consequence of the climate. At two o'clock I took the _Eclipse_
mail-boat, Captain John Gordon, from Aberdeen; and let me observe, all
these captains of steamers here are fine fellows, not very well
paid--salary not more than £300 a year. We were again on Lake Ontario,
and passed Port Credit, Oakville, and Wellington-square on the right:
healthy towns, but small. The farmers here all reserve a good portion of
wood for fire, and rails and planks for domestic purposes. At the bottom
of the lake we passed through a short canal into Burlington Bay--a
beautiful sheet of water; and arrived at Hamilton, at the terminus of
the navigation.


_Thursday_ morning.--Hamilton is a rising new town with about 6000
inhabitants. It has many advantages, and must increase rapidly. There is
the store of J. Buchanan and Co., where my friend Mr. Harris is a
partner, as large as 5, Bow-churchyard, and they have about fifty
branches. I found them all busy. I attended a cattle-show which pleased
me much: some very fine cattle competed for the different prizes. There
is a good walk above the town which, commands a fine view of the
distant country. I walked to Dunedern, the mansion of Sir Allan M'Nab,
who made such a formidable stand for the constitution against the rebels
L.J. Papineau, Lafontaine, and Baldwin.


_Friday._--Returned by the same steamer to Toronto, and finished up my
business satisfactorily. Took a walk with Mr. Fisken to see the new
college, which is at a stand-still for want of funds, and saw the
Government observatory; and then visited the stone prison, which I did
not like, as there is no work for the prisoners--all lying idly
about--great contrast to Kingston. The town all in confusion nominating