Forest scenes and incidents, in the wilds of North America;

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FOREST SCENES AND
INCIDENTS.

FOREST SCENES

INCIDENTS,

IN THE

WILDS OF NORTH AMERICA;

BEING

A DIARY OF A WINTER'S ROUTE

VROM

HALIFAX TO THE CANADAS,

AND DURING FOUlt MONTHS' RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS ON THE
BORDERS OF

LAKES HURON AND SIMCOE.

By sir GEORGEiHEAD.

SECOND EDITION.

LONDON:

JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.

MDCCCXXXVIII.

F 1013

\%5%

LONDON :

Printed by William Clowes and Sons,
Stamford Street.

PREFAC E

TO THE SECOND EDITION.

That extensive tract of forest land which
intervenes between the British possessions in
New Brunswick and the Canadas, notwith-
standing it derives considerable importance
by being intersected for the most part by a
line of water communication, extending from
the Bay of Fundy to the banks of the St.
Lawrence, has hitherto rarely been described
by travellers. It is, nevertheless, a route that,
sufficiently facile by the help of canoes in the
season of summer, yet presenting formidable
obstacles to progress during winter, has been
continually resorted to, for a long series of
years, not only in time of peace, but in time

a 3

ivil6VG47

VI PREFACE TO

of war with America, by the Indians or half-
breeds, hired by our Provincial Government
to convey the mail-bags monthly between
Halifax and Quebec. And these men are
occasionally accompanied, although j'arely,
by those individuals not disinclined to share
the hardships and the difficulties of the way.
Such obstacles, however, have been recently
overcome by her Majesty's 43rd Regiment,
who, animated by a becoming zeal for the
public service, and eager to hasten to the
point of colonial warfare, have, during the
present winter, successfully made their way
overland from Halifax to Quebec, and thereby
accomplished an end, which, regarded as the
performance collectively of a considerable
body of men, may be esteemed a remarkable
military operation. And it is the more in-
teresting in the present posture of our Cana-
dian affairs, as a question relating to the prac-

THE SECOND EDITION. Vll

ticability of moving troops between Halifax
and Quebec, now, and, if need be, on a future
day, during the season of winter. For, since
the gigantic St. Lawrence, both in spring
and at the commencement of winter, hurls
along with its impetuous tide those enor-
mous masses of ice that render the gulf
dangerous till early in summer, and for many
months in the year obstruct the navigation
altogether, the overland route above alluded
to affords the only certain and uninterrupted
communication, independent of the way by
the United States, between Quebec and
England.

A minute and faithful account of the
above-mentioned winter's route will be found
in the following pages; — from Halifax by
way of Annapolis to Digby, and thence, after
crossing the Bay of Fundy, from St. John's
by Fredericton to Presque Isle : thus far the

Vlll PREFACE TO

travelling being accomplished in sledges, or
sleighs, as they are called in the country.
Thenceforward, from this small military fort,
situated on the right bank of the River St.
John's_, the journey was completed along the
beds of rivers, by the help of snow-shoes,
over the surface of snow, lying on an average
four feet deep, and through aline of country
which forms^ for an extent of several miles,
a part of that territory between the province
of New Brunswick and the American dis-
trict of Maine, still remaining at issue under
the disputed question of the boundary-line.
The locality, therefore, even on this latter
account alone, is worthy of some attention.

Whatever in future may be the result of
this tedious matter in litigation, it is at least
some consolation to reflect that the long-pro-
tracted delay in arriving at a settlement has
been absolutely unavoidable. It is, in fact.

THE SECOND EDITION. IX

solely attributable to the indefinite terms of
the original treaty. For, thirteen years sub-
sequent to the ratification of that document,
in 1783, the commissioners who met under
its provisions at Passamaquody Bay, actually
broke up in October, 1796, without being able
to determine even which of two streams was
truly intended as the river, whose source was
made the point of departure whence to com-
mence their very first operation. And since
the sources of the St. Croix and Connecti-
cut rivers are laid down as definite points in
the said Treaty of 1783, no wonder, even
without any further consideration, that fertile
elements of doubt and difliiculty have since
obstructed the path of those individuals
doomed to determine the doubtful orio^in of
streams spreading^ like the branching horns
of a stag, in manifold directions through the
forest.

a5

X PREFACE TO

For the above reasons, notwithstanding
the question at issue has already remained
fifty-five years in abeyance, the delay is still
perfectly compatible with good wishes and
intentions on the part of both govern-
ments, and the American President was
doubtless unequivocally sincere when, the
other day, he expressed a similar friendly
sentiment on the subject in his Message to
Congress. A speedy settlement is, in fact,
the real interest of both countries. For the
present race of settlers, American and British,
being owners of a soil disputed between
their respective nations, are by procrastina-
tion liable to fall every day more and more
into collision. And it is obvious, unless the
important question be soon adjusted, not
only that the rights of proprietorship on the
line will be thrown into inextricable confu-
sion, but that mutual jealousies and animosi-

THE SECOND EDITION. XI

ties will continue to increase among the bor-
derers, and territorial differences assume
progressively a more serious aspect, till the
amicable relations of two great nations may
at last be rendered actually liable to be dis-
turbed by the trivial personal bickerings of
inconsiderable land-owners.

It never can, I think, be made a matter of
question but that it was certainly the inten-
tion of the Treaty of 1783 to concede to
England free communication by a route
which appears pointed out by nature as
connecting her respective provinces on the
shores of the Bay of Fundy and the River
St. Lawrence ; a consideration, at the time
the treaty was made, comparatively unim-
portant to the [Americans, and a British
right still farther implied by our having, at
any rate, ever since remained in possession.
But, nevertheless, this aforesaid chain of

Xll PREFACE TO

water transit, comprising a part of the St.
John's river_, the whole of the Madawaska
river, and the Lake Tamasquatha, forms a
portion of that territory which now, under
present circumstances^ is called into question.

May, therefore, the liberal spirit of both
Governments make atonement for verbal
inadvertence, by according due weight to
the real intention of the treaty. And it is
earnestly to be hoped, that, by a conven-
tional adjustment established on the basis of
amity, even though individuals of either na-
tion receive indemnification, if need should
be, the important question of our line of
demarcation may be at any rate speedily
brought to such unquestionable issue, as
may for ever ensure peace and good will
between England and America.

One word only now remains to be said
with regard to the present volume ; since no

THE SECOND EDITIOX. Xlll

material alteration, in fact none other than
verbal revision, has been made in this edi-
tion. While any other course would have
interfered with the character of a mere
simple narrative, it would also be at the
same time quite unnecessary. For, consist-
ing chiefly of the delineation of the great
features of nature, calculated to arrest the
attention of the traveller amid the solitudes
of the forest, it reasonably in consequence
follows, that such remarkable places, such
unchangeable objects, as were originally in
the first instance described, are now to the
full as consistent with topographical accu-
racy as if the same country had been visited
more recently, — nay, were it only even a few
months a2:o.

George Head.

Athenjeum, London,
January 22nd, 1838.

ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE READER.
ACCOMPANYING THE FIRST EDITION.

That the journal, the substance of which is
contained in the following pages, was never
originally intended to meet the public eye, is
literally and strictly true. — This fact, in
justice to myself, I offer without further
comment. And the few years that inter-
vened since the period to which it imme-
diately relates, had very nearly the effect of
suppressing it altogether. But, dwelling
with pleasure on the recollections of a coun-
try becoming now more interesting every
day^ and animated by leisure to revise those
details written on the spot, which brought
the sylvan panorama back to my memory, I
found, upon reflection, that there really was
much in North America to be described

XVI ADVERTISEMENT.

wholly distinct from time or period ; perfectly
unalterable by change of scene and lapse of
vears. And I was further induced to ima-
gine that, trifling as my own personal adven-
tures might be, as far as they related to
myself, still, that the sort of life it was my
lot to lead was so unusual, and had in itself
so much of the novel and the curious, as not
to be wholly uninteresting to the plain reader
and the lover of nature. Thus influenced,
I have dwelt upon the details of the forest
life ; while, on the other hand^ I have glanced
over the account of the beaten roads in a
brief and cursory manner ; not wishing to de-
scribe what was already sufficiently known,
what has been, and will be again^ no doubt,
delineated by abler hands. Still the form
of a diary, which I had adopted, required
that all parts in my journey from Halifax to
Lake Huron (a distance of more than 1200
miles) should be duly noticed; nor could any,
as an integral part, with reference to the
whole, have been, at all events with pro-
priety, omitted.

ADVERTISEMENT. XVll

If, in this trifling production, I have ever
been induced to venture upon matter not
strictly conformable with its title, it has been
owing to the intimate connexion of such
matter with my subject, and the irresistible
inclination I felt at the moment. It is now
submitted to the world without any preten-
sion. The anecdotes have been chiefly
gleaned in solitude, and under some disad-
vantages quite unnecessary to relate. But
the selection has been such as will, I trust,
present to the reader at least a simple and
faithful compilation of '* Forest Scenes and
Incidents in the Wilds of North America/'

George Head.

Cabshalton, Surrey,
29th May, 1829.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

A few days* residence at Halifax .... 1
Journey from Halifax to Presque Isle , . .19
Journey from Presque Isle to Riviere de Cape . 108
Journey from Riviere de Cape to York (now
Toronto), Upper Canada .... 146

Residence in the Woods 781

Summer Journey from Lake Simcoe to Quebec,
by the Falls of Niagara and the Rapids of the

St. Lawrence 320

Concludins: Remarks on Emigration . . . 351

FOREST SCENES

AKD

INCIDENTS,

A FEW DAYS RESIDENCE AT HALIFAX.

It was in the latter end of the month of
November, when I disembarked, after a
rough passage from Fahnouth, at Halifax,
the capital of Nova Scotia, and the passage
of the river St. Lawrence being already-
closed for the winter, it became my duty to
undertake a journey over land to the Cana-
das ; I therefore made my arrangements to
set out as soon as snow should fall in suffi-
cient quantity to put the roads in good order
for travelling in a sleigh. As my stay was
not likely to exceed a few days^ I went to a

B

)C A FEW DAYS RESIDENCE

sort of hotel and boarding-house, the only
description of inn in the place.

The weather, on my arrival, was fine,
clear, and generally sunshiny, but accompa-
nied with extremely sharp frost, which had
already frozen the ponds in the neighbour-
hood to a thickness of several inches. Al-
though now on the other side of the Atlan-
tic, I found myself as it were in an English
town, among English people, and every
thing else much more English in appearance
than one would expect to meet with so far
distant. But the groups of native Indians
were alone sufficient to remind me that I
was breathing the air of another hemisphere.
These people attracted my earnest attention,
for my imagination had painted in high
colours the interesting spectacle of man in a
state of rugged nature, wild as his native
woods, and combining with human intelli-
gence the physical strength of the brute
creation. It was not, therefore, without con-
siderable disappointment, that I saw a few
squalid miserable-looking beings, straggling

AT HALIFAX. 3

in idle listlessness about the streets, and in-
ferior in point of appearance to the wander-
ing race of gipsies in England. One man,
with his squaw and a little boy, were by far
more tidy and clean than any of the rest. It
was on a market-day, and the parents were
both sitting down on the ground with things
to sell. The man had the skin of an otter
and some partridges, and the woman baskets
neatly manufactured of birch bark. The
little boy was using a bow and blunt arrow
very dexterously, by shooting at a halfpenny
set up on the top of a stick, which he hit at
a distance of twenty yards several times suc-
cessively. The dress of the man consisted of
a close-bodied coat of coarse blue cloth, made
to lap over in front so as to serve at the same
time the purpose oi waistcoat and breeches,
and from his girdle hung a squirrel skin
pouch, in which he carried his tobacco, &c.
Instead of shoes, he wore mocassins, made of
soft leather, to fit like a stocking, and on his
legs pieces of blue cloth, reaching from the
knee to the ancle, sewed on tight with an

b2

4 A FEW DAYS* RESIDENCE

overlap outside the seam, and evidently in-
tended to remain on till they fell off of them-
selves. His hair, never touched by shears or
comb, vras as coarse as the mane of a cart-
horse, perfectly black, straight, and ex-
tremely thick. On such a head, however,
he had contrived to stick a coarse felt hat
and, by way of being particularly smart, he
had tied round it a piece of scarlet ferret, and
part of a dirty shirt made its appearance
about his throat. The squaw wore the same
sort of mocassins and leggings as her hus-
band, and a short blue cloth petticoat, reach-
ing from the hip to the middle of the leg.
Her gown, or rather jacket, hardly reaching .
the petticoat, was carelessly fastened in front,
^nd was made of one of those flaring bed
curtain patterns of cotton, full of large red
and yellow flowers, birds, pitch-forks, hay-
stacks, and cottage scenery. Over her shoul-
ders was thrown a filthy blanket, confined by
a skewer instead of a brooch ; a bad substi-
tute, for the blanket seemed ready to tumble
oflf. Her long black hair was smoothed

AT HALIFAX. 5

straight backwards, and tied, in a club nearly
as thick as a man's arm_, with a leathern
thong. The toilet of both the Indian and his
squaw had been completed with abundance
of grease of the most rancid description, with
which their faces were shining. These two
people were in their holiday dress, while
others, with scarcely any covering, were
grovelling on the ground, or reeling in a
state of intoxication about the streets.

In Halifax a fair specimen of the North
American Indian is not to be met with. Far
removed from his natural hunting country,
and attracted by the civilized population with-
in narrow peninsular limits, he has sunk into
idle debauched habits; and the deleterious
effect of cheap rum has destroyed in a very
great measure his energies. But the natu-
ral strength of their constitution overcomes
even these disadvantages. Indians are to be
seen at all times in the winter, even under
a temperature below zero of Fahrenheit,
lying about the streets asleep and drunk, in
the open air, with head, hands, feet, and

t> A FEW DAYS RESIDENCE

bosom bare ; and such is their hardihood, that
they are almost proof against being frost-
bitten. The slow increase of their population,
proceeding as it naturally does, without any
sort of restraint, is a sufficient testimony of
the numbers who perish in the seasoning.
Many are the infants, no doubt, who, like
blossoms from a tree, fall under the rigours
of a few hours' frost ; while those who arrive
at maturity become fortified by a moral prin-
ciple, which teaches them to consider the en-
durance of cold and hunger as the extreme of
virtue and heroism. The life and habits of
the Indian no doubt counteract the increase
of his species, for the climate has indisputably
a prolific tendency, and there are proofs which
might be mentioned, sufficient to establish
that fact beyond all contradiction. They are
a cowardly race of people, and submit them-
selves readily to Englishmen, who surpass
them in bodily strength as to running, wrest-
ling, and other gymnastic exercises. When
they quarrel and fight among themselves,
they pull hair and scratch, having no notion
of making use of their fists.

AT HALIFAX. 7

Besides their strength of constitution and
capability of bearing hunger and fatigue,
they possess one faculty altogether wonderful
— that of being able to travel point-blank
across the forest to any given point, let it be
an hundred miles off, or farther still; guided
solely by an intuition almost supernatural, or
by an acuteness of observation such as the
human sense would hardly be expected to
attain. That a people living continually in
the woods should direct their incessant at-
tention to the motions of the heavenly bodies,
and profit largely by experience, is no matter
of wonder ; but we have still to learn how it
is that by night, or enveloped in fogs by day,
they are able to proceed without the help of
sun, star, or compass. It is by the texture
of the bark of the trees_, rendered coarser on
the side opposed to the prevailing winds,
that they determine their bearings, although
the differences they thus reason upon are so
delicate as to be quite imperceptible to an
European eye. We know that the acuteness
of the senses increases with the intensity of

8 A FEW DAYS* RESIDENCE

their action, and of this there is no want of
instances ; that of the shepherd, who learns
to distinguish the inexpressive countenances
of never so many sheep one from another,
the touch of the blind, &c. ; but there is cer-
tainly no sense which has been brought to a
perfection so nearly allied to animal instinct
as the one in question ; in fact, the intellec-
tual powers of the Indians being wholly
unexercised in any other way, the result is,
that such is their confidence in themselves,
that they are at all times ready to travel alone
without the slightest apprehension, and lie
down to rest in the woods wherever they
may happen to be benighted.

The climate of Halifax does not admit of
a ready comparison with that of England,
though their summer, which lasts about
four months, is not so much hotter as their
winter is colder. They have no season like
an English spring, nor does their autumn
resemble ours.*

: * In order to give a better idea, the following re-
marks may be useful, to which I should premise that

AT HALIFAX. 9

I had remained very few days at my hotel,
when the weather became overcast, with in-

the weather and temperature in the neighbourhood of
Lake Huron, which will be described in the ensuing
journal, is not far different from that at Halifax, though
the range of the thermometer in Quebec is considerably
higher in summer and lower in winter.

Remarks on the Climate of Halifax,
Nova Scotia.

To begin with the months of Jiilij and Augusts
These are the hottest of all, the sun being usually
powerful and oppressive. • The uniform heat is greater
than ours, although a single day in England is now and
then nearly as hot as any of theirs.

In September, the evenings become cold, with frosts,,
increasing in severity to the end of the month.

In October, the temperature falls perhaps to 25° of
Fahrenheit, with rough gales from the north-west,
sweeping the frozen continent, and answering to our
easterly winds. The weather however is variable, some
days still being very warm.

In November, a succession of bright sunshiny days
generally prevails, and that month is to the Nova Scotiau
the best in all the year. The fresh frosty air and bright
sun have acquired for that season the appellation of the
Indian summer. The variation of temperature towards
the end of the month is very great ; sometimes as much

B 3

10 A FEW days' residence

dications of an approaching fall of snow,
which, soon beginning to descend in soft

as 40" in the twenty-four hours. Some days are close
and foggy ; others clear and intensely cold.

In December, the snow before the middle of the
month begins to lie on the ground, the average tempe-
rature being about 20°.

January may be called the coldest month ; the aver-
age temperature being from 10° to 14°. It drops some-
times 10° or 15° below zero, and remains so for three or
four days together.

February usually commences with extreme cold, the
temperature seldom ranging above 12°. Snow-stormS"
are violent and frequent. The sun, however, before
the end of the month, shows gradually his increasing
power, and icicles are seen hanging from the roofs of
houses in sheltered situations.

In March, clouds of hail and sleet sweep along the
streets with a force hard to be withstood by man or
beast. Cold must be endured in all its variety. On
one day the ground presents to the eye a surface of deep
fresh snow, to wade through which nothing but sheer
necessity would drive a man abroad. Before night
perhaps a fog sets in, with a rapid thaw. Heavy rain
succeeds, and torrents of water and melted snow rush
down the steep streets towards the sea. The compact
mass or cake of ice with which the whole surface of the
ground in the town is covered now begins to make its

i

AT HALIFAX. 11

broad flakes, continued for many hours, till
it lay on the ground to a very considerable

appearance, and walking becomes even more disagree-
able and dangerous than ever. This mass of ice is full
two feet thick, and it cracks into fissures, which form,
as it were, the beds of little rivers, which discharge the
melted snow into the sea.

In April the weather is severe and variable. Large
quantities of snow fall during the month, but the heat
of the sun in the middle of the day is too great to allow
it to lie long on the ground. Hardly two days are
alike. Sometimes the snow is deep and fresh, at others
soft and sloppy ; and again covered with a crackling-
coat of ice. Then the north-west wind rages, and calls
forth the powers of the young and active to make way
against its force.

In the month of May, the weather has but little im-
proved. The snow falls heavily at intervals, and, melted
by the increased power of the sun, mixes with mud till
the streets are like a bog, and would be considered in
any other part of the world impassable. The variations
of temperature are excessive. Keen frosty winds and a
warm sun acting together try the weaker constitutions.
Nevertheless, rheumatic people do not complain. Those
subject to pulmonary attacks suffer considerably.

In the month of June the sun begins to be really
powerful, and in the early part is now and then as hot
as at any time of the year. Yet, the summer has not

12 A FEW DAYS' RESIDENCE

depth. The next morning it had drifted so
as to render many parts of the town im-
passable till a way was cleared ; and the
shopkeepers and their boys, in fur caps and
red nightcaps, with canvass sleeves over
their arms and broad shovels in their hands,
were to be seen every where hard at work
throwing aside the snow accumulated before

arrived, and the trees are only beginning to tshow the
first tinge of green. Floating islands of ice, which in-
fest the coast at this season of the year, influence the
climate most considerably. Till these gradually recede,
and, becoming porous, sink to the water's edge, the
weather is never settled and warm. For in the hottest
day, whenever the wind happens to blow from the sea,
it drives before it a dense chilling fog, like a moving
pillar, over the town. There, while it rests, the change
of atmosphere is violent in the extreme. The very
eyes feel wet and cold ! And the sea-breeze, which in
England invites the invalid to the coast to inhale its
freshness, drives the Nova Scotian within the walls of
his house. This evil however is of short continuance,
for the ice-islands, on whose gelid surfaces these damp
fogs have been engendered, melt by degrees, and, dis-
persing themselves over the ocean, cease for the re-
mainder of the year to interfere with the sun's dominion.

AT HALIFAX. 13

their dwellings. It had covered the doors
and lower windows of some of the houses,
so that the people were obliged to burrow
their way like moles into daylight ; and one
wondered now, at the very beginning of a
winter, how the quantities of snow likely to
fall during the season could ever be disposed
of. The day was particularly fine after the
storm ; every body seemed busy and ani-
mated, and servants were running backwards
and forwards with bells, straps, buckles, and
harness of all sorts^ to prepare for sleigh
driving.

At an early hour the first heavy sleighs,
laden with wood, coal, and other articles of
merchandise, were to be seen laboriously ad-
vancing through the deep fresh snow, which
becoming by degrees trodden towards the
middle of the day, the fresh painted, lighter
vehicles were allured from their summer's rest.
Then damsels with pretty chins wrapped in
fur, bade a short adieu to mammas (not here
required by custom as chaperones) to take a
seat beside their anxious beaux ; till smiling

14 A FEW days' residence

faces, tingling bells, and trotting horses were
encountered in every corner of the town.
Now came the time to look about one : hardly
a third part of the space in the street was pass-
able ; and as the sleighs came dashing by, one
thought oneself lucky, at the expense of a
jump up to the hips in a snowbank, to escape
being knocked over once in every five minutes.
Some of the drivers were good, others bad,
but all drove fast, so that, notwithstanding
people were obliged by law to have a certain
number of bells about their sleigh, the eyes
of Argus were insufficient to protect a foot-
passenger, who, after all possible pains to
get out of the way of the carriages, gained
nothing more by way of thanks than snow-
balls kicked in his face off the heels of
the horse. I observed one young man, evi-
dently an inexperienced driver, in the act
of passing a corner, while he and his fair
partner were flying forwards in the original
direction long after the horse had completed
his turn ; and such was the centrifugal mo-
tion of the sleigh, that an old Woman was

AT HALIFAX. 15

knocked down, and the horse completely
overcome and brought to the ground by its
violence.

Casualties seemed to be perpetually occur-
ring to grave personages, and some of them
sufficiently ridiculous. I saw an old gentle-
man carefully poking his way across a steep
street with creepers (spikes made to buckle
under the sole) on his feet and a pointed
walking-stick in his hand, when his heels
w^ere in a moment knocked from under him
by an urchin in a box placed on iron runners,
who shot down like a flash of lightning from
the top of the hill to the bottom. I picked
him up as, covered with snow, he was puffing
with rage and growling vengeance against
the author of his misfortune. But the old
gentleman was not likely to be gratified ; for
the boy had passed like a meteor, and the
moment of collision, together with the point
of contact, were the only data by which the
sufferer could determine whence he had
come and whither he was gone.

It was quite astonishing to see how the

16 A FEW days' residence

young people preserved their equilibrium
over parts of the streets covered with ice.
The town, built on the side of a hill, con-
sists of long streets, parallel to the harbour,
with others remarkably steep crossing them
at right angles. These latter, in some places
where the snow had drifted away, were co-
vered with a coat of hard ice, along which the
young women especially were venturously
running and sliding, in groups of three or
four at a time, all holding by each other's
arms, down such declivities as apparently to
put their necks in serious danger.

Waggon loads of frozen pigs were exposed
for sale, quite hard and stiff, and in a fit state
to keep till the spring. They had an unusu-
ally uncouth appearance ; for their mouths
were generally open, and the last services
seemed never to have been properly paid to
the defunct. Their limbs were not arrano^ed
with decent regularity, and they appeared to
have given up the ghost in the act of squalling
and at full gallop. Some were placed stand-
ing at the doors in the streets, like rocking-

AT HALIFAX. 17

horses before a toy-shop^ upon their four legs,
just as if they had been alive. This mode of
keeping a pig for a winter without giving him
a grain of any thing to eat, or being subject
to his noisy, ill-mannerly conduct, — nay, to be
enabled to eat him piecemeal without even the
trouble of cutting his throat, is indisputably
one advantage of a cold climate. But frozen
meat, on the other hand, disappoints the epi-
cure, being generally tasteless and tough.

Notwithstanding the day was extremely
cold, an auctioneer established himself at
the corner of a street out of doors, and was
haranguing a crowd of eager-looking buyers
who had assembled about him. Altogether,
the appearance of the town after the snow
set in, was, from the novelty of the sur-
rounding objects, particularly lively and in-
teresting to an European.

But while winter brings with it festivities
to the inhabitants of Halifax, the sufferings
of sea-faring people form a sad reverse. It is
indeed an appalling sight to see, in hard wea-
ther, a vessel beating up the harbour of Hali-

18 RESIDENCE AT HALIFAX.

fax in the teeth of a north-wester. Perhaps
from the West Indies ! * * * On she glides
slowly and gloomily through the black
waves, her bows and quarters so heavily en-
crusted with ice, as to be quite disfigured,
and weighed down by her head in the water;
the sailors, meanwhile, with frost-bitten
hands and feet, hanging upon the glassy
ropes and rigging, and contending manfully
against an unrelenting snow-drift. A few
days only have elapsed, probably, since the
same men, now exposed to the dangers of
an iron-bound coast, and a temperature,
perhaps, of forty degrees below the freezing
point, were broiling under a tropical sun : a
change, it might be thought, utterly beyond
the power of human nature to withstand.

19

JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX
TO PRESQUE ISLE,

On the 7th of December a heavy fall of snow,
which had lasted the two or three preceding
days, induced me to make immediate prepa-
ration for my journey. I was happy to leave
my hotel, kept by a worthy olJlady whom I
seldom saw. She had prescribed herself a
course of the warmer liquors, and had nearly
abdicated her authority in favour of the ser-
vants of the house, a set of noisy screaming
black women. I separated a few necessary
articles of equipment from my baggage, the
remainder of which I made arrangements to
send to Quebec by the first spring vessels.
I hired a sleigh to take me and my servant
as far as Annapolis, a distance of 132 miles,
for which I was to pay twenty pounds, or
eighty dollars, including the expenses of the
return of the horse and driver to Halifax.
December 8th. — At nine o'clock in the

20 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

morning my vehicle came to the door. The
snow l^y more than a foot on the ground ;
besides which, it was still falling heavily.
The wind, also, was full in our faces. I had
provided myself, according to the custom of
the place, with snow-boots made of Brussels
carpeting, which buttoned over my boots,
reaching above my ancles, with soles of rough
felt. I was further fortified by a good great-
coat and a fur cap with large flaps to cover
the ears. The driver had no sooner got into
his small seat in front, and urged his horse
into a sort of shuffling walk, than it was
quite evident that the animal was at the full
extent of his pace, considering the heavy
draft; and we accordingly travelled at an ex-
tremely slow rate, being full three hours and
a half in performing the first fifteen miles.

The soil in the neighbourhood of Halifax
is poor and rocky ; and the black granite rocks
and scrubby trees, which showed their tops
through the snow, looked desolate in the ex-
treme. Land, notwithstanding, in the neigh-
bourhood, sells high ; for people, so soon as

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 21

ihey scrape together a little money by farm-
ing, flock to the seaports, and reverse the
usual order of life by finishing with com-
merce instead of retirement. Passing through
Sackville, (a small cluster of wooden houses,)
we left the extremity of the basin, or arm of
the sea, parallel to which the road had
hitherto led, and completed a heavy tedious
drive of Mteen miles at Mitchell's Inn.

The inns in the country are known only by
the names of the landlords, to the great dis-
couragement of the profession of sign-paint
ers. The people were not at all uncivil ; the}
allowed me to shake the snow off my clothes
in the passage, and proceed unmolested as far
as the fire in the parlour ; but nobody seemet!
at all inclined to stir, till, in answer to my
repeated entreaties, "Mother," said the great
girl of the house, in a fretful tone, — ^' Mother,
don't you hear how the man is calling for
something to eat ?" and then the mother did
begin to move herself, and presently a heavy
pile of toast and butter was placed before me,
together with tea and beef-steaks. The inn

22 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

looked like a neat English farm-house. The
room was skirted with deal wainscoting, and
the furniture was made of the woods of the
country. Some articles of birch-wood bore
an excellent polish, and those of bird's-eye
maple very nearly resembled satin-wood ; but
the sudden and severe changes of climate
had warped them all grievously. A few
articles of mahogany also had shared a simi-
lar fate. And this evil is universal all over
the country, in the best houses as well as the
worst. No matter how thick the walls, the
tables and chairs always suffer by the weather.
The sides of the room and mantelpiece
were ornamented with trumpery prints of the
four quarters of the world in allegory, and
plaster of Paris casts of George the Third,
Queen Charlotte, and a green parrot with a
cherry in his mouth. Every thing looked
English, and though a Yankee twang rang
in the noses of the country people, giving a
marked and provincial accent, yet it was hard
to believe one had travelled upwards of two
thousand miles to detect so slight a differ-

J

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 23

ence* between the people of each side of the
Atlantic.

Two country fellows came into the inn
while I was eating, and placed themselves at
a small table in a corner of the same room.
They called for rum, which was given them
in a vinegar cruet. Glasses were brought,
and then, each passing the back of his hand
across a mighty useful set of teeth, hobbed
and nobbed the other; and, repeating the
ceremony, their little bottle was empty.
Cramming their large paws into their
breeches' pockets, the girl of the house was
called to a committee of finance, and, at their
request, replenished the cruet. This second
dose made them sneeze a little, but it was
despatched in as short a time as the first.
The water now stood in both their eyes.
They paid for the rum ; hardly a word was
expended in conversation, and about five
minutes of time had elapsed, when they were
out of the house, and again on their way.

The Nova Scotian peasant, as to his gene-
ral appearance, cast of countenance, and ac-

24 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

cent, so much resembles the inhabitant of the
United States of America, that a stranger
would not perceive the difference. They have
the same tall, bony, athletic figure ; the keen,
penetrating, inquisitive eye; — they guess
and they calculate, and adopt very many of
the same provincial phrases and expressions.
They are a fine healthy, hardy race of men,
in point of stature certainly exceeding Eng-
lishmen. But the transparent glovr of youth
is of shorter duration. Innumerable minute
wrinkles, especially about the eyes, appear
at a very early period ; perhaps more attri-
butable to the increased exercise of those
particular muscles, which are brought into a
state of contortion by the sensation of cold,
or the dazzling light of the sun shining on
snow for so many months in the year, than
from any positive effect produced upon the
constitution. It is, however^ very well known^
that the teeth decay particularly soon, and
this, most probably, is owing to the cold.
They do not suffer by rheumatism, or any
other disease of that sort. As to clothes, they

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 25

n 0 more precautions than we do. Flan-
nel is even more rarely worn. The man, for
instance, who drove my sleigh, sat on his cold
perch in front, with no other defence from the
weather than an ordinary great-coat, such as
soldiers wear ; without boots upon his legs, or
gaiters ; merely shoes and worsted stockings.
While the horse was baiting, I took an op-
portunity of paying a visit to him in the
stable ; where he was standing in his harness,
with the door open behind him, and a rack-
ful of miserably bad hay before him. The
building was ill contrived for the purpose of
keeping out the wind, had the door been
shut ; and altogether it was a most comfort-
less abode for a poor horse. While I was
there, the driver came in from the house, and,
without rubbing him down, led him out into
the yard, and commenced putting to. We
went fifteen miles to Rolls's inn, where the
horse was baited again ; and then proceeded
twelve miles more to Burdon's inn, where we
put up for the night. It was late when I ar-
rived, and as I was dreadfully cold (for it had

c

i

26 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

snowed the whole of the day), nothing could
equal the hospitable appearance of the fire,
which was burning in the room. Enormous
logs were piled on each other upon the
hearth, with a profusion one is quite unaccus-
tomed to in England. Beef-steaks were again
produced, with tea. I had a clean comfort-
able bed, and the next morning was ready to
start at an early hour.

December 9th. — I proceeded seven miles
to Standridge's inn, where I breakfasted.
The road was hilly. The day had cleared
up, but it was extremely cold. On both
sides of the road, during the whole of the
way from Halifax, one could not help remark-
ing the small proportion the cleared land
bears to that uncultivated. The trees which,
in the neighbourhood of Halifax, are scrubby
and stunted, now began to assume a different
character, being of much larger growth.
Thirteen miles to Graham's inn, Horton town-
ship, over a hilly road. Horton was the
largest village I had yet seen, small as it was
compared to an English one. Having baited,

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 27

I proceeded fourteen miles to Sharp's inn,
Cornwallis township, over a road tolerably-
level. Here I put up for the night.

The infancy of the country, as regards cul-
tivation, is most striking; the plough had
barely nibbled the edges of the forest, con-
fininor itself to the borders of lakes and rivers.
And it has been truly enough remarked, that
by the proportion v^^hich the seams of a coat
bear to the cloth ; that which exists between
the cleared and wooded surface of the land
maybe exemplified. Industry seemed to pre-
vail every where, without any apparent ves-
tige of pauperism. The landlords of the inns
were usually occupiers of land ; and home-
made cheeses and cider, both of an excellent
quality, were generally produced at table.

December 10th. — Ten miles to Crane's
inn, Aylesford township, over a level road.
Fifteen miles to Parker's, Wilmot township,
over a level road. On this stage I passed
the country seat of the Bishop of Nova Sco-
tia ; a building of very humble elevation, and
not exceeding, in point of appearance, a very

c2

28 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

Hioderate description of English farm-house.
Eight miles and a half to Lennard's, Wilmot
township, over a level road. And here I put
up for the night. The vi^eather had changed
considerably. For more than a couple of
hours, before arriving at the inn, the snow
was slushy and soft, in consequence of a
very rapid thaw. I had barely got under
cover, when, rain began to fall heavily, and
continued till late at night.

The bearing of the people at the inns to-
wards a stranger is somewhat difficult at first
to understand. They are most of them, as I
Lave observed, occupiers of land as well as
innkeepers ; so, not resting a sole reliance on
their inns, they seem to imagine that by ad-
mitting a traveller, they confer a favour on
liim instead of themselves ; at all events, they
treat him as their equal. In England, it
must be confessed, that civility, however gra-
tifying it may be, is paid for at a good price.
Here, though one does not get it, it is not
charged for in the bill, and nobody thinks of
giving a farthing to the servants, who, in fact,

i

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 29

are most frequently the children of the people
of the house.

December 1 1th. — This morning, on getting
into my sleigh, I found the driver beating his
hands on his sides, with a short lighted pipe
in his mouth. The wind had changed again,
and the air was keen and sharp. The frost
had set in for some hours, and the roads were
improved to a very great degree. Instead of
crawling on at the heavy tiresome rate we
had hitherto done, a crack of the whip set
the horse off at a running trot, which he kept
up nearly the whole of the stage, equal to
nine miles an hour, as we went over a level
road to Spur's, Annapolis township. The
road, for the most part, passed through a low
level, calculated for feeding cattle, from the
abundance of meadow and marsh on both
sides. Passed the Annapolis river, which is
here about the breadth of the Thames at
Staines. We passed it by a bad wooden
bridge. Proceeding along its bank, we ar-
rived at the town of Annapolis. The road
was, in many places, exceedingly bad and

30 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

rough ; for large pieces of rock protruded
themselves above the soil ; and against these
the runners of the sleigh occasionally came
in contact with considerable violence, the
snow not being of sufficient depth to protect
them. The roads, hardened for so great a
part of the year by frost, are little attended
to during the short period of summer ; be-
sides, the soil is rocky, so that a natural road
exists sometimes for many yards together.
Throughout the greatest part of the province,
deficiency of the material cannot be pleaded
in excuse for the bad state of the roads, for
good hard granite is in great plenty. Plaster
of Paris is found in large quantities in the
neighbourhood of Annapolis.

Annapolis, which is one of the largest towns
in the province of Nova Scotia, would hardly
merit the name of a town in England, but
rather of a good-sized village ; but it may be
observed, that while the natural features of
the country are on a larger scale, the different
grades of society exist on a smaller. Captains
and colonels of militia are to be met with

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 81

carrying on the trade of publicans, and that
not unfrequently ; and the members of the
house of assembly, (the colonial parliament,)
instead of, as with us, rolling into their metro-
polis on easy springs, here make their entree
without stile or pretension, jolting in country-
built buggies,* or, perhaps, bumping side by-
side on ambling long-tailed cart horses.

My sleigh was now discharged, having
arrived at Annapolis, and I went to Mrs.
Crawley's inn, where I was comfortably-
lodged. I found it by no means an easy mat-
ter to procure a vehicle for my journey to
Digby, a distance of twenty miles, from which
place I was to embark to cross the Bay of
Fundy to the town of St. John's. I found
myself driven to the necessity of making a

* These country gigs possess, nevertheless, nearly the
advantage of springs, owing to the body being slung upon
pliant poles, spliced on in continuation of the shafts ; and
the_Jconstruction is at the same time so extremely simple,
that no damage can in probability happen to them, which
may not be readily replaced by means of an axe and a
few yards of cord.

32 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

bargain, an operation not to be effected at
Annapolis without a good many words ; and
as every body to whom I applied myself 1
knew, that, as a matter of course, I must go
forward, they all hung back, and " tried con-
fusions" accordingly. Some objected to the
heavy draft, owing to the soft state of the
snow, others had work for their horses on
their farms, and so forth. At last I came to
terms with a man, who said that he would
have to send in for his horses, which were
several miles from the town ; and I agreed to
give him four pounds to take me the twenty
miles to Digby. I had no sooner, however,
concluded the bargain, than the cattle were
forthcoming, never having been out of his
stable, and he was as eager to be off as he
had appeared before indifferent to the under-
taking. Several other proprietors then came
and offered me their sleighs at a more reason-
able rate ; however, it was too late.

I accepted an invitation to dine with an old

gentleman, a Mr. . He was more than

eighty years old, had served under General

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 33

Wolfe, and made it a rule to invite to his
house all gentlemen in the public service
who might happen to pass through the town.
He was so perfectly deaf, that it was utterly
impossible to converse with him^ except by
means of a few thirsty interpreters, who
drank his port wine, and made themselves
otherwise serviceable on social occasions.
The old gentleman commenced after dinner
to give toasts, after which he called upon his
guests in turn for others. Then we were
asked to give ladies, and after that, senti-
ments. And all in such quick succession,
that, finding it impossible to do justice to the
part I was called on to play, I made as
speedy a retreat as I could, and sought the
quiet of my inn.

December r2th. — The weather was ex-
tremely unsettled, and a thaw had come on
in the nighty so that when I started, the snow
was sloppy, and the roads in consequence
very heavy. The sleigh was drawn by two
horses working abreast. The way was also
hilly ; and without an extra horse, it would

c 3

34 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

Lave been impossible to proceed. Indeed
the thaw had been so rapid, that the ground
in many places was almost bare> and I occa-
sionally felt the runners of the sleigh grind-
ing on the bare earth for several yards toge-
ther^ when it required the utmost power of
the horses to advance. As it was, they were
knocked up before we had gone eighteen
miles. On leaving Annapolis in the morning,
we proceeded nine miles to I>itman's, where I
breakfasted. This was a small house, on the
banks of Moose River, which is a stream
emptying itself into the Annapolis river. We
then proceeded nine miles to Harris's (making
eighteen miles), where we put up for the
night. We went seven miles out of our way,
the direct road being by way of a horse ford
over Bear River.

December 13th. — The frost had set in be-
fore the morning, and when the sleigh came
to the door, the air was extremely sharp and
cold. We had a rough hilly drive to the
town of Digby, and a chilling fog added a
blacker hue to the large forest trees on each

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 35

side of our narrow route. I was therefore
the more gratified by the sudden appearance
of a splendid sun, setting forth to the great-
est advantage a rich sea-view, ornamented by
a display of magnificent rock and woodland
scenery. The Bay of Digby is an outlet of
the Bay of Fundy, which latter is remarkable
for its dangerous navigation, caused by the
strong currents and extraordinary swell of its
tide, which has been frequently known to
rise to a height of sixty feet. Close to the
town appears a fine sandy beach, and a regu-
lar succession of bluff rocks extend them-
selves from the head of the bay on both sides
towards the sea ; and on these, shoals of cor-
morants, as w^ell as other descriptions of the
larger wild fowl, are seen sitting during the
day. The bay is circular, and the rocky cir-
cumference converging towards the sea, two
large corresponding masses of rock overhang
each other, forming natural barriers, which
leave a narrow passage between, so that ves-
sels enter at once into smooth water. As the
road on its approach to the town was circuit-
ous, I had the more leisure to admire the

36 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

pleasing change of scenery. So few people
had occasion to travel on the road I had
passed, that solitude and desolation added to
the rigors of winter, and the brilliant wood--
fires at the inns were the sole comfort and
solace of my journey. The long continued
exposure to severe cold day after day was a
great trial to my patience, though the effects
were by no means otherwise injurious. On
arriving at the town, I found the only inn full,
and was therefore under the necessity of re-
turning three miles on the road I had already
travelled, and I put up at a neat little inn, re-
commended at least by its name, which was
** Pleasant Valley." The person who kept the
house was a widow, from whom I experienced
extreme kindness and attention. Her daug^h-
ters were well-behaved and exceedinelv
pretty, and the house was managed altogether
with such quiet regularity, that I blessed my
stars for the good fortune which had esta-
blished me in such quarters during the un-
certain period of my sojourn in the neigh-
bourhood of Digby.

