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THE LIFE OF PHILIP HENRY GOSSE. 



regarding that important day on which he landed in the 

 new country of his adoption, I find these words and no 

 others : — 



''July 15. — As I this day arrived at Quebec, I pro- 

 " cured some lettuce for my caterpillars, which they ate 

 " greedily." 



The voyage from Harbour Grace to Quebec, a com- 

 paratively short distance on the map, proved an intolerably 

 tedious one, from lack of wind. In the St. Lawrence the 

 strong ebb tide continually carried them back during the 

 night, running down with such force that it was impossible 

 to stem it without a strong breeze up. The only resource 

 was to cast anchor during the ebb and take advantage of 

 the flood tide, which runs upward five hours in every 

 twelve. They suffered from want of fresh food, and it was 

 annoying to their appetites to pass close to little wooded 

 islands stocked with ostentatious rabbits, and have no 

 chance of rabbit-pie. On the nineteenth day they landed 

 for ten minutes on Grosse Island, where the quarantine 

 establishment was, and this was an agreeable refreshment. 

 At length their impatience was rewarded, and they pene- 

 trated to the very heart of that land of promise from which 

 they anticipated so much. They saw it in a golden light, 

 and in these words, which betray his enthusiasm, Philip 

 Gosse described his approach in a letter home : — 



" On Wednesday last, as we were favoured with a fair 

 "wind, we weighed and set sail very early, proceeding 

 " along the fertile and well-cultivated Isle of Orleans, 

 "which, as well as the south bank of the river, was 

 "smiling in luxuriance and loveliness. When we had 

 " passed the end of Orleans we opened the noble 

 " Cataract of Montmorenci, a vast volume of foaming 

 "waters rushing over a cliff of immense height. We 

 " now came in sight of the city of Quebec, which being 



