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John Ramsay of Kildalton
Diary of a Trip to America


140 Bath Street,
GLASGOW, 3rd May, 1872.

My DEAR SIR,
Some weeks since I sent you a hurried acknowledgment of a letter which I then received from you, in which you requested that I would let you know the general impression which I had formed regarding the condition of the Lewis people who have settled in Canada, on the occasion of my visit to that country in 1870.

When acknowledging your letter I regretted that I had not time to send you a satisfactory reply, and as I have been on the Continent since, and constantly moving about, I am sorry to say I have overlooked your request, and delayed my answer to your inquiry much longer than I intended. I trust you will kindly excuse this apparent neglect.

From some inquiries which I had made previous to my departure for Canada, I learned that the Lewis emigrants were chiefly settled in the eastern townships, while the great body of those who have gone from Islay and other parts of Argyllshire are located in the Province of Ontario, Canada West. Any one acquainted with the West Highlands must be aware that annually, for many years past, a number of persons have emigrated to the Colonies. Some years since the number who went from my own estate was very considerable. In one year, I think, the number from Islay must have been nearly 400.

These removals were entirely voluntary, the impelling or inducing cause in the majority of cases with tenants of land having been that their children could not get farms in their neighbourhood, and they preferred to accompany their families rather than to separate. In many of these cases, however, they had not sufficient means to pay for the passage of the whole family and their relations, and as they wished to remove as a body, I agreed to aid many of them, and in this way have expended a considerable sum. No one, however, can have witnessed the distress which Highland emigrants manifest when they are leaving their homes without being led to consider whether the advantage they derive from emigration is really worth the pain of removal from the land and scenes they love so well.

My own sympathy with their sorrow on such occasions had led me to resolve that I would visit Canada for the purpose of seeing, in their adopted home, as many as I could of those who had for long been my own neighbours in Islay, and that I would, at the same time, take the opportunity of seeing those who had gone from other parts of the Highlands with which I am acquainted.

In my opinion, (if remunerative employment could be had for our population,) their removal is a loss to this country: but irrespective of any question regarding the propriety or impropriety of promoting emigration, my desire was to have an opportunity of judging on the spot whether the removal is really an advantage to the emigrants themselves. With this sole object I started for Quebec in the end of July, 1870.

The first thing which pressed much on my mind after I landed was the great speed, ease, and comfort with which the voyage is now accomplished. I left my own house in Islay on Friday afternoon, and started from Lough Foyle the same evening as a passenger on board the S.S. "Scandinavian," which vessel had about 700 steerage passengers and above 100 cabin, besides a general cargo of goods of all kinds for the American market. On the afternoon of Thursday of the following week we passed the lighthouse in the Straits of Belle Isle, so that I was not more than six days (rather less) between leaving Islay and reaching the American shore. We landed at Quebec on Saturday night, or rather Sunday morning, and the great majority of the passengers went on to Montreal the same day by train on the Grand Trunk Railway. I remained at Quebec for some days. I went on to Montreal during the week, and left on the Saturday on my way to Lennoxville, from which place I started for Stornoway, a distance of 52 miles, rather a tedious journey, as the roads are not good, the rumbling of the Nvaggon over the corduroy of the marshy parts, or the stones on the hilly parts of the way, making it rather disagreeable. The journey occupied more than 12 hours, including a stoppage to dine and to feed the horse at Bury. I stopped also for a few minutes at Lingwick, a small town between Bury and Winslow, to call for the Free Church minister, who is resident there, and Mr. Ross, a native of Ross-shire, who is settled as a storekeeper, and represents the County of Compton in the Assembly for the Province of Quebec. From Mr. Ross, and several settlers with whom I met and conversed on the way, I was pleased to learn that the Lewis emigrants on the whole were getting on very well, and were satisfied they had benefited much by coming to this country.

It is about 14 miles from the Post Office, Stornoway, to the Post Office at Lake Magentic, the road for the greater part of' the way passing through the unbroken primitive forest, there being few clearances by the way. From the greatest height to which one can attain, far as the eye can reach, nothing was visible but the dense dark green foliage of the forest trees (or "bush," as it is called by the Canadians). I walked from the small roadside inn and Post Office kept by your correspondent, John M'Donald (Boston), to the residence of Captain Ramage, on the banks of the lake. A small space has been cleared, and is now under cultivation around this dwelling; and I found a young man working in the gardeii (Donald M'Lean) who had but recently arrived in the country from Grimsay, North Uist. He said that he liked the place, and expected that the other members of his family might get on well. He was engaged for a year to work with Captain Ramage for £25 currency in cash and his board. He had come from Glasgow as a passenger on board the S.S. "Hibernian." The settlers near Lake Magentie are placed at considerable disadvantage owing to their distance from the markets where their produce is sold, and from which they receive such articles as they require. As an illustration of this, I was told in conversation with one of them that a bag of salt, 2 cwts., which can be bought at Lennoxville for a dollar, costs 2 dollars at Lake Magentie, so that the carriage more than doubles the price. Nearly all the settlers in this neighbourhood for many miles have come from Lewis or Uist. I met with none from other parts, and all of them with whom I conversed gave me the same favourable report of the country; and though some of the older men I met expressed their preference for their native land, they all admitted, after some conversation, that they had been in better circumstances shortly after their arrival than they had been at home. I was in some of the houses occupied by settlers. The greater number in this district, or I may say all, are formed of logs rudely dressed and notched together at the four corners, warm enough, but not so susceptible of sub-division nor so neat-looking as the frame house which the settler usually constructs for himself as soon as the log house is so decayed as to render it expedient to erect a new dwelling.

Those who have been long in the district have usually frame houses of two storeys, neatly constructed, tastefully painted, and very comfortable.

