's  exploit. 

The  son  became  Surveyor  General  of  Lower  Canada  in  1804,  succeeding 
his  uncle,  Major  Holland  (from  whom  Holland  Landing  received  its  name) 
who  had  died  in  the  preceding  year. 

Page  .536.  Captain  Williamson  was  the  agent  with  whom  Berczy  quar- 
relled. See  note  *,  pp.  178,  179  ante. 

Page  553  (also  Page  518).  Of  course  botanists  do  not  all  use  the  same 
terminology.  For  example,  what  I  have  called  the  betula  papyracea,  some 
call  the  betula  alba.  var.  papyracea. 

Prof.  Harold  St.  John  has  made  the  same  conjecture  as  myself  (and 
independently)  as  to  what  La  Rochefoucault  means  by  "  frangier " — he 
writes  me: 

" '  Frangier '  is  somewhat  troublesome,  but  I  think  we  can  say  with 
reasonable  certainty  what  it  is.  In  Van  Wiik's  Dictionary  of  Plant  Names, 
298,  1911,  I  find  Chionanthus  mrginica_  called  there  '  arbre  a  frange.'  In 
no  book  can  I  find  the  term  '  frangier,'  but  it  is  not  a  very  far  cry  from 


LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT.  139 

'  arbre  a  franges '  to  '  frangier,'  and  there  are  certainly  many  analogous 
cases  in  the  French  usage,  jmch  as  pommier,  cerisier,  and  similar  other 
ones.'"  (Gray  gives  the  habitat  of  the  C.  Virginica  as  from  Pennsylvania 
south.) 

Prof.  St.  John  says  concerning  "Ragoumimex": 

"  In  the  Dictionaire  de  1'Academie  Frangais  I  find  '  Ragouminier '  defined 
as  '  espSce  de  cerisier  a  grappes.'  This  is  presumably  applied  to  any  cherry 
with  a  raceme  of  fruits,  such  as  Prunus  serotina  as  you  suggest,  but  in 
Provencher's  Flore,  I,  167,  he  uses  the  same  colloquial  name,  '  Ragouminier,' 
for  Cerasus  pumila  or  Prunus  pumila.  Now,  this  species  does  not  have  the 
raceme  of  fruits  such  as  suggested  by  the  term  '  cerisier  a  grappes.'  Because 
of  the  confusion  in  this  matter  I  don't  think  we1  can  very  definitely  say 
which  cherry  is  involved,  but  I  think  the  chances  are  that  it  is  Prunus 
serotina,  as  you  suggest." 

My  friend  Mr.  D.  O.  'Cameron  has  tried  without  success  to  grow  the 
"  papaw  "  at  Oakville — it  will  not  stand  the  winter. 

Page  553,  note.  "  Formius,  a  physician  of  Montpellier,"  who  recommended 
maidenhair  as  "  an  universal  medicine  "  seems  to  be  quite  forgotten  unless 
he  is  the  same  as  Samuel  Formy  (or  Formius)  of  Montpellier  who  flourished 
in  the  17th  century  and  of  whose  work  the  British  Museum  has  a  copy 
with  the  following  title:  — 

"  Traicte"  chirurgical  des  bandes,  laqs,  emplatres,  compresses,  astelles, 
et  des  bandages  en  particulier,  plus  les  observations  des  cures  faictes  par 
les  bandes,  laqs  et  compresses  emplatrees,"  Montpellier,  1651,  8°.  (The  date 
is  erroneously  printed  MCDLL  instead  of  MCDLI). 

I  have  not  been  able  to  find  in  any  library  a  copy  of  any  work  by 
a  Formy  or  Formius,  "  De  Adiantho."  If  such  a  work  existed,  no  doubt 
the  Adiantum  was  praised  as  a  panacea  for  every  ill.  While  one  never 
hears  now  of  Joe  Pye  the  quack  who  used  eupatorium  for  everything, 
there  is  still  here  and  there  still  a  believer  in  Samuel  Thomson's  lobelia — 
indeed,  his  school  of  medicine  is  hardly  dead  even  yet  though  its  last 
medical  colleger  closed  its  doors  a  few  years  ago. 