For the next point in my journey was the

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 37

town of St. John's, in New Brunswick, to-
wards which I was to cross the bay of Fundy
in a small packet which was plied backwards
and forwards, and at as regular intervals as
the difficult navigation would admit. The
distance across is thirty-six miles ; but owing
to the violent currents, swell of the tide, &c.,
the passage is never attempted unless with a
fair wind and moderate weather. The packet
when I arrived was not in the harbour, not
having returned from its last trip to St. John's ;
I therefore made arrano^ements to be informed
so soon as she might arrive ; and, secure on
this point, I made myself quite easy, under all
circumstances, at the prospect of being wea-
ther-bound under the roof of my kind hostess
and her fair daughters. I had the pleasure
of seeing what industry and good manage-
ment could effect in the country ; and a house
more tidy and scrupulously clean I never
entered in any part of the world I ever visited.
I went to a large piece of water in the neigh-
bourhood, where I amused myself by skating
for a few hours before dinner, which was

38 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

served in a room warmed by an excellent
coal fire, and furnished with every sort of
English comfort. My landlady was provided
with preserved fruits of every description
afforded by the soil, and these are sufficiently
numerous. There are currants and raspber-
ries, gooseberries, cranberries, strawberries,
apples, pears, and quinces ; and of these she
was so liberal, that I could not satisfy her
kind intentions. She pressed me to eat more
of them ; " for," said she, stirring my fire at
the same time, *' you will be both cold and
hungry before you arrive at Quebec." I
thanked her heartily for her good-will.

I was led involuntarily to think favourably
of a country, in a state of Georgic simplicity ;
where a man can build a house in a week,*
where, by the help of his gun and fishing im-
plements, there is no chance of his starving ;
where, for five shillings an acre, good land
maybe purchased, capable of growing wheat,
buckwheat, barley, oats, maize, rye, turnips,
potatoes, &c. I had seen the facility with
which the countrymen wielded tho axe, and

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 39

had been surprised by the simple mode of
bringing the land first into cultivation. It
seemed to me almost incredible, that corn
could be grown in a forest of stumps for seve-
ral succeeding years^ merely on the strength
of the land, without amendment, except the
ashes of the burnt trees; that by merely
scratching the surface with a light plough, it
could be prepared for the next crop ; and that
agricultural operations could be carried on
with success for a period of ten or twelve
years, till the roots of the trees rotted out of
the ground of themselves. What if the life
of the husbandman be a laborious one ? If a
man be obliged to work hard for his bread,
so long as he has youth and strength, and
breathes the air of a bracing climate, why
should he not ?

The neighbourhood of Digby appeared to
me particularly eligible ; for the town was a
thriving little sea-port : boats of a large size
were built in her docks, and the sea abounded
with several good sorts of fish. A small spe-
cies of herring afforded the inhabitants almost

40 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

a staple commodity. They are extremely
delicate, and are salted in great quantities
every year. They have gained the nick-name
of Digby chickens, and are exported to dif-
ferent parts of the province in barrels.

December 14th and 15th. — The packet not
having arrived in the harbour from St. John's,
I chiefly amused myself by skating during
the day. I also unpacked my gun, and took
a w^alk towards the forest ; but the snow lay
too deep on the ground for walking without
snow-shoes, with which articles I was not as
yet provided ; neither had I any dog.

December 16th. — I received intelligence
that the packet had arrived in the harbour ;
but upon inquiry learnt that there was no
chance of her'sailing, unless the wind should
happen to change.

December 17th to 21st. — The wind still
contrary, and the frost steady and sharp.
Both these days I made an attempt to shoot
wild-fowl, but without much success. As I
was following a large cormorant I had winged,
over a salt-water creek which the tide had

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 41

left dry, I sank into a bog of blue mud, con-
siderably above my knees. In ^ye minutes
the mud was frozen as hard as a stone upon
my clothes, so that I had much difficulty in
walking. Fortunately I was not wetted to
the skin, or I might have suffered from the
accident. As it was, I was obliged to be
thawed when I got home, before I could take
off some of my things. As soon as I had
dressed I went to the house of a man about a
mile distant, to see a dog which had been se-
verely wounded by a species of lynx or wild
cat, which the natives call the loup-cervier,
or, as they pronounce it, lousiffee. The dog
was of the Labrador breed, extremely power-
ful, and of enormous stature. Notwithstand-
ing his shaggy coat and his ferocity, he very
nearly lost his life in the conflict, by the teeth
and talons of the creature, although the latter
was so inferior in point of size ; so much so
as not to exceed perhaps ten pounds weight ;
and it made its escape, after a struggle of
three or four minutes, just as the dog's master
arrived to his assistance. The above de-
scription of beast is very scarce.

42 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

Wolves and bears are in sufBcient numbers
through all parts of the forests. As to the for-
mer, they are shy and cowardly ; for there are
enough of deer and other smaller animals to
appease their hunger and moderate their fero-
city. When they are met with, it is generally
singly, or in parcels of two or three together,
trotting sluggishly along. But while the
wolves lead an independent roaming life, the
bears keep nearer to the cultivated land^ and
in consequence are not on the most neigh-
bourly terms with the farmers. Whenever
one is heard of in the neighbourhood, a
posse comitatus sally forth with guns and
dogs to destroy him. They wage a continual
war with the poultry and pigs ; and a large
bear has been known to enter a farm-yard,
seize a heavy fat hog in spite of his remon-
strances, and carry his noisy prisoner in his
fore-paws out of his stye, clambering over
rail-fences, and effectually making his escape,
notwithstanding the clatter and bustle of
men in pursuit of him. Now and then a
countryman, armed with a club or a pitch-
fork, has ventured to bring one to single

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 43

combat in the woods ; but then he should be,
as they call it, '* pretty considerable smart,"
or the bear will whip his weapon with a jerk
out of his grasp and come immediately to
close quarters, in which case Bruin is pretty
sure to floor his opponent. However, they
generally run away from a man, and are
only at all formidable when they happen to
have young to defend.

December 22nd. — I was aroused before
daylight by the intelligence of the wind hav-
ing changed ; it was some time, notwithstand-
ing, before the packet heaved anchor, and it
was nearly noon before we set sail with a fine
breeze out of the bay. The wind was fair,
but we were opposed by a violent head cur-
rent, which caused a short chopping sea. The
day was foggy, so that we could but just dis-
tinguish Partridge Island as we passed it,
which is about a couple of miles from St.
John's. A fort and lighthouse are built upon
it. In about six hours from the time of leav-
ing Digby, our little sloop (one of thirty-six
tons) cast anchor in the harbour of St. John's.

44 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

On landing, the difference of climate between
the latter place and Digby was very percep-
tible. In the first place, full half a foot more
snow lay on the ground, and the inhabitants
themselves estimate a fortnight's difference
in the seasons. The town, is a good deal
smaller than Halifax ; and the extreme width
of the streets, and the irregular form of the
houses, give it a very unfinished appearance.
As there was no choice of inns, I went to an
hotel of the same description with that in
Halifax, and kept by an old widow, who re-
ceived me with looks as cold as the climate
she lived in, — not interesting herself in the
least about me, or caring at all whence I had
come or whither I was going. It seemed to
be with her, as with many others of her de-
scription in the country, (if one were to judge
by their looks on arriving at their houses,)
entirely a matter of caprice whether one was
to be admitted or not. She gave me the
worst bed-room she had, and dreadfully cold
it was.

Different people, at the stated hours of eat-

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 45

ing, were in the habit of assembling them-
selves from various parts of the town. One
or two chewed tobacco ; all spit on the car-
pet ; and there was one big man who, I was

told, was a lieut.-colonel of the militia.

He had a way of eating which I shall never
forget. Closing his teeth upon his knife, he
drew it through his mouth, so as to threaten
its enlargement up to his ear; it was pretty
wide as it was, and as he filled it as full
as it would hold, a sympathetic jerk of his
goggle eyes marked always, by their involun-
tary vibration, the precise moment when each
large morsel passed down his throat. After
tea, a great basin of hot water was brought
to the hostess, in which she washed the tea-
cups and saucers ; and then, having deposited
her china in a cupboard, she left me and the
rest of the gentlemen by ourselves for the
evening. The frost set in at night with
great severity, and I found the house miser-
ably cold.

December 23rd to 25th. — Sorely against
my will I sojourned these three days at

46 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

Mrs. 's. Neither entertained nor instruct-
ed by my companions, I was most anxious to
get away at the expense of cold, solitude, or
any other inconvenience. Fortunately, most of
the party attended only at their meals, and,
having daily business to occupy them in their
shops, (or stores, as they call them,) they
came in with the first dish and disappeared
as soon as the cloth was removed, being
obliged, in fact, to eat against time. Indeed,
they used admirable despatch, and by blow-
ing into their soup, and picking bones with
their fingers, they contrived to make dinner a
very short business, at the same time de-
vouring full as much as they paid for.

The next point in my journey was the town
of Fredericton, situated on the river St.
John's, and at a distance of eighty-one miles.
The usual winter route was all the way upon
the ice of the river, but the season was hardly
as yet sufficiently advanced to depend upon
its strength ; for however severe the frost may
be, the effect of springs and currents is so
great, that in large sheets of water there are

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 47

many particular places most deceitfully un-
sound, long after the surface generally has
attained considerable thickness. Nor can
any period or degree of intensity of frost suf-
fice to render the travelling upon the rivers
perfectly free from accidents, owing to the
insecurity of the ice ; for the confined air is
continually subject to burst its way from un-
derneath, leaving chasms, which, becoming
immediately lightly skinned over with a new
coat of ice, deceive the traveller by their ap-
pearance, and give no warning whatever till
the surface breaks in under the horse's feet:
and these air-holes, as they are called, are
met with at times, no matter what the thick-
ness of the ice may be. The weather was
particularly severe, and seemed to indicate
the established setting in of the winter, and I
agreed with a man for the hire of a two-horse
sleigh from St. John's to Fredericton, and to
set out the next morning. I was to pay seven
pounds on my arrival at the latter place.

December 26th. — It was with much satis-
faction that I heard a favourable report of the

48 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

state of the river, although it was added, that
the passage was frequently exceedingly diffi-
cult, owing to the roughness of the ice and
the circuitous routes which in many places
were indispensably resorted to. I had pur-
chased a buffalo apron, or two skins of the
animal sewed together and lined with baize, —
an article of the greatest use and comfort : it
was my friend by day and by night. Of a
substance warm as sheepskin, and of ve
large dimensions, my knees and feet were
defended from the weather during the many
hours I was necessarily exposed in open
carriages; and it supplied the insufficiency
of covering in the beds and places where I
lay down to rest at night.

My sleigh came to the door early in the
morning ; and when I left St. John's the ther-
mometer stood at 12'^ Fahr. The driver
occupied a small seat in front, and was a
rough-looking fellov,^ both in dress and coun-
tenance. He wore a huge cap made of the
skin of a fox, and the brush was sewed across
the top of it fore and aft, like the cone of a^

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 49

helmet. A black stump of a tobacco-pipe
was in his mouth. He had a close-bodied
coat on his back, made of a blanket, with a
sash of red worsted round his waist. Crack-
ing his short whip, he urged the horses
through the streets at their best speed,
which it soon became necessary to slacken ;
for the first stage was remarkably rough and
hilly. We proceeded very slowly till we ar-
rived at an inn^ called Poverty-hall, where
we baited.

We had now arrived on the banks of a small
river which empties itself into the river St.
John's. As soon as the horses were ready to
start, I got into the sleigh tolerably refreshed,
and the broad scorched face and replenished
pipe of the driver were sufficient, had I any
fears on his account, entirely to dissipate
them. The perspiration of the horses was
frozen upon them, but they looked healthy
notwithstanding. We now prepared for a
drive on the river ; and at first making our
l^ay slowly over fragments of broken ice and
congelated heaps of snow, we came at last to

D

50 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

a sudden dip, and then were carried away
forwards with a launch upon the bed of the
river. The wind had cleared away the
snow, and the ice was nearly bare. The
driver rattled his horses on at a brisk gallop,
till they by degrees settled down into their
fastest trot. The sound of the runners upon
the ice and of the horses' feet, together with
the perfect indifference with which the driver
treated repeated loud cracks, which were
distinctly audible, was to me altogether new.
Still the motion was agreeable, and the
labour of the horses so light, that there was
very much to be pleased with ; so^ finding
that he whose business it was to judge of
the soundness of the ice was satisfied, I very
soon left off" thinking about it.

We proceeded this stage of eleven miles to
Gidney's all the way on the river, which is
in most places about three quarters of a mile
broad. Thence ten miles more to Wurdon's :
five miles of this road, through the forest^,
were particularly rough and bad. We then
began to descend, and reached the ice again
at Lyon's Creek, which is an arm of Belleisle

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 51

Bay. As we passed along the creek, the
wide expanding shores of the bay appeared
in front of us : it is about twelve miles long
and three broad, and, owing to the sweep-
ing gusts of wind which incessantly pass
over its surface, it presented to the eye an
uniform sheet of clear ice ; and here we were
roused to life and animation by a brisk and
long-continued gallop, both the horses laying
their ears back and biting at each other all
the time. After the dull, heavy drag of the
first part of the stage through the wood, the
change of pace and of scene altogether was
in a great degree enlivening ; while the quick
jingle of the bells and the excitement of the
horses invested with a deeper hue the purple
cheeks of the driver, who sat on his seat
singing, and, with his whip under his arm,
striking fire for a fresh pipe ; — and thus we
spun along till we came to Wurdon's. And
now we had arrived at the St. John's river,
upon a course of water communication ex-
tending in a direct line towards the river
St. Lawrence, nearly 300 miles.

d2

52 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

A dreary rugged desolation had hitherto
marked the features of the path I had
travelled, — a heavy uninteresting same-
ness everywhere pervaded the landscape ;
but now^ the scene was varied by bays and
creeks, and hour after hour the wide differ-
ence in climate and general appearance be-
tween North America and England became
more and more striking. Certainly there are
no two countries more thoroughly different.
An interminable extent of forest land, co-
vered with snow during a long and rigorous
winter, presents in itself a gloomy view of
inanimate life ; a melancholy stillness, totally
unlike the cultivated face of nature under a
more genial climate. It is true, that the
slow but increasing process of agriculture
may work important change; the axe may
level the forest with the earth, and the
cheering beams of the sun, admitted to its
hidden recesses, may dissipate the masses of
snow which now feed the piercing winds of
winter : but the greater the extent of land
laid bare, the greater contrast must necessa-

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 53

rily show itself; as rivers, lakes, rapids, and
waterfalls everywhere becoming developed,
demonstrate an increased scale of grandeur
truly worthy of admiration.

We travelled eight miles farther to Gold-
ing's, the track being the whole of the way
on the river. The cold was very intense, and
u covering of six inches of snow lay on the
ice. The average breadth of the river, sub-
ject here to considerable swells and torrents,
was about half a mile ; but it was often
much wider, and a degree of wildness and
irregularity added interest to the appearance
of the country as I proceeded on my journey.

December 27th. — The weather this morn-
ing continued extremely cold ; but we started
early, and proceeded along the ice on the
bed of the river fourteen miles to Dale's.
We saved three miles by leaving the river
on our right and pursuing our course over-
land. The tide is here remarkably rapid,
and there are a number of lakes in the
neighbourhood : of these, the Grand Lake is
thirty miles long and nine broad, and is dis-
tant about three miles.

54 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

Having baited, we proceeded nearly four
miles up the river, when the ice exhibited
an appearance not very encouraging. Large
serpentine tracks of water were to be seen in
many parts, and heaps of broken ice, forced
up by the strength of the current, lay ranged
on each side in considerable profusion. From
some country people whom we met, we were
told that the passage was not safe ; but that
the road on the opposite bank was already
sufficiently broken to render it tolerably good.
The driver, therefore, bore away for the
shore, which we were some time in reaching,
being obliged to go out of our way frequently
to avoid the weak and unsafe places. At last,
when within about a couple of hundred yards
from the land, there seemed a clear sheet of
ice, over which the driver urged his horses at
a brisk trot ; when all at once the ice suddenly
gave way, and down went the horses' heads
foremost into a hole. We were going so
fast, that I was flung out a long way clear
of the water; and as soon as I could get
up, I ran back to render assistance. One of
the horses had already scrambled out, but

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 55

the other was lying on his side in the water,
with his head stretched out over the forward
end of the hole, and supporting himself by
his cheek and the strength of his neck on
the ice. The hole was nearly round, and
the diameter rather more than the leno^th of
the horse ; but as the ice about it was full
a foot and a half thick, the sleigh had
jammed at the other end, and his hind quar-
ters were supported by the breeching. The
poor creature lay without struggling, al-
though the day was bitter cold, and he had
sunk so low, that his head only was above
the surface of the water. In this dilemma
the driver, having freed the other horse from
his harness, slipped a noose of rope round
the drowning animal's neck, upon which we
pulled till he seemed nearly strangled : and
this operation is called in the country, very
properly, "choking." Whether it was that
he floated by means of the air thus forcibly
retained in his lungs, as the driver asserted,
or whether our united eflbrts caused him to
rise, I cannot say; but so he did; and we

56 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

had not continued to tug long, before out he
slipped on his side, and, after a few kicks
and struggles, stood frightened and shiver-
ing once more on his feet. We got to
the shore after all with some difficulty ; for
the ice was broken away for so great a dis-
tance from the edge of the river where we
attempted to land, that it was with very great
labour that the horses could drag the vehicle
over the hard snow and shingle which ob-
structed their progress. Although the poor
horse had been nearly a quarter of an hour
in the water, and the other also was perfectly
wet from the accident, both soon recovered
themselves, and before we had gone a couple
of miles were quite as well as ever.

The above may be cited as an instance of
the hardihood of the North American horse,
of which less care is taken, notwithstanding
the severity of the climate, than in England.
The cold, severe as it is, seems to agree with
them very well^ and they are continually kept
standing out of doors, without mercy, after
being violently heated. The fact perhaps is,

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 57

that the cold partly allays the tendency to in-
flammatory attacks, and a striking instance of
this occurs with regard to flesh wounds.
Horses frequently receive injuries between
hair and hoof from the calk or spike of the
frosted shoe, so severe as would be reckoned
a serious accident in England; however, they
are worked invariably without bad conse-
quences, and few of the farmers' cattle are
to be met with whose hoofs do not show a
succession of scars, which remain till pared
away in process of time, at the bottom, by
the blacksmith. Many of the horses of the
country have good blood, being the progeny
of stock formerly imported by the Duke of
Kent ; and others of good substance and
action are now and then brought from the
United States. The hay is bad everywhere
— like Irish hay, dried without being allowed
to heat, and then thrown into a barn or
stacked under an open shed. Notwithstand-
ing all these disadvantages, to which it may
be added, that the stables generally are
miserably protected from the weather, horses

d3

^ JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

now and then imported from England, very-
soon become perfectly reconciled to all their
difficulties, and thrive as well as the rest.

We travelled very slowly, slipping and jolt-
ing for about six miles on a road parallel to the
river. We were obliged to cross over two
very bad wooden bridges, formed of loose
logs laid close together, which the horses'
feet at every step threatened to displace.
These streams formed a communication be-
tween the river and lake Macquancup, which
lake is about five miles long and three broad.
The distance of this stage from Dale's to
Tilley's is nine miles. Major's Island, situ-
ated opposite the latter house, is about three
miles long and one broad, and the property
of a man who, with three of his tenants,
lives upon it. A few hundred acres only
are cleared.

Having baited at Tilley's, we. proceeded
ten miles more to Pelley's, the road all the
way being on the bank of the river. It be-
came, however, better and better as we ap-
proached the town of Fredericton, and we
met many more people on the road than

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 59

usual. Although it was quite dark when we
arrived at Pelley's, the driver was inclined
to proceed ten miles more to Fredericton, the
road to which place lay all the way on the
bank of the river. We did not come upon
the ice till we had arrived nearly opposite
the town, — not from the apprehension of its
being unsafe, but from the quantity of snow
which lay upon it, (it was more than a foot
deep,) and would have added so much to the
labour of the horses. No snow had fallen,
as we were informed, during the period we
had been on our way from St. John's, not-
withstanding it lay so much deeper on the
ground here than at the latter place. I had
suffered dreadfully from the cold during this
day's journey ; and as the people at the inn
were in bed and the fires low when we ar-
rived, nothing remained but to ask permis-
sion to go to bed too. A sleepy black wo-
man ushered me into a comfortless apart-
ment, where the bedclothes and my own
buffalo skin together were quite insufficient
to restore warmth. Every five minutes I
lamented my want of covering, while a

60 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

powerful inclination to sleep urged me to
patience in the forlorn hope of rest. The
thermometer was about 10° of Fahrenheit.

December 28th. — Daylight no sooner ap-
peared than I eagerly sought relief; and
dressing myself as quickly as my benumbed
fino^ers would allow, I went down stairs to
the apartment below, where the fire was just
beginning to blaze. I had suffered not only
from cold during the night_, but from hunger;
but now all my miseries were dissipated with
the smoke which went up the chimney, and
a solid meat breakfast put me completely to
rights. Afterwards I took a rapid walk, and
on returning to the inn found a card lying on
my table from the managers of a subscription
assembly, which was to be held the same
evening in the town. As a few days' halt
for the purposes of equipment for my jour-
ney was indispensable^ I did not hesitate to
accept the invitation, and took measures to
hire a sleigh to take me to the assembly-
room, about a mile frcm the inn.

Soon after I had dined at an early hour, I
got into the sleigh, and in a very few minutes

TO PRESQUE ISLE.- 61

was conveyed at a rapid pace to the assembly-
room, which I found remarkably well lighted,
and garnished with ladies, both old and young,
with the usual proportion of card-players, &c.
Most of the gentlemen wore boots with heavy
iron heels, the noise of which, as they paraded
the room in threes and fours between the
dances, produced a prodigious effect, and
created a wonderfully military appearance.
jAs to the young ladies, they were, as in most
parts of the world under similar circum-
stances, all in their best looks and extremely
engaging ; but the time of all others when
they made the most impression was at a late
hour in the evening, at the general rush into
the cloak and bonnet rooms.

Hitherto matters had been conducted with-
out any very striking difference from similar
festivities at home; but now the jingling of
the bells of the sleighs outside the door, and
the preparations of the ladies within, began
to savour of novelty. All wore snow boots,
or list coverings for the feet and ancles,
which were buttoned, or laced, or tied, some-
thing after the manner of a half-boot ; and

62 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

heaps of these were distributed, by the person
who had them in charge, to their fair owners ;
who all at once, within very small space,
began to put them on. All these snow boots
required fastening, and to fasten them it was
indispensable to stoop. Some ladies had
chairs, but most had not ; so that the variety of
attitudes in which the female figure was on
that occasion displayed, I shall not readily
forget, — much less the dilemma in which I
found myself when surrounded by so many-
fine forms, and standing in the midst, I was
unable to stir an inch to the right or left, back-
wards or forwards, without the imminent risk
of disturbing their equilibrium. But they
equipped themselves with great rapidity ;
and laden with shawls, plaids, and calashes,
sleigh after sleigh received its burden, and
away they went with bells jingling and the
white smoke from the horses' nostrils reflect-
ing a glare of light from the lamps of the
carriages.

December 29th. — I employed myself this
day in procuring several necessary articles for
my ensuing journey. I had now eighty-

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 63

three miles to Presque Isle, the ultimate
point passable by any sort of carriage ; the
usual route from thence to the St. Lawrence
being along the bed of the river St. John's,
which is so wide and exposed to the force of
the wind, that the depth of the snow is by far
too great to pass in any other way than on
foot by the help of snow shoes. The traffic,
too, is very inconsiderable, as the fatigue of
such a mode of travelling deters people from
attempting it ; and the communication is kept
open by a line of small log-houses, occupied
by settlers, to whom grants of land have been
ceded for the especial purpose. There is a
very small military station at Presque Isle :
and across the desolate track above men-
tioned, extending for upwards of 150 miles,
the post bags from Halifax to Quebec are
conveyed monthly by half-breeds or native
Canadians, who are from time to time ac-
companied by those persons whom urgent
business may, though rarely, induce to
undertake the journey.

It was for this route that it was now ne-
cessary to equip; for after leaving Frederic-

64 JOUBNEY FROM HALIFAX

ton there was no town- nor village at which
the required articles could be procured ;
namely, a couple of tobogins, two tobogin
bags,acanteen,havresac, some pairs of mocas-
sins, two pairs of snow shoes for myself and
servant, together with other trifling things.
A tobogin is a small sleigh, drawn by men, of
very simple construction, and capable of con-
veying from 100 to 140 pounds of clothes or
other baggage. It is made of quarter-inch
plank, about a foot and a half broad and
eight feet long; the forward end is bent
upwards^ so as the more readily to pass over
any obstructing body. A set of small holes
are bored on each side ; and the tobogin bag
when full is then laced tightly on the ma-
chine by means of a cord. The whole thus
forms a compact mass, so secure that it may
be tumbled and tossed, dragged among
stumps of trees, and rolled over and over
in the snow, and after all be not a whit
the worse at the journey's end. On beaten
roads dogs are frequently used to draw them.
As to the mocassins, the common ones,
generally worn by the country people, are

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 65

made of ox hide ; and those of a better de-
scription, of the skin of the deer. The hide
of the moose deer furnishes the very best, but
they are scarce ; as the animal, equal in size
to the Russian elk, is of a race nearly extinct ;
a few only are killed every year in the spring,
when there is a glassy surface or crust over
the snow hard enough tobear the hunters on
their snow shoes, while it breaks in under the
heavy creature, which is thus easily tracked
by his foot-marks. The mocassins intended
for travelling are of a much larger size than
the common ones ; for, besides other cover-
ings, the foot is wrapped in a piece of blanket
cut for the purpose, about fourteen inches
long and eight wide, and then thrust into the
mocassin, which is secured firmly by long
thongs of soft leather passing round the
ancles. As the upper part of the mocassin
is composed of loose flaps, by this method
the foot has an excellent protection, and is
kept warm and fit for the day's journey,
either with or without snow shoes.

A moderate-sized snow shoe, being a light
wooden frame of an oval shape, is about forty

66 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

inches long, and eighteen in extreme breadth,
and its weight is about two pounds. The
whole surface within is formed of a net-work
of thong, like that of a racket, but rather
stouter. A small square aperture, about the
size of a man's hand, is left in the net-work,
into which the toes sink at every step, by
which means the foot is prevented from
slipping back, and a purchase is given to step
from, while the snow shoe, forming an artifi-
cial platform, remains still on the ground.
The foot is in no way confined to the machine,
except by the toes, by which it is lifted, or
rather dragged along at each step. Although
less previous practice than one would at first
imagine is necessary to walk on snow shoes,
still a novice commences a journey under
very considerable disadvantage. Indeed, so
certain is the effect produced by the exercise
upon persons not trained to it, that the Cana-
dians have a name for the complaint it brings
on. They call it the " mal a raquette"
which is a violent inflammation and swelling
of the instep and ancles, attended with severe
pain and lameness. A journey on snow shoes

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 67

cannot, at all events, be undertaken under
greater disadvantages than by a person newly-
arrived in a strange country and climate,
fresh from a sea voyage. Much is said by
the natives of the superiority of such a mode
of travelling over any other; but, in spite of
all their wonderful stories, a very little prac-
tice will put an end to the pleasing anticipa-
tion of a journey on snow shoes (unless a
very short one) by way of amusement ; and
I never saw anybody who, after reasonable
trial, was not most heartily glad to kick
them off his feet, and at the same time to
make up his mind to walk during the re-
maining days of his life without their
assistance.

There was a large Canada stove in the
kitchen of the inn, or hotel, where I had
taken up my abode, which was, during the
day, a favourite resort for the country people
and other customers of the house ; and a talk-
ative noisy set was constantly kept up by the
comers in and goers out. Among the most
regular in attendance was an old Indian, who,

68 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

leaving his squaw to take care of the wig-
wam, which was in the neighbourhood, made
this kitchen his morning lounge — his club
as it were, where he heard the news, saw
how the world was going on, and drank as
much rum as the different visitors were in-
clined to give him. To this man I intro-
duced myself, and, as he spoke English, and
understood it very tolerably, I made an ap-
pointment with him the next morning. He
agreed to come to me at the inn, where I was
to treat him with plenty of rum, so as to
make him feel quite comfortable, and then
we were to take a walk together, he on his
snow shoes, and I on mine, as far as the wig-
wams, a few miles out of the town, where I
was to have the honour of being presented
to his squaw and family. Novelties, there-
fore, after much cold, stupid travelling, ap-
peared at last to be on the point of arriving.
December 30th. — The old Indian was true
to his appointment, and before nine o'clock
I had scarcely finished my breakfast, when
he walked into my room, saying, " May be

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 69

master has got a little rum." Thinking that
whiskey probably would do as well, I filled a
large wine glass which was upon the side-
board, and he drank it without coughing or
sneezing. Eternal friendship beamed from
his small deep-set black eyes, the fire
began rapidly to extract the odours of his
toilette, and he drew himself closer and
closer towards me, while he commenced a
narration relating particularly to his own
address and bravery during the late Ameri-
can war. The glass of spirits had not
been evidently the first he had swallowed
that morning, for his story was frequently
delayed by the slaver which flowed from
his mouth, and the indolent paralysis of
his tongue. A buck-shot received from
the enemy, and which remained in his
thigh, was the leading topic of his conver-
sation, and as his language became more
and more indistinct, his gesticulations were
proportionably violent as he described his
manner of crouching, advancing, and firing
upon the foe. I endeavoured to quiet him.

70 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

and remind him of the purpose of his visit,
by showing him my snow shoes and patting
him on the shoulder with heavy thumps, in
order to bring him to his recollection. But
his subject interested him so warmly, that he
would not listen to reason. He raved about
his scars and his cuts, and, **Look ye," said
he, '* Indian man show master the buck-
shot." At the same time drawing aside the
flap of his close-bodied coat of coarse blue
cloth, he exhibited a thigh so tough and
stringy, as to be, one would have thought,
quite shot proof; notwithstanding there
lay the object of his boasting, quite visible
under the skin. The exhibition was the
more simple, inasmuch as he wore no
breeches.

At last I got rid of him, when, very fortu-
nately for me, he encountered the landlady,
to whom, in the presence of the little world
of the inn, he insisted upon showing, d-pro-
pos to nothing, the buck-shot. This so en-
raged her, that with a posse comitatus of her
maids, black and white, they, by the help of

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 71

brooms and mops, turned him forthwith out
of doors into the street. And now, by the
help of some men who were outside, we at
last induced him to make a virtue of neces-
sity. So, finding that the doors of the house
were shut against him, that he could get no
more rum from any body on the spot, and
having obtained a promise from me of a
liberal quantity so soon as ever he should
have acquitted himself of his undertaking,
he began with great gravity and silence to
tie on his snow shoes, and, lighting a short
black stump of a tobacco pipe, which he took
out of his pouch, he commenced walking
away with long strides^ without looking be-
hind him, and leaving me to follow as well
as I could. My snow shoes had been on
some time, while I waited with impatience
the drunken dilatory loitering of this savage:
but now the pace he was going obliged me
to exert myself to the utmost to keep up to
him Puffing and smoking, he walked on,
and his gaunt sinewy frame was continually
gaining ground on me, when the point of my
snow shoe, catching in the snow, tripped me

72. JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

lip. As I found it in vain to rise imme
diately, from the manner in which my feet
were hampered, I was obliged to call out to
my« guide. He returned to my assistance,
but, with very great difficulty, I had con-
trived to get upon my legs before he came
up. And this accident occurred three or
four times in the first mile, after which I
began to acquire the little practice neces-
sary to keep upon my feet. Still I found
the labour so much greater than I had
imagined, that I was almost inclined to wish
I had remained at Halifax till the spring, to
have proceeded then by the St. Lawrence to
Quebec. But now it was too late; here I
was, and on I must go, coute qui coute.
We had left the road at the outskirts of the
town, and had proceeded in a straight line
for nearly three miles, when some smoke,
which appeared rising at a little distance,
marked the situation of the wigwams we had
come to see. There were twenty or thirty
of them ; and I soon found myself arrived at
the didce domum of my old guide.

A wigwam is like a bundle of hop-poles,

TO PRESQUE ISLE 73

as they are piled in England during the
summer ; that is, it is shaped like a cone, and
a little larger than an ordinary tent. It is
formed of long poles, the ends of which are
placed on the ground in the circumference of
a circle, the points being brought together
and confined at the top,. It is thatched from
the bottom to within a couple of feet of the
top, with the boughs of the spruce fir, and
large strips of birch bark ; so that, in order
for the smoke to escape, an aperture is left
at the top, through which no snow enters,
from the current of air passing upwards.
Rain is not calculated upon in the winter.
The wigwam within-side, rude as it is
fashioned, is exceedingly w^arm^ and not par-
ticularly incommoded with smoke ; for, from
its figure, the greater quantity of air being*
at the bottom, and becoming heated by the
fire, a current is created of sufficient force to
oppose the smaller quantity towards the top.
The fire is made in the middle, and the whole
family sleep with their feet towards it.
The old Indian was rather out of hu-

74 'JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

mour and sulky ; for he had not forgiven
the treatment received from the landlady of
the inn ; but now arrived at his own fire-
side, his heart began to warm again, and I
saw, by his gestures, that he was relating to
his squaw his own troubles and our adven-
tures during our walk from the inn. The
squaw seemed to be many years younger of
the two, and she was sitting on the ground
busily at work, ornamenting a pair of mocas-
sins with coloured porcupine quills. Her mo-
ther, a very old woman, was swinging a child,
bound up, like an Egyptian mummy, in swad-
dling clothes, strapped down fast and tight on
a board, and suspended on a peg from the
upper part of the wigwam. Whenever the
child cried, a touch on the board with her
hand set it swinging, so as to answer fully the
purposes of a cradle. A boy of about ten
years old was making a wooden spoon out of
a piece of maple, which he hollowed for his
purpose with a large, broad, square-pointed
knife. There were also a little dog and a cat,
both of a lean and starved appearance. As

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 75

to furniture, there was none, except a rusty
gun, a rum bottle, and a tin saucepan. The
family sat upon logs of wood, and slept in
their clothes, such as they were. Although.
the day was exceedingly cold, the inside of this
hut was warmer than the room of any house.
My guide took me into some of the other
wigwams, where we found very few men at
home. The women were invariably employed
very busily, some working at their needle,
others making brooms, small baskets of birch
bark, and other trifles of the same sort. I
was, however, very soon satisfied with what I
saw, and prepared to return alone to my inn,
happy to leave the dirty wigwams, glad of
the opportunity of walking more leisurely
home, and not at all sorry to get rid of a
drunken companion.

There is nothing, perhaps, which proves
the resources of the country more than the
dissipated and improvident habits of the na-
tive Indian. With no other dependence than
a ten shilling Birmingham gun, a little coarse
gunpowder, and some Bristol shot; his fish-

e2

76 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

ing implements, and a coarse home-made bow
and arrows ; he relies upon chance each day
for his food. If successful, he gorges ; some-
times he fasts ; to-morrow never enters into
Lis head ; and whenever, and as often as he
possibly can, he gets thoroughly drunk. In
spite of all this, the forests and rivers supply
him continually with food in sufficient pro-
fusion ; and a rooted antipathy to every
sort of labour, together with his wandering
habits, have hitherto set at defiance all efforts
to reclaim his race. If, therefore, the idle
and improvident find the means to provide
themselves against the wants of nature, surely
the hard-working and industrious have even
a better prospect of success.

I walked back to my inn^ but not without
difficulty. I found my way by the foot-marks
which remained on the snow, but I felt dis-
appointed at the result of my first day's prac-
tice on snow shoes.

December 31st. — Having now every thing
ready, I had to make the best of my way to
Presque Isle, so as to arrive there about the

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 77

same time with the postmen, on their way to
Quebec. I preferred accompanying these men
to hiring an Indian as a guide, and had at first
determined to wait at Fredericton till they ar-
rived in the town from St. John's. Growinof
impatient, however, I determined to start the
next morning, and at all events to leave Fre-
dericton, and get to Presque Isle as quick as
I could. I accordingly engaged a two-horse
sleigh from a French inhabitant, who agreed
to take me the eighty-three miles, and return
with his horse and sleigh at his own expense
to Fredericton for eight guineas.

January 1st. — It was nearly noon when the
man made his appearance with his sleigh, a
tardiness which but ill accorded with the state
of the roads. With the river on our right,
we proceeded along its bank through snow sa
deep and untrodden, that with the greatest
labour and difficulty we advanced, literally
speaking, at a ploughing pace. We reached
the house of the owner of the sleigh, where
we baited. We then proceeded on our jour-
ney, and crawled on six miles more, and put

78 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

up for the night at Upper French Village. It
was near seven o'clock when we arrived, and
we had been nearly all the time since noon
going sixteen miles.

The house we were now in for the night
was very particularly dirty and comfortless.
There were two beds in the room, one for the
host, his wife, and four children, the youngest
of which was not more than a few weeks old,
and the other was appropriated to me. The
driver and my servantlay on the boards before
the stove^ which was a Canada one, and too
powerful for the size of the room. The heat all
night was quite suffocating, though the wea-
ther certainly was not warmer than 20° of
Fahrenheit. The bed I slept in had green stuff
curtains, full of dust; and the sheets were of
some soft spongy material which, if clean, at
least felt otherwise, and for the first time since
I had been in the country^ I was tormented
with fleas. It was impossible to get a wink
of sleep; for besides my own grievances, there
were other causes of disturbance. The child
cried incessantly in spite of all the woman

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 79^

could do to pacify it. It had, I believe, no-
thing at all the matter with it, but seemed^
from sheer frowardness^ to imagine that the
little world of our miserable apartment was
made for itself. Sometimes the good wife sat
up in her bed with the little animal hugged
up between her chin and her elbows, hushing
and rocking herself and it; and then she patted
its back, and it still cried. Then ten times I
dare say in the course of the night, out of bed
got the poor husband, who stood for several
minutes at the stove, displaying a pair of lean
bare legs, and an extremely short shirt, and stir-
ring something in a saucepan with the broken
stump of an iron spoon — a picture of obedi-
ence and misery ! Then he got into bed again.
Then came a long consultation, and almost
a quarrel about what was best to be done^
Then the grand spec ific was administered,
but all without effect. At last the other
children awoke, and the youngest of these
began to cry too : and the mother said it was
the big one's fault, and b eat her. So off she
went, and we had a loud concert, till, what

80 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

with the noise of the children, and the heat,,
and the dirt, and the fleas, I felt ready to rush
out of doors and roll myself in the snow.
But every thing must have an end, and so at
last the children were all tired out, and by
degrees grew quiet ; and in the morning I
found I had been asleep, and got out of bed
determined to be off as soon as I possibly
could.

January 2nd. — It was before sun-rise when
the sleigh came to the door_, and I got into it,
happy to exchange the fusty exhalations of
this room, for the piercing cold of a Canadian
winter's morning. We proceeded ten miles
to Ingram's, by a road equally bad with the
one we had travelled the day before. The
snow was just as deep, and the way not more
broken ; therefore our pace was still a slow
walk, occasionally delayed by drifts, through
which the cattle could only make their way
by courage and floundering on with all their
might. Sometimes they stopped short, and
with distended nostrils, and eyes expressive of
fear, they seemed inclined to give it up alto-

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 81

gether. But they were both high-spirited
animals, and we were indebted to them for
overcoming difficulties which a person less
experienced than the driver would have
hesitated to set their faces to.

Occasionally, during this stage, we en-
countered some little ravines, or precipitous
gullies, which crossed the road, and formed
small creeks or outlets of the river. There
were several of these which it was necessary
to pass, and at the bottom of each was a rude
wooden bridge without side-rails, and scarcely
broad enough to permit three horses to pass
abreast; notwithstanding which, we went
over with our pair always at full gallop r
much to my annoyance at first, till I found
that the cattle possessed quite as much sense as
their driver, and sufficiently understood what
they were about. The ravines were so steep,
that in order to ascend one side, it was abso-
lutely necessary to rush down the other to
gain an impetus ; and the distance from the
top to the bottom was about 150 yards. The
bridges were composed of pine logs laid

E 3

82 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

loosely together, which made a rattling and
a clatter as the horses' feet came upon them.
The Frenchman drove with long cord reins,
without any contrivance to prevent them
falling down the horses' sides, and the rest of
the tackling was of an equally simple fashion.
The cattle were indeed but barely attached
to the vehicle ; a matter of little importance
during the former part of the journey, but
now deserving a little more consideration :
for the horses, so sure as thev arrived at the
yerge of each ravine, seemed to take all sort
of charge upon themselves, while the driver,
yielding to circumstances, sat still upon his
seat. Up went their heads and tails, and,
like a pair of hippogrifs, down they went with
a dash till they reached the bridge, when,
closing together, laying back their ears, and
cringing in their backs, they rattled over the
logs at full gallop, and up the opposite bank,
till the weight of the vehicle brought them
to a walk. Now came the turn of the driver ;
and as he was perfect in all the words which
frighten horses, he used them with such

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 83

emphasis, jumping out of the sleigh at the
same time with considerable activity, while
the animals dragged it through the deep
snow, that he contrived to keep them to their
collar till they had completed the ascent.