On the roadside, between Lingwick and Winslow, I saw one belonging to a farmer named M'Auslan from Lewis, very neat, and I feel assured superior in comfort as well as appearance to the dwelling-house of the best of the Lewis farmers. M'Auslan had, however, been in Canada for 30 years, and the state of his land, as well as the aspect of his dwelling, gave satisfactory evidence that the occupier wa8 in good circumstances. I left the waggon in which I travelled and went into the fields for the purpose of conversing with two young men who were at work cutting a drain in a grass field near the house. They were sons of M'Auslan's, and knew nothing of the condition of those still resident in Lewis, except that from the poverty of the emigrants who had arrived in the district within their knowledge, they concluded that the people must be very badly off. The young men spoke very cheerfully of their circumstances, and told me that their father, although he sometimes expressed a wish to see his early home again, was fully satisfied that he could never have thriven so well had he remained at home. They had a nice-looking dwelling-house, as I have said, a short distance from the public road, and a well kept orchard, fully stocked with fruit trees, occupied near an acre close to the house. About half their land was cleared and under crop or grass, and they had it well stocked with horses and cattle. Many of the young men leave this district in winter and go into the United States, where they readily find employment, and can earn high wages, which they save and return to their own location when the crops require their attention.

When I reached Lingwick I accepted Mr. Ross' invitation to rest at his house for the night. He and his wife were very kind.

* * * * * * *

GREENOCK, 28TH JULY, 1870.—On board the steamer "Islay." Left at seven o'clock evening, the sea being very calm, and the evening very lovely. We had a fine passage to Port-Ellen, where we arrived about ten minutes past two on the following morning; and I left the vessel shortly after she was moored, and, in company with Scott, drove direct to The Cottage, where 1 got to bed before four o'clock and rested till eight; and, having taken a turn about the doors after breakfast, returned to Port- Ellen to be in readiness to leave at twelve noon for Lough Foyle, where I had arranged that I should join the S.S. "Scandinavian," on board of which ship I had engaged my passage to Quebec. The weather was most favourable, the North Channel having been as calm as a mill pond; and, as the "Islay " was ready, and started a few minutes before twelve noon, we reached Innishowen Lighthouse by three, and in a half-hour later were alongside the "Scandinavian," which we found at anchor off Movifle. Shortly after the "Islay" left, I dined on board the" Scandinavian," the captain having previously pointed out my room and the place at table which I should occupy during the voyage. After getting under way, we passed abreast of Innishowen Lighthouse at seven o'clock the same lovely evening, and steamed along the shores of Donegal until the coast near Lough Swilly begins to tend to the south, where the increased distance and the shades of evening caused us to lose sight of land, shortly after which I proceeded to my room to spend my first night on board ship on the outer Atlantic. The ship's log on the voyage was as follows:-

swell was not such as to make me feel uncomfortable; and I was pleased, when evening arrived, to find that I had got over my first day and night with so little to cause suffering or discomfort, and felt thankful for so much.

SUNDAY, 31ST JULY, 1870.—The weather continues calm, comparatively; but the swell is ahead, and greater than it has yet been—a chopping, short swell, which made many on board take to their berths; and the greater number of the ladies never left them. Any breeze we had was from the north-east, and enabled us to carry sail; but the table was thinned when we sat down to meals, many who were not sick preferring to avoid the saloon, and take what they could in their rooms. We breakfast on board at half-past eight; luncheon at noon; dine at four; tea at seven; and get supper at half-past nine in the evening. The food supplied is sufficiently varied; but the bread, on which I depend so much for my daily fare, is neither good in quality nor palatable, and the biscuits tough and disagreeable. It may be that this defect in the quality of the stuff cannot be easily remedied, but I think an attempt ought to be made to have it of better quality; and surely the biscuits for the cabin might he toasted dry and made brittle, instead of being damp and tough. At half-past ten this forenoon we had worship in the chief cabin, the purser reading portions of the English Church Prayer Book, and the Lessons for the day. The attendance was not very numerous; but the swell may have deterred many from joining the service who would otherwise have been present. It was pleasing to observe the hearty way in which the company united in singing the hymns which were selected for opening and closing our meeting, the chief engineer acting as our precentor, and doing the duty very well indeed. I find that the engineer, the captain, and all in charge on board are Scotchmen; and, as usual, are not inclined to think less of themselves or of their fitness for their duties than those of any other nation. Everything I have seen inspires me with confidence in them as trustworthy, respectable men, sensible of the vast responsibility which such a charge imposes on them, involving, as it does, the safety of so many lives, as we have upwards of 700 human beings on board—the cabin being full, and the steerage nearly so with the humbler class of emigrants, besides the officers and crew.

MONDAY, 1ST AUGUST, 1870.—The weather still continued moderate, but we had more wind, and it blew from a quarter which enabled us to carry canvas—the south-west; our course being north-west and by west, or rather N. 53° W. The swell this day was such as to make me feel rather uncomfortable, and put my stomach out of sorts; but I contrived to make my appearance at breakfast and dinner, though I ate sparingly, and had little relish for food, resting most of the day on the sofa in my room. So far as my quarters are concerned, I have every comfort I could desire, and much more than 1 expected ---the captain's room, which I occupy, having been assigned for my own use. It is an apartment about ten feet square, with door and windows opening on to the main or upper deck; having the berth on one side, placed fore and aft, and a sofa across the ship on one side, while a table, heating apparatus, and drawers and presses for my clothes, occupy the other side. It is very comfortable.

TUESDAY, 2ND AUGUST, 1870.—The wind during the night shifted from south-south-west to the north; and, as it rained and blew very hard, none of the passengers could be on deck. I contrived to appear at breakfast with some difficulty; but my stay was brief at table, and I returned to my room, "no very com—fortable ava," as Mr. Brown would have said, had he seen or been with me. The discomfort, however, was all I suffered, as I did not get so bad as to vomit—though possibly, if I had, I might have got sooner relieved. As it was, I made no attempt to revisit the saloon during that day, as the gale rather increased in severity as the day advanced, and my windows had to be closed and the door protected against the ingress of the water which was thrown on deck; as the waves rose high, pouring large sheets of water on deck, which rose over my room, and the spray was passing high over and above the ship's funnel. This was the only day when the state of the weather approached to a storm; but, whether owing to the great length of the vessel and size I know not, but I have often been much more tossed about on the passage from Islay to Glasgow.

