Camden gazette and mercantile advertiser. (Camden, S.C.) 1818-1822, April 05, 1821, Image 4
POETRY.
.i.SK OF ME.
Ask ye for pleasure ? 'tis a flower
That blossoms but to fade,
A light that beams one little hdur
To gild a darker shade.
Ask ye for shadows to caress,
That glitter far away
But end in airy nothingne^fc ?
Says Folly, auk of me.
Ask ye for visionary joys
That sting to hire again ?
For days worn out in senseless noi?e
To preface years of pain ?
Seek ye those charms of fancied birih,
That unenjoy'd decay,
Nor leave jjnwreck'd ideal mirth ?
Says vice, enquire of me.
Poes your more ardent soul aspire
To real, lasting good ?
1 Does reason prompt the strong desire
To taste th* eternal food ? -J
*A*k ye for happiness to shine
Aeiros a boundless sea,
A cheering ray of light divine ?
Says Wisdom, ntsk of me. '
ft k ye for bliss? it is a flower;
That blooms unlading, bri'ght,
A sun, whose softly soothing pow'r
Illumines Sorrow's night.
Scok ye those comforts pure and cahn
---? ? That shine so smilingly, ? t-4
An<l breathe a Heav'nly atingless charm ?_
" Say. C
Miscellaneous.
French Population in Canada .
-*From Slliiman'a Tour between Hartford
and Quebec.
Colonel Bouchette states the po
pulation of lower Canada at three
hundred and thirty-five thousand;
and of tlria number, two hundred
and seventy-five thousand areFrench.
It is therefore, still a French country,
and it is surprising, that in more
tlian half a centum so little impres
sion lias been made on their peculiar
characteristics.
Iii the lower province, where they
' *fe almost exclusively found, the
i6il is generally luxuriant; they in
habit, for the most part, the rich al
luvial soil by - which the St. Law
rfcnce, the Scjrel, and other princi
_? pal waters, are so extensively bord
Their subsistence is easily
obtained? there are scarcely atiy
marks of extreme poverty among
~ them, and a medicant we never saw
?wliiW^tt the country. They are,
however, generally without enter-?
jirise* and are satisfied to go on with
out change, from generation to gen-'
Aration. There is much reason to
belieVp, that they give a very just
e^ibition of the French people in
the rowlncas from which they emU
grated, as they were two hundred
years ago. i speak of the cepimon
Jeople. They 1 are more like an
turopean peasantry, thru anything
in this country ; I mean in North
Amerfca; 1 They ftfe frutya peasant
try, exCWrt (hat they,are vastly su
perior to European peasantry in com
forts ami in privileges.
It is nn^tionabtoj whether any
conquered country fras ever better
treated by its conquerors. They
were left *in' complete possession of
their religion, and of the revenue*
to aup|)<tri it; of tlielr property,
laws; customs, and manners; and
evjM) the very ]$ove*uing and defend'
fhg of the country is almost without
expense to them. They arc said to
pay no taxes to government, and
none of any description, except a
trilling sum of a few shillings a year
to their seigneurs, as an acknowledg
ment for the, tenure of their lands,
and a twenty-sixth part of their grain
to the clergy, and with certain liabi I
lilies to Contribute to the repair of
clfmrhcs, and various other public
... 'object*. ... ? ...
%\ itli the affairs of JgovernmeAl
they ^ive themselves Utile concern;
and it is a conrious fact, if correctly
stated to us by various intelligent
men in Canada, that this country,
so far fi urn being a source of revenue,
is an actual charge upon the treasury
>f tbe Empire.
14 wotiltl swti as tf the trouble
tnd expense of government were
iaken off llieir hands, ami as if the}
were left to enjo\ their ow n domestu
comforts, without a dvawback. ?
Such is certainly the appearance of
the population, and it is doubtful
whether even our $wn favored com
munities are politically more happy.
It >is evident that the Canadians are
abundantly more so, than the mass
of the English population at home.
They are not exposed, in a similar
manner, to poverty and the daugei
of starvation, which so often invade
the English manufacturing district,
and which formidable evils, aided
by their demagogues, goad them on
to every tiling but open rebellion.
Such is the richness of the soil in
Ljiwer Canada, that the farmers are
said even to be afraid of raising too
produce, lest the price should fall.
?They ha\fe so little occasion to man
ure their grounds, that stable manure,
as we were assured, is, in the win
ter; even now, and it was much
more the fact formerly ; carried on to
the river, and left in heaps on the
icej that they tnafy get rid Sf it as a
nuisance ; -and, in general, it canfioj
be given away: people will not re
move it without paid for their labour.
