THE BACKWOODS OF CANADA - being Letters from the Wife of an Emigrant Officer

Toronto: Coles Canadiana Collection - Coles Publishing, 1971. Book. Very Good. Soft cover. First Printing - First Thus. 8vo. 351 pp. Trade paperback format. This was originally published in London in 1836 by Charles Knight. Illustrated with engravings. Lightly rubbed on the corners with a small scuff mark on the upper right of the front cover and a flat uncreased spine; previous owner's name inside. Catherine Parr Traill was the sister of Susanna Moodie and Samuel Strickland. The Contents are: Letter One: Departure from Greenock in the Brig Laurel. Letter Two: Arrival off Newfoundland; Gulf of St. Laurence; Difficult Navigation of the River; French Fisherman engaged as a Pilot; Gros Isle; Quarantine Regulations; Arrival off Quebec. Letter Three: Departure from Quebec; Towed by a Steam Vessel; Arrival off Montreal; The Rapids. Letter Four: Landing at Montreal; Ravages of the Cholera; Departure from Montreal in a Stage Coach; Embark at Lachine on board a Steam Vessel; Arrival at Cornwall; Departure from Cornwall and Arrival at Prescott; Arrival at Brockville; Ship-launch there; Voyage through Lake Ontario; Arrival at Cobourg. Letter Five: Journey from Cobourg to Amherst; Difficulties to be encountered on first settling in the Backwoods; Rice Lake; Indian Habits; Voyage up the Otanabee; Journey on foot to Peterborough. Letter Six: Peterborough; Manners and Language of the Americans; Scotch Engineman; Canadian Flowers; Shanties; Process of establishing a Farm. Letter Seven: Canadian Woods; Waggon and Team; Settlement and First Occupations. Letter Eight: Inconveniences of first Settlement; Difficulty of obtaining Provisions and other necessaries; Snow Storm and Hurricane; Indian Summer and setting-in of Winter; Process of Clearing the Land. Letter Nine: Construction of a Log House; Glaziers' and Carpenters' workd; Wild Fruits of the Country; Walks on the Ice. Letter Ten: Variations in the Temperature of the Weather; Electrical Phenomenon; Canadian Winter; Country deficient in Poetical Associations; Sugar Making; Fishing Season; Mode Fishing; Duck Shooting; Family of Indians. Letter Eleven: Emigrants suitable for Canada; Investment of Capital; Useful Articles to be brought out; Deficiency of Patience and Energy in some Females; Management of the Dairy; Cheese; Indian Corn and its Cultivation; Potatoes; Rates of Wages. Letter Twelve: A Logging Bee; Crops for the Season; Farming Stock; Comparative Value of Wheat and Labour; Clearing Land; Hurricane in the Woods; Variable Weather; Insects. Letter Thirteen: Health enjoyed in the rigour of Winter; Sleighing; Indian Orthography; Visit to an Indian Encampment. Letter Fourteen: Utility of Botanical Knowledge; The Fire Weed; Sarsaparilla Plants; Magnificent Water Lily; Rice Beds; Indian Strawberry; Scarlet Columbine; Ferns; Grasses. Letter Fifteen: Progress of Settlement; Canada Land of Hope; Visit to the Family of a Naval Officer; Squirrels; Visit to and Story of an Emigran Clergyman; His early Difficulties; The Temper Disposition and Habits of Emigrants essential Ingredients in Failure or Success. Letter Sixteen: Indian Hunters; Sail a Canoe; Want of Libraries in the Backwoods; Fire Flies. Letter Seventeen: Ague; Illness of the Family; Insect termed a Sawyer; Temporary Church. Letter Eighteen: Busy Spring; Increase of Society and Comfort; Recollections of Home; Aurora Borealis..