WEDNESDAY, 3RD AUGUST, 1870.—The weather this morning, happily, was less stormy, and I ventured to take some breakfast in my room. It got better as the day advanced; and, as the swell abated, I was able, though not very well, to appear at dinner and supper; and the night was so favourable that the swell gave me no discomfort, though the fig which came on caused some anxiety, as I understood we were then getting near the region in which icebergs and floating masses of ice are met with; and these appear to be one of the chief, if not the chief, risk of the navigation between Great Britain and the St. Lawrence ports. My seclusion, owing to the state of the weather and the heavy sea, enabled me during these days to read over Lyell's Visits to America; and the four volumes are all the literary food I have had on the voyage, except Fraser's Report on the Schools of the United States and Canada, the merits of which I hope to test by personal inquiries if I have time and opportunity. I shall try.

THURSDAY, 4TH AUGUST, 1870.—During the past night the only discomfort was caused by the loud screech of the fog whistle, which was frequently sounded as we passed along, the engines being frequently moved very slow, and this was continued during most of the day, those in charge on board being very anxious, as we were now approaching the land, and it was desirable that we should get sight of the shore before dark, as they had got no sight of the sun since we left Derry to enable them to determine our latitude exactly by meridian observation; the sea, however, was calm, and enabled myself and other landsmen to enjoy ourselves with renewed freedom, either on deck or at table, the attendance at which appears to depend very much on the state of the ocean; our progress was not much retarded, however, though we continued to require to run slow at intervals during the day when the fog became so dense as to render this needful. About three in the afternoon, my attention was directed by a fellow-passenger to the first iceberg which had been visible from our ship. The low temperature, which had fallen for two days past, as low as 40, had made the officers of the ship aware that we were near ice, and 1 was much interested in having an opportunity of seeing the huge mass in the distance, some miles south from our course. In form it had a conical appearance, very much resembling Knock Hill or Ailsa Craig, but white as snow itself; and glistening through the fog. We soon, however, lost sight of it as we steamed along, but had not proceeded far when we saw several others on both sides all round the horizon; indeed they, and lesser masses of ice floating past, were seen, as we proceeded on our course. The afternoon happily got rather clearer, and by four o'clock the land became visible, and shortly after we passed the lighthouse on the south point of Belle Isle; when at dinner, between four and five, Captain Ballantyne came and told me that we were passing close to an iceberg, and I went on deck to see it. It appeared to me that it is not easy to exaggerate the risk which vessels incur from ice on this passage; during the afternoon and evening we must have seen 40 or 50 of these moving mountains of ice, on which neither winds nor waves produce any impression, other than the wear at the sea margin, where the wash of the sea cuts into the mass of ice and leaves the super- incumbent mass suspended in the air, until so much below is melted away as to cause the whole berg to turn over, the top getting below, and the under part coming above, the surface of the ocean. A vessel might as well strike against a rocky cliff on the shore as one of these bergs, the dimensions of which are so vast that no ship could survive collision, as the sides are frequently very precipitous, and the edges sharply worn, so sharp that I can conceive that a vessel would be cut much the same as if it were to strike a sharp mass of hardened steel. After dinner I went on to the bridge, and on our course we passed within 300 or 400 yards of a very large berg, in which I could plainly perceive some stones fixed quite near the summit, rendering it probable that what I saw as the top had previously been the under part of the mass, and had so got the stones embedded when in contact with the land; and with the glass I could distinctly perceive that one part was discoloured, or rather covered, with small stones or gravel; in form it had a close resemblance to the east end of Texa Island, the cliff being quite as high, and the mass as great as if the eastern end of the island had floated into the sea. I could also observe that the magnitude of the part under water was much greater than the part above, as one or two clumps, one of them about the size and height of Tarskeir, though apparently separated from the high cliff by the sea, was evidently connected under the surface, as the shallow water, over the space between, clearly revealed the bright mass of pure ice which connected the clumps with the greater mass, and united the whole into one vast ice rock. Many were the guesses made by the passengers as to the height and magnitude; but the nature of the atmosphere at the time had a tendency to make every object in the distance loom larger than the reality, and hence we had conjectures of an altitude of 500 or 600 feet for icebergs at a distance which gradually became less as we got nearer to them, and reduced our estimate of the height to 150 or 200 feet at most. My own impression regarding the one which we approached so closely, was, that it was not more than 120 feet above water at the highest point, and that it was 400 to 500 yards in length. As the evening advanced I was glad to be assured by the officers that we had got beyond the course in which we should meet with ice, either floating or bergs. I was told that one of the ships of this line was lost, and a great number of her passengers, by striking in a heavy sea on a piece of floating ice, so small that it was scarcely visible above the surface of the sea, though the shock was so little felt that many of the passengers on board at the time were not conscious that any such accident had occurred; but it appears that when the ship had once struck the mass, the swell continued to make her bump on it, and it cut her so quickly, in so many parts, that she went down in a few minutes. We saw some small boats fishing off the coast of Labrador, which is rocky and very bare, there being little vegetation, except a low stunted brushwood in some of the valleys, where there are some fishing stations, inhabited by the Esquimaux, and to which, at this season, boats resort from Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island, as well as from Canada. The fishing may be good, but it is truly an ungenial climate, and the poor Esquimaux and French- Canadians need not be envied its occupation.

FRIDAY, 5TH AUGUST, 1870.—This morning we were passing along the gulf, troubled with the fog somewhat, and the decks kept wet with mist and rain, but the sea was smooth, and the ship very agreeable for those who were not good sailors; and happily about mid-day the mist cleared off, and we saw the Island of Anticosti on the north, and gradually as the evening came on the sky got brighter, and the distance clearer, so that the land could be seen, far off the south and west; the captain having pointed out to me the land at Gaspé, when it was upwards of 50 miles distant, and Mr. M'Lean directed my attention to the position of Miramachi, far off to the south-west. I had quite recovered from any derangement which the stormy sea had produced, and was able to enjoy my dinner with a glass of wine, and a salt herring and potatoes for my supper; there was, however, little to r!ote during our progress, as the land was very distant, and we could see nothing on the shore. Anticosti, indeed, can scarcely be said to be inhabited, though there are a few families on the island; but it is covered with brushwood so dense, that Captain Barclay, who acts as shore manager for Messrs. Allan, and had been on the island attending to one of their ships, which was wrecked on the shore, mentioned that he had walked on the top of the bushes into the interior for some distance, but found that there was nothing else to be seen, and, therefore, returned to his quarters on the shore. It appears that some Scotchman has recently bought the whole island for five cents per acre, believing that it may yet be made of value for salmon fishing, and other sport, as there are a great many bears and other animals which may be valuable for their skins. Just before bed we sighted the lighthouse on the island—a flash light—which serves to guide passing ships in the gulf.