Some address was required to prevent be-
ing thrown out of the vehicle by the violence
of the motion. It was absolutely necessary
to retain fast hold of the side ; and then the
thumps and jerks were such as cannot be
readily imagined. Nothing, in fact, can be
worse than the motion of a sleigh on a rough
road. There is a grinding sensation which
threatens the breaking up of the whole ma-
chine. It feels as if parting in the middle and
going asunder. The jolts inflicted by lumps
of hard snow and other obstacles, maybe com-
pared to the blows of a short chopping sea
upon a boat making head-way against wind
and tide. The bones rattle by the concus-
sion, as one helplessly submits to discipline as
rigid as an unfortunate infant, when violently
shaken by a passionate and drunken nurse.
Our sleigh was dragged heavily along, while
the horses frequently came to a stand-still.

84 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

The whole of the distance of this stage, the
forest abounded with shumac and hemlock
trees; the former well known as an orna-
mental shrub in England, and the latter a
stately species of fir growing to a large size,
with a remarkably small leaf, and the wood
particularly adapted to purposes which require
it to remain under water. The greater part
of the way from Fredericton, the ice would
very probably have been sufficiently firm to
have borne our sleigh, but we were advancing
into inhospitable regions, where the traffic
becoming less and less, the road was but
little beaten, and the bed of the river had not
been used at all. Houses were now so scarce
that the country seemed altogether deserted ;
not a bird was to be seen, except now and
then a solitary woodpecker : the only species
left to its winter habitation. Had a fall of
snow increased our difficulties, recourse must
have been had to our snow-shoes. The horses
were in a continual foam from dead pulls,
and floundering out of holes formed under
the snow by roots of trees having rotted out
of their sockets. The cold was intense, and

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 85

the icicles on their noses, and under their bel-
lies jingled like beads or bugles. We were
obliged to walk during the greater part of
the way.

Having, however, arrived at Ingram's, we
baited, and with as little delay as possible pro-
ceeded onwards on our journey. With equal
toil and difficulty the horses completed eleven
miles more to Maclachlan's, the whole of
which distance I was obliged to walk by the
side of the sleigh. We baited again, and
the driver, anxious to proceed notwithstand-
ing the fatigue of the horses, brought them
out once more. They very soon became
quite knocked up ; it was perfectly dark, and
the cold intense. Although we had only
travelled four miles from the last house, we
had been for many hours during the day
exposed to the weather, and after all, having
started before sun-rise, had only completed
twenty-five miles. However, by good for-
tune, a light appeared at a little distance
from the road, which we found proceeded
from a log-house, where the driver proposed

86 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

to remain for the night. With all the feelings
of cold and dreariness that surrounded us,
and leaving the man to settle and arrange
all matters of etiquette with the owner of
the house, I followed and submitted myself
to his arrangements. But I need not have
put myself to much uneasiness, for in that
part of the country matters of this sort are
soon settled. I was rather surprised to see
the driver enter the house quite as if it were
his own. He hardly said *' how do ye do" to
the master and mistress, who were quietly
drinking their tea ; but, throwing a large log
which he had dragged in with him upon the
fire, and taking a key which was hanging
upon a nail in the wall without asking for it,
he disappeared for the purpose of putting up
his horses.

I felt that I was in a private house, and
said some civil speech expressing myself
obliged by being permitted to remain under
the roof for the night. But I was quite at
cross purposes ; and I might just as well
have reserved my apologies for future occa-

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 8T

sions. At present I had quite enough to
do to answer the questions which were put
to me about myself and the " old country."
I found I was a welcome guest, and as the
fire blazed up prosperously, I looked at the
boards in front of it as at my place of repose
for the night ; for the people had not a bed
to give me.

As countries become more civilized, the
social feeling is proportionably restrained ;
and hospitality and barbarism are, it is said,
generally met with together. Still humanity
is consoling, which, flowing from the heart,
offers shelter to the stranger, who elsewhere
might seek it in vain. The circumstances of
the country induce a necessity for the exertion
of hospitality ; for in a climate' so severe, and
where houses of public entertainment are not
everywhere to be met with, common consent
establishes a reciprocity of accommodation,
where to remaia out of doors all night would
be the cost of life. In fact, a man cannot be
said to be master of his own house so as to
exclude the visitors whom chance may throw
in upon him. Without any other fastening

88 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

than a latch to his door, a dozen strangers
probably enter one after another, each drop-
ping down to rest before the fire, and taking
up their quarters for the night without the
ceremony of asking leave of any body. The
poorest person is not the least welcome, nor
in the exercise of hospitality, is any regard
paid to condition and appearance. The
people have enough to answer their own
wants, and, secluded from the world in a
manner, are remunerated by the news they
occasional!}^ receive from the passing tra-
veller ; indeed it is a question, which of the
two is the best off, thepennyless guest or the
host himself; who perhaps cannot, in his
own house, walk across his bed-room after
nine o'clock at night without the risk of
disturbing some great fellow stretched out
and snoring before his fire, and who, if he
happen to be trodden upon, will swear as
loudly as if the whole house belonged to
him.

My landlord and his wife were both ex-
tremely civil, good people. They had cows,
pigs and poultry, and all the requisites of a

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 89

smairfarm; and finding by degrees, in the
course of the evening, that my stock of pro-
visions ^was expended, they thawed and set
before me a frozen goose, which I thought
excellent. They listened with great appa-
rent satisfaction while I related to them
various little incidents of my journey, such
as I thouo^ht would amuse them ; and havinof
in return for their goose filled them as full
of news as I could, I prepared to stretch my-
self on the boards before the fire. With my
feet towards the hearth, I wrapped myself up
in my buffalo skin, and, laying my head upon
a log of maple, I listened to the crackling of
the large pieces of wood freshly heaped upon
the flames, till I fell sound asleep. I did not
awake till the morning ; and how my landlord
and his wife got to bed, although they slept in
the same room, I really cannot tell. In the
morning I had seated myself on my wooden
pillow before the happy pair had arisen ; but
the ceremonies of the toilet were quickly
performed by all parties, and a warm break-
fast completed the preparations for the en-
suing day's journey.

90 JOURNEY FROxM HALIFAX

, January 3rd. — It was scarcely daylight
when we were quite ready to proceed ; for the
snow lay so deep on the ground, and the diffi-
culty of getting forward was consequently
so great as to make our progress quite un-
certain. Sitting in the sleigh was now out
of the question ; the horses had quite enough
to do to draw it when empty. Proceeding
at a rate not more than three miles an
hour, the driver led the horses ten miles to
Phillips's, which house is situated on the
banks of the river. Having baited, we got on
fourteen miles more, walking all the way, and
arrived at a house, where, as it was now
quite dark, we put up for the night. I got
here a very comfortable clean bed. We
performed the last three miles of the stage
on the ice of the river, which was tolerably
clear of snow. About a couple of hours
before sunset, a considerable change took
place in the weather, which, during the
whole time since I had left Fredericton, was
intensely cold. It became suddenly mild,
and before nine o'clock a rapid thaw set in,
attended with rain and sleet ; the rain, how-

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 91

ever, lasted for a very short time, and was
succeeded by a thick fall of snow. This
event seemed entirely to mar our further
progress; for labour greater than the poor
animals had already encountered did not ap-
pear practicable. Should the worst come to
the worst, I was now only eighteen miles from
Presque Isle, and expected every hour to
fall in with the postmen. I felt rather
anxious on this head, as I did not much like
to trust to an Indian as a guide.

January 4th. — At daylight this morning
the snow was still fallino^ in o-reat abundance,
so that, what with the state of the weather
and of the horses, our doom seemed fixed for
this day at least ; we therefore voted expe-
dient what was unavoidable, and granted the
poor animals a boon which it was not in our
power to withhold from them,— that of a day's
rest. Bad as the travelling was, it were bet-
ter than remaining in our present quarters;
where, neither quiet nor comfort being
within my reach, I had been more satisfied
with fatigue. The driver established himself

92 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

by the side of the fire, where, by the aid of
his pipe and a bottle of rum, which he had
not forgotten to bring with him, he at first
began to listen to the conversation of the other
persons in the room, and by degrees became
a talker himself, till he made himself so per-
fectly happy and comfortable that he seemed
not to care at all which way the world went.
There were four or five men in the small room
we were in, some belonging to the house, and
others weather-bound like ourselves; and
these fellows had all got the best places at the
fire, drinking and smoking. As their voices
became elevated, unfortunately the imagina-
tion flagged, and they became a noisy set,
from whom there was neither entertainment
nor information to be derived.

Therefore I had nothing to do, but listen-
ing with anxiety to the howling of the wind,
which was blowing clouds of snow against the
windows, to reflect what a forlorn place I was
in. I determined at all risks to leave it at
daylight the next morning. I walked back-
wards and forwards, and fidgeted, — all to no

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 93

purpose. Whenever I opened the door of
the house to look out to windward, I was
greeted by the execrations of the whole
crew within, — perhaps not without reason,
for the wind made balloons of the women's
petticoats, and filled the room with a whirl-
pool of snow, which it took one's whole
strength to close the door against, while
every time the weather seemed worse and
worse. But at last, about the middle of the
day, things began to mend : it suddenly be-
came brighter, the snow ceased to fall, the
change grew more and more evident, and
finally the sun himself gladdened the scene
with his presence, while, flying before him, the
heavy full-charged snow clouds in rapid suc-
cession rolled away to leeward. As the sky
grew clearer and clearer, all our countenances
lightened up also ; and I had not been long
engaged in reading the congratulatory looks
of the driver, who was now in a humour to be
pleased with any thing and every thing, when
the door opened, and two men on foot, of a
tempest-driven appearance, with their clothes
and caps covered with snow, having each a

94 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

pair of snow-shoes slung at his back and a
large white leathern bag across his shoulder,
entered the room. Waiting for a moment on
the threshold, they shook the loose snow off
their feet by striking the hinder part of the
calf of each leg with the great toe of the op-
posite foot very rapidly, — a Canadian fashion,
as common as making use of a mat in Eng-
land, and which becomes so much a habit,
that the Indians never enter a room, even in
summer, without going through the motion.
These men were received with evident marks
of cordiality by every one in the house, and I
discovered, to my great satisfaction, that they
were the identical persons I expected to meet
with, — the postmen in charge of the Quebec
mail-bags to Fredericton, whom, on their re-
turn from the latter place after delivering
their present charge to the postmaster, I
had made up my mind to engage as guides.
They were both native French Canadians, one
having, to all appearance, a little — or not a
little — Indian blood in his veins, being, as is
very common in the country, crossed with the
savage. I lost no time in commencing a nego-

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 95

tiation, which I completed by agreeing* to
give them fifteen pounds as guides from
Presque Isle across all that tract of country
necessary to be traversed in snow-shoes ; that
is to say, along the course of the river St.
John's by the Madawaska settlement and lake
Tamasquatha to the shores of the St. Law-
rence ; and they were to draw my baggage
on my two tobogins. As they had no other
means of delivering over the mail-bags of
which they were in charge, they proposed,
after going to Fredericton and returning
as quick as possible, to rendezvous at the
house of a Mr. Turner, at Presque Isle, which
place was, as I have already observed, eighteen
miles distant. It was uncertain when they
would be able to arrive there, for it depended
upon their getting rid ofthe mail-bags, though
I had a reasonable expectation of not being
detained long from the known powers of these
men as pedestrians. At all events, they had no
sooner completed the arrangement than they
prepared to quit the house, and, after having
lighted their pipes and taken a dram a-piece,
they bid us all farewell, and proceeded on

96 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

their journey in high spirits, keeping up a
long light trot till out of sight. These mat-
ters being now well off my mind, and the
weather appearing once more settled, the
house, its inhabitants, and the prospects of
my journey assumed " coideiir de rose,''

January 5th. — When we started, at day-
light in the morning, the country was en-
veloped in a thick fog, — so dense, that we
were unable to distinguish any object at more
than twenty yards distance ; at the same time
it was so intensely cold, that our clothes were,
in the space of an hour, frozen stiff with ice.
I set out walking though the state of the
roads was better than could be expected,
considering the quantity of snow which had
fallen, and now lay lightly on the surface;
still, however, the travelling was bad enough,
so much so, that the horses fell several times
during the stage, notwithstanding the ex-
tremely slow pace at which they proceeded.
All these roads, or rather tracks, are ori-
ginally made by the simple operation of
chopping down the trees with the axe, gene-
rally in the winter season, so that stumps are

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 97

left standing in the ground, for a consider-
able number of years, when they rot and
leave a hole. Sometimes the horses, in
going along, blundered over some of these
stumps barely covered with snow, so that
the bottom of the sleigh would have been
staved in had we been in it. Now and then
their fore-feet sank in altogether, and the
poor animals would pitch forwards upon
their noses : they were so frosted and be-
spangled with hoar and ice, that it would
have been difficult to say, ten yards off, what
description of creatures they were, How
their driver got them back, I do not know.

I had left off my shoes on leaving Frede-
ricton, and had adopted mocassins instead.
Though I felt great advantage from the
change in walking through the deep snow,
this day I experienced an inconvenience
which I had not anticipated ; for the hard
stumps of the trees were in some places so
treacherously covered with snow, that I re-
peatedly struck my toes against them so hard
as to put me to considerable pain : at this

F

98 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

the driver was much amused ; for, said he,
** Monsieur, we call dat in dis country, de
dram." He contrived, by habit, to avoid
such accidents. Within a few miles of
Presque Isle, we came to some places where
bullocks had been employed to break the
road, and their tracks were visible where
they had been driven backwards and for-
ward sfor that purpose.

It was quite dark when we came to the
end of the day's journey, and I had had
nothing to eat since daylight ; so that I was
rather exhausted when I arrived at an old
crazy house, the residence of Mr. Turner. I
begged for something to eat, and a few slices
of fat pork fried up with chopped potatoes
were set before me. I thought, at the time,
that nothing I had ever eaten tasted so
well ; and the repast being Yery soon con-
cluded, I began to look a little about me,
and at the people in the apartment I was
in. I was particularly amused with the
appearance of Mr. Turner. My host was,
I believe, an American, — a tall, withered,
thin man, about sixty years of age, with

TO PRESQUE ISLE, 99

extremely small legs and thighs, narrow shoul-
ders, long neck, and back as straight as a
ramrod. Innumerable short narrow wrinkles,
which crossed each other in every direction,
covered his face, which was all the same
colour — as brown as a nut; and he had a
very small mouth, drawn in and pursed up
at the corners. His eyes were very little,
black, keen, and deep set in his head. He
hardly ever spoke ; and I do not think that
while I was in his house I ever saw him
smile. He was dressed in an old rusty black
coat and trousers, both perfectly threadbare,
and glazed about the collar, cuffs, and knees,
with grease ; and he sat always in one pos-
ture and in one place, — bolt upright on a
hard wooden chair. He seemed to me the
picture of a man who, from want of interest
in the world, had fallen into a state of
apathy ; — and yet that would seem impos-
sible, considering that Mr. Turner was the
chief diplomatist in these parts, — the repre-
sentative of the commissariat department,
charged with the duties of supplying the

I 2

100 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

garrison at Presque Isle, — a man of bigli
importance in his station, invested with local
authority, and in direct communication and
correspondence with the higher powers at
Quebec. Notwithstanding all this, the ener-
gies of Mr. Turner's body and mind were
suffered to lie at rest : for the garrison con-
sisted of a corporal and four privates, mak-
ing in all five men, to supply whom with ra-
tions was nearly his whole and sole occupa-
tion ; and so he gradually sobered down into
the quiet tranquil sort of person I found
him. A daughter, a fine, handsome, boun-
cing girl under twenty, with sparkling black
€yes and an animated countenance, seemed
to bear testimony to days gone by, when af-
fairs were somewhat more lively ; but the
contrast now was sufficiently striking; for,
without regarding her, anybody, or any-
thing, he kept his place and attitude, sitting
always close to the stove.

There was a small square hole in the cen-
tre of the door, as there generally is in all
Canada stoves, made to open and shut with

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 101

a slider as occasion requires : this he kept
open for a purpose of his own ; for by long
practice he had acquired a knack of spitting
throuo'h this little hole with such unerrino-
certainty, by a particular sort of jerk through
his front teeth, that he absolutely never
missed his mark. This accomplishment was
the more useful to him, as he was in the habit
of profusely chewing tobacco, — all the care
he seemed to have ! — and he opened the door
of the stove now and then, to see how the
fire was going on.

I had been indebted to Miss Turner for
my supper, and she made arrangements to
prepare an apartment for me in the house,
to which when I retired I found I had made
an exchange very much for the worse. The
house was ill-built, and my room so miser-
ably cold_, that to sleep in it seemed a forlorn
undertaking. Several panes of glass were
cracked, and others entirely out of the
windows, while the ceiling and walls were
also out of repair. They had no bed to
offer me, and a hay paillasse was the substi-

102 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

tute. This I drew as near to the chimney as
I could, as soon as Miss Turner had con-
signed me to my meditations. Wrapping
myself in my buffalo skin, I attempted to go
to sleep ; but that was quite impossible, and
I never remember to have suffered so se-
verely from the cold, while I was in the
country, as on that night. I had no ther-
mometer; but the temperature, I am sure,
was some degrees below zero. On getting
up in the night to mend the fire with the
tongs, the iron froze to my fingers, so as to
feel quite sticky, — an effect of cold I have
subsequently experienced on several occa-
sions. I passed a very miserable night, some-
times walking about the room and beating
my sides with my arms, and then trying in
vain to sleep by the fire.

January 6th. — It was no sooner daylight,
than I left my room in search of the apart-
ment where I had passed the evening, which
was, owing to the power of the Canada stove,
quite of another temperature. Mr. Turner
and his daughter made their appearance^ and

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 103

breakfast was prepared. This refreshment,
though great, was not sufficient to remove
tlie degree of cold with which I was suffer-
ing, so I prepared myself for a walk on my
snow-shoes. I had heard no more of my
guides since I had concluded ray bargain
with them ; therefore was obliged to await
with patience their arrival : nothing else
would have induced me to remain so long at
Presque Isle.

Mr. Turner resumed his place on the
wooden chair, and the morning was clear
and frosty when I set out. My snow-shoes
were now more useful than ever, for their
weio^ht increased'the labour of walkino;, and
so restored what I had so much need of —
warmth. As soon as I had tied them on,
such was the dreary, desolate state of every
thing around me, that I never felt more
undetermined what course to pursue. The
river St. John's, with a covering of four feet
of snow on the ice, pursued its course
through a ravine at a little distance from
the house. The forest, on both sides of its

104 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

banks, reached the waters edge; and a
small square patch of cleared land was all
that pointed out to the eye the dominion of
Mr. Turner. I descended the bank and
crossed the river, entering a little way into
the forest. All was silence and solitude ;
animals and birds seemed to have deserted
the country, — except the squirrel and the
woodpecker, and these at times I could hear
a long way off. The squirrel followed me
as I went along, chattering and jumping
from tree to tree among the branches ; — a
man of pleasure, eager in the pursuit of the
novel and the curious ! — while the wood-
pecker, like a steady man of business, ham-
mered and rapped away, less easily allured
from his daily occupation. I rested and
listened. There was no wind ; even these
small sounds pervaded large regions of
space ; and, at intervals, the creaking of
the old trees, and the heavy lumping fall of
the clotted snow through the branches, ren-
dered the contrast with animated nature still
more dismal. I left the wood, and proceeded

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 105

along- the bed of the river, which was of
considerable breadth ; and here I walked
for upwards of an hour, without seeing a
track or footmark of any sort. Had I not
known that I was within a short distance of
a human dwelling, nothing that I then saw
could have led me to conclude that such had
been the case.

When I returned to the house, I found
that the guides, whom I engaged on the
4th, had arrived soon after my departure,
having travelled a great part of the night ;
and they, Miss Turner, and my host, were
about to sit down to a mess of fried pork
and potatoes, then hissing and sputtering
on the top of the stove. I was well pre-
pared to join in the repast, and we all sat
down together. — The society now seemed to
be receiving a tone ; and though Mr. Turner
still persevered in not saying a word, his
daughter's features had received a polish
from her office of cooking, and her eyes
increased in brilliancy to no small degree
of intensity. The guides were boisterous
vulgar fellows, who joined loudly in the con»

106 JOURNEY FROM HALIFAX

versation, roughly intruding upon their
neighbours with elbows and shoulders. I
frequently withdrew my chair to make way
for them ; but hints were entirely thrown
away upon men so nearly related to the abo-
rigines of the country. They, in fact, knew
no better, and speaking bad French, in a
haughty imperious tone, seemed determined
to assert a miserable independence, though
it was really curious to consider that these
fellows were not only servants but slaves, —
rather, beasts of burden and draft, for they
were the next morning actually to harness
themselves and draw my baggage over the
snow. With this reflection, I left them to
enjoy their prerogative of independence, and
became a listener as well as Mr. Turner,
whose apathy nothing could disturb, and who
still showed no other symptoms of animation
than to spit into the fire through the little
square hole, and now and then to rout about
in his pocket to find his tobacco-box.

The day flagged heavily, and night at
last came, when, profiting by past expe-
rience, I lay down on the boards before the

TO PRESQUE ISLE. 107

Canada stove, having taken early possession
of what I fancied to be the warmest position
for the night. The rest very soon followed
my example ; Mr. Turner and his daughter
retired to their several apartments ; and at
eight o'clock all the house was quiet.

January 7th. — A delay on the part of
one of the Canadians prevented our setting
forward this day on our journey ; I never
remember to have been so anxious to get
out of any house I ever was in in my life,
^s this. To be impatient was of no avail.
The half-bred Canadian had disappeared
on a visit to his dam Sycorax, or on some
other expedition in the neighbourhood, no
matter to me whither : we could not go
without him, and that settled the question.
Late in the evening, however, he returned,
with a small bag of provisions he had been
to fetch. As he lifted up the latch, at
the first glimpse of his ugly face, feeling all
the joys of liberation, and heartily tired of
being where I was, in the joy of my heart I
exclaimed to myself, '^ Sic me servavit
Apollo r

108

JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE
TO RIVIERE DE CAPE.

January 8th. — Early in the morning a large
mess of fried pork and potatoes was bubbling
on the stove, and the party speedily assembled
to partake it. I was happy to find the diet
agreed with me, seeing little chance of get-
ting any thing else for some time to come.
The tug of war had now arrived^ and the
guides set about busily to prepare for our
march. They cut leathern thongs with their
knives, tied knots with their teeth, over-
hauled the snow-shoes, mocassins, and tobo-
gins, and very soon put every thing in
perfect order. It required but little time to
load the tobogins. All the small articles
were put into the tobogin bags, the larger
things were wrapped up in the blankets and
buffalo skin, and then altogether they were
laced round with cord, so compact and

JOUBNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE. 109

tight, and fastened to the tobogin, that no
accident could possibly disturb them. When
the tobogins were ready, the men passed a
broad strap of leather, to serve as a sort of
collar, each over his breast and shoulders.
To this a rope being fixed, both men were
ready in harness, and able to draw their loads
with arms perfectly at liberty. Our snow-
shoes were now all on, and at nine o'clock
in the morning we marched away in single
file, following the leader.

We wended our way down the ravine
towards the river St. John, which we im-
mediately crossed; but the ice, which I had
walked upon the day before, fortunately with
impunity, not being considered safe^ we were
obliged to pursue our course through the
wood, in a line parallel with this river.
Stumps of trees and fallen logs here presented
impediments which added to the difficulty
of travelling at this the very beginning of
our journey. And thus we proceeded about
four miles before we were enabled to go
upon the river. Besides myself and ser-

110 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

vant, three other travellers had joined us at
Mr. Turner's. Our party, therefore, consisted
of seven persons, all of whom, with the ex-
ception of the guides, were perfectly unac-
customed to walking on snow-shoes. I had
hitherto imagined myself matched in a fair
handicap with men each about to pull a laden
tobogin after him, and therefore it never en-
tered into my imagina^tion that these fellows
could beat me in pace with such odds against
them ; but here I^ found my mistake, and
now saw plainly that the advantage of prac-
tice was far more than equivalent to the
weight of draft of a little machine, which,
slipping lightly and easily over the level sur-
face of the snow, very slightly impedes the
progress of persons accustomed to draw it.
On these fellows walked, v/ithout looking at
all to the rear, and we all followed in a string,
the more extended the farther we went.
Added to the weight of the snow-shoes them-
selves, they became clogged with ice ; for
there was much water between the surface of
the river and the snow, which froze immedi-

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. Ill

ately, and produced a most heavy incum-
brance. From the time we started, nine
o'clock in the morning, we continued to walk
incessantly till half-past four, the guides oc-
casionally halting in order to collect the party
together, and allow time to break the ice
which adhered to the snow-shoes, by beating
it off with short sticks with which we all
provided ourselves for the purpose. Our
rate was less than two miles an hour, al-
though we laboured hard to proceed, so
clogged and impeded were we by the weight
of the snow-shoes.

We went on without meeting a single
person over a tract presenting no change
to the eye ; — one uniform white expanse
of snow bounded on each side by a heavy
black wall of forest-trees. However, at
last, at half-past four, the grateful appear-
ance of a small patch of cleared land was
hailed with infinite gratification, and, one
after another, we entered the small log-
house which was to be our place of rest
for the night. This dwelling was of the
most simple contrivance : we were altogether

112 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

in one room : a fire composed of enormous
logs blazed on the hearth, and a cord went
across the ceiling, or more properly the
roof, for ceiling there was none^ above the
fire. On this cord the mocassins and stock-
ings of all the party, quite wet from the
springs we had occasionally passed over,
were suspended, and no one seemed to usurp
more authority in the establishment than
another. The host and his family took mat-
ters very quietly. Their furniture was such
as could not be very readily destroyed, cor-
responding with the walls of the house, which
consisted of entire pine-logs, the interstices
of which were filled up with mud and moss.
Being arrived and under shelter, the state
of rest from fatigue was most particularly
grateful. As to comfort, I had the means of
making myself dry and warm, and not being
at all the worse for my day's work, I could
appreciate the homely fare which was pre-
paring for us, consisting of salted pork and
sliced potatoes.

We had travelled only ten miles, according
to the computed distance from ]Mr. Turner's

TO R^^VIERE DE CAPE. 113

at Presque Isle ; but the measurements taken
from point to point, at a time when the ice
was perfectly sound, were necessarily very
much exceeded in a journey thus undertaken
at the very beginning of the season, when
it was impossible to pursue the nearest and
most direct course; the ground traversed,
therefore, was probably much more than the
measured distance, and, in fact, admitted
of no comparison with it. I had felt little
inconvenience from the wet during the morn-
ing, which had hardly penetrated the cover-
ings of my feet and legs ; but a very few mi-
nutes after arriving in the house, the warmth
of the fire caused the glass slippers to thaw_,
and I became thoroughly soaked. Although
the dwelling of a Canadian peasant deserves
not much praise, too much cannot be said
of his fire. An enormous log, so big as to
require the strength of two or three men with
levers to bring it in (called by the Canadians
the '^ buche,") is laid at the back of the
hearth : a large one lasts full forty-eight
hours, and ours this night was a brilliant
specimen. So that my lodging at least was

114 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

good, and I slept soundly on the boards
wrapped up in my buffalo skin.

January 9th. — It was no sooner daylight
than the room was replenished with tobacco
smoke, which formed, the preceding evening,
a cloud so dense as to render it difficult to
distinguish a face across the apartment. I
jumped up and found the guides anxious to
proceed, so I got my breakfast as soon as I
could, and that was with little delay enough,
for a slice of pork toasted at the end of a fork
was all I had any chance of procuring : nor
had I any tea. On starting, we found that
more snow had fallen in the night, which,
although it lay soft and light^ caused the
walking to be, if anything, worse than before.
We passed over many places where water
under the snow froze immediately from the
intense cold, and encrusted our snow-shoes
with an additional heavyweight of ice. Par-
ticularly under the heel a large lump was con-
tinually forming a material impediment, caus-
ing one or other of the party to halt every
ten minutes, in order to get rid of it. At

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 115

every eifort the foot felt as if chained to the,
ground, such was the tug required to bring
along the laden snow-shoe; and as the shores
of the river were now gradually widening,
the feeling of disappointment was added
to our labour by the deceptive idea of
distance. The eye was unceasingly directed
towards some bluff point, which, after an
hour's hard fagging, seemed not much nearer
than before ; such was the effect of the dark
colour of the trees, contrasted with the white-
ness of the snow. A powerful wind opposed
our progress, and one seemed separated by
interminable space from headland after head-
land, gasping, as it were, under a sort of
spell-bound influence, such as a disturbed
dream brings to the imagination.

We had nearly completed fourteen miles
to a small log-house, where we were to pass
the night, when my servant fell up to his
middle into an air-hole, which the fresh snow
had covered over so deceptively, that, had
there been a hundred more such in our path,
we had no means whatever of avoiding them.

116 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

Fortunately the hole was small, so that
he supported himself by his arms till we
pulled him out, with no other injury than a
wetting, of which alone the consequences
would have been serious from the intense cold,
had we not immediately afterwards arrived
at the house. After this occurrence, affairs
seemed to take a new turn : I had compoun-
ded for a long and a hard walk over the ice,
but had not thought much about tumbling
into holes : however, as to measures of pre-
caution, reason went to convince me that it
was to no purpose to think on the subject, but
quite as well to leave the matter to chance ;
hoping for a ducking rather than a drowning,
should it ever be my own lot to break in.
We passed the evening much the same as
that of the day before, for the guides smoked
tobacco, as well as a few other people, settlers
in the vicinity, who had temporarily added
to our numbers

One of these entered into conversation with
me, and requested me to take charge of a
letter to his friends, for his relations lived.

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 117

he told me, in the town of Ayr, in Scotland ;
and whether his letters had miscarried,
or from other causes, he could not say, but
he had heard no tidings of them for a very
long time. I readily undertook to take care
of his letter, which the poor man imme-
diately set about to prepare ; but the way he
commenced operations was too ludicrous to
allow me to look on without being amused at
the difficulties he had to contend with. First
he seated himself on the ground in a corner
of the room ; his desk was a plate supported
on his knees ; his paper as bad as well
could be ; his ink newly thawed, and quite
pale ; his pen, pulled out of a wild goose's
tail, oily ; his own hand as hard as the bark
of a tree, and his broad black thumb, smashed
by the blow of a hammer or an axe, had no
sort of bend in it. Yet, with such odds
against him, he produced a folded epistle,
of which I took charge, and subsequently
transmitted to its address.

The difficulties attending the interchange
of letters, between settlers in the colonies and

118 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

their friends at home, are well worthy the
attention of those desirous to promote emi-
gration. The greater the facility of corre-
spondence, the more the stimulus to indivi-
dual adventure receives strength. Epistolary
intercourse being kept up, the objections to
foreign residence more resemble prejudices :
withheld or delayed, they become solid, un-
deniable objections, that then render an
emigrant really an exile.

January 10th. — When we started this
morning the light was just beginning to dawn,
and we had a heavy day's work before us,
before we could arrive at any habitation ;
however_, there was no remedy, but to push
on with the rest. The guides to-day seemed
particularly considerate, and, as if to give us
every assistance, instead of driving recklessly
on a-head, as they had been used to do, leav-
ing us to follow as well as we could, and
grumbling whenever they halted to collect
the party, they now slackened their pace with
great apparent good-humour, and we all went
on close together. However, we had not

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 119

travelled more than half an hour before they
proposed that we should all walk first by
turns. And their object by this arrange-
ment clearly was, in case any of us should
break, in through the ice, to give us, with
themselves, a fair chance of a preference.
This was reasonable enough, and, although
they had undertaken to be our guides, we
could make no objection so far to become
theirs ; and so it was settled that we were to
exchange places every half-hour. The labour
was a good deal increased by being the first
to break the way, and one thought of nothing
else but being relieved from the task. The
snow-shoe makes a large track, so that the
second man has a surface to walk upon
pressed down by the first, who, of course,
has by far the hardest work of all.

Thus we fagged on, careless of conse-
quences ; for the depth of the snow upon the
bed of the river made it quite impossible to
pick our way. Our guides prescribed the
course from point to point, according to their
notion of the safety of the ice, and the line

120 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

being once determined on, we had only to
advance straight-forward, and trust altoge-
ther to good luck. Long circuitous paths
became thus indispensable, and the danger
of breaking in after all certainly was not
trifling. In the mean time we progressed
heavily and slowly, hardly saying a word
to each other, except when, at the expiration
of each half hour, it became necessary to
exchange places with the leading man. And
this was. not all, for the clouds which had
been all the morning unusually dark and
lowering, seemed to bear strong indications
of an approaching snow storm. At this junc-
ture, one of the party, a strong, and appa-
rently athletic young man, began to complain
of lameness in his knee, which had swollen
and had become very painful. Still, how-
ever, we w^ent on, and it grew darker and
darker, till a heavy fall of snow, driven by a
powerful wind, came sweeping along the
desert track directly in our teeth ; so that,
what with general fatigue, and the unaccus-
tomed position of the body in the snow-shoes,

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 121

I hardly could bear up and stand against it.
The dreary howling of the tempest over the
wide waste of snow rendered the scene even
still more desolate ; and with the unmitigated
prospect before us of cold and hunger, our
party plodded on in sullen silence, each, in
his own mind, well aware that it was utterly
impracticable to reach that night the place
of our destination.

But, in spite of every obstacle, the strength
of the two Canadians was astonishing; with
bodies bent forward, and leaning on their
collar, on they marched, drawing the tobogins
after them, with a firm, indefatigable step ;
and we had proceeded a little more than
seven hours, when the snow-storm increased
to such a pitch of violence, that it seemed
impossible for any human creature to with-
stand it : it bid defiance even to their most
extraordinary exertions. The wind now
blew a hurricane. We were unable to see
each other at a greater distance than ten
yards, and the drift gave an appearance to
the surface of snow we were passing over,

G

i

122 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

like that of an agitated sea. Wheeled round
every now and then by the wind, we were
enveloped in clouds so dense, that a strong
sense of suffocation was absolutely produced.
We all halted : the Canadians admitted that
fartlier progress was impossible; but the
friendly shelter of the forest was at hand,
and the pines waved their dark branches in
token of an asylum. — We turned our should-
ers to the blast, and comfortless and weather
beaten sought our refuge. The scene, though
changed, was still not without interest ; the
frequent crashes of falling trees, and the
cracking of their vast limbs as they rocked
and writhed in the tempest, created awful and
impressive sounds ; but it was no time to be
idle : warmth and shelter were objects con-
nected with life itself, and the Canadians im-
mediately commenced the vigorous applica-
tion of their resources. By means of their
small light axes, a good-sized maple-tree was
in a few minutes levelled with the earth, and
in the mean time we cleared of snow, with
large pieces of bark ripped from the fallen

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 123

trees, a square spot of ground. The fibrous
bark of the white cedar, previously rubbed to
powder between the hands, was ignited, and
blowing upon this, a flame was produced.
This being fed, first by the silky peelings of
the birch bark, and then by the bark itself,
the oily and bituminous matter burst forth
into full action, and a splendid fire raised its
flames and smoke amidst a pile of huge logs,
to which one and all of us constantly and
eagerly contributed.

Having raised a covering of spruce boughs
above our heads, to serve as a partial defence
from the snow, which still fell in great abund-
ance, we sat down, turning our feet to the
fire, and made the most of what was, under
circumstances, a source of real consolation.
We enjoyed absolute rest ! One side of our
square was bounded by a huge fallen tree,
which lay stretched across it. Against this
our fire was made ; and on the opposite side,
towards which I had turned my back, another
very large one was growing, and into this
latter, being old and decayed, I by degrees

G 2

124 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

worked my way, and it formed an ad-
mirable shelter. The snow was banked up
on all sides nearly five feet high, like a white
wall, which resolutely maintained its position,
not an atom melting before the fierce crack-
ling fire which blazed up close against it.

The Canadians, who had provided them-
selves much better with provisions than I
had, were soon busily employed cooking broth
in a saucepan. I had relied upon being able
to put up with the fare I might meet with,
not taking into consideration the want of
traffic, and distance from the civilized parts
of the province ; owing to which, the scanty
provisions of the inhabitants, although pro-
vided with a sufficiency for themselves, were
not enouo'h to allow them to minister to the
wants of others. And I now saw the
guides pulling fresh meat out of the soup
with their fingers, and sharing it liberally
with my servant, whom they admitted into
their mess. The poor fellows, seeing that
I had nothing but a piece of salted pork,
toasted at the fire on a stick, offered me

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 125

a share of their supper, but this I felt my-
self bound to decline. My servant had
fewer scruples, and consequently fared better.
In return for their intentions I gave them a
good allowance of whiskey, which added to
their comfort and increased their mirth. One
by one they lighted their tobacco-pipes,
and continued to smoke ; till, dropping off
by degrees, the whole party at last lay
stretched out snoring before me.

Large flakes of snow continued to fall, and
heavy clots dropped occasionally upon the
ground. Our enormous fire had the effect
of making me so comfortably warm, that I
deferred the use of my buffalo skin till I lay
down to sleep, and, had it not been for the
volumes of smoke with which I was at times
disturbed, and the pieces of fire which burned
holes in my clothes wherever they hap-
pened to fall, my lodging would have been,
under circumstances, truly agreeable. I sat
for some time, with a blanket thrown over
my shoulders, in silent contemplation of a
scene alike remarkable for its novelty and its
dreariness.

126 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

The flames rose brilliantly, the sleeping-
figures of the men were covered with snow,
the wind whistled wildly through the trees,
whose majestic forms overshadowed us on
every side, and our fire, while it shed the
light of day on the immediately surrounding
objects, diffused a deeper gloom over the
farther recesses of the forest. And thus I
remained without any inclination to sleep,
till it was near midnight. A solemn impres-
sion, not to be called melancholy, weighed
heavily upon me. The satisfaction with which
I regarded fatigue already gone by, was
hardly sufficient to inspire confidence as to
what was to come ; and this reflection it was,
perhaps, that gave a colour to my thoughts
at once serious and pleasing. Distant scenes
were fancifully brought to my recollection,
and I mused on bygone days, while my eyes
were involuntarily attracted by the filmy,
wandering, leaves of fire^ which, ascending
lightly over the tops of the trees, for a
moment rivalled in brightness the absent
stars, and then — vanished for ever ! * * * I

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 127

)ecame overpowered with sleep, and, wrap-
ping my buffalo skin around me, sank down
to enjoy for several hours sound and uninter-
rupted repose. I slept heartily till day-light,
when I awoke feeling excessively cold, and
found the whole party sitting up. The snow
had ceased to fall, the sky had brightened,
and intense frost had set in. The guides
were busy in preparation, and anxious to
move on.

January 11th. — Having breakfasted pre-
cisely as I had supped the night before, I
was soon, together with the rest, under way.
On beginning to move I found my limbs stiff
with cold, and my ancles especially felt very
uneasy. The day broke with a clear sun,
and the uneven ridges of drift which lay
in our path diversified our walk with a pro-
portion of hill and dale. Nothing could
equal the sparkling whiteness of the snow,
disposed, as the sun mounted in the sky, in
every form and figure. As I passed over its
surface, supported by my snow shoes, in
some places where it lay from ten to twenty

128 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

feet deep, there was a vivid novelty in the
scene which aroused the exhausted spirits,
while the cheering influence of the sun gave
a new tone and elasticity to the wearied
limbs. We had walked for six hours, when
we arrived at Salmon river, a distance of
twenty-two miles from the house at which we
had last slept. My limbs felt uneasy and I
was restless. Our host was a veteran soldier,
whose allotment of land was, as he told us,
105 acres. Towards the evening the weather
changed to a thaw, with a sleet nearly
amounting to rain, but, before nine o'clock,
the wind chopped round again to the nw., and
the frost set in again as severely as before.

