The Habitans of Canada.
River du Loup. July.
Since my last chapter, written on the banks of the Saguenay, I have
completed my pilgrimage through Lower Canada, but before leaving the
province, I will give you the result of my observations respecting some
of its people. These are divided into three classes—the descendants of
the French colonists, (commonly called “Habitans,”) the British
settlers, and the Indian tribes.
The Habitans, of whom I am now to speak, are the most numerous, and so
peculiar in their appearance and manners as to attract the particular
attention of travellers. The men are usually tall and slender, of sinewy
build, and with a dark brown complexion; the girls are black-eyed, and
disposed to be beautiful; while the women are always dumpy, but
good-looking. Their dress is similar to that of the French peasantry;
the men wear the old-fashioned _capote_ on their heads, every variety of
fantastic caps and hats, and on their feet a moccassin made of cow-hide;
the women wear jackets or mantelets, which are made of bright colours,
and on their heads either a cap or a straw hat, made in the gipsey
fashion. Occasionally they make an effort to imitate the English in
their dress, and at such times invariably appear ridiculous.
As a class, they are devoted principally to agriculture; but as their
opportunities for obtaining instruction are exceedingly limited, their
knowledge of the art of husbandry is precisely what it was one hundred
years ago. They seem to be entirely destitute of enterprise, and tread
in the beaten steps of their fathers. They who live in the vicinity of
Montreal and Quebec, generally supply those markets with vegetables; but
those who reside in the more obscure parts, seem to be quite satisfied
if they can only manage to raise enough off of their farms for the
purpose of carrying them through the year. They are partial to rye
bread, and never consider it in a cooking condition until it has been
soured by age; and their standard dish, which they make use of on all
occasions, is a plain pea-soup. The consequence is, that the pea is
extensively cultivated.
You seldom find a farmer who is so poor as not to be able to sell from
five to fifty bushels of wheat, and this article he appropriates to the
same uses that most people do their money. Their plough is distinguished
for its rudeness, and their farming implements generally would not be
creditable even to a barbarous people. If an individual happens to have
a stony field, the idea does not enter his head that he might build a
fence with those very stones, and the consequence is, that he piles them
in one immense heap in the centre of the field, and draws his rails a
distance of perhaps two miles. But with all their ignorance of
agriculture, the Habitans are sufficiently careful to make their little
farms yield them all the necessaries they require, particularly their
clothing and shoes, their candles, soap, and sugar.
There are but few professional mechanics among them, and the dwelling of
the peasant is almost invariably the production of his own individual
labour. Their houses are distinguished for pictorial beauty, always one
story high, and generally neatly whitewashed. Their cattle are small,
and, owing to their neglect in feeding and protecting them, are
exceedingly poor. Their horses are nothing but ponies, but distinguished
for their toughness. The Habitans are partial to the luxury of riding,
and their common vehicle is a rough two-wheeled cart, and occasionally a
calash.
The turn-out which I employed for travelling in the settled parts of
Canada was a fair specimen of the class: the cost of the horse (four
feet and a half high) was twenty dollars, and the cart (made entirely of
wood) was four dollars. My coachman was a Habitan, and, in driving over
a hilly road on a certain day, I had a fine opportunity of studying the
conflicting traits of character which distinguish the race.
Whenever he wanted his horse to go fast, he pulled the reins with all
his might, and continued to utter a succession of horrible yells. He
invariably ran his animal up the hills, and deliberately walked him
down. When angry at his unoffending beast, he showered upon his head a
variety of oaths, which might be translated as follows: “infernal hog!”
“black toad!” and “hellish dog!” and yet, when the animal was about to
drop to the ground from fatigue and heat, he would caress him, and do
every thing in his power to restore the animal and ease his own
conscience.
I first employed this man to bring me to this place, and said nothing
about continuing my journey. On ascertaining, however, that I was bound
further down the St. Lawrence, he volunteered his services, and I
employed him, although he had informed his wife that he would positively
return on the night of the day he left her. I retained him in my employ
for two days, and was particularly struck with the anxiety he manifested
concerning the disappointment of his wife. He alluded to the impropriety
of his conduct at least a dozen times, and usually added: “But you give
me plenty of money, (it was only six dollars for taking me forty miles,)
and I will buy something pretty for my wife, which will make her very
glad—I guess she won’t be sorry.” I asked him what it was that he
intended to purchase, and his answer was, “some riband, a pair of
scissors, with some needles, and a calico dress.” Who can deny that it
is not pleasant to study the sunshine of the human heart, “by which we
live?”
The Habitans profess the Roman Catholic religion with much zeal. Among
them I believe may be found many worthy Christians; but they manifest
their religious devotion in many peculiar ways. They are fond of social
intercourse, and spend a great portion of their time in visiting each
other. They reluctantly establish themselves beyond the sound of a
chapel bell, and I positively believe that they spend more than half of
their time in performing mass and in horse-racing.
The Sabbath is their great holiday, and always decidedly the noisiest
day of the week. Their general deportment, however, is inoffensive, and
often highly praiseworthy. They are seldom guilty of committing
atrocious crimes, and do not often engage in personal conflicts, which
are so prevalent in the United States. They treat all men with kindness,
and in their language and manners are remarkably polite. The little
girl, playing with her doll in her father’s door, would think her
conduct highly improper should she omit to drop you a courtesy as you
passed along; and even the rude boy, when playing ball or driving his
team, invariably takes off his hat to salute the traveller.
The Habitans are particularly fond of the river St. Lawrence, and their
settlements extend from Montreal about two hundred miles with the river
on the north shore, and perhaps three hundred and fifty miles on the
southern shore. Their principal roads run parallel with the river, are
about half a mile apart, and generally completely lined with rural
dwellings.
The political opinions of the Habitans are extremely liberal, and not
much in accordance with the spirit of Canadian institutions. They hate
England by nature and the advice of their priesthood, and scruple not to
declare themselves actually in love with what they call the American
Government. They complain that Englishmen treat them as if they were
slaves, while the people of the United States always hail them as
brothers. They are an unlettered race, but believe that their condition
would be much happier were they the subjects of a President instead of a
Queen. That is a matter I consider questionable.