simple.

The chief article of food is peas soup, with a small piece of pork
boiled in it, and a dish of thick sour milk. The women and children
scarcely ever drink other than milk and water, but the men are
particularly fond of rum.

Winter lasts six months, during which time the greater part of the day
is devoted to amusement, principally dancing. Most of the women can
read and write, but the men can hardly do either; and the manners of
both are very gay and light. There are a few lead mines in Canada, in
which silver is also found. Their exports are timber, furs, potash,
grain, and pearl-ash.

[Illustration]

Australia has also sent her contributions to the Exhibition. Among
them are specimens of the skins of animals, dried plants, fine woods,
and other things.

In Australia, there are scarcely any extensive manufactures, but the
natives make some useful things, from the various and curious trees
which abound. For instance, they form the most durable furniture and
weapons from the casuarina or club tree; they make cloth from the
finest bark of the paper-mulberry tree, and cord from a peculiar kind
of flax. There are sago and cocoa trees, which grow to the height of
one hundred and fifty feet, and are thirty feet round. Figs, lemons,
oranges, sugar-canes, gum-trees, bread-fruit, and a kind of pepper,
from which a drink, called ava, is made, are very useful to the
natives. There are mines of a very rich quality, but they are as yet