seemed an all-engrossing topic of debate, which would often lead to high words, and occasionally continue so long, that chilly night, far in advance, would warn the debaters to retire to their berths. The Canadians, I must say, I found very courteous and intelligent in their explanations to me respecting the agriculture, commerce, and social habits of their country.

VI.-LAKE ONTARIO; ITS CITIES, AND ITS THOUSAND ISLANDS.

And while the vessel swiftly flies
Against the stream, direct his eyes,
To rest on beauties which abound,
The rapid river's banks around.

WE now entered the beautiful, smooth, and glassywatered Lake Ontario, the most easterly and least elevated of the great Canadian Lakes, though still 230 feet above the tide-level of the St. Lawrence. It is about 170 miles long, and near its centre about 70 miles broad; while its depth is so astonishing as somewhat to exceed 80 fathoms, or 490 feet, thirty feet more than the height of the cross of St. Peter's at Rome! The sunsets on this magnificent piece of water I considered extremely beautiful :-the shape of the streaks was most peculiar, and the variously tinted colours, blending one with another, gave the effect of a splendid

transparency. The Lake is constantly traversed by sailing brigs, scows, and schooners, and by large steamers plying between Toronto and Kingston in Canada, and Gennesse, Oswego, and Sackett's harbour in the United States. Its banks are in general level, and mostly covered with wood, though now variegated by increased cultivation. On the Canadian side, in particular, the soil is of remarkable fertility, owing to the rotten stumps and clearings of decayed branches, and dead leaves from the forests, which combine to form a black vegetable mould of profuse richness:-indeed, I saw many crops of wheat growing in such quantities, that the stalks actually impeded each other's growth. I should imagine, therefore, that there would be great scope here for settlers of agricultural habits, as the land, like that in the States of the Far West, requires but little preparation, and the life is much less toilsome than is the case with farmers in other localities.

Apropos of a settler's life, I am reminded of a strange story, illustrative of Yankee indifference. A farmer sent his son for a log to put on the fire; but the boy brought only a mere stick, whereon papa gave him a whipping for his negligence. The young gentleman then went out again for a larger log;-but, lo, and behold, he did not return till twenty-five years afterwards. The choleric old gentlemen, whom we have already seen to be a strong advocate for corporal punishments, was calling to one of his grandsons to bring in a large log for the fire,--when, to the surprise

of all but one, in stalks the missing son, now a middleaged man, who had so unreasonably long absented himself, bearing a huge log in his dexter hand. The old man eyed the new comer askance, quietly examined the log, and after carelessly throwing it on the fire, thus curtly addressed the runaway :— "this ere log 'll do, but ye have been a tarnation long time a-fetching it."

In traversing Lake Ontario, we passed within sight of Brockville, where a monument is erected to the memory of General Brock, and we also steamed through the far-famed THOUSAND ISLANDS, which extend in groups for many miles, furnishing a series of magnificent views, one succeeding the other, and keeping the eye constantly engaged in gazing on the rich variegated verdure and beautiful woodlands with which most of them are covered. The steam-boat companies, moreover, always arrange to pass them by daylight, so that travellers need not fear disappointment. By the way, an anecdote is told, in connexion with these Islands, of a gentleman, who having engaged in the Canadian rebellion, had to hide himself here from the troops sent after him, under the late General Worth; and, during his long concealment, he was regularly supplied with provisions by his heroine daughter Kate, who visited him in her canoe, and has acquired the name of "the Queen of the Thousand Islands."

On arriving at KINGSTON, the former capital of Upper Canada, I had to change steamers, and, as we had to wait here for several hours, I availed myself of

the interval to see the town and fortifications. Kingston is a long, straggling place, covering a considerable area of ground, and has some good streets, lined with stone houses, but the pavements or side-walks are poor, made mostly of planks. The harbour is excellent, having water for large ships to lie close to the shore, and attached to it is a considerable naval dockyard. I also obtained leave to visit Fort Henry, one of the strongholds of Upper Canada, garrisoned by several companies of British troops. The authorities showed us every civility, explaining all very satisfactorily; and as I had an American fellow-traveller with me (this section of my journey), I was glad that the orderly conduct and comfortable homes of the garrison, as well as the good arrangement of the fortifications, gave him a favourable impression of our national military system. The population of Kingston is only about 3,000, less than half of what it had in 1830, a decrease owing to the adoption of Toronto as the seat of government for Upper Canada.

We again embarked on a steamer, proceeding westward, and after traversing about 140 miles, reached the city of TORONTO, which lies on the northern shore, near the western extremity of Lake Ontario. We had very agreeable company on board, including some good singers, and a young lady who performed well on the pianoforte, accompanying the rest, and occasionally giving us specimens of her own vocal powers. Henry Russell's songs seemed most in request, such as “To the West, to the West," "Cheer, Boys, Cheer," "All

H

folks are Gone," and many others. After a voyage of about sixteen hours, we entered the deep, circular bay of Toronto, and again disembarked, to proceed still further westward in another steamer. Toronto is on the whole a handsome town, regularly laid out in spacious streets, lined with houses, now chiefly of stone. The principal public buildings (none of them very remarkable) are the Government, the Parliament, and Court-houses, Bank, Lunatic Asylum, College, Cathedral Church, &c.; and there are about 42,000 inhabitants, of whom it is said 13,000 are Roman Catholics.

VII.-NIAGARA FALLS.

ON leaving Toronto, we made for Lewiston, on the Niagara river, just below the Falls, which town we reached in a few hours, and there found coaches awaiting our arrival to convey us to the railway depôt, from which a short trip by rail brought us within sound of the cataract, while we could ever and anon see the spray rising like a white mist into the atmosphere.

As respects the Falls, so many have written, and so eloquently on this wonder of nature, that I almost despair at any attempt at description; yet, as no two writers have described them precisely alike, I shall humbly endeavour to record my impressions on viewing this stupendous spectacle. On first looking at Niagara