n tottering before
the doors had, as had their fathers before them, a duck-puddle to wade
in, with a dung-heap "quite convanient" to sun themselves upon in common
with the pigs and fowls, and they were all lisping the Gaelic tongue
with the most unsophisticated ignorance of any other whatever.

On one or two occasions I considered our present journey about to be
concluded by an overturn into the canal, along whose bank we rolled most
critically, as we neared our harbour; we were, however, landed in due
time all safe, and procured a very good supper.

_Friday, 12th._--Left St. John's with a couple of gentlemen in canoe for
Ile aux Nois, there to abide the coming of the steam-boat. The heat was
intense, but our canoe-men were a pair of lusty old lads, Canadians, and
they pulled us up stream merrily at the rate of six miles an hour,
keeping close beneath the trees growing out of the lake, here a narrow
channel merely.

We found Fort Lennox garrisoned by a party of the 32nd regiment, under
the command of Major Swinburne, who was resident here with his family.
The fort is regularly and well built, and the defences are in excellent
order, save that the facing of the ditch, being of wood, is tumbling in
at most points, to the great danger of the foundation. As this place is
considered worthy a garrison, it would be as well that this ditch should
be faced with stone, in a way becoming the other defences, all of which
appear to be built in the best manner, and are in good preservation.

At three o'clock _P.M._ the steamer was announced in sight, and we
hastened to the little wharf where the captain always lands to show his
clearance; a matter of form which is strictly observed.

The inhabitants, at least the civilians, were all assembled on the
wharf, for this arrival was the event of the day. The little group was
composed of two or three officers' ladies, with their families. Amongst
these I noticed one pretty black-eyed English girl, who I fancied looked
after the boat as it left the shore, and was whirled alongside the
steamer, with a mournful glance, wherein I read the word home written as
plainly as I ever read it in a book.

"I wish you were returning to your home, my sweet girl," replied I, in
the same language, "and that I might be your escort; you should be well
and honestly guarded, at all events."

In a moment I was for ever sundered from this object of my
commiseration; yet had my eyes only been as expressive