the waters was in a running blaze; and before we were well clear of the danger, we were almost enveloped in clouds of smoke and ashes. These conflagrations, often caused by a wanderer's fire, or even by his pipe, desolate large tracts of country, leaving nothing but black and bare trunks, and even these sometimes mutilated into stumps one of the most dismal scenes on which the eye and the heart can look. When once the consuming element gets into the thick turf of the primeval wilderness, it sets everything at defiance; and it has been known to smoulder for a whole winter under the deep snow.'

After traversing Lac la Pluie, Sir George was presented with a letter, congratulating him on his arrival, and soliciting an audience. The letter was written in English, and in good set terms, by one of about a hundred Salteaux warriors; but as soon as a favourable answer was received, his red 'children' set themselves to work to 'pelt away at him with their incantations.' Gathering round a fire, they endeavoured to bend his mind to their wishes by charms, rattles, and burnt offerings, and closed the performance by marching round the circle, singing, whooping, and drumming. The object of these literary savages was to obtain a renewal of the abolished gift of rum!

On reaching Red River settlement, they had accomplished a voyage of two thousand miles. This was founded by Lord Selkirk in 1811, in pursuance of his plans of British emigration; but after his death, in 1820, it received no encouragement from government. The census, notwithstanding, numbers at present five thousand souls; and the population, consisting of Scotch Highlanders, Orkneymen, and half- breeds from the Swampy Crees Indians, doubles itself every twenty years. Fort Garry, the principal establishment in the place, is situated at the forks of the Red River and the Assiniboine, being about fifty miles from Lake Winipeg, and about seventy-five from the frontier; and it occupies, as nearly as possible, the centre of the settlement. This, which is the official residence of the governor of the colony, is a regularly-built fortification, with walls and bastions of stone. Nearly opposite, on the right bank of the united streams, is the Roman Catholic cathedral. The principal Protestant church is about two miles further down, on the left bank.

In the immediate neighbourhood of this last-mentioned place of worship stands the Red River Academy -a large and flourishing school, kept by Mr and Mrs Macallum, for the sons and daughters of gentlemen in the service. Below Fort Garry many respectable dwellings, most of them of two storeys, belong to the wealthier class of inhabitants. The lower fort, which is about four times the size of the upper establishment, is in process of being enclosed by loopholed walls and bastions. This is my own head-quarters when I visit the settlement; and here also resides Mr Thom, the recorder of Rupert's Land-so named in the royal charter.'

From this place their journey lay over a series of plains, diversified by a constant succession of small lakes, and occasionally sand-hills, but terminating near the settlement of Carlton in scenes like this: In the afternoon we traversed a beautiful country, with lofty hills and long valleys, full of sylvan lakes, while the bright green of the surface, as far as the eye could reach, assumed a foreign tinge under an uninterrupted profusion of roses and blue-bells. On the summit of one of these hills, we commanded one of the few extensive prospects that we had of late enjoyed. One range of heights rose behind another, each becoming fainter as it receded from the eye, till the farthest was blended, in almost undistinguishable confusion, with the clouds, while the softest vales spread a panorama of hanging copses and glittering lakes at our feet.' Here a story is told of certain unsophisticated savages who had never seen Europeans before, and who were greatly puzzled by the appearance among the strangers of a negro. This man they inspected in every possible way, twist

ing him about, and pulling his hair, which was so different from their own flowing locks; and at length they came to the conclusion that Pierre Bungo was the oddest specimen of a white man that they had ever seen.' Leaving Fort Carlton on the 19th of July, they enjoyed a buffalo hunt, which appears to be a game of mere slaughter; and then come into play the science and art of curing what has been killed. Sometimes dried meat is preferred, the bones being taken out, and the flesh hung up in the sun; but if pemmican be the order of the day, the lean, after being dried, is pounded into dust, which, being put into a bag made of the hide, is enriched with nearly an equal weight of melted fat.' On this food the traveller lives very well; although occasionally there are scenes of famine as well as repletion. In the year 1820, when wintering at Athabasca Lake, our provisions fell short at the establishment, and on two or three occasions I went for three whole days and nights without having a single morsel to swallow; but then, again, I was one of a party of eleven men and one woman who discussed three ducks and twenty-two geese at a sitting. On the Saskatchewan the daily rations are eight pounds of meat ahead, whereas in other districts, our people have been sent on long journeys with nothing but a pint of meal and some parchment for their sustenance.'