Page  588.  "Governor  Coxe "  was  Nicholas  Cox,  Lieutenant  Governor  of 
Gasp6  and  Superintendent  of  the  Labrador  Fisheries.  Born  in  1724  and 
joining  the  Army  at  the  early  age  of  eighteen,  he  served  King  and  Country 
for  more  than  fifty  years.  He  took  part  in  the  sieges  of  Louisbourg  and 
Quebec,  commanding  a  company  of  the  47th  Regiment  in  the  Battle  on  the 
Plains  of  Abraham.  He  also  was  on  the  staff  of  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  Lord 
Dorchefster,  during  the  Siege  of  Quebec  in  1776  by  the  Americans. 

Appointed  Lieutenant  Governor  in  1780,  he  went  to  Perce,  built  a  house 
,  at  New  Carlisle  and  resided  in  his  government;  in  1784  he  was  given  a 
pension  for  his  faithful  service  to  the  Crown.  He  died  in  office,  January, 
1794.  Further  particulars  of  this  useful  and  diligent  public  servant  will 
be  found  in  the  "Bulletin  des  Recherches  Historiques "  for  1899,  p.  146. 
He  is  mentioned  by  Kingsford,  Hist.  Can.,  Vol.  vii,  p.  199. 

It  may  be  added  that  a  very  comprehensive  biography  of  La  Roche- 
foucauld-Liancourt  was  published  in  Paris  some  years  ago  under  the  title: 
"Un  philanthrope  d'autrefois,  La  Rochefoucault  Liancourt,  1747-1827,"  par 
Ferdinand-Dreyfus,  (with  portrait),  Paris,  Plon-Nourrit,  1903,  547  pages. 

(Pages  575,  576,  note  44.)  Since  note  44  was  in  type,  I  have  received, 
through  the  Italian  Consul-General  at  Montreal,  from  the  Royal  Minister 
for  Foreign  Affairs  (Italy),  the  following: — 

"  I  beg  to  inform  you  that  the  Minister*  of  the  Interior  has  now  informed 
me  that  he  has  received  from  the  Superintendent  of  the  State  Archives  of 
Milan  concerning  Consul  Andreani,  or  Andriani,  the  following  communica- 
tion: 

"  In  these  Archives  there  cannot  be  found  any  documents  wherefrom  one 
might  learn  the  origin  of  Consul  Andreani  or  Andriani,  of  Milan,  cited  by 
Rochefoucauld  in  his  travels  in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  and  who 


190  LA  ROCHEFOUCAULT. 

made  exhaustive  journeys  in  the  interior  of  America.  It  is  probable  that 
he  belonged  to  the  family  Andreani,  or  Andriani,  of  whose  life  there  does 
exist  certain  documents  in  these  Archives  of  the  IV  century  (Families); 
and  to  whom  is  preserved  (in  the  Oratory  of  S.  Tommaso  del  Borgo  di 
Corenno),  a  noteworthy  monument  of  the  XIV  century,  bearing  the  well- 
known  arms  of  the  Andreani  Family.  In  such  case  better  results  would 
be  derived  from  the  private  archives,  Sormani  Andreani  (Corso  Vittoria, 
2  Milano). 

"In  order  to  explain  better  and  to  facilitate  any  further  inquiries,  we 
make  note  of  the  following  news  preserved  at  these  Archives. 

"  The  2nd  September,  1748,  Maria  Teresa  gave  to  Pietro  Paolo  Andreani, 
army  lawyer  of  the  Crown,  the  title  of  count,  to  pass  on  to  his  legitimate 
male  descendants  of  the  primogeniture,  and  analogous  concession,  was  made 
to  Giovanni  Maria  Andreani,  Lieutenant  of  the  Imperial  Commission  of 
Pavia,  the  29th  of  April,  1751.  (Heraldry  cited.) 

