ISLAND OF ORLEANS. 43 



starting on a sea trip, to spend the first evening on deck) , until the 

 lateness and chilliness of the hour reminded us of our berths below, 

 and descending the narrow stairs or steps of the cabin we sought 

 them and were soon wrapped in slumber in spite of the uncom- 

 fortableness of our contracted and narrow box-beds. 



I will not describe either the ship or the accommodations provided 

 for us while we traversed the St. Lawrence to our destination ; the lat- 

 ter would be too personal a matter, — though it was the best the place 

 afforded, — and the former, hardly differing from the thousand water 

 conveyances, of similar shape and size, too trivial and uninterest- 

 ing to be worth mention here. Four of us, who were together bound 

 for the same place, made the best and freest use of both ship and 

 accommodations, while the sociality usual on shipboard prevailed 

 with great harmony. In so small a vessel we could not but take an 

 interest in all that occurred, and in all the crew, and they, no doubt, 

 took full notice of all we said or did ; while the wonder expressed 

 in their faces whenever I at least met them seemed plainly to say, 

 why are you going to such a place as Labrador? to which mute 

 question I reserved the probable and veracious answer — I hardly 

 know myself, why. Now that we were fully started upon our 

 journey, the chart, the directions for sailing, and what we did and 

 saw occupied our chief attention, and as we pursued our way we 

 studied these diligently. 



In going to Berthier by the steamer we had passed the Island of 

 Orleans, that curious, oval island only three miles outside of Quebec 

 that so nearly fills the river at this point. It lies like an egg in the 

 very centre of the stream with only a narrow pass on either side, and 

 while its length is full eighteen miles, its width is scarcely five. The 

 north shore being rather flat and muddy with more or less rocky out- 

 line, the south shore with its sandy beach and few rocky points pre- 

 sents the best and most used channel for vessels going to and from 

 Quebec. From a central elevation of some three hundred and 

 seventy-five feet the land slopes to the rather steep banks around it. 

 We did not see much of the beautiful gardens and places which are 

 said to occupy the southern slope of the island, neither did we see 



