as a warrior, commanding at once the atten- Amherstburg. We will begin our next chapter tion and admiration of his enemies." with the account of this embarkation to be found in General Proctor's letters to Sir G. Prevost. "The survivors of this melancholy catastrophe were immediately conveyed on board the gun boats moored in the river; and every precaution having been taken to prevent a renewal of the scene, the escorting party proceeded to the interment of the victims, to whom the rites of sepulture were afforded even before those of our own men who had fallen in the action. Colonel Dudley, second in command of General Clay's division, was among the number of the slain." Col. Proctor's embarkation return of the force, of all ranks and services, including Commissariat officers, &c., on this expedition, gives five hundred and twenty two regulars and four hundred aud sixty-one militia. His loss of killed, wounded and missing was esti mated at one hundred and one. THOUGHTS ON TACT. Tact is the essence of worldly experience drawn out by sharp discrimination and rapidly exercised judgment. It is a high polish produced on the surface of a man's character by glibbest of tongues, the sharpest of eyes, the quickest of compreliensions. It is never con founded, never at a stand still, never idle. It acts while others think, performs while others plan, has finished before others begin. It is always prepared for emergencies, and is never daunted by difficulties. For this reason, it puts off creditors with an air that pleases them near constant friction with the world. It has the Every one must deplore this transaction, and regret that proper measures had not been adopted to insure protection to the captives; most unhappily, too, it afforded an opportunity to American writers to indu'ge still more freely in the strain of bitter invective already so common, and they were now enabled to color with some shadow of truth, the numerous appeals made against the British for acting in concert with the Indians. We do not pretend to palliate this inhuman massacre; but still, itly as well as payment, and breaks promises so must be borne in mind that the Indians far outnumbered their allies, and that they were smarting under the sense of a long series of injuries inflicted on them by the Americans. They had never experienced mercy at the hand of their enemies, the lesson of moderation and mercy had never been taught them, and at this precise time, a reward had been offered by American officials for every Indian scalp. In place of so unjustly condemning the British as participators and instigators in such cruel scenes, Americans should have asked, have we not had meted to us the cup of tribulation and misery so unsparingly measured out by ourselves to our red brethren. General Proctor de After the action General Proctor ascertained the impossibility of reserted by the Indians straining the Indians and part of the Militia. from pursuing their established custom of returning home to secure the booty they had acquired. A great part of the militia also represented the absolute necessity that existed for them to return to their homes so as to take advantage of the short Canadian season for preparing their crops. General Proctor, therefore, found himself compelled to embark his guns and stores, raise the siege of Fort Meigs, and return to gracefully that they are almost as much honoured in the breach as in the observance. It is the readiest of ready-reckoners, for its mistakes are so cleverly glossed over that they are seldom detected; its errors are made to appear like correctness-its lies seem truer than truth. Tact does everything promptly, and nothing out of place. It seizes the exact minute when to pay visits and when to take leave; when to condole; when to congratulate, when to laugh; when to weep; when to jest, and when to moralize; when to be angry, when to be cool. The jest-books relate that Tact and Truth once ap eared on the stage as rivals. Tact was a char latan, who imitated the squeaking of a pig so admirably that hundreds of auditors were wont to applaud him. Truth, in the humble guise of a rustic, afterwards came forward and produced a similar noise, but was hissed and peldrew forth from under his vest a live young ted. Before leaving the stage, the countryman pig, from whose throat had issued the real sounds which the critics had so violently pronounced a bad imitation. CITIES OF CANADA. MONTREAL. Is this number we present to the notice of our readers the city of Montreal, which was founded in 1642, on the site of an Indian Village called Hochelaga, by M. de Maisonneuve; and for many years was known as the Ville Marie having been consecrated to the Virgin, as its patroness and protectress. While yet the beautiful slope whereon the numerous and elegant buildings now stand, was covered with dense primeval forest, and