Kingston are of such an inferior description as scarcely to be worthy of notice: They are, the Protestant Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Meeting-house, the Methodist Chapel, the Roman Catholic Church, the Barracks, the Gaol, and the Court-house.

Lake Ontario, to which Kingston serves as a kind of entrance, is situated between 43 and 44 deg. North lat. and between 76 and 83 deg. West longitude. Its length is 171 miles, its breadth 59 and a half, and its circumference 467. The depth of the water varies exceedingly, but is seldom less than three or more than 50 fathoms; although in the centre of the lake, soundings have been made with a line of 350 fathoms, without finding a bottom. It is often visited with violent storms, which render its navigation peculiarly dangerous; and though none except experienced seamen ought to be entrusted with the management of the craft which sail upon its wide but deceitful bosom, yet fellows have obtained the command of vessels who are utterly ignorant of every thing connected with navigation. The waters of this lake, as well as those of Lakes Erie, Huron, and Superior, rise to a considerable height in every 35 years, In 1816 Ontario was seven feet higher, than it is known to have been, for upwards of 30 years before that time. Does not this form a very interesting subject for the speculations of the natural philosopher? While the waters of these lakes never rise or fall more than 8 or 10 inches above or below

many

their usual height, excepting at these stated periods, what cause can be assigned for the production of such a body of water as is sufficient to effect this extraordinary change?

Between Kingston and York, there are two or three very small villages, the largest of which is BELLEVILLE, containing about One Hundred and Fifty inhabitants.

YORK is the seat of government for Upper Canada, and is situated on the North side of Lake Ontario, in 43 degrees 33 minutes North latitude, and 79 degrees 20 minutes West longitude. Its harbour, which is a very extensive one, is formed by a long narrow peninsula, commonly called Gibraltar Point. Though York is the capital of an extensive colony, it would in Europe be con-sidered but a village. Its defenceless situation, which cannot be much improved, renders it of little importance in time of war. It was captured by the Americans, on the 27th of April, 1813. They had not, however, held possession of it many days, when they evacuated it, having first destroyed all the public buildings.

The Garrison is about a mile West of the town; and consists of a barrack for the troops, a residence for the commanding officer, .a battery and two block-houses, which are intended for the protection of the harbour. In the year 1793, there was only one wig-wam on the present site of this town. It now contains One Thousand Three Hundred and Thirty-six inhabitants, and about Two Hundred

and Fifty houses, many of which exhibit a very neat appearance. The public buildings are, a Protestant Episcopal Church, a Roman Catholic Chapel, a Presbyterian and a Methodist Meetinghouse, the Hospital, the Parliament-house, and the residence of the Lieutenant Governor.

The Episcopal Church is a plain timber building, of tolerable size, with a small steeple of the same material. It has an extensive burial-ground, which is tastefully fenced and planted.

The Roman Catholic Chapel, which is not yet completed, is a brick edifice, and intended to be very magnificent.

The Parliament-House, erected in 1820, is a large and convenient brick building, finished off in the plainest possible manner.

The York Hospital is the most extensive public building in the Province; and its external appearance is very respectable.

The house in which the Lieutenant Governor resides, is built of wood; and, though by no means contemptible, is much inferior to some private houses in the town, particularly to that of the Honourable and Reverend Dr. Strachan. Many of the Law and Government officers have very elegant seats in and about the town; and, with few exceptions, they are built of wood and assume a most inviting aspect.

The streets of York are regularly laid out, intersecting each other at right angles. Only one of them, however, is yet completely built; and,

pos

in wet weather, the unfinished streets are, if sible, muddier and dirtier than those of Kingston. The situation of the town is very unhealthy;† for it stands on a piece of low marshy land, which is better calculated for a frog-pond, or beaver-meadow, than for the residence of human beings. The inhabitants are, on this account, much subject, particularly in Spring and Autumn, to agues and intermittent fevers; and probably five-sevenths of the people are annually afflicted with these complaints. He who first fixed upon this spot as the site of the capital of Upper Canada, whatever predilection he may have had for the roaring of frogs, or for the effluvia arising from stagnated waters and putrid vegetables, can certainly have had no very great regard for preserving the lives of his Majesty's subjects. The town of York possesses one great advantage, which is that of a good but defenceless harbour.

This is according to the common opinion, which receives some countenance from the effects upon the inhabitants. But it will be seen, in the subsequent pages, that no general rule, even on this subject, is without exception, and that marshy situations are not universally unhealthy.

LETTER VI.

CHOICE OF A SETTLEMENT ADVICE OF COLONEL THOMAS TALBOT THE COLONEL'S ECCENTRIC HABITS PREFERENCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF LONDON PROGRESS TOWARDS THIS POINT OF SETTLEMENT THE COUNTRY ON THE RIVER OUSE-VILLAGES BELONGING TO THE INDIANS OF THE SIX NATIONS-INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF THE NATIVE CATECHISTS ARRIVAL AT PORT TALBOT-DISASTER WHICH BEFEL MY FATHER'S PARTY ON LAKE MEETING DEPARTURE FROM PORT TALBOT TO WESTMINSTER-SITUATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF LONDON-ITS DISTANCE FROM LAKE ERIE AND OTHER POINTS-ITS BOUNDARIES-FORM AND EXTENT FIRST DAY AND NIGHT ON OUR AMERICAN ESTATE-WOLF-HUNT IN THE MORNING-OPERATIONS AND STAY IN THE WOODS PREVIOUS TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE

ERIE JOYFUL

FAMILY.

WHEN we arrived at York, my father waited on the Lieutenant Governor, and handed him the order for land which we had received from Earl Bathurst. His Excellency told him, that he might select his land from any township in the Province at that time open for location; but assured him, that as he had himself been only a short time in the country, it was out of his power to recommend any particular division to his notice. He then Areferred my father to the Surveyor-general; and also gave him a letter of introduction to that offi