JOURNEY TO GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE 171 



you see something to laugh at in that." The Scotchman 

 had as fine a pah* of black eyes as ever I saw. Baptiste, 

 or whatever our French driver was called, was bleeding 

 like a bullock from the nose; while I, in spite of my 

 efforts to carry it off airily, was soon compelled to sit 

 down and groan. The horses meantime, being used, I 

 suppose, to this sort of thing, lay as quiet as lambs. 



Presently a sleigh came along containing a gentleman 

 and two most charming French ladies, and immediately 

 all was sympathy and condolence. The gentleman, hand- 

 ing the reins to his wife, got out to help us ; the sleigh 

 was pulled out of the hole, the horses set on their feet, 

 and we invited to refresh at the gentleman's farm, which 

 was not more than a mile distant. Here we received 

 such kindly hospitality that we were induced to remain 

 until the third day. By this time we had pulled our- 

 selves together somewhat, though it was a week or two 

 before Finnock ceased to look like a fighting-man who 

 had got the worst of it. So kind was this hospitable 

 farmer, and the dear ladies especially, that I quite 

 regretted having to leave them so hurriedly. 



The country hereabout was as flat as a pancake, 

 though elevated considerably above the river or gulf, 

 which could be seen on our right hand ; and I am much 

 mistaken if it is not the bed of an ancient lake which 

 has eaten through the boundary rocks and emptied itself 

 into the gulf. This flat valley, which is of great extent, 

 is highly fertile, and was thickly strewn with farms and 

 homesteads, being highly cultivated, though there were 

 patches of forest, reminding me of our English woods, 

 left standing here and there. The roads, as a rule, are 

 good through this valley, and the district one of the 

 best peopled I had seen in any part of Canada. We 

 daily passed many sleighs, the inhabitants, at this season, 

 riding about for pleasure ; for all agricultural operations 

 in Canada are suspended while the ground is covered 

 with frozen snow, and the people devote their time to 