Such negligence Mid bad farming
are much to be regretted z for even
the Island ofJUuntreaV beautiful as
it is, would certainly be 4*etter 4W
the manure which is annually thrown
away, and 1 trusHheir new agricul
turair society will soon teach die peo
ple a better lesson on this subject,
^nd^irevent thvir Wasting so rich a
treasure.
In the costume of the French gen
try in Canada, there is nothing pe
culiar. Tbe peasantry frequently
[wear a blue or red woollen cap, fall
ing back in a pendant cone, and
? many of them wear a red or partly
(Colored woollen snsb around their
waists. Tbey are very fond of to
bacco, and are frequently observed
smoking with a short pipe, while
tbey are walking or driving their
<iarts. W e were sufficiently amused,
at seeing a Common Frenchman -driv
ing a cart of dry straw in the streets
of Montreal,, while be was sitting
immediately before it, smoking hh
pipe quite uncuucerned, although a
strong wind was blowing tbe sparks
directly towards the straw, ii thty
or two after we met another, also
smoking, and with the utmost sang
froid sitting in the midst of his load
of straw. I
We visited a number of villages,
and weut into several houses of tbe
I peasantry, besides looking into man}
others particularly around Quebec,
tbe delightful weather causing them
to throw their windows wide open.*
AJost of the cottages are constructed
with logs, nicely squared, anil laid
up, the angles are framed or halved
together, the Reams are made tight
with^laister,good windows and dooi>
are fitted in, the roofs are generally
of shingles, tbe w hole is tight agains;
the weather, and neatly white- wash
ed, roof and all, at least, this i^
co&monly the fa?t 011 (he St. Law
rence. The better sort of cottage*
are built of stone, sonre limes covered
v\ itli cement and sometimes not. In
side, tbe hou?e* appear very com
fortable : tbey are plaisted or wain
scoated, and each mansion is furnish
ed will* an ample stove, usually
.standing in the middle of large
room, or in die partitiou of two, or
in the common angle of several.
There ate large out-hoM*es, barns,
&c. built iti much the same manner a6
the houses.
We had occasion several times to
call at the houses of Die peasantry
tor milk, or something elite that we
wanted. The milk was very rich,
and for a t rifle* was bountifully fur
nished. The maunersof the French
in Canada, ate extremely courteous
and kind j tlio.ne of the grnlry are
of course polinhed, hut the common
people, aUo, have a wining gentle*
ne*s and suavity, and a zealous for
wardnes* to serve you, which, par
ticularly in the villages, delighted
us very much.
The women, of course, cxui iLe!
men, in nil tliat isi bland in m:uinri
ami obliging io conduct; there
? ?/
>lso a lady-like "self- possesion abou
them ; they do uot appear at all cm
bar raised, by the question of n
%tattger, t>u t answer them w llti the
ease and politeness of higher life,
without relinquishing the simplicity
of manners appropriate to tl^elr oton
condition. It would seem from the
citations which 1 have made from
Charlevoix, that there have be?i, in
these respects, no serious chaoses in
a century. After our visit to the
Chasdiere, being late India liastr.
we asked for some milk at ^ peasant'*
without meaning to go 4n y the milk
was instantly produced, hot we musi
not drink it at tlie "door; u entrez
Monsieur, entrez Monsieur," was
kindly repeated by the wotnan of the
house, and we went in $ she seated
iih around a table arid furnished us
with abolwofUne milk ami tum
blers to drink h out of.
, Like the people of the parcnl
country, they continue very fond o1
music; we frequently heard the vio
lin -in the streets of the tow ns and
villages. At Be a u port, we sav*
them dancing merrily at a wedding,
which had just 4>een celebrated at
noon day, and the bride and bride- '
groom were wafting home, neatly
dressed, hand in hand, and with a
cheerful air.
? Thcrq are, May poles in most ot
their vi\jges; ^some of them are
very highfrhd splendid ty painted ;
they voluntarily erect (hem as a mark
of respect before the door of th;
nurii in the village whom they wish
?o honor tliwr bedt -citizen, and
gaily dance aro&nd them on tAe first
of May.
Lower Otfnact* is a fineCottnlry.
and will hereafter become popniou*
and powerful, especially as the Bri
tish and Anglo-American population
shall flow in more extensively, an (V
impart more vigor aud activity to the
community. .* <
%r .?
