THE CRUISE OF THE "HOBO" 



19! 



was a case of keep well covered up or die 

 of the mosquitoes. I have yet to camp in 

 the Barren Grounds, where they tell won- 

 derful and awe-inspiring tales of the insect 

 pests, but if they are any worse than the 

 hordes we encountered in that swamp I 

 shall take sheet armor when I do go. How- 

 ever, the man who can not make the best 

 of such a situation had better not go camp- 

 ing, for if ill-nature be added to his other 

 troubles at such a time there is little hope 

 for him. Here our cots were not so much 

 a luxury as a necessity. 

 " The next morning dawned beautifully, 

 and we pulled out in the wee small hours 

 and waded out to the canoe, which we 

 found half-full of water. Unable to have 

 the consolation of even a cup of hot coffee, 

 we filled up on the remainder of our cold 

 beans and started, determined to get out 

 of the lake, as soon as possible. The scen- 

 ery proved to be very uninteresting in 

 every way. The southern shore, which we 

 followed, was low and fringed with rushes 

 for a quarter of a mile out into the lake, 

 while the water, except in the steamship 

 channel, which follows the north shore, is 

 very shallow. We saw many ducks, but 

 being good sportsmen, refrained from 

 shooting. Made the outlet about twelve, 

 after a paddle of sixteen miles. Here we 

 took a bath from an old dock and then 

 proceeded to cook a good hot meal of 

 cornbread, flap-jacks and coffee, and even 

 went the length of opening our one pre- 

 cious can of soup which we had saved for 

 an emergency. 



The current runs with great swiftness 

 as it leaves the lake, so we had no trouble 

 in passing the city of Three Rivers about 

 four. Camped a mile below the city in a 

 fine grove and spent a comfortable nigbt in 

 strong contrast to the discomforts of the 

 night before. A large passenger steamer 

 came to anchor just off our camp, and we 

 could distinctly hear the music from her 

 cabin. Three, Rivers is half-way between 

 Montreal and Quebec. The ninety miles 

 we had covered in just three days, very 

 good work considering our load; but the 

 current had carried us along, so that pad- 

 dling was easy. 



The following day had a very pleasant 

 surprise in store for us. We started at 

 eight and after paddling three hours came 

 suddenly on the most beautiful view we 

 had seen since leaving Lake Champlain. In 

 place of the low shores the banks were 

 high and wooded, with several small vil- 

 lages in sight on high points, while off to 

 the northeast appeared a low range of hills. 

 Even the water seemed to take on a deeper 

 blue. Here we stopped for lunch. 



On returning from our bath we found 

 the canoe high and dry and knew that we 

 had reached tidewater at last. During the 

 afternoon the canoe was carried along by 



the current and outgoing tide combined, 

 and as we kept to the channel where the 

 water ran the swiftest, made tine time. 

 Some of the large iron buoys which mark 

 the curves of the channel were carried al- 

 most under as the water rushed against 

 them. Upon camping at five we found that 

 we were sixty miles from Quebec. 



The next day the shores continued beau- 

 tiful, and were dotted every mile" or so 

 with pretty little towns. No matter how 

 small the town in this country, there is sure 

 to be a large church with a tall spire, and I 

 became used to the remark from Brooks in 

 the bow, "Another cathedral in sight." At 

 noon I climbed the bank to a farmhouse 

 and asked to buy a loaf of bread. The 

 family could not speak a word of English, 

 and I visited four houses before I finally 

 found a woman who seemed to understand 

 me. She disappeared, returning shortly 

 with a large slice of buttered bread. This 

 was too much. I knew the two weeks of 

 roughing it had not tended to improve my 

 appearance, but I did not expect to be taken 

 for a tramp. Finally I secured what I 

 wanted, but the loaf proved to be about 

 two by four feet, and as it was out of the 

 question to slice it, we had to cut it off in 

 chunks. I found I must learn the French 

 or rather the Canadian jargon for "How 

 much?", and that quickly, or go broke. I 

 offered a handful of change from which to 

 select, but the woman attempted to take 

 it all, and upon being repulsed satisfied 

 herself with the largest coin in sight. 

 Though both Brooks and I had. a smatter- 

 ing of French, we could never make the 

 people understand it any better than our 

 English, and we learned later in Quebec 

 that a Frenchman stood little more chance 

 of being understood. 



After paddling an hour against a strong 

 head wind, with the tide also against us, 

 we decided to land and wait for the ebb. 

 Upon discovering a drove of cows, we so 

 far forgot ourselves as to attempt to ap- 

 propriate some milk without going through 

 the very discouraging formality of a visit 

 to the farmhouse. ^Taking a little salt and 

 a pail, we tried to make- friends with the 

 bossies, but, the menagerie would not stand 

 and the champion of the herd showing un- 

 mistakable signs of fight, we retired in 

 haste. 



We started on the turn of the tide at two 

 an.d made excellent time until five, when 

 we camped. During the afternoon we 

 stopped at a small village to lay in provi- 

 sions, but could obtain nothing but a loaf 

 of bread, the principal store being stocked 

 mainly with candy and crockery. The town 

 consisted of about twenty houses, each one 

 having the appearance of just being taken 

 from a bandbox. Then there was the ever- 

 present cathedral, of a size to rival St. Pat- 

 rick's, in New York. No one, with the ex- 



