A hare and a fox met one day on the vast prairie, and after a long
conversation, they prepared to start upon their several routes. The
hare, pleased with the fox, lamented that they would in all probability
separate for ever. "No, no," replied the fox, "we shall meet again,
never fear." "Where?" inquired his companion. "In the _hatter's shop_,
to be sure," rejoined the fox, tripping lightly away.
_Detroit_.--There are some pleasant people in this town, and the society
is quite equal to that of the eastern cities. From the constant change
and transition which take place in this country, go where you will you
are sure to fall in with a certain portion of intelligent, educated
people. This is not the case in the remoter portions of the Old
Continent, where every thing is settled, and generation succeeds
generation, as in some obscure country town. But in America, where all
is new, and the country has to be peopled from the other parts, there is
a proportion of intelligence and education transplanted with the
inferior classes, either from the Eastern States or from the Old World,
in whatever quarter you may happen to find yourself.
Left my friends at Detroit with regret, and returned to Buffalo. There
is a marked difference between the behaviour of the lower people of the
eastern cities and those whom you fall in with in this town: they are
much less civil in their behaviour here; indeed, they appear to think
rudeness a proof of independence. I went to the theatre, and the
behaviour of the majority of the company just reminded me of the
Portsmouth and Plymouth theatres. I had forgotten that Buffalo was a
fresh-water sea-port town.
Returning to Niagara, I took possession of the roof of the rail-coach,
that I might enjoy the prospect. I had not travelled three miles before
I perceived a strong smell of burning; at last the pocket of my coat,
which was of cotton, burst out into flames, a spark having found its way
into it: fortunately (not being insured) there was no property on the
premises.
When the celebrated Colonel David Crocket first saw a locomotive, with
the train smoking along the rail-road, he exclaimed, as it flew past
him, "Hell in harness, by the 'tarnel!"
I may, in juxtaposition with this, mention an Indian idea. Nothing
surprised the Indians so much at first, as the percussion for guns: they
thought them the _ne plus ultra_ of invention: when, therefore, an
Indian was first shewn a locomotive, he reflected a little while, and
then said, "I see--_percussion_."
There is a beautiful island, dividing the Falls of Niagara, called Goat
Island: they have thrown a bridge across the rapids, so that you can now
go over. A mill has already been erected there, which is a great pity;
it is a contemptible disfigurement of nature's grandest work.
At the head of the island, which is surrounded by the rapids, exactly
where the waters divide to run on each side of it, there is a small
triangular portion of still or slack water. I perceived this, and went
in to bathe. The line of the current on each side of it is plainly
marked, and runs at the speed of nine or ten miles an hour; if you put
your hand or foot a little way outside this line, they are immediately
borne away by its force; if you went into it yourself, nothing could
prevent your going down the falls. As I returned, I observed an ugly
snake in my path, and I killed it. An American, who came up, exclaimed,
"I reckon that's a _copper-head_, stranger! I never knew that they were
in this island." I found out that I had killed a snake quite as
venomous, if not more so, than a rattlesnake.
One never tires with these falls; indeed, it takes a week at least to
find out all their varieties and beauties. There are some sweet spots
on Goat Island, where you can meditate and be alone.
I witnessed, during my short stay here, that indifference to the
destruction of life, so very remarkable in this country. The rail-car
crushed the head of a child of about seven years old, as it was going
into the engine-house; the other children ran to the father, a
blacksmith, who was at work at his forge close by, crying out, "Father,
Billy killed." The man put down his hammer, walked leisurely to where
the boy lay, in a pool of his own blood, took up the body, and returned
with it under his arm to his house. In a short time, the hammer rang
upon the anvil as before.
The game of nine-pins is a favourite game in America, and very superior
to what it is in England. In America, the ground is always covered
properly over, and the balls are rolled upon a wooden floor, as
correctly levelled as a billiard table. The ladies join in the game,
which here becomes an agreeable and not too fatiguing [an] exercise. I
was very fond of frequenting their alleys, not only for the exercise,
but because, among the various ways of estimating character, I had made
up my mind that there was none more likely to be correct, than the
estimate formed by the manner in which people roll the balls, especially
the ladies. There were some very delightful specimens of American
females when I was this time at Niagara. We sauntered about the falls
and wood in the day time, or else played at nine-pins; in the evening we
looked at the moon, spouted verses, and drank mint juleps. But all that
was too pleasant to last long: I felt that I had not come to America to
play at nine-pins; so I tore myself away, and within the next
twenty-four hours found myself at Toronto, in Upper Canada.