SATURDAY, 6TH AUGUST, 1870.—This morning was bright and fine, and quite redeemed the promise which the evening sky had given of fine weather for the day; we were not far from the land on the southern bank of the St. Lawrence, and early in the forenoon were so near that we could easily see the houses of the small farmers on the shore as we passed along—they were not numerous —early in the day, but increased in number as we advanced to the west, while the slope of the land towards the sea gradually became less steep, and the aspect of the coast was very pleasing, the sub-divisions being very small, and reminded me of the slope near Port-Charlotte, on the shores of Lochindaal, the holdings of the French- Canadians looking much like the lots of the Port-Charlotte villagers; the part of the shore which I saw first reminded me of the hills between Dunoon and Toward, the whitewashed houses of the "habitans" giving the appearance, and taking the place of the villas on the Clyde. At breakfast, the captain informed me that we should probably be able to get letters sent ashore in the afternoon, at Father Point, where the St. Lawrence pilot comes on board, and that by doing so the letters would go to Britain by the steamer which had left Quebec in the morning, and so would reach friends at home within little more than a fortnight from the time I had left home. This intimation led me to employ my time in writing to several of those I had left behind, who would care to hear of my safe arrival in Canadian waters, and of my progress so far on my journey; and about three in the afternoon we reached Father Point, took on board a pilot, and sent ashore our mail bag with despatches from all on board who chose to take advantage of this opportunity of communicating with their friends—we also landed one or two passengers who resided in this district of the country. The evening was very fine, though a smoky haze prevented us from seeing the shore distinctly, on the north, indeed, it is only visible when the weather is clear, owing to the width of the river at this point; but as we proceeded westward the coast became distinctly visible on both sides, and about seven or eight we passed the "Prussian" steamer on her way to Derry, with passengers and mails, and which would receive our mail bag on her way eastward, at Father Point. The mouth of the River Saguenay was pointed out on the north, before dark, where it unites with the St. Lawrence; and we passed several small towns on the south coast, the bright tin-covered spires of the numerous churches, and white-washed or painted dwellings of the residents on the coast, giving a bright cheerful aspect to the shore, in the light of the setting sun. Soon after dark I went to bed, and about three or four in the morning the engines came to a final stop as we touched at the landing-place opposite Quebec. I was asked to get up for breakfast before six, but I lay still till near seven, and then took but little, and made ready for the removal of my baggage; it turned out, however, that the first steamer to cross the ferry had left before I was ready, and it was not till half-past ten that I got my luggage past the minute examination of the custom's officers on the quay, and was fairly on my way across the river for Quebec, which I reached in safety, and proceeded direct to the St. Louis Hotel, where, after dressing, I had lunch, and then arranged to visit the cemetery with Mr. Maberly, who had been a passenger on board the "Scandinavian," having come out to join his regiment, "The Rifles," at Montreal. The day was very hot, but I enjoyed the exercise after a week's confinement to the ship, and if the atmosphere had been clear we should have had a fine view of the country as we went along; the distance is more than two miles, and the walk, and our saunter about the Heights of Abraham, and in the cemetery itself, occupied all the afternoon, so that we got back to Quebec just in time to wash and sit down for dinner at half-past six. The company at dinner consisted of Mr. Maberly, Mr. Rogers, Colonel Ready, all three connected with the army; Mr. H. Buchanan, from the Cape of Good Hope, and Mr. Knot, a young man who had come out for a situation in one of the banks in Quebec; and Mr. Prestwick of the Commissariat was invited by one of the party to join us, and we formed a pleasant party, as all the others, except Mr. Prestwick, had been fellow-passengers on the voyage, and had become more or less acquainted on the way. Mr. Buchanan is a cousin of Mr. Thomas Buchanan, of Buchanan, Wilson & Co., who holds Ardbeg Distillery, and I had, in consequence of his telling me this, and that he was a Glasgow man, become more intimate with him than with the others. Mr. John Fleming of Glasgow, whom I had recently seen in London, is married to a sister of Mr. Buchanan's, and he himself is married to a sister of the wife of Colonel Ross, who also was on board the "Scandinavian," and had induced Buchanan to make the voyage, in the hope, that in New York, and also in Canada, he might form some business connections for the sale of fine wool from the Cape, for the purpose of being manufactured in America. At dinner it was agreed that we should make an excursion to see the Falls of Montmorenci on the following day, and I was induced, though with much reluctance, to make one of a party to visit the Saguenay river on Tuesday; Captain Ballantyne of the "Scandinavian" having urged me to do this for the purpose of seeing the fine scenery, which he described as surpassing anything of the kind on the American continent.

MONDAY, 8TH AUGUST, 1870.—This day again was hot, but being rather cloudy it was more pleasant to move about, and having, after breakfast, called to deliver some letters of introduction which I had received from Mr. A. Arthur to his friends in Quebec, but both of whom were at the seaside, I then joined my friends, and about noon, Buchanan and I, with other two, started for the Falls of Montmorenci in a carriage, which carried us there in little more than an hour. I had never previously seen the fall of so great a volume of water over such a high cliff, and this sight I truly regarded as well worthy of the time it took. The rocky precipice, over which the water descends in a mass of foam, is said to be 250 feet high, and the effect produced as one sees it from the perches, which have been made on both sides of the stream, is very imposing; we had all a desire to see it from below, but the distance which one requires to walk is considerable, and as the day was hot, we abandoned this thought, and set off, after getting luncheon in the little inn on the eastern side, for the so-called "natural steps," being the exposed stratification of the laminated limestone rock through which the river has cut for itself a narrow channel for a great distance above the bridge of Montmorenci. We amused ourselves throwing pieces of wood into the stream, and watching the way in which they were tossed about by the rushing mass of water, as it coursed swiftly through the narrow girt below the overhanging rocks on which we stood or ran. We got back to Quebec in good time for dinner, and our wanderings made us willing to retire early to bed.

