The severity of winter in this country is attended with various advantages, especially to the inhabitants of the towns. Ai the lakes and rivers are then frozen, the con veyai ee of many articles is thus greatly facilitated ; and as tic: people in the country have no other occupation, to which tl ey can apply, they employ themselves in carry ing to tow n all kinds of provisions. The markets are thus supplied from a great extent of country ; fish, for in stance, is brought from the United States from a distance of 420 miles : and every article of subsistence is both more plentiful and also much cheaper than during sum mer. By the aid of winter, also, all kinds of animal food are preserved for the use of the colony, without much trouble or expellee. As soon as the frost has become sufficiently intense, the cattle, sheep, poultry, &c. before they have lost any of the flesh and fat, which they have acquired by summer feeding, are killed, and exposed for a short time to the frost, upon which they become as hard as ice, and, after being packed in casks with snow, will continue, without any other preparation, perfectly sound and good for the space of four or five months. When meat, in this state, is about to be used, it is thawed in cold water ; and would be rendered putrid in an instant, by any warm application. In this way, considerable quantities of fresh fish, especially of what the Canadians call petite morue, and the English tommy cod, are pre served for the market. They are caught by the country people, during the stagnation of their usual work, by nets or lines, let down through openings made in the ice. Sometimes huts of boards, or even of ice, are constructed over these openings, with a stove within to keep the fish ers warm ; a strong light is then placed near the mouth of the opening, by which the fish are attracted to the sur face, and are taken as fast as they can be pulled out of the water. They are quickly frozen by a few minutes ex posure to the air ; are thus sufficiently preserved with out any salting or drying ; and, upon being thawed in cold water, are found to be thoroughly fresh and whole some. Fuel, however, is both a scarce and expensive article in Canada, and counterbalances the abundance and cheapness of provisions in the winter season. Firewood is generally provided during the summer, and is brought to Quebec and Montreal in immense rafts upon the river St Lawrence ; in winter, it is frequently carried on sledges. In proportion as the grounds are cleared, the distance of carriage is increased, and the price, of conse quence, augmented. No coal has yet been discovered in the country, though it is supposed to exist in the neigh bourhood of Quebec ; but it abounds in Cape Breton, from which it would be easy for Canada to be supplied. Indeed there is plenty of English coal at Quebec, even at a cheaper rate than in London, which is frequently brought out as ballast in British vessels; but is in no great demand in Canada, because the natives dislike its smell, and prefer wood for their stoves, as long as it can possibly be procured.
During the severity of a Canadian winter, especially when a sharp wind prevails, instances frequently occur of those parts of the body which are most exposed to the air being frost-bitten ; when a mortification immediately ensues, unless a remedy be instantly applied, by rub bing the affected place with snow. The hazard arises chiefly from this circumstance, that the feelings of the sufferer do not acquaint him with his own calamity ; and that the effect is known only by the appearance of the in jured spot, which acquires a white colour, while the sue romiding parts continue red. In the event of such a spot
being pert eivcd, humanity dispenses with ceremony ; and no one hesitates to apply a handful of snow to the cheek or nose of a perfect stranger, whom the frost has attack ed. Sentinels, and persons who travel during- night, are most apt to suffer serious injuries from this oc currence.
To guard against the intensity of the wintry atmos.
phere, the Canadians keep their houses extremely warm by means of stoves, generally at the heat of 73 degrees ; and when they go out of doors, they thus not only carry out much warmth along with them, but so cover them selves with clothing, as to restrain the escape of the heat, and prevent the influence of the cold front being soon ft It.
In order to preserve the stones of the houses from the accumulation of moisture in their fissures, anti from the injurious effects which would be produced by the ex pansion of the watery particles in time of frost, the walls are well plastered on the outside ; and that the plaster may better withstand the severity of the weather, two pounds of Muscovado sugar are frequently mixed with each bushel of lime, which renders the casting much more durable.
When the snow begins to disappear, and the lakes and rivers to break up, the ice, which is floated down the St Lawrence, is carried up and down by the title, till it accu mulates in immense quantities, and frequently chokes up the channel from bank to bank for the space of twelve or fifteen miles. Many of the individual masses, which compose this collected heap, are 400 or 500 yards in di ameter ; and these, dashing against each other by the tide or stream, breaking up into a multitude of smaller pieces, shelvinp; up in a thousand forms and directions, present a spectacle of extraordinary sublimity, and of perpetual variety.
A great proportion of the people, especially those in towns, arc destitute of employment during the six months of winter ; but their wages during summer are seldom less than four, five, or even six shillings a day. Hence they dress as well, and live as comfortably, as the lower classes in any other country: but their long idleness during the winter season seems to generate an indolent habit ; and they do not perform so much work, even when they are employed, as those who arc regularly- en gaged in labour throughout the whole year. In the coun try they sometimes employ themselves in cutting and carrying home firewood, or in any kind of work that may help to keep them warm, and occasionally in making a journey to the nearest towns for the purpose of selling their surplus provisions, or of purchasing sonic little comforts to themselves, such as snuff, tobacco, spirits, Stc. In towns, the whole six months of winter may be said to be devoted to amusements, of which the most prevalent is dancing; and, besides the regular assemblies for this purpose, they have occasional country parties, which may be considered as a kind of picnic feasts. The company ride out in the forenoon in their cariolcs, to some proper place, at a little distance from town, every one carrying a dish ready dressed ; and after having dined, danced, and supped, they return home at midnight amidst the wind and snow ; or, should the storm be unusually boisterous, contentedly remain where they arc, and con tinue the dance till day-light appears, to guide them through the drifting blast.