,
as may be inferred from the foregoing incidents. On one occasion, a few
years ago, while sailing on the Toronto bay in his skiff, he was
overtaken by a gale, during which the steeple of Zion Church was blown
down, but, through God's goodness, he reached _terra firma_ in safety.

He frequently sailed his little craft, as he has mentioned, from Port
Ryerse and Port Rowan to his Long Point cottage--a distance of thirteen
and nine miles respectively--and that, too, in all sorts of weather, and
sometimes when much larger boats would not venture outside of the
harbour.

For many years Dr. Ryerson was considered one of the best shots at Long
Point. When over seventy years of age, he killed from seventy to eighty
duck in one day in his punt and with his own gun. In the spring of 1880,
when in his seventy-eighth year, he was overtaken by darkness, and, not
being able to reach his cottage, was compelled to remain all night in
the marsh. Rolling himself up in his blankets, in his boat, he quietly
went to sleep. In the early morning he was rewarded by capturing nine
wild geese.

He crossed Lake Ontario, between Toronto and Port Dalhousie, four times
alone in his skiff (only sixteen feet long), and three times accompanied
by his son. Fear was unknown to him, and he never lost his presence of
mind, even in the most perilous circumstances.

Another favourite recreation of his was riding. He was often seen before
six o'clock in the morning enjoying a canter in the suburbs of Toronto.

* * * * *

Writing to me from Ridgeway in August, 1866, he said:--

To-day I left Toronto in my little skiff for Port Dalhousie. The lake
was as smooth as glass the greater part of the day, and the latter part
of the day there was not a breath of wind, so that I had to row. I got
into Port Dalhousie in the evening. I was at the Queen's Own camp at
Thorold yesterday. I visited a large number of tents, and examined the
whole mode of living, and especially of cooking. It was amusing, among
other cases of the same kind, to see several young gentlemen of Toronto
cooking, and others assisting. I saw them cutting their meat, etc. They
have the reputation of being the best cooks in the battalion. I go to
Port Colborne in the rail cars, and will proceed in my skiff to Port
Ryerse, or rather to Port Dover first. I hope to get there to-morrow. I
went over the battle-ground here last evening.

* * * * *

As many people were curious to know ho