The

but it is irregularly built, and fortified with only two baflions, and no ditch toward the town. It has also another fort at Cape Diamond of folid rock, 400 fathoms high, and therefore owes its greatest strength to nature. fil place taken notice of upon landing here is a fquare of an irregular figure with well-built houfes, on one fide on the back of which is a rock; on the keft it is bounded by a fmall church; and on the right has two rows of houfes parallel to each other; there is another between the church and the harbour; as alfo another long row on the fide of the bay. This is called. the Lower Town, and is molly inhabited by merchants, but it is too much crowded. Between, this and the upper town is a very fleep afcent, where are ficps for the foot pallengers to afcend. This has noble edifices, and between two large fquares is a fort in which the governor refides. Oppofite the fort the Recollects have bandfone houfes, and on the right is the cathedral, which is built in a poor ftyle, but has a large, high, and well built tower, that may be feen at a great diflance. Over against this is the Jefuits' college, which is a fine building; and between the cathedral and the college are well-built houfes. The houfe of the Knights Hofpitallers. is a fiately fructure, with two fine pavilions. In the fecond iquare are two defcents to the rvier of St. Charlos; an hofpital called Hotel-Dieu, is in the midway, and from thence are smaller houfes, which reach to that of the intendant. On the other fide of the Jefuit's college is a prety long freet, in which is a nunnery. Almofl all the houses are built of fione, and ticie are above 7cc0 inhabitants. Befide the Lower and Higher Towns, there is, another beyond the latter, on the banks of the river St. Charles, along which are feveral noble country feats.

In 1711 the English fitted out a fleet, with a defign to conquer Canada, Lut the expedition failed, from the rafhnefs of the admiral, who, contrary to the advice of his pilot, failed too near the Seven Ifles, and thus loft his large!! Bips, with three thousand of his beit failors. But it was attacked with much better fuccefs in 1759, when a fleet of twenty fail of the line, a fifty pun hip, with frigates. loops, bombketches, and fire fhips, under the command of admirals Saunders and Holmes, having on board eight thousand land forces commanded by brigadier general Wolf, failed up the river in the month of July, to attack a place frong by nature, well fortified, with a garrifen which out numbered the forces coring againft it, commanded by M. de Montcalm, a brave and experienced officer. The difficulties which the English had to encounter would have proved infurmountable to ordinary men; but the intrepidity, conduct, and fpirit, which diftinguifhed the commander in chief, was admirably feconded by the army which he led on, whilft the admirals and all on board the fleet, co-operated with equal skill and cffect in te important and arduous work. The illuftrious commander fell on the 13th of September, in the field of battle, at the moment when the French began to fly, and victory declared in favour of the English.

This cy, and the whole province of Canada, was ceded to Great Britain by the peace of 1763. Though France never reaped any folid advantages ficin the poffellion of Canada, which had cof that government very large funs. yer the English bare derived great benefits from thence in the extenfion of commerce and confumption of manufactures.

The city was quacked by an American army commanded by Generals Montgomery and Arnold, in the winter of 1775, but they were repulfed with great lufs, and the brave Montgomery fan.

The moft confiderable place, next to Quebec, is Montreal; which is feated on an ifland of the fame name in the river St. Laurence. upward of two hundred miles above Quebec, and is nearly as large and popu lous as that city. The ifland of Montreal is exceedingly ferule, and well improved, producing great plenty of greens, and fome fruit. It is about twenty-eight mites in length, and ten in breadth. The town is pretty well fortified, and is much more pleafantly fituated than Quebec. The fireets are regular, and the houfes well-built, commodious, and agreeable. It flands by the fide of the river, on a gradual eafy afcent to what is called the Upper Town, whence you may fee every houfe at one view from the harbour, or from the S. fide of the river. The public buildings exceed thofe of Quebec for beauty, and are equal to them in number. The Hotel Dieu, the maga

zines, and the place of arms, are in the Lower Town, which is alfo the refidence of the merchants. The feminary, the parish-church, the house of the Recollects, the Jefuits' college, and nunneries, are in the Upper. There alfo a general hofpital, and a church belonging to the Jefuits, which is large and well built. The principal trade of the inhabitants has long confified in the skins and furs they purchase of the Indians.

This illand and city were taken on the eight of September, 1760, by the generals Amhurft and Murray, without firing a gun, which completed the conqueft of Canada; for, by the terms of the capitulation, all the French forces in that country were to be fent to France. Montreal afterward

fuffered by a moft terrible fire, which confumed great part of the city, the houles of many of the merchants, and a number of lately buildings. This dreadful lofs inftantly awakened the humanity of the inhabitants of Great Britain, and great fums were raised in the city of London, to remove the diftreffes of these new fubjects to the British crown. It was taken by an American army under general Montgomery, in 1775, but recovered by geBeral Carleton the next spring.

way

reforted

The next town is called Trois Rivieres, or the Three Rivers, and is about half between Quebec and Montreal, and has its name from three rivers which join their currents here, rnd fall into the river St. Laurence. It is much to by feveral nations of Indians, who, by means of thefe rivers, come hither and trade with the inhabitants in various kinds of furs and skins. The country is pleafant, and fertile in corn, fruit, &c. and great numbers of handfome houfes ftand on both fides the river.

