CHAPTER XVI.

Outline of the Constitution, Government, and Laws of Lower Canada-Plan of the Govern-

ment-The Governor-Executive and Legislative Councils-House of Assembly-Sittings,

Business, and Powers of the Legislature-Summary of the Statute and Common Law of the

Province The Judiciary-Jurisdiction of the different Courts Modes of Proceeding—

Trial by Jury-Amendment of the Judicature contemplated

-

Page 398

CHAPTER XVII.

-

Sketch of Manners, Customs, and Character-Quotations from "A Canadian"-Condition of
the Canadians-Attachment to their Birth-place-Sunday-Occupations in Spring-Inde-
pendence as to the Necessaries of Life-Food - Raiment - Habitations-Amusements-
Weddings-Spearing Fish by Torch-light-Comforts of the People-Character-independent,
generous, polite, honest, but litigious-Compared with the American and the French
Character-Population of the Townships-Cause of the Assimilation of their Usages to those
of the Americans—Industrious-Loyal-Easy in Circumstances-How composed-Society in
the Towns-American Visiters-Probable Extension of their Tours hereafter-Easy Circum-
navigation of the best part of North America
. 403

SUPPLEMENT TO CHAPTER I.

Boundaries-Award of the King of the Netherlands-Remarks thereon-Line 45° north

latitude-Extraordinary Reservation of Rouses' Point-Friendly Negotiations may end in the

Adoption of the St. John's River as an Ultimatum

. 419

APPENDIX.

Report of the Commissioners respecting the Boundary, under the 6th Article of the Treaty of

Ghent

. 426

421

General Information for the Guidance of Persons desirous of emigrating to Upper Canada 424

Old and new Division of the Counties in the Province of Lower Canada

425

List of the Members of the Legislative Council of Lower Canada

Statement of the Number of Sessions in each Parliament, from the Commencement of the

Constitution granted to Lower Canada in 1792 up to 1829, with a List of the Members

of the Assembly from that Period

Instructions from His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, the Earl of Dalhousie, to

Lieutenant-Colonel Bouchette, Surveyor-General, relating to the Statistics of the

Province in 1827

430

432

Mr. Secretary Cochrane's Letter on the same Subject, and an Extract of a printed Report

from Lieutenant-Colonel Cockburn to the Right Honourable R. W. Horton, dated 17th

September, 1827

433

Brief and interesting Account of public Events in Canada from the Discovery of America 434

List of the Governors and Administrators of the Government since the Erection of the

Royal Government in 1663

Rates of Pilotage for the River St. Lawrence

447

448

449

Lighthouse on Green Island in the River St. Lawrence-Rates of towage from Quebec

to Montreal

Regulations for the Payment of Pilotage above Bic to Quebec-Rates above the Harbour

of Quebec

Tables of the principal Articles of Import and Export at Quebec and St. John's from the

Year 1824 to 1827 inclusive

Table of Duties payable at the Port of Quebec

Table of free Goods

Table of Prohibitions-Memoranda on the Laws and Orders in Council

An Account of the ordinary Revenues and extraordinary Resources constituting the public

Income of the Province of Lower Canada for the Year ended 10th October, 1826

Public and charitable Institutions of Lower Canada

450

. 451

462

. 466

€ 468

Tabular Statement of the total Quantum of Lands granted in the Province of Lower

Canada, and of the Lands reserved for Crown and Clergy, also the Quantity remaining

vacant, within the surveyed Townships

482

General Statement of the Lands granted in free and common Soccage in the Province of

Lower Canada, and the proportional Reservation for Crown and Clergy, from the 26th

March, 1814

Award, at length, of the King of Holland as the Umpire between Great Britain and the

United States, to the settle Boundary under the 5th Article of the Treaty of Ghent, with

Remarks thereon

489

CORRIGENDA.

Page 11, in note, for 1814, read 1824.

116, third line from the bottom, for perennial, read annual.

117, for Godrich, read Goderich, wherever the name occurs.

277, head-line, for county, read country.

351, column of remarks in the Statistical Statement, for L'Joachim, read St. Joachim. The population of Quebec, six lines lower down, should be 28,000, instead of 38,000.

352, last line of the table, for city, read county.

353, column of remarks, the blank in the second line to be filled with 5,000, as the

population of Three Rivers.

THE

BRITISH DOMINIONS

IN

NORTH AMERICA

TOPOGRAPHICALLY DESCRIBED.

CHAPTER I.

Discovery of America.-Historical Sketch and Boundaries of the British Possessions.

To Christopher Columbus assuredly appertains the honour of the memorable discovery of the New World in 1492; but that the American continent was altogether terra incognita up to the period at which he traversed the Western Ocean, seems not quite so certain, at least as regards the northern countries of Europe.

*

The histories of Denmark, Norway, and Iceland attest the fact, that nearly five centuries before the existence of the great western continent was made known in the south of Europe, through the bold discovery achieved by Columbus, not only the coasts of Greenland, but the northeastern shores of America, had been partially explored by adventurous northern voyagers, who formed a colony in the land of their new discoveries, of which records were preserved down to the beginning of the twelfth century †. What has since become of this ancient settlement, and what was the precise geographical situation of Vinland (for thus the country they settled in was by them called), are things that will most probably remain for ever unknown, although, from the general analogy of description, its locality is supposed to have been the island of Newfoundland, or the southern coast of Labrador.

* Mackenzie's Travels in Iceland, 1810, and authorities there cited.

† Ibid. Б