282 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



a little rough and vulgar to some English readers, I can 

 assure them that they were remarkably quiet and orderly 

 compared with those that often take place on similar 

 occasions in the outlying settlements. 



Mr. Furgesson, of Scottish descent, the pastor who 

 united the happy couple, was, I believe, a Baptist by 

 denomination, and undoubtedly a very good man. Un- 

 fortunately he discovered one or two of my little weak- 

 nesses, and it seemed to afford him pleasure to give me 

 pain thereon. Possibly I was foolishly susceptible ; but 

 the fact is, that confounded drum of the gallant 47th 

 led up to a discussion, in the course of which Mr. 

 Furgesson made such abominable charges against British 

 soldiers and sailors, that I could not help feeling angry 

 at him. I should not mention so puerile a matter if 

 it were not for the fact that the dispute which arose 

 between us ended in Mr. Furgesson claiming a superiority 

 for Americans in everything they did or said, particularly 

 for the purity of the English they speak. " Excuse me, 

 Mr. Fountain," said the reverend gentleman, " but you 

 used the word dark for clurk. ' Clerk,' pronounced ' clark ' 

 means a priestly man. You should say ' clurk ' when you 

 mean a commercial accountant." 



I ventured to think there was so such distinction, 

 and that the word might be pronounced indifferently 

 either way. " Nay ! " replied Mr. F., " I have had a 

 collegiate education, and in that I have the advantage of 

 you. In common with other Britishers I notice that you 

 mis-pronounce many words. Now we have, singularly 

 enough, kept the English language remarkably pure. 

 American-English is the purest in the universe, &c. &c." 



American-English ! I hope it will interest most English- 

 men not acquainted with the States to learn a little of 

 how the Yankees abuse what ought to be their mother- 

 tongue. As I desire to be perfectly fair, I admit, before 

 going farther, that the bulk of Americans, even the negroes, 

 are on the whole better educated than Englishmen. But 



