Notes of a Journey through Canada, the United States of America, and the West Indies

Preface

. The following Notes, made in the course of a ramble in Canada, the United States of America, and the Islands of Cuba and Ja maica, are submitted to the public, in the hope that, although brief and otherwise im perfect, they may be found in some degree useful, both as affording information to in tending Emigrants, and as exhibiting the manners of the people to whom they refer, in the light in which they present themselves to a traveller. The Author begs leave to inti mate, that the omission of detailed descrip tions of scenery, towns, and institutions, has been intentional, these subjects having already received elucidation from able and experien ced writers. The rapid manner in which he travelled prevented him from forming any decided opinion respecting the general socie- VI

PREFACE.

. ty of the places which he visited ; and, there fore, he has confined himself to a simple nar rative of occurrences, and to remarks natur ally elicited by them. Before leaving this country, the Author had planned a very extended route through South America, as well as a visit to Africa and several parts of Asia. As the coun tries lying to the south of Mexico are com paratively little known, he intended to devote a liberal portion of time to the study of every interesting object that might occur there ; and for this reason, and because the northern parts of America are already well known, he limited his sketches of them to cursory observations, and hurried over them for the purpose of reaching as soon as possible a less trodden field. He was within three days' sail of Carthagena, a sea-port of the Republic of Columbia, where he meant to reside for some time, with a view of obtaining a practical knowledge of the Spanish language, and of studying the manners and customs of the in habitants, as well as the natural objects that might seem most remarkable. He would then have advanced into the interior, and

PREFACE.

. VII pursued his course alone ; but events, over which he had no control, prevented him from accomplishing his undertaking, which he was most reluctantly compelled to abandon. The Author must acknowledge that he often felt the want of a companion, for many things escape the observation of one which attract that of another, and memory is often treacherous. Besides, the greatest pleasure is afforded by an evening conversation, be side a blazing fire, relative to the events of the day. But even a solitary ramble is not without its advantages, for it throws one upon his own resources, and enables him to elicit energies which otherwise might not have been called into action. The utility of travelling cannot be denied, for it affords a practical acquaintance with the ordinary affairs of hu man life, and a knowledge of human nature, which may be subsequently of much advantage to its possessor.

Every young man who has the means of visiting foreign countries ought therefore to avail himself of them. But, surely, the object in leaving his native land ought not to be the enjoyment of loose pleasures, such as many of the more civilized

PREFACE.

. countries of Europe so liberally afford, but the improvement of his mind by observation and reflection, and a liberality of sentiment which is best fostered by an extended acquaintance with men placed in different circumstances. Should he then visit other countries than those of Europe, he will have opportunities of comparing the condition of nations differently situated as to physical and mental powers, temperament, disposition, religion, and laws ; and of contemplating the wonderfully diversified operations of Divine power and wisdom manifested in the phenomena of nature. Should the traveller be a Briton, he will find the love of his country strengthen as he proceeds ; and, when he returns to the home of his youth, he will be grate ful to Providence for having cast his lot in a land more highly favoured than any which he has seen, and commence the duties of active life with a resolution to acquit himself in a manner worthy of his station.

Edinburgh, 1st January, 1838. CONTENTS. CHAP. I.— Voyage from Greenock to Quebec PAGE Departure from the Clyde. — Adverse wind. — Sickness, listlessness, and amusements of the passengers. — Joseph and the Dominie. — Boarded by a Russian officer in the Atlantic. — Favourable weather. — Serious results of a frolic. — Death of children. — St Paul's Island Entrance of thj Gulf of St Lawrence. — Pilgrim's Island. — Crane Island. — Quarantine station. — Land on Grosse Island. — Harshness of the Commandant. — Scenery of the St Lawrence. — Quebec, ...... I CHAP. II. — Quebec and Montreal. Lower Town of Quebec. — Upper Town. — Narrowness and neglected state of the streets. — London and Albion Hotels. — Theatre. — Convicts sent to Britain. — Falls of Montmorenci. — French and Irish inhabitants contrasted. — Indian village of Lorette. — Plains of Abraham.

