e lost distance. The
accommodations on board were wretched and the provisions of inferior
quality. Small-pox and dysentery broke out among the passengers.
Eighteen, most of whom were children, died and were committed to the
deep. The former disease was brought on board by a mother and child,
both of whom lived to an advanced age. Owing to the voyage being
prolonged, the stock of provisions and water became low; the remnant of
food left consisted mostly of salt meat, which, with the scarcity of
water, added greatly to their sufferings. The oatcake, carried by them,
became mouldy, so that much of it was thrown away before they thought
such a long passage was before them; but, fortunately for them, Hugh
Macleod, more prudent than the rest, gathered into a bag these despised
scraps, and during the last few days of the voyage, all were glad to
avail themselves of this refuse food.

At last, all the troubles and dangers of the voyage having been
surmounted, on September 15th, the Hector dropped anchor, opposite where
the town of Pictou now stands. Previous to the arrival of the vessel,
the sparsely inhabited country had been somewhat disturbed by the
Indians. Word had been received that the Hector was on the way to that
region with Highland emigrants. The whites warned the Indians that the
Highlanders were coming--the same men they had seen at the taking of
Quebec. When the Hector appeared, according to the fashion of that time,
her sides were painted in imitation of gunports, which induced the
impression that she was a man-of-war. Though the Highland dress was then
proscribed at home, this emigrant band, carefully preserving and fondly
cherishing the national costume, carried it along with them, and, in
celebration of their arrival, many of the younger men donned themselves
in their kilts, with _Sgian Dubh_ and the claymore. Just as the vessel
dropped anchor, the piper blew up his pipes with might and main, and its
thrilling sounds then first startling the denizens of the endless
forest, caused the Indians to fly in terror, and were not again seen
there for quite an interval. After the terror of the Indians had
subsided, they returned to cultivate the friendship of the Highlanders,
and proved to be of great assistance. From them they learned to make and
use snowshoes, to call moose, and acquired the art of woodcraft. Often
too from them they received provisions. They never gave them any
trouble, and generally showed real kin