76 
FRENCH BLACKSMITH. 
the renewal of my journey, I requested the Captain 
to allow a blacksmith he had on board to shoe my 
horses, and to this he kindly consented, but as a 
scarcity of iron prevailed, some old harpoons and 
lances had to be worked up for this purpose. The 
blacksmith who was a Frenchman, made his shoes 
and nails in so different, and apparently in so much 
more clumsy manner than I was accustomed to, 
that I was almost afraid of letting him put them on, 
and tried hard, but in vain, to get him to imitate the 
English shoe and nail in ordinary use. 
Finding that I was likely to derive no advantage 
from my officious interference, I determined to let 
him have his own way, and was surprised and de- 
lighted to find that he performed his work well 
and skilfully, the only unusual part of the operation 
to me, being the necessity he appeared to be under, of 
always having a man to hold up the leg of the horse 
whilst he put the shoe on, instead of holding the 
foot up himself, as an English blacksmith does ; such 
however, he assured me was the practice always in 
France, and he appeared to think it the best too. 
Having had my horses shod, I got some canvass from 
the Captain, to make bags for carrying my provisions, 
and then giving him a list of stores that I wished to 
take with me, I commenced preparations for leaving 
my hospitable entertainer. Every thing that I wished 
for, was given to me with a kindness and liberality 
beyond what I could have expected ; and it gives 
me unfeigned pleasure, to have it now in my power 