Fort, Government-house. — Museum, Assembly Rooms. — Indian Encampment. — Voyage to Montreal. — Lumberers. — Montreal much larger than Quebec, its streets wider, and the buildings superior. — Cathedral, Nunneries, Exchange Coffeehouse. — Scenery. — St Helen's Island. — Excursion to Three Rivers. — Races. — English travellers. — Politics ofthe Canadas, X CONTENTS. page 41 66 CHAP. Ill Upper Canada. Route from Montreal to Lachine, Cascades, Coteau de Lac, Cornwall. Prescott, Kingston, and Coburg on Lake Ontario. — Newcastle District. — Account of a " Logging-bee." — Toronto. — Hamilton. — Dundas. — Mode of Reaping — Wooden Fences. — Disease in Pigs. — Roads Game. — Comparative advantage of Passage from Great Britain by Quebec and New York discussed. — Remarks on Emigration to Canada. — Sum necessary to a Settler. — Progress of Cultivation Discouragements. — Certainty of ultimate Success Guelph, Waterloo, Goderich Passage from Goderich to Detroit on Lake Huron, CHAP. IV. — State of Michigan.

The Lakes. Detroit. — Incivility of the people.- — Unsocial habits of boarders at the Inns Unprosperous state of Sandwich on the Canada side. — Passage to Mackinaw in a schooner. — Accident by the way. — Character of the Crew Difficulty of finding accommodations at Mackinaw — Kindness of General Swartz. — Passage to Sault St Mariein the Packet-boat. — The country unfavourable to grain Visit to Mr Jacob, an Indian Methodist Missionary. — Mr Bingham's School. — Rise of the River. — Maria Monk's statement supposed to be fabricated for party purposes. — General Dickson's scheme of conquering California. — Sail from Sault St Marie to Gros Cape on Lake Superior, and return Anecdotes of Mr Johnston and Mr Deer. — Account ofthe Indians ofthe Columbia River, ..... CONTENTS. XI page 103 137 CHAP. V.— Excursion to the Western States.

Chicago. — Country on the route to Joliet. — Land Speculators injurious to Emigrants Ottawa. — Scenery on the Illinois. — Peoria.— The Mississippi. — Mouth of the Missouri. — St Louis Scenery on the Mississippi. — Difficulties of its Navigation. — Mouth of the Ohio River Louisville. — Peculiarities and inquisitiveness of Americans. — Scenery of the Ohio. - Prevalency of Fogs there. — Wooding for the Steamer. — Crossness of American Morals exemplified. — Advantages of a Trade Expediency of Practical Mechanical Institutions discussed. — Cincinnati Wheeling. — Fatigues endured in Steamer Wellsville Its Scenery. — Pedestrian Tour. — New Lisbon Farms and Houses in the State of Ohio. — American Hospitality contrasted with that of other Countries. — Ashtonburgh. — Ashtabula. — Erie Buffalo Canadian ([.hospitality. — Chippewa, CHAP. VI. — The Eastern and Middle States.

Falls of Niagara. — Buffalo and Genesee. — Mr Wadsworth's farm Auburn Utica — Albany New York. — Boston. — A Funeral Return to New York Porters Philadelphia Ladies Baltimore -Washington Congress. — Conversation with a Deist. — Fredericksburg. — Petersburgh. — Bakely Halifax Raleigh — Fayetteville. — Altercation with a fellow traveller. — Columbia Milledgeville, CHAP. VII.— The Southern States. Travellers assailed by a Thief. — Montgomery in Alabama Passage on the River to Mobile. — New Orleans Loose CONTENTS. XII PAGL 174 198 216 Morals and Insecurity of Life. — Texas, its present condition. — Anecdotes exemplifying the Corrupt State of the Legisla ture in the Southern States Remarks on the Present State of tbe Americans. — " Liberty and Equality" mere words. — Wandering Propensity of the People Character of the Ladies. — Appearance of the Men, CHAP. VIII — Island of Cuba.

