Tuesday morning, six o’clock.—­We had arrived at Coburg, a thriving town on Lake Ontario, where I left letters for the importers of lace.  It is a rising town of 3000 inhabitants, and will soon rank high in Upper Canada.  We passed Port Hope, another rising town; and on the right Bondhead and Windsor.  Lake Ontario is a wonder indeed—­216 miles long, and 90 miles wide—­a truly magnificent sheet of water, very rough at times.  We arrived at Stone’s Hotel, Toronto, at three o’clock, P.M.  The country round is flat, and bare of scenic interest; but the town itself is full of life, motion, bustle, and business.  The streets are well paved and lighted with gas—­the only place in Canada, except Montreal, where gas is introduced; the houses large and good; the shops excellent—­many of them may vie with the best shops in thriving country-towns in England.  There are a handsome church, courthouse, and public offices, and many commodious private residences.  It is matter of regret that here, too, political differences run high.  I visited the Reform Association, where the noted Baldwin was holding forth, and preaching sedition under pretence of abusing the Governor-General.  This body are spreading discord, by their branches, all through Canada:  where it will end is to be seen.  I saw all the importers, and retired to rest tired, at eleven o’clock.

Population of Toronto, 20,000.

Wednesday.—­This town must rise in commerce, and must stand second to Montreal.  They are active business men, and have lots of back-country to depend upon—­good land, and the farmers of the old Dutch sort.  The women must necessarily wear more clothes than in England, in 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 L300 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.