January r2th. — Early in the morning we
proceeded along the bed of the river to the
Grand Falls ; the ice all the way being ex-
tremely dangerous, not only from the effect
of adjacent springs, but from the rapidity of
the current, which in this part is very great.
One of our guides this day met with a serious
ducking : the ice broke in under him, and he
fell into the water. The day was intensely

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 129

cold, not only with a severe frost, but a keen
piercing m ind ; and we were a considerable
distance from any house. We were imme-
diately summoned to make the best of our
way to the bank of the river, where we all
assisted to kindle a fire; but, in spite of our
best activity, the man's feet were a little
frost-bitten before he had the benefit of the
warmth. At a moderate distance, his compa-
nion rubbed the parts affected with snow till
the circulation returned ; and, in a little more
than half an hour, he was able to proceed with-
out further injury. We now pursued our way
with the utmost caution, the state of the ice
being more and more precarious, imtil we ar-
rived at a track which, leaving the river, pro-
ceeded up a steep acclivity. Here we found
ourselves^ after a walk of four hours, at the
house of a serjeant stationed at the Grand
Falls, where, as at Presque Isle, there was a
small, military establishment kept up for the
sake of the communication. As it was about
noon when I arrived, I immediately got my
dinner, being treated to the old fare of

G 3

130 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

salted pork and sliced potatoes, — a repast
which had, at least, the advantage of occu-
pying little time. As I was anxious to see
the Grand Falls, situated about a mile and a
half from the house, I tied on my snow shoes,
and, accompanied by the Serjeant, proceeded
on the way towards them.

On arriving there, I was amply remune-
rated for my trouble, by the magnificence of
the spectacle; not that the fall was on a
scale of grandeur to excite wonder, for
it is not larger, perhaps, than the fall of
Foyers, in the neighbourhood of Inverness,
in Scotland ; but the garb of winter gave
a character to its features unusually bril-
liant and pleasing ; for the vaporous mist
which arose, as from all cascades of any
degree of magnitude, was so increased by
the intense cold, — the condensation was
so extremely rapid, — that it is difficult to
describe the effect it produced. Volumes of
cloud rushed upwards, propelled from the
abyss with most extraordinary force, like
steam from the valve of an engine. The

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 131

cascade was bounded on each side by craggy-
rocks disposed in huge disjointed fragments,
and the tops of these were covered with
snow, affected by the action of the spray
in a singular manner, having received, by
the constant impression of its finer particles,
an appearance exactly resembling sculp-
tured marble. The dead white snow had
been coloured with a yellowish tinge, and
seemed like fleeces of wool hanging over
the rocks, or drapery arranged in the softest
and most elegant foldings. The more dis-
tant the more soft they appeared, and all
were fringed at the base with icicles ; some
of these, especially those nearest to the
cataract, were of an enormous size. The
boughs of the trees in the vicinity were laden
with small ones, like beads of crystal ; and
altogether the prismatic rays of the sun were
reflected with magnificent splendour.

The scene was charming; for the day,
though piercingly cold, was particularly
bright, and a clear dark-blue sky enlivened
the whole to a great degree. One gazed with

■

132 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

delight as upon fairy grottos and the works
of magic. Without snow shoes it would
have been impossible to approach ; as it was,
I do not know whether I stood upon snow
supported upon the rocks, or clinging toge-
ther by adhesion between the clefts. But
this consideration presented itself only after
I had been contented and gratified with
the spectacle, and found myself standing in
an advanced position, where I was hailed by
the Serjeant. I was very glad to get back,
retracing my steps with great caution, and
I fancied several times that the snow felt
much softer than it ought to be. I returned
to the Serjeant's house, where I lay down on
the boards before the fire as soon as I arrived,
in order to get as much rest as I could ; for
I was uneasy at the thoughts of the mal a
raquelte, which I feared, from the aching
sensation about my ancles and insteps, I
should not escape.

January 13th. — We left the Serjeant's
house very early in the morning, which broke
clear and cold. We walked a little more

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 133

than two miles, and then came upon the
river, along which we pursued our track.
Not a particle of a cloud was to be seen, and
that morning's walk exhibited a loveliness of
nature peculiar to the Canadian climate, and
sufficient to dissipate every sensation of pain
and weariness ; a rare combination of frost
and sunshine, such as, without being seen and
felt, can hardly be imagined. The wind was
hushed to perfect stillness, and, as we w^alked
along, our hair, our seven days' beards, the
edges of our caps, our eyebrows, and even
our eyelashes, were as white as a powdering
of snow could make them. In the mean time,
the warmth of the sun gave a sensation of
peculiar purity to the air.

We continued all the way on the river,
till we completed fifteen miles from the
Serjeant's house wliere we had slept, and
arrived at the Grande Riviere. We were
now at the Madawaska settlement, composed
altogether of French Canadians ; a narrow
strip of a village, where we sought the house
of an aubergiste, Rouen Croix, where I was

134 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

gratified and surprised to find I was to be
treated to a bed. Being now perfectly lame,
I was delighted to hear that I had done with
the snow shoes, at least for a day or two, and
that for twenty-one miles the snow was suffi-
ciently beaten to bear a horse and sleigh,
which were to be had in the village. I of
course lost no time in engaging one; and,
considering the state of extreme necessity I
was under, it is worthy of remark, that I
found no inclination in the owner to cheat
me. I agreed to pay fifteen shillings for the
twenty-one miles, — a sum by no means exorbi-
tant in the state of the road. I was much re-
freshed by a good mess of soup, with the meat
in it, besides other ingredients I did not stop
to inquire about: with all, sundry pieces of
packthread excepted, I was perfectly well
satisfied, for I was well persuaded of the
possibility of faring much worse.

January 14th. — When the driver made his
appearance with the sleigh, I found it to be
of a different construction from any I had hi-
therto seen, and better calculated to pass over

I

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 135

deep snow. It was, indeed, nothing more
than a wooden box, having the runners or
sliders so low, that the vehicle was dragged
along as much on its own bottom as upon
them. The snow was so deep that it was
quite as much as the horse could do to get
on^ stumbling and floundering at every step,
while the driver walked by the side of the
sleigh_, driving with long reins. The whole
apparatus was so bad, that I would ten times
rather have walked ; but I had hopes of re-
covering from my lameness by rest, and sub-
mitted to every inconvenience for the sake
of being able to start sound once more.
Certainly I was in a helpless condition, and
the roads within the limits of this small set-
tlement were so partially broken that the
sleigh was overturned five or six times in the
course of the morning. On these occasions
I lay still and suffered myself to be righted
together with the vehicle each time, as the
shortest way, lame as I was, of helping my-
self. After all, it was a tedious slow drive,
and I should have been overturned much

136 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

oftener if the driver's strength had not been
frequently applied on one side of the sleigh
to prevent it.

The twenty-one miles were at last accom-
plished, and when we arrived at the house
of an aubergiste, the only spare room was
already full of people; so that we were obliged
to apply elsewhere, and were finally received
into the house of an inhabitant, David Dufour,
where two travellers had already established
themselves. The room was exceedingly small,
but there was no other, and this was to con-
tain these two persons, ourselves, and the
host and his family. The latter consisted of
a wife and six children, all of whom were
dreadfully afflicted with the hooping cough.
As I was provided with some good mutton
broth, I had not much to complain of till
night ; but then the crying and coughing of
the poor children was very bad indeed. The
noise, however, did not deprive me of sleep;
and I awoke in the morning refreshed and
even eager to undertake the day's journey.

January 15th. — A party of persons had col-

TO KIVIERE DE CAPE. 137

lected for the purpose of proceeding with our
guides towards Quebec ; and so we all started to
walk together. It was with very great satisfac-
tion that I now saw my snow shoes tied fast on
the outside of the baggage on the tobogin,hav-
ing already suffered so much by their weight;
however, I very soon found that the relief had
come a little too late, for I was completely
lame, and could not move a step without con-
siderable pain. I contrived, notwithstanding,
to keep up tolerably well with the party to the
end of the day's journey, which was twenty-
four miles. About a mile from the house
where I slept we took our leave of the St.
John's river, upon which we had travelled for
so many miles, and, turning to our right, pur-
sued our course along the Madawaska river,
which empties itself here into the former.

The picture of our caravan is now totally
changed. A dozen persons of various descrip-
tions had joined our party, some at the end
and some at the beginning of their respective
journeys. They pelted each other with snow-
balls, and sang and whistled, smoking and

i

138 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

hallooing. A few were hobbling and limping,
being quite sick of walking, and fit for no
sort of fun whatever. The guides procured
dogs to draw the tobogins, and several of
these great creatures, from the coasts of La-
brador and Newfoundland, were loose, and
followed in our train. The noise of the party
frightened a Caraboo deer from his lair, and
urged him, unfortunately for himself, to cross
over the ice of the river just in front of us.
Immediately there was a general hullabaloo,
and men and dogs all at once gave chase. 1
quite forgot I was lame, and made a tolerable
run too, and to my surprise found that the
dogs had^ come up with their game, which
had entangled himself by the horns in the
branches of a fallen tree. There they pinned
him, till one of the Canadians despatched him
with his axe ; and we had one of his haunches
the same night cut into steaks for supper,
which, although tough, were well-flavoured.
Although we had proceeded the whole of
the morning without snow shoes, it was, ne-
vertheless, extremely bad walking. The

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 139

traffic in the neighbourhood of the settle-
ment had caused a beaten track to be made ;
but the snow lay so deep on the ice, that of
necessity men in snow shoes were the first
to pass along it, until, pressed by their feet,
it by degrees assumed a surface capable of
bearing people without them. Still it was
so soft, that the foot very frequently sank in
deep enough to occasion a tumble. Every
man walked on as fast as he could, without
taking account of his neighbour; so that the
fatigue of keeping up with the party was
not a little increased by running to make up
the lost way. But anything was better than
having show shoes tied to one's feet ! Having
now walked twenty-four miles, we put up for
the night in the house of a veteran soldier,
who had received his allotment of land on the
line of communication.

January 16th. — Our party had dispersed
themselves during the night in other houses
in the neighbourhood; but at an early hour
they were all collected in readiness to
proceed. We had a journey of twenty-

140 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

one miles this day before us, and I was now
so very lame as to make it a serious under-
taking. We had, besides, two days more to
travel on foot, before we could by possibility
meet with any sort of vehicle. The consi-
deration of a speedy end of the journey was
a great inducement to proceed, and I deter-
mined to go on as long as I could. Our first
six miles was along the ice of the Madawaska
river ; when, the ice being considered unsafe,
the track frequently turned off into the forest
along the bank. Having passed the head of
the river, we came to Lake Tamasquatha,
which is about fifteen miles long, and from
three to six broad. Our track lay over this
lake, but when we went upon the ice, we
found the travelling much worse than on
the river; for the wind blew violently
against us, and it was as much as ever I
could do to keep within any reasonable dis-
tance of the guides. All following one after
another, the foremost men almost vanished
from the sight, and appeared like little black
dots on the wide waste of snow ahead.

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 141

Some, however, were behind me, more tired
than I was, though I never took the pains
to inquire about them. At last we arrived
at the house of Mr. Long, situated at the
extremity of Lake Tamasquatha, and on the
banks of that portage^ which extends from
thence, without any interruption of water
communication, to the high road to Quebec.
I had no sooner arrived than I threw my-
self down on the boards under a full impres-
sion that I should be quite unable to proceed
the next day. We here found a new set of
travellers, who had established themselves in
the house ; and these being reinforced by our
numbers, a confusion of tongues prevailed in
the room which set at defiance all descrip-
tion. We had thirty-six persons in it, be-
sides six or eight large dogs belonging to
the tobogins. We were obliged to lie on the
ground like so many pigs. My next neigh-
bour was a major in the army, whom I never

* Portage is a French Canadian word, signifying the
land over which it becomes necessarj' to carnj the loads
from one river or lake to another.

142 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

saw before and have never met since ; he
seemed more fatigued than I was, and did
nothing but groan all night. The dogs dis-
turbed us ; for they ran about and trod upon
us ; they growled ; and twice before the
morning there was a battle-royal among
them, with the whole room up in arms to part
them by throttling and biting the ends of their
tails. What with the noise, and the shout-
ings and swearing in bad French, we were
in a perfect uproar. For this xxjvoij.a'/ioL the
natural remedy, of course, would have been
to turn the dogs out ; but the masters would not
allow it, as the former were of too much use
by far on a journey. The gabble of tongues,
the smell of tobacco smoke, and the disturb-
ance altogether, was really dreadful; and
there was, besides, a truckle-bed in the room,
on which two women reposed, — the mistress of
the house and her sister. These females were
not silent ; and, no matter who slept, some
were sure to be awake and talking. I quite
lost all my patience ; sometimes I struck at the
dogs as they galloped over me, and I shook

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 143

one Canadian by the collar till he roared, who
in the scuffle had trodden on my lame ancles
without remorse. The only satisfaction I had
was to think that the pain I was in would
alone, without the noise, have prevented me
from sleeping.

January 17th. — At an early hour this
morning we commenced our journey over the
portage, and, after travelling the whole day,
I arrived, in a state of extreme pain and fa-
tigue, at the place where we were to pass
the night. We crossed several ravines, and
climbed steep acclivities. Both my feet were
now swollen to a great size, attended with
inflammation so acute as to resemble exactly
determined gout. The Canadians told me I
had certainly got the mal a raquette ; what-
ever it might have been, I lay awake all night
in the miserable log house where we had put
up, thinking how unlucky I was to have
arrived within nine miles of the end of my
journey on foot, without being able to accom-
plish the little that remained.

January 18th. — Nine miles were now be-

I

144 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE

fore me, and if I could complete that distance
the journey was done. The usual prepara-
tions for departure had no sooner commenced
than I felt it quite impossible to remain where
I was, although I could scarcely stand upon
my feet ; but as my servant was still strong
and able, I relied on his assistance, and set
forward. I never was put to so severe a trial
in all my life. The exertion of walking, and
the twists I met with in the holes made in
the hard snow by the feet of former travel-
lers, were absolute torture ; so that now and
then I was obliged to lie down for a few-
seconds in the snow to recover myself. The
cold was so intense, that almost as soon as I
was down I was obliged to get up again, and
a piece of bread in my coat-pocket was frozen
nearly as hard as wood. My servant stayed
by me whenever I lay down on the snow,
and helped me to rise_, and to him I am in-
debted for performing the short distance of
that day's journey. I was eight hours on the
way ; but at last reached the village of Ri-
viere de Loup, where I entered a small public-

TO RIVIERE DE CAPE. 145

house in the true spirit of thankfulness at
having accomplished an undertaking of
which I had several times despaired. But I
remained there a very short time : I found
that I was only six miles from Riviere de
Cape, where there was a good inn, and that
it was possible to procure a conveyance to
take me there.

Beset as I was with a set of boisterous com-
panions, I ordered a sleigh to be got ready
immediately, into which I made a last effort
to crawl, ready to endure anything in the
world so that I could but exchange the pre-
sent for civilized quarters. At Riviere de
Cape, I was gratified by the kindest atten-
tion from my hostess_, who placed before me
the first comfortable meal I had seen for a
long time. She provided me with a good
arm-chair^ and many other seasonable indul-
gencies; and it is remarkable, that all pain
left me that very evening. Never was a
change more complete brought about within
a few short hours. To think of both past
and future created agreeable sensations, and

H

146 JOURNEY FROM PRESQUE ISLE.

the comfortable adage, " Forsan et hcec olim
meminisse juvahit,^' rushed forcibly to my
mind. The apartment and furniture ap-
peared elegant, my landlady seemed lovely
as Hebe, my journey on foot was — thank
Heaven! — completed, and the refreshing
silence of the house added to the many
comforts with which I was now surrounded.

147

JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE
TO YORK, UPPER CANADA.

I WAS now on the high road to Quebec,
and on a spot where the river St. Lawrence
breaks upon the view in splendid magnifi-
cence. A chain of mountains bounds the
opposite side, and a long narrow island^ called
VI ale de Lievre, is situated mid-channel.
The river is here twenty-one miles across,
and appeared to be frozen over some miles
from the shore. It is at this part quite
straight, and the eye commands a reach of
very considerable length. I hired a post
cariole, or small sleigh drawn by one horse,
to take me hence to Quebec. I made a
good breakfast, had been kindly treated, had
slept well, and felt rejoiced to be relieved
from the ragamuffins whose society I had
participated so long, when I and my servant
got into the vehicle. The road was well

h2

143 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

beaten and good ; the horse started off at a sort
of shambling run, a pace they all learn from
hiofh calks and the continual habit of movino^
through snow ; the bells jingled merrily ; the
sun shone bright with an intense frost ; and
I was not only so much recovered as to be
perfectly free from pain, but the scene al-
together produced a buoyancy of spirits, the
total reverse of the heavy-heartedness with
which I had only the day before, like an over-
driven ox, performed my journey. Although
the weather was by far too severe to make
travelling in an open carriage agreeable, the
contrast made up for everything. If it was
€old, I was well wrapped up ; my lameness
was getting better every hour, and I was
sure at least of being well housed.

The boy who drove me was a curiosity, —
a little wizened ape, hardly twelve years old;
but he smoked, and swore, and cracked his
whip with all the grimace of a French pos-
tilion. A huge fur cap almost extinguished
his small face ; and he wore a close-bodied
coat, with a red worsted sash round his waist.

TO YORK, UPPER CANADA. 149-

He had not proceeded far, when he stopped
at a house ; when I inquired what detained
him, *'C'est mon pipe. Monsieur!" Nor
would he stir without '* mon pipe ; " and I
was kept waiting several minutes while the
people of the house were lighting it. At
last he got it, and_, giving a few hard whiffs,
cracked his whip^ called the horse all the
names he could think of, and chattered away
and grumbled in bad French, as if he felt
his consequence hurt by the manner I had
treated him. Chaaging sleighs at conve-
nient distances, I posted this day sixty miles
to Lislet. The charge was fivepence a-mile :
nothing was demanded for the driver, which^
I suppose^ gave him the air of independence
he assumed, nor was there any other ex-
pense on the road. I found the delays ia
changing horses considerable.

The manner of driving in Canada is singu-
lar enough; for, instead of perpetually flip-
ping the horse with the whip, as in England,
they reserve it for greater occasions, — set^
tling the balance of an account of errors by

150 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

an unmerciful flogging, which lasts some
seconds, and serves till the driver's patience
is again exhausted. The horses are generally
high couraged; but all seem crippled, owing
to the manner in which they are shod, and
the rough ground they at times travel upon.

Changing at short stages, I travelled the
whole of an intensely cold day, the sky being
quite clear and free from clouds. As even-
ing came on, the glowing tints which suf-
fused the bleak landscape were particu-
larly beautiful, — such as a winter sunset in
Canada can alone produce. The glaring sun
became magnified as he touched the horizon.
A deep fiery red was reflected from bright
tin spires, and blazed from the glass windows
of the scattered white houses in the distance.
The snow sparkled with purple and varying
prismatic colours ; while large fragments of
ice, scattered here and there, completed a
picture of winter in all its intensity. J ar-
rived at Lislet half frozen, having travelled
some time after dark.

January 20th. — I posted this day fifty-one
miles to Point Levi. A fall of snow in the

TO YORK, UPPER CANADA. 151

night made the roads very heavy, so that,
although I started early in the morning,
it was past ten at night when I arrived at
the auberge, — an uncomfortable passage
house, situated close to the banks of the
river St. Lawrence, and opposite to the town
of Quejpec. The whole of the 111 miles I
travelled on this and the preceding day was
through a fiat country, nearly parallel with
the river. I now heard accounts by no
means prepossessing of the mode of crossing
over to Quebec, and of the state of the ice ;
but I was tired, and it was too late to make
particular inquiries ; so, as soon as I had
procured a little refreshment, I went to bed,
where, after I lay down, I could very plainly
hear the roaring and splashing of the water.
January 21st. — In the morning, on look-
ing out of my window, which commanded an
immediate view of the Great St. Lawrence^
there a mile and a half wide, I saw it frozen
on each bank at least three or four hundred
yards from the shore, and the channel filled
with pieces of ice driven forward and back-
ward by the eddies of an impetuous tide ;

152 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

these were rising one above another, twist-
ing round and round, sinking, labouring,
and heaving, by the action of a current
running at the rate of seven knots an-hour.
Sometimes there was a space of clear water,
wherein enormous flakes, of a superficies of
three or four thousand square yards, would
glide by ; huge lumps, as big as a stage
coach and all its passengers, would roll over
and over, and tumble in various directions,
now and then sinking altogether, and after-
wards rising several yards a-head ; large
masses would meet, and drive against each
other with a tremendous crash, piling flake
upon flake, and presenting a most awful
spectacle, — the more interesting, as it was
my business to cross over that very day :
and how that was to be done, I could not
possibly, at the moment I have attempted to
describe, determine. However, on holding
a consultation with my host, I found, that
the passage was certainly difficult, but,
nevertheless, quite practicable ; that it would
probably be attended with considerable delay,
but that there was very little danger. Thus

TO YORK, UPPER CANADA. 1^3^

much was satisfactory, and I further under^
stood that slack water (it was now about half
tide) would be the time to attempt to get over.
There was more ice on the river than had
been for the two years last past, owing to a
continuation of weather more than ordinarily
severe, so that it was expected every day ta
set ; and, whenever that took place, sleighs
of all sorts would be able to drive across.
Above all, I was recommended to lose no^
time in engaging a log canoe, unless I
chose to wait for the chance of the ice
setting.

Having^ no sort of wish to remain where I
was, I found out a man who agreed to
take me across for thirty shillings, after a
hard bargain, in which he exaggerated the -
danger, and multiplied difficulties to suit:
his purpose. I met him by appointment on-
the bank of the river, about one o'clock,
where he had his canoe in readiness to re-
ceive me, being attended by five Canadian
boatmen, his comrades. The canoe was
nothing more than fourteen or fifteen feet o€

h3

154 JOURNEY FROM BIVIEEE DE CAPE

an entire tree rounded at both ends alike,
and hollowed by the adze. A piece of rope,
six or eight feet long, Avas fixed at the head,
and a similar piece at the stern. Each of the
men carried an axe stuck in his sash, and a
paddle in his hand ; and thus equipped, they
dragged the canoe from the shore along upon
the ice, chopping away the last six or eight
feet (where it became unsound) with their
axes, till the head of the vessel was brought
close above the water.

The tide was now nearly at the ebb, and
its rapidity, of course, much abated ; still
the ice was continually in a state of violent
motion, and presented a very formidable ap-
pearance. I got into the canoe with my
servant, and, according to the direction of the
boatmen, who were chattering, arguing, and
swearing on the subject of their plan of pro-
ceeding, we both sat down at the bottom of
the canoe, in midships. And here we waited
in readiness for a launch. A large flake now
floated by, leaving a clear channel of perhaps
one hundred yards across, and this was the

TO YORK, UPPER CANADA. 155

signal to begin. I had nothing to do but to
sit still. " Tenez firme ! " they all cried at
once, and without farther warning they
pushed the canoe off the ice plump into the
water with a splash. The fall was about
two feet, and she was no sooner in than
every one of the fellows, with uncommon
activity, was on board and each in his place,
paddling with eager haste_, in order to avoid
a large piece of ice which was bearing down
hard upon us, and to gain a frozen surface
right a-head. Succeeding in the attempt,
they with equal adroitness jumped out of the
canoe upon the ice, and, seizing the ropew^hich
was fixed at the head, drew her by main force
out of the water, and, three at one side and
three at the other, they pushed her along,
running about a hundred and fifty yards across,
till a second launch into clear water called
again for the paddles. We were less fortu-
nate in this effort than in the one preceding,
for we were splashed all over, and the water
almost immediately froze hard on our clothes.
But we had not time to shake ourselves, for

156 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

a large quantity of loose ice, which appeared
just to have risen up from the bottom of the
river, was bearing down upon us in a very
formidable manner. The men paddled, and
strained, and abused each other, but all
would not do, and we were in a very few
seconds hemmed in and jammed on both
sides by a soft pulpy mass, together with
which we were helplessly carried away by
the current side wise from the point we were
endeavouring to reach. I could not help
admiring the determination and address of
the men at this moment; for they jumped
out, above their knees in water, sometimes
up to their hips, while they used their ut-
most strength to drag the canoe forward by
the rope. Although the surface gave way
continually imder their feet, letting them
down upon the large slabs of ice which were
floating underneath, they managed, by pull-
ing and hauling, and with their axes occa-
sionally cutting and breaking away the ob-
structing blocks which stood in their way,
to get free of all impediments, and gain once
more a channel of clear water.

TO YCRK, UPPER CANADA. 157

While this was going forward, it was
extremely annoying to be perfectly helpless
in the midst of so much bustle and energy.
The fellows frequently shouted ^* branlez !
nacre Dieu, hranlez ! " by which they meant
that we should rock the canoe from side to
to side as we sat, to prevent her freezing on to
the ice; which disaster was only to be avoided
by keeping her in continual motion. If this
had taken place, the consequences might
have been serious, as the day was intensely
cold, and we must have floated away with no
great chance of assistance. However, by the
skill of the men we avoided the catastrophe,
and the thirty shillings were certainly fairly
earned, for they were three or four minutes
at this spell in the water, sometimes up to
their knees, and now and then nearly up to
their middle. It might seem almost incre-
dible that men are able to work at all upon
ice so unsound as not to afford a surface
capable of supporting the weight of the
body ; but on their part there seemed to be
no sort of apprehension of absolute danger,
owing to the vast thickness of the floating

158 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

substance, a comparatively small part of
which was, as they knew, that which ap-
peared above the water. And there was
invariably a lower stratum upon which they
were received and supported as often as they
sank in.

Such was the manner of making the pas-
sage across the river St. Lawrence, at the
season of the year and under such circum-
stances as it happened to me to undertake it ;
and I have only to add, that the time occu-
pied in going across was somewhat more
than an hour, and that the varieties already
cited followed each other in rapid succession,
till the moment of our disembarkation at
the opposite shore. At one time we were
in clear water ; the next moment struggling
through con gelated heaps of melted snow ;
then|rapidly driven along over sheets of ice,
and pushed over obstructing blocks which
opposed our progress in ridges seven or
eight feet high. The Canadians were, how-
ever, indefatigable. Every obstacle, as soon
as encountered, was surmounted in a mo-
ment. They were active as ants. All was

159

energy, spring, and bustle. Hard ice was
hewn down with the hatchets. They were
in the canoe and out of the canoe, paddling
and cutting, pushing with the boat-hook, and
hauling on the rope, all with instantaneous
impulse, and appliance of strength in differ-
ent ways and with the most effective success.
But notwithstanding all, it was with un-
mixed satisfaction that I found myself at
last safely landed in the town of Quebec.
Although I had nearly recovered from my
lameness, the cold had made me very stiff,
so that, in spite of the sun, the keen air
had such an effect upon my limbs, that on
getting out of the canoe I was scarcely able
to move. The water with which I had been
splashed had incrusted me in a coat of ice ;
and I was as much like an armadillo as a
human being, when I crawled heavily up
the steep, narrow, dirty street which leads
from the lower to the upper town, bending
my steps towards Sturch's hotel, where I
was shown into the public room, well
warmed by a Canada stove, and full of dif-
ferent sorts of people.

k

160 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

January 22nd to 31st. — The weather was
all this time exceedingly severe, seldom
above zero of Fahrenheit, and now and then
several degrees below it. I was one day
much amused by observing the effects of cold
upon the faces of the people in the streets
when the wind blew exceedingly hard,
and there was what the Canadians call
a ** podre"*, or a sprinkling of the finer
particles of the snow from the tops of the
houses in clouds which add a lively pang
to the keenness of the frost. Indeed the
effect is truly ludicrous. The moment a man
happens to encounter the gelid volume,
he stares aghast ; the water bursts from his
eyes ; in one instant he shows every tooth
in his head, if he has any ; and his features
become distorted and agonized. Nothing
so miserable is to be seen, except the unfor-
tunate dogs harnessed in small sleighs, and
made to draw barrels of water, which^ owing

* The Canadians have a way of their own of pro-
nouncing French : thus, la hache they call la haivche,
and so forth.

TO YORK, UPPER CANADA. 161

to tlie cold, smokes as if it were boiling,
through the town.

The ice set in the St. Lawrence, and the
** Pont" was formed on the 31st; an event
which had not taken place for two years
before. In a very few hours it was com-
pactly wedged together, and covered with
horses and sleighs in great numbers, and of
the heaviest description. This may seem
extraordinary, but it is a well-known fact,
and very easily accounted for. For the
masses of floating ice have previously at-
tained a very great thickness, and are
continuing to grow bigger every hour, as
they are carried about in the stream by the
current, the rapidity of which alone pre-
vents their adhering long before. Sticking
together at first by twos and threes, they
jostle more and more every tide, till at last
a general jam for a moment takes place ;
and a moment only does the business. The
intense frost effects adhesion, and the water
below splashing up between the interstices
of the joints effectually fixes and rivets
the whole. What from the thickness of

162 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

the ice itself, and its being supported by
the water, no weight can well be too great
to put upon it. As soon as the ice has
stopped, the river presents to the eye a wild
and noble spectacle. The moment is natu-
rally one of conflict and convulsion; and
the throes and struggles of the impinging
bodies are truly tremendous. Small islands
of ice, pressed on every side till they give
way, break in the middle, and cracking into
fragments, these become hurled one upon
another in all sorts of grotesque forms ; so
that, " when the hurley-burley 's done," the
whole surface of the river becomes covered,
as it were, with little hills, houses, and vil-
lages. Objects that resemble all these are
raised, as by the contrivance of magic, in
the space of a few minutes. Some are of
such considerable magnitude, that through
the whole winter a circuitous track is taken
to avoid them. And thus, although the
inhabitants may immediately avail them-
selves of a passage, it is nevertheless neces-
sary to break a road. Like any other desert
track, a way must be cleared of impediments;

TO YORK, UPPER CANADA. 163

however, as blocks of ice are easily cut
through, much time is not required to put
everything to rights, and then crov^ds of
persons flock to each side, eager to avail
themselves of the first opportunity of cross-
ing over.

The state of the river immediately before
the setting of the ice is, of course, growing-
worse and worse every day, until the com-
munication, as regards traffic, may be said
to be impeded altogether. The forming of
the pont^ therefore, is hailed by the inhabit-
ants of both sides with a joyous welcome :
by the country people, owing to the prospect
of bringing their produce readily to market ;
and by those of the town, from the hopes of
a reduction in the prices of the articles, the
natural consequence of the event.

The next point of my destination was the
bay of Penetangushene, an outlet of Lake
Huron, where it was at this time the object
of Government to establish a naval and mili-
tary post. And as the place to which I was
going was far removed in the woods, it was
indispensable to make previously some pre-

164 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

parations in the way of equipment. To this
end, I purchased a good buffalo apron, in
addition to the one I had before, and some
articles of warm clothing. I also provided
myself with powder and shot, having brought
with me from England a good double-bar-
relled gun of Joseph Manton's, which had
been dragged over the snow with the rest of
my things on the tobogins. Thus accoutred,
I felt quite ready to leave ^' the flaunting
town," its split logs and hot stoves, to ex-
plore the ruder regions of the north-west.

February Istv — I posted to Riviere St.
Jaquetiere, where I slept. The whole journey
was extremely unpleasant, owing to the fre-
quency of the cahots, or trenches in the
snow which lay across the road. The driver
never pulled up his horses, but seemed to
me to rattle over them with unnecessary ra-
pidity, and at the imminent risk of breaking
the sleigh.

February 2nd. — Posted to Trois Rivieres.

February 3rd. — Posted to a small place
within nine miles of Berthier.

February 4th. — Posted to Montreal. As I

TO YORK, UPPER CANADA. 1G5

intended to remain two or three days in the
neighbourhood, I ordered a sleigh to take me
the next morning to St. John's, a small town
situated on the River Richelieu, between
Lake Champlain and the River St. Lawrence,
and distant twenty-seven miles from Montreal.

February 5th to 7th. — Early in the morn-
ing of the 5th, I crossed the St. Lawrence in
a sleigh^ over a track as well beaten as any
part of the streets ; the large slabs of ice
which had been removed, as well as heaps
of snow, forming a wall on each side for a
great part of the way. Turning to the right,
the road continued along the bank for about
three miles through the neat village of
Prairee; thence leaving the river, through
a flat country, with inns at short intervals
during the whole distance. Having then
reached the river Richelieu, I arrived at St.
John's, where I was hospitably received by
Sir Thomas Brisbane, under whose roof I
remained until the morning of the 8th.

February 8th. — Having returned to Mont-
real, I made arrangements to leave it the
next day, and hired a sleigh with two horses

L

166 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

to take me to Kingston. The appearance of
Montreal is superior to that of Quebec ;
the equipages, especially, seemed much bet-
ter appointed. Indeed, a well-built sleigh
is a remarkably handsome vehicle. In shape
like the Britska, of a dark colour relieved by
scarlet, and covered with a profusion of rich
black bear-skins, it has a striking effect in
contrast with the pure white snow. The cold
was this day more than commonly severe,
and for the first time I perceived an effect of
the low temperature, by no means unusual.
My clothes, on taking them off, braces,
waistcoat^ &c., were so charged with electric
fluid, that they crackled and snapped, pro-
ducing sparks of fire in abundance. Even
the comb which I passed through my hair
created a similar effect.

February 9th. — The driver of the sleigh
made his appearance much later than he had
promised, but was accompanied by the owner,
who, by way of apology, told me that I had
'' the best span of horses in Montreal " for
my journey. A ** span of horses " means a
pair driven abreast, and is one of tlie many

TO. YORK, UPPER CANADA. 167

American expressions current in this part of
the country. Indeed there is so little bar
to the communication along this part of the
frontier, that a great similarity consequently
exists in accent, manners, and general ap-
pearance, between the inhabitants on both
sides. The road led occasionally along the
bank, and now and then on the bed of the
river ; which, owing to the very rapid cur-
rent, was at parts open in the middle, the
channel being full of small islands and rocks.
Although the air was piercingly cold, the sun
shone forth with great brilliancy, showing
signs of his increasing pbwer by the icicles
which, in many warm and sheltered situa-
tions, already fringed the eaves of the houses.
As I started late, I proceeded no farther
than Point Clair, where I put up for the
night. The landlord, a civil, bustling man,
replenished the fire, and w^as extremely
active. He said he '^ abhorred a bad fire,"
and added, '* I guess you'll like a glass of
sling after your cold drive." I discovered
that " sling " meant gin and water ; so a
glass of sling I took, and then went to bed.

168 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

February 10th. — I travelled this day to
Point Boudet, along the banks of the St.
Lawrence, which here presents an interest-
ing appearance — that of a mighty stream
tearing its way through a channel which
bears the strongest marks of some grand
convulsion of nature. The foaming rapids,
the heavy roaring of the waters, the huge
slabs of ice ripped from the summits of the
rocks, whose black desolate-looking points
formed a striking contrast with the over-
powering whiteness of the snow ; — all these
were objects which irresistibly riveted the
attention. One beheld, as it were, with all
the accompaniments of nature's sublimity, a
contest of the two elements, wherein every
inch of ground was furiously disputed. I
afterwards passed these rapids on my journey
back to Quebec, as I shall have occasion to
describe. The inn at Point Boudet, where
I put up for the night, was situated close on
the bank of the river, and extremely tidy
and comfortable.

February 11th. — I proceeded this day to
Cornwall, the weather being piercingly

TO YORK, UPPER CANADA. 169

cold, with a bright sun. The same man, the
servant of the owner of the sleigh, and a
Scotchman, drove me all the way from Mont-
real, and had hardly spoken a word the whole
journey. But there was abottle of " whuskey"
which he kept under the seat, just within his
reach, to which he now and then had recourse;
and to-day, as the weather was cold, and the
sun shone bright, he took a sup from time to
time as he felt inclined ; rather often, at every
three or four miles perhaps, — till he began to
fidget in his seat, and look round to me, as if
at last he had got something to say. There-
fore I asked him, a-propos to nothing, whe-
ther he thought he would be able to wear the
kilt in Canada? '' Na,'* said he, '' the flies
wad nap a body." I thought it was rather
odd he should be thinking of flies at a time
when the frost was biting so particularly
sharp ; but still he insisted upon it, that the
flies, of the two, were the worst ; and he
suited the action to the word with such
energy, that I could not doubt his veracity.
J tried to engage him further in conversation,

r

170 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

but that was impossible ; for he was a High-
lander, who, speaking very little English
when he left his own country, had been de-
prived of the small portion he then under-
stood, by a residence of three years in Mont-
real, where his fellow-servants all spoke
French. This quite petrified his genius, and
spoiled him as a linguist altogether.

February 12th. — It was remarkably cold
when we started in the mornings and Dou-
gall, whether owing to the effect of the
whiskey the day before, or the melancholy
appearance of the empty bottle, relapsed
into his former taciturnity. We travelled
twenty-six miles along the bank of the river,
and put up at an inn close to the water.

February 13th. — I travelled twenty-two
miles to Prescott, which is opposite to the
American village of Ogdensburg. The river
here, about half a mile wide, was frozen
quite across. Some people at the inn were
conversing on* the subject of a lot of cattle
which had been stolen, and which it seemed
certain had been driven over the ice to the
American side.

TO YORK, UPPER CANADA. 171

February 14th. — I travelled this day forty-
two miles to Guananaqui, the road chiefly
being out of sight of the river. The weather
was fine and clear, but so cold that the bay
horses mio;ht have been mistaken for iron-
grey, so powdered over were they with frost-
February 15th. — I had now twenty-four
miles to proceed to Kingston, where I arrived
early in the day. I went to Thibodo's hotel ;
a large, cold, rambling house, the landlord
of which was extremely attentive and civil.
February 16th. — As I had proposed to re-
main a day or two at Kingston, I walked out
on the ice to see the ship St. Lawrence, which
was here frozen in on all sides, quite hard and
fast. Two seventy-fours, a frigate, and some
gun-boats, were building in the dock-yard ;
and the above-named three-decker, mounting
108 guns, two brigs, and a sloop, were in a
state of complete equipment. At Kingston,
the gigantic features of the river St. Law-
rence are particularly striking ; for here, a^;
a distance of several hundred miles from the
sea, its expanding shores are seen tracing

I 2

I

172 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

the limits of Lake Ontario. This mao-nificent
fresh-water sea was frozen round the edges
to an extent nearly as far as the eye could
reach ; the waters in the distance appearing
like a narrow black line in the horizon. The
ship lay close to the town, with which a con-
stant communication prevailed, as the officers
and men were living on board just as if she
had been at sea. Sleighs of all descriptions
were driving round ; country vehicles, with
things to sell, and others ; and two ladies,
who had driven themselves in a light sleigh
drawn by a pony, were holding a conversa-
tion under her bows with a gentleman in a
cap, which conversation, from its earnestness,
seemed to contain warmth enough to thaw
the icicles hanging from the cabin windows.
Numbers of people were walking, and the
snow was so trodden all round the ship, that
it was really difficult to believe that a depth
of water sufficient to float a three-decker lay
under one's feet.

I found, on returning to my inn, that a ball
was to be held in the house in the evening.

TO YORK, UPPER CANADA. 173

and that my bed-room, moreover, had been
determined on as one of the card-rooms. The
assembly was held in a large corridor, or wide
passage, with doors opening into little rooms
on each side ; of which latter, mine was one.
The company, which was numerous, assem-
bled very early, and soon commenced dancing
with high glee. Pulling, romping, turning
round and round, &c., being the order of
the day, the noise of tongues and feet was
" pretty considerable loud." What with the
good spirits of the young ladies, and the good
humour of the old ones, it was past three
o'clock in the morning before the house was
clear of its guests, when^ the beds having been
all taken down for the occasion, I betook my-
self to a mattress spread for me on the floor.

February 17th. — My landlord gave me for
dinner some steaks of a moose-deer, killed
in the neighbourhood ; the meat was of a fine,
wild flavour, although extremely coarse and
tough.

February 18th to 22d. — I left Kingston for
York in a two-horse sleigh, which I hired

174 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

to take me thither. I was five days on the
road, leaving ten miles for the last day's
journey. The owner of the sleigh drove
it, an honest-looking, healthy fellow, who
wore a good coat, and had the appearance
of a substantial yeoman. He told me that
he had lived eighteen years on his present
farm of two hundred acres, for which he
had originally given three hundred dollars.
The road during the journey was heavy^
from a recent fall of snow ; but the prospect
was enlivened from time to time by views of
Lake Ontario, along the shore of which we
were travelling. There were several small
lakes on the way. Among them, Rice Lake ;
so called from the wild rice which grows
about it, and which is of a good quality
enough, although small and of a broyy^nish
colour.

I met a couple of Indians dragging along
by a long strip of bark, which served as a
rope, a porcupine^ which they had shot. The
woods hereabouts abound with a large de-
scription of woodpecker, the size of a small

TO YORK, UPPER CANADA. 175

fowl, with black body and scarlet head, called
by the natives cock of the wood. When within
ten miles of York, the volume of condensed
vapour proceeding from the Falls of N iagara
then perhaps forty miles distant, was dis-
tinctly visible. The day was quite clear,
without a cloud in the sky.

