158 BRANTFORD. 



water in Canada, and recommend a mixture of spirits as a 

 safeguard, a convenient doctrine for such as delight in stimu 

 lants. Having at every period of my life indulged in the use of 

 cold water when thirsty and taking exercise, I saw no rea 

 son for a change of system while in America, which Mr C 



also followed. In walking- through the Indian Reserve, we 

 &quot;became thirsty, and being unable to discover water, we ap 

 proached the dwelling of an Indian, in the hope of obtaining 

 a supply. A well-dressed interesting young squaw was sitting 

 under a wooden shade, with a deer-skin, the embers of a fire, 

 and cooking apparatus before her, apart from the house, to 

 avoid heating it. 1 asked for a drink, and on observing that 

 she did not comprehend the import of my words, motioned 

 the action of drinking, when she instantly glided into the 

 house, and brought a snow-white bowl, which she presented 

 with water. We made a second application at an Indian 

 habitation, but our eloquence and gestures were unavailing, 

 as the inmates did not seem to wish to afford us relief. My 

 friend now contrasted the soft black eye and benevolent coun 

 tenance of the squaw who supplied water, with the dirty sordid 

 looking creatures who denied it ; and while we were engaged 

 in debating whether the different appearances of the individuals 

 really existed, or arose from our associations connected with 

 them, we suddenly beheld an interesting and extensive view 

 at a bend of the river, lying 200 feet below ; and in the 

 foreground, at a few yards distance, a limpid fount bubbling 

 forth from the hollow trunk of a tree, at which we quenched 

 our thirst. 



In passing from Nellis Settlement to Brantford, two Indian 

 school-houses were observed, and we intended calling on their 



religious instructor, Mr N , who was from home. The 



Indian houses were similar to those on the river below, with 

 glazed windows, verandas for excluding the rays of the sun, 

 and a ladder on the roof for reaching the chimney-top. We 

 several times pulled excellent apples, and passed one tree of 

 remarkable size, loaded with fruit, surrounded by a fence, and 

 its branches supported by props. 



The soil on the banks of the river was generally clay, though 

 in some places sand, and there was a tract of five or six miles 



