procure great quantities. These persons were so
situated,
that, in their own family, they had the
means of procuring nearly all the
necessaries, and
even many of the luxuries of life. It was a very
beautiful sight, to see ten fine orderly children
sitting round the table
with their father and mo-
ther, who were still in the prime of life, and
living
independently of the uncertainties of commerce.
The eldest
daughter appeared to be about 16 years
old. One of the sons, who was but a
boy, enter-
tained me with full account of his having lately killed
a
bear, as it was in pursuit of his father's hogs.
The English government, in
order to encourage
the settlement of Upper Canada, grant to new
settlers, 200 acres of land for heads of families,
and 50 acres additional
for each child; reserving
to the crown the minerals and the white
pines.
D. P. gave me the perusal of his grants, from
which I gathered
the conditions. Some little ex-
pense attends the grants in the fees of
office,
though but trifling, and their tax amount to a
very small sum
per annum for each 100 acres.
I left Black Creek
morning being clear and calm, the scenery around
was beautiful. After riding about 10 miles on the
banks of Lake Erie, I came to Fort Erie
I got some refreshment at the inn, and proceeding
a little further, I got into the ferryboat, in com-
pany with an old drunken Indian, and his squaw.