WATER OR WHISKY? 



187 



midst of the forest. One of his cousins, Mr. Laugher Bache, 

 fully shared his Anti-slavery zeal ; and all received him with 

 great cordiality. He had engaged to return to Montreal, to 

 preach three Sundays during Dr. Cordner's absence. On his 

 way he .called at Albany, and spent a few days in Boston, 

 whence he took the Portland route to Canada. His experience 

 on crossing the frontier, after leaving the temperance State of 

 Maine, was not so gratifying as when he had congratulated 

 himself on entering a land of freedom (p. 175) : " At Rich- 

 mond I was disagreeably reminded that I had crossed the 

 barrier, and was very near breaking my teetotal pledge. I had 

 got my bread in my bag for dinner, and wanted some water, of 

 which there was none in the car. ... In the refreshment- 

 room there was an open decanter, containing apparently water, 

 and tumblers by the side. I poured out half a glass, and 

 took a good mouthful with my bread ; and all of a sudden 

 there was a most horrid taste, and intense burning. I suppose 

 it was whisky. At any rate, I rushed out, to the astonishment 

 of beholders, and spat it out with great zeal. How can people 

 torture their stomachs with such abominable stuff? I went 

 back, and asked the old lady what I must pay her for her 

 poison. She professed not to understand me : and I explained, 

 giving her a stiff lecture on leaving her stuff about in such a 

 dangerous way. She did not seem to like to be taken to task 

 in presence of her customers ; while I drew an unfavourable 

 contrast between the State of Maine and Canada. I paid for 

 my lecture with my smallest coin — the same of which ' thirty 

 pieces' have sometimes been presented to United States judges 

 who have sent men back into slavery." 



At Montreal he was the guest of Mr. Archbald; and 

 enjoyed, as before, the great beauty of the neighbourhood. 

 His host took him a walk up the Mountain — the steep hill 

 which rises over the city, on the side of which he afterwards 

 built his home. " The view from the top is very magnificent 

 — the vast plain, the glorious blue St. Lawrence, with its islands 

 beyond the beautiful city, and the fork of the Ottawa running 

 into it. The Carmels and Tabors rise up, each with beautiful 



