an, which answers tolerably well; but if it had had a creek only the
size of this I am describing, it would have been much better, as the
current is a great help in clearing out the sand and gravel.

On crossing the bar, we found ourselves in a snug little basin,
sufficiently deep for a vessel drawing six or seven feet water. We
landed on a little peninsula, between the lake and the harbour, and
commenced operations for cooking.

After dinner, we paddled through the harbour, and up the river, as far
as we could go, which was only a very short distance, the navigation
being interrupted by a pretty fall of water, which tumbled from ledge
to ledge, like a succession of stone stairs, stretching from bank to
bank across the stream, and forming, as the Americans would say, an
elegant mill-privilege.

Since I left Goderich, a township, called Ashfield, has been laid out
north of the Company's township of Colborne; the principal place of
which is the village of Port Albert--the very spot we went to explore.

What a difference a few years make in a new country like Canada! With
the aid of a compass, or by following the course of some unknown
stream, with much toil and difficulty we make our way back for miles,
through dense forests, swamps, and creeks; scale the rocky precipice,
or launch the light bark-canoe on some far distant lake. We travel the
same route twenty-five years afterwards, and the forests have bowed
their lofty heads--the swamps are drained--the rivers bridged, and the
steamer ploughs the inland wave, where shortly before glided the canoe
of the hunter. Such is no over-coloured picture. I have seen it in my
day realized many a time. The Huron tract, and the county of
Peterborough, are the proofs of my assertion; and various other
settlements I could name, would equally bear me out.

But to return to our expedition--or as I might with greater truth say--
our _pic-nic_, for we did little else than paddle up and down the
creek, ramble about the falls, and eat and drink whenever we felt
inclined. In this manner we spent the first day; till the coming night,
and the distant growl of the thunder, warned us to prepare for our
night-bivouac.

One of our party, Mr. Brewster--the professor, as we generally called
him--from the circumstance of his being a near relation of Sir David
Brewster, the talented author of "Natural Magic," had a small tent-
cloth with him, but not sufficiently large for the whole party. It was