The Backwoods of Canada: Being Letters from the Wife of an Emigrant Officer, Illustrative of the Domestic Economy of British AmericaCharles Knight, 1838 - 351 páginas Collection of 18 letters written by Mrs. Catherine Traill describing her journey to Canda in 1832 with her husband Lt. Thomas Traill, a retired offier who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. The Traills decided to emigrate to Canada soon after their marriage in 1832, and they sailed aboard the brig "Laurel" where Mrs. Traill wrote her first letter, dated July 18, 1832. Her letters go on to describe the arduous journey to their new home in Peterborough, Upper Canada, and her new life in the backwoods, living in a log house. She describes the relationships among Canadians, Americans, and Native Americans, flora and fauna and climate of the area, dress, local roads, and other aspects of life in early Canada. The final letter is dated May 1, 1835 in Douro. Her Appendix A includes recipes and notes on maple sugaring, vinegar, salt-rising, soft soap, candles, and pickling. Appendix B provides emigration statistics and advice to those who wish to emigrate to Canada about land companies, land purchases, transfer of capital, and Canadian currency. |
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Términos y frases comunes
acres amused appearance backwoods bank bark barm Bay of Quinte beautiful better birds blossoms blue boiled boughs bread bright bush called Canada Company Canadian canoe cattle cedar chopping cleared Clergy Reserves Cobourg cold colour comfort corn crop dark dear delicate delight distance elegant emigrants eyes farm Father Frost favourable fire flour flowers forest garden give green ground grows husband Indian labour lakes land leaves light log-house logs look lovely Lower Canada miles mocassin flower mocassins molasses Montreal night Otanabee pale persons Peterborough pines plant potatoes pretty purple Quebec red squirrels regret Rice Lake river roads root scarlet season seems seen settlement settlers shore side situation snow soon sort species spring squaw squirrels stumps sugar summer thing timbers tivated town townships trees Upper Canada warm wigwam wild winter woods yellow young
Pasajes populares
Página 34 - In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
Página 274 - Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee : for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried : the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
Página 177 - She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
Página 101 - How small of all that human hearts endure, That part which laws or kings can cause or cure! Still to ourselves in every place consign'd, Our own felicity we make or find : * With secret course, which no loud storms annoy, Glides the smooth current of domestic joy.
Página 5 - Thou'rt gone, the abyss of heaven Hath swallowed up thy form; yet, on my heart Deeply hath sunk the lesson thou hast given, And shall not soon depart. He who, from zone to zone, Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight, In the long way that I must tread alone, Will lead my steps aright.
Página 164 - When ornamented and wrought in patterns with dyed quills, I can assure you they are by no means inelegant. They manufacture vessels of birch-bark so well that they will serve for many useful household purposes, such as holding...
Página 165 - If they have fixed their mind on any one article, they will come to you day after day, refusing any other you may offer to their notice. One of the squaws fell in love with a gay chintz dressing-gown belonging to my husband, and though I resolutely refused to part with it, all the squaws in the wigwam by turns came to " look at gown," which they pronounced with their peculiarly plaintive tone of voice; and when I said "no gown to sell," they uttered a melancholy exclamation of regret, and went away.
Página 2 - The simple truth, founded entirely upon personal knowledge of the facts related, is the basis of the work; to have had recourse to fiction might have rendered it more acceptable to many readers, but would have made it less useful to that class for whom it is intended.
Página 210 - Her hair was of jetty blackness, soft and shining, and neatly folded over her forehead, not hanging loose and disorderly in shaggy masses, as is generally the case with the squaws. Jane was evidently aware of her superior charms, and may be considered as an Indian belle, by the peculiar care she displayed in the arrangement of the black cloth mantle, bound with scarlet, that was gracefully wrapped over one shoulder, and fastened on the left side by a gilt brooch.
Página 261 - ... my face with the most imploring gestures. I was too much amused by their perplexity to help them ; but turning away my head to speak to the child, they darted forward, and in another minute had taken possession of one of the largest of the heads, which they conveyed away, first one carrying it a few yards, then the other, it being too bulky for one alone to carry it far at a time. In short, I was so well amused by watching their manoeuvres, that I suffered them to rob me of all my store. I saw...