NARRATIVE. 131 



sage, and were so much pleased with the appearance of things, that 

 we resolved to pass the night there rather than at the tavern. 



Aug. 22cZ. — The Lake Simcoe District as it is called, is, it seems, 

 already noted for its fertihty, particularly as a wheat country, 

 although a large part of it is still uncleared. Judging from the 

 growth of timber, the portion on Lake Huron must be at least equal 

 to any of it. Patriotic and enthusiastic Sir Francis Head pronounces 

 it the best land in North America ; but without going so far as this, 

 it may probably approach that of the north-western part of New 

 York. The immediate border of the lake is, as I understand, less 

 fertile ; for this reason, probably, the forest is but sparingly inter- 

 rupted by clearings. The lake is too large, and its shores too low 

 and flat, to be beautiful ; but it is saved from monotony by numbers 

 of wooded islets. Its height above Lake Huron is 152 feet. 



About noon we came to a river-like strait, with wide sedgy shores, 

 which are said to afford capital duck and snipe shooting. Even at 

 this time there were a few ducks. Arriving at Holland Landing, we 

 found the same difficulty about conveyances to St. Albans, and most 

 of us walked thither, three miles, sending our luggage by a wagon. 



The name St. Albans has an old-world sound, and the place 

 itself had an old-world look, for, though a raw kind of village 

 enough, yet there were, I think, five very nice saddlers' shops, a 

 tailor " from London," with a very neat estaMishment, and other 

 signs of a somewhat aristocratic element in the population, probably 

 due to the number of retired British officers who have farms in the 

 neighborhood, and still keep up the equestrian habits, and something 

 of the attention to dress, that distinguish their nation and class. 

 Even the pubhc houses were not " hotels," but " inns." 



After dinner we packed into two stages, which, however, would not 

 contain our effects, so they had to follow after, whereby we were 

 much delayed, and I lost my best Mackinaw blanket, faithful com- 

 panion in the wilderness, purloined from the top of my trunk. 



The road beyond St. Albans is everywhere excellently well built, 

 but the first part of it had been but recently macadamized, which 

 reduced our pace to a walk. The country all the way is very pretty, 

 neat villages and farm-houses increasing in number as we approached 



