These libraries, with nearly a dozen weekly newspapers, some of them printed in French and others in English, afford the lovers of literature an 'opportunity of spending their leisure hours with pleasure and profit. Two large market-houses with suitable outbuildings, erected in different parts of the city, are a rendezvous for meat, eggs, butter, fish, and other articles of general consumption, of which the inhabitants can there obtain an abundant supply. Montreal, when regarded in a commercial light, may be said to be the capital of the Canadas; but, if viewed with respect to its political character, it must be deemed much inferior to Quebec. Its defenceless and exposed situation renders it, in time of war, a place of little, if any, importance to the British interest in Canada: And that it remained in our possession during the late war, was, in my opinion, a strong proof of the pusillanimity of the enemy. The citizens of Montreal would perhaps say, that it was a stronger evidence of their own bravery, which has been thus tacitly recognized even by their republican neighbours; but as the annals of their country have not yet recorded their heroic deeds, I must beg leave to differ from them; which, I think, may be done, without casting any stigma on their fame, either for loyalty or heroism. Taking the inhabitants of Montreal to be 16,000, which is not, I think, far from correct, nearly. 10,000 will be found to be of French descent, all of whom profess the Roman Catholic religion; 2,000 Scotch, who are chiefly Presbyterians; 1,500. English, the majority of whom are members of ' the Established Church; 1,000 Irish, one half of whom are Protestants, and the other half Catholics; and about 1,500 Americans, whose religion is politics, and their God a golden eagle.+ There are no less than seven steam-boats, which constantly ply on the St. Lawrence between Quebec and Montreal, five of which are nearly as large as a forty-gun frigate. They are fitted up in a very elegant manner, for the accommodation of passengers. On each side of their cabins, some of which are large enough to accommodate a Hundred persons, there are two rows of births, one above the other. These births are supplied with excellent bedding and running curtains. Separate from the gentlemen's cabin, is one in each boat for ladies; in which, however, they only sleep, for they take breakfast, dinner, and tea, in the common room with the gentlemen. Every possible attention is paid to passengers on board of these boats. Servants of every description are always in waiting; and tables are daily laid out, exhibiting all the delicacies of the season, and every luxury which this fruitful country affords. In a word, their accommodations of every kind are not at all inferior to those which are + An American coin, value 10 dollars. to be met with in the most respectable hotels in Europe. The charge to a cabin-passenger, from Quebec to Montreal, is three pounds; and from Montreal to Quebec, two pounds ten shillings, including all necessaries and attendance. These vessels generally accomplish a trip from Montreal to Quebec in about twenty-two hours, and return in thirty-six,-a circumstance which accounts for the difference in the charges. The steerage-passengers provide themselves with victuals, and pay only ten shillings each for conveyance. But the steam vessels are also now profitably employed to an amazing extent in the conveyance of heavy goods and merchandize. The difficulties occurring in the navigation of the river between Quebec and Montreal, prevent vessels of more than 250 tons burden, from making the voyage either with ease, quickness, or certainty. The only impulse which they can use, in encountering a strong current upwards, is the wind; and when it is not quite adverse to their course, in many parts of the wide stream large ships have room for tacking; but, in many other parts, the dangerous shallows and rapids hinder them from taking such an advantage of the varying points of the compass. Their progress, therefore, up to Montreal is necessarily slow, and liable to numerous interruptions. To avoid these inconveniences, it is now become a prevailing practice among merchantmen, to unload at Quebec that part of their cargoes which is destined for Montreal, and to engage a steam-boat, at a reasonable rate, to convey it to the latter city. The wharfs of Montreal, if such they may be called, are in a most wretched condition. Vessels cannot load or unload without great difficulty and excessive labour; and, to render a walk on the quays as uninviting as is consistent with commercial enterprize, the scavengers are permitted to deposit the whole filth of the city in their immediate vicinity. LETTER V. EMBARKATION AT LA CHINE FOR PRESCOTT RAPIDITY OF THE ST. LAWRENCE VESSELS USED IN NAVIGATING IT LAKE ST. LOUIS-CASCADES THE CEDARS-EXERTIONS OF THE BOATMEN CONDUCT OF AN AMERICAN FARMER BOATS -DURHAM FORT FREDERICK LAKE ONTARIO LINE OF THE PROVINCE -PRESCOTT- OGDENSBURGH-BROCK- AFTER remaining remaining a few days in Montreal, I returned to Quebec, in order to solicit his Excellency the Governor for boats to convey the settlers to Upper Canada. Lord Bathurst's letter to my father induced us to believe, that Government would provide us with a passage to the land upon which we were to be located. But, on our arrival at Montreal, we found, that no means had been provided for our further conveyance, and that we had to perform a journey of more than 500 miles at our own expence. There were at this time in La Chine, a village about nine miles from Montreal, more than fifty boats belonging to the Government. The object of my second visit to Quebec, was to procure these boats from the |