"  2.  From  documents  concerning  the  rights  to  bear  the  arms,  it  results 
that  in  1770  the  family  consisted  of  the  following  brothers: 

"Don  Gian  Pietro. 

"  Don  Gerolamo,  Royal  Chief  Justice. 

'^Conte  Giovanni  Mario,  Lieutenant-General  of  the  Province. 

"  Don  Pietro  Paolo,  ducal  Senator. 

"  Monsignor  Salvatore,  Bishop  of  Lodi;  and  Barnabite  Order. 

"3.  Senator  Pietro  Paolo  died  in  1772;  Count  Giovanni  Mario,  Lieutenant- 
General  of  the  Province,  died  in  1774  (Family  Andreani,  October  15th, 
1774);  Monsignor  Salvator,  Bishop  of  Lodi,  died  in  1784  (Eubel  Ecclesi- 
astical Hierarchy,  and  G.  Angnelli  'Lodi  and  its  Territory,'  page  38).  In 
1787  the  measures  to  obtain  right  to  carry  the  arms  was  still  pending  by 
the  brothers  Conte  Gio  Mario  and  Senator  Pietro  Paolo,  but  it  does  not 
result  whether  these  are  those  two  already  dead,  or  of  homonymous  persons 
then  living,  because  the  proper  documents  were  signed  by  an  attorney. 
(Heraldry  cited,) 

"  4.  After  that  epoch  there  is  mentioned  only  one  Count  Giovanni  Mario, 
created  by  His  Majesty  Imperial  Chamberlain  in  1791,  who  died  in  August, 
1830,  and  left  two  properties  to  the  Bishop's  Seminary  at  Lodi.  That  he 
belonged  to  the  family  above  mentioned  is  evident  from  his  attachment  to 
Lodi  and  to  the  Barnabite  Order,  in  memory  of  Mons.  Salvatore;  and  the 
title  of  Chamberlain  would  show  that  he  enjoyed  great  esteem,  as  had  all 
his  antecedents,  fulfilling  important  functions  of  the  State  with  great 
honour,  as  is  said  in  a  public  document  of  1772.  (Heraldry  cited.) 

"Therefore,  while  it  is  not  to  be  excluded  that  Conte  Giovanni  Mario 
Andreani,  or  Andriani,  was  the  Andreani  or  Andriani  mentioned  by 
La  Rochefoucauld,  the  fact  that  the  celebrated  author  knew  not  the  name 
renders  every  identification  a  hypothesis." 


INDEX. 

<*3f  Pages  1-14  are  Introductory. 

15-120,  La  Rochefoucault's  narratives. 
121-144,  Sir  David  William  Smith's  comments. 
145-189,  myi  own  notes.) 


Adel,  Pierre  Auguste,  French  Ambassador  to  the  United  States  of  America, 

145,  174. 

Amherst,  General   (Lord  Amherst),  77;   given  Jesuit  Estates,  103. 
Andriani,  Count,  of  Milan,  110,  111,  113,  114,  171,  184,  186,  189,  190. 

B. 

Bain,  Dr.  James,  Librarian,  Toronto,  procured  Sir  D.  W.  Smith's  papers,  3. 
Bain,  Prof.  J.  Watson,  University  of  Toronto,  owner  of  Sir  D.  W    Smith's 

papers,  3,  6,  12,  144. 