The climate, notwithstanding its
severity, is a good one and very;
healthy, and favorable to tile fresh
ness and beauty of the humam Com
plexion. All the most important
comfortsof life are easily and irimn
dantly obtained, although the ex
penses of living are high, consider
ing the fertility of the country.
A more correct knowledge of C5a?n
the American states, since the inter
course is become so easy; and 1
believe few Americans from *be
states now visit this country, without
returning more favorably impressed'
respecting it than they expepted to
j be. it will he happy if friendly;
sentiments and the inteichange
mutual courtesies shall do away the
unfounded impressions and prejudices,
of both communities. I
FROM THE BOSTON PATHteTv
Productions of Missouri.
Extracted from the letter of * gentleman
in Franklin, Mississippi, b\$t formerly
resident in ihis vicinity. _
MISSOURI RIVER.
The Missouri haft been proved by
experiment , to l>e navigable for
steaiu*boals of ?00 tons to the Coun
cil iflwTs, a distance of 580 miles
gfbovo Franklin? keel boats of 60
tons, in the service of ilie Missouri
Fur Company, goto thfe Mandan
Villages, nearly 1)00 miles further.?
t <? > * - Rusi Tl.7-< u
i
sourfllas a peculiar advantage over
the Ohio, Mississippi nod Kentucky
rivers : while the latter are not na\i?
guide several months in the year, on
account of the lowness oftheit waters/
the Missouri is alicuija navigable.
Salt. ? Snlt spring aye found In,
every section of the country, but es-3
pecially in the Boon'rf Lick district,
and on the waters of Bait River, al
branch of the Mississippi. Missouri
would lie able to supply an ciYipitf
with salt pf ^luperior quality; but
hitherto she lit* purchased much oi
that article from the Illinois ?imI Ken
liawn, from Liverpool, St, Hies am!
! ruiks lstauU! The governmetfi
..i*nn{n4v was oneeauseof tliis; but
n I lie bill for the admission of Mis
souri, twelve springs, to be chosen
by (he Legislature, Willi six sections
tf land aiound each, ate to be given
[to the State ; the remainder will pro
bably be sold out and become private
properly. Experience has fully pro
ved, that the finest hemp of Ameri
ca, can be raised within this State ;
the quantity obtained from an acre
is prodigious, and by experiments
made at >?ew -Orleans, under the
auspices of the former Governor
Generel, Baron de Carondelet, ii
was pronounced to be superior in
strength and fineness of fibre to the
boasted hemp of Russia. There is
but one hemp J\tanufactor?j of any
kind at present within the Stale, and
i ha t at St. Genevieve, on the Missis
sippi, 60 miles below St. l^ouis.
Jsad. ? Missouri is justly fan;ous
in Europe and America, for the ex
fent and value of her lead mines;
she is able to supply half the world
with that article, and no country
possesses greater facilities for its*
uianufac^ire and transportation ; the
banks of the Mississippi at Hevcu
laneum, and other places in the vi
cinity of the mineral dis^fct, exhibit
natural rock-towers of several hun
dred feet in height, from the summit
of which the molten lead may de
scend in showers, Ik1, received in wa
ter, at the river's edge, taken lip in
shot, and shipped in the boats which
lay ready to receive it: After this,
will you not be surprised to hear thai
this manufacture is in n decaying
State? It is not the less true; ill
languishes under the torpid influence
of a governmental monopoly, w4iich
with the system of short leases, rents,
and want of protection by ^n impost
duty on foreign lead, are the causes
of this decay ; in the mean time;
America has been paying to Eng
land nearly 8500.000 per annum for
'lead! ? Th^ difference of the policy
pursued b^ the two nations, is the
cause of this state of things. In
England* foreign lead pays a duty
of 28 pounds 13 Id sterling, on
every fOO pounds worth imported,
a*wl the miues are private pw>i>erty.
In America foreign lead pays but
little duty, and the mines are mono
polished by government; the Eng
lish, with &few mines, are selling
lead to both Europe and America 1
The Americans, with mine etiough
to furnish half tlie globe, are pur
chasing lead from the English !
Jrow.? Of iron , Mossnuri posses
uses immense beds of ore, exceeding
rich, and well situated to be worked
and conveniently trans|K>rted to a
market. The Merrimack and Gas
conade rivers aye the chief seats of
thi%ore, though it is found in many
other parts of the State, and in such
amazing quantities, that it maybe
considered forever inexhaustible, ?
