28 LAKE SUPERIOR. 



knew Prof. Agassiz by reputation, had read the reports of his lectures 

 in the newspapers, and evinced a warm interest in the objects of our 

 excursion. Wherf he found out who the Professor was, he produced 

 a specimen in spirits of the rare gar-pike of Lake Huron, and insisted 

 upon his accepting it, and afterwards sent him various valuable spec- 

 imens. His conversation, eager and discursive, running over Politics, 

 Science and Literature, was that of an intelligent and well-read 

 man, who kept up, by books and newspapers, an acquaintance with 

 the leading topics of the day, but seldom had an opportunity of 

 discussing them with persons similarly interested. He turned out to 

 be an ex-Major in the British army, and he showed us a portrait of 

 himself in full regimentals, remarking with a smile that he had once 

 been noted as the best-dressed man of his regiment. Whilst in the 

 service he had travelled over Europe, seen what was best worth 

 seeing, and become acquainted with the principal modern languages, 

 particularly Italian, which he read here in the wilderness with delight. 

 In company with a friend he had purchased the entire island of St. 

 Joseph's and devoted himself to farming, bringing up his children to 

 support themselves by the sweat of their brow. He said it would be 

 time enough to give them a literary or professional education when 

 they manifested a disposition for it, for he did not approve of the 

 indiscriminate training of all for Avhat comparatively few have 

 any real talent for. He was preparing them, he said, to be 

 American citizens, for he thought the Canadas would form a part 

 of the United States within three years at farthest ; and though he for 

 his part was a loyal subject of her Majesty, and would fight to protect 

 her dominions if it came to that — yet he had no objections to his 

 children being republicans. 



After chatting several hours with the Major, and discussing an 

 excellent white-fish which he placed before us, the wind having 

 meantime moderated, we continued our course. St. Joseph's, 

 according to the Major, forms a triangle, of which the two longest 

 sides measure twelve and twenty miles. The climate he described 

 as temperate, being influenced probably by the great mass of flowing 

 water by which the island is surrounded. His custom was to work 

 throughout the winter in his shirt sleeves ; he did not remember to 

 have seen the thermometer lower than — 10° Fah., and that only for 

 very short periods. The soil excellent, except near the shores. 