Beauvais,  M.,  Botanist  in   Southern   States,  9. 
Bellew,  Mr.,  fellow  traveller  with  La  Rochefoucault,   64. 
Berczy   (Baty)   William,  spoken  of,  61;   quarrel  with  Capt.  Williamson    61, 

188;  real  character,  130,  158;   sketch  of,  178,  179. 
Birch-bark  used  for  canoes  and  wigwams,  84. 
Blacon,s,  de,  companion  of  La  Rochefoucault,  7,  22;   left  La  Rochefoucault, 

53;   Mrs.  Simcoe's  opinion  of,  146,  174. 
Botany  of  Queenston,  25;  from  Niagara  to  head  of  Lake  Ontario,  55;  near 

Kingston,  81,  99,  161,  162;  of  Upper  Canada,  99,  164,  165,  188,  189. 
Bouchette,   Capt.,   79,   133,   188;    services   to   Dorchester,    80,   188;    view   as 

to  proper  capital,  80;   opinion  of  French  Canadian  sailors,  etc.,  92. 
Brant,  Capt.  Joseph,  described,  48,  156;    sketch  of  life,  177,  178. 
Burlington  Bay,  trip  to  from  Newark,  54;    described,  54'. 
Burr,  Aaron,  met  by  La  Rochefoucault,  9. 
Butler,  Col.  John,  46,  127,  156;   sketch  of  life,  177. 


Canada,  Lower,  division  line  from  Upper  Canada,  27  (note*);  constitution, 
28;  population  in  1794,  28  (notef);  described,  92  sqq.;  separation  from 
England,  whether  probable  and  advantageous  to  England,  95,  96,  121, 
126,  130,  132,  158. 

Canada,  Upper,  constitution,  26,  27,  28,  41,  43,  125,  147-150;  division  line 
from  Lower  Canada,  27  (note*);  extent,  28;  population,  28,  37;  settle- 
ments in,  37;  revenue,  sources  of,  39;  courts,  40;  districts,  40;  news- 
papers, 57,  75,  158;  religion,  58;  clergy  reserves,  58,  149,  158;  separation 
from  England,  whether  probable  and  advantageous  to  England,  62,  63, 
78,  95,  96,  121,  126,  130,  132,  158.  . 

Canadians  (French)  character,  92,  93,  167,  168;  love  for  France  and 
Frenchmen,  94,  124. 

Carleton,   Sir   Guy    (see  Dorchester,   Lord). 

Cattle  near  Niagara,  53;   near  Kingston,  72,  73. 

Charlevoix,  description  of  Indians,  accurate,  62;   sketch  of  life,  187. 

Chatham,  founded  by  Simcoe,  and  his  purpose,  34,  150,  186,  187. 

"  Chippaway,"   Royal   sloop,  described,  18. 

Chippewa  Creek,  16;  saw-mills  at,  described,  23;  grist-mills,  24;  iron  mine 
near.  24. 

Clergy  Reserves,  58,  149,  158. 

Courts  in  Upper  Canada: 

Justices  of  the  Peace,  39,  40. 
Quarter  Sessions,   40. 

High  Court  of  Judicature  (Court  of  King's  Bench  and  Court  of  Appeal), 
40,  153,  154,  168. 

[191] 


192  INDEX. 

Courts  in  Lower  Canada,  105,  168. 

Cox,  Nicholas,  Governor  of  Gaspe,  117,  189. 

Crime  in  Upper  Canada  unpunished,  40,  176. 

Customs  Duties  in  Upper  Canada,  high,  effect  of,  43,  44. 

D. 

Denonville,  built  entrenchment  at  Niagara,  52,  187. 

Detroit,  16;    its  garrison,  population,  trade,   etc.,  17. 

Diseases  and  their  treatment  (see  Medicine),  54,  60,  158. 

Districts  of  Upper  Canada,  40,  154. 

Dobson,  Major,  76,  87,  131. 

Dorchester,  Lord  (Sir  Guy  Carleton),  applied  to  for  pass  to  enter  Lower 
Canada,  26;  he  refuses,  86,  125;  reasons  for  refusal,  87,  123,  130, 
133;  mild  and  just  character  of,  27;  described  as  old,  35,  187;  imbecile, 
86,  163;  uxorious,  107,  163;  and  jealous  of  Simcoe,  69;  sketch  of  life,  172. 

du  Barry,  Mme.,  quarrel  of  La  Rochefoucault  with,  3. 