Missouri could furnish, not only her
self ami immediate neighbors, but
the whole valley of the Mississippi,
Witl. iron, and its manufactures ! yet
she is purchasing these articles from
England, Sweden, and Kussia
Thomas ll. Benton, Esquire, a
gentleman chosen to represent Mis
souri in the Senate of the United
States, thus speaks of this fertile
COtmtry :
" Grand beyond the power #f hu
man comprehension, is the future
destiny of Missouri. Frpm the foot
of the Shining Mountains to the Gulf
of Mexico, four thousand miles in
length, without a tall, a rapid, or a
shoal to interrupt its napkationl
Flowing under a mild and jfknquil
sky, through a region vieing in ter
tility with the Delta of the Nile, des
tined to lie the channel of that com
merce which has carried wealth and
empire wherever it has flowed ; what
mind Can tell the countless millions
which shall cover its borders ; the
splendid rows of cities, towns and
villages M hich shall adorn its banks !"
FKCM THE DKTKOIT GAZETTE.
The 44 Pictured Hock*" 011 the
southern shore of Lake Superior, are
described hy thoae who have hud (he
pleasure to see them, as furnishing
one of the most astonishing and nm?.
nificent ilttUiitd cunhiities ibat can hi
found in oi:r ccunlrv. An inicllijient
gentleman, w ho accompanied (iov.
ernor Cass in his tour last summer,
describes them as surjmssinj; in ?i ail ?
deur, the far- famed Cataract of Ni
agara. They form a perpt*niliciiLir
wall of about three hundred feet in
height, and extend alon? the shore
about ten miles ; the projections and
indentation* nre numerous, aud tho
imagination of the observer throws
them into various forms ? sometimes
the fronts of buildings ? now a tower,
and anon castles and columns appear
in varied succcssion. In many pla
ces vast caverns are worn into the
rocks by the waves, the entrances
which are sometimes cragged and ir
regular, and sometimes regular hem.
ispherical arches, supported by
mighty pillars. The smallest wave,
rushing iuto these caverns, causes a
loud, jarring, and awful sound,
which, to the ear of the passenger, is
dashed along by echo, to be mingled
with and to increase the noises which
rush from more distant caverns.
The Indians never pass these
rocks but it) a calm time, and when
there art are indications of a storm,
it is said that they believe the cav
erns to be the abode of bad spirit#,
and> owing to their superstition* or t<?
the a we which the scenery inspires,
they generally observe a profound si
lence when passing them.
' ?* <? * A
as the church
his faith with
itfcx?He is bin
dances himself
Hp all num
ithias to
Ilia
ye*
(bat
From ? volume qf Character ? by Butler,
_?MA PROUD MAN
Is afoot in a fermentation, that
swells and boils over like a por
ridgepoU He sets one his feathers
like an ow 1/ to swell an<l see!n biger
than he is* He is troubled with a
tumour and inflammation of self-con
ceit, that renders every part of hint
stiff and uneasy. He has given him
self sympathetic love powders, that
work upon him to dotage, and have
transformed him into nis own mis
tress. He is hiaown gallant, and
makes moat passionate addresses to
his own dear perfections. He conv
mits idolatry to himself,, and wor
ships his own image, though there is
no soul
srlf; yet hei
believes, and
the obstinacy of
own favourite,
not only above hi
kind; is botliDai
his own dear self,
cromy aliove his
place to no man hat
with very great distal
whom he esteems
ptoach him. He be]
ever lie has, receive}
ing his ; as a horse
stable will bear a
in a common market.*
that he is hard to be
himseff, as with otto
very apt to forget wl
knows himself only su|
therefore he treats bimseli
a stranger, with cerem<
plitirent but admits no prf
strives to V5ok bigger than
as well as others, and is no
than his own parasite and
A little floo$ will make a
torrent swell above its ban!
rage, and foam, and y'^eld a
noise ; while a deep, silent stream,**
glides quietly on. So a vain gloi> *
ous, insolent, proud man, swells will* ?
a Utile frail prosperity, ?grows bij
loud, and overflows bia bounds]
when he sinks, leaves mud
behind him. The slights
solid his materials are, the
they take up, and make him
bigger ; as feathers and cott
stuff cushions better than thl
more solid parts. ? J- *
An advertisement lately n r^
in n West India paper, offering *
high premium for a substitute
hanged, in the room of a gen
ordered for execution.
? ? ?? i,,<V
& >'?
A fVmale clasher, . of gammling:
notoriety, lately a?ked a country
clergy man; whether he thought J<itro>
criminal ; the worthy rector anaWfth*
p(l ? " Vest 1 Vharvu h tiftd all hff
ha]*." ? *