Passage from New Orleans to Cuba Havannah, Hotels, Depravity of the Inhabitants. — Improvements of the present Governor Passage to St Jago. — Visit to the Copper Mines at Cobre Observations on the Slave Trade. — Perversion of Justice in Cuba. — Character of the Country. — Sugar and Coffee chiefly cultivated. — Importance of this Island to the British, ...... CHAP. IX Jamaica. Passage to Jamaica. — A Shark caught. — St Domingo. — Port Royal. — Kingston Spanish Town. — Excursion to Roxburgh Castle in the interior. — General account of the Island, management of Estates, cultivation of Coffee, Character of the Negroes. — Abolition Act. — The late Governor. — Return to Kingston ; visit several Establishments there ; Remarks on Improvements Voyage along the Coast to Black River Pirates. — Passage to England,

Chapter I. Voyage From Greenock To Quebec

Departure from the Clyde. — Adverse wind Sickness, listlessness, and amusements of the passengers Joseph and the Dominie Boarded by a Russian officer in the Atlantic. Favourable weather. — Serious results of a frolic— Death of children. — St Paul's Island Entrance of the Gulf of St Lawrence Pilgrim's Island, Crane Island, Quarantine station Land on Grosse Island. — Harshness of the Commandant Scenery ofthe St Lawrence Quebec Having resolved to cross the Atlantic for the purpose of visiting my brother, Mho had settled in Upper Canada, and of acquiring from personal observation some knowledge of a country, respecting which so many contradictory statements have been laid before the public, I left Edinburgh on the 30th May 1836, and proceeding to Greenock, took my passage in the Corsair brig, Ritchie master, bound for Quebec and Montreal, On Saturday the 1 Ith June, we were towed down the Clyde by the Hercules steamer as far as the Cumbray Islands, when the steamer leaving us, we set sail, with the wind against us.

There were nearly an hundred passengers on A VOYAGE FROM board, of whom only five were my companions in the cabin. Sunday, June 12. Wind still contrary, blowing hard ; great sea, in consequence of which none of the cabin passengers, except myself, could look at the breakfast table. At 11 a. m. weathered Ailsa Craig. The bold coast of Cantyre on the one side, and the low shores of Ayr on the other, engaged our attention. Towards noon the weather became moderate, and the passengers ventured on deck. The wind having continued moderate, the vessel made little progress, so that at ten o'clock we were only off Sandy Island in Cantyre. On Monday, although the weather was dull, and our progress little, the passengers were more cheer ful, and occasionally conversant. Many of the women were on deck, some knitting, others mend ing, and all who were not disabled by sickness, exhibiting a striking contrast to the listlessness of the men.

At 9 p. m. a large brig crossed our bows and hailed, asking for biscuit, potatoes, and rum, which the captain gave them. She turned out to be the British Tar from Sierra Leone to Greenock, with oak ; had been ten weeks on her passage, and was now short of provisions. 14th. Morning wet, but cleared up before noon ; a good breeze. Stewart and I took a race up the shrouds, to the great amusement of the passengers. The second mate followed us, and getting hold of one of my legs, tied it to the rigging, demanding, as a customary fine in such cases, a bottle of rum for the ship's crew, on granting which we were allowed to descend without further molestation. Nothing of interest occurred this day. Each individual seemed absorbed in his own reflections, and silence generally prevailed. Several of the steerage passen gers, who had got over their sickness, were stretch ed out at full length on the deck, killing time, while the women were engaged in sewing.

There was thunder on the night ofthe 15th. On the 16th we had a smart breeze from the north-west. The captain having taken the sun's altitude, and marked his reckoning, informed us that he calculated the distance run at 450 miles, and that we had lost a quarter of an hour in time. Stewart having re quested me to go up to the shrouds, to allure a man named Joseph Simpson, whom the rest of the pas sengers played upon, I agreed, and was soon fol lowed by Joseph, who had nearly gained the shrouds, when the ship-carpenter came up behind and tied his legs to the ropes of the ladder. Joseph was kept in this situation for some time, much to the amusement of the passengers. Then the cook, having got drunk, the captain prescribed a dose of salts, which Cookie was obliged to swallow with amusing contortions of countenance.