TUESDAY, 9TH AUGUST, 1870. - The steamer for Saguenay leaves Montreal ostensibly at 8 a.m.; but extreme punctuality it seems is by no means a characteristic of travelling in this region, whether by steamer or rail, and the boat left when ready, and we proceeded down the St. Lawrence, sighting again the Falls of Montniorenci, as we approached the western point of the Island of Orleans, which here divides the river into two branches—one on the north being too shallow for navigation at low water, and the other on the south being open at all times for the largest ships; we coasted along this island, the shore studded with houses and surrounding orchards, which are spoken as excelling in the quality of the plums, which are sent at the season, to the market of Quebec, in large quantities for sale. After passing Orleans the vessel was steered to the north side of the river, which we went along at a short distance from the shore, till we reached the landing-place at Murray Bay, a favourite resort for visitors from the towns and inland districts. There is little to be seen on the northern side, as it is still covered by the unbroken primeval forest, and presents to the view merely an undulating surface of trees and woods, from the margin of the river, far as the eye can reach upward and inland. After leaving Murray Bay, the vessel crosses to the opposite shore, and touches at River du Loup, which is situated some miles further east, and thence crosses again to Ta du Sae, at the entrance to the river Saguenay, where we arrived between seven and eight in the evening. We had remained for an hour at River du Loup, and had a walk for a mile along the road which leads to the town; and on our arrival at Ta du Sae we were informed that the vessel would remain there till probably two o'clock next morning, so that we might land and stroll about before going to bed on board. We occupied our time on shore in walking up to the hotel, and sitting for a time there, seeing some Americans play, what is here the favourite game, of skittles, a good under-cover amusement for a rainy day. After our return to the steamer, we listened to some ladies on board singing and playing the piano as an accompaniment; this instrument being apparently an essential part of the correct furnishing for one of these vessels. We went early to bed, and I got up early after daybreak in the hope of seeing from our cabin some of the grand scenery which I had heard so much lauded as a characteristic of the banks of the Saguenay; but, except that they were clothed with the never-ending forest, they differ nothing in general aspect from the hills elsewhere: the hills forming the banks of the Saguenay, indeed, present little to interest, except at two noted points, where a perpendicular cliff of bare rock rises from the water to a height of perhaps 600 or 700 feet; and as the steamer, in passing, passes so close, that you may toss a penny piece on the shore, they seem to overhang, and produce a most imposing effect. These cliffs are said to be 1,800 feet high, but this I cannot accept, as I think the altitude of the summit cannot exceed 700 feet, so far as the impression on my mind enabled inc to judge; but I was sadly disappointed, and felt annoyed that I had wasted three, or rather four days on such an unsatisfactory trip, for which I have blamed myself very much ever since. When we reached Ha Ha Bay, we remained some hours, when I landed and went into the country a walk of two or three miles alone, as my friends had set off for a drive around the bay, while I preferred to pass to the interior, and to see the lands occupied by the French, who are the only settlers in that district. I saw little to gratify a taste for good farming; but the people themselves appear contented and cheery, much given to amusement and mirth-making in any form they can. Our return to Quebec was by the same course as we came, and I was glad when I landed on the morning of Thursday, and was ready to start for Montreal.

THURSDAY, 11TH AUGUST, 1870.—The steamer from Quebec for Montreal leaves at four o'clock, afternoon, so I dined early at the St. Louis and made my way to the steamer, having previously secured my berth, and transferred my baggage to the Montreal boat. The heat, and my want of rest for the two previous nights, caused me to rest satisfied with merely visiting the citadel and taking mine ease in the inn during the few hours I was on shore, as I returned to the steamer, which starts for Montreal at four o'clock. The haze on the river prevented me from seeing the shore distinctly, but, so far as I could judge, it exactly resembles the banks to the cast of Montreal, except that it is settled on both sides, and small towns or villages are located at various points, where the steamers touch oil their way to and from Montreal and Quebec. These vessels are handsomely fitted up, and are constructed on a very different principle from any engaged in our coasting trade at home, for which, in my opinion, the American mode of construction would not be suitable, as I should not like to be off the Mull of Cantyre in one of these vessels during a stormy winter night, though the master of one of them told me, in conversation, that they would stand any sea; and, as an evidence of the correctness of his opinion, he mentioned that similar vessels ply between the ports on the Atlantic coast of the United States, where the storms must be as severe and the sea as high as on the Brit!sh coast; but I have been told by others that this is not correct, as any such vessel takes refuge in the nearest haven whenever there comes the appearance of a storm. We arrived at Montreal early, and I set out on arrival for the St. Lawrence hall Hotel, where I dressed and breakfasted; but, before I had finished, Mr. H. Allan called to invite me to come and take up quarters at his city residence, and to accompany him next day to his country seat on Lake Memphremagog. Mr. George Stephens, Montreal, also called to invite me to dine with him that day; so I accepted Mr. Stephen's invitation to dinner, and agreed to go with Mr. Allan on Saturday, as I learned, after some conversation, that by doing so I would be so far on my way to the eastern townships where so many of the people of Lewis Highlanders are settled. There was a small pleasant party at Mr. Stephen's; and I was agreeably surprised when the gentleman sitting next to me said, "You are well acquainted with my best friend, John Ridley," and he informed me that he is a brother of Sir Arthur Monk, whom I had met at Warwick, and his sister is married to Captain Orde, the son of Sir John. This incident made me feel at home, and he afterwards told me that he had sold out his commission in the army for the purpose of beginning business in Montreal—in making iron plates, nails, and other articles of iron—in which I was glad to learn subsequently that he is doing well. Mr. Monk wished me to dine with him the following day, but this was not in my power, as I had previously engaged to accompany Mr. Allan to Lake Memphremagog. After breakfast I went off, accompanied by Mr. Allan, to deliver some letters of introduction, and, in particular, to see Mr. W. Chapman, and to deliver the letter which Mr. Morrison had sent for him. I had some conversation with Mr. C. about Canada; but he is little acquainted with, the circumstances of the class whom I had come to see, as he acts as Local Commissioner in Montreal for the Trust and Loan Company, and the poor islanders who have come to Canada are not favourably regarded as applicants for loans. At Messrs. Buchanan, Leckie & Co.'s I met Mr. Hennesy, jun., from Cognac, and received for my use in travelling fifty dollars in Canadian money, so as to save the few sovereigns that I still have for use on my return to Britain, if spared to make a safe return voyage. I wandered about during the day, and dined in the evening at Mr. Stephen's, as already mentioned. The day passing away quickly, and the walking and previous want of sleep, prepared me to enjoy my bed when I got to it about twelve at night.