Fort Edmonton is the capital of a district as large as England, yet containing a population of less than seventeen thousand natives. Leaving this place, the ground began to rise more perceptibly, and the scenery to assume a wilder character, while even the willow and poplar disappeared, and nothing was to be seen but the black, straight, naked stem of the pine, shooting up to an unbroken height of eighty or a hundred feet; while the sombre light, as it glimmered along numberless vistas of natural columns, recalled to the imagination the gloomy shades of an assemblage of venerable cathedrals.' At length, about seven hours of hard work brought us to the height of land, the hinge, as it were, between the eastern and the western waters. We breakfasted on the level isthmus, which did not exceed fourteen paces in width, filling our kettles for this our lonely meal at once from the crystal sources of the Columbia and the Saskatchewan, while these feeders of two opposite oceans, murmuring over their beds of mossy stones, as if to bid each other a long farewell, could hardly fail to attune our minds to the sublimity of the scene.'

Sur

The descent of the mountains towards the Pacific is beautifully described, but with little of human interest, if we except the scantiness of the travellers' supplies of food, only indifferently assisted by boiled moss and cakes of hips and haws,' and of an almost tasteless bulb called kamma. These delicacies are gathered and prepared by the women, while the men occasionally do worse than lounge. In one tent a sight presented itself which was equally novel and unnatural. rounded by a crowd of spectators, a party of fellows were playing at cards, obtained in the Snake Country from some American trappers; and a more melancholy exemplification of the influence of civilisation on barbarism could hardly be imagined, than the apparently scientific eagerness with which these naked and hungry savages thumbed and turned the black and greasy pasteboard.' After passing Fort Colvile, they embarked on the Columbia, and suffering much from the heat, arrived in due time at the embouchure of the river in the Pacific.

Sir George now proceeded on a long voyage along the coast to Sitka, and here the character of the savages appears to change. In the fleet that swarmed around us we observed two peculiarly neat canoes, with fourteen paddles each, which savoured very strongly of honeymoon. Each carried a young couple, who, both in dress and demeanour, were evidently a newly-married pair. The gentlemen, with their "arms around their dearies O," were lavishing their little attentions on the

ladies, to the obvious satisfaction of both parties. The brides were young and pretty, tastefully decked out with beads, bracelets, anklets, and various ornaments in their hair, and, above all, with blankets so sweet, and sound, and clean, that they could not be otherwise than new. The bridegrooms were smart, active, handsome fellows, all as fine as a holiday, and more particularly proud of their turbans of white calico.' The following is extremely curious: In addition to the mode of dressing the hair, the people of this coast have several other peculiarities, which appear to indicate an Asiatic origin. In taking a woman to wife, the husband buys her from her father for a price as his perpetual property; so that, if she separate from him, whether through his fault or her own, she can never marry another during his life. Again, with respect to funerals: the corpse, after being kept for several days, is consumed by fire, while the widow, if any there be, rests her head on the body till dragged from the flames, rather dead than alive, by her relatives. If the poor creature recovers from the effects of this species of suttee, she collects the ashes of her deceased lord and master, which she carries about her person for three long years; and any levity on her part during this period, or even any deficiency in grief, renders her an outcast for ever.' Here is a true Arabian trait: If a stray enemy, who may find himself in the vicinity of one of their camps, can proceed, before he is recognised, to the chief's lodge, he is safe, both in person and in property, on the easy condition of making a small present to his protector. The guest remains as long as he pleases, enjoying the festivity of the whole village; and when he wishes to depart, he carries away his property untouched, together with a present fully equal to what he himself may have given.' The savages along the whole coast live well, having no want of fish, berries, seaweed and venison.