One of the passengers, a young man, gave me the following account of himself: — He was a school master, the only son of a widow, who rented a small farm in the island of Mull, for which she gave L.20 per annum. He had been to Glasgow with eight cattle, for which he received L.30. When proceeding to Dumbarton, on his way home, he met on VOYAGE FROM board the steamer a person having the appearance of a gentleman, who, on their landing, entered into conversation with him. The islander, not suspect ing any fraud, had, in the simplicity of his heart, informed this stranger of the nature of his errand to Glasgow, and of the sum he had obtained for his cattle. No sooner master of this, than the rogue dropped a purse unknown to his simple companion, and suddenly crying out, " What's this I have here ?" lifted it up, and shewing it to him, told him, that of course he was entitled to a share of the contents.

Two rings were found in it, which were pronounced to be diamond, and valued at about L.50. They had sitten by the road side a short while, examining the rings and talking about them, when a well dressed person came up. This person the finder of the purse addressed, telling him of their good for tune, and shewing him the rings, which this second stranger, stating that he himself was a jeweller, alleged to be worth L.44, and offered that sum for them. The first cheat said that he was going another way, but that the jeweller might have his share for L.22, on which the latter pulled out of his pocket a one pound note, declaring that he had no more with him, but that if they would go on, he would pay them the whole sum. Being in great haste, how ever, the finder of the purse could not accompany him, but suggested that the islander should give him L.22, and go with the jeweller to receive the L.44.

The simple lad immediately gave up the sum demanded, and accompanied the jeweller until they nearly reached Dumbarton, when the latter, taking him by the arm, desired him to sit down until he should return from his house with the money, which he would certainly do in less than half an hour. A whole hour had elapsed before the lad perceived that he had been duped. Returning to Glasgow, he informed a cousin of his, a lawyer there, of what had befallen him. The lawyer im mediately gave notice to the police, but the villains had too much start to be taken. The poor High lander, grieved for the loss of his money, and de spairing of ever regaining it, took the matter so much to heart, that he resolved, instead of returning home, to go to Canada. His cousin tried to dissuade him from taking this step, representing to him the destitute condition in which he would leave his mother, but in vain, he could not persuade him to return ; his simplicity would ever prove a source of bitter reflection.

He started for Greenock with only L.5 in his pocket, took a passage in the Cor sair for Quebec, for which he paid L.3, bought some provisions, a pair of shoes and trowsers, and wrote to his mother, informing her that he had sailed for Canada. He appeared rather weakly, and requested that I should try and get him a clerkship. I told him, that having no acquaintance in the mercantile line, I could not aid him in this respect, but offered to pay his passage and food, provided he would engage to serve my brother, who had purchased four hundred acres near Dundas, and who would give him L.30 per annum and his victuals. He said he apprehended the state of his health would not enable him to cut wood, and would prefer a clerkship. The weather still fine. A ship hove in sight, and, hoisting Danish colours, sent off a boat rowed by eight men.

A person in it hailed, asked for news, stated that he was a Dane, and eagerly inquired if there was war between England and France, and Russia, which he had been informed was the case. On being told there was not, he requested to be ad mitted on board, which the captain was unwilling to allow, telling him that the quarantine at Quebec insisted on the commanders of all vessels declaring explicitly what ships they had met at sea, and whether they had communication with any. The Dane, however, assured him that there was no sickness of any kind on board his vessel, and asked for half a dozen of porter, for which he threw on board eight Mexican dollars, on which the captain lowered the ladder and received him on board. After get ting all the news, besides a newspaper, he told us he had come from Otaheite, had been 130 days at sea, and was bound for Archangel.

The captain gave him a dozen and a half of porter, for which he insisted on giving more money. He wished to pass himself off as a merchantman, but the captain told him his ship had the appearance of a frigate, and he supposed she belonged to his government, which, when about to depart, he confessed to be the case. On Mr Stewart's assuring us that the paper in which the dollars were wrapped was in the Russian language, being some accounts of a recent date, and his boatmen being of a swarthy complexion, we came to the conclusion that he belonged to the Russian service. The general curiosity displayed at his ap pearance amongst us, was worthy of a Hogarth's pencil. Each individual striving to obtain the first glimpse of him, the bowsprit was covered, and the sides of the vessel filled. The intense eagerness with which all strove to catch the slightest whisper between him and the captain, and the chagrin ex perienced when the latter conducted him to the cabin, although the men in the boat formed subjects for scrutiny, would have proved highly interesting to a spectator.

