l-bred but no such a thing as an invitation to
stay in any of their houses." At length a Mr. Stewart opened his doors.
He must, Nairne wrote, be paid tactfully for the accommodation he
furnishes. Things went better when later Miss Mabane, the daughter of a
high official of the Government, kept Christine with her at Quebec all
the winter of 1799-1800; no doubt Christine was pleased when Miss Mabane
would not allow her to go to Murray Bay even for the summer. Her elder
sister, Madie, appears to have been hoydenish and somewhat uncongenial
to a young lady so determined to be "genteel."

In the winter time communication with the outside world was almost
entirely suspended. In case of emergency it was possible indeed to pass
on snow shoes by Cap Tourmente, over which there was still no road, and
so reach Quebec by the north shore. But this was a severe journey to be
undertaken only for grave cause. Partly frozen over, and often with
great floes of ice sweeping up and down with the tide, the river was
dangerous; the south shore, lying so well in sight, was really very
remote. Yet news passed across the river. On February 12th, 1797,
Malcolm Fraser, who was on the south shore, found some means of sending
a letter to Nairne. Anxious to get word in return he planned a signal.
He said that on March 6th he would go to Kamouraska, just opposite
Murray Bay, and build a fire. If Nairne answered by one fire Fraser
would be satisfied that nothing unusual had happened; if two fires were
made he would understand that there was serious news and would wish as
soon as possible to learn details. Signalling across the St. Lawrence
attained a much higher development than is found in Fraser's crude plan.
Philippe Aubert de Gaspe tells how the people on the south shore could
read what had happened on the north shore from Cap Tourmente to Malbaie.
On St. John's eve, December 26th, the season of Christmas festivities,
there was a general illumination. Looking then across the river to a
line of blazing fires the news was easily understood. "At Les
Eboulements eleven adults have died since the autumn, three of whom were
in one house, that of Dufour. All are well at the Tremblays; but at
Bonneau's some one is ill. At Belairs a child is dead,"--and so on. The
key is simple enough. The situation of the fire would indicate the
family to which it related. A fire lighted and kept burning for a long
time meant good news; when a fire burned with a half smoth