4 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



hours prone on the floor, with his head over a basin, 

 making a disgusting beast of himself in the face of 

 the company ! I've lost my self-respect, sir ; and I 

 shall never be able to hold up my head amongst my 

 fellow-men again ! " 



As he finished speaking, he again dropped his 

 head between his hands, and thus did not observe the 

 malicious smile on the purser's face, or notice the sup- 

 pressed laughter of the circle of listeners attracted 

 round him by the violence of his language. 



The young lady of our society — ^for we had but 

 one — was remarkable for her solitary habits and 

 pensive taciturnity. When we arrived at Quebec 

 harbour, a most extraordinary change came over her ; 

 and we watched her in amazement, as she darted 

 restlessly up and down the landing-stage in a state of 

 the greatest agitation, evidently looking for some one 

 who could not be found. In vain she searched, and 

 at last rushed off to the telegraph office in a state of 

 frantic excitement. Later the same day we met her 

 at the hotel, seated by the side of a young gentleman, 

 and as placid as ever. It turned out that she had 

 come over to be married, but her lover had arrived too 

 late to meet her ; he, however, had at last made his 

 appearance, and honourably fulfilled his engagement. 

 A wild Irishman, continually roaring with laughter, a 

 ^^sTorthern American, rabid against "rebels," and 

 twenty others, made up our list of cabin passengers. 

 Out of these we beg to introduce, as Mr. Treemiss, a 

 gentleman going out like om'seh^es, to hunt buffalo on 

 the plains, and equally enthusiastic in his anticipations 