SATURDAY, 13TH AUGUST, 1870.--I wrote some letters for home after breakfast, and, when finished, Mr. Allan called about one o'clock, and I was ready to go to the rail, on which we started at half-past one. On our way we dined at Richmond, and did not reach Newport Station, in the United States (Vermont), till near nine at night, where Mr. Allan's nice steam yacht was in waiting at the quay to receive us, and a little after ten we landed at his Cottage, the walk from the quay to the house reminding me very much of landing at my own island home; for though the trees here are taller and more numerous, the difference was not so readily discerned as in the clear light of day, and the site of the building, and the entrance to it from the grounds by the verandah, added to the resemblance in the dining-room. After a light supper, we were soon in bed. Miss Allan and Mrs. Wolesley, the wife of Colonel Wolesley, who is now on his way with troops to the Red River settlement, joined us in the yacht at Newport, with two fine boys, sons of Mr. Allan, Miss A. being, as I understand, his eldest unmarried daughter. Miss A., Mrs. W., and the boys had come to meet Mr. Allan; and a Miss Starus, a young, intelligent Canadian, who had come with Mr. Allan from Montreal on a visit to his country seat, and we made a very pleasant little party. I could not but feel that, with a similar small steam yacht, I could make The Cottage more frequently a resort at the end of a week, as Mr. Allan's residence is more distant from Montreal than The Cottage from Glasgow, and the time taken on the journey, which is more than nine hours, would be more than enough to reach The Cottage, via Tarbert, if there were an afternoon boat from Glasgow, or even in fine weather by train to Ardrossau, and thence round the Mull. Reflections of this nature led me to resolve that I should enquire what the vessel cost to build and to work, as Mr. A. uses her every week for several months in summer.

SUNDAY, 14TH AUGUST, 1870.—The quiet of this place was a pleasing contrast to the stir and bustle I have been in for the two Sundays past, and at breakfast I agreed to join Miss Allan, Mrs. W., and the boys in going to church, which is at Georgeville, some miles distant on the shore of the lake, and the yacht is the means of conveyance to and from. We were rather late in starting, and arrived after the service had begun, but in all it was very brief; and I was rather surprised, after the service had been so much curtailed, to hear the clergyman announce that the homily would be preached in the evening, and the congregation was dismissed in about a quarter of an hour, or less, from the time we had entered. There were few present, and it did not seem to be cause for regret that the people should fail to attend on such ministration. I know not whether there be any other minister in the district more zealous and devoted to his work, but if such services are a characteristic of Episcopacy in Canada, I should fain hope that some other denomination may soon be encouraged to establish a place of worship in the district. I passed the afternoon about the grounds and oil lake, and got another quiet night.

MONDAY, 15TH AUGUST, 1870.—The train for Sherbrooke, on my journey to the eastern townships, was expected to leave Newport at one; and we, therefore, got on board the yacht shortly after eleven and proceeded on our voyage, making, however, some deviations from the direct course, from Mr. Allan's desire to give me an opportunity of seeing the various interesting views on the way. We reached about one o'clock, but were no sooner ashore than we learned that there was no train to the north on Mondays till seven in the evening. In these circumstances, Mr. A. thought it best, as I was unwilling to remain till next day, that we should all take luncheon at the hotel, and that I might then accompany them back to his house, and take the steamer which runs between Magog and Newport when passing on her way south the same afternoon. In this way I had ample opportunity for seeing this fine lake, and got to Newport some time before the train reached from the south, by which I got to Lennoxville about nine o'clock, but found that it did not leave there till after a delay of three hours; and this compelled me to try and get a conveyance to carry me on to Sherbrooke, as 1 wished then to learn from Mr. Heniker how I should best reach the Lewis people, and I succeeded in inducing a waggoner, with his team, to drive me along for two dollars; and, notwithstanding the lateness of time hour, I set off as soon as I reached the hotel to see this agent for the British American Land Company, and found him most kind and ready to forward my wishes in any way he could. He asked me to call next morning early, and he would then give me directions how to proceed, and aid me in procuring a conveyance to carry me on my journey. So closed my 55th birth-day.

