n violent reproach and bitter invective
against him; forgetting that, while their only charge against him was a
little severity in refusing them a few trifling and unnecessary
luxuries, he had saved them from a painful and lingering death.

In a couple of days we arrived at Tadousac the second time, to the no
small astonishment of my brother scribbler residing there. After
reloading our craft, we directed our course once more down the gulf.

This time the wind was also favourable, but, unfortunately, a little too
strong; so we were obliged, in the evening, to come to an anchor in
Esquimain River. This river has good anchorage close to the bank, but
is very deep in the lead, or current; this, however, we did not know at
the time, and seeing a small schooner close to shore, we rounded to a
few fathoms outside of her, and let go our anchor. Whirr! went the
chain--ten! twelve! sixteen! till at last forty fathoms ran out, and
only a little bit remained on board, and still we had no bottom. After
attaching our spare cable to the other one, the anchor at last grounded.
This, however, was a dangerous situation to remain in, as, if the wind
blew strong, we would have to run out to sea, and so much cable would
take a long time to get in; so I ordered my two men, in a very pompous,
despotic way, to heave up the anchor again. But not a bit would it
budge. We all heaved at the windlass; still the obstinate anchor held
fast. Again we gave another heave, and smashed both the handspikes.

In this dilemma I begged assistance from the neighbouring schooner, and
they kindly sent all their men on board with new handspikes; but our
refractory anchor would _not_ let go, and at last it was conjectured
that it had got foul of a rock, and that it was not in the power of
mortal man to move it. Under these pleasant circumstances we went to
bed, in hopes that the falling tide might swing us clear before morning.
This turned out just as we expected--or, rather, a little better--for
next morning, when I went on deck, I found that we were drifting quietly
down the gulf, stern foremost, all the sails snugly tied up, and the
long cable dragging at the bows! Towards evening we arrived at Jeremie,
and I gladly resigned command of the vessel to my first lieutenant.

One afternoon, near the middle of April, I sat sunning myself in the
veranda before the door of the principal house at Isle Jeremie, and
watched the fields of ice, as they floated d