218 CHRISTMAS DINNER AT PEMBROKE. 



I was glad, therefore, at St George, to obtain a carriage 

 upon runners, to cross the very hilly country which lies 

 between this place and Chamcook, which I did in safety. 

 At eight in the evening I reached the neighbourhood of 

 St Andrews ; but, instead of entering the town, I drove 

 at once to the ferry, and, wind and tide being favourable, 

 crossed the St Croix to a small inn at Eobinstown in 

 Maine. The passage is two and three-quarter miles at 

 the ferry the channel of the river being about two 

 miles wide. 



Dec. 25. At ten in the morning I was taken up by the 

 Calais and Pembroke stage an open sleigh and drove 

 on runners to the latter place, where I arrived at noon. 

 and found a stage dinner awaiting me of roast-goose 

 and mince-pie a Christmas dinner which brought grate 

 ful remembrances with it so far from home. 



This small town possesses considerable water-power, 

 and, besides its lumber-trade, has a bar-iron and cut-nail 

 manufactory, which employs a considerable number of 

 people. The pig-iron is imported from Pennsylvania, 

 and occasionally from Scotland, and the coal from 

 Pictou, and yet the conversion into bar-iron pays here 

 chiefly, I should suppose, because of its being for the 

 most part worked up into nails on the spot. 



The country thus far into Maine is little better than 

 the poorer parts of St John and Charlotte County in 

 New Brunswick thinly inhabited, unpromising, and 

 cleared only along the roads. 



We were to change stages here, and as I was the only 

 passenger, I asked the new coachman, as soon as I had 

 dined, if he was waiting for me. &quot; I am not waiting 

 for you, nor anybody else,&quot; was the not very civil reply, 

 as I caught it. I made no remark but after lingering 

 about some time longer, and seeing him still in the house 

 apparently waiting, I asked him again if he was ready ? 



He answered, he was waiting for me. It then came 



