234 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



sent warlike material up the St Lawrence through 

 our canals into the lakes ; in fact they had once sent 

 a gunboat by that route. It was hoped that similar 

 facility would be allowed to us, and that as long as 

 no armed men violated their territory, no difficulty 

 would be raised to our sending stores of all descrip- 

 tions through the Ste Marie Canal. It was, however, 

 thought advisable to send a steamer, laden only with 

 a purely mercantile cargo, through the canal, as soon 

 as it was open for traffic. One of the steamers that 

 run every summer between Collingwood and Thunder 

 Bay was selected for the purpose, and, when once on 

 Lake Superior, it was intended to keep her there 

 until it was officially ascertained whether the Ameri- 

 cans meant to be obstructive or not. Having even 

 one steamer on that lake would render us indepen- 

 dent, as she could be kept constantly running across, 

 taking men, horses, stores, &c., &c., from the Sault, 

 to which place they could be brought by other vessels 

 from Collingwood, without any possible violation of 

 American territory. This was carried out success- 

 fully. The steamer was allowed to pass through 

 the canal, the United States officials there being 

 rather taken by surprise, and having no instructions 

 on the point; the next steamer which attempted 

 to pass about five days afterwards was stopped, 

 although she had no warlike material on board ; 

 and the American authorities stated that no more 

 British ships, no matter what their cargo might be, 