partially with congregated huts of the aboriginal owners of the soil, the famous adventurer Jacques Cartier, in 1535, landed at this place, and wishing to obtain a more favourable view of the country than the intercepting woods would permit, determined upon ascending with his comrades the picturesque mountain at its rear. The summit being gained, the sublimity, grandeur, and beauty of the prospect before him, so charmed his imagination, that he gave to that part of the mountain which afforded him this pleasure, the name of Mont Royal, in honor of his master the King of France. Montreal is situated on an Island of the same name bounded on either side by the rivers St. Lawrence and Ottawa, the former being the one which flows in front of the city. The soil of the Island is of the most fertile character, producing vegetables and fruits of every description. We may particularize the apples which, we believe are unrivalled in flavour and variety by those of any other locality in the Province. the houses now in course of erection, replacing those that were destroyed, are all built of stone or brick with fire-proof covering. the progress of the city, let us dwell for a moment But turning from these sad interruptions to on its mercantile relations and the advantages, as to situation, in a mercantile point of view, it enjoys. Montreal has had to contend with many difficulties. The greatest, perhaps, was its inaccessibility from the sea-board and Western Canada, though now these have in a great degree been obviated by the dredging of Lake St. Peter, and the formation of the St. Lawrence canals. Another obstacle to its advancement is the length of the winter season, during which period the river is obstructed with ice; this art can only remedy by the formation of Rail-ways; and to the credit of the inhabitants of this city, be it said that they have not been backward in promoting works of this character. Already are they in connection with Portland, Boston and New York, on the coast; and with Western Canada, though not immediately, by means of the American Railways running West. Soon, and very soon we expeet to see a Canadian road, connecting this first of Canadian Cities with all its sister cities and the larger and more important towns and villages. Another matter which is of great interest to the citizens af Montreal is its union with the South shore of the St. Lawrence by a bridge. This is a work that has yet to be constructed, and one of paramount importance to the city of which we treat. Some pretend to say that if this project be not carried out, a city rivalling Montreal in greatness and wealth will spring up on the op From its yearly increasing population and har-posite shore. bour revenues, as well as the many public buildings That this might be the case we will not deny, and princely mansions which it displays, we must but that it should ever so happen, we can hardly cor.clude that Montreal has not neglected the imagine; for the Montrealers are too shrewd and many natural advantages it possesses. However, energetic a class, ever to permit this event. it has not escaped the calamitous vicissitudes However, Montreal alone will not benefit by this incident to all rapidly rising cities where the over-work; indirectly the two Canadas will profit population induces a temporary or hasty construc- thereby, for it will form a continuous outlet at all tion of houses, of cheap material, viz. wood, suited times and seasons for her exports, as well as a to the limited wants of laborers and mechanics. means of obtaining her imports. The consequence of a vast aggregate of such inflammable piles, has been repeated occurrences of devastating fires, which have included in their sweep numerous costly edifices. A succession of these events so ruinous in their results and threatening the utter anihilation of the town, led to the formation of a prohibitory law, by the Municipal authorities, against the future erection of wooden buildings. And since last year, when the most appalling scene of fire which the inhabitants of hat city were ever made to witness, happened, VOL. III.-ott In the summer season the port of Montreal is crowded with shipping, from nearly all parts of the world, which are accommodated at magnificent quays stretching from the Montreal basin of the Lachine canal to the Bonsecour Market, a distance of about two miles. These quays or wharves are of cut-stone, filled in with earth and macadamized, forming, perhaps, the finest range of piers on the Continent. The most striking object on approaching this city is the Cathedral of Notre Dame, the largest church we believe in America. The following pital on Dorcester street. This hospital is a large, short account is copied from a Montreal Guide- handsome, and carefully conducted institution, rebook:-"The corner-stone of this magnificent flecting great credit on the