THE MOOSE. 167 



better da)^s. The sole variety to this man's mono- 

 tonous life was the occasional receipt of a copy of 

 the Quebec Journal, containing a few items of news 

 of his native land. He took, however, great pride 

 in showing us, through the frozen panes of his 

 solitary window, a few acres of ground, with about 

 a dozen misshapen huts, which he was pleased to 

 call " Eoyal Village." *' Twelve years ago," said 

 he, " my colony had no existence." 



It was quite dark when we quitted the " King 

 George's Hotel," and it was not easy to find our 

 way ; but, fortunately, both the captain and myself 

 had made up our minds to make the best of every- 

 thing. The road along which we travelled pursued 

 a zig-zag direction down the steep sides of the 

 mountain until it reached the river St. Anne. On 

 our right were the forest trees, clinging to the rock, 

 and covered with long icicles, wliich clinked against 

 each other as we passed ; to the left a precipice, 

 which offered anything but a pleasant prospect. 

 On a sudden, one of our horses fell, and the other, 

 taking fright, jumped over the precipice, and lodged 

 in an enormous cedar tree, which was very fortu- 

 nately placed in a position to receive him. We were 

 in a very awkward position, for, if the tree had given 

 way, over we must have gone ; and I must admit 

 that neither the captain nor myself had any desire to 

 laugh until we saw our way clearly out of the diffi- 

 culty. We managed, after some trouble, to get out 



