FORT GEORGE 177 



journey to Moose, and intended to be away from 

 home at least six or eight weeks. His wife was 

 surprised, however, to find him returning very soon 

 after his departure. What had happened ? Was 

 he ill ? Had he changed his mind ? No, it was 

 simply that a serious accident had happened, but 

 happily unattended by any loss of life. " I had," 

 he says, " rather a serious mishap when going from 

 Fort George to Moose in my boat. We had got 

 some eighty miles on our way when we were obliged 

 through stress of weather to anchor the vessel 

 on the lee side of an island. We then thought it 

 wise to camp on shore. Shortly after a fearful 

 storm came on and drove the boat from her anchor- 

 age. She finally foundered amidst the heavy seas. 

 We had a small canoe with us on the island, and so 

 when the weather moderated we were able to go to 

 the spot where the boat had sunk. With much 

 difficulty we managed to get her afloat again. Un- 

 fortunately my box was on board containing nearly 

 all my clothes and several of my books. This was 

 shattered by the violence of the waves, and many 

 of the things were lost. Some few, however, were 

 eventually found packed amongst the seaweed and 

 sand. What a mercy that matters were no worse ! 

 How thankful one ought to be that I and all that 

 were with me should have been on shore when the 

 storm came on. Had we been in the boat, not one 

 of us, humanly speaking, could have been saved." 



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