She disclaims all over-modesty, but says that such has been the progress of knowledge within the last ten years, and so greatly has it become diffused through all classes, and particularly amongst females, that she feels that almost everybody knows as much as she does; besides, she added, “I have lived so completely out of the world of late, that I have really much more to learn than to teach.”
She speaks of you, dear mamma, as of an old and valued friend; and I think she will be kind to me for your sake.
4th.—Miss Perceval has been so much interested by a letter which my aunt received yesterday from her friend in Upper Canada, that she petitioned for some of her former letters; and my aunt has permitted me also to see them, and to make some extracts for you, dear mamma.
During their progress in open boats up the St. Lawrence, Mrs. * * * soon began to feel the hardships of a Canada life; she and her family generally preferred sleeping on fresh hay, the beds at the inns were so full of vermin. Sometimes they even slept on the ground, sheltered from the night air only by an awning;—and more than once in their open boat under a heavy dew. She speaks of the farmers with great gratitude; whenever she stopped at their houses she was received with the kindest hospitality, and her children plentifully supplied with milk and good bread. Throughout her journal, which I wish you could read, and in all her letters, there is the most amiable disposition to make the best of everything, and to enjoy whatever little comfort she could find in her situation, without looking back on her former very different life. In October they settled at the town of Cobourg, near Lake Ontario, as a temporary residence while a house was building for them on the land they had obtained. She describes her house thus:—
“Cobourg, Oct 30.
“There are three rooms on the ground floor, and four above, but they are so small they are like little closets; we contrive, however, to squeeze into them, and though we shall be here two months, we can easily reconcile ourselves to these little inconveniences.
“There is a nice grassy place in front of the house, it is paled in, and the children can play in it with safety: that is one great comfort. We found some boards in the barn, and Mr. * * *, whose old tastes as an amateur mechanic are now very useful, has made temporary shelves and tables of them. We have at present neither table, chair, nor bedstead, the carriage of these articles was too expensive for us; but we have screws and all things ready, to make them when we are settled in our loghouse, for which I long as ardently as if it was a palace.
“Our bed-rooms have no doors, but we hang up blankets, which answer the purpose. Fortunately we have plenty of these, and the air is so dry that we do not suffer from the cold, though the nights are frosty, and not a fire-place in the house, except that in the kitchen. The frost has given the woods a grey look, instead of the beautiful orange autumnal tints they had before.
“Four years ago there were but two houses here; now it is a nice thriving town, with a neat church, a large school-house, and some very good shops, or stores, as they are called; and the houses are in general very neat.
“We have been visited by several respectable families. There is a gentleman here who was for twenty-five years engaged in the North-west, or fur trade, and during that time he never once returned to his family. He had left home at the age of thirteen, and underwent all kinds of adventures and hardships.—One winter, when their provisions fell short, he and his companions were obliged to eat their leather aprons, and even the leather of their shoes!”