286 UP THB NORTH EIVER. 



us go forward, so that we can look out ahead and see the 

 vessels on the water." 



So they rose from their seats and walked through the 

 long upper saloon to the forward part of the steam-boat. 

 This saloon was richly decorated, carpeted, and furnished, 

 and many groups of gentlemen and ladies were seated 

 upon the sofas, and lounges, and comfortable chairs, and 

 parties of children were playing together here and there 

 upon the floor. Along the sides of the room were ranges 

 of doors opening into the different staterooms. Ihe room 

 was very long, and had a very rich and elegant appear- 

 ance, but the whole expression of the interior was entirely 

 different from that of the main cabins of a sea-going steam- 

 er. There every thing is solid, massive, strong, and firmly 

 secured ; here the style was comparatively light, airy, and 

 graceful, and to the eyes of Lawrence and John, accus- 

 tomed, as they were, to the shocks, and concussions, and 

 general rough usage which the Scotia or the Cuba had had 

 to sustain from the billows of the Atlantic, seemed exceed- 

 ingly frail. 



From the forward end of this saloon Lawrence and John 

 passed out through a door to an open part of the deck over 

 the bows, where they had a very fine view of the grand ex- 

 panse of water before them. 



"What a splendid lake!" said John; "and how many 

 steam-boats and vessels !" 



"Yes," replied Lawrence; "isn't it a pity that is all 

 going to be filled up?" 



"Going to be filled up !" repeated John, much surprised; 

 " what are they going to fill it up for?" 



"They are not going to do it. It is the river that 

 will do it," replied Lawrence. " The river will fill it all 

 up, except a winding channel that it will leave through 

 the land that it makes for its own flow. All the rest 



