leaving numbers of their dead behind, pushed upwards towards the lakes, in
over-crowded steamers, to burthen the inhabitants of the western towns and
villages.'[5]

The people of Canada exerted themselves nobly, under the direction of
their Governor, to meet the sudden call upon their charity; but he felt
deeply for the sufferings which it entailed upon the colony, and he did
not fail to point out to Lord Grey how severe was the strain thus laid on
her loyalty:--

[Sidenote: a scourge to the province.]

The immigration which is now taking place is a frightful scourge to
the province. Thousands upon thousands of poor wretches are coming
here incapable of work, and scattering the seeds of disease and death.
Already five or six hundred orphans are accumulated at Montreal, for
whose sustenance, until they can be put out to service, provision must
be made. Considerable panic exists among the inhabitants. Political
motives contribute to swell the amount of dissatisfaction produced by
this state of things. The Opposition make the want of adequate
provision to meet this overwhelming calamity, in the shape of
hospitals, &c., a matter of charge against the Provincial
Administration. That section of the French who dislike British
immigration at all times, find, as might be expected, in the
circumstances of this year, a theme for copious declamation. Persons
who cherish republican sympathies ascribe these evils to our dependent
condition as colonists--'the States of the Union,' they say, 'can take
care of themselves, and avert the scourge from their shores, but we
are victims on whom inhuman Irish landlords, &c., can charge the
consequences of their neglect and rapacity.' Meanwhile I have a very
delicate and irksome duty to discharge. There is a general belief
that Great Britain must make good to the province the expenses
entailed on it by this visitation. 'It is enough,' say the
inhabitants, 'that our houses should be made a receptacle of this mass
of want and misery: it cannot surely be intended that we are to be
mulcted in heavy pecuniary damages besides.' The reasonableness of
these sentiments can hardly be questioned--bitter indignation would be
aroused by the attempt to confute them--and yet I feel that if I were
too freely to assent to them, I might encourage recklessness,
extravagance, and peculation. From t