With refpect to the population of Upper Canada there are various accounts, but it appears to us as moft probable that about the year 1790, the two provinces of Upper and Lower Canada contained upwards of 250,000 foils, and that fince that time their numbers have confiderably encreased. About nine tenths of the inhabitants of thefe provinces are Roman CathoErs, who enjoy under the prefent government the fame provifion. rights, and

privileges, as were

The reft of the people are Epifcopalians, Prefbyterians, and a few of almoft

granted them in 1774, by the act of 14th of George III.

all the different fects of Chriftians.

The Indian

The commodities required by the Canadians from Europe are, wine, or rather rum; cloths, chiefly coarfe; linen, and wrought iron. trade requires rum, tobacco, a fort of duffil blankets, guns, powder, balls, and flints, kettles, hatchets, toys, and trinkets of all kinds. While the country was in poffeffion of the French, the Indians fupplied them with poultry; vait lakes and rivers in canoes, with incredible induftry and patience, carryand the French had traders, who, like the original inhabitants, traverfed the

ing their goods into the remoteft parts of America, and among nations entirely unknown to us. Thefe again brought the furs, &c. home to them, as the Indians were thereby habituated to trade with them. For this purpose, people from all parts, even from the diftance of one thousand miles, came to the French fair at Montreal, which began in June, and fometimes lafted three months. On this occafion many folemnities were obferved, guards were placed, and the governor affifted to preferve order in fo great and various a concourfe of favage nations. But fometimes great diforders and tumulis happened and the Indians frequently gave for a dram all that they were poffeffed of. It is remarkable, that many of thefe nations actually paffed by the then English fettlements of Albany in New-York, and travelled two hundred miles farther to Montreal, though they could have purchased the goods they wanted cheaper at the former.

Since Britain became poffeffed of Canada, her trade with that country has generally employed from thirty to forty fhips, and about four thoufand

feamen.

The amount of the exports from the province of Quebec, as far back as in the year 1786, was 1,523.086 dollars. The amount of in ports in the fame year was 1,443,515 dollars. The exports confifted of wheat, flour, bifcuit, flax-feed lumber of various kinds, fifh, potafh, oil, gir feng and other medicinal roots, but principally of furs and peltries, to the amount of 1,269, 738 dollars*. The imports confifted of rum, brandy, molaffes, coffee fugar, wines, tobacco, falt, chocolate, provifions for the troops, and dry goods.

GOVERNMENT.

By the Quebec act, paffed by the parliament of Great Britain in the year 1791, fo much of the act of the 14th of George 111. paffed in the year 1774, as relates to the appointment of a council for the governmennt of the province of Quebec, is repealed; and it is enacted that their fhall be within each of the provinces of upper and lower Canada, a legiflative council, and an affembly, who, with the confent of the Governor, appointed by the king, fhall have power to make laws. The Governor may give or withhold his majefty's offent to bills paffed by the Legislative council and affembly, or referve them for his majefty's pleasure. Bills referved are to have no force till his majefly's affent is fignified by the governor, which, to be valid, muft be fignified within two years from the time the bill is prefented to the governor. The governor muft tranfmit to the fecretary of flate copies of fuch bilis as have been affented to, which his majefly in council may declare his difallowance of within two years from the receipt.

The legislative council is to confift of not fewer than feven members for upper, and fifteen for lower Canada, or to be fummoned by the Governor, who must be authorized by the King. Such members are to hold their feats for life, unless forfeited by four years continual abfence, or by fwearing allegiance to fome foreign power.

The houfe of Affembly is to confift of not less than fixteen members from upper, and not less than fifty from lower Canada, chofen by the freeholders

*As in confequence of the late treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation, between Great Britain and the United States, feveral forts on the confines of Canada, which had been retained by the British contrary to the treaty of peace are now ceded to the Americans, there is no doubt that the fur-trade, which has formerly been a fource of fo much emolument to them, will foon be enjoyed with all its advantages by the inhabitants of the United States.

No. 22.

in the feveral towns and diftritts. The council and affembly are to be call ed togeher at least once in every year; and every affembly is to continue four years unlets fooner diffolved by the Governor. All questions are to be decided by a majority of votes of the members prefent. His majefty any authorize the Governor to fix the time and place of holding the elcctoms, (subject, however, to fuch provifions as may hereafter be made by the Legiflature) and to fix the times and places of holding the fellions of the afembly, and to prorogue and diffolve the fame whenever he fhall judge it Decellary.

The Governor, together with fuch of the executive council as fhall be appointed by the King, for the affairs of each province, are to be a court of civil jurifdiction for hearing and determining appeals, fubject, however, to fuch appeals from their judgment as heretofore exifted. All lands in upper Canada are to be granted hereafter in free and common foccage; and allo in lower Canada, when the grantee shall defire it, fubject nevertheless to alterations by an act of the Legiflature.

