Roughing It in the Bush

s stern spirit

ure-so exqui

ur ship cast anchor off Grosse Isle, on the 30th of August 1832,

I had ever seen, and I naturally enough regarded him as a phenomenon. His companion-a fine-looking fair-haired Scotchman-though a little consequential in his manners, looked like one who in his own person co

ess than might be expected in a bear, received his sprucely dressed visitors on the de

han glancing hastily round the place,

at port,

he commonly expunged all the connecting links. Small words, su

general cargo-seventy-two steerage, four cabin passengers-brig

em to the strangers. The Scotchman just glanced

a good pa

eks on Banks-foul weather making Gulf-short of water, p

sickness or d

nd as cr

lisped the lit

tion he replied, "Births? Why, yes; now I think on't, gentlem

alive and well? I should like much to see them." He started up, and knocked his head-for he wa

llows. Step upon deck, Sam Frazer," turning to his steward; "bring them down for doctors to see." Sam vanished, with a knowing wink to his superior, and quickly returned, beari

r, depositing his burden on the floor. "They

ountenance of the Scotch Esculapius, who, angry as he was, wisely held his tongue. Not so the Frenchman; his rage scarcely knew bou

s dog, ven you try to pass y

id the Scotchman, stifling a la

et. The pup yelped; the slut barked and leaped furiously at the offender, and was only kept from biting him by Sam, who could scarcely hold her back for laugh

a Bible was required for the captain to take an o

e a book which I had been reading, which happened to be Voltaire's History of Charles XII., he presented it, with as grave an air as he could assume, to the Frenchman

nking, to repair some damage which their boat had sustained the day before. This the captain could not do. They seemed to think his refusal intent

eat risk in making land-boats heavily laden with women and c

th our orders, we will repo

ind falls off, I'll see to it. Not a life shal

son to be thankful for the firmness displayed by our rough commander. That same evening we saw

earth, after two long months of rocking and rolling at sea. How ardently we anticipate pleasure, which often ends in positive pain! Such was my case when at last indulged in the gratification so eagerly desire

. With the most intense desire to go on shore, I was doomed to look and long and envy every boatful of emigrants that glided past. Nor was this all; the ship was out of provisions, and I was condemned to undergo a rigid fast until the return of the boat, when the captain had promised a supply of fresh butter and bread. The vessel had been nine weeks at sea; the p

appetite, and render the long fast more irksome. I could now fully realise all Mrs. Bowdich's longings for Engli

instant reply. 'Brown bread, if you please, and plenty of it.' I never enjoyed any luxury like it. I was positively ashamed of asking the wait

that charming woman of genius related this little incident i

ublime view, entirely from our sight. As the clouds rolled away from their grey, bald brows, and cast into denser shadow the vast forest belt that girdled them round, they loomed out like mighty giants-Titans of the earth, in all their rugged and awful beauty-a thrill of wonder and delight pervaded my mind. The spectacle fl

s flying from the mast-head, gave an air of life and interest to the whole. Turning to the south side of the St. Lawrence, I was not less struck with its low fertile shores, white houses, and neat churches, whose slender spires and bright tin roofs shone like silver as they caught the first rays of the sun. As far as the eye could reach, a line of white buildings extended along the bank; their background formed by the purple hue of the dense, interminable forest. It was a scene unlike any I had ever beheld, a

of St. Thomas must enjoy," thought I. Perhaps familiarity with t

th neat cottages; and the green slopes that spread around them are covered with flocks and herds. The surface of the splendid river is diversified with islands of every size and shape, some in wood, others partially cleared, and adorned with orchards and white farm-houses. As the early sun streamed upon the most pro

hills and m

un that o'e

lime sheds

ng in the

dance in si

m frowning,

forests, s

h beyond the

n distance

e-awful si

o'er thes

he lapsing o

ep stillness

f desolat

unpeopled f

of life ne'

raise round N

imself with

turn of the boat, which brought my hu

ith which I received these unwelcome tidings, "Never mind, I have news which will comfort you. The officer who commands the station sent a note to me by an orderly, inviting us to spend the af

the lovely island. It looks a p

nd gave me one of his comical looks, but he said nothing

; many things look well at a distan

ore-to put my foot upon the soil of the new world for the first time-I w

I forget the extraordinary spectacle that met our sight the moment we passed the low range of bushes which formed a screen in front of the river. A crowd of many hundred Irish emigrants had been landed during the present and form

ron pots, or could not obtain access to a hole in the rocks, were running to and fro, screaming and scolding in no measured terms. The confusion of Babel was among them. All talkers and no hearers-each shouting and yelling in his or her uncouth dialect, and all accompanying

arians who form the surplus of over-populous European countries, are far behind the wild man in delicacy of feeling or natural courtesy. The people who covered the island appeared perfectly destitute of shame, or even of a sense of common decenc

on board ship had conducted themselves with the greatest propriety, and appeared the most quiet, orderly set of people in the world, no sooner set

Sheltered by some hazel-bushes from the intense heat of the sun, we sat down by the cool, gushing river, out of sight, but, alas! not out of hearing of the noisy, riotous crowd

f our favourite garden shrubs among these wildings of nature: the fillagree, with its narrow, dark glossy-green leaves; the privet, with its mod

ins, thrown upon the water, as they towered to the height of some thousand feet above us, gave to the surface of the river an ebon hue. The sunbeams, dancing through the thick, quivering foliage, fell in stars of gold, or long lines of dazzling brightness, upon the deep black wat

present, but marred by a note from Captain --, who had found that he had been mistaken in his supposed knowledge of us, and politely apol

seen enough of the island; and turning to the good-natured soldier, rema

int-nobody knows them here, and they think they can speak and act as they please; and they are such thieves that they rob one another of the little they possess. The healthy actually run the risk of taking the cholera by robbing the sick. If you have not hired

ame to tell us that the boat was ready. It was a welcome sound. Forcing our way once more through the still squabbling crowd, we gained the landing place. Here we encountered a boat, just landing a fresh cargo of lively savages from the Emerald Isle. One fellow, of gigantic proportions, whose long, tattered great-coat just r

l, Mrs. Moodie, I hope that you have had enough of Grosse Isle.

goon, Mackenzie, running down to the boat and laying her

get

mething confiden

should have thought, Mrs. Mackenzie, that y

drunken body, shaking her head. "One needs a drap

as he pushed the boat from the shore. "Hollo! Sa

said I; "I have been st

ions, and potatoes are here, sir," said

die, we will have a glorious supper, an

oard. Thus ended my first day's exp

LEAVE YOUR

adian

leave your

e's bri

home, and ch

the mai

wide and

our foami

e wave that

er bear

ou in Can

the harv

e lingering

you leav

ar hands, un

an's want

beneath the

ry storms

hades of f

d isle w

hose delic

the wild m

n solitud

es belove

way your l

your nat

ar girl! ere t

erer's fa

purns the s

not be

smile-those

er purp

re one, and

ls thus

to a beautiful plainti