River du Loup. July.
Since my last chapter, written on the banks of the Saguenay, I have completed my pilgrimage through Lower Canada, but before leaving the province, I will give you the result of my observations respecting some of its people. These are divided into three classes—the descendants of the French colonists, (commonly called “Habitans,”) the British settlers, and the Indian tribes.
The Habitans, of whom I am now to speak, are the most numerous, and so peculiar in their appearance and manners as to attract the particular attention of travellers. The men are usually tall and slender, of sinewy build, and with a dark brown complexion; the girls are black-eyed, and disposed to be beautiful; while the women are always dumpy, but good-looking. Their dress is similar to that of the French peasantry; the men wear the old-fashioned capote on their heads, every variety of fantastic caps and hats, and on their feet a moccassin made of cow-hide; the women wear jackets or mantelets, which are made of bright colours, and on their heads either a cap or a straw hat, made in the gipsey fashion. Occasionally they make an effort to imitate the English in their dress, and at such times invariably appear ridiculous.
As a class, they are devoted principally to agriculture; but as their opportunities for obtaining instruction are exceedingly limited, their knowledge of the art of husbandry is precisely what it was one hundred years ago. They seem to be entirely destitute of enterprise, and tread in the beaten steps of their fathers. They who live in the vicinity of Montreal and Quebec, generally supply those markets with vegetables; but those who reside in the more obscure parts, seem to be quite satisfied if they can only manage to raise enough off of their farms for the purpose of carrying them through the year. They are partial to rye bread, and never consider it in a cooking condition until it has been soured by age; and their standard dish, which they make use of on all occasions, is a plain pea-soup. The consequence is, that the pea is extensively cultivated.
You seldom find a farmer who is so poor as not to be able to sell from five to fifty bushels of wheat, and this article he appropriates to the same uses that most people do their money. Their plough is distinguished for its rudeness, and their farming implements generally would not be creditable even to a barbarous people. If an individual happens to have a stony field, the idea does not enter his head that he might build a fence with those very stones, and the consequence is, that he piles them in one immense heap in the centre of the field, and draws his rails a distance of perhaps two miles. But with all their ignorance of agriculture, the Habitans are sufficiently careful to make their little farms yield them all the necessaries they require, particularly their clothing and shoes, their candles, soap, and sugar.
There are but few professional mechanics among them, and the dwelling of the peasant is almost invariably the production of his own individual labour. Their houses are distinguished for pictorial beauty, always one story high, and generally neatly whitewashed. Their cattle are small, and, owing to their neglect in feeding and protecting them, are exceedingly poor. Their horses are nothing but ponies, but distinguished for their toughness. The Habitans are partial to the luxury of riding, and their common vehicle is a rough two-wheeled cart, and occasionally a calash.
The turn-out which I employed for travelling in the settled parts of Canada was a fair specimen of the class: the cost of the horse (four feet and a half high) was twenty dollars, and the cart (made entirely of wood) was four dollars. My coachman was a Habitan, and, in driving over a hilly road on a certain day, I had a fine opportunity of studying the conflicting traits of character which distinguish the race.
Whenever he wanted his horse to go fast, he pulled the reins with all his might, and continued to utter a succession of horrible yells. He invariably ran his animal up the hills, and deliberately walked him down. When angry at his unoffending beast, he showered upon his head a variety of oaths, which might be translated as follows: “infernal hog!” “black toad!” and “hellish dog!” and yet, when the animal was about to drop to the ground from fatigue and heat, he would caress him, and do every thing in his power to restore the animal and ease his own conscience.
I first employed this man to bring me to this place, and said nothing about continuing my journey. On ascertaining, however, that I was bound further down the St. Lawrence, he volunteered his services, and I employed him, although he had informed his wife that he would positively return on the night of the day he left her. I retained him in my employ for two days, and was particularly struck with the anxiety he manifested concerning the disappointment of his wife. He alluded to the impropriety of his conduct at least a dozen times, and usually added: “But you give me plenty of money, (it was only six dollars for taking me forty miles,) and I will buy something pretty for my wife, which will make her very glad—I guess she won’t be sorry.” I asked him what it was that he intended to purchase, and his answer was, “some riband, a pair of scissors, with some needles, and a calico dress.” Who can deny that it is not pleasant to study the sunshine of the human heart, “by which we live?”
The Habitans profess the Roman Catholic religion with much zeal. Among them I believe may be found many worthy Christians; but they manifest their religious devotion in many peculiar ways. They are fond of social intercourse, and spend a great portion of their time in visiting each other. They reluctantly establish themselves beyond the sound of a chapel bell, and I positively believe that they spend more than half of their time in performing mass and in horse-racing.