According to the whole tenor of my journal, this labyrinth of waters is peculiarly adapted for the powers of steam. In the case of a sailing vessel, our delays and dangers would have been tripled and quadrupled --a circumstance which raised my estimate of Vancouver's skill and perseverance at every step of my progress. After the arrival of the emigrants from Red River, their guide, a Cree of the name of Bras Croche, took a short trip in the Beaver. When asked what he thought of her "Don't ask me," was his reply; "I cannot speak my friends will say that I tell lies when I let them know what I have seen; Indians are fools, and know nothing; I can see that the iron machinery makes the ship to go, but I cannot see what makes the iron machinery itself to go." A savage stands nearly as much in awe of paper, pen, and ink, as of steam itself; and if he once puts his cross to any writing, he has rarely been known to violate the engagement which such writing is supposed to embody or to sanction. To him the very look of black and white is a powerful "medicine." A dreadful system of slavery prevails on the north-west coast. These thralls are just as much the property of their masters as so many dogs, with this difference against them, that a man of cruelty and ferocity enjoys a more exquisite pleasure in tasking, or starving, or torturing, or killing a fellow-creature, than in treating any one of the lower animals in a similar way. Even in the most inclement weather, a mat or a piece of deer-skin is the slave's only clothing, whether by day or by night, whether under cover or in the open air. To eat without permission, in the very midst of an abundance which his toil has procured, is as much as his miserable life is worth; and the only permission which is ever vouchsafed to him, is to pick up the offal thrown out by his unfeeling and imperious lord. Whether in open war, or in secret assassination, this cold and hungry wretch invariably occupies the post of danger.' These slaves are often subjected to the most frightful cruelties.

From Sitka Sir George retraced his path to Vancouver, and thence proceeded to Monteray in California. The horrors still perpetrated in this country by the

Spaniards, are a disgrace not only to Europe, but to human nature. When the incursions of the savages have appeared to render a crusade necessary, the alcade of the neighbourhood summons from twelve to twenty colonists to serve, either in person or by substitute, on horseback; and one of the foreign residents, when nominated, about three years before, preferred the alternative of joining the party himself, in order to see something of the interior. After a ride of three days, they reached a village, whose inhabitants, for all that the crusaders knew to the contrary, might have been as innocent in the matter as themselves. But, even without any consciousness of guilt, the tramp of the horses was a symptom not to be misunderstood by the savages; and accordingly, all that could run, compris ing of course all that could possibly be criminal, fled for their lives. Of those who remained, nine persons, all females, were tied to trees, christened, and shot. With great difficulty and considerable danger, my informant saved one old woman, by conducting her to a short distance from the accursed scene; and even there he had to shield the creature's miserable life by drawing a pistol against one of her merciless pursuers. She ultimately escaped, though not without seeing a near relative, a handsome youth, who had been captured, slaughtered in cold blood before her eyes, with the outward and visible sign of regeneration still glistening on his brow.' Yet the Spaniards of the Pacific are very different beings among themselves. Of the women, with their witchery of manner, it is not easy, or rather it is not possible, for a stranger to speak with impartiality, inasmuch as our self-love is naturally enlisted in favour of those who, in every look, tone, and gesture, have apparently no other end in view than the pleasure of pleasing us. With regard, however, to their physical charms, as distinguished from the adventitious accomplishments of education, it is difficult even for a willing pen to exaggerate. Independently of feeling or motion, their sparkling eyes and glossy hair are in themselves sufficient to negative the idea of tameness or insipidity; while their sylph-like forms evolve fresh graces at every step, and their eloquent features eclipse their own inherent comeliness by the higher beauty of expression. Though doubtless fully conscious of their attractions, yet the women of California, to their credit be it spoken, do not "before their mirrors count the time," being, on the contrary, by far the more industrious half of the population. In California, such a thing as a white servant is absolutely unknown, inasmuch as neither man nor woman will barter freedom in a country where provisions are actually a drug, and clothes almost a superfluity; and accordingly, in the absence of intelligent assistance, the first ladies of the province, more particularly when treated, as they too seldom are by native husbands, with kindness and consideration, discharge all the lighter duties of their households with cheerfulness and pride. Nor does their plain and simple dress savour much of the labour of the toilet. They wear a gown sufficiently short to display their neatly-turned foot and ankle, in their white stockings and black shoes, while, perversely enough, they bandage their heads in a handkerchief, so as to conceal all their hair except a single loop on either cheek; round their shoulders, moreover, they twist or swathe a shawl, throwing over all, when they walk or go to mass, the "beautiful and mysterious mantilla."