On arriving at York, I was disappointed
at first sight of the capital of Upper Canada,
which, although covering a large space of
ground, was extremely straggling and irre-
gular ; and the inn was not by any means
prepossessing. I was shown into a co|d
dirty room, without any appearance of com-
fort, or even the cheering abmidance of fire-
wood I had been used lately everywhere to
meet with. They gave me a dry, black, and
tasteless beef-steak for breakfast, which I
finished as soon as I could, in my eagerness
to get out of a disagreeable apartment, and
make myself warm by exercise. It being
the season of the year when '* the presents,"
as they are termed, are given to the Indians,
these people were walking about the streets

176 JOURNEY FROM RIVIERE DE CAPE

in crowds, all in their holiday apparel^
and animated by anticipation of what they
were to receive — blankets, blue cloth, guns,
powder and shot, &c. ^ I could not help
remarking the great difference between the
Indians here and those in the provinces of
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The
former are altogether a finer race of men_, in
countenance, carriage, and general appear-
ance, more robust and athletic, their faces
broader and flatter, and of a deep copper
colour. Streaks of red paint ornament their
cheeks ; the most fashionable bijou of their
toilette being a silver ring in the nose, with
a bead of the same metal appending to it.
A look of health about the women causes
many of them to appear beautiful in spite of
their flat noses. They have good teeth, and
their eyes, of brilliant black, receive addi-
tional lustre from parallel streaks of red paint
down their cheeks, which seem, from their
breadth, as if laid on by the fore-finger.
According to this method of rouging, Art
may fairly be said to enter into competition

TO YORK, UPPER CANADA. 177

with Nature ; where mtermediate stripes of
natural skin are always left as a sample of
the original.

I remained in York till the 25th ; during
which time my stay was rendered agreeable
by the friendly hospitality of Mr, Cruick-
shank, a gentleman of respectability in the
town. I understood that the station of Pene-
tangushene, whither I was going, was still
an establishment quite new, and that some
of the public officers were already there,
hutted on the spot ; but that no buildings
of any sort had yet been erected ; more-
over, there was no house at all anywhere
within thirty miles of the place. I was rallied
on the nature of my future life and occupa-
tions, which, indeed, seemed likely to be
sufficiently rural. I hardly knew sometimes
what to think of it ; but I bought a sack of
potatoes and some rice, and prepared to start
on the 25th, with Mr. Cruickshank, who,
having a wish to see the new establishment,
proposed to accompany me.

i3

178

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

On the 25th of February I left York, with
Mr. Cruickshank, in a two-horse sleigh, on our
way to Lake Huron. The snow was soft and
the draft heavy ; however, the horses were
good, and we travelled thirty miles to the
village of Newmarket, which lies about a mile
out of the road on the right hand, and ar-
rived a little after dark. We were hospitably
entertained by Mr. Peter Robinson, who pro-
vided us with a good supper and comfortable
beds. Our host, as well as being a contractor
with Government, was an agent of the North-
west Company, and held, moreover, sundry
provincial appointments. Added to this, he
kept a shop in the house where we now were,
plentifully stocked with all manner of com-
modities, particularly such as were suited
to the wants of the Indians : it was, in fact,
the great mart to which all those in this
part of the country resorted, for the different

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 179

articles of which they stood in need, — flour,
cheese, blue cloth, cottons, hardware, guns,
powder and shot ; besides all sorts of milli-
nery and ornament for the squaws, such as
flaring gown-patterns, beads, and rings for
their noses.

February 26th. — We started very early
this morning ; for, as it was our intention to
cross Lake Simcoe, we had every reason to
expect the ice would be in a bad state, and
the draft consequently heavy ; for during the
last few days the sun had been extremely
powerful for the time of year, and the snow^
always slushy after the middle of the day.
When we set out, the morning was clear,
and the frost had been hard in the night :
the snow was crisp and slippery, and we had
what might be called an agreeable drive, a
distance of eleven miles, along a very good
road to Holland river, which empties itself
into Lake Simcoe. There was a sort of pub-
lic-house, called the Landing, established at
the spot where we had arrived, being the
point from whence the river was considered

180 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

navigable in the summer. Here we baited
the horses, giving them no more time than
was absolutely necessary, owing to the un-
favourable reports of the state of the ice
in the lake, from which we were now about
nine miles distant. Holland river afforded
to me a novel appearance : instead of the
rocks and bluff headlands of the St. Law-
rence, this little stream presented more
peaceful and tranquil objects to the eye, and
seemed to offer an assurance of calm and
sequestered retreat. Jhe channel was frozen
quite across; narrow, with a profusion of
reeds on each side ; the whole breadth being,
perhaps, three or four hundred yards. The
sun shone bright, and the dry rattling flags,
which the breeze set in motion, brought a
more genial season to the recollection. Our
sleigh was soon brought out, and, being
launched down the sedgy bank, the horses
were put-to; and, having bid adieu to the
last house we were likely to see for a distance
of thirty-six miles, we pursued our course
along the frozen surface of a stream where

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 181

Fauns and Satyrs might have held their sum-
mer revels. But the lively green of spring
soon faded in the imagination, opposed to the
realities of winter. The snow lay deep on
the ice, and, being melted by the sun, the
draft was so exceedingly heavy, that the
horses could proceed only at a foot's pace,
and the sleigh sank so deep, that the water
frequently reached the bottom of the carriage.
We had overtaken a party of English ship-
wrights at the public-house we had just left,
who, having been previously employed in
building small boats for the navigation of
the lake, were on the way to join the new
station at Penetangushene Bay, whither we
were going. These men followed in our train,
and, as we travelled slow, they were enabled
to keep up with us on foot. Pursuing the
course of the river for about nine miles, the
channel by rapid degrees became broader,
till a wide sheet of snow appeared a-head,
and we found ourselves upon the verge of
Lake Simcoe. Inclining to the left, we
skirted it, cutting off its lower extremity,

IB^ RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

and making directly for Kempenfeldt Bay.
We then bore about three or four miles up
the bay, and put up at a log-house, newly
erected on the north bank, almost close to
the water's edge. This log-house was built
for the purpose of the communication to
Penetangushene. It was very late when we
arrived, and we had travelled thirty-six- miles
from Holland River, in all forty-seven miles
that "day. The driver was provided with
food and clothing for the horses, which
were scarcely defended from the weather
by the miserable hut allotted to them as
a stable. They were, I believe, the first
pair of horses ever there. They were lit-
tered down with the boughs of the spruce-
fir and a quantity of moss collected close to
the spot. As for ourselves, our fare was
equally simple. We made a roaring fire,
and roasted some potatoes^, to eat with cold
meat, with which we had taken care to pro-
vide ourselves ; and this repast occupying
but little time, the whole party, shipwrights
and all, each measured his length on the

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 183

floor before the fire. I now began to think
I had* had enough of all this, and I did ear-
nestly long to be once more in some place,
no matter where, that I could call my home.
However, I fell asleep, and continued so
some hours, when I awoke, owing to the cold,
and found that one of my neighbours, who
felt, I take it for granted, cold too, had de-
prived me of my buffalo skin, which was
tightly wrapped round him, while the fellow
was snoring as happily as if it belonged
to him. The harder I tugged, the harder
he held on and snored ; and, as he was a
thick-set, strong fellow^ I had the more
difficulty to recover my property. However,
I jumped up, and, invoking the spirit of
Archimedes, I placed my foot on his ribs
to such advantage, that by one violent, de-
termined pull, I thoroughly uncased and
rolled him out on the floor.

February 27th. — We had already ad-
vanced thirty-six miles from the house on
the banks of Holland River, the nearest
human habitation worthy of bearing the

184 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

name between the spot where we were and
the town of York ; and the road we were
now about to travel was newly cut through
the forest, so that it was as bad as it could
well be. To assist the communication,
however, a hut at the distance of twenty-
miles had been erected, where we intended
to pass the night. The way was not better
than we had anticipated, — if any thing,
worse ; and we owed much to the assist-
ance of the shipwrights, who were able aux-
iliaries : a dozen stout, good-humoured fel-
lows, who helped us out of all our difficulties,
and went on whistling and singing as if they
were going to a fair. When we reached the
hut, we found it consisted of nothing more
than a few boughs ; it was oblong in form,
having one of the long sides open to the
weather. Fortunately there was but little
wind, nor was the night very cold ; so we
made a large fire, and lay down in our clothes
before it, as we had done the night before.

February 28th. — The road was still miser-
ably bad, but with the assistance of the ship^

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 185

Wrights we were enabled to reach Yeo River,
a distance of ten miles. We were frequently
obliged to take the horses out of the sleigh
for two or three hundred yards together,
while the men drew it over trees which lay
across the road, roots which had not been re-
moved, and other such impediments. When
we reached the ice of Yeo River, we got on
a great deal better, although, as at Holland
River, the melted, slushy snow lay very deep.
The banks were sedgy, and I observed fre-
quent hillocks or small mounds of snow, the
habitation of the musquash, a species of large
water-rat, having a long fur, which serves to
make a good coarse felt for hats. We pur-
sued our course till we came upon Gloucester
Bay, and from thence we reached that of
Penetangushene. We advanced up this bay
about three miles^ keeping the shore close
on our left hand^ till at last a small piece of
cleared land, and the signs of human habi-
tations, held forth to us the signal that the
hour of rest was now come.

Here, then, I was arrived ! My residence

186 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

was in this very spot to be established, I
could not tell for how long. As it was
growing late, no time was to be lost : a
column of smoke was to be seen ascending
on the other side of the brow which over-
hung the beach, and to that I of course
made my way. It was at three o'clock in
the afternoon when I got out of the sleigh.
The distance we had travelled in the day
was, ten miles through the forest, and I
think fifteen over the ice, — in all^ twenty-
five miles. On stepping out of the sleigh I
was immediately wet through, owing to sink-
ing half way up my legs in melted snow.
The driver wishing to get back again the
same evening to Yeo River, urged me to
have my things taken out of the carriage,
and was anxious to hurry me to make up
my mind where I would have them depo-
sited. All places were then alike ; so, desir-
ing my servant to strew some spruce boughs
on the snow a few yards within the forest,
my baggage was placed upon them, and I
left him to watch every thing, while I set

p

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 187

forth towards the place where I had seen
the smoke.

On entering the wood, I ascended a steep
acclivity, which I had no sooner surmounted
than I found myself amongst a parcel of
small huts, made up of a few poles thatched
over with spruce boughs, scattered here and
there ; and from two or three of these it was
that the smoke issued. There was not such
a thing as a log-house to be seen; but f
observed, that one of the huts was rather
better finished than the rest, and a further
distinction was allotted to it by a flag, placed
upon the roof. It was evident, that none
of them could have been long erected, the
snow was so excessively deep, and the
foot-marks so few ; however, I made my
way immediately towards the one with a
flag, where I found Captain Collier, of the
navy ; and I had no sooner entered and in-
troduced myself, than I received a very cor-
dial welcome. Captain Collier immediately
afforded me the assistanceof acoupleof men
to build me a hut ; and^ as it was necessary
at it should be ready for me to sleep in the

188 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

same night, I went back to the place where I
had left my servant with the bag-gage. I told
him where I would have the hut built ; and,
leaving him to superintend the works and
remove the things, I returned to Captain Col-
lier, where I was regaled with a fine piece of
boiled beef, which I was hungry enough to
think excellent, though from its toughness it
would hardly remain upon the fork. Captain
Payne and Lieutenant Elliot, the other offi-
cers appointed to the establishment, had as-
sembled at the Commodore's hut, and with
them I remained till nearly seven o'clock,
when I left the party to attend to my own
affairs.

I had directed my hut to be erected on the
summit of the brow which rose close from
the bay ; and when I returned to the spot I
found my servant busily arranging my differ-
ent articles of property in an edifice which, if
not equal in splendour to the renowned palace
of Aladdin, had been, at least, completed
nearly in as little time. By the help of a
few poles and cedar boughs, I had now, such
as it was, a house of my own. There were

RESIDENCE IX THE WOODS. 189

at least two sides with a back part, and the
front was open; but a brilliant fire was blaz-
ing before it, big enough for the kitchen of
the London Tavern, and in itself a world of
comfort. The plan of the hut was not of my
own contriving ; it was such as local expe-
rience had determined upon, and of the fol-
lowing description : the front, where the fire
was burning, was six feet high and eight
feet broad ; but the roof dipped towards the
extreme end^ which was only four feet high ;
and the length was exactly ten feet. The
snow had been well cleared away from the
bottom, and, being banked up, it helped to
support the poles which formed the frame-
work. A bundle of spruce boughs laid across
the extreme end, with a sack of potatoes for
my pillow, formed my bed ; and if I had no
door opposite, all the cold that got in neces-
sarily passed through the fire and smoke.
My baggage, — that is, a very small valise, a
gun case, and some other little packages, —
was easily disposed of within these narrow
limits^ and every thing was perfectly ready
for my repose soon after dark. My servant

190 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

I had got attached to the shipwrights'
mess, — a noisy set of fellows, crammed
altogether within very small compass, and
among them some singers, the sound of
whose voices I used frequently to hear at
night as I sat by myself.

March 1st. — Early this morning I pro-
vided myself with one of the workmen's
axes, and began^ by way of practice, to cut
down trees ; and there were many ways of
turning this exercise to account. Of all
things, I was the most anxious to keep the
smoke out of my hut, and contrived various
methods for the purpose, but unfortunately-
all without effect ; so not succeeding in my
first object, I set about making a bedstead.
To this end I got four short, upright, forked
pieces, upon which I placed poles across,
tying them with strips of the bark of the
bass tree, wove in longwise and across, so
as to make a tolerable substitute for a
ticking, on which I might lie before the
fire high and dry ; on this I placed a mat-
tress of spruce boughs, and altogether, with
my buffalo skin for a covering, I rested com-

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 191

fortably. — The bass tree has a remarkably
tough, stringy bark, which rips easily from
the trunk, and is so strong and flexible, that
it serves all common purposes of rope. The
wood, at the same time, is almost as soft as
a cabbage-stalk, and very white.

My time was so much occupied, that I was
hardly sensible of the progress of the day,
and I went on chopping and working till late
in the afternoon. In the evening a gang of
Canadian axe-men arrived from York to place
themselves at my disposal ; and this event, in
the infant state of the establishment, was a
great relief to me. Log-buildings were the
first desiderata, in order to get ourselves
under cover and to provide for the reception of
stores, utensils, &c., such as in the uncertainty
of events might at any future period arrive.
These men hutted themselves before night,
and some provisions, which had been brought
with the party, were well thatched over with
cedar boughs for temporary security. My own
comestibles were scanty ; I generally relied
upon being able to fare where others could,
and had not provided myself nearly as well

192 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

as I might. My baggage, witli the excep-
tion of the very small proportion brought
with me, was at Halifax, to be forwarded by
the first ships in the spring to Quebec ; and
as to seeing a particle of that, I might rest
quite contented I should not before the mid-
dle of June at the soonest. With most orna-
mental articles of dress I could just now very
well dispense ; but I felt fortunate in having
with me my double-barrelled gun, which had
been dragged over the snow on the tobogins,
and was quite ready for the birds of the
country, so soon as ever they might make
their appearance. None of the feathered
tribe were yet to be seen, except some wood-
peckers, and a few packs of snow birds, or
'' sna fools," as one of the shipwrights, who
was a Scotchman, used to call them.

March 2nd. — Early in the morning opera-
tions for buildinglog-houses were commenced.
I decided at once on a spot for my own resi-
dence,— on the top of the brow, close above
the bay ; and all the trees which stood in my
way I intended one by one to chop down, and
so go on improving in beauty the front of my

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 193

dwelling till the spring should embellish the
ground with flowers and verdure. The logs
for my house were soon ready, and the work
began : the dimensions were twenty-one feet
by eighteen.

As I was at work close to the water's edge,
I found a large iron pot with three short legs.
As it lay there without an owner, I felt the
value of the services it was capable of perform-
ing, so desired my servant to remove it to
my hut; and his ingenuity, by its assistance,
provided me the same evening with a very
good loaf of bread. He placed the iron
pot on hot embers, having laid a large piece
of tin, taken oifone of the packages, over the
mouth as a lid, and upon this he had strewed
more embers. The loaf was supported in the
middle of the vessel, between the two fires,
ipon cross sticks, and in this way a tolerably
food oven was constructed.

The Canadians were now all busily em-
ployed in a work — that of erecting log-houses
-the simplicity and rapidity of which afforded
edifying lesson; and the facility altogether

K

194 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

of rearing a house from the ground to its
summit appeared to be truly astonishing. To
the Canadian labourer, accustomed to the use
of the axe from his childhood, the felling
a tree is the act of a few minutes. He can
drop it whichever way he pleases, divesting
it of its limbs and adapting it for its place in
the wall of the building with equal dex-
terity. Standing upon the fallen tree, with
his foot in such a position as would appear
liable to be split to the instep at every blow,
he strikes directly under it boldly and care-
lessly, thus making a large notch which
enters, perhaps, half the thickness of the
tree quite perpendicular. When the trees
are all notched, nothing remains but to lay
them in their places one upon another, or
' the raising" as it is called. This done, the
house is finished^ and the tenant walks in, —
happy if he has a door with a latch ready,
and a window-frame with half a dozen panes
of glass in it. Nothing then remains, but to
plaster and calk with mud and moss pro re
natd.

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 195

By occasionally overlooking the men at
work, and by working as - hard as I could
myself, I found the day pass quite agreeably,
and was fatigued enough always before night.
One of the huts in our knot was that of an
officer, who commanded a detachment of
Canadian fencibles; another, that of Captain
Payne, of the royal engineers ; besides the
Commodore's, with the red flag. But each
of us had separate objects to employ his time ;
so that for a few days we saw very little in-
deed of each other. Captain Collier, espe-
cially, was generally absent all day, employed
in surveying the shores and taking the sound-
ings of the bay.

March 3rd. — The weather, fortunately,
was exceedingly fine, and the soft deep snow
diminished sensibly under the influence of a
brilliant sun. At the same time it was quite
impossible to keep the feet dry, and I was
wet through the whole of every day. This,
however, did me no manner of harm ; nor
did I ever hear of any one of our party being
otherwise than in perfect health, which was

K 2

I

196 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

the more fortunate as we had no doctor
among us. I have no doubt that the warmth
kept up by the additional covering worn un-
der the mocassins, which I have somewhere
before described, was the means of counter-
acting the ill effects of the wet ; and I believe
that so long as the feet can be kept warm^ no
harm will ever ensue from damp : it is the
cold which does the mischief The most de-
licate subject is not afraid of a warm bath ;
nor ever complains of having been wet
through, though he be half an hour in water
up to the ears !

I worked all day with my axe, and had al-
ready let in a fine view of the bay, which was
about a couple of hundred yards below me.
My labour was repaid by every tree that fell ;
I improved in the use of the axe, and the
whole aspect of things seemed more cheerful.
Still I had no bed other than the spruce
boughs which I strewed on my newly made
bedstead ; so that there was good room for
improvement, and a great deal to be done
towards completing my little establishment.

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 197

March 4th. — The weather this day was
much milder than usual, and the sun con-
tinued to shine all day.

March 5th. — A rapid thaw took place this
day, attended with slight showers of rain. I
was gratified by the appearance of a couple
of crossbills, whose arrival I greeted as the
harbingers of spring. The little creatures
had probably flown a great way, being so
tame from fatigue as to allow me to approach
within three or four yards of them. The
temperature was now nearly warm, and the
weather seemed to be thoroughly breaking.
Large ponds of clear water began to cover
all parts of the bay, and the snow was so wet
and slushy as to make walking intolerably
bad ; at the same time it was so deep that it
was difficult to make any progress without
snow-shoes. A pair hung up in my hut, but
I had a horror of them ; and as I had no im-
mediate object to induce me to visit distant
spotS) I waited till a change in the surface
of the ground should render locomotion
more practicable. Now there was a prospect

198 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

of this. A hard frost would lay a crust upon
the snow, when I might walk as far as I
pleased : and this reflection was not a little
agreeable. In the mean time my log-house
was finished, and at a very little distance from
my hut; but, as the weather was warm^ T
grew so fastidious as to determine not to move
into it before it was well covered with shingles,
— a sort of covering for the sides and roof,
of the same kind, but more effectual than
weather boarding. As there were no trees
quite fit for making these in the immediate
neighbourhood, I gave directions to one of
the men to go through the woods the next
morning in order to 'find some that would
answer the purpose.— In the evening, much
to my gratification^ a sharp frost set in.

March 6th. — In the morning the aspect
of the country was altogether and totally
changed. The snow was covered with a glassy
coating of ice, and the whole of the bay was
nearly frozen over. The pools of clear water
th^ day before were so large and nume-
rous, that an uninterrupted communication

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 199

from one to the other presented itself to
the eye ; and as there was no wind in the
nighty the ice upon them was clear and good.

P Instead of my mocassins, I put on a pair of
shoes, to which I had been for a long time
unused, and going down to the bay, sat down
upon a large stone to put on my skates. It
was a lovely morning ; the sun shone quite
bright, while the frost was remarkably keen^
In a very few minutes I was carried rapidly
along towards the opposite shore. The glow
of exercise, the lively rattle of the skates,
and the sensation produced by the fresh air,
combined to embellish the novelty of the scene
before me, as I ranged with unlimited freedom
over the clear ice that extended all across the
bay. Every object around me was unexplored,
while I had the means of being conveyed, as
l^yt were on wings, from one to the other. I had
been confined for many weeks, either sitting
still half frozen in a carriage the whole of the
day, or, since my arrival in the forest, com-
pletely weather-bound. For a long period I
had never been thoroughly warm, only barely

i

200 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

able to subdue cold, and had seldom during
the whole day felt a dry stocking on my foot.
My blood was now in full circulation, and the
interest I felt in every thing around me was
so great, that the sun had nearly reached the
tops of the trees before I thought of returning
to my dwelling. I had looked almost into
every quarter of the bay, which was about
seven miles long and from two to three across,
and was at last quite tired when I discovered
an object which attracted my attention.

There was, at a distance on the ice, what
appeared to be a mound of earth thrown up,
— an appearance, under present circum-
stances, not to be readily accounted for ; so I
made towards it that I might see what it was.
As I approached within a few hundred yards,
I thought I perceived it move a little, and,
halting for a moment, I saw that that was
really the case. It was of a light-brown
colour ; but the figure was so indistinct, that
while I watched it attentively I could not de-
cide what it could possibly be. A bear would
have been blacker, and I knew of no living

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 201

creature of these regions answering its de
scription. But, whatever it might be, there it
was, and it was therefore necessary to be a
little cautious, as I had no arms, in approach-
ing it. I stood for some seconds thinking
what I should do, and had almost determined
to go home for my gun, when I saw the hide
which caused all my speculation thrown sud-
denly aside to make way for the head and
shoulders of an Indian, who protruded his
rough matted locks into daylight from under
it. This solved the problem in a moment,
and I saw that the man had been employed
in fishing, and had so completely enveloped
himself in a large buffalo skin that no part of
his body, head, feet, or hands, were to be
discovered. He sat over a square hole cut in
the ice, with a short spear ready to transfix
any fish which might be attracted by his bait.
The hole was about a foot square, and the
bait was an artificial fish of white wood, with
leaden eyes and tin fins, and about eight or
nine inches long. The ice where he had cut
it was about three feet thick.

K 3

202 RESIDENCE IN TH!^ WOODS.

Being within a few yards of him, I com-
menced a parley by signs, for he did not ap-
pear to understand a word of English ; but
he seemed to wish me anywhere else, and
to be much annoyed at being interrupted in
his occupation. As my object was to pa-
cify him, I gave him a small ball of twine I
had in my pocket, and with this he was highly
gratified ; much more so, however, by my
skates, which he viewed with marks of great
astonishment. He looked narrowly at the
straps which bound them to my feet; but
when I made him acquainted with their use,
there were no bounds to his delight : at the
same time he kept his own interest in view ;
for he tried to persuade me to give him a
piece of a red shirt of flannel which I wore,
to make a bait with. This I refused, by
shaking my head and saying '^ No, no!"
rather loudly ; but he kept on entreating,
taking^ hold of a corner of the collar with
his finger and thumb. I persisted in refusing,
and kept him off. But he was not so easily
answered, and offered me his knife, giving me

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 203

to understand I might cut it from what part
of the garment I pleased. So, shaking him by
the hand and patting his shaggy locks, I
skated away, leaving him to pursue his occu-
pation for the rest of the evening.

On my return home I found that some
cedar trees, fit for the purpose of making
shingles, had been fixed upon in a part of the
forest near the water's edge ; that they had
been felled, cut into lengths, and removed by
means of small hand sleighs purposely pre-
pared for them, and that the operation of split-
ting had already been commenced. These
shingles are pieces of wood as I may have
already observed resembling tiles, with which
the roofs and sides of the better sort of houses
are covered. As to houses, it may be gene-
rally remarked, that in these wild parts of
the country, talking of a house, one composed
simply of logs is understood, and if the idea
of a more civilized dwelling is intended to be
expressed, a frame house is the term made
use of, which means one made with beams
and rafters in the regular way. But to return

204 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

to the shingles. They are by far better than
weather boarding, in which, if a single nail
by accident becomes displaced or loose, the
evil extends more or less the whole length
of the board_, while the shingle, being smaller,
fits close, and is less liable to warp.

March 7th. — The frost continued, and the
cold increased to a very low temperature, the
effect of which, upon the extended sheet of
ice which covered the bay, was somewhat re-
markable. It cracked and split from one end
to the other with a noise which might have
been mistaken for distant artillery ; but this,
when it is taken into consideration that the
sheet of ice was of fifteen or sixteen square
miles area, and three feet thick, may be easily
imagined. Nor was this all; I was occa-
sionally surprised by sounds produced by the
wind, indescribably awful and grand. Whe-
ther the vast sheet of ice was made to vibrate
and bellow like the copper which generates
the thunder of the stage, or whether the air
rushing through its cracks and fissures pro-
duced the noise, I will not pretend to say;

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 205

still less to describe the various intonations
which in every direction struck upon the
ear. A dreary undulating sound wandered
from point to point, perplexing the mind to
imagine whence it came, or whither it went,
whether aerial or subterraneous ; sometimes
like low moaning, and then swelling -into a
deep-toned note, as produced by some^olian
instrument : it being, in real fact, and with-
out metaphor, the voice of winds imprisoned
on the bosom of the deep. This night I
listened for the first time to what was then
perfectly new to me, although I experienced
its repetition on many subsequent occasions,
whenever the temperature fell very sud-
denly. The weather being so excessively
severe, I had added an extra covering of
spruce boughs to my hut, by means of
which, and the profusion of logs which I
heaped upon my fire, I was better defended
from its effects. Nevertheless, I was oblio^ed
to rise before daylight, and heap on eight
or ten more, which lay ready for the occa-
sion, each of them as big as I could conve-
niently lift.

206 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

March 8th. — The air continued intensely-
cold, so that, in spite of the sun, the most
violent exercise was necessary to preserve
warmth. In the mean time my log-house, a
palace compared to the hut I was in, was to
be ready before night, and the whole of the
day I felled trees, cut them into logs, haul-
ing them in, and piling them up in my new
parlour ; and the next morning I was to take
possession. I lay down to rest on my spruce
boughs at night, satisfied with my day's
work, and pleased with my intended change
of dwelling.

March 9th. — I rose in the morning exhi-
larated by my projected movement, and the
weather at the same time seemed to smile
upon my operations ; for the wind having
changed to another quarter, the warmth of
the sun so mellowed the air, that it was pos-
sible to stand still and look at surrounding
objects without feeling inconvenience from
the cold. I got every thing ready, and my
packages were soon tied together and distri-
buted in separate burdens on the snow at the
outside of my hut. My servant, with two or

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 207

three of the Canadians, had arrived to carry
them oflf, when an Indian, who carried a pair
of snow-shoes in his hand, as if he had just
concluded a long journey, unexpectedly
made his appearance. After some fidgeting,
he produced an official letter, from under
his shirt, which he had brought from
York. The cover was just strong enough for
the service it had to perform, being worn
through and through at every corner. I
opened my letter and read my instructions
to leave the establishment at Penetangushene,
where I was, and return by the road I had
come to Kempenfeldt Bay, and there await
further orders. ^' Ibi omnis effuaus labor T
Not a green leaf then should I probably ever
see on the banks of Lake Muron. My new
dwelling and my avenues were to be aban-
doned. The wood I had piled with my own
hands I should never stay to burn, and all
that now remained was to make preparations
for immediate departure. The Indian had
also brought letters for Captain Collier and
Capt. Payne, conveying similar instructions.

208 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

The whole establishment was to be broken
up, and all parties were to return nearer to-
wards Quebec. On communicating together,
we agreed to start at the same time the
next morning. The Canadians immediately
were employed in making hand-sleighs for
the conveyance of the baggage of the party
over the ice, and as far as the state of the
snow, on the road through the forest, might
permit.

March 10th. — The morning broke with a
dry sparkling frost, and an hour after sun-
rise, the whole party was ready. The hand-
sleighs were laden, each to be drawn by one
man, by means of a double trace crossing over
the breast. We bid adieu to the huts and
the log-houses, and Captain Collier, Lieut.
Elliot, and myself, together with the Cana-
dians and shipwrights, walked away over
the ice, the same way we had come, towards
the mouth of the bay. After walking some
distance, I was enabled to skate for a few
miles, and regretted I had not made the ex-
periment sooner, for the ice became so rough

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 203

that it was then impossible. The hand-
sleighs passed lightly over the hard surface,
and the men who drew them were in most
jovial spirits. They whistled, sang, and ran
races with each other along the ice, over-
setting some of the sleighs, and breaking
others, till a few miles' walk brought them to
a more moderate tone of merriment. Such
is the natural love of change, that we are
made happy by it without knowing why or
wherefore ! But these men were doomed
to receive before long a serious lesson, and
lament the waste of strength, which they
would have been wiser to reserve for the end
of their walk. From the sleighs broken in
these frolics, the loads were transferred
to others, and the delay occasioned by the
accident was in each case made up by a hard
run to catch the party _, who went, not like a
troop of dragoons, according to the powers of
the slowest horse, but on the contrary^ as if
every body had entered into a quiet sort of de-
termination within himself to walk away from
his neighbour if he could. And thus, with-

210 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

out giving or taking compliments, every
body made the best of his way. This wsls
all very well, so long as the solid rough
ice afforded a firm and not a slippery foot-
ing, but we came at last to the edge of the
forest, where the road was altogether differ-
ent. The surface of the snow was here so ex-
ceedingly uneven, owing to the soft weather
which had prevailed for some days before,
that it was now utterly impossible to pull
the hand-sleighs along.

During the gambols of the English ship-
wrights, the Canadians had kept together,
going all the while a steady pace ; and now,
for the first time, they and all the party halted.
Liberte, a Canadian, a man in whose face the
extremes of health and ugliness were com-
bined, was the first at this juncture to prepare
opposition to the dilemma. Liberte was
evidently, in blood, half a savage ; either by
the father's or mother's side, he was the son
of an Indian. His constitution was strong
as that of a bear. Heedless of cold, a known
and tried pedestrian, his short, thick figure

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 211

betokened incalculable strength, and his
swarthy features showed a tinge too dark and
fixed to be discomposed by common causes.
He had suffered grievously from the small-
pox, and he had only one eye, the other hav-
ing been gouged * out about two years before
by the thumb of a friend in a drunken squab-
ble. This man was in a moment on his knees
unpacking the things in the sleighs and tying
several of the bundles together, till he made
a load as large as himself. This, with the
assistance of the other men_, he placed on his
shoulders, steadying it at the same time by a
broad leathern, belt which bore on his fore-
head. Leaning his head backwards while the
knot was fixing, as soon as all was ready,
with the strength of a two-year-old bull, he
darted forward with a plunging effort, sup-
porting nearly the whole of the weight

* The American practice of ^' gouging " may not be
generally known; it is particularly simple, and very
particularly cruel. The combatant first twists his an-
tagonist's hair firmly round his fingers, and having done
so, takes advantage of the strong purchase thus afforded,
and then — pokes out his eye with his thumb.

212 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

upon his broad, thick neck; and then, at
a strong shuffling trot, he soon advanced
many paces away from the party on his
route through the forest. A very small por-
tion of time was sufficient for the foregoing
operation, and the rest of the Canadians, fol-
lowing the example of Liberte, were not less
expeditious.

The English shipwrights, too, did the same
with their baggage ; but, being less accus-
tomed to this mode of carrying burdens, they
took necessarily some more time to make
their arrangements. They made their hand-
kerchiefs serve for the forehead strap, and
coatrived to divide the articles among them-
selves, so as to leave none behind ; but not-
withstanding, things were quite changed
since the commencement of the journey.
They grumbled and swore whenever one by
accident ran against the other, making him
trip or discomposing his load. They were
now no longer the same reckless boisterous
crew, but whenever by accident their cords
grew loose and required tightening, they

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 213

asked for assistance, and addressed each
other in a civil modulated tone. They
strained hard to keep up with the Cana-
dians, and, being strong athletic fellows,
were not left far behind, although they la-
boured grievously to maintain their place in
the line of march. At last it became abso-
lutely necessary to keep the men together,
for which purpose one of the Canadians was
sent a-head to desire those in advance to mo-
derate their pace ; for, unused as the English
shipwrights were to a description of labour
commonly adopted by the native Canadians
in the country, it was soon evident that little
progress would be made that day. And^it
was with great difficulty that, with the fre-
quent delays to adjust the loads, and the very
slow pace at best travelled, we were able
altogether to reach the uninhabited hut
where I had slept on my journey up, ten
miles from Yeo river. Our party took pos-
session of this, while the Canadians and
shipwrights repaired to another, which the
former had made on their way to Penetan-
gushene, and which was close by ours. It

SH RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

was impossible to sleep a great part of the
night, owing to the noise they made. The
men, it appeared, were carousing; and their
loud peals of laughter were only interrupted
by the songs which they^ one after another,
were called upon to sing. English and
Canadians were unusually harmonious and
friendly, and so we allowed them to follow
their own devices, hoping that by and by the
anticipation of another day's journey might
bring them to reason.

March 11th. — We had twenty miles to go
this day to Kempenfeldt Bay, and the travel-
ling was not particularly bad. We were all
ready at an early hour, although the ship-
wrights were far from lively. They argued
about their loads, and the manner of securing
them ; for some of them were indeed very
heavily laden. This was not all ; for very
few were quite sober. Those who were
sober, were ill. One looked half asleep, an-
other's eyes seemed starting out of his head ;
and all, it might fairly be said, were setting
off under most unfavourable auspices. Nature
seemed to be sinking within them, and they

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 215

Stopped to rest every quarter of an hour.
Big drops of perspiration stood on the fore-
heads of those who lagged behind, while the
foremost, heedless of every thing but them-
selves, left them to plod on alone. Thus,
during the first two hours of the march,
short as the journey was before us, it was by
no means evident how long its accomplish-
ment might take, owing to the large bundles,
and the former evening's jollification. But
by degrees the iron frames of these men
overcame all their ailments ; they rallied,
and cheered up, till some even joined in
chorus with the Canadians, who sang as
they travelled, and made the forest ring with
the sound of their voices. We arrived at
Kempenfeldt Bay in very good time. Cap-
tain Collier, Lieut. Elliot, and myself, took
possession of the log-house where I had
slept on the night of the 26th of February,
and the men were disposed of in another
building of the same description, which had
been erected close by for the purpose of de-
positing stores belonging to the navy. Lieut.
Elliot was kind enough to lend me a ham-

216 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

mock, of the use of which I availed myself
with the more readiness as I had been sleep-
ing every night in my clothes for a long time.
The advantage^ however, was purchased at
some cost, for I had a severe fall, by which
I not only cut my head, but demolished a
good watch. The latter was at the time the
most serious evil of the two.

March 12th to 14th. — The weather during
these three days was clear and cold ; and as
the bay was covered with good ice, I was en-
abled to skate over a considerable extent. All
parties were waiting their instructions, and I
felt in such a state of uncertainty, that I was
for the time rather indifferent to every thing.
Letters were, however, at last received, which
decided the fate of my companions. They
were ordered to York, while a private com-
munication gave me reason to expect that I
should have to remain a considerable time
where I was.

March 15th. — At an early hour this morn-
ing. Captain Collier, Lieut. Elliot, and the
whole party of shipwrights, were ready for
their journey to York, leaving me in sole

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 217

possession of the log house I was in. I
accompanied the party to the beech and
a little way. over the ice, when, wishing
them a good journey, I returned back
alone to my solitary detiiesnes. The
fire had been neglected in the bustle of
departure, and had got low ; remnants of
packages and rubbish lay strewed about ;
my Canadians were at work at some dis-
tance in the woods ; and nothing disturbed
the loneliness and silence of the place. The
building consisted of a single room of six-
teen feet by twelve. The sides and roof
were rude logs laid one upon another, and
calked in so insufficient a manner, that the
sky was visible in more places than I was
able to count. The door, of thin deal, was
too ill fitted to fill its frame, and the remain-
ing light which entered the apartment passed
through a small window containing four panes
of green inferior glass. — A gloomy feeling
invariably envelopes the mind, upon finding
oneself suddenly deserted, as it were, and alone.
Without stopping to think why, the very act
of saying '* good bye," and turning south while

I

218 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

a friend or acquaintance walks away to the
north, is always sufficient to produce this
sensation in a slight degree, and now, at this
instant I did indeed feel inclined to despond.
But a remedy, the best of all others, imme-
diately suggested itself. I seized my axe,
and, by a couple of hours' hard work in the
woods, reaped the benefit of my prescrip-
tion.

Returning to my house through the snow,
I found my servant had put everything in
order. The fire was replenished, and my
simple repast was nearly ready. What was
to be done ? I had no books ; and if I had,
my house was too cold to sit still in. Read-
ing, therefore, was out of the question. I
fashioned a couple of forked boughs with
my axe, and fastened them with a cord in
a warm place over the fire, to support my
gun, which I had taken out of its case^ and
put together ; and, confiding in the private
communication I had received, I resolved to
fancy myself settled at least for some time
to come in my present abode. The house
of the Canadians was about 150 yards from

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 219

mine ; and with these men, my servant,
whose services I seldom needed, resided.
When I wanted his assistance, I opened
my door, and shouted. If the wind hap-
pened to set the right way, my summons
was heard, — if not, I was obliged to wade
through the slushy snow, to fetch him.
Rising soon after daylight, I immediately
breakfasted ; dined at noon, and supped at
sunset. To prepare these meals cost little
trouble ; my toilette less ; and the wood for
my fire I chopped and piled myself; keeping
the latter always alive both day and night.
I began to make a bedstead, such as I had
at Penetangushene, and spread moss and
spruce boughs before the fire to dry, intend-
ing to make a bed whereon I could lie
undressed, so soon as the bedstead was
finished ; for I had, besides my buffalo skin,
four small blankets, as many sheets, and a
strong rug. These arrangements took up
nearly the whole of the day, and served to
banish the apathy which, in the morning,
had almost rendered me incapable of any

tcupation.

220 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

March 16th. — Before noon I had perfectly
finished my bedstead, and heaped upon it as
many spruce boughs and moss as I considered
necessary, confining the whole by a long cord
made ofstripsofbarktied together, and wound
round and round till the whole was tight and
compact. It was soft withal to lie upon. This
done, I first laid on my buffalo skin, then my
sheets and blankets — and all was ready. A
large bundle of spruce boughs also, confined
with strips of bark, made a good pillow. Hav-
ing thus provided for my rest, I took my gun
off the newly arranged hooks over the fire, and
sallied forth into the forest, in hopes of find-
ing anything to shoot, no matter what, that
would come in my way. The snow was frozen
hard, but the top, thawed by the sun of the
morning, was so soft, that sometimes I sank
in up to my knees. Walking was exces-
sively heavy and difficult, and the solitary
appearance of the woods moderated my
expectation of success. I wore mocassins
<luring my walk now, as I did at all other
times, except when obliged to wear shoes
for the purpose of skating. The tracks of

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 2*21

squirrels were abundant, and I saw also some
woodpeckers speckled with white and scar-
let; and I perceived on the snow the track of
a larger bird, which, as it was quite fresh, I
followed for a good way. It turned back-
wards and forwards and round and round,
twisting about the trees in such a manner that
I had much difficulty to follow the track, and
was on the point of giving up the pursuit,
when I heard the sound, close by me, as of a
pheasant rising into a tree. Turning round,
I saw the partridge I had been pursuing,
sitting on a bough, and shot him. An un-
sportsmanlike act, certainly ! but to be justi-
fied, not only by present circumstances, but
by the stupid disposition of the bird, which
nothing can persuade to fly. A pound of
any sort of fresh meat was a prize not by any
means to be neglected. This was a beginnings
in the way of partridge shooting. With game
in the woods, there was an end of solitude ;
wherefore, blowing upon the feathers of the
bird, and minutely examining his wounds-
and plumage, I put him into my pocket,
with the intention of having him, ere long,.

2*22 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS,

twirling at the end of a string- before my
fire. There are two sorts of these birds in
this part of the country. The birch par-
tridge, such as the one I had just killed,
and the spruce. The former is the larger
of the two, and the size of an English
grouse. The bones are very slight, and the
flesh white, and so extremely delicate as to
render it impossible to carry it suspended
by the head. The body literally tears off
by its own weight and the motion. The
spruce partridge is a little smaller than the
birch ; the flesh, much firmer and darker
coloured, bears a strong flavour of the spruce
fir. Both sorts perch on trees, and are
fringed to the feet with feathers.

