62 A TKIP TO THE LA VAL. 
graceful roofs and white-washed walls shining in the 
sunlight, produces a picturesque effect. The few English 
families residing there, and their many friends on visit to 
them, made an agreeable society, drawn closer together 
by its seclusion from the world at large ; and bright eyes 
looked brighter when there were none others by. 
The world of L'Anse a I'Eau was collected on the 
wharf to witness our departure — the Canadians because 
they had no better employment, the English that they 
might bid us adieu. Our pilot-boat, called by the Cana- 
dians chaloupe^ an open boat some five-and-twenty feet 
long by seven wide, was crammed full of our numerous 
traps, plunder or baggage, as it would be variously 
styled in different parts of our land of freedom. The 
fishing rods, and one gun, devoted to the destruction of 
bears for lack of smaller game, were carefully stowed ; 
small barrels, at present filled with meat, but destined to 
return filled with fish, lay side by side with baskets full 
of more delicate provender ; tents, bedding and innumer- 
able other articles occupied every inch of room. We 
were experienced in woodsman life, and had no idea of 
suffering the want of luxuries that could be easily car- 
ried with us, and would never trouble us on our 
return, unless they did it in spite of our teeth. There 
were preserved soups, meats and fruits, sauces of many 
kinds, tea and coffee, the latter ground and in bottles of 
essence ; there were brown, white and maple sugars, 
concentrated milk, flour, Indian and oatmeal, barley, rice 
and potatoes ; liquors of many kinds, and other things 
too numerous to mention. For our protection from the 
weather, we had two tents and waterproof cloth suffi- 