"  Ducks,"  The,  dangerous  islands  in  Lake  Ontario,  64. 

Dupetit-Thouars,  companion  of  La  Rochefoucault,  7,  62,  67,  174;  sketch 
of  life,  7;  offered  land  in  Upper  Canada,  57;  visits  York  (Toronto),  61; 
Mrs.  Simcoe's  opinion  of,  146. 

E. 

Earl,  Lieut.,  commanding  "  Onondago,"  65;  takes  money  from  La  Rochefou- 

cault, 66,  67,  131,  158. 
Education  in  Upper  Canada,  75,  76. 
Ellsworth,  Oliver,  Chief  Justice,  United  States  Supreme  Court,  fellow  pas- 

senger   with    La    Rochefoucault,    not    treated    with    respect    by    young 

Americans,  9. 

Erie,  Port,  described,  16,  123,  124;   reached,  15,  16;    garrison,  17. 
Erie,  Lake,  trade,  17. 

F. 

Farming  near  Niagara,  24;   near  Kingston,  75;    in  Lower  Canada,  97,  100, 

101,  166. 

Fauchet,  M.,  French  Ambassador  to  United  States  of  America,  145,  174. 
Faulkner,  Lieut.,  19;   sneered  at  'by  La  Rochefoucault,  22,  124,  146. 
Fauteux,  M.,  Librarian,  12. 
Federal  City    (now  Washington,  D.C.),  11. 
Fish,  abundant  at  Niagara  and  Lakes,  31,  150,  151;  kinds,  49;  how  caught, 

49,  127. 
Forbisher  (properly  "Frobisher")    and  McTavish,  fur  traders  at  Montreal, 

111,  115,  170,  182,  183,  184. 
Fort  Erie   (see  Erie,  Fort). 
Fort  Niagara  (see  Niagara,  Fort). 
Fort  "Slusher,"   22. 
Forty-mile  Creek    (Grimsby),  53,  158. 
Fur-trade,    32,    33,    84,    85,    86,    96,    102,    112,    113,    115,    116,    117;     Count 

Andriani's,  account  of,  110,  111,  114. 


Gananoque,   82,  162,  170. 

Genet,  E.  C.,  French  Ambassador  to  United  States  of  America,  145,  173. 

Geology  of  Canada,  98;  on  River  St.  Lawrence,  108,  109,  110. 

Grain  near  Niagara,  53,  54;   near  Kingston,  71,  72,  74;   when  first  exported 

from  Canada,  186. 
Green,  Mr.,  U.  E.  Loyalist  from  New  Jersey,  settled  at  Grimsby,  his  pro- 

perty, mills,  etc.,  53,  54. 


INDEX.  193 

H. 

Haldimand,  General  Frederick   (Governor),  89,  181. 

"Halifax  Currency,"  what,  72,  153. 

Hamilton,  Captain  James  Mathew,  Commandant  at  Fort  Chippewa,  19,  21, 

22,  146,  174, '175. 
Hamilton,   Hon.   Robert,   of   Queenston,   25,   146;    his   house,    etc.,   25,   146; 

character,  25. 
Hammond,    George,    British    Representative    in   United    States    of    America, 

15,  26,  43,  67,  86,  130,  133,  145,  172. 
Hara,  Captain,   sloop   "  Chippaway,"   18. 
Hill,  Mr.,  fellow  passenger  with  La  Rochefoucault,  64. 
Hotham,  Admiral,  his  victory,  88. 

I. 

India,  probable  loss  of  to  England,  63. 