I pursued my walk, in the course of which
I shot also a squirrel and a woodpecker, fol-
lowing the course of a ravine, at the bottom of
which the snow lay in some places unusually
deep. Here and there, in parts more ex-
posed to the sun, a stream might be detected
gurgling through its deep, hollow channel,
while the crackling surface, and the icicles
which crowned the points of protruding

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 223

rocks, bore evidence of the severe alterna-
tions of temperature. On the summit of the
banks, in the warmest and most sheltered
spots, the ground was already quite bare,
and the green points of the early succulent
plants were preparing to burst forth into
their first leaves. The buds, too, on some
of the trees, were distinctly visible. Thus,
while the snow was distributed all over the
woods in unequal proportion, so as to con-
fine one's progress within small limits, the
increasing power of the sun continued to
diminish every day more and more the mass,
giving additional strength to the consolatory
hopes of approaching spring.

March 17th. — This was a very tempes-
tuous day. An unusually high wind hurried
along clouds of small drifting snow, which
penetrated the sides and roof of my house
from top to bottom. Not a dry place was
to be found in it ; and upon my table, which
stood close to the fire, I could write my
name with my finger in the covering of
snow which, like powder, lay upon it. The
temperature, too, was exceedingly low.

I

224 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

Finding it impossible to stay in the house,
I took my axe and went to the most shel-
tered spot that I could find in the forest,
where I worked, without stopping, till I
made myself warm, when I returned home
to dinner. The partridge served me for
supper the evening before, and now the
squirrel and woodpecker were put before
me in a pudding. The squirrel, being
well peppered, tasted like a rabbit, and, I
believe, was perfectly good eating, some-
thing, however, told me that it was not right
to eat the little animal, nor could I overcome
my scruples. For the woodpecker, I had
no compunction, nor was it necessary that I
should ; the colour of his flesh was sufficient
protection, as black as that of an owl — abso-
lute carrion ! besides being lean and stringy.
I consoled myself, however, by thinking that
I was only a loser by the weight he carried
on his bones, which was so little, that it did
not much signify.

March 18th.— This day I walked out
again with my gun. I saw a flock of twenty
or thirty birds about the size of fieldfares,

su

t

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 225

or a little bigger, and somewhat resembling
them in flight and action. They kept to-^
gether on the tops of one tree after another,,
and on my pursuing them were very shy^.
and persisted in keeping out of distance.
At the same time they were extremely
noisy, and some of them were always chat-
tering, while others whistled. I got near
enough to see that their plumage was chiefly
blue, and at last shot a straggler, as he flew
over my head. I found he was a blue jay,
a bird resembling the English jay in shape,
and having also a similar black mark on the

aws.

New sounds and new colours now tended
to enliven the solitary scene around me, as
each feathered stranger thus established his
summer residence in the neighbourhood of

ly dwelling. The forest was day by day
ore embellished by their brilliant plumage.

t was beautiful to see the birds welcoming
the budding leaf by a happy return from
their long winter's banishment. The eye
followed their flitting track through the air,

L 3

I

226 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. *

while the ear listened to notes lovely in
themselves, and till then unheard.

March 19th. — This day I went out shoot-
ing", but, owing to the violence of the wand,
was actually obliged to return home. Indeed
it was a service of danger to walk, for the
dead branches, from the tops of the trees,
tumbled about my ears so frequently, that I
had great difficulty to avoid them. The gale
produced serious effects on every side. Some
large decayed limbs fell, newly broken, to
the ground, while others, long since severed
and suspended among the boughs of their
neighbours, now loosened their hold. The
crash of trees falling around was so frequent
as to be really astonishing. Indeed, in calmer
days I have often reflected on this subject.
Even in the finest weather, hardly a quarter
of an hour passes in a North American forest,
when, if one listens, a tree is not heard to
fall to the ground ; so often, as^ apparently,
ill to accord with the extended duration of
vegetative life. But the event is reconcileable
hy analogy with human existence. Some-
times the sweeping hurricane, like a virulent

K

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 227

disorder of our race, levels the tenants of the
forest prematurely with the earth; — but
Time ever stalks abroad, closing days and
nturies. And here, in the dense assem-
lao'eof the woods, where such unnumbered
multitudes exist, though these instances of
mortality be at all times occurring, each fall,
with reference to the numbers within hear-
ing, is but as the village bell that daily tolls
unregarded, the knell of more short-lived
man. * * * Having returned home to my
house, such as it was, I had scarcely arrived
when a snow-storm set in_, which lasted the
whole of the day. I had but little occasion
for a candle in the evening: if I had, it
would not have been possible to keep one
burning. My blazing, companionable fire
afforded light for all present purposes, and I
heaped on a pile of maple logs sufficient to
set the tempest at defiance ; for winter seem-
ed to have recommenced in all its rigours.

March 20th. — Very early this morning I
was awakened by a scratching at my door ;
and on listening attentively, distinctly heard
the feet of some animal which evidently had

i

228 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

an intention of making its way into the bouse.
It put its nose to the bottom of the door,
snuffling and whining from eagerness, after
the manner, as I thought, of a dog. Con-
ceiving it might possibly be either a bear or
a wolf, without stopping to put on my clothes,
I seized my gun, which was ready loaded over
the fire, and keeping my eyes upon the door,
which was of such very thin deal, and so im-
perfectly fastened by a wooden latch, that I
could place no confidence whatever in its
strength, I remained still a moment or tw^o,
not making up my mind exactly what to do.
My window was fixed, and the glass so bad,
that light would barely pass through it. As
to distinguishing any object on the other side,
that was quite impossible. There was many
a hole in the house of which I might have
availed myself, but it was scarcely daybreak^
and therefore too dark to discern anything
without. So I threw a small log or two upon
the fire to blaze up, thinking it best to re-
main where I was, even in case the creature
might happen to break into the house, when
I should be sure to have a fair shot at it.

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS'. 229

Scarcely a minute had elapsed from the very
beginning, before I concluded, from the
sound, the perseverance, and total absence
of fear of the animal, that it must be a dog»
and nothing else ; so I opened the door very
little and with extreme caution, and disco-
vered, to my surprise and satisfaction, that I
was right; for a dog it was; and in an in-
stant, a brown, rough water-spaniel bounced
into my room, overjoyed at having reached
a human habitation. To account at once for
the circumstance : — My house was but little
removed out of the line of march of the North-
west traders ; to one of which persons, as I
afterwards discovered, the dog belonged ;
and, having lost his master, had wandered
through the forest, till he came by chance to
my dwelling.

, Happy to have a companion, — an honest
friend, — whether from the clouds or else-
where, no matter, — I greeted him with a
most cordial welcome; and wishing his former
master, whoever he might be, all sorts of
worldly prosperity, my only hope was, that
he might never show his face in my neigh-

I

230 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

bourhood ; and I put a string round the neck
of the dog. The poor fellow was, on his
part, just as happy to see me as a dog could
well be. He frisked and jumped, wagging
his tail, and licking my hands, while his elo-
quent eyes, plainly as letters engraved on
brass, besought me to make trial of the merits
of one ready, on his part, to execute a bond
of allegiance. I showed him my gun, holding
it down low to his nose ; upon which, as he
held his head back, a sagacious glance of re-
cognition ratified the treaty. Calling imme-
diately for my servant, I got my breakfast; not
forgetting my new guest. I had nothing for
myself butbread and salt pork, which I shared
with him. He ate voraciously, having been,
apparently, a long time without food. I tried
all the names of dogs, in order to see to which
he answered best ; and at last fancied that he
attended most to that of Rover. So Rover,
at all events, I determined to call him.

To sportsmen, at least, it may be readily-
imagined that no time was expended in use-
less preparation, before we sallied forth
together, without farther ceremony, in quest

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 231

of game, into the forest. The snow in the
woods was crisp from the night's frost; the
sun was just rising in a clear sky. I, that
yesterday had no resource but to track a
poor unfortunate bird by its footsteps, had
now my gun on my shoulder, my dog before
me, and the best of a fine day unexpended.
The haunts of a description of game, of
which I was totally ignorant, were evidently
familiar to my dog; and as he quartered his
ground from right to left, I felt the most eager
interest and curiosity in the pursuit. I had
walked about half an hour, when he suddenly
quested ; and on going up to him, I found
him at the edge of a swamp, among a clump
of white cedar trees, on one of which he had
evidently treed some description of bird ; for
he was looking stedfastly up into the tree,
and barking v/ith the utmost eagerness. 1
looked attentively, but nothing whatever
could I discover. I walked round the tree,
and round again, then observed the dog,
whose eyes were evidently directly fixed upon
the object itself, and still was disappointed
by perceiving nothing. In the mean time.

232 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

the dog, working himself up to a pitch of
impatience and violence, tore with his paws
the trunk of the tree_, and bit the rotten sticks
and bark, jumping and springing up at inter-
vals towards the game ; and five minutes had
at least elapsed in this manner, when all at
once I saw the eye of the bird. There he
sat, or rather stood, just where Rover's eyes
were fixed, in an attitude so extraordinary
and steady, with outstretched neck and body
drawn out to an unnatural length, that twenty
times must I have overlooked him, mistaking
him for a dead branch, which he most closely
resembled. About twenty feet from the
ground he sat on a bough, eight or ten feet
from the body of the tree. So, retreating
to a little distance, I shot him. This done,
I pursued my way, and in the course of the
morning killed four more partridges, which
I came upon much in the same way as I did
upon the first. My larder was now hand-
somely stocked with game. The snow was
as usual very soft in the middle of the day,
so that I never was otherwise than quite wet
through about the feet and legs. To have a

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 233

Louse of my own, however, and the advan-
tage of an excellent fire, by far more than
compensated for other inconveniences, and I
felt a growing interest in everything about
me.

March 21st. — During the whole of this
day the weather was particularly mild, but
the hard night frosts continued to preserve
the vast quantities of snow, with which the
ground and the ice in the bay were covered.
I went out again with my dog for a few hours
in the morning, and brought in some more
partridges. Atone of these my gun flashed
three times without his attempting to move,
after which I drew the charge, loaded again,
and killed him. The doo- all the time was
barking and baying with great perseverance.
There is no limit to the stupidity of these
partridges, and it is by no means unusual, on
finding a whole covey on a tree in the au-
tumn, to begin by shooting the bird which
happens to sit lowest, and then to drop the
one above him, and so on till all are killed ;
this has very often been done.

March 22nd. — ^I'he Canadians for the last

234 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

few days were employed in making a landing-
place or wharf for boats of pine logs, and had
been put to inconvenience from the want of
a file to set a large cross cut saw ; so I had
despatched Liberte across the lake, to New-
market, in order to purchase half a dozen at
Mr. Peter Robinson's shop. It was a long-
way to send for a few files, forty-seven miles
thither, and forty-seven back, in such weather,
particularly as the snow on the bay was so
very deep and slushy that nobody but such
a being as Liberte would have ventured to
go across, the danger of breaking into holes
at this season of the year being very great.
However, this day^ back he came, having
made the journey in a very short time, though
I do not recollect the precise number of hours
he was on his way. Liberte gave me the
files, and at the same time produced a large
piece of the flesh of a bear which some In-
dians, whom he had met on the way, had
given to him. It was a great lump of black-
looking meat, very much like horse-flesh,
without the least particle of fat about it;
however, as I knew it was usually eaten in

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 235

the country, notwithstanding the appearance,
I felt not the least objection to make an ex-
periment, and had it for dinner the same
day. But there was something so very dis-
agreeable in the taste, so extremely fusty, as
if it had been kept in a close cupboard, or
a hot pocket, that, with all my inclination to
dine on fresh meat, I could not eat an ounce
of it. Nor could my servant touch it.
Rover had no scruples of any sort, and ate
the whole.

March 23rd to April 2nd. — The weather
was very mild during the whole of this pe-
riod, although the frosts at night were regular
and severe. There seemed to be really no
end to the snow, which was however, on the
whole, decreasing. I contrived with my gun
and my axe to employ my time, and to set
ennui and blue devils at defiance. I com-
menced preparations for the coming of the
wild fowl, of whose numbers I heard exag-
gerated histories from the Canadians ; and in
the sequestered spots at the edge of the bay,
I cleared away trees to let in a sufficient
view of the water, and, with the branches.

236 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

I made ambuscades in those places most
likely for their resort. And this was an ob-
ject in which I was so much interested, that
it took much time and labour to carry it into
execution. But I worked hard and regularly
in order to have my operations finished be-
fore the breaking up of the ice in the bay,
which event I expected to take place in about
ten days, and then, it was said, the wild
fowl would come pouring in by thousands.
I had already seen a great many flights of
both ducks and geese, but all so remarkably
high in the air, as to make it evident they
were bending their course to some point very
remote.

April 3rd. — The day was dark and cloudy.
Alternate showers of snow and sleet pene-
trated the sides of my house, which was
nearly as full of holes as a sieve. A little
rain fell towards the evening, and the general
unsettled appearance of the weather held out
reasonable expectations of a speedy break
up of the frost.

April 4th. — Shortly after daylight, in the
morning, I heard a chattering of birds close

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 237

to my house, as loud and incessant as if a
thousand parrots had perched upon the
neighbouring trees. I hurried on my clothes,
and taking my gun in my hand^ was out of
doors in the space of two or three minutes.
The day was unusually soft and mild, and
there was a fog so dense that I could only
see a few yards before me. It was quite
spring weather, and the snow was thawing as
fast as it possibly could. I soon perceived
that a flock of wood pigeons had settled
themselves all round about me, thouo'h I was
surprised at the note so little resembling that
of any sort of pigeon I had ever heard. In-
deed I can think of no better comparison
than the one already chosen. As I ap-
proached towards the busy gabbling which
directed my course, the first that struck my
eye were perched on the branches of a dead
old tree, which was literally laden with them;
They stuck all over it as thick as they could
possibly sit. I no sooner caught sight of
them than they immediately rose, and this
movement was the sio-nal for leoions of
ethers, which I could not see, to do the same.

238 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

It was unlucky that the fog was so thick, or
the sight must have been grand ; there
seemed to be enough to carry me away with
them, house and all. I shot at them as they
rose, but I was rather too late, and only killed
four. However, I no sooner loaded my gun,
than I perceived the stragglers flying about
in circles, and settling themselves in the dif-
ferent trees. I therefore continued the pur-
suit, and before breakfast bagged in all
twenty-two birds. This description of wood
pigeon which visits the country in such pro-
digious flocks, is about the size and colour
of the English dove-house pigeon ; the bill
is however longer, and the form of the body
more tapering and slender. On the wing,
the tail being also long, their shape and
flight exactly resemble that of a hawk; and,
like a hawk, they twist and turn among the
branches of the trees with astonishing
strength and rapidity. Towards the middle
of the day, the sun broke out through the
fog, and it became hot. The ice in the bay,
covered with watery slushy snow, now began
to put on an appearance of totally breaking

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 239

up. It had melted away entirely round the
edges, and in some places twenty yards or
more of clear water intervened between it
and the shore.

April 5th. — A sudden change in the wea-
ther took place, and it became much colder,
with frost. This day I received a communi-
cation from York, by which I understood
that I might for some time consider myself
settled where I was, and of this I was by no
means sorry, — many a situation less accord-
ant with mv taste mio-ht have been devised
for me. Some of my Canadians were to be
dismissed, and the man who brought my let-
ter had received orders to remain here and
to place himself at my disposal. This man
was accompanied over the ice, which was
now unsound and extremely dangerous, by

a respectable Scotchman, a Mr. F , who

brought with him his wife and a young child.

Mr. F had been persuaded to proceed

thus far on a speculation, founded on the
hopes of a military establishment being to
be formed on the banks of Lake Huron,
where he intended to commence business as

240 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

a publican, but he no sooner arrived than he
discovered, that, w^hether owing to bad ad-
vice, or otherwise^ he had already, *^ in taking
the Red Cow, made a devil of a bull." He
appeared a sober, industrious man, and I
really pitied his forlorn prospects ; for, hav-
ing been induced to leave a more eligible
occupation, he had now gone too far to re-
cede. Nevertheless he commenced felling
trees for his log-house instanter^ in the mean
time taking up his abode in the house with
the Canadians. Those who were to depart
had already gone off in high spirits, at a time
when, certainly, although the frost had tem-
porarily improved the state of the ice, a
heavy gale of wind, had it chanced to set in,
would probably have broken up every atom
of it, and drow^ned the whole party.

April 6th. — A tempestuous day with
showers of sleet; towards the evening rather

warmer, but still windy. Mr. F , in

despite of the w^eather, persevered at his
labour. He was a strong, able fellow, and
the precision with which the long slashing
cuts of his axe foUow^ed each other in the

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 241

same identical line, was extraordinary to
look at.

April 7th. — A cold and rainy day.

April 8th. — The weather again warm and
foggy.

April 9th and 10th. — Cold windy weather.

April 11th. — Large cracks now began to
appear in the ice, traversing across and the
whole length of the bay. By its extreme
thickness it nevertheless held together most
obstinately. Nearly the whole surface was
covered with water. It was now perfectly
impassable. I killed a bird about the size
of a jackdaw, and very like one, except that
he was only grey close round the eyes. I
also shot a woodpecker, about as large as a
dove, with a black mark on the jaws and a
bright scarlet spot on the poll. Large
patches of ground, quite clear of snow, now
appeared in the woods in those places the
most exposed to the sun.

I discovered a quantity of wild leeks just
shooting up out of the earth, of which I
gathered a good many. I was unfortunate

M

242 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

in this, my first essay on vegetable diet^ for
they heated me to such a degree, that I was
for some time afraid they had possessed some
deleterious quality; but the intolerably high
flavour of the plant quieted my apprehen-
sions. I was in a burning fever, at the same
time quite sure that I had eaten nothing but
leeks. Though they abounded all over the
woods, for a long time afterwards 1 was too
well satisfied with my first dose ever to try
another. I shot some partridges, also a
striped squirrel, a harmless little creature,
somewhat less than the English squirrel.

April 12th. — The length of the days being
considerably increased, the forest assumed
every hour a more vernal appearance. Still
none but the earliest trees, and those only in
the warmest situations, were in forward bud.
Relentless winter had not as yet loosened
the ice, which bound up the waters in the
bay, and every night destroyed the hopes
that each morning created of an event now
most wofuUy protracted.

I had walked this morning, with my gun

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 243

on my shoulder, some distance from my house,
considerably farther than I had ever ventured
before, having come upon a spot so clear from
snow, as to induce me to extend my ramble,
as the day was fine, without thinking of my
return. Trusting only to my footsteps, and
neglecting all other means of precaution, it
was not till I began to attempt to return home,
that I perceived I was bewildered and unable
to find my way back. I grew very eager,
and hurried backwards and forwards in the
hopes of being able to retrace the path by
which I had arrived at the spot where I was,
but to no purpose ; at last I came quite to a
stand still, and very soon was completely
puzzled. Very uncomfortable reflections im-
mediately suggested themselves, not at all cal-
culated to assist the dilemma, and these were
not much relieved when, having climbed to
the top of a high tree, I could see nothing but
the waving summits of trees in all directions. I
began to think of my own folly, and the change
in my life and prospects thus effected within
the space of a few short minutes. I might, by

m2

214 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

good fortune, find my way back, but should I
take a wrong course, the long odds were cer-
tainly against me. Not to make a bad matter
worse, I thought it as well to sit still and
think a little, being moreover as near the
summit of the tree as I could venture, without
the immediate chance of breaking my neck.
Having observed the highest spot of ground,
and taking the best observation I could of the
direction of this point, I descended and made
towards it, notching the branches as I went
en with my knife. Then making choice of
the highest of the trees, I climbed to the top,
where I received payment in full and com-
pound interest for my trouble, by catching a
glimpse of the ice in the bay. I very joyfully
made towards it, marking the trees in my way
V:S before, and, having arrived at the shore,
found I was not more than three miles from
my house, to which I bent my steps as straight
as possible ; so much so as to toil pretty hard
in clambering: over the trunks of the huo^e
trees which impeded my progress, and floun-
dering through the deep snow.

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 245

These exertions brought to my mind indis-
pensable reflections relating to the scanty
way I had provided myself with clothes, for
I had not calculated upon the extra wear and
tear to which my manner of life subjected
my wardrobe. What with working with my
axe, moving and piling heavy logs, and such
sort of occupations, I had been for some days
past very much out at elbows: and when I
got home, after this morning's adventure, the
state of my dress was a matter of serious con-
sideration. In climbing the trees, I had
really left parts of my things sticking on the
branches, from the eagerness with which I
went up and down, and now that I came to
take a cool survey of myself^ I found that I
was literally in rags, and that too without a
tailor to help me. I had_, however, needles
and thread in abundance, which nothing but
sheer necessity could induce me to use ; but
the time was come, and I employed myself
upwards of two hours in the evening, by the
light of the fire, in cutting out patches, and
sewing them on as well as I could.

246 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

April 13th. — I shot one of the large species
of woodpeckers, in size rather larger than a
carrier pigeon, with a bright scarlet crest,
called by the Canadians, *' cocks of the wood."
The Indians apply the scarlet feathers of this
bird to many articles of ornament. This day
I was very near losing my servant, who had
been amusing himself, during my absence
from home in the morning, by standing upon
the large slabs of ice, which, having broken
off from the main body, were floating at the
edge of the bay. And he ferried himself
about, as on a raft, with a long pole; but the
piece he was upon split in the middle, and he
had a hard struggle for his life, being per-
fectly unable to swim, and away from all
manner of assistance. He was severely
bruised, and drank more water than was of
service to him, so that he was very ill the
rest of the day.

April 14th. — I had it in contemplation
some days past, to make my way through the
forest to the head of the Notawasorga River,
on objects connected with the duty on which

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 247

I was engaged ; and as the weather seemed
to-day to favour the expedition, I applied to
the Canadian, Libert^, to accompany me
thither as a guide. I have already described
the land communication from Kempenfeldt
Bay, through the forest, to Lake Huron.
Another road had, however, been cut, by
which the land journey was considerably
shortened, but it was in a rude state, being
merely a track where the trees had been par-
tially felled by the axe, and the stumps even
of these very imperfectly removed. This
road, making a portage of eight miles, led
from the end of Kempenfeldt Bay, straight
to the Notawasorga River. Thence stores of
all descriptions were in the season to be trans-
ported in batteaux, or flat-bottomed boats,
down the river, a narrow sedgy stream, to
Lake Huron, and there put on board the
two government schooners appointed for their
conveyance across the lake to the upper port
of Michilimackinac. Thus the line of trans-
port all the way was, from York, now Toronto,
by land to Holland River, communicating

248 EESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

with Lake Simcoe. From Holland River, by
water, to the head of Kempenfeldt Bay,
an outlet of Lake Simcoe. By land, across
the aforesaid portage of eight miles, to the
Notawasorga River, and thence by water to
Lake Huron. The log house in which I was
living was about three miles distant from the
head of the bay ; but to this former point no
road had yet been cut, and I started with
Liberte, first keeping along the shore of the
bay till we reached a track that led to the
head of the said Notawasorga River.

As Liberte possessed, in common with the
Indians, the faculty of crossing the woods to
any point he wished, he proposed to make a
straight line in this instance, instead of keep-
ing along shore ; but having but recently ex-
perienced the sensation of being lost, I had
no wish to run any unnecessary risk. The
distance we had to go and return was cer-
tainly only twenty-two miles, but the Cana-
dian, whatever his confidence in himself
might be, had neither ideas nor words to make
me at first feel sure enough of his skill to

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 249

trust him. When he described the rough
sides of the trees as the means by which he
determined his bearing, to my view the
rough sides of the trees seemed to point half
round the compass, and to this objection,
urge it how I would, he could say nothing
explanatory or convincing. However, during
our walk along the track, he related to me
so many journeys he had undertaken by
himself in this way, that my curiosity at last
predominated, and I determined to allow
him, on our return, to strike at once home-
w^ards through the forest. Although he had
not the means of communicating to another
person his faculty of finding his road, so as
to make himself at all intelligible, he spoke
very reasonably on the subject of another
talent, known to be possessed in a great de-
gree by the native Indians ; that of tracking
a man or any animal over all sorts of ground
and among dry leaves. And this he accounted
for to my mind very satisfactorily as follows :
— The forests in North America are without
brambles or underwood, and the soil, being

M 3

250 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

little more than rotten wood, is a compost
which takes the impression of a foot like
dough. It is different in England, for there
the little fibrous roots, creeping through the
soil, interlace each other, and form as it
were a springy frame-work rising under the
foot of a man, or even of a horse, and thereby
prevent their leaving by their weight even
the smallest impression. The trunks of trees
also, which lie about in profusion, and are
chiefly covered with thick moss, most ma-
terially assist the pursuit, for no animal can
proceed without passing over them, and
leaving vestiges of its progress by rubbing
off the moss.

We walked a good pace till we reached
the point of our destination, and having re-
mained there a short time, so as to satisfy
myself as to the objects I had in view, we
commenced our return. Leaving the track,
we plunged at once into the recesses of the
forest, and were immediately out of sight of
the road altogether. Liberte was now in his
proper element, and, though I followed him

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 251

as fast as I could, I was often obliged to call
out to desire him to moderate his pace. The
ground was very unequally covered with
snow. In most places it was quite bare, in
some we were obliged to wade above our
knees, and, in particular parts where it had
drifted^ we were driven out of our line in order
to go round. The huge trees which, after
flourishinof for ao:es, had been blown down
in their declme by the high winds, crossed
our path with such frequency, that the opera-
tion of climbing was repeated as often as
during a walk through a country enclosed by
stone walls in England. But a large tree is
not so easily passed as a wall, the passage
over it being generally only practicable where
the trunk is of large dimensions. And a tra-
veller has no choice, for the roots and branches
extend too far on each side to make it worth
while to go round, even when they do not
come in contact with those of other fallen
trees ; and several of these frequently lie ex-
tended in the same direction. Liberte, from
long practice, vaulted over them with great
ease and alacrity, and I, with more difficulty.

252 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

followed him as well and as fast as I could.
But it was impossible to avoid stopping
every now and then to observe the stupendous
bulk of some of the trees, the great age of
which had rendered them most truly objects
of admiration. Their magnificent outline,
and the tranquil gloom of the forest altoge-
ther, was indescribably impressive and grand.
In these wild haunts, neglected, though
subservient to the purposes of man, nature
seems to have held for ages her undisturbed
reign. Where I stood, perhaps the foot of a
civilized being had never before trodden. I
contemplated a vegetative world, following,
in regions of unlimited space, the laws of
creation to maturity, and then sinking in every
stage of natural decay, till all mingled again
with its parent earth. Here, a tree lay pros-
trate on the ground perfect in its form and
covered with thick moss. Attempt but to
pass it and the feet sink deep in rotten wood,
while the strength of an infant's arm might
scatter its vast yielding bulk in dust over the
land. There what teas a giant pine, now a
low green mound, sunken by gentle degrees

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 253

to the very level of the earth, recalled to the
mind the time, when, after a few more short
years, all remaining traces of its existence
should be obliterated, till, like those which
in preceding ages had passed away, it should
become confounded together and mixed with
the soil.

The varying duration of animal life, the
return of seasons, the orbits of the planets, —
even the eccentric course of comets are de-
fined, and familiarized with our ideas of time,
by the inquiring spirit and science of man;
but the tree still rears its head towards the
heavens in defiance of his research, and tra-
dition and conjecture alone mark the span of
its existence. Generations after generations
of the human race have fallen one after an-
other into the grave, yet in this enlightened
ao-e where is the man who can count the
years of the gnarled oak? Who can mark
the day when it burst its acorn w^ith more
certainty than he can define the period when
yonder stream first bubbled from the caverns
of the earth ? How grand is the design of

254 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

nature presented to the view in these pro-
found forests of North America ! A conti-
nent abounding in images, not only calcu-
lated to magnify ideas of time and space,
but exalt in the imagination the Creative
power, whose wise ordinances thus hold in
preparation a vast field for the unborn mil-
lions destined at some future, perhaps not
distant day, to inhabit a country, commen-
surate in its gigantic features with the
ever expanding powers of modern improve-
ment.

The Canadian continued his line with de-
termined precision, without adopting any
visible means of precaution^ till we arrived
at spots in the neighbourhood of my log
house, which I had visited before and were
known to me. We were about an hour's
walk from home when we came to a wigwam,
where an old Indian and his squaw were
roasting part of the flesh of a porcupine be-
fore the embers of a fire. The meat, trans-
fixed by a long straight stick, was thrust
down within a little of one of its ends, which

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 255

rested on the ground, while the squaw sat at
a distance from the fire and turned it round
by the other end. I was anxious to try a
morsel, which was readily given to me, but
it tasted so much of smoke, that I could per-
ceive no other flavour in it; besides, it looked
very bad indeed. I observed the way the
Indian had made his fire. He rested the
ends of three or four logs, of about six feet
long, upon two very short ones, placed across
and parallel to each other, and then set fire
to the long ones. So soon as the latter were
burnt through in the middle, he continued
to keep the lighted ends together till the
whole were consumed, then replacing them
with fresh ones. The old Indian was ex-
tremely persevering in his demands for some-
thing to drink, and I had nothing to give
him but a dollar, which he looked at with
much discontent. I had no less coin, and it
was more than would have been necessary,
under other circumstances, to have contented
him ; but to these people, the present hour
is every thing ; and one single glass of li-

256 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

quor, then and there received^ would have
purchased the post-obit of even a larger
sum of money.

April 15th. — This morning the weather
appeared to have changed altogether. The
ground was covered with snow which lay
about four inches deep. The sun, however_,
came out with considerable force, and it was
melted 'and thoroughly disappeared before
one o'clock. The ice in the bay still held
together, although nearly covered with water.
I shot a bird, called by the natives a robin,
the size of a blackbii*d, and in colour like
the redwing, with a yellow bill.

April 16th. — The weather cloudy but
warm. On going out this morning I met
with several small green snakes, which were
perfectly harmless. There is not, I believe,
any sort of noxious reptile in this part of
the country. The snakes rapidly increased to
such numbers, that in a very few days it was
perfectly impossible to pursue a morning's
walk without treading on one or more of
them. Where the sun shone warm, they

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 257

were sometimes to be met with as numerous
as earth worms in England, after a shower
of rain.

April 17th. — A strong wind having set
in in the night, blowing directly out of the
bay, I perceived in the morning all the ice
broken in pieces, and floating towards the
lake. It was moving slowly away, and a
considerable extent of water was already
uncovered. This was a joyful sight, for of
all things a sheet of water conveys the most
lively impressions to the mind, and, confined
as I was from the impassable state of the ice
to the shores on one side of the bay, the
barrier was no sooner removed than I felt a
sensation of liberation, which seemed to be
participated by the turbulent waves them-
selves, as, just risen from their bondage, they
rallied as it were and held council together,
bubbling and fretting in their eagerness to
press on the rear of their retiring enemy.
The wind chased the chilly field before it,
split into mammocks, and every minute re-
tiring farther from the sight, till, about three
o'clock in the afternoon, the lively change

258 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

was altogether perfect, and Kempenfeldt
Bay, long the type of dreary winter, now
became a lovely basin of pure water. And,
as if to add to the gratifying occurrence, the
ice had no sooner disappeared, than the wind
lulled, and the sun beamed forth to embel-
lish the natural beauties of a spot in them-
selves very much above the common order.
As the evening advanced, it was beautiful to
see the enormous pines with which the banks
were fringed, reflected in the water, while
the winding shore presented a pleasing va-
riety of sandy beach and bluff, rocky head-
land. Nor were the animal creation insensi-
ble to the moment : the large fish leaped in-
cessantly high out of the water, and it was
scarcely dark before a flock of wild fowl
flew round and round in circles, lowering
themselves by degrees, and then each, one
after another, dashing heavily into the fa-
vourite element. A sportsman can readily
comprehend how animating it was to listen
to the wild sounds which now broke upon
the ear, as the feathered troop held gabbling
conversation together, and, diving and splash-

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 259

ing by turns, commenced every now and
then a short flight for the sake of a fresh
plunge in the water. Everything now was
new ; Nature had thrown off her homely
winter's garb, and began to unveil her beau-
ties. My enjoyments were from that day
increased, — fish also and fowl were added to
my resources.

It seemed wonderful to think there should be
so few among our poorer classes with energy
enough to break the chains of poverty, and
visit a land where pauperism is yet unknown,
where youth and strength supply the cata-
logue of human wants, and where industry
must meet its sure reward. The exuberant
abundance of wood for fuel renders the fire-
side of the peasant, during the long evenings
of winter, a solace equal to that of many a
wealthier citizen of the world, and as his
children, with united strength, drag in each
log to the hearth, he rejoices in the clearance
of the encumbered earth, when those of the
civilized world pay dearly for the enjoyment
of warmth. An emulative feeling stimulates
the industry of his constitution. The rat-

260 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

tling clank. of a neighbour's axe, the crash-
ing fall of a heavy tree, seem to demand
responsive exertion on his part, and give rise
to an energy _, which, even if the tinkling
frosty air at his fingers* ends fails to remind
him that he has work on hand, quickly rouses
within him the spirit of active labour. The
work of his young children is of value, far
exceeding the expense of their maintenance,
and he lives in the happy consciousness of
being able to leave them an inheritance of
peace, if not of affluence. With facilities
of water carriage, fish in abundance, and
fuel, by the help of his gun he completes
the necessaries of life. The partridge and
wild pigeon supply him with variety in food,
and afford also recreation and amusement.
It was long after dark when I returned to
my house from the banks of the bay, and
the night had far advanced before the various
sounds had ceased, as the different descrip-
tions of wild fowl settled themselves in their
new domain.

April 18th. — I had made preparation for
the wild fowl, by forming ambuscades in se-

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 261

vera! places on the borders of the bay ; and
to one of these I made my way this morning
an hour before daylight. The wild fowl re-
mained in the middle of the bay, but I shot
a large sort of kingfisher, slate-coloured,
with a black crest, and as large as a pigeon.
Going home I mistook the head of a small
animal, which I saw protruded from a hole
in an old tree, for that of a pole-cat. I took
a stick from the ground and killed it, when,
to my mortification, I found it was a flying
squirrel with four young ones.

The snow might now be said to be en-
tirely dissipated in the woods, excepting in
the ravines and places where the drift was
extraordinarily deep.

I was aroused in the night by the yelping
of a wolf out of doors, close by my house.
As I listened, I heard the sound again farther
oflT, and so on by degrees till he went quite
away. The beast, no doubt, having received
intelligence of the breaking up of the ice, had
come to meet with his prey on the shores of
the bay. My dog was in the room, but took no
notice of the noise, which he must have heard.

262 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

April 19th. — I was up a^ain before day-
light, and with better success. I killed nine
wild fowl of different sorts before breakfast,
not one of which could I eat, for the flesh

m

was black and fishy.

I saw a canoe paddled by a couple of
Indians advancing slowly along-shore, and
hailed them, but they were at first unwilling
to attend to me, although I succeeded at last
in bringing them to a parley ; they had two
or three large fish in the bottom of their
canoe. I made signs that if they would come
a little way with me I would give them some-
thing to drink, and that I wanted to buy the
fish. One of them, a very old man, appeared
to assent to my proposal, and, taking the fish
by the gills, accompanied me to my house.
In my way thither I called at the Canadian's
house for Liberte, who spoke the Indian lan-
guage as well as his own. I was soon owner
of a large salmon ; and after proper time had
elapsed, for a bargain takes time all over the
world, though not before the eyes of the
Indian began to roll in his head from the
liquor I had given him to drink^ he agreed

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 263

to terms for some other articles I proposed
to purchase. And I bought of him the canoe,
which he had left with his friend at th
water's edge, and a fish-spear. For the fish-
spear, the fish, and the canoe, I paid him nine
dollars, quite as much as the things were
worth. When we returned to the canoe, the
friend seemed to have no objection to the
bargain ; but as I saw that he regarded with
curious looks the- happy state of the old man,
I o'ave him drink enouo;h to make him also
equally stupid. Then, tying up the old
man's nine dollars securely in the bosom of
his coat, I left both to complete their adven-
tures in each other's company, and never saw
them any more.

I was now ready to go out the first calm
evening and spear fish with Liberte, who told
me he understood the art perfectly well. The
present day, however, would not answer the
purpose ; for the slightest possible ripple on
the water makes it impossible to see the fish
under the surface. Libert^ undertook to col-
lect the bark of the birch tree in sufficient
quantity for our expedition, whenever the

264 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

weather should turn out perfectly favourable,
and he examined the canoe, to see that no-
thing was wanting.

April 20th. — I breakfasted very early on
the remainder of my fish, which had been cut
into large pieces, and broiled on the embers.
It was a large sort of salmon trout, but nei-
ther firm nor high-flavoured. Under circum-
stances, it was thankfully received for better.
I went out in quest of wild fowl, and shot
several ; among them a species of black duck.
The wild fowl generally are much more fishy
than in England, with the exception of this
latter species. I saw a troop of saw-bill
divers, which had taken possession of a small
inlet close to the shore, where their piebald
colour and pert crests looked most inviting.
Some craggy land overhung their position,
which I gained unperceived, when they were
all below me in a lump ; twelve, or upwards,
within thirty yards, and in deep water. On
firing, they disappeared like witchcraft. Not
one was hit; and they were so long under
water, that I could hardly recognise the
flock when they re-appeared at a great dis

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 265

tance. In my hurry to load again, I found
I bad lost my powder-horn ; to me then a
\evy serious misfortune. I had no means
of replacing it, otherwise than by the
wretched substitute of a measure cut out of
a piece of wood^ and a small bag, which I
made of squirrel skins.

April 21st. — The evening turned out re-
markably fine, and the water was as smooth
as a looking-glass. Every thing was ready
for my fish-spearing expedition, the pre-
parations for which were extremely simple.
The fish-spear consisted of a straight handle
about fifteen feet long, to v^hich a couple of
barbed iron spikes, of sufficient size to pierce
a moderate sized salmon, were affixed. The
birch-bark, for the purpose of liglit, was
prepared in pieces three or four double, each
the size of a large quarto book ; and one at
a time of these was stuck in a cleft pole
five or six feet long, placed at the head of
the canoe, overhanging the water in such a
manner that the blazing bark might shine
upon it. It was no sooner dark than I went

N

266 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

to the water's edge, where Liberte and
another Canadian were ready with the canoe.
As he held the vessel to the shore I steadied
myself by his shoulder, stepped in cau-
tiously, and took my seat in the middle.
The canoe w^as a very egg-shell, cranky as
a washing-tub, and, more fitted to carry ghosts
than men, while Liberte was as ugly as
Charon himself. A boy of twelve years
old could have carried it, notwithstanding it
was to hold three of us. We had an estab-
lishment of tinder and matches, and pieces
of fat pork cut in slips served as candles.

As soon as we embarked, the men pad-
dled along shore towards the head of the
bay ; and when we came near some small
streams which set into the bay, we stopped,
i.nd the men, having there struck a light,
kindled the birch-bark in the cleft pole.
Crackling like soft fat, the unctuous matter
produced a clear flame, which lighted up
the watery depth beneath us to the bright-
ness of day. Whenever the soft ashes
which fell occasionally from the fire caused
a ripple, it for a moment confused the objects

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 267

unclerneatli_, but otherwise at a depth of ten
feet every thing was clear and resplendent.
The slightest form was distinctly visible, —
every pebble, even the beetle tliat crawled
on the ground. We passed some perch
lying close to the bottom, and soon after-
wards a rapid quiver of the water announced
the presence of some larger fish. Liberte
now became animated^ and pointing his
spear in the proper direction, made signal
to the man in the stern to give way. He
struck once, twice, without success ; but the
tliird time brought a large fish up on his
spear. It was a sucking carp ; a worthless
prize, full of bones^ and very watery. How-
ever we pursued the remainder of his com-
rades, and killed two more. We now
advanced nearer the head of the bay, and
at the same time saw two other lights pro-
ceedins: from the canoes of Indians who
had visited the neighbourhood, and were
pursuing the same occupation with ourselves.
All of a sudden Liberte again sounded an
alarm, and off we were again in pursuit of
a fish^ which I could not for along time see:

N 2

268 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

a fine salmon-trout, but of a nature infi-
nitely wilder than the carp. We chased
him like lightning, turning and doubling in
his wake, till I was obliged to hold both
sides of the canoe to keep myself from being
thrown out into the water. However, I
caught sight of the fish every now and then,
when he was for a moment still ; then he
made a dart, and all again was obscure.
We were some minutes after him, having
lost him, and come upon him again, but
finally he eluded our pursuit, and made his
way into deep water till the glimmer of his
silver sides was lost in the distance, being
entirely obscured by the lurid yellow gleam
that, becom.ing by rapid degrees more and
more opaque, confined to very narrow limits
our subaqueous prospect. I changed places
with Liberte with some risk of being upset,
and then I took the spear, kneeling down
in the head of the canoe. We had regu-
larly replenished our lights, which burnt
out every five minutes or thereabouts. We
went back to the place where we left the
carp, and found them again. I struck at

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 2G9

I em several times, but without success*,
found it not only difficult to strike an
object, from the refraction of the water, but
impossible, even had I judged the distance
correctly, to drive the spear, by its long
bending handle, straight forward. I saw some
perch close to the bottom, and I speared
one of them. In about ten feet water, I
found it necessary to aim a foot at least
below the object. I had however no diffi-
culty to hit the perch aforesaid, as they
were not in motion. I also saw lying at
tlie bottom a hideous looking fish, yellow
with black spots, the body like that of a
snake, with a large head, about a foot and a
half long, and somewhat in form resembling-"
the small fish found under stones in running
streams in England, and ♦called the miller's-
thumb. I speared him, and found him so
strong, that I verily expected he would have
broken the handle of the spear. He was
what the Canadians call a cat-fish. In
writhing he had a knack of twisting his
supple body like an eel round the spear^
and with the force that, considering his

270 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

size, was quite surprising. He was, of course,
not eatable.