management and is a edifice, which is built in the perpendicular gothic means of conferring vast benefits on the poor. style of the middle ages, was laid on the 3d. St. Patrick's Hospital is a new building, formerSeptember, 1824, and it was opened for publicly the Baptist College, and is at present managed worship in July, 1829. The length of the church is 255 feet 6 inches, and its breadth 134 feet 6 inches. The height of the principal towers is 220 feet, and of the others 115 feet each, and the great window at the high altar is 64 feet in height, by 32 in breadth. The total number of pews is 1244, capable of seating between six and seven thousand persons. In the North-east tower is a fine chime of bells, and in the North-west tower is placed the largest bell in America, being one cast expressly for this church, which weighs 29,400 lbs. Opposite to Notre Dame and separated from it by a neatly ornamented square (the Place D'Armes) is the Montreal Bank, an elegant cut-stone building of the Corinthian order. To the East and adjoining stands the City Bank, the architecture of which is in the Grecian style. On reference to our plate the reader will perceive in that building which partly conceals Notre Dame from his view St. Patrick's Church; a large and imposing Gothic structure, capable of seating comfortably about 5000 persons. To the left of Notre Name is seen the spire of Christ's Church Cathedral, a plain cut-stone building of the Doric order. This church contains an exquisitely toned organ, acknowledged by judges to be the best on the Continent. Still further to the left and slightly on the fore-ground is that of the Presbyterian Free Church, a neat and well finished edifice. Again on the left is the Dome of the Bonsecour Market, situated on St. Paul and Water streets. This building, though not highly ornamented, is still a magnificent pile in the Grecian Doric order of architecture. Herein are the Municipal Council Rooms, Chief Police Station, &c., there is also a fine public hall in the East wing which is used occasionally for lectures, assemblies, and concerts. In addition to these, there are many buildings not clearly or easily made out in our plate which presents a view of Montreal from the Mountain. McGill College is not included in the scope of our picture, but is beautifully situated to the West of Sherbrooke street near the base of the Mountain. This College owes its origin to the late Honorable James McGill, who bequeathed ten thousand pounds and the Burnside estate for its endowment. It has the power of conferring degrees and attached to it is the Montreal General Hos by the nuns of the Hotel Dieu. These benevolent ladies also extend their services to the Hotel Dieu Hospital, situated in St. Joseph street. The cleanliness and comfort enjoyed by the inmates of these charitable establishments strike every visitor with admiration. The principal Wesleyan Church is in Great St. James street. It is styled "one of the greatest ornaments of the City," and is in the Florid Gothic Style of the 14th century. The arrange ment within has been made with jungment, ornate though plain, and has served somewhat as a model for that of Richmond Street Chapel in this city. There are places of worship for the various denominations in the city-among the finest of which is St. Andrew's, Presbyterian church. The principal charitable societies of the City are the Nunneries, the Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum, the Protestant and Roman Catholic Magdelen Asylums, the Ladies' Benevolent Society, the Asylum for Aged and Infirm Women, besides several minor hospitals, infirmaries and dispensaries for the sick and destitute. The Nunneries are three in number, first in point of age, the Hotel Dieu Nunnery, founded in 1644 for the reception of the suffering poor; second, the Black Nunnery, or the Congregation de Notre Dame Nunnery, founded in 1659 and devoted to the care and education of young ladies; and third, the Grey Nunnery for Foundlings and Lunatics. The squares and promenades of the City must be briefly noticed. The Champ de Mars is the favorite resort of the citizens and strangers of a summer evening, when the bands of the different regiments stationed in the garrison perform for the amusement of the public. The Place D' Armes we have already mentioned, but it may be as well to add that a fountain has been lately placed in this square. Jacques Cartier square, opposite the new Court House, now in the course of being built, extends from Notre Dame Street to the river, and in it stands the Nelson Monument. Dalhousie square is small and might be improved were it planted in trees. Richmond, Phillip's, Beaver Hall, and Jacques Cartier, are the remaining public squares which adorn the City. Lying out in the stream nearly opposite the Bonsecour Market is St. Helen's Island, used as a depositary for