They were now busied with making hay, and getting it in, and I was told, they had begun about a week ago. They have hay-stacks near most of their meadows, and on the wet ones, they make use of conic hay-stacks. Their meadows are commonly without enclosures, the cattle being in the pastures on the other side of the woods, and having cowherds to take care of them where they are necessary.
The corn-fields are pretty large. I saw no drains any where, though they seemed to be wanting in some places. They are divided into ridges, of the breadth of two [[158]]or three yards broad, between the furrows. The perpendicular height of the middle of the ridge, from the level to the ground, is near one foot. All their corn is summer-corn; for as the cold in winter destroys the corn which lies in the ground, they never sow in autumn. I found white wheat most commonly in the fields. They have likewise large fields with pease, oats, in some places summer-rye, and now and then barley. Near almost every farm I met with cabbages, pumpions, and melons. The fields are not always sown, but ly fallow every two years. The fallow-fields are not ploughed in summer, so the weeds grow without restraint in them, and the cattle are allowed to go on them all summer[53].
The houses in the country are built promiscuously of stone, or wood. To those of stone they do not employ bricks, as there is not yet any considerable quantity of bricks made here. They therefore take what stones they can find in the neighbourhood, especially the black lime-slates. These are quite compact when [[159]]broke, but shiver when exposed to the air; however, this is of little consequence, as the stones stick fast in the wall, and do not fall asunder. For want of it, they sometimes make their buildings of lime-stone, or sand-stone, and sometimes of grey rock-stone. The walls of such houses are commonly two foot thick, and seldom thinner. The people here can have lime every where in this neighbourhood. The greater part of the houses in the country, are built of wood, and sometimes plaistered over on the outside. The chinks in the walls are filled with clay, instead of moss. The houses are seldom above one story high. In every room is either a chimney or stove, or both together. The stoves have the form of an oblong square; some are entirely of iron, about two feet and a half long, one foot and a half, or two feet, high, and near a foot and a half broad; these iron stoves are all cast at the iron-works at Trois Rivieres. Some are made of bricks, or stones, not much larger than the iron stoves, but covered at top with an iron plate. The smoke from the stoves is conveyed up the chimney, by an iron pipe. In summer the stoves are removed. [[160]]
This evening we arrived at Lorette, where we lodged with the Jesuits.
August the 13th. In the morning we continued our journey through the woods to the high mountains, in order to see what scarce plants and curiosities we could get there. The ground was flat at first, and covered with a thick wood all round, except in marshy places. Near half the plants, which are to be met with here, grow in the woods and morasses of Sweden.
We saw wild Cherry-trees here, of two kinds, which are probably mere varieties, though they differ in several respects. Both are pretty common in Canada, and both have red berries. One kind, which is called Cerisier by the French, tastes like our Alpine cherries, and their acid contracts the mouth, and cheeks. The berries of the other sort have an agreeable sourness, and a pleasant taste[54].
The three-leaved Hellebore[55] grows in great plenty in the woods, and in many places it covers the ground by itself. However, it commonly chooses mossy places, [[161]]that are not very wet; and the wood-sorrel[56], with the Mountain Enchanter’s Nightshade[57], are its companions. Its seeds were not yet ripe, and most of the stalks had no seeds at all. This plant is called Tissavoyanne jaune by the French, all over Canada. Its leaves and stalks are used by the Indians, for giving a fine yellow colour to several kinds of work, which they make of prepared skins. The French, who have learnt this from them, dye wool and other things yellow with this plant.
We climbed with a great deal of difficulty to the top of one of the highest mountains here, and I was vexed to find nothing at its summit, but what I had seen in other parts of Canada before. We had not even the pleasure of a prospect, because the trees, with which the mountain is covered, obstructed it. The trees that grow here are a kind of hornbeam, or Carpinus Ostrya, Linn. the American elm, the red maple, the sugar-maple, that kind of maple which cures scorched wounds (which I have not yet described), the beech, the common birch-tree, the sugar-birch[58], the sorb-tree, the Canada [[162]]pine, called Perusse, the mealy-tree with dentated leaves[59], the ash, the cherry-tree, (Cerisier) just before described, and the berry-bearing yew.
The Gnats in this wood were more numerous than we could have wished. Their bite caused a blistering of the skin; and the Jesuits at Lorette said, the best preservative against their attacks is to rub the face, and naked parts of the body, with grease. Cold water they reckon the best remedy against the bite, when the wounded places are washed with it, immediately after.
At night we returned to Lorette, having accurately examined the plants of note we met with to-day.