We remained out upwards of a couple of
hours, when, having expended all our lights,
we returned home. Besides the salmon,
carp, and perch I have mentioned, there
were other sorts of fish in the bay. Among
the rest, one or two sorts of bass, a fish thick
in shape like the bream, and a small fresh-
water herring, such as I have seen taken
out of Lough Neagh, in the north of Ireland,
and where they are called pullen. A small
craw-fish was not unfrequent. The fish
here however, it must be confessed, are like
all their fresh- water brethren, of inferior
quality.

April 22nd. — The weather was now very
fine, though the trees bore still their winter
appearance. It was past the middle of
the day, when sitting on a bank above the
water's edge, close to the place where I had
missed my powder-horn two days before,
I espied it lying at the botton of the water,
on the verge of a cleft rock. The water
was quite smooth, and in the part where it

BESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 271

lay, nearly six feet deep : it appeared to be
resting so precariously above the cleft, that
the slightest touch might put it out of sight.
So, as there was nothing else to be done, I
took off all my clothes, and taking the water
a few yards away from the place, swam
round so as to have it between me and the
shore; then diving, I managed to get hold
of a piece of projecting rock with one hand,
while I secured my prize with the other.
The water I was surprised to find by no
means cold, considering it had been so short
a time released from its covering of ice.
It was, in fact, warmer than at the same sea-
son of the year it is in England.

April 23rd. — My neighbour, Mr. F ,

whose arrival I mentioned on the 5th, had
in a very few days, by the help of his axe,
settled himself in a very comfortable log-
house, a few hundred yards distant from
mine. He came to me this mornino^ to re-
quest me to lend him my canoe to cross the
lake to the landing at Holland River, on his
way to York. I could not spare my canoe,
it was so important an article of my esta-

272 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

blishment; nor did I like to refuse the request,
so I determined to go myself and to take
him with me. I had several reasons for
going to York. Among the rest, my clothes
were so torn to pieces that it was almost a
matter of necessity to procure a refit; and
Liberte, together with Mr. F., who was an
able hand at a paddle, would, both together,
man the canoe. Mr. F. intended, I believe,
to take his wife with him ; but the present
plan did not admit of it, for the canoe would
hold no more than three persons. The lady
was not pleased at remaining by herself at
home, and threw obstacles in the way, which
the husband overruled, and the voyage was
determined on for the next day.

April 24th. — At about two o'clock in the
afternoon we all got into the canoe — Mr. F.,
Liberte, and myself. And the two former,
at the head and stern, with each a paddle,
pulled hard and steadily, so that, keeping in
shore all the way, we were soon clear out of
the bay. But we had no sooner got com-
pletely off the lee of the land, than we found
the wind, which was against us, much stron-

I^ESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 273

ger than we expected ; so much so, that it
would have heen unsafe to attempt to stretclr
across the lake. We therefore kept in shore*
for about a dozen miles, and then hauling-
the canoe on the land, made a fire, before
which we broiled some fish, and then lay-
down before it for the night, which was for-
tunately, though windy, perfectly dry.

April 25th. — At daylight we launched
the canoe, and, stretching across the lake,,
landed at a house situated on the opposite
bank, where I got a very tolerable breakfast ;
and embarking again, we had not been more
than an hour on our way before the wind be-
gan again to blow so fresh that we could not
proceed. Although we were a very little
way from the mouth of Holland River, we
found it impossible to reach it, the waves
were so rough. Therefore, in order to wait
till the weather should be more calm, we
hauled the canoe again on shore ; and there
we remained on a bare, unsheltered point of
land, with the wind blowing a full gale, till
six in the evening, when, finding there was

N 3

274 RESIDENCE "IN THE WOODS.

no chance of favourable weather, we crept a
little way along shore, and prepared again
for a bivouac. We were very near the mouth
of Holland River, but the small bay which it
was indispensable to cross, was too rough for
our cranky little vessel.

April 26th. — We were in the canoe again
at daylight, and in good time in the morning
reached the landing where I had embarked
on the 26th of February. This was my first
voyage in a birch canoe. The weather was
certainly against us, but we had been nearly
two days going less than forty miles, and had
slept two nights out of doors into the bar-
gain. I had taken my gun with me, and as
the weather was very good and the river
quite smooth, I shot a few birds on the way.
One, a sort of reed-sparrow, the size of a
thrush, and of a rich, dead-black plumage;
the shoulders of the wings a brilliant scarlet,
tempered off with yellow. Its chirp is par-
ticularly musical ; it clings by its feet to the
reeds, and has a bobbing motion of its head
and tail when on the wing ; the bill is quite

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 275

black, very thick at the upper part, and sharp
as a needle at the point. The inhabitants
give this bird the sobriquet of '^ Field
Officer." I also shot a dwarf bittern, in all
respects like the common English bittern, as
to shape, colour, pea-green legs, &c., except
as to its diminutive size. As soon as I got
out of the canoe I walked eleven miles to
Newmarket, where I went to the house of
Mr. Peter Robinson, who was kind enough
to endeavour to procure me a conveyance to
York.

April 27th. — Although I was now in the
town of Newmarket, I found it by no means
an easy matter to procure a horse, or indeed
any other sort of conveyance. I, therefore^,
made up my mind to start on foot the next
morning.

April 28th to May 3rd.— Having walked
thirty miles to York, I went to the house of
Mr. Cruickshank, where I fared sumptuously
during my stay. With regard to myself,
nothing had transpired, nor could I get any
information relative to the period I was likely
to remain in the woods ; nevertheless, having

276 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

cased myself in buckram, by the assistance
of an honest tailor, I became, as far as dress
could make me, a better man than I was be-
fore. Having determined on returning on
my way to Kempenfeldt Bay the next morn-
ing, 1 desired Liberte to meet me at New-
market, and hired a horse to be ready at an
early hour.

May 4tli. — Mr. Cruickshank accompanied
me on horseback to Newmarket, where we
both put up at Mr. Peter Robinson's house.
Mr. Cruickshank also undertook to supply
me with a good staunch batteau, then lying
in Holland River, to take me to Kempenfeldt
Bay, and keep there for my use so long as
1 should remain.

Mav 5th. — Liberte and I walked tooether
from Newmarket to the landing at Holland
River, where I inspected the batteau. It
was a sound boat, but very heavy ; and as I

had not seen Mr. F , since I left him at

this very spot, he having remained at York,
there was nobody but Liberte and I to paddle
her. I had never had a paddle in my hand,
but knowing how to handle an oar, and being

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 277

anxious to get on, I resolved not to delay.
Besides, the wind appeared tolerably favoura-
ble, and we bad a small sail. So, fastening my
canoe, which I left here during my journey
to York, astern, we both embarked. The
wind helped us a good deal ; but our course
was not straight, so that we had a good deal
of hard pulling, which made me very tired,
not being used to it. However^ before sun-
set, we arrived at the same house on the banks
of the Lake, where I had breakfasted on the
morning of the 25th April. I was shown into
a room with a good fire, which, as the even-
ing had set in rather cold, was by no means
disagreeable ; and I prepared to take my
supper.

Before this meal was produced, which, by
the way, consisted of nothing more than
rashers of bacon and fried eo'o^s, the arrival
of an Indian and his canoe was announced;

and in a few minutes after, Mrs. F , the

lady whose husband had left her at Kempen-
feldt Bay, entered the room. Determined
not to remain at home by herself, and, as it
appeared, resolved to follow her husband to

278 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

York, she had arrived thus far under the
care of an old Indian, who brought her across
the Lake in his canoe. No sooner had she
come into the room, than, by the way she
pulled out her pins and placed her feet upon
the fender, it was evident, that she felt her-
self perfectly at home wdiere she was. I
very soon perceived that American customs
were likely to prevail, and that unless
chance might throw in a third person to in-
terrupt the tete-a-tete, we were inevitably
doomed to pass the whole night in the same
apartment. This proved to be the case, for
our landlady positively disposed of us in se-
parate beds in opposite corners of the same
room. Here we remained till the morninof.
I had nothino^ to do w ith the usages of other
countries, but really could not help thinking
the proceeding altogether rather strange.

I was awakened early in the morning by
the busy sounds of a farm-house. The mis-
tress was up, and the maid, and the children,
and each had something or other to do. One
split logs for the fire, another scrubbed the
boards, while the landlady, regulating the

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 279

motions of her troops scolded and encouraged
by turns. She herself undertook to whip out
the fowls. These, which had taken posses-
sion of the kitchen, were making their exit
with all possible reluctance ; cackling, flap-
ping their wings, overturning pewter plates,
and finally, after raising all the dust they
could, bolting out of the window.

May 6th. — The Canadian Liberte and I
pursued our voyage early in the morning,
and with the assistance of our sail crossed
the lake. We then had a great deal of hard
pulling. However, soon after mid-day we
hauled the batteau on shore, made a fire, and
broiled a large fish I had purchased of the
Indian in the morning, after which, being
refreshed, we re-embarked, and arrived at
my log house, at Kempenfeldt Bay, late in
the evening.

May 7th aad 8th. — Wishing to explore
the woods on the other side of the bay, at
sunrise I got into the batteau, taking my
gun with me, and being provided with pro-
visions for the day. When I had crossed
over, I sent it back, appointing one of my

280 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

Canadian axemen, who served as boatmen,
to call and take me home at sunset. I ram-
bled about all day, visiting one beautiful and
picturesque spot after another, folio wing-
particularly the course of a small stream un-
usually romantic. Sometimes the stillness
of the scene was interrupted by a cascade :
a little farther the sound of the rivulet which
produced it died away upon the ear, as its
banks widened into those of a placid lake.
Coming suddenly upon wild fowl every now
and then, I was the more allured to proceed
onwards, and I shot several of different sorts,
as well as a few partridges and pigeons.

I was at a considerable distance from the
bay and had arrived at a sequestered spot,
where a basin of resplendent water, almost
circular, was sheltered all round by magnifi-
cent pines. Here my dog suddenly barked,
and, turning round, I saw an Indian, carrying
a canoe on his back, approaching the place
where I was. He was accompanied by his
squaw, and she led by the hand a fine ani-
mated little savage, a boy about six years
old. A half-starved dog, as wild as a fox,

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 281

accompanied the party. This animal no
sooner saw me, than he ran crino-ino^ and
yelping to the rear, with his tail between his
legs, nor could he be prevailed upon, lor
many minutes, to advance a step nearer. The
Indian had broug^ht his canoe to this little
lake for the purpose of fishing, and I very
readily made him understand that I was
anxious to witness his operations. In a few
seconds the crazy toppling bark was in the
water, the squaw holding it by the head
while the man got in with his fish spear, and
then stepping in carefully herself, she sat
down in the stern with her paddle. The man
stood upright, an attitude requiring extreme
nicety of balance, considering the cranky
nature of these birch canoes. They, are
really the most ticklish of all possible ves-
sels. Empty, they are altogether above the
water, and do not draw literally more than a
couple of inches. When laden, by a not un-
usual accident a man is frequently thrown
overboard out of the vessel, which slips from
under him without upsetting, or taking in a

282 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

drop of water. The squaw paddled gently
and steadily round the margin of the basin,
while the man occasionally struck at fish with
his spear. In a few minutes he had taken
four or five, for he hardly missed a blow.
The direction in which he pointed his spear,
and the animated gestures accompanying the
action, were signals readily understood by
the squaw, and she regulated the course of
the canoe and its rate accordingly. And this
was done with the utmost silence. The child,
meanwhile, was left on the bank while his
father was pursuing the fish, and I tcrok him
by the hand endeavouring to engage his at-
tention, but he took not the least notice of
me, following the canoe with his little eager
eyes, as if already longing in his heart for
the privileges of manhood. Every time his
father hit a fish, the little fellow could hardly
contain himself with joy.

The fish were now brought on shore, and
a fire was kindled. The poor lean cur now
had ventured within a few yards, urged by
starvation, for the sake of the entrails of the

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 283

fish, which, on being thrown to him, he de-
voured with a voracity really melancholy to
see, for he must have been without food a
long time. The fish was cut into junks, and
broiled on the embers, and the dog eat the
bones as well as the heads and tails. All
was then divided into shares, one for the
Indian, anothfir for the squaw, and the third
for the child, whom they called " Cawhee; "
and each mess was put into a small vessel
made of birch bark, out of which they fed
themselves with their fingers.

The great utility of the bark of the birch
tree is very remarkable. Not only are the
canoes in which the Indians trust themselves
on lakes sufiBciently boisterous, some miles
from the shore, made of it, but also all sorts
of small cups and dishes. Besides, it burns
like pitch; splits into threads which serve
for twine ; and the filmy part, near the out-
side, may be written upon in pencil, making-
no bad substitute for paper. The family had
no sooner concluded their repast, than the
man took the canoe on his back, and the
squaw, having made a bundle of the things,

284 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

followed, leading the little boy, and they
were very soon out of sight and hearing.

I made my way again towards the bay>
and as I came upon the banks, a white
headed eagle was soaring high in the air.
As he floated magnificently above me, I
plainly distinguished the relentless ferocity
of counteriance that marks his race. Dis-
playing his expanding wings, now and then
he shook his quills with a noise like the flut-
ter of a silken flag in a gale of wind, and
then he stretched his neck towards the earth
as if in defiance of its inhabitants. I fired
at him, but the shot glanced from his shield
of feathers, and in a few seconds dropped
harmlessly into the water.

Returning to the spot where I had ap-
pointed to meet the batteau, I found it al-
ready there, and, pulling across, it was
almost dark when I got home.

May 9th to 18th. — The weather, during
these days, was cold and windy, with frosts
generally during the night. Vegetation
seemed backward, nor was any tinge of
green as yet visible on the trees. Working

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 285

in the forest with my axe on some days, and
on others traversing the woods in quest of
game, time passed over my head rapidly.

I fell in with an Indian who had three
vounc: beavers alive. The little thins^s were
the size of pointer puppies of hwe weeks old,
and were just beginning to eat. I felt much
inclination to buy them, but the care they
required was more than I had it in my power
to bestow ; I therefore, although with re-
gret, left them to their fate, which was, no
doubt, to be speedily eaten by the Indian
and his family.

May 19tli. — About three o'clock in the
aFternoon it began to snow heavily, and the
ground was covered the rest of the day.
My Canadians asserted that they had never
remembered snow so late in the season.

May 20th.-^This morning the ground was
still quite covered with snow, but towards
the middle of the day the sun made his
appearance and speedily melted it. I was
awakened in the middle of the night by the
noise of a parcel of wolves, yelping close to
my house. I was well acquainted with the

286 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

sound, having once kept a tame wolf for some
time, and upon listening it appeared that
whatever their object was, they intended re-
maining in my neighbourhood. [ accord-
ingly immediately dressed myself, and tak-
ing my gun from the hooks over the fire, I
loaded one barrel with ball, and calling my
dog with me, stole as quietly as I could
out of the house. The moon shone bright,
and I could have distinguished an object a
long way off; however, when I came towards
the place where 1 had "heard them, not above
a hundred yards' distance, I could see nothing
at all. I had some trouble to keep in my
dog, for he was anxious to follow them ; how-
ever, I kept him still, and remained so my-
self, and in a few minutes I heard them again,
yelping just as they did before, about the
same distance from me, quite in another di-
rection. Thither I immediately posted, and
was again disappointed ; and they repeated
the same manoeuvre several times afterwards,
till it was quite evident that I had no chance
whatever of getting a shot at them. They
no doubt saw me, and instinctively kept out

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 287

of shot ; so, before I returned to my bed, I
gave them a halloo, upon which my dog
dashed forward towards them with the most
eager alacrity. I was afraid of mischief,
and called him back, but Rover was gone,
and I called and whistled in vain. He was
absent more than five minutes, and came
back panting like a badly broken pointer
from coursing a hare. I had always believed
that dogs had an instinctive dread of the
wilder animals, but the above is an instance
to the contrary. This dog, a water spaniel,
not above the common size, hardly able to
throttle a fox, certainly had no fear, whatever
respect he might have paid to a wolf in close
quarters ; experience at least told him that
his enemy would run, for he pursued at a
reckless rate, probably sure of never over-
taking his game.

May .2 1st. — Flies, for the last few days,
had been making their appearance in increas-
ing numbers ; they were already exceedingly
troublesome, so much so that the Canadians
began to wear gauze veils, with which they
were all provided during their hours of work.

288 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

Tliis was a precaution which was never sug-
gested to me, and, even if it had, probably
nothing short of woful experience would
have convinced me of the necessity of using
such things. However, matters looked really
serious when I found that the tough skins of
my labourers were, an insufficient defence ;
and I called to mind what the hmhlander
had told me in the winter, "that the flies
wad nap a body," with a regret that I had
listened without drawing a moral from the
tale. This day, in addition to those before
arrived, a small black fiy came in clouds, so
as to give me neither peace nor rest. The
summer, which I had with such eagerness
anticipated, was not, I found, about to dis-
pense pleasure without alloy, and the attacks
of these winged vermin were a grievous
evil. The sun shone clear and hot^ and they
pitched upon my face in thousands. They
got into my eyes and down my throat, and
my temples were covered with speckles.
They were so voracious that they suffered
themselves to be killed where they were,
rather than take the trouble to fly away.

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 289

With my hands I swept them off by hun-
dreds, and legions returned to the charge, so
as to torment me almost out of my life. All
the morning it was impossible to attempt to
shoot, and to drive them away was the whole
occupation of the day. They were of the
size of a large flea. Their sting fortunately
was not venomous. As the day declined they
were less numerous, and two hours before
sunset they wholly disappeared. Upon no
occasion was I ever more disheartened than
by the grievance thus endured. It seemed
to threaten to demolish all those little com-
forts which not only relieved solitude, but
even had hitherto rendered my life agreeable.
My enemies had no sooner retired, than I
took up my gun despondingly, hoping to ob-
tain at least a few moments' tranquillity.
Going to the margin of the bay, I perceived
a large flock of wild fowl on the water swim-
ming along close in-shore, and I sat down,
with my dog by my side, to await their ap-
proach. But a little villain of a squirrel, on
the bough of a tree close to me, seemed to

I

290 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

determine that even now I should not rest in
quiet, for he sputtered and chattered with
so much vehemence that he attracted the at-
tention of my dog, whom I could scarcely
control. Meanwhile the birds were coming
nearer and nearer, chasing the water insects
on their way, stretching forward their necks,
splashing, flapping their wings, rubbing
their backs with their polls, quacking, flut-
tering half up out of the water, and then,
with a comfortable wriggle of the tail, sitting
quietly down again. With my thumb on the
cock of my gun, I prepared for a double
shot ; but the ** vagrant inattention " of my
dog was truly mortifying ; he kept his eyes
fixed upon the squirrel, now so noisy as to
be quite intolerable. With my hand I made
a motion to threaten the latter, but the little
beast actually set up his back and defied me,
becoming even more passionate and noisy
than he v/as before : till, all of a sudden, as
if absolutely on purpose to alarm the game,
down he let himself drop, plump at once,
within a couple of yards of Rover's nose.

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 291

This was too much for any four-footed ani-
mal to bear, so Rover gave a bounce and
sprang at the impertinent squirrel, who, in
one second, was safe out of his reach, cock-
ing his tail and showing his teeth on the
identical bough where he had sat before.
Away flew all the wild fowl, and my sport
was completely marred. I excused the dog's
error, but my gun went involuntarily to my
shoulder to shoot the squirrel. At the same
moment I felt I was about to commit an act
of sheer revenge, on a little courageous ani-
mal which deserved a better fate. Appa-
rently aware of my hesitation, he nodded his
head with rage, and stamped his fore paws
on the tree ; while in his chirruping there
was an intonation of sound as if addressed
to an enemy for whom he had an utter con-
tempt. ''What business," I could fancy he
said, " had I there, trespassing on his do-
main, and frightening his wife and little
family, for whom he was ready to lay down
his life? Could I not find, within these
wide woods, one other spot without the pale

o 2

I

292 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

of his small limited estate ? There he -would
sit in spite of me and mine, — nay make my
ears ring with the sound of his war whoop,
even till the spring of life should cease to
bubble in his little heart.** * * * And thus
he succeeded in driving me away from the
spot. I left him singing the song of triumph,
and ever after, as far as I was concerned, in
full and complete possession.

May 22nd. — I was in my house rather
later than usual this morning, busy in pre-
paring a sort of mask of linen for my face,
in order to resist, if possible, the attacks of
the flies. For some time I had been think-
ing of this, but not having any gauze or mus-
lin that would do for a veil, I had hardly yet
imagined a suitable substitute. Now I could
no longer delay. My clothes being full of
holes, the flies had read me such a lesson, as
by acute reasoning and pointed arguments to
prevail against farther procrastination. As
I was just beginning my work, my attention
was attracted by the latch of my door being
lifted up, and at the same moment two very

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 293

I .

their smiling looks, to ask admittance to my
dwelling.

Even in these uncivilized regions there
was nevertheless a spirit of flirtation in their
manner, which has existed no doubt through-
out all ages, even from the day when, up-
wards of two thousand years ago, Galatea
threw a hard apple at the head of the Ro-
man poet. The minds of both being evi-
dently made up to pay me a visit, it ap-
peared they were undetermined which of the
two ought to walk in before the other ; and
so the one pushed forward her friend by the
shoulders. She that was first therefore could
not help being pushed, and, being pushed,
how could she help being first? Not much
time meanwhile was expended on the thresh-

d, for their scruples, whatever they might
have been, were thus speedily adjusted, and,
tripping lightly into the room on tip-toes,
with a cautious step, they commenced an
inquisitive survey of everything I had. My
double-barrelled gun seemed most to attract
their attention. Bound in chivalry to do the

294 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

honours of my house, I was equally atten-
tive and civil to both, and such civilities on
my part had of late been but little in de-
mand. In the wilds where I had lived, gal-
lant speeches, compliments, &c., had been
frozen up, as it were, like the music in Baron
Munchausen's French horn_, and now became
thawed and burst forth all at once, so that I
continued to hold with both young ladies an
intelligible conversation. Although neither
could speak a word of English, and I was
equally ignorant of their language, their
quickness of apprehension was such, that I
was readily understood. One of them took
the needle, and sewed the strings to the mask
I had been making. This very much amused
them both, and they recommended me to rub
my face with grease, by way of a certain
defence against all sorts of flies. Disagree-
able as it may seem, I resolved, in case of
the failure of my present plan, to follow their
advice.

After a sufficiently long morning visit, as
my guests seemed at last anxious to depart,
I accompanied them to the edge of the bay,

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 295

where they both stepped into their canoe,
and gaily paddled away towards lake Sim-
coe. There, as I understood, they had left,
during their present morning's excursion, en-
camped on the borders of the forest, a party
of their copper-coloured relatives. They
were, it seemed, without other company, and
disappeared round a point of land between
the spot on which I was standing and the
head of the bay. They waved their hands
as long as they were in sight. I knew no-
thing of their history, and I regretted that I
might never see them again. Such, indeed,
was the case I

In dress and appearance they were supe-
rior to any I had seen of their race, and in face
and figure seemed to me really beautiful.
They had silver ornaments in their ears, a
necklace each of blue beads, and scarlet
serge was applied to various purposes of or-
nament instead of riband.

May 23rd. — During the last two days the
trees had changed considerably, owing to
the warm weather ; now, for the first time,
they might fairly be said to be green. Seve-

296 RESIDENCE IN THE WOOES.

ral boat-loads of stores arrived from York,
across lake Simcoe, for the post of Michili-
mackinac, and were landed at the head of
the bay.

May 24th. — For reasons connected with
my duty, I resolved to change my residence
to the head of the bay, and therefore set the
Canadians at work there to make me a log:-
house. I spent a great part of the day on
the spot, not only in determining the situ-
ation, but in waiting to see the first logs laid
on the ground.

May 25th. — As I was out shooting I saw
a loon swimming towards a point of land
where I could easily conceal myself, so I re-
paired thither for that purpose. The loon,
commonly called the great Northern diver,
is so cautious and wary, and at the same
time so quick in turning himself under the
water, that, though I had shot at several, I
had never been able to kill one. He is
covered with small spots like a starling, and
is the size of a large goose. He has a wild,
anxious gait as he is swimming, constantly
turning his head from side to side, as if to be

J RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 297

upon his guard against an enemy ; and his
cry is as wild as his looks, for it exactly re-
sembles the whooping of an owl. I had
arrived at the place, and the bird was ap-
proaching. Now and then, as he came on,
he stretched his long neck for several se-
conds under the water, looking for small fish ;
and when he had nothing better to do, he
turned his head round, in order with his bill
to tickle his tail. At last I felt myself sure
of him ; and, choosing the latter attitude as
the one in which he was the most exposed, I
let fly when he was within thirty yards of me.
My gun went quick as lightning; but the
loon was still quicker, and_, scrambling over
out of sight, came up again in a few seconds
perfectly unhurt_, and whooping as if to mock
my attempt upon his life. I never again
shot at one of these birds. The Indians
shoot them frequently ; which is very sur-
prising, considering that their guns are of
coarse Birmingham manufacture, and their
powder very indifferent. They kill, never-
theless, extremely long shots, putting in a

o3

298 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

large quantity of powder and very little shot ;
and they have a way of enticing the loons
by a call and a red rag at the end of a stick,
which they practise with great success.

May 26th. — My new log-house was not
finished, but I resolved to move my quarters,
as the day was fine, at once ; and so, having
put all my things into the batteau, I intended
to walk along-shore through the wood, when
I saw an Indian passing by in his canoe, and
hailed him. He was making his way towards
the head of the bay whither I was goings
and I asked him to take me on board, — not
so much for convenience as from curiosity.
He pulled in-shore immediately, and was
amused at my request, seeming particularly
entertained at the clumsy manner in which I
got in. His family consisted of the squaw,
a little girl of about ten years old, another of
six, and a third of four ; and as I was just
going to sit down in the bottom of the canoe,
the squaw gave me a hard pull by the coat,
and, removing a dirty blanket, uncovered the
features of a little infant, bound, after their

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 299

fashion, very securely upon a board : and
this made the fourth child of the party. The
squaw was going to remove it to where she
sat in the stern, but I gave her to understand
that I would nurse it as we went along ; and
I took hold of the wooden frame and laid it
on my knees.

It was admirable to see how well the little
thing was secured from harm, and how quiet
and contented it seemed in its state of im-
prisonment. Protected from the weather by
clothes in numerous folds, a circular piece of
wood formed a guard for its head, and alto-
gether it was the same as taking hold of a
fiddle, so tight was it bound upon its wooden
frame. With its arms and legs in a state of
confinement, the little being could only move
its wandering eyes, which, together with its
tiny trembling lips, told the tale of its tender
age. I could not help considering the mode
of treating the infant savage, of which I had
an example now before me^ more worthy than
I should have imagined of being placed in
comparison with that adopted among civi-
lized people ; and certainly, whatever may be

300 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

said against it, it possesses some advantages
over our mode of nursing. During the first
few weeks of infancy, when the very bones
have not acquired their proper consistence,
and the unclosed skull hangs a dead weiofht
upon the body, the Indians bind, as it were,
the tender plant to a stake, to be protected
in its growth from that violence of motion,
those twists and strains, which with us con-
fessedly lead to some of our most dreadful
disorders. Here was a child happy as it
could be, and as warm, without a pin in its
whole dress to torment it, capable of enjoy-
ing exercise, and of being moved from place
to place over land and water, without the
slightest stress upon its pliant limbs.

The canoe, paddled by the squaw sitting
in the stern, glided quietly along within a
few feet of the shore ; and the Indian stood
up all the time at the head looking out for
fish. The sun shone bright upon the water,
nevertheless I could not discern one, although
he struck at some several times on the way.
He killed three bass, turning round the spear
each time to the squaw in order that she

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 301

might extricate the fish. The least unsteadi-
ness on his part might have precipitated the
whole party, children and all, into the water ;
but he kept his balance with such extraor-
dinary certainty, that I very soon lost all
apprehension of the possibility of such an
accident, and we arrived at the head of the
bay, where we all got out.

The Indian and his family were on their
route to Lake Huron, and they had now eight
miles to travel to the Notawasorga River, all
which distance it was necessary to carry the
canoe. He immediately commenced prepara-
tions to take it on his back, and for this pur-
pose he fixed a broad strip of birch bark to
the centre thwart, making the ends fast to
each opposite gunwale. The thwart then
rested on his shoulders, and, having placed
a piece of bark doubled under it to prevent
its galling, he contrived to lay the greater
part of the weight of the canoe on his fore-
head by means of the strip of bark, which at
the same time kept all steady. The canoe,
once poised, was nearly horizontal, and on he
marched, caring little for the weight. Before

302 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

he set off, however, the squaw stuck his gun
and the fish-spear under the thwarts, and
then made up her own bundle. She carried
this, much in the same way, by means of a
forehead strap ; and on the top of all the
little As(r[xd)rrjg rode upon its board, having
been first safely tied by the little girl with
strips of bark, so that it could not possibly
fall off. The three children brought up the
rear, and the whole party soon disappeared.
May 27th. — I went out in the evening to
spear fish with one of the Canadians. He
speared eight fish of different sorts, one of
them a remarkably fine salmon trout. I found
my canoe very leaky for want of the proper
sort of turpentine for paying the seams. It
was of so delicate a frame that it required
notjonly the greatest care on my part, but
more than I could bestow from, want of ex-
perience and knowing how to handle it
properly. It was inevitably approaching
towards its end, and as I saw that in a little
time it would be good for nothing, and as
the batteau was too unwieldy for my purpose,
I was obliged to think of supplying its place ;

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 303

therefore I resolved to set about making, with
the assistance of the Canadians, a log-canoe.
May 28th. — I went out into the woods to
look for a tree suitable to the object I had
in view, and very soon pitched upon one, —
a fine white pine, its girth, between three
and four feet from the ground, eleven feet
three inches. I began immediately to cut
it down with my axe, and was some time
about it, working very sharply, a good deal
tormented all the while by mosquitoes, for
the tree grew in a low, swampy place, where
there were a great many. I killed a few oc-
casionally upon my face and wrists, though
I was too eagerly employed to care much
about them. At last the tree fell to the
ground, and I left the spot, when I soon
found that I had reason to repent my visit
to the . mosquitoes ; for their bite was so
acrid and poisonous, that before the middle
of the night I was in a state of actual misery,
and felt a degree of inflammatory itching, so
intense that, bemoaning my hard fate, I was
forced to exert my utmost resolution to en-

304 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

able me to endure it. My eyes were closed,
and my wrists knotted and swollen to double
their natural size.

May 29th.— I got up in the morning a
hideous figure, as far as the only piece of
locking-glass I had, a circular bit of about a
couple of inches diameter, fixed in the lid of
a little box, could inform me. My eyes were
both black, and my cheeks puffed out ; but
the pain and heat were gone. These mos-
quitoes are attached to particular situations
in the woods : they like wet, swampy places,
and remain there till some unlucky person
visits them ; otherwise they do not go out
of their way to infest people. This little
bit of natural history I have ever since re-
membered.

May 30th. — I had happened to break one
of the iron spikes of my fish-spear. This
day I met an Indian in the woods, who spoke
English tolerably well ; so I asked him if he
had one that he could sell me. He said,
*' No ; but may be me make one very good :'*
and so we went together to my house to get

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 305

the old one, and at the same time he took
hold of my double-barrelled gun, and began
to examine that. It had met with a trifling
accident, — a small piece of wood having
been split off between the lock and the bar-
rel ; and the moment he saw it he said,
** Master, Indian man mend that too." As I
intended to stand by him all the time to pre-
vent his doing mischief, I told him he should.
He accordingly set to work with great inge-
nuity. He forged the iron of the spear in
my fire, beating it with a hammer against a
large stone ; and made a very neat splice to
mend the gun-stock, which he cemented with
a sort of glue, made by boiling the bones of
fish, which he carried in his pouch.

I tried to get him to explain how he
found his way in the woods ; but^ like the
rest of these people, be the question stated
to them how it may, their ideas are too
limited to reason upon an operation of the
mind. He told me of a beaver dam, as it is
called, in the neighbourhood : a work erect-
ed by the animals for the purpose of rearing

306 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

their young, and where they live in consi-
derable numbers. It was about four miles
ofFj on a small river which crossed the road I
had travelled towards Lake Huron ; so that
I understood, by the direction he gave me,
exactly where to go. I was very curious to
see the work of these wonderful creatures,
and would have taken the Indian immedi-
ately with me as a guide, but he could not
stay. In the evening I went by myself, and,
w^hen I came to the river, I followed the
banks till I had nearly, as I thought, arrived
at the spot. There appeared what I fancied
the remains of an old wooden bridge, made
of the trunks of small trees, and broken in
the middle. The stream w^as moderately
rapid, and immediately below the bridge
there was a turn in the river, so that it
formed a still pool of rather large dimen-
sions. I pursued the course of the river
for some distance farther, but, finding no
signs of the beaver habitation I had come to
see, I returned home. Upon talking to the
Canadians, I found that the identical bridge

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 307

which I had taken for the work of man was
literally that of the beavers. The little colony-
had been deserted by them for some years,
therefore the remains only of their works
were then to be seen. The structure was
wonderful : the work was carried on under
the water as well as above it ; and the trees
were of such a size, and laid with such in-
genuity one upon another so to oppose the
current, that one would have thought that
nothing short of human skill and science
could have contrived it.

May 31st. — I went to see the Canadians
at work. They were employed in making a
sort of wharf, with pine logs, to facilitate the
landing of the boats. There was an old man
among them, an English Canadian, called
Mr. Weiler; a steady character, so very
grave and void of everything like fun, that
he was a continued source of merriment to
the rest, while^ on his part, nothing dis-
turbed his tranquillity. The men had all on
their veils, and the flies were buzzing in vast
quantities about them, while Mr. Weller's

308 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

face alone was without any sort of covering*.
Accordingly, I gave him directions to trim
the pine that lay in the swamp where I had
been so miserably stung, and calling him
immediately away, accompanied him to the
spot. In a moment the mosquitoes were at
their post^ and I could hardly preserve my
gravity, as I began, by flattering his skill, to
propose to him to fashion the tree into the
form of a canoe. He readily acceded to the
undertaking, and I left him hard at work.
In about a couple of hours I returned to see
how he was going on. As the day was ex-
cessively hot, the situation had one advan-
tage— that of being cool. Long before I
arrived, I heard the l)lows of Mr. Weller's
axe falling steadily one after another, and as
I approached him, there he was, without
coat, waistcoat, or hat ! His shirt-collar was
open, and he was slashing away just as if
there was no such thing as a mosquitoe in
North America, although they were swarm-
ing about his head like bees, and absolutely
standing on his hair. *'You are a little

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 309

troubled here with mosquitoes, Mr. Weller,"
said I. So he drew himself up to answer,
and after spitting out the little bits of wood
that had flown off the point of his axe into
his mouth, — " Yes," said he, " they are pretty
considerable thick, but they don't hort me
much with their bills, if they didn't keep on
whizzling so about a body's head :" and then
he looked at his large fore-finger, and seemed
to be thinking:. He told me ** he had been
married thirty-five years, that his wife was
much respected, and did a great deal of bu-
siness." "What business?" said I. " What
business ? *' said he, " why she rides." Still
I was in ignorance, till I found, that for an
old woman to ride, meant the same as to say
that she practised the profession of a mid-
wife. And so I left Mr. Weller, who worked
the remainder of the day without making the
least complaint.

June 1st. — One of the men brous^ht in an
animal, which he had killed in the woods,
called a wood-chuck, or ground-hog, about
the size of a Chinese pig half grown, and

310 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

resembling a guinea-pig in shape and species.
They burrow in the ground, are particularly
fat, and so slow of foot as to be easily over-
taken. They are said to be good eating.
I shot a bird a little smaller than a thru«h,
with a red breast and head, and back of a
bright blue. The weather was now mode-
rately cool^ and similar in its variety to that
in England at the same time of year.

Mr. Weller finished the canoe before sun-
set, and she was brought down to the water
and launched. But she was so lopsided as
to be quite unserviceable in her. present
state. To remedy this was found to be no
easy matter. Large chips were cut off with
the broad axe, which produced various
changes of her position on the water; but
the changes were all wrong, and do what we
would, we could not lay her quite horizontal.
Besides, the wood was green and heavy, and
she sunk by far too low. Finally, we nailed
a small slab of cedar on her side to produce
an equilibrium ; but, after all, she looked so
extremely awkward, and the case was so
hopeless, that I was not only obliged to aban-

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 311

don her altogether, but was at considerable
additional trouble to fill her with large stones
and sink her, for she looked so ugly that I
could not bear to see her. So I was again
obliged to have recourse to my birch canoe,
the seams of which one of the men contrived
to pay tolerably well with turpentine^ and
she became again fit for service.

The wild fowl had now nearly all departed,
and spearing fish was almost my only amuse-
ment. The partridges too were gone. In
fact, the birds had all begun to breed. In-
stead of my gun, therefore, I generally car-
ried my axe in my hand, by means of which
I made myself tired enough to feel comfort-
able during the very short time I sat still.
One or other of the men was frequently
bringing in fish caught in various ways,
by angling, trolling, &c. I had plenty for
breakfast and dinner. With reference to
past times, therefore, a comparison naturally
suggested itself in favour of the present
hour. I found the solitude of my life every
day less irksome ; and an additional source
of interest rose up more and more in the

312 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

objects around me. In cutting down trees
I had learnt to make them fall which way
I pleased, and I was continually thus en-
gaged, increasing the natural beauties of
my demesnes, and removing every obstacle
which blocked up my favourite paths. I
extended my walks, by marking the trees in
a particular way, as I went, so that I could
wander far from my home and in perfect
confidence of not losing my way.

June 2nd. — The weather to-day was clear
and warm. I walked a long way from home,
and pursued a straight line, over ground
altogether new to me. I came at last to a
ravine, where an unusual extent of open
space presented itself, covered in every di-
rection with lovely verdure. The charred
trunks of the trees bore testimony of the
cause, and it was evident that the part of
the forest I was in had been destroyed a
few years before by fire. Thus, the large
trees were consumed, and the ashes had
consequently given birth to a rich growth
of shrubs, now wearing the cheerful green
of spring, and enlivened by a profusion of

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 313

wild flowers creeping out of the earth, and
disposing themselves around in the delicate
arrangement of nature. In this sweet shrub-
bery there was the birch and maple, a token
of improved soil, while wild currant and
gooseberry bushes, in rich abundance, tufted
the banks of a little stream of clear water.
I naturally stopped to look about me, and
sat down, quite delighted at so charming a
spot.

Beautiful birds were drinking and splash-
ing themselves in the water, and gaudy
butterflies, of a very large size, fanned the
soft air with their yellow and black wings.
At this moment, a little blazing meteor shot
like a glowing coal of fire across the glen ;
and, for the first time in my life, I saw with
admiration and astonishment, what in a
moment I recognised to be the greatest of
Nature's beauties of the feathered race —
that resplendent living gem, the hum-
ming bird ! Buzzing like an humble bee,
which it exactly resembled in its flight and
sound ; like an humble bee, it sprang through
the air, by a series of instantaneous impulses,

p

314 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

tracing angle after angle, with the velocity
of lightning; till poised above its favourite
flower, all motion seemed entirely lost in its
very intensity; and the humming sound
alone certified to the ear the rapid vibration
of wing by which it supported its little airy
form. I was never more excited to wonder
than by this little creature, so unexpected
was its appearance, and so much more did it
resemble a splendid shining insect than a
bird.

The place I was jn seemed Fairy Land
complete, and it were matter of regret that
Uvqog tJ fjLaXspoL yuaSos, the voracious jaw oj
jftre, did not more often effect such advan-
tageous results as these changes of scenery
in the neighbourhood of my dwelling. It is
remarkable, however, considering every In-
dian and traveller usually lights his fire
against the trunk of some prostrate tree, and
leaves it burning, that conflagration is not
more general and frequent. As it is, few
summers pass away without instances of
accidental combustion, (one, indeed, of late
years was, by the way, most serious and fatal

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 315

"in its consequences,) when volumes of
smoke proceeding from a spot distant and
unknown, envelope in thick fog the in-
habitants of the settled parts of the coun-
try. People, however, on these occasions,
apathetically pursue their daily avocations
without inquiring from whence the winds
have wafted the gloomy curtain, although
the air to an unusual degree is obscured and
darkened.