The men are generally tall and handsome, while their dress is far more showy and elaborate than that of the women. . . . Implicit obedience and profound respect are shown by children, even after they are grown up, towards their parents. A son, though himself the head of a family, never presumes to sit, or smoke, or remain covered in presence of his father; nor does the daughter, whether married or unmarried, enter into too great familiarity with the mother. With this exception, the Californians know little or nothing of the restraints of etiquette: generally speaking, all classes associate together on a footing of equality; and on particular occa

sions, such as the festival of the saint after whom one is named, or the day of one's marriage, those who can afford the expense give a grand ball, generally in the open air, to the whole of the neighbouring community.' The Californians, in fine, are happy, hospitable, indolent, and ignorant; and their dominion, in the opinion of Sir George Simpson, is destined very soon to fall out of their nerveless hands into those of either the English or Americans.

But we must here break off, hoping to follow our traveller next week in his voyage across the Pacific.

BILLS OF MORTALITY.

THE Registrar-General's Report for the first quarter of the present year has just been placed before us. The statements it contains are of so important a nature, that we believe them to be deserving of wider publicity in a summary form. The quarterly returns do not comprise the whole country, but are taken from 117 districts, 36 of which are in London and its suburbs, the other 81 include a few agricultural districts, and the principal towns and cities of England-of which, taken altogether, the population in 1841 was nearly 7,000,000.

It has usually been observed that more deaths occur in the winter than in the summer quarter; but from June to September of last year, the deaths exceeded those of any other quarter in the preceding seven years; but in the quarter ending March 1847, the number of deaths is stated to have been 56,105, being 6035 above the average of any corresponding quarter. Various causes have been assigned for this excessive mortality: among others, the long duration of a low temperature, and the high price of provisions. In all the returns, there is a large amount of deaths from inflammation of the lungs and air-tubes, and typhus fever, the certain attendant on misery and destitution in crowded neighbourhoods. The fatal effects of the immigration of the starving Irish into the Lancashire towns is shown in the increased mortality-the deaths in Liverpool were 1134 more than in the winter quarter of 1846. This, according to the Registrar's statement, is solely attributable to the many thousands of Irish paupers who have landed here within the last three months, bringing with them a malignant fever, which is here very properly called "the Irish fever;" and many hundreds of them were suffering from diarrhoea and dysentery when they arrived, which will account for so many deaths from those causes. Everything which humanity could devise, and money carry out for their cases, has been adopted by the Select Vestry; but so many thousands of Irish are continually pouring in, and their habits are so disgustingly filthy, that little can be done as yet to stay the great mortality amongst them. Perhaps there is not a parallel case to Liverpool for the last two months in the history of the country.'

