THE ST. JOHN'S RreEB, 225 



descriptions ; so that the crowded state of her cabin soon began 

 to prove rather disagreeable. The boat itself was a mere sgow, 

 commanded by a person of rather uncouth aspect and rude 

 manners. Two sorry nags he had fastened to the end of a long 

 tow-line, on the nearer of which rode a negro youth less than 

 half clad, with a long switch in one hand and the joined bridles 

 in the other, striving with all his might to urge them on at the 

 rate of something more than two miles an hour. How fortunate 

 it is for one to possess a little knowledge of a true traveller ! 

 Following the advice of a good, and somewhat aged one, we had 

 provided ourselves with a large basket, which was not altogether 

 empty when we reached the end of our agreeable excursion. 

 Here and there the shores of the river were beautiful ; the space 

 between it and the undulating hills that bounded the prospect 

 being highly cultivated, while now and then its abrupt and rocky 

 banks assumed a most picturesque appearance. Although it 

 was late in September, the mowers were still engaged in cutting 

 the grass, and the gardens of the farmers showed patches of 

 green peas. The apples were yet green, and the vegetation in 

 general reminded us that we were in a northern latitude. 

 Gradually and slowly we proceeded, until in the afternoon we 

 landed to exchange our jaded horses. We saw a house on an 

 eminence, with groups of people assembled around it, but no 

 dinner could be obtained, 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 ourselves with its contents. 

 This done, we returned to the scow, and resumed our stations. 

 As is 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 ; but to tell you how often the tow-line 

 gave way would not be more amusing to you than it was annoy- 

 ing to us. Once our commander was in consequence plunged 

 into the stream, but after some exertion he succeeded in gaining 

 his gallant bark, when he consoled himself by giving utterance 

 to a volley of blasphemies, which it would ill become me to 

 repeat, as it would be disagreeable to you to hear. We slept 

 somewhere that night ; it does not suit my views to tell you 

 where. Before day returned to smile on the Favourite, we 

 proceeded. Some rapids we came to, when every one, glad to 



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