The mysterious visitor, who was a stout, thick-set, active man, furnished a subject of conversation to all on board for the evening-. Some alleged that he was a pirate, and this led to the watching of his course. In short, his appearance proved of much greater importance to us than a visit from his master, the Emperor himself, would have done had we been on shore. On the 19th of June, being Sunday, one of the steerage passengers, an old man from the Highlands, apparently about 70, and who had been an elder of his parish, preached extempore in Gaelic for about an hour. Nothing further worthy of notice occurred, excepting the appearance of a large shoal of por poises which surrounded the vessel. Next day we had a strong breeze from the south-west, and the ship pitched considerably, the waves now and then washing over the deck, to the annoyance of the passengers.

I sent two blue shirts and two pairs of stockings to the young man from Mull already menfioned, who had nothing with him excepting the clothes which he wore. He wrote me a letter of thanks, and, afterwards coming on deck, with one of the shirts on, thanked me anew. I requested the captain to give him the usual victuals when his own stock was consumed, to the extent of a pound's worth. Mr Stewart promised to speak to some of his friends in Quebec to get a berth for him; and I again reminded him, that should nothing better occur, I was willing to take him to my brother'* and pay all expenses. On the 21st a fresh breeze sprung up, and heavy rain fell. At night, the creaking of the timbers, and the noise among the passengers, with the roll ing of the vessel, effectually banished sleep, until at length, the wind subsiding, tranquillity was restored.

The wind was still favourable on the 22d and 23d June. The captain caused the steerage passengers to bring up their blankets and other articles of clothing, and shake them over the sides of the vessel. It was only, however, after repeatedly urging them, and sending the mate among them, that they were induced to make a clearance, although it seemed probable, that from the filth which had accumulated, and the noxious effluvia that vitiated the air in the hold, disease might otherwise have arisen in a few days. The mate announced a ship, which, however, we could not see from the deck, and while we were on the look-out, a fiddle was heard somewhere be low, which suggested the propriety of a dance. Joseph and the young man from Mull, who, having been a teacher, may be named the Dominie, were the first to volunteer ; but the other young fellows could not be persuaded, excepting one or two.

The captain went down to the hold, and brought up for his partner the preacher's sister, an old woman of (iO. Stewart, Ewing, junior, and I, kept up the dance with the girls and wives until nine o'clock, when I sent the steward with a bottle of rum to give all the women a dram, but with strict injunctions not to let the men have any, saying, that since they would not " shake a fit, I would not wat their whistles." A voyage across the Atlantic is, under ordinary circumstances, so entirely a common-place affair, that the narrative of one cannot fail to be as tedious as we found our progress, although the latter was quite satisfactory in the judgment of the captain. With a little occasional study, conversation, drafts, walking on deck when the weather permitted, eating, drinking, and sleeping, we contrived to pass the time.

Now and then we endeavoured to extract a little amusement from any material that seemed capable of affording it. Thus, one day after dinner, Joseph happened to mention that he was a member of the Temperance Society, and yet admitted that he had recently been drunk, and, moreover, had a bottle of whisky in his possession. Being desirous of remov ing temptation from him, I offered to purchase it, on which he brought it up and delivered it to me. The captain then suggesting that I should sell it by auction, I offered it to the highest bidder, and knocked it down to the Dominie at twentypence. On my asking him for the money, he said he had purchased on credit ; but the rest not being satisfied, we insisted upon his paying for it immediately, or be sent to the round-house as jail. Seeing that we were all joking, he good-naturedly offered to go, or submit to any other punishment; whereupon the captain ordered up the shackles, which the Dominie allowed to be put on, to the great amusement of the pas sengers.

