LA CHINE. 31 



was consumed, I had chiefly to regret the 

 loss of my only available barometer. The two 

 which I had brought from England had been 

 damaged in the voyage, and could not be re- 

 paired at Montreal ; and the one thus unfor- 

 tunately lost had been most kindly obtained 

 and presented by Mr. Walker, to whom we were 

 under many other obligations. 



As I was compelled to hire a certain num- 

 ber of voyageurs for the expedition, and they 

 are generally an extremely superstitious race, 

 there was reason to apprehend that I might find 

 a difficulty in doing so, if, as was not unlikely, 

 they chose to construe as an evil omen this 

 untoward accident, marking the moment of our 

 departure. I must own, therefore, that it was 

 with some pleasure that, on arriving at La Chine 

 the following morning (April 25th), accompanied 

 by my friend Colonel Macdougall, I found them 

 far too assiduous in their libations to Bacchus, to 

 be subject to any less potent influences. 



Notwithstanding the alarm and confusion of 

 the preceding night, a number of the officers of 

 the garrison, and many of the respectable in- 

 habitants, collected spontaneously together, to 

 offer us a last tribute of kindness. We em- 

 barked amidst the most enthusiastic cheers, and 

 firing of musketry. The two canoes shot rapidly 

 through the smooth waters of the canal, and 