military and ammunitions stores, and as a defence to the City. In the distance curtaining the horizon are the Mountains of Belleisle and Chambly. What mars in a great degree the beauty of the City is the narrowness of the majority of its streets; a fault we are glad to see remedied in the newer portions of the town. St. Paul's Little St. James', and several others, are so narrow that careful driving is necessary to avoid collision, when only two vehicles pass each other; added to this, the pedestrian in passing through these streets, should the weather unfortunately be wet, is sure to be plentifully bespattered with mud. However, McGill, Great St. James, and Craig streets, with many more in the outskirts of the town are wide and airy, and only require a proper material for paving, which we understand is easily obtained near Montreal, to obviate the horrid nuisance of dust which thickens the heated atmosphere of these streets whenever an otherwise refreshing breeze cools the summer air. 248 well supplied with spacious and comfortable hotels. We forbear instancing any of these lest we appear invidious. from a Journal written in 1535 of a visit of In concluding this notice we give an extract Jacques Cartier and companions to Montreal. Our only authority for the correctness of our extract is that of an old Canadian Newspaper. with a palisade of three ranges of wood, in the "The said town is quite round, and enclosed form of a pyramid, the middle one as a perpendicular tie,-then tiers of wood laid lengthwise, well joined and bedded, after their fashion, and of the height of about two spears' length-and there is only one gate of entrance, which is fastened with bars, and over above which, and in many places of the said palisade, there are kinds of galleries with ladders ascending to them, which of the same. are stored with rocks, and stones for the defence the men with their wives and children. And in the same manner they have garrets in the upper parts of their houses, where they put their grain, of which they make bread, which they call "Caraconi." The Island of Montreal affords many points of attraction to the visitor. During winter, the gayest season of the year with Lower Canadians, about fifty paces in length each, and from twelve "There are in this town about fifty houses, of Montreal and its vicinity, present an aspect so to fifteen paces in width, all made of wood, covcompletely changed from what it was in the sea- eredand garnished with great skins of the bark son of July or August, that the tourist in seeing of the said wood, as large as tables, well sewed it at these two different periods would scarcely be together, artificially, according to their mode; able to recognize the identity of the place. In and within the same there are several areas and summer, the almost tropical luxuriance of vege- chambers. In the middle of these houses there tation, and the beautiful far-stretched scenery, is a great hall, where they make their fire and live viewed from the elevated situations in the neigh-in common, and then retire into their chamber, bourhood of the Montreal Mountains, delight the immagination of the poet or the refined traveller. The Arctic Winter, when the sombre remnants of the past summer lie hid beneath the dazzling mantle of accumulated snows, the eye is no longer delighted with the varying hues of its recent landscape, but has in exchange the sight of the ground and fishing, for they set no value on "The said people live altogether by cultivating jovial and exhilarated competitors of carriole the goods of this world, because they have no races, and snow-shoe pedestrians. It is now the knowledge of them, and they don't stir out of hard working farmer can relax the labors of the theirown country-not being wanderers like those previous season and enjoy his comfortably robed of Canada (the district of Quebec) and Saguenay sleigh with his family visiting his friends, hither-notwithstanding that the Canadians are their to separated from him by the necessities of his avocation; and the laborer of the town, too, may after his day's hard work get a lift from some good natured driver who may happen to be alone in his vehicle. Again, in moon-lit evenings when the crystal flakes of the pure snow glitter beneath the rays of the pale moon-beam, and seem as if they were multiplied reflections of the starry orbs which surround her own sphere-civilians, military, married and unmarried, each attended by some fair friend, spend the greater part of the night sliding down a hill in a species of sleigh called by the Indians Toboggan. For the accomodation of strangers, Montreal is subjects as well as eight or nine other nations "Thus endeth the chapter." WALES. yard, the resting-place of the celebrated Lady Some only breakfast, and away; THE CHRONICLES OF DREEPDAILY. No. XV. SETTING FORTH THE UPSHOT OF THE