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[[underlined]] 42 [[/underlined]]
lounge upon a sofa and enjoyed the luxury of a good Segar. after our dinner was sufficiently settled, we launched out to take a view of the City. it contains about [[strikethrough in pencil by another writer]] 6000 [[/strikethrough]] [[insertion by other writer]] 20,000 [[/insertion]] inhabitants, it does not appear to be much of a place for trade or Commerce, scarcely any Vessels stopping here except Whalemen. the Water in the channel opposite the City will not admit of a vessel entering drawing over 12 feet of Water. they have no docks. Vessels loading or discharging are obliged to anchor in the Stream, and employ lighters or barges. Mr Lemuel Wells an American Consul resides here, also the Governor of the Province of St Catharines resides here. it is also the residence of many retired Merchants, some of which have splendid mansions in the suburbs of the City, the prevailing religion here is Catholic, the churches are open every morning at 8 A.M. for Mass. while here we saw the funeral of a small child conducted in rather a simple manner. it was merely wrapt in its grave clothes and lain upon a small board with its face upward uncovered, and carried upon the head of a Negro probably a Slave unattended by any one, going to deposit it I suppose in some of the Cemetrys, Spring water is a Scarce Article at St Catharines. the inhabitants being supplied from what looks like a Public Fountain, on account of its being guarded by Soldiers. the water is carried upon the heads of the Slaves in earthen vessels, and each one waits his turn for the Pump, the buildings are nearly all one and two story dwellings, built chiefly of stone or brick and plastered & whitewashed. in the country, they are constructed mostly of poles laid up in the manner of the Log Cabins at the North. and filed in with mud