ig2 



RECREATION 



ception of the storekeeper, could speak a 

 word of English and would only stare 

 when asked a question. Instinctively, I 

 found myself looking around for the good 

 Pere and tailor of Chandere, the whole 

 village seemed so like the one described in 

 Gilbert Parker's "The Right of Way." 



During the afternoon we paddled along 

 under rock walls seventy or eighty feet 

 sheer "from the water's edge. The river 

 here resembles the Hudson, the bright and 

 rugged shores corresponding to the Pali- 

 sades. Our camp that night was just 

 above the town of St. Augustine, thirty 

 miles from Quebec. The tide had receded 

 until the only water in sight was in the 

 channel on the opposite side of the river. 

 While I was cooking supper Brooks called 

 my attention to several objects out on the 

 mud flats; they resembled gigantic cranes 

 as they ran along in a crouching position, 

 stopping frequently and bending over. We 

 were about to organize an expedition for 

 the capture of one of these strange birds, 

 when one of them straightened up and 

 turned out to be a man. They were na- 

 tives from the near-by village tending their 

 eel-pots, of which they had about 500 set 

 in long rows, and a native who visited our 

 camp in the evening gave us to understand 

 that they drove quite a successful trade. 



It began to rain just as we finished our 

 meal, and we were forced to turn in. As 



of himself in the old primitive way, paying 

 no rent, being his own master, moving when 

 he wishes and living a life perfectly care- 

 free. 



We had to wait for the tide next morn- 

 ing and did not get off until after eleven, 

 but when we finally started the wind was 

 in our favor and blowing strong. After 

 five hours' sailing, with nothing to do but 

 steer and enjoy the view, we rounded a 

 curve and came in sight of the famous City 

 of Quebec. It had taken us six days to 

 cover the one hundred and eighty miles 

 from Montreal. 



As we paddled down the river we ob- 

 tained the finest possible view of the town 

 and citadel. Our canoe certainly looked 

 out of place as we drifted under the sides 

 of two British battleships anchored off the 

 city. Below the town, we could find no 

 suitable camping-place, as the outgoing tide 

 had left a strip of mud several hundred 

 feet wide along the shore. We were in a 

 quandary, but finally hit upon the idea of 

 applying to a canal-boat owner. This we 

 did, and were fortunate in finding an oblig- 

 ing fellow who hailed from New Jersey. 

 He had come up with a boatload of iron 

 girders for the new bridge, and was to re- 

 turn in a few days with pulp wood for one 

 of the mills on Lake Champlain. We 

 hoisted our canoe and dunnage on board, 

 and after borrowing a looking-glass re- 



In the Old Primitive Way 



I lay on my cot writing, I could hear the 

 rain coming down in torrents ; but the tent 

 was well pitched and with a good supper 

 inside of me, and the cheerful light of sev- 

 eral candles dispersing the shadows, we 

 were content. 



What sensation can compare with that 

 which steals over the camper as he sits by 

 his campfire with the knowledge of a good 

 day's work completed? He is taking care 



moved with much labor the accumulated 

 hair from our faces, then started out to 

 find a restaurant. After wandering all 

 around the town, we were forced to choose 

 between a grog shop and a hotel. We 

 chose the latter with many doubts as to 

 our reception, as our camping clothes were 

 not all that might be desired ; but our fears 

 were ill-founded and we obtained a very 

 good meal. We then took to the board- 