June 3rd. — This evening, as the weather
was particularly fine, I went out in my birch
canoe to spear fish, and narrowly escaped a
serious accident. Having taken one of the
Canadians with me as well as my servant, I
was kneeling down in the bow of the canoe,
where lay a large heap of pieces of birch
bark split into the proper shape for replen-
ishing the light in the cleft pole which over-
hung the water. We went on paddling round
the maro^in of the bav, till I had taken two
or three fish. But, some how or other, just
as we happened to be making across from
one point to another, and were in deep water,

p 2

f316 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

a little bit of the fire fell unluckily among
the magazine of combustibles, and the whole
in a moment was in a blaze, together with
my check linen shirt, for I had on neither
coat nor waistcoat. I soon extinguished the
fire which was destroying my shirt, but not
before my hair and eyebrows were a good
deal singed ; and working on^ by very great
exertion I put out the fire altogether. But
my hand and right arm were blistered, and I
was very near giving up the point, and jump-
ing out of the canoe to swim ashore. The
whole business occupied but a very few
seconds from the time that the fire was
blazing twice as high as my head as I knelt,
till, like an expended Catherine wheel we
were left glimmering in the dark on the
water. The fishing was quite put a stop to
for the evening, and as it was too late to
procure fresh lights instead of those which
had been consumed or spoiled, nothing was
left to do but to paddle home.

June 4th. — I saw two very pretty Indian
damsels busily employed, broiling fish over a

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 317

fire they had made on the margin of the bay.
Each of them carried a gun, and their canoe
was fastened to a large stone. A fish spear
was lying in the canoe, also a large salmon
trout, which apparently had been just taken.
They were gaily dressed, and their cheeks
marked with stripes of red paint as if they
were prepared for some festivity. I proposed
to buy the fish, but they were so unaccount-
ably shy that I could not prevail upon them
to listen to a word I had to say ; nor by sign
or hieroglyphic could I make the least im-
pression. They ran into the forest, leaving
the fish to broil by itself. So I went away,
and left them to their repast. Afterward I
discovered that they were living under the
protection of one of the gentlemen of the
North-west Company, and that, notwithstand-
ing the extreme propriety of conduct for
which I had given them credit, they were in
fact no better than they should be.

After this, I was in the interior of the
forest, and I chanced to sit down. My dog
was with me, but had wandered away, for I

318 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

had not my gun, and took therefore little pains
to restrain him. Presently I heard the sticks
crack close behind me, and thought it was
he, but a moment afterwards saw a large
long-legged wolf, which had passed within a
few feet of me. With his head and tail low,
he was going a lurching, stealthy trot. When
I saw him he had got about ten yards from
me ; he did not look behind him or quicken
his pace, but leaped easily over a fallen tree,
and was immediately out of sight. Had I
my gun with me, instead of my axe, I could
have readily shot him.

June 5th to 15th. — The weather, during
the whole of this period was very like that
of England ; variable, but equally temperate
in the extremes. The voracity of the flies,
however^ was beyond all controul. They
were a very plague. Different sorts were
ushered into existence, and in a few days re-
placed by others; bands of unconquerable
guerrillas, which harassed and tormented
me without mercy. There was a day fly, and
a night fly; for the mosquitoe shouldered

RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS. 319

his arms as soon as the others went to rest,
making up in his weapon, his deficiency in
numbers. So bad, indeed, are the mosqui-
toes, that I have no doubt whatever, that
were a man to be exposed to them for the
space of an hour without his clothes, they
would absolutely sting him t death .

Boat-loads of government stores now ar-
riving, as well as those of the North-west
Company, on the way to Lake Huron, the
margin of the bay began to be a scene of
active bustle. The house of the Canadians,
a member of whose mess my servant had
been long since enrolled, was crowded with
casual lodgers, and it was with difficulty that
I could now keep my own house to myself. I
had been in the habit of doing as much as I
could for myself; and as I lived almost
wholly on fish, I very often cut it into junks
and broiled it with my own hands. Still my
servant had quite enough to do, for he
washed my clothes, baked my bread, cut
birch bark in the woods for lights, went out
fishing, and led a life, not solitary like mine,

320 RESIDENCE IN THE WOODS.

but joyous in the extreme. Too much so,
though his habitual sobriety as yet resisted
the deleterious spirits, called whiskey in the
country, which the new-comers dispensed
amono^ the Canadian labourers. Lonsr after I
retired to rest at night, I now heard bursts of
carousal and jollity, with a regret to think
that in the total change of affairs, my days of
tranquillity so soon had passed away.

321

SUMMER JOURNEY FROM LAKE SIMCOE
TO QUEBEC,

BY THE FALLS OF NIAGARA AND THE
RAPIDS OF THE ST. LAWRENCE.

June 16. — This morning I received letters
from York announcing my liberation, and
conveying to me instructions to proceed thi-
ther on my way to Quebec. The intelligence
gave me great pleasure, and I immediately
commenced active preparations for my de-
parture. Little, indeed, I had to prepare,
and that little was most willingly under-
taken. Mr. F who had returned some

time since, with his wife from York, now
hearing qf my intended movement, came to
me to volunteer to take a paddle in the bat-
teau, to which T acceded. The wife again
remonstrated : however we left her behind ;

and this arrangement Mr. F was, I

found, upon any reasonable excuse, always
ready to agree to.

The man who was the bearer of my letters

p 3

322 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

had received directions to take charge of
some stores which had been forwarded to
Kempenfeldt Bay, and he had brought with
him his wife and a little infant child. They
had slept out-of-doors the night preceding,
where the woman and baby both suffered
severely from the flies. The poor child's
head was indeed miserably swollen, and the
good looks of the mother were entirely de-
stroyed by red knobs all over her face. No
wonder the poor creature was in a peevish
humour, for besides her sufferings, and the
loss of beauty, the most severe trial of all
was disappointment ; as she had been quite
deceived in the accounts of the place to
which her husband had brought her. As I
was to be off in two hours, I gave up my
house with a good grace to her immediately,
but in return she abused every thing in it,
so that I was happy to keep out of her way ;

and more happy still, when, with Mr. F

and one of the Canadians, just before step-
ping into the batteau, I saw, for the last
time, her poor husband at the extremity of

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC. 323

his wits to find argument to satisfy her re-
monstrances, and whip away the flies with a
little green bough at the same time.

It was about four o'clock when we went
on board ; the evening was delightfully fine,
and the little wind that blew was directly in
our favour. We hoisted our small sail,
which became gently distended before I lost
sight of a few honest faces who came to the
water's edge to witness my departure. " Bon
voyage " was more than once repeated, I am
sure, with sincerity, — yet more than once I
was recalled from my musing by the rude
twitch, with which something or other on
which I had heedlessly seated myself, was
jerked from under me.

Such moments of sudden excitement are
invariably succeeded by seriousness ap-
proaching to melancholy, as if the mind stood
convicted of error in having yielded to the
delusion of happiness ; and now, even amid
the eager anticipation of change, aided by
the exertion of active preparation, the colours
of the rainbow were forgotten, while the
shower alone presented itself to the senses.

324 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

New scenes of life were before me, and I
was at that moment commencing a journey,
which would probably finish, before any dis-
tant period, in England. I was leaving a
spot, where, however I might have accom-
modated my habits to circumstances, if I had
suffered no real grievances, I had unques-
tionably enjoyed but few solid comforts.
Variety was before me ; transition from place
to place, from object to object; I was again
to mix in that general intercourse with the
"world, without which the choicest gifts of
Providence are vapid ; and still, in spite of
all this_, it was not without feelings of real
regret, amounting to a depression of spirits,
that the well-known trees and points of land
on each side of the bay, one after another,
receded from my view, and gradually, in suc-
cession, became lost in the distance. Such
is the natural attachment to any spot, how-
ever rude, which can be called home ! All
the difficulties and inconveniences of my life
were in a moment forgotten, and my heart
whispered adieu to each particular object, as
to a friend or acquaintance with whose image

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC. 325

the association of happy hours was intimately
blended. Let those learn, and many there
are who might profit by the lesson, who,
having within their possession home and its
enjoyments, know not how to appreciate the
blessing, that it is possible to fly to the forest
without finding solitude, and that a lonely
uncultivated spot is in itself capable of creat-
ing an interest sufficient to dispose the con-
tented mind to true happiness.

We were soon at the mouth of the bay,
and making a good passage across Lake Sim-
coe. The sun had set, and as we skirted the
shore the fire-flies sparkled in glittering
swarms among the boughs of the trees which
averhung the water's edge. Hitherto I had
not seen any of these insects in the country,
and I thouo'ht them laro;er and more brilliant
than any I had met with in other climates.
The wind, which had been all along very
gentle, now became quite lulled. The men
accordingly took to the paddles, and, keep-
ing in-shore, pulled on at a steady rate ; and
so \ye proceeded smoothly during the silent
hours that passed away, while the whooping

326 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

of the night birds, and the croaking of deep-
mouthed frogs, bore sole testimony to the
existence of animated nature.

June 17th. — As the pale light of morning
gleamed upon the lake, large water-hawks,
the colour of herons, were to be seen upon
their chosen station, and from the craggy-
stump of a decayed tree, watching for their
prey with eyes intently fixed upon the water.
And kingfishers, the size of pigeons, slate-
coloured, with black heads, would plump like
stones in pursuit of the small fish that ap-
peared upon the surface. As the day broke
we approached the mouth of Holland River,
disturbing various sorts of wild fowl as we
passed along the banks, till the ruddy light
of the sun shed a glowing hue upon the
surrounding objects.

It was a fine summer's morning, and I was
regretting that my gun was packed up, al-
though we had very few miles to proceed to
the landing, when a fine mallard, which had
risen out of the reeds, made its flight sud-
denly over our batteau. Terrified at the
unexpected encounter, he turned suddenly,

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC. 327

and at the same instant the report of a gun
sounded close by us. Nothing of life re-
mained as he fell, hurled by the impulse of
his flight, with increased velocity upon the
water ! There was something so unlooked
for in the fate of the bird, that it was really
a subject for reflection; when a canoe, with
two young smart squaws in it, darted past us,
and one of these immediately picked it up.

Thev wore men's hats, of shinino; coarse
felt, and jackets and petticoats, of glossy blue
cloth, ornamented with red serge. And I
immediately recognised my two friends, whom
I had seen a few days before broiling the
fish in the woods at Kempenfeldt Bay.
Their protector, the North-west gentleman,
was I do not know where, while the damsels
were pursuing this roaming life, more me-
morable perhaps on account of its economy
than its morality. Here was an establish-
ment wherein the means of conveyance was
provided, — the poulterer's and fishmonger's
bills paid, and all at the cost of a bark canoe,
a Birmingham gun, and a fish spear. Brick*
dust from the town of Newmarket served

328 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

the purpose of rouge, and sturdy blue cloth
superseded the more flimsy articles of mil-
linery.

The men, who had been paddling all night,
■were jaded and tired, and the squaw who
had killed the mallard, having loaded her
gun, took her seat opposite to her companion ;
and they pulled their canoe along at an
astonishing rate, twisting and turning with
great velocity and skill. They were parti-
cularly diverted at the appearance of our
batteau, which was a heavy unwieldy vessel,
and, being in high spirits and full of mis-
chief, they amused themselves by quizzing
the men ; first passing us like a shot, then
dropping astern and going round us, till, see-
ing some object which attracted their atten-
tion, they left us in eager pursuit towards
the lake_, and we saw them no more.

Having breakfasted at a house on the
banks of the river, I would have hired a
horse, or any sort of conveyance, to enable
me to proceed ; but that was altogether out
of the question : so, leaving my servant with
the Canadian who was to carry my baggage.

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC. 329

I set out on foot, on my way to York. As I
was not averse to walking alone, I went

silently off, while Mr. F and the host

were driving a hard bargain for a pig. The
day became intolerably hot, and at the end
of twenty-five miles I came to a house which
looked so comfortable that I resolved to rest
for the night ; and here, after the rough life
I had been leading, every thing looked par-
ticularly neat and tidy. On the way I picked
up a land tortoise, as it was walking slowly
across the road, not far from the river. Soon
after I arrived, my servant and the Canadian

came in with my baggage, but Mr. F

not having brought his negotiation to a con-
clusion, remained behind.

June 18th. — I walked twenty-two miles,
the remainder of the way to York, along a
wide earthy road, well fenced off on each
side by the American rail fence, but where
traffic and a good even layer of stone were
altogether wanting to bring it towards per-
fection. Although Summer had now re-esta-
blished her reign, a heavy sameness pre-
vailed over the face of the^country, and in

330 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

the short space between the road and the
forest, the naked stumps of trees standing in
the ground gave a desolate appearance to
the fields on either side.

I saw a number of yellow birds^ such as I
had not met with in the woods. The com-
mon English marten is to be seen here, which
builds in hollow trees, and forms its nest of
the minute fibres of roots so strongly ce-
mented together, as to make a compact ves-
sel as tight as a China cup.

June 19th to 27th. — Previously to pro-
^ceeding to Quebec, I proposed to myself to
visit the Falls of Niagara, and having heard
of a vessel about to sail for Fort George, I
engaged a passage on board. Her departure
was postponed from day to day, during
which time my stay was made agreeable by
the kindness and hospitality of Mr. Cruick-
shank, at whose house I resided.

June 28th. — The distance from York, now
Toronto, the capital of Upper Canada, to
Fort George, at the mouth of the Niagara
river, is thirty miles. At six in the evening
I went on boarJ the Jane, a schooner of fifty

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC. 331

tons, and we immediately set sail. There
was so little wind that we were all night on
Lake Ontario, and' the berths in the vessel
were so bad, that, as the night was mild and
fine, 1 preferred lying on the deck in my
clothes, to occupying the best of them.

June 29th. — At nine o'clock in the morn-
ing we arrived at Fort George, when Mr.
Bisset was not only kind enough to invite
me to remain at his house during my stay,
but lent me a horse to ride to the Falls of
Niagara, now sixteen miles distant. No time
was expended in delay, and so soon as I had
breakfasted, my foot was in the stirrup. I
was scarcely out of the town, when I was
surprised and pleased at the totally different
appearance of the country, to that df any
part of North America I had yet visited.
That the road to the Falls of Niagara is one
of considerable traffic, and better, in conse-
quence, than other roads in the country, is
not to be wondered at : but I could really
fancy myself transported to a cultivated
country in Europe, and on the high road to-
wards some opulent city. As I rode parallel

332 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

to the Niagara river, which rolled its course
on the left hand below me, through a rich
ravine, whose elevated banks were covered
with ornamental trees and shrubs, I called
to mind the banks of the Garonne in the
south of France, to which the country bore
a striking resemblance. The rich diversity
of foliage which prevailed on every side,
was a kindly relief to the eye, long over-
whelmed by the prevalence of the dismal
black pine, but now dwelling with grateful
delight on the wild peach, cherry, sassafras,
hiccory, aspen, and sycamore, disposed on
either side of the road in tasteful succession,
and according to the abundant variety of
nature.

The roar of Niagara already was distinctly
audible, and I saw the cloud of vapour,
which, hanging over its verge, like a white
pillar in the heavens, points towards the
chief wonder of the earth !

I rode on till I game to the inn where 1
was to leave my horse, and taking a guide
with me, proceeded on foot. We descended
towards the river, crossing some fields

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC. 333

covered with high dry grass, with a rich bot-
tom of clover and thyme. My guide cau-
tioned me to beware of rattlesnakes, which
he said were numerous just where we were.
None, however, did I see or hear.

On our way towards the Table Rock, we
were less than a mile from the Falls, when a
sight burst upon the view which I was not
prepared to expect — that mighty, rolling
mass of water, which, above the cascade,
rushes onwards, furiously foaming with a
velocity tremendously increased to its verge ;
for the Niagara River, hurried through its
lacerated channel, spreads itself over an in-
clined plane of considerable declivity and
magnificent expanse. For the space of a
mile before it reaches the Falls, islands and
shoals obstruct its course, and black rocks
protrude their rugged summits in defiance of
the surge — monuments to man of an event
which the brief span of his memory has failed
to record, — that jarring shock, when the river
yielding its rived banks to the torrent's force,
first bounded from the verge of the preci-
pice ! When, with impulse instantaneous.

334 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

the stupendous cataract, generated in the
convulsion of conflicting torrents, first thun-
dered into being !

With the strongest anticipation of a spec-
tacle, the very grandest of Nature's vronders,
I was, on my arrival, utterly unprepared for
the splendour of the reality. When I
reached the Table Rock, the volume of tumb-
ling waters, their deafening sound, their un-
ceasing descent, the reverberation of the
mass below, driving to the very skies its
steaming vapour, — all combined to produce
unusual sensations of astonishment and awe.
Chaos seemed before me ! My ears were
confounded ; my sight was dazzled by
whirling eddies, — yet the ever-during liquid
arch preserves from generation to genera-
tion its uniform, palpable figure. Particles,
myriads upon myriads, for the very minutest
portion of a second, remain suspended each in
its place, and there perform each its momen-
tary ordained function in the scale of creation.

Thus is eternity to the human imagina-
tion, wonderfully, infinitely divisible !

Below, and within a very few yards of

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC. 335

the abyss, a heavy stillness pervades the
whole surface of the river for a wide extent,
as if paralysis succeeded the violence of
the shock ; but the milky whiteness of the
water bears ample testimony to the laboured
heavings of the current underneath, which
thence hurries along in an overpowering
stream towards Lake Ontario. At a distance
of five miles from the Falls, the celebrated
whirlpool, attracting the largest floating
bodies within its vortex, holds its unceasing
struggle with the stream, which becomes af-
terwards gradually more and more placid.
At Queen's Town, four miles farther, the
water is still extremely rapid; but after a
short distance, and before it empties itself
into the lake, it glides along in quiescent
and tranquil course ; nor does any unusual
turbid appearance convey the slightest idea
of proximity to the cataract pf Niagara.

June 30th. — As it was now my object to
proceed to Quebec, by the rapids of St.
Lawrence, I engaged a passage in an Ame-
rican schooner of fifty tons, which was
proceeding in ballast to Sodus, a port 120

336 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

miles distant on the American side of tlie
lake, there to take in cargo, and sail forth-
with to Kingston.

July 1st. — I got on board at six o'clock
in the evening, and we immediately weighed
anchor. The berths and accommodation
were uncommonly good. The weather was
mild and temperate, and we had a gentle
favourable breeze.

July 2nd. — At five o'clock in the afternoon
we made the port of Sodus, after an extreme-
ly pleasant passage. Sodus is a neat coun-
try village, situated at the head of a beautiful
bay, which forms an excellent harbour for
small vessels in all weathers. The shores
of the lake are hereabouts remarkably bluff,
and as the eye glances from the craggy sum-
mits of the cliffs along the wide expanse of
waters which wash their base, there is no
feature in the whole prospect which serves to
disting-uish this noble fresh-water lake from
the ocean itself. The short light green wave
reminded me of the Bristol Channel and
other inland seas. Having landed, 1 went
to the Troopville Inn, kept by Captain Wick-

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC. 337

ham, of the United States Militia, and here
I was to remain till the vessel was laden.
An unexpected delay, however, seemed likely
to take place, for on the 4th of July, the
next day but one, was to be celebrated
the festival of American Independence, on
which occasion a country ball was to be held
at Captain Wickham's house, and as a
matter of course, business would stand still.
July 3rd. — The vessel had now nearly
half her cargo on board; and I prevailed upon
the master to lend me his boat, in which,
attended by a couple of stout Yankee sea-
men, I passed the evening in rowing about
in the bay of Sodus. A finer piece of water
can hardly be imagined. The most delicate
shrubs fringed its banks to the water's edge,
and the winding shore broken by creeks and
inlets, furnished store of incessant variety.
We were at one time struggling over shoals
and through reeds, then breaking forth again
into a wide expanse of clear water, where
turtles were to be seen in great numbers,
floating on the surface. These creatures
were extremely wild, always disappearing

Q

338 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

long before we approached them. Their
egg-shells were lying about the sand on the
shore in great quantities.

July 4th. — Captain Wickham, and all his
family were in the greatest possible bustle
the whole of the morning, in making prepa-
rations for their company. In the mean time
I walked out for a few hours over a country,
under a degree of cultivation such as I had
not seen for a long time, and where the
fields_, hedges, and stiles made me almost
fancy I was in England. On my return, the
people of the house, without intending to
be uncivil, were extremely rude; nor could
I prevail upon them to prepare anything for
my dinner. I got a piece of a cold meat
pudding, out of which my predecessors had
made so judicious a selection, that very
little remained but bones and pieces of fat.
However, there was soon something else to
think about, for the people began to arrive,
— young farmers, dressed in coats of glossy
blue cloth, with broad white buttons, and
rosy damsels, in white calendered gowns,
sOmewhat rumpled by having been packed

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC. 339

too closely in their carts or whiskeys. Some
came in these carriages, and others on foot,
till a large room below was quite full, and
they all began to dance.

The fiddler sat on a chair placed upon a
large table, playing country-dances, and
roaring out the figure. There was not an old
person in the room to direct the flock, which
was noisy and riotous beyond measure.

About three o'clock I went down to the
water's edge, where there were a great many
small vessels made fast to the wharf; and, as
they impeded the landing of people from
small boats, those parties which were making
their way to the ball by water, clambered up
and walked on shore over a plank, which
w^as laid down for the purpose. As I was
looking at the people landing in this way one
after another, a tidy little woman, not more
than thirty years of age, and very smart, was
passing the plank, when her foot slipped, and
she fell into the water between the vessel
and the wharf, and I had a great deal of trou-
ble to pull her out, for she was out of her

Q 2

340 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

depth, and I made several snatches at her
without effect. With the first good hold,
however, I succeeded, but not before her
breath was almost gone ; and I supported her
on my knee, to allow the water to run out of
her mouth. At this moment, her little
daughter, half as old as herself, — so much
for early marriages_, — who had just heard of
the accident, came flying across the vessels,
-and seizing her mother by the shoulders^
'^ Mother, mother," said she, '* how came you
■to fall in ?" The poor woman's speech had
^ot returned, and the more she gasped for
breath, the more the little girl persevered in
shaking her, repeating her question with a
froward animation and eagerness, expressive
of the truest affection. In a few minutes,
the woman was quite well, and lamenting
her wet clothes.

About twelve o'clock at night, the party
for the most part broke up, and the company
began to move off, each damsel generally on
her way homewards from the ball under the
chaperonage of her partner. Some of the

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC. 341

young people, however, perhaps because they
were more fatigued, or having farther to go,
lay down in pairs on the floor at the end of
the room, to rest themselves till morning.
Before one o'clock, not less than a dozen of
the young ladies and their gallants were in
this manner recumbent, — and it was all
considered proper. " What Mrs. Grundy
would say " is another matter.

July 5th to 6th. — It was unfortunate that
the gentlemen whose business it was to load
the schooner were among the principal beaux
at the ball the night before, and still more
unlucky, that afterwards, in consequence of
their exertions, they required an entire day
to recover from the fatigue. Consequently
the schooner lay at the wharf the whole of
the morning of the 5th, quite deserted, —
without even a boy in a red night-cap to
answer interrogatories. The festival of In-
dependence comes only once a-year, and
people of all sorts appear to make the most
of it. At last, early on the morning of the
6th, barrels were seen trundling merrily to-
wards the water's edge ; and before three in

342 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

the afternoon, we sailed with a favourable
breeze out of the harbour. Before sunset
we were quite out of sight of land, and to
all appearance as much at sea as if in the
middle of the Atlantic. The master of the
vessel, as night came on, determined to lay-
to until the morning. Had we made the is-
lands called the False Ducks before dark, we
should have stood on for Kingston Harbour.
July 7th. — At daylight we proceeded on
our voyage, and anchored, at nine o'clock in
the morning, at Kingston. I heard that Co-
lonel Phillot of the Royal Artillery was just
about to leave Kingston, in a batteau, for
Montreal, and it was proposed to me to ac-
company him ; an arrangement which suited
me in every way. So, having breakfasted
on shore, we were all in the batteau and
ready to depart before eleven o'clock. Our
batteau was a large flat-bottomed boat,
pointed at both ends alike, and manned en-
tirely by French Canadians The wind was
favourable, and we had a large sail to assist
us ; so that we very soon had an opportunity
of hearing a genuine Canadian boat-song.

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC.

343

In these melodies there is a vast deal more
noise than music, nor of all that I heard
these men sing during the voyage, did any
bear the slightest resemblance to those I had
heard before. The refrein of one of our
boatmen's ditties I happen to recollect. It
is as follows :

iEfeE&S

—W-

^3-

:±

Sommes nous au mi - lieu du bois.

.m — 5- m ■-

-^-

Sommes nous au ri - vage

The above they roared out without mercy, in
full chorus, and one at a time sang each
verse in solo. The subject treated of the
hardihood of the Voyageurs, the troubles
and diflBculties they encounter^ without for-
getting jtheir skill and bravery in surmount-
ing them. We had a pleasant voyage down
this noble river, where the " Thousand
Islands" present a beautifully romantic
prospect of land and water, but wild as if

344 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

a recent deluge liad inundated the country.
We went about thirty miles, and put up for
the night at an inn adjoining the shore.

July 8th. — We proceeded down the river
as far as Prescott.

July 9th. — The rapidity of the stream was
now so considerably increased, that we might
well have expected to encounter the Rapids_,
towards which we were quickly advancing.
At last the roar of the Rapide Plat was dis-
tinctly heard ; a heavy sullen sound like that
of the sea ; the surface of the water, gliding
onwards with extreme velocity, being level
and smooth in the current, though at the same
time full of little eddies and whirlpools.
And so we glanced along till suddenly the
watery precipice of several feet appeared
below us, and then, down at once we pitched
into the Rapid. ''A terre,'' ''A' large;'
was now the cry, as the steersman gave di-
rections to the men to keep the head of the
batteau on or off the land ; and every man
tugged hard, and worked with great anima-
tion, till we were through the rough water
and again in tranquillity. We afterwards

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC. 345

passed the Longue Saiit, through a channel
so full of rocks and shoals that no vessel but
a flat-bottomed boat can possibly live in it.
Now we seemed on the point of being dashed
against the land ; again, snatched away by
some unseen eddy into another direction, we
were twisted through a watery gulf, and car-
ried across a bubbling field of waves and
breakers, till once more in open space the
lessening roar of waters died upon the ear,
and the beauties of the surrounding scenery
burst upon the sight.

As our batteau was shooting along at a
most rapid rate, we came suddenly upon a
point of land where three deer had stepped
down to the water's edge to drink. The
timid creatures stood quite still and looked
at us as we passed within a very few yards
of them, — of so little importance, amid the
noise and crash of torrents, was a boat with
near a dozen men in it !

Although none of the considerable Rapids
can be passed without a severe struggle for
a boat, even one of large size, there is, I
believe, little or no real danger, at least acci-

q3

346 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

dents are seldom heard of. It is an under-
taking which most men might, perhaps,
encounter once in their lives, for the sake of
curiosity, but very few would, I am sure^
repeat the experiment for pleasure. The
scale of things is infinitely large^ and the
expanse of water so great, that cascades,
whirlpools, and bubbling eddies, change
places with each other in the uncontrollable
variety of an obstructed torrent. Although
the line of direction remains always the same,
the effect produced by back currents and the
under stream is so uncertain, that boat after
boat submits, as it were, to the caprice of fate,
and, like feathers in the air, two together can
hardly ever possibly follow the same identi-
cal course. We proceeded this day as far as
Cornwall, where we put up for the night.

July 10th. — Having, under various vicis-
situdes, passed Lake St. Francis, the Coteau
du Lac, and the Cedar Rapids, we were
carried along not only by the rapidity of the
stream, but by the assistance of our sail.
The wind was against us, but had now be-
come favourable ,* at the same time the

LAKE STMCOE TO QUEBEC. 347

gath ering clouds seemed to portend a thunder-
storm. As we had not many miles to proceed
to the town of Cedres, the men pulled hard,
and we made all way possible; meanwhile
the sky grew blacker, till it seemed in the
horizon almost to touch the water, and the
wind, too, increased very considerably. The
tempest was thus hanging on our rear as we
flew before it, and we arrived at Cedres only
just in time to run into the inn before the
first big drops, which were plenteously fall-
ing a few hundred yards behind us, had
overtaken our batteau. It was a severe
storm, and lasted a good while. We took
advantage of the opportunity, however, to
despatch our dinner ; and in about a couple
of hours, the weather having by that time
quite cleared up, although the evening was
advancing, we re-embarked, intending to
pass the night at La Chine. I observed that
the men took a little more time than usual to
arrange themselves in their places ; though
in a little while all seemed right, and we
were drifting with great velocity towards the

348 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

verge of the Cascades' Rapid. Not before
this critical moment, and when it was too late
to stop, we first made the discovery that half
the men were quite drunk, and the steersman
the worst of all the party ; so we were obliged
to snatch the oars from all of them, and do
as well as we could for ourselves. I never
saw a more cowardly set of rascals than the
boatmen. They absolutely cried till they
roared, and were as helpless as a parcel of
children. In the mean time we got into the
middle of the Rapid, which sufficiently ill-
treated us; however, by pulling hard and
holding water, we kept the boat's head right,
and managed to get through at the expense
of a good wetting. But we had wandered
altogether out of our course, and fairly lost
our way upon the river, which now became
extremely wide, and was, moreover, divided
by the intervening land into several chan-
nels : and thus we pulled on at a venture till
it grew quite dark. We then found ourselves
on the opposite bank of the river, and gave
up all hopes of crossing over back again to La

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC. 349

Chine. At last we entered the mouth of the
Chateaugay River, and found out a miser-
able house, where we passed the night in
our clothes, among swarms of mosquitoes,
dirt, and all sorts of untidiness.

July 11th. — Glad enough to leave this
place, we crossed the St. Lawrence and
landed at La Chine before six o'clock in
the morning. Here I got a comfortable
breakfast, and, being within nine miles of
Montreal, I hired a calash to take me
thither, — a high, clumsy-looking buggy, fur-
nished with head, apron, &c., and built ap-
parently with little regard to weight. The
wheels were excessively high, and there was
a small seat in front for the driver, who
rested his legs on the shafts across the horse's
rump. A stout grey cob, nevertheless,
dragged along the ponderous vehicle at a
very good pace, and I arrived at Montreal in
time to take my place in the steamer, or
smoke-boat, as it was then called by the
sailors, which was to move at two o'clock
the next morning for Quebec, — the passen-

350 SUMMER JOURNEY FROM

gers to be all on board at eight o'clock. I
dined at a table d'hote, and went on board.

July 12th to 13th. — We arrived so late at
night at Quebec^ that none of the passengers
went on shore on the 12th ; but on the morn-
ing of the 13th I landed under a very dif-
ferent temperature than prevailed on the day
when I had last crossed the river among the
ice, in the log-canoe. On that day, in the
winter, the thermometer stood at least twelve
or fifteen degrees below zero of Fahrenheit ;
it was now at ninety-five in the shade.

Having obtained a passage for England
on board a transport ship of 200 tons, the
crew of which consisted only of six men and
a boy, we weighed anchor on the 29th ; and,
after tacking about for twenty-four hours in
a fog off the mouth of the St. Lawrence,
among a parcel of other ships, all ringing
bells and beating drums, and after weather-
ing a stiff gale on the Banks of Newfound-
land, we eventually made a good passage,
and reached soundings on the 27th August.
Nevertheless, as it turned out, we were con-

LAKE SIMCOE TO QUEBEC. 351

siderably wrong in our reckoning; for at
daybreak on the 28th the master discovered
the land then in sight to be the island of
Guernsey, although he had previously made
up his mind that it was the Lizard. We lay-
to for the night off Portland light-house, set
sail the next morning, the 29th, and I landed
safely at Portsmouth about noon.

352

CONCLUDING REMARKS ON
EMIGRATION.

To have lived in North America v\^ithout
forming a favourable estimate of the compa-
rative advantages possessed by the poor of
that country with those of our own, is quite
impossible ; nor can it be wondered at, that
the condition of the labouring classes should
be better in a land where the inhabitants
bear an opposite proportion to the cultivated
soil. At the present day, while Nature
points out to the dense population of Europe
an expanse where her surplus numbers may
spread themselves abroad to any degree of
extent, the art of man seems to second her
efforts, by divesting locomotion of its diffi-
culties; and a question obtrudes itself more
and more every day on the mind, on contem-
plating the face of the universal globe, —
why the human race should continue to be

ON EMIGRATION. 353

distributed with such extreme inequality
upon its surface ?

Without presuming to determine on the
expediency of a general system of emigra-
tion, it may not be amiss to urge one or two
brief remarks, founded on local observation,
on some of the objections which at first sight
appear to be arrayed against it. First, as
regards the severity of climate, which does,
in fact, render age, state of family, constitu-
tion, &c., very important considerations to
persons intending to adventure upon the life
of a settler; although, practically, all these
have been extremely over-rated and exagge-
rated. To a traveller^ the difference of tem-
perature, under all the disadvantages to
which he is subjected on his route, such as
being obliged to inhabit houses hastily
raised, huts, &c., and constantly, from his
unsettled habits, ill protected from the wea-
ther ; these circumstances, I say, form no fair
criterion as to the effect of the temperature
on the constitution. It is, in fact, quite as
imreasonable to institute any sort of compa-

354 CONCLUDING REMARKS

rison between the new comer and the settled
inhabitant, as to compare the life of a soldier
in the field with that of a citizen in his
warm dwelling.

Every climate is unhealthy where men are
ill protected from the weather ; on the con-
trary, being well housed and provided with
fuel is more than an equivalent for severity
of cold. To the hardiest animals Nature
assigns the warmest habitations. As to the
human race, in appreciating the value of
warmth, compare the peasantry of England
and Ireland. Why are the poor of the latter
country more robust, although more ill fed,
than our's ? Because the walls of the mud
cabin are impervious to the weather, and its
inmates are well provided with fuel. The
cottage of the English pauper is on the con-
trary a straggling, ill-contrived building; his
fuel scanty, and the consequence, — rheuma-
tism,— the endemic disease of the country.
Taking, therefore, into consideration the
abundance of firewood in the North Ameri-
can colonies, it must appear that the climate

ON EMIGRATION. 355

is a healthy one, and that no experience,
founded on well-conducted experiment, has
hitherto controverted the fact.

But if, on the one hand, too rigid objec-
tions have been urged against the climate,
there is another point towards which per-
haps^ too little attention has been directed ;
namely, the very opposite interests existing
between the emigrant and the colonial land-
owner ; and this, notwithstanding that such
consideration is of very great importance as
to any general system of emigration, if such
were ever to be either actively promoted or
indirectly encouraged. It certainly does
appear, as a general principle, unquestion-
able, that the emigrant should not be in any
way subjected to men who have objects of
their own in locating the country at variance
with his interest. In a country where land
exists to such an unlimited extent, its value
must, of course, almost entirely depend upon
its cultivated or uncultivated state, also upon
its proximity to the already settled parts of
the country ; so that an emigrant cannot
possibly enrich himself by clearing his own

356 CONCLUDING REMARKS

land, without at the same time adding a
value to his neighbour's property, and that
in a proportion of which here we can form
little idea. Upon this principle it is that at
present motives of personal interest have,
to say the least of them, an indirect influence
upon the locating of emigrants in the coun-
try. Some men are encouraged to leave
their own homes, unfitted by age and consti-
tution to endure the change of habits and
climate ; others, for want of sound disinter-
ested advice when they arrive in the country,
meet with difficulty after difficulty, till they
become embarrassed and in debt, and finally
fall victims to misery and misdirected specu-
lation.

To a healthy, but severe climate, none
but the young should venture, — children,
and men and women under five-and-twenty.
In after age, the change of climate is in itself
a trial to the he alth; and as Nature decrees
in vegetative life, so man himself must be
transplanted early, or the experiment will
not thrive. Nevertheless, supposing the
case of an infirm person making the adven-

ON EMIGRATION. 357

ture, it is not impossible but that he may
advance the interests of the colonial land-
owner, in whatever degree he may mar
his own : inasmuch as the land-owner can
always find a way to turn the labour of the
settler to advantage. Sure enough it is, that
so long as one man can be found to sow,
another will appear in due course to reap.

Within the enormous stretch of the Bri-
tish North American colonies, spots eligible
in all respects for the purposes of the emi-
grant everywhere abound — that is, a good
agricultural position_, not too far removed
from the cultivated lands. The growth of
the pine points out the poor land, — that of
the birch, maple, and the harder woods, is
a sufficient indication of the richer soil. But
the first object of the emigrant, surely, is to
reach the place of his future domicile, at as
little expense as possible, both of time and
money. Now if the colonial land-owner
yields to motiv es of self-interest, he will
naturally be led to determine upon a position
for him, be it ever so remote, so long as it is
best calculated to advance his own interest or

358 CONCLUDING REMARKS

that of the particular part of the country
he happens to live in. To this cause, which
does, in fact, prevail in some degree all over
the country, the Fur companies contribute a
considerable share, many persons, in differ-
ent ways interested in their operations, hav-
ing an additional object in locating settlers
in distant points along their thread of settle-
ment, for the protection of the voyageurs and
the encouragement of the trade.

While men emigrate in driblets, unsup-
ported by disinterested advice, and without
the means of establishing themselves inde-
pendently at once on their arrival, there are
many ways by which any speculative land-
jobber may enrich himself at their expense.
Let a case be supposed, for instance. A rich
inhabitant has ten thousand, acres to locate,
and he divides the whole *^ block" into a
hundred lots, of a hundred acres each, out of
which he disposes of eighty lots, reserving to
himself twenty lots, or two thousand acres.
Now, he takes care that these two thousand
acres shall be so intermingled and entangled
with the rest of the land as to present little

ON EMIGRATION. 359

desirable patches, which every tenant, as he
rises in the world, would be desirous to pur-
chase, andthey are accordingly doled out as
required at an exorbitant rate; and thus a
heavy profit is exacted out of the hard labour
of the emigrant, not only to the great detri-
ment of the individual, but the discourage-
ment of emigration in general. Such partial
instances tend directly to bring any thing
like system into disrepute, which never can
have its full force till means are devised to
secure to the settlers themselves that increase
in the value of land which arises out of the
act of location, and in the present state of
things very generally finds its way into the
pockets of the colonial land-owners.

Against this description of persons col-
lectively these trifling and general remarks
are by no means intended to convey to the
public an unfavourable opinion, they being a
set of men, I verily believe, as honourable in
their dealings as others in any part of the
known world ; but we are not to expect too
much of human nature. '' Ships are but
boards, pilots men ;" and people will not

360 CONCLUDING REMARKS

forget their own interests, nor neglect their
lands, their roads, and their bridges, called
upon so often as they must be to become
judges in their own cause, and to determine
the point whether the settler shall mend the
land, or whether the land shall mend the set-
tler. Were a system of emigration once to
be set on foot, which could confine and se-
cure to the parties concerned the enormous
increase in value of the land in the surround-
ins: neiorhbourhood of the locations, it mioht
very probably ere long go alone and help
itself; and I am not sure but that, upon the
principle of extending our parochial esta-
blishments to North America, as far as re-
gards the young and able dependant upon
public bounty, something like a modification
of our present poor-laws, applicable both to
England and Ireland, might be contrived.
In the mean time, whatever future policy on
the subject may direct, there must be always
prejudices to be encountered peculiar to our-
selves as islanders ; for, instead of being
inured by degrees, like our continental neigh-
bours, to visit distant parts, the **cras ingens

N

ON EMIGRATION. 361

iterabimus aequor," appears, as it were, a
constant placard, which, no matter whether
the traps and spring-guns be real or imagi-
nary, equally serves to protract the com-
mencement of enterprise and limit the extent
of an Englishman's peregrination.

But voluntary emigration must be worthy
of some consideration, if only as a means of
disposing of that surplus population which
the temporary pressure of circumstances at
times creates : it may be well to regard it as
the safety-valve in extreme cases, at the pre-
sent moment particularly, as regards the ex-
isting state of Ireland, and before the opera-
tion of the disfranchisement bill can produce
its ultimate effect. My own abstract opinion
can be worth but little ; nevertheless, having
had an opportunity very lately of visiting
almost every county in Ireland, the result of
my reflection is, upon observing the state of
the poor, that there are no people in the
w^orld better calculated for a life in the North
American forests than the Irish peasantry ;
none with less cause to reo:ret the change, —

362 CONCLUDING REMARKS

a change, from the too narrow limits of a
scanty, insufficient farm, for the unbounded
range of space ; none whose buoyancy of
spirits, hardihood, love of enterprise, and
frugality, more eminently qualify them for
the undertaking.

Besides, the disposition of the people has
indisputably evinced of late years a tendency
to emigrate, even enough to have already
acquired sufficient force to be regarded as
a political evil. Irish labourers are in the
habit of flocking every summer to our shores,
in search of work and better wages than they
can earn in their own country. To look a
little deeper into the consequences of this
fact, is it at all unreasonable to come at once
to the ultimate conclusion, that the spirit of
enterprise once stimulated will continue to
advance, and that men, becoming by degrees
habituated to leave their homes and reap the
advantages of employing their labour in dis-
tant parts, will by degrees find objections to
foreign residence gradually diminish, every
year, till in the end the Atlantic becomes no
greater obstacle than the Irish Channel was

ON EMIGRATION. 363

in the beginning? If the emigration of the
Irish to England be not an indication of
advance upon the more distant range of the
North American colonies, it is at least con-
solatory to reflect, that inasmuch as the
necessary provision for an annual expense,
trifling as it may be, must be met by cor-
respondent habits of economy — such habits
being seldom retrogressive — it follows that
such tendency to emigrate in the mean time
mainly contributes to increase the stock of
industry and moral virtue in a country sadly
in w^ant of an exciting cause.

THE END.

William Clowes and Sons, Stamford Street.

V

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THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA UBRARY