88 EMIGRATION, OR 



and had brought a patent churn to shew, and of course to 

 sell if he could. It was to be hung up in a room, and put 

 in motion by a string while sitting. He had also a patent 

 keg, with four heads, to contain as many different kinds of 

 liquors. 



April 3. Started again before daylight up the river, and 

 got lost in the marshy mouth of Duck River, where, if 

 variety of notes could charm, we had an excellent chance of 

 being delighted ; and indeed as an expression of natural joy 

 excited by the return of spring, in the animal creation, it 

 must be agreeable to any but a vitiated mind. We rectified 

 our mistake just at daybreak, and continued up the river, 

 with a fine breeze in our favour, by some large islands, 

 some of them entire marshes, whose flaggy grass had just 

 been burned, for the double purpose of getting at the musk 

 rats, and to destroy all the old grass, and allow the young to 

 shoot up for mowing for hay. This is a line old settled 

 country; large orchards, and numerous white houses along 

 the shore, in the French fashion, being first settled by 

 French, and the greater part still held by their descendants. 

 An author has said, &quot; in passing these straits of Detroit, 

 when fruit-trees are in blossom, the prospect is perhaps as 

 delightful as any in the world.&quot; The wind rising, we were 

 wafted rapidly along to Sandwich Harbour, where we landed 

 at the only and unfrequented wharf, eighteen miles from 

 Amherstburgh. Sandwich is pleasantly situated on a fine 

 rise of ground, and apparently a good and moderately dry 

 soil ; but the town, on entering it, excites feelings of disap 

 pointment and disgust. There are some few good houses, 

 surrounded by others that have the appearance of desolation 

 and poverty, occupied apparently by a dilatory, listless set of 

 beings, and such was the miserable state of the taverns, 

 that we could not procure refreshments, or be accom 

 modated with a room at any one of them. We called 

 at a house or two to ask if any butter was wanted, but were 

 not the least disappointed after the above reception, and took 

 to our boat again for the ferry two miles above, and opposite 

 Detroit, where we found two good taverns, with plenty of 

 beer, cider, &c. Detroit, on the opposite bank of the river, 

 which is about three quarters of a mile across, has a very 

 pretty appearance, with the spires and steeples of two 

 or three churches and the capital. Passed over in the 

 ferry-boat ; charge 3%d. A number of good large stores, 