Indians,  drink  rum,  18;  effect  of,  48;  Yonnowshouans*  25;  Simooe's  policy 
toward,  32,  33,  38,  42;  paid  by  England,  41,  142;  treatment  of  by 
colonists,  42;  future  for,  47,  48;  visit  of  Tuscaroras  to  Simcoe,  44,  45, 
47;  visit  to  Tuscarora  village,  59,  60;  village  described,  59;  dress  of 
Tuscaroras,  44,  45,  156;  visit  of  Canawaga  Indians,  48;  Charlevoix' 
description  accurate,  62;  Indians  near  Kingston  described,  81;  em- 
ployed to  capture  deserters  from  army,  80,  81;  trade  with,  84,  85; 
Indian  villages  in  Lower  Canada,  107,  108. 

Iron  mine  near  Chippewa  Creek,  24;  near  Three  Rivers,  109;  works  at 
Three  Rivers,  102,  103. 

Iredell,  Mr.  Justice  James,,  met  by  La  Rochefoucault,  9. 

J. 

Jefferson,  Thomas   (President),  visited  by  La  Rochefoucault,  10;   his  farm 

machinery,  etc.,  10. 

Johnson,  Sir  John,  land  near  Gananoque,  83,  180. 
Jonquiere  de  la,  settlement  by,  25;    built  Fort  Niagara,   51;    Fort  Rouill6 

(Toronto),  186. 

K. 

Kingston,  La  Rochefoucault  leaves  Newark  for,  63 ;  arrival  at,  66 ;  described, 
66,  69,  70,  71;  Dorchester  chooses  for  capital,  67,  188;  reasons,  67,  68; 
no  market  at,  74. 

Knox,  General  Henry,  entertains  La  Rochefoucault  at  his  estate  in  Maine,  8. 


Labour  dear  and  scarce  at  Niagara,  25,  50,  53;   at  Kingston,  72,  76. 

Lacrosse  game  played  by  Indians,  45,  46. 

Land  near  Niagara,  24;  value,  25,  53;  how  granted,  32,  35,  36,  43,  125,  151; 

policy   of   United    States   of   America   compared,   35,    36;    clearing,    71; 

value  at  Kingston,  74;    at  Gananoque,  83;    near  Montreal,  97,  100;    on 

the  SI.  Lawrence,  107. 

La  Rochefoucault,  sketch  of  life,  3;  works,  4,  189;  travels,  3,  4,  7-12. 
La  Salle,  built  ships  at  Kingston,  70;   sketch  of,  188. 
La  Tranche   (Thames)   River,  29. 
Legislature  in  Upper  Canada,  payment  of  members,  40;  meeting  of,  50    51. 

129,  157. 

Lemoine,  Ensign,  64,  87,  158. 
Littlehales,  Major,  63,  131,  159,  175. 
London  (Upper  Canada)  proposed  Capital,  29,  68,  136. 
Long  Point   (Lake  Erie)   proposed  port  for  London,  30. 


194  INDEX. 

Louis  XVI,  King  of  Fran.ce,  warned  and  befriended  by  La  Rochefoucault,  3. 
Louis  XVIII,  King  of  France,  dislike  for  liberalism,  4. 
Lownes,  Caleb,  companion  of  La  Rochefoucault,  7. 

M. 

Maple  fungus  ("punk")  used  for  tinder,  73,  74. 

Maple-sugar  first  seen  by  La  Rochefoucault,   7;    made  at  Detroit,   17;    at 

Kingston,  73;    use,  73. 
Medicine  used  at  Niagara,  54,  60;  at  Kingston,  76,  160;  generally  in  Upper 

Canada,  158. 

Militia  proposed  by  Simcoe,  31,  153,  154;   system  in  Upper  Canada,  40,  41. 
Millersr  tolls  in  Upper  Canada,  24;  in  Lower  Canada,  105. 
Mills  above  Niagara,  23;  at  Forty-mile  Creek  (Grimsby),  54;  at  Gananoque, 

82,  83;  at  Montreal,  104;  in  Lower  Canada,  105. 
Money,  paper,  used  in  Upper  Canada,  18,  124,  130,  146. 
Montreal  described,  101,   102;    material  of  houses,   108. 
Morse,  Dr.  Jedidiah  and  his  geography,  150,  175. 