TUESDAY, 16TH AUGUST, 1870.—I was at Mr. Heniker's by eight o'clock this morning; and as soon as he had finished his breakfast we set off to the livery stablekeeper, who agreed to give me a waggon, and his boy to drive it to Winslow (Stornoway Post Office), and he gave me a letter of introduction to Mr. Noble, a storekeeper there, who, he thought, would give me a horse to carry me to Lake Magentic. As soon as this was arranged I set off with Mr. H. to visit the woollen mill of Sherbrooke, in which he is interested as a partner in connection with Mr. Stephen, Montreal, and some others. I am not so skilled in such machinery as to enable me to judge of the merits of the machines iii use, but the tweeds and other finished cloths which they showed me I thought equal in appearance to any I had seen. This visit over, I set cut on my journey, and a weary day's travel it was, over 52 miles of rough roads, which, including a stoppage of an hour to get our dinner at Bury, about half-way, occupied fully twelve hours, and we did not reach Stornoway till ten o'clock at night. At Bury I met Mr. Noble, on his way to visit a brother who is located in Canada West; and as I explained to him my object, and delivered the letters of introduction which I had received from Mr. Heniker and Mr. Allan, jun., he at once asked me to remain all night at his house, and wrote a letter to Mr. Mackay, his salesman, asking him to give me any aid in his power, and to his daughter, telling her to give me quarters for the night, and in this way we were at once at ease on our arrival at their village. The road, however, did look very long after the night came; and as we could do nothing to avoid the stones and ruts on the road, the jolting of the car was frequently like to throw us out of it altogether as we rumbled over either the corduroy of the marsh or the boulders and holes on the hilly parts. On our way I had met and conversed with several Highlanders; and, among others, when passing Lingwick, I called for the Rev. Mr. ----, the Free Church minister, and for Mr. Ross, a native of Ross-shire, who is settled here as a storekeeper, and is M.P. for the County in the Assembly for the Province. From these gentlemen I learned that I should require to go on next day to Lake Magentic, a distance of fourteen miles from Mr. Noble's, Stornoway; and I was pleased to learn from them, and from the emigrants I had met, that, on the whole, the Lewismen were getting on very well, and were all satisfied they had benefited by coming to this country. I availed myself of Mr. Noble's invitation, and passed the night at his house, and early next day,

WEDNESDAY, 17TH AUGUST, 1870, was on the way to Lake Nagentic, where the body of Lewismeii are located. It is about fourteen miles from 'Winslow to the Post Office and small roadside inn near Lake Magentic, and, after putting up the horse there, and asking that they would provide some dinner for us, to be ready on my return, I walked on to the residence of Captain Ramage, on the banks of the lake. The road between Winslow and Lake Mageutic, for the greater part of the distance, passes through the unbroken forest, there being very few clearances by the way; and from the greatest height to which one can attain by the way, nothing is visible but the dense foliage of the trees (or "bush," as it is called by the Canadians) far as the eye can reach, and the lake itself is surrounded by the same, the only open space being the limited portion which surrounds Captain Ramage's dwelling. Captain R. has been in correspondence with Mrs. Thomas regarding her scheme for sending out emigrants from Harris and Uist; and I saw working in the garden a young man who had arrived from Harris only a few days before, and who had been engaged by the Captain to work for a year for 100 dollars and his board, an amount which, though possibly less than a workman usually receives in this country, is quite as much as a new comer can be worth until he has acquired some experience at the various kinds of work in use in this country, the practice being very different from that of the old country cultivation. I had some conversation with Captain Ramage, who informed me that he had settled here with his family in consequence of his having purchased a large area of land in this district, from which he hoped to derive some minerals, and to sell to advantage as soon as eligible settlers can be had to purchase from him; and, of course, the greater the number that may settle in the district, the better will be the demand for land and the supply of labourers to work it. He mentioned that Mrs. Thomas had sent out some emigrants on condition that they should repay the outlay which she had made on their behalf, and had forwarded to him their acknowledgment of their debt, but that he saw no prospect of recovering any part, though he would gladly do so, as the amount would be expended in sending out more emigrants. My impression is that there is no prospect of any funds being obtained from this source, either for promoting emigration or any other object. Captain R. mentioned that Mr. P. Rintoul of Glasgow, and Mr. Shaw, Emigration Agent, Glasgow, are well acquainted with his position and the circumstances under which he had come to Lake Magentic, and would give all useful information to intending emigrants. He asked me, if I see Mrs. Thomas on my return, to explain to her the improbability of realizing cash. After dinner at John M'Donald's (Boston), I retraced my way to Winslow, and as soon thereafter as we could change horses I left Mr. Noble's, having first given Miss Noble five dollars to buy a book as a memorial of my hurried visit. We reached Lingwick about half-past seven, and found Mr. Ross, who represents the County of Compton in the Provincial Legislature, and he at once kindly got his wife to prepare tea; and while she was so engaged I passed a half-hour in Mr. R.'s shop or store, discussing with several farmers, resident in the neighbourhood, the circumstances of the Lewis people who are settled in this an4 the adjoining townships. Some of the party were Lewismen; and I was pleased to note that, while desirous to uphold the reputation of Lewis, they frankly and fully recognized the superior advantages which the Lewis people had derived from coming to Canada. Some of them, indeed, appear to have forgotten the characteristics of the climate and soil of Lewis, and spoke of it in terms of commendation as an agricultural country, but they did recognise that the fertile land around Lingwick is superior in quality to the most of Lewis. I passed the evening pleasantly with Mr. Ross, talking about the country, its occupiers, and the school system of the Province. Mr. Ross is a native of Ross-shire, and has been long in the country, and is very highly respected by all his neighbours. He has always extended a helping hand readily to poor settlers, and has not so strictly enforced his claims against them as others have usually done; but he expressed the regret that the poor from his native county frequently manifest a desire to lean on any one who gives them aid rather than to make an effort to obtain independence by their own exertions; and for this reason, he is very anxious that some settlers should he induced to come to the eastern townships from parts of Scotland where the system of agriculture is better than the western districts of Ross-shire, and who might, by a better practical example of skill and industry, stimulate the Highlanders to further improvement, as too many of them are ready to rest satisfied as soon as they have attained to a comfortable subsistence, and live on in the log house rather than labour more to get a better dwelling, or otherwise to add to their wealth.

THURSDAY, 18TH AUGUST, 1870.—After an early breakfast with Mr. Ross, I left Lingwick and proceeded to Sherbrooke, resting at Cookstown for an hour in order to feed the pony. While sitting at the door under the verandah of the inn, a young man came forward and spoke to me, telling me he had passed me in his "buggie" on the previous day when I was on my way to Lake Magentic, as he had then been on his journey from Magentic to this place with his sister, who had been engaged to serve as housemaid in the inn here. She is to receive five dollars per month. I found the young man very intelligent, and sensible of the advantages he and his brothers and sisters had gained by leaving Lewis, though he admitted that for some years after coming out the old folks had wished they were back again. The young men from this district often go to various parts of the United States during the seasons of the year when they can best be spared from their own farms, and they then get employment at high wages, and, after working for some time, return again to their home with the money they have earned. He, however, expressed a doubt how far such a system was prudent, as he felt that their labour on their own land was as necessary and likely to yield a greater profit than any wages they could possibly earn. We reached Sherbrooke in time not only to enable me to join the afternoon train for Montreal, but to call for Mr. Heniker and get my dinner at the inn. I wished to thank Mr. H. for his kindness, which had been of service in facilitating my access to the Lewis people in the eastern townships. I reached the St. Lawrence Hall Hotel about nine in the evening, and was glad to get quickly to bed after the long journeying and little rest of the past few days.

