304 TRAVELS THROUGH NORTH AMERICA i 
ourselves* for the boatman,, although he was 
more anxious to get to St. John’s than any one 
©f us* and though he had himself in some' 
measure induced us to go on* was so sleepy 
that he could not keep his eyes open. Re¬ 
lieving each .other at the helm* we reached 
St. John’s by day-break; one hundred and 
fifty miles distant from Skenesborough. 
Immediately ©n our landing we were con¬ 
ducted to the guard house,, where we had to 
deliver to the serjeant on duty., to be by him 
forwarded to the commanding officer, an ac¬ 
count of our names., occupation* and place ©f 
abode* the strictest orders having been issued 
by the governor not to suffer any Frenchmen 
or other foreigners* or any people who could 
not give an exact account of their business in 
Canada* to enter into the country. 
St. John’s is- a garrison town; it contains 
i 
about fifty miserable wooden dwellings* and 
barracks* in which a whole regiment is gene¬ 
rally quartered. The fortifications are entirely 
out of order* so much so that it would be 
cheaper to erect fresh works than to attempt 
to repair them. There is a king’s dock yard 
here* well stored with timber* at least when 
we saw it; but in the course of the summer* 
after the armed brig which I mentioned was 
laid up* all the timber was sold off. The old 
hulks of several vessels of force were lying 
