460 JOURNEY IN NEW BRUNSWICK AND MAINE. 



groups of people assembled round it, but there no dinner could be ob- 

 tained, because, as the landlord told us, an election was going on. So the 

 basket was had recourse to, and on the green sward we refreshed our- 

 selves with its contents. This done, we returned to the scow, and resumed 

 our stations. As usual in such cases, in every part of the world that I 

 have visited, our second set of horses was worse than the first. However, 

 on we went. To tell you how often the tow-line gave way, would not be 

 more amusing to you than it was annoying to us. Once our coimnander 

 was in consequence plunged into the stream, but after some exertion, he 

 succeeded in regaining his gallant bark, when he consoled himself by 

 giving utterance to a volley of blasphemies, which it would as ill become 

 me to repeat as it would be disagreeable to you to hear. We slept some- 

 where that night ; it does not suit my views of travelling to tell you 

 where. 



Before day returned to smile on the Favourite, we proceeded. Some 

 rapids we came to, when every one, glad to assist her, leaped on shore, 

 and tugged a la cordelle. Some miles farther we passed a curious cata- 

 ract, formed by the waters of the Pokioke. There Sambo led his steeds 

 up the sides of a high bank, when, lo ! the whole party came tumbling 

 down, like so many hogsheads of tobacco rolled from a storehouse to the 

 banks of the Ohio. He at the steering oar hoped " the black rascal" 

 had broken his neck, and congratulated himself in the same breath for 

 the safety of the horses, which presently got on their feet. Sambo, how- 

 ever, alert as an Indian chief, leaped on the naked back of one, and, 

 shewing his teeth, laughed at his master's curses. Shortly after this we 

 found our boat very snugly secured on the top of a rock, midway in the 

 stream, just opposite the mouth of Eel River. 



Next day at noon, none injured, but all chop-fallen, we were landed 

 at Woodstock village, yet in its infancy. After dining there, we pro- 

 cured a cart and an excellent driver, and proceeded along an execrable 

 road towards Houlton in Maine, glad enough, after all our mishaps, at 

 finding ourselves in our own country. But before I bid farewell to the 

 beautiful river of St John, T must tell you, that its navigation seldom ex- 

 ceeds eight months each year, the passage during the rest being performed 

 on the ice, of which we were told that last season there was an unusual 

 quantity, so much, indeed, as to accumulate^ by being jammed at parti- 

 cular spots, to the height of nearly fifty feet above the ordinary level of 

 the river, and that when it broke loose in spring, the crash was awful. 