This statement reminds us of the documents written by eye-witnesses of the plague in its sweeping visitations two centuries ago. The number of deaths in the metropolitan districts is 15,289, also a greater number than in any previous corresponding quarter. The report states, that although the causes are to a certain extent accidental, and, as we may hope, transitory, it is evident that the health of towns in England is at present stationary, not to say retrograding.' As regards climate, London is shown to be no worse off than the surrounding parishes, and the excess of deaths is traced to atmospheric impurity. A comparison drawn between the metropolitan districts and an outlying district comprising Blackheath, Eltham, Sydenham, and Lewisham, shows the deaths in London to have been more numerous by 97,872, in the seven years ending 1844, than they would have been had the mortality not exceeded the ratio of the country districts. A considerable part,' we are informed, of the population of London is recruited from the country, immigrants entering chiefly at the ages of 15 to 35, in a state of good health. The

sick and weakly probably remain at home; many of the new-comers too, unmarried, when attacked in London by slow consumption-the most fatal disease at the ages of 15 to 35-return to their father's house to die; so that the mortality of the great city is made to appear in the returns lower at those ages than it is. If we take children under 5 years of age, where neither these disturbing causes nor occupation interfere, the deleterious influence on health, of London in its present state, will appear undisguised in all its magnitude.' In this case it appears that, in the seven years 1838-44, the deaths of children under years of age in London amounted to 139,593, while in the ratio of the outlying district above referred to, it would have been 80,632. In a fact so startling as a loss in excess of nearly 59,000 infant lives in seven years, we have an unmistakeable argument in favour of improved sanitary regulations. The comparison is carried still further, so as to include the whole number of deaths; and we learn that, instead of the inhabitants of London measuring out the whole period of the present existence allotted to them," it is found that in seven years 139,593 perished in infancy (under 5 years of age); 40,828 in youth (5 to 25); 109,126 in manhood (25-65); and that only 52,453 attained the age of 65 and upwards. Instead of death "coming upon them like a sleep," when the faculties are dulled by age and slow decay, it convulses tender infancy, falls with burning fevers upon man in his prime, snatches away the mother with the babe still upon her breast.' Thus, with a population of nearly 2,000,000 in 1844, we find that the total excess of deaths in London, to say nothing of sickness, was nearly 100,000. One hundred and thirty-four persons die every day in London; but were the great city as healthy as the surrounding districts, the number would be diminished by 38. After some remarks on the apathy of local authorities, and an exposure of the fallacy that London cannot be surpassed' for health and cleanliness, the Registrar states that, of the 36 metropolitan districts, the city within the walls stands ninth on the sanitary scale, and without the walls, including Whitechapel, stands last, the unhealthiest of the 36;' and, supposing the mortality to be represented by a shaded map, would be the darkest-coloured. 'A general idea,' he continues, may, however, be formed of the distribution of the poison which causes death. According to the latest researches, it is not a gas, but a sort of atmosphere of organic particles, undergoing incessant transformations; perhaps, like malaria, not odorous, although evolved at the same time as putrid smells; suspended like dust, an aroma, vesicular water in the air, but invisible. If it were for a moment to become visible, and the eye could see it from a central eminence, such as St Paul's, the disease-mist would be found to lie dimly over Eltham, Dulwich, Norwood, Clapham, Battersea, Hampstead, and Hackney; growing thicker round Newington, Lambeth, Marylebone, Pancras, Stepney; dark over Westminster, Rotherhithe, Bermondsey, Southwark; and black over Whitechapel and the city of London without the walls. The district of St Giles's would be a dark spot in the midst of surrounding districts; St George's, Hanover Square, and St James's in Westminster, would be lighter than Marylebone and St Martin-in-the-Fields; part of the city of London within the walls would present a deep contrast to the city without the walls. This disease-mist, arising from the breath of two millions of people, from open sewers and cess-pools, graves and slaughter-houses, is continually kept up, and undergoing changes. In one season it is pervaded by cholera, in another by influenza; at one time it bears small-pox, measles, scarlatina, and hooping cough among young children; at another it carries fever on its wings. Like an angel of death, it has thus hovered for centuries over London. But it may be driven away by legislation. If this generation has not the power to call the dead up from their graves, it can close thousands of graves now opening. The poisonous vapour may yet clear away from Lon