There being another pair, it was suggested by some one that Joseph should bear the Dominie company ; but on the mate's attempting to shackle him, he broke from him, pulled out his knife, and threatened to stab the first that came near him. One of the sailors, however, secured his arms from behind, and the mate having wrested the knife from him, and hit him a smart blow with his open hand, shackled him, and brought him to the captain, who threw his bottle overboard, and kept him shackled for sometime longer. I compensated the loss of his whisky. The weather continuing favourable we made good way. On the 26th of June we passed a brig, the Ann Johnston of Greenock, and on the 28th saw another at a distance. On the latter day the wind became unfavourable, and the weather cold and foggy. On the 29th, it was still colder, with a strong breeze from N.W., which raised enormous waves.

It is interesting, during a storm, to watch the billows as they roll onwards, hurling their gi gantic force against the vessel, as if to bury her many fathoms in the immeasurable abyss, and to see how she rises majestically upon their lofty ridges, defying, as it were, their utmost rage. Frequently the spray washed over our decks, and the oldest sailor could not stand without a hold during the ascent and descent of the vessel. Two ships passed at a distance on the 30th June. The weather continued cold and the wind unfavourable. On the evening of the 1st July it became calm, and as we were on the Newfoundland banks, our fishing-tackle was put into use, and some cod caught. Next day the wind was favourable, but the weather still foggy and extremely cold, which it continued to be until we passed the Green Bank.

On the 4th, when half across, we passed a New York packet ship bound to Liverpool, as well as several other vessels ; and on the 5th, a brig from Quebec to Belfast, as well as ten other vessels at a distance. The wife of one of the passengers had been prematurely delivered of two children ; both died, and were sewed up in canvass and thrown over board. The captain and Stewart wished to get up a dance among the passengers, but Mr Ewing and I having represented to them the impropriety of doing so under the circumstances mentioned, they desisted. We were now approaching the coast, and on the 6th July, having risen at half-past six, I was de lighted by the sight of St Paul's Island, which is rocky, about a mile in length, and having only two or three houses on it. This island is about the centre of the mouth of the Gulf of St Lawrence, having Cape Ray to the north, and Cape North to the south.

About thirty miles farther on, we saw two small rocky islands belonging to the Magdalen group. Towards evening, having come up with a British schooner of eighteen guns, we were boarded by her first lieutenant, who asked to purchase newspapers and porter, of the latter of which, however, we had none to spare. On the 7th July I was roused by the mate, who called out that a shark was prowling about, but on my arriving on deck, I found that it had disappear ed, although the captain had thrown out a bait for him. It was supposed that he had been enticed to approach us by seeing two of the sailors outside, washing the sides of the vessel. The sky was clear, and the temperature high, this being in fact the first fine day we had since we left Greenock. After tea the passengers had a dance for about half an hour ; but although some of the young men and girls danced well, they seemed to be quite indiffer ent about the amusement.

On the morning of the 8th we saw the south part of Lower Canada, which presented a bold craggy front, with hills receding, and all covered with wood even to the shore, where the precipices permitted. Along the coast were many small wooden houses, and near Cape Rozier was a wooden village, inhabited by the Fox Indians. Canoes were out fishing, and vast numbers of whales were blowing all round us, some of them of great size. A pilot came out from Griffin's Cove, but our captain re fused to take him. Several cod and two mackerel were caught, but nothing of much interest occurred in the course of the day, which was remarkably hot. Next day we had a favourable breeze, which soon carried us ahead of a brig that had been a mile in advance of us during the night. About half-past ten a pilot came up, and we took him on board.

The west end of Anticosti and Labrador were seen in the distance. We were considerably farther from the southern coast of the Gulf, but in the afternoon it narrowed, so that land covered with wood to the shore was very distinctly seen on both sides. On the 10th July, the weather misty, and little wind ; but the breeze springing up ahead, we were obliged to tack. The land was uninteresting, being composed of small hills, which prevented our seeing into the interior. The elder performed divine ser vice in the hold, as he had uniformly done on Sun day during the voyage. Early on the 1 1th we were off Green Island, but made very little progress, a3 the wind had fallen. The country continued low, undulated, and wooded, with the white limestone rock now and then projecting, so as in some degree to diversify the otherwise monotonous scenery.