Toronto, which is the present capital and seat of government of Upper
Canada, is, from its want of spires and steeples, by no means an
imposing town, as you view it on entering the harbour. The harbour
itself is landlocked, and when deepened will be very good. A great deal
of money has been expended by the English government upon the Canadian
provinces, but not very wisely. The Rideau and Willend canals are
splendid works; they have nothing to compare with them in the United
States; but they are too much in advance of the country, and will be of
but little use for a long period, if the provinces do not go a-head
faster than they do now. One half the money spent in making good roads
through the provinces would have done more good, and would have much
increased the value of property. The proposed rail-road from Hamilton
to Detroit would be of greater importance; and if more money is to be
expended on Upper Canada, it cannot be better disposed of than in this
undertaking.
The minute you put your foot on shore, you feel that you are no longer
in the United States; you are at once struck with the difference between
the English and the American population, systems, and ideas. On the
other side of the Lake you have much more apparent property, but much
less real solidity and security. The houses and stores at Toronto are
not to be compared with those of the American towns opposite. But the
Englishman has built according to his means--the American, according to
his expectations. The hotels and inns at Toronto are very bad; at
Buffalo they are splendid: for the Englishman travels little; the
American is ever on the move. The private houses of Toronto are built,
according to the English taste and desire of exclusiveness, away from
the road, and are embowered in trees; the American, let his house be
ever so large, or his plot of ground however extensive, builds within a
few feet of the road, that he may see and know what is going on. You do
not perceive the bustle, the energy, and activity at Toronto, that you
do at Buffalo, nor the profusion of articles in the stores; but it
should be remembered that the Americans procure their articles upon
credit, whilst at Toronto they proceed more cautiously. The Englishman
builds his house and furnishes his store according to his means and fair
expectations of being able to meet his acceptances. If an American has
money sufficient to build a two-story house, he will raise it up to four
stories on speculation. We must not, on one side, be dazzled with the
effects of the credit system in America, nor yet be too hasty in
condemning it. It certainly is the occasion of much over-speculation;
but if the parties who speculate are ruined, provided the money has been
laid out, as it usually is in America, upon real property--such as
wharfs, houses, etcetera.--a new country becomes a gainer, as the
improvements are made and remain, although they fall into other hands.
And it should be further pointed out, that the Americans are justified
in their speculations from the fact, that property improved rises so
fast in value, that they are soon able to meet all claims and realise a
handsome profit. They speculate on the future; but the future with them
is not distant as it is with us, ten years in America being, as I have
before observed, equal to a century in Europe: they are therefore
warranted in so speculating. The property in Buffalo is now worth one
hundred times what it was when the first speculators commenced; for as
the country and cities become peopled, and the communication becomes
easy, so does the value of every thing increase.
Why, then, does not Toronto vie with Buffalo? Because the Canadas
cannot obtain the credit which is given to the United States, and of
which Buffalo has her portion. America has returns to make to England
in her cotton crops: Canada has nothing; for her timber would be
nothing, if it were not protected. She cannot, therefore, obtain credit
as America does. What, then, do the Canadas require, in order to become
prosperous? Capital!
I must not, however, omit to inform my readers that at Toronto I
received a letter from a "Brother Author," who was polite enough to send
me several specimens of his poetry; stating the remarkable fact, that he
had never written a verse until he was past forty-five years of age; and
that, as to the unfair accusation of his having plagiarised from Byron,
it was not true, for he never had read Byron in his life. Having put
the reader in possession of these facts, I shall now select one of his
printed poems for his gratification:--
From the Regard the Author has for the
LADIES OF TORONTO,
He presents them with the following
ODE.
_To the Ladies of the City of Toronto_.
1.
How famed is our city
For the beauty and talents
Of our ladies, that's pretty
And _chaste_ in their _sentiments_.
2.
The ladies of Toronto
Are fine, noble, and charming,
And are a great memento
To all, most fascinating.
3.
Our ladies are the best kind,
Of all others the most fine;
In their manners and their minds
Most refined and _genuine_.
4.
We are proud of our ladies,
For they are superior
To all other beauties
And others are inferior.
5.
How favoured is our land
To be honoured with the fair,
That is so majestic grand!
And to please them is our care.
6.
Who would not choose them before
All others that's to be found,
And think of others no more?
Their like is not in the world round.
TS TORONTO, 21st Jan. 1837.