British America is fuperintended by an officer filed Governor General of the four British provinces in North America, who, befides other powers is commander in chief of all the British troops in the four provinces and the governments attached to them and Newfoundland. Each of the provinces bave a Lieutenant Governor, who in the abfence of the Governor General, has all the powers requifite to a chief magiftrate.

Of the Interior Country of NORTH AMERICA. The Rivers and Lakes, their Cataracts. The INDIAN Nations on their Banks.

THE fource of the river St. Laurence has never been traced, a

communication being continued with the lakes into the interior country to a vall extent. Carver, indeed, afferts, (Travels, page 76) that the four moft capital rivers on the continent of North America, viz. the St. Laurence, Miffippi, Bourbon, and Oregon, or river of the W. have their fources very near each other; those of the three former being within thirty iniles, the latter fomewhat farther to the W. but the evidence on which he makes this affertion is by no means clear and conclufive.

Nothing diftinguishes North America more from the other quarters of the world than its numerous and immenfe lakes, the five principal of which are fill included in the province of Canada or Quebec, although its boundaries have been contracted: they are generally known as the five great lakes of Canada, and are named Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan, and Superior. These lie within about feven degrees of latitude and fourteen of longitude; or from 48° 35′ to 49° N. and from 17° 20′ W. There are befide many finaller lakes which lie to the eastward and north westward of these. To the eastward are lakes George and Champlain. The moll northern visited by the traders is lake Bourbon, which reaches to 51° N. latitude, to the fouth of which is lake Winnepeek, called by the French Ouinipique: these two lakes communicate by a trait. A river extends from lake Winnepeck lo lake Superior, which fome Geopraphers have confidered as a continuation of the St. Laurence: about midway of this river is take du Bois, or wood lake; there is likewife lac Plue, or the rain lake, and the Rd lake, and Niepegon, with many others lefs confiderable. Beyond 60° of N. latitude, from near Hudfon's Bay to 56° W. longitude, are many extenfive lakes, about which the favage race of Arathapefio Indians lead their YOL. IV.

E

wandering life. This vaft affemblage of fresh waters, which are not put in motion and alternately raifed and funk by tides, is fuppofed to corribute very confiderably to the greater degree of cold which is felt in the northern parts of America, than in the fame parallels of latitude in Europe.

In defcribing these lakes we shall begin with the most eastern and proceed wellwardly.

Lake George, formerly called by the French lac St. Sacrement, is about thirty five miles long from N. E. to S. W. but narrow.

Lake Champlain is about eighty miles from N. to S. and about fourteen miles were broadest. When thefe two lakes were firft difcovered, they were known by no other name than that of the Iroquois lakes.”

Lake Ontario is the leaft of the five great lakes of Canada; its form is nearly oval; its greateft length being from N. E. to S. W. Its circumference is about fix hundred miles. Near the S. E. part it receives the waters of the Ofwoego river, and on the N. E. difcharges itself into the river Cataraqui, which communicates with the St. Lawrence, or may be confidered as the fource of it; though fome Geographers defcribe that vaft river as uniting the five great lakes, and having its fource to the well ward of Jake Superior. Near to it flood fort Frentenac, which was taken from the French in the year 1758, by fome provincial troops, under Colonel Bradftreet. At the entrance of Ofwego river stood a fort of the fame name, which in the year 1756, was defended by two regiments of provincial troops, when it was attacked and taken by the French, and the garrifon cruelly maffacred by the favages who followed the French Camp.

Lake Erie extends about three hundred miles from W. to N. E. It is wideft toward the middle, where it is about feventy miles across from N. to S. Carver, a faithful narrator of what he faw, though not to be followed in longitudes and latitudes, fays, the navagation of this lake is effeemed more dangerous than any of the other lakes, on account of many high lands which lie on the borders of it, and which project into the waters, fo that whenever forms arife, canoes and boats are frequently loft, as there is no place which affords retreat or shelter. The fame writer fays there are feveral iflands near the W. end fo infefted with fnakes that it is highly dangerous to land upon them. The water is covered near the banks of thefe iflands with the large acquatic lily, the leaves of which fpread over the furface fo as to cover it entirely for a great space; on thefe he faw prodigious numbers of the water fnakes wreathed up, and bafking in the fun. The moft remarkable fpecies of fnake which infefts this part, is the hilling fuake, which is of the fmall fpeckled kind. about eighteen inches long; on the approach of any thing, it flattens itself in a moment; and its fpots, which are of various hues, become vivid through rage; whilft it discharges from its mouth a fubtle wind, which is said to be of a naufeous fmell; and if drawn, by refpiration into the human lungs, caufes fo rapid a decline, as in a few months to prove mortal.

This lake difcharges its waters at the N. E. end into the river Niagara, which runs due S. and N; is about thirty-fix miles in length, and flows into lake Ontario. At the entrance of this river, on its eaftern thore is fort Niagara, which was taken from the French, in the year 1759, by Sir William Johnfon, and was confidered as a highly important acquifition. About eighteen miles further northward are thofe flupendous cataracts, which are not to be equalled by any other falls of water on this globe. A vaft body of water here ruthes down a perpendicular precipice of one hundred