FAMILY FROM NEW ENGLAND TRAVELLERS. 235 



the moon I was enabled to cross the river Vermilion by a 

 sort of embankment for changing the direction of the stream 

 for mill purposes, and got under the roof of a New Englander, 

 who had lately come to this part of the country. The family 

 consisted of the old pair, two handsome young women, and a 

 male visitor, whose bed in the garret I shared. Every thing 

 in the house was particularly clean and neat. The manners 

 of the inmates were calm and dignified, a smile never playing 

 on their countenances, or an emphatic sound proceeding from 

 their lips. For tea, bed, and breakfast, the charge of Is. id. 

 sterling, was made. 



Next day I applied for dinner at a house where a poor man 

 was suffering much from sickness, and medical assistance had 

 been called in. The family were about to sit down to a good 

 dinner, of which I partook, paying 6^d. sterling. Night 

 closed on me while in the middle of a prairie, and I felt some 

 apprehension of passing the cottages, which are not easily 

 discovered in a faint light, being almost invariably situated a 

 few yards in the forest, and of the same dark shade. A breeze, 

 highly tainted with the scent of fried pork, led me to expect a 

 house, and to which a light, proceeding from a half-opened 

 door, served to guide me. I found four travellers, the land 

 lord, and his wife, assembled in a poor habitation, lighted by 

 what they termed a string, or piece of twine, dipt in tallow, 

 and which gave a glimmering light, so that we could scarcely 

 distinguish objects. There seemed to be only three tea-cups 

 in the house ; the party had, consequently, to feed by turns, 

 and, being a stranger, I was requested by all to seat myself 

 at the first table, an honour to which my appetite led me to 

 make no serious objection. 



One of the travellers was descended from the original 

 French, a little merry fellow, speaking indifferent English, 

 and two others consisted of an old man and his son, originally 

 from Kentucky. Both of these individuals differed in their 

 language and manners from most of the people I had come in 

 contact with since leaving Canada. The old man spoke a 

 good many words according to negro pronunciation, and 

 both were addicted to swearing. The son, about thirty-five 

 years of age, was one of the best-looking and finest formed men 