INCOMPRE- nor jewels, nor bonds, nor bank notes, but a par cel of auld books! They presented an appearance so mouldy, and smoke dried, and worm eaten, that any tobaconist, in the full enjoyment of his seven senses, would have turned up his nose at the lot, if the same had boen tendered to him at a farthing per pound for snuff paper! THE last will and testament of the defunct Mungo McMurrich had been read with becoming solemnity, by that legal luminary of Peterhead, Quirk At that crushing and most horrible moment I McQuibble, and, as fully anticipated, I had there- felt as if death itself would have been a crowning by beer proclaimed the universal heir and assignee blessing. The blood left my scunnering heart, of my revered grand-uncle. The sulky synod of and a hideous buzzing sound rushed about my disappointed cousins and nephews had broken up, ears, like the noise of the falling stones, of the casting, as they withdrew, many a bitter and ma- multitudinous castles I had been building for so lignant look at your humble servant, and invok-long, in the unstable air! To sum up, in one short ing anathemas upon their own heads for having sorrowful word, I was a beggar! been foolish enough to go to the expense of mourning, and to lose a day by attending the funeral. I verily believe that if the kindred of Mungo had had the fixing of his destiny at that moment, a blacker portion than inevitably would have been his, could not, by possibility, fall to the lot of a denizen of earth! By this time darkness had set in, and having locked and bolted the outer door of that grim and lonesome dwelling, I lighted a candle, and proceeded to the small inner chamber harbouring the fortune which I had succeeded to. It was a wild night! The wind, as if partaking in the chagrin of my kindred, howled and shrieked around the yielding walls of the crazy marsion, and outside of a clattering window, was seated a red-eyed owl which ever and anon emitted an eldritch whoop. If I had been a disciple of that ancient heathen philosopher Pythagoras, I would have been disposed to opine that the warlock-looking fowl contained the soul of McMurrich, and that it was begrudging that any one should overhaul the treasures, toilsomely gathered, and guarded so long with jealous care! Having set the light down upon a little side table, I took the key of the mysterious cabinet from my pouch, and proceeded to open the brass garnished door. How my heart beat! I could distinctly hear it thumping against my heaving breast. My hand shook like an aspen leaf, and I drew my breath as heavily as if I had been under the thraldom of some grievous, and over-mastering ailment! After pausing a season, I at length mustered courage sufficient for the momentous undertaking -and shutting my eyes, lest I should be dazzled and overwhelmed by too sudden a view of the wealth which it contained, I threw open the ark, and discovered. Gracious Providence! I feel the sickening stun of that epoch at the present day. I-discovered neither silver nor gold, nor p late [Here Mr. Ballingall was constrained to intermit his narration, till he had recruited his exhausted spirits with some of the cordial usually employed in such cases. I am not ashamed to record that I followed the example thus set me. Hard and unfeeling, indeed, would have been my nature, had the recital of my relative's begunk, not necessitated me to have recourse to a restora tive! After a short pause, the Bailie thus continued to ply the shuttle of his discourse.] Ill news, as the old proverb hath it, is no cripple, and it was not long before I had the charac ter in Peterhead of being a broken and ruined dyvor. When I adventured to show my sheepish visage on the street, all my former intimates shunned my presence as if I had been afflicted with a pestilence. Alas! I was indeed the victim of one of the sorest plagues which can afflict the sons of Adam, and one which is ever attended with the direst mortification! People buttoned up their pockets at my advent, lest the consumption which rioted in my shrunken purse, should communicate its blighting influence to themselves! Nor was this the worst of the matter. Term time was fast coming on, and a year's rent was due for the tenement which I occupied. The tax gatherer began to give me sundry broad and per emptory hints, touching tribute due to Cæsar. And the butcher and baker, together with a host of other equally pleasant visitors, were regular attenders at my morning levees. To crown all, my late obsequious friend Mr. Quirk McQuibble, conveyed an insinuation by letter, that before long he would, in all probability, have occasion to give me some practical information touching the manner in which the law of Scotland dealt with those notorious, and abominable criminals—insolvent debtors! The learned gentleman did not lose much time in commencing his course of instructions. One |