Me. 

Macdonell,  Angus,  Customs  Officer  at  Oswego,  90,  164,  181. 

MacKenzie,  Sir  Alexander,  employed  French  Canadian  sailors,  his  voyages, 

93,  164,  182. 
McLane,  David,  executed  for  treason  at  Quebec,  145,  174. 

N. 

Navy  Hall,  38,  44   (and  very  frequently). 

Navy,   Royal,    at    Niagara   and    Lake   Erie,    17;    at   Kingston,    79;    pay   of 

sailors,  80,  132. 
Navy,  mercantile,  97,  102. 

Negro  albino  described  by  La  Rochefoucault,  10. 
Newark    (Niagara),  24,  25;    described,  49. 
New  Brunswick,  settlers  expected  from,  30. 
Newspapers  in  Upper  Canada,  57,  75,  158. 
New  York  currency,  what,  24;   used  in  Upper  Canada,  39. 
Niagara   (see  Newark). 
Niagara  Falls  described,   19-23. 
Niagara  Fort  built,   51;    described,  52,   129. 
Niagara  River  crossed  by  La  Rochefoucault,   15;    navigation   of,   16;    how 

crossed  in  winter,  52,  129. 
North,  Dr.,  Meteorologist  at  Quebec,  106,  169. 
N.  W.  Company,  115,  170,  182,  183,  184. 

0. 

"Onondago,"  Royal  sloop,  63,  64,  79,  158. 

Oswego   reached   by   La   Rochefoucault,    88;    described,    89-92; -fort   at,    89; 
trade,  89,  90,  91;  given  up  to  U.  S,  A.,  1796,  163. 

P. 

Parr,  Captain,  character  and  manner,  76,  77;  trip  with,  82;  notes  on,  131, 

160,  174. 

Paterson,  Indian  interpreter,  59. 
Pickering,    Timothy,    American    Commissioner    to    treat    with    Indians,    48, 

49,  59,  156;    sketch  of,  178. 

Pilkington,  Robert   (Royal  Engineers),  52,  53,  157,  178. 
Poudrit,  French-Canadian  guide,  7,  15,  174. 
Pratt,  Captain,  Commandant  at  Fort  Erie,  16,  19,  124,  146. 
Prices,  very  high  in  Upper  Canada,  43;  in  Lower  Canada,  106. 


INDEX.  195 

Q. 

Quebec,  a  fortress,  102;  distillery  at,  101,  102:  convents,  105,  160;  seminary, 

104;   Jesuit  estates,  103,  104. 
"  Quebec  Gazette,"  copied  at  Niagara,  75. 
Queenston   (Queenstown),  21,  25;   Hamilton's  place  at,  25. 
Quiberon,  Battle  of,  88  (n),  163,  164. 

R. 

Regiment,  5th,  commanded  by  Lt.-Col.  John  Smith,  49,  123 ;  60th,  described  by 

La  Rochefoucault,  77,  82. 

Religion  in  Upper  Canada,  58,  75,  76;  in  Lower  Canada,  96,  103,  169,  170. 
Revenue,  sources  of,  in  Upper  Canada,  39. 
Rice,  wild,  81. 

Richard,  Mr.,  a  fellow  passenger  of  La  Rochefoucault,  53,  64. 
Road    from   Fort   Erie   to   Newark,    25;    from    Grimsby    to    Head    of    Lake 

Ontario,  54;   near  Kingston,  76;    Kingston  to  Montreal,   83. 
Robertson,  John  Ross,  Editor  of  Mrs.  Simcoe's  Diary,  12. 
Robespierre,  feared  and  hated  by  La  Rochefoucault,  88,  164. 
Robitaille,   Prof.,   Laval   University,   12. 
Routes  from  Montreal  to  Illinois  River  Country,   83,  84,  86,  180;    to  West 

(fur  traders),  112,  180,  181. 

S. 

Schlosser,  Fort   (see  Fort  Slusher). 

Seward,  Major,  52,  53,  57,  64,  157. 

Simcoe,  Frank,  r<  Tioga,"  49,  156. 

Smith,  Captain  J.,  letter  to  Lord  Barrington,  137  sqq. 

Simcoe,  John  Graves,  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Uppej-  Canada,  receives  in- 
formation of  La  Rochefoucault  from  Mr.  Hammond,  15;  receives  La 
Rochefoucault,  26;  his  kindness,  26;  his  ambition,  28,  34;  schemes  of 
immigration,  29,  30,  31;  military  plans,  33,  37;  plans  for  trade,  32,  33, 
36;  policy  toward  Indians,  33,  47;  inland  water  communication,  33, 
34,  151;  fleet/ 34;  alleged  hatred  of  U.  S.  A.,  37,  38,  69,  125,  126,  133, 
134,  151;  alleged  tampering  with  Indians,  38,  127,  134,  135,  153;  his 
character,  38,  56;  private  life,  38;  residence  at  Newark,  38;  loved  and 
trusted  by  Canadians,  69;  letter  to  Hon.  Rufus  King,  134  sqq.;  sketch 
of  life,  172,  173. 

Simcoe,  Mrs.,  character,  39,  126,  151,  175. 

Smith,  Sir  David  William,  Bart.,  library,  3,  5,  17;  sketch  of  life,  5,  6; 
MSS.,  12;  criticism  of  La  Rochefoucault,  120  sqq. 

Smith,  Lt.-Col.  John,  commands  5th  Regiment  Foot,  49,  123;  his  residence. 
49,  129;  farming,  50,  128,  129,  157. 

Sodus,  Great,  settlement  at,  91. 

Sorel,  schools  at,  104. 

Stone,  Col.  Joel  (Gananoque),  82,  179. 

Stuart,  Rev'd.  John,  74;  farms,  74;  sketch  of,  179. 

Sulphur   Spring  near  Niagara  River,  24. 

T. 

Table  Rock,  22,  23. 

Temperature  on  Lake  Ontario,  65;   at  Quebec,  98;    in  Lower  Canada,  105, 

106,  168. 

Thames  River   (La  Tranche),  29,  30. 
Three  Rivers,  iron  works   at,   102^  103,   109;    church   service,   103;    schools 

at,  104. 

Toast  drinking  by  English,  77. 
Todd,  Isaac?   (Tode),  85,  86,  162. 
Toosey,  Rev'd.  Mr.,  farming,  101,  166. 
Trent  Valley  Canal  foreseen  by  Simcoe,  151. 


1%  INDEX. 

U. 

U.  E.  Loyalists,  hatred  of  Americans,  58,  132;  pretended  U.  E.  Loyalists, 
58,  78. 

V. 

Villele,  M.  de.,  dismissed  La  Rochefoucault,  4. 

W. 

Warren,  James,  Revolutionary  Officer,  La  Rochefoucault  meets,  8. 

Wheat  near  Niagara,  53,  price,  etc.,t  53. 

White,  John,  first  Attorney  General'  of  Upper  Canada,  40,  154,  176. 

Wilkinson,  Jemima,  Amie  Universelle,  religious  leader  seen  by  La  Roche- 
foucault, 7. 

Williamson,  Capt,  Superintendent  of  Great  Sodus  Settlement,  91;  quarrel 
with  Berczy,  61,  188. 

Winter  near  Niagara  River,  25. 

Y. 

York   (Toronto)   intended  capital  of  Upper  Canada,  29,  68,  136;   described, 

61;  bad  character  of  inhabitants,  61,  158. 
Young,  Arthur,  received  La  Rochefoucault  in  England,  3. 


F  La  Rochefoucauld  Liancourt, 

5018  Francois  Alexandre  Frede*ric 
L3713  La  Rochefoucalt-Liancourt!s 

1917  Travels  in  Canada,  1795 


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