FRIDAY, 10TH AUGUST, 1870.—I had little to do in Montreal. After breakfast I went and called for Buchanan, Leckie & Co., and got my letters and a further supply of cash for my journey westward. Called also for Mr. Allan and Mr. Chapman, with whom I left a message for Mr. Monk, saying I should be glad to dine with him the same evening at his club, which I did, and enjoyed myself very much. lie seems a fine young fellow, and I trust he may be very successful in the business he has entered on. During the day I delivered some letters of introduction which I had received from Mr. Leitch, Mr. Campbell of Tullichewan, and Mr. Fox, and wandered about to see the public buildings and the town itself, which seems thriving and extensive. From the terrace near Mr. Hugh Allan's town residence I got a good view; but the best I had of the town was from the top of a warehouse occupied by Mr. --, who was a passenger on board the "Scandinavian." Mr. Allan's house is said to have cost above £15,000. It looks like a greater sum, as the whole is of hewn stone, parts of it ornate, and the rooms are very large—one of them, a saloon or hail for evening parties, being about 70 feet long, and wide and high-roofed in proportion—_while the parts I saw of it appeared to be richly furnished. It was Mr. A. who said the house, furnished, cost £15,000. I had intended to go to Lacbiite on leaving Montreal, and thence to Ottowa; but I was told that I should not do so at the time, as a fire, which was then burning over a great area not far from Ottowa, had so filled the atmosphere with dense smoke and ashes, as to make it difficult and even dangerous to travel. The smoke was so dense as to have led to the shutting of the navigation of the rivers, and I was thus shut off from seeing either the rapids of the St. Lawrence or inquiring as to any memorials of my father at Lachute.

SATURDAY, 20TH AUGUST, 1870.—Left Montreal by 9 a.m., per rail, for Toronto, which I reached in little more than twelve hours, and got to the Rossin House Hotel in time to go to bed by ten o'clock, or little past it. In railway travelling one gets but an imperfect view of the country; but from what I did see I thought there was little to describe, the land on both sides for the whole journey being but partially cleared from the original forest, so that the alternate succession of a cleared cultivated space and then woodland is the unvarying feature of the scenery as you pass along.

SUNDAY, 21ST AUGUST, 1870.—Fatigued by the journey and previous want of sleep I was not early astir, but contrived to get well washed and breakfasted in time to go to church for the morning service. I can say little for the sermon, but the preacher was not the minister of the church in which I worshipped; but, as I learned from Mr. Stalker, who had been a passenger on the "Scandinavian," and who spoke to me as I came out, was there for the day only as a substitute for the gentleman who is in the charge. I found Colonel Ready, who had also been on the "Scandinavian," was staying at the Rossin House, and I had some agreeable conversation with him in the evening.

MONDAY, 22ND AUGUST, 1870.—During the day I delivered my letters of introduction, and, among others, that from Mr. Tait to the Hon. George Brown, with whom I had some conversation regarding Highland emigrants, and received from him an invitation to take up my quarters at his house on my return to Toronto. I called also for Mr. Laidlaw, who had offered, on board the "Scandinavian," to aid me in procuring information as to the best mode of travelling, so as to accomplish my object of Reeing the greatest number of Islay settlers with the least loss of time. There was no lack of will to help, but none of the gentlemen I knew had any personal knowledge of either the settlers or the districts in which they are located; and, in these circumstances, I thought my best course was to take the first conveyance for Beaverton, where I might meet some of my old neighbours, or at any rate be near them. On inquiry I was told that I could leave Toronto at 4 p.m., and reach Beaverton the same evening by steamer from Belle Ewart, across Lake Simcoe. On getting this information I resolved to set off the same afternoon, and by little after four I was on my way to Belle Ewart on the cars of the Northern Railway. On reaching the station, however, I learned that there would be no steamer for Beaverton that night, but that I could go by one which was about to start for Orillia; this, however, I declined, and proceeded with my bag to a small inn near the station, and engaged to get my supper and bed there, and to start at ten next morning. While my supper was being prepared, as it was not dusk, I walked down to the quay on the bank of the lake to make some inquiries about the steamer "Emily May," by which I was to get to Beaverton next day. The first person I addressed was the person who was superintending the work that was going on alongside the vessel; and, after some questions as to the sailing and arrival of the vessel, I inquired whether he was a Scotchman, which being answered, I asked where from, when he replied from Islay, and I soon learned that he was now mate on board the "Emily May," his name James Jamieson, and that he was formerly servant with the late Alexander M'Dougall, Ardbeg, whom he tended and took care of for some years. I learned from James that he receives 35 dollars a month (with his food and room) for his services as mate oil board the steamer, and that he lives at home during the winter when the navigation of the lake is closed, employed in chopping and preparing the land for receiving the seed in spring— having acquired 200 acres of land, which is all paid, and of which he has about 45 acres cleared and under cultivation or grass, with two yoke of oxen, three horses, five cows, and twelve sheep. He had about 20 acres this year under crop, all of which is now well secured, and was of good quality. He is married to a daughter of Alexander M'Leau (who went from Eskinish about 30 years since), and has a family of three boys and one girl, the eldest being nine years of age. Charles, a brother of .James, who is married to a sister of John M'Millan, is working at Arthurlie, a place not far from Orillia, where he receives good wages as engineer at a saw-mill. Charles is getting on well, and has acquired some land. James expressed himself as being highly pleased with Canada, and thinks he never could have attained to the same independent position if he had remained at home. After coming out, as soon as he had earned some money, he remitted enough to carry out his father and mother, who are both since dead. His parents were not desirous to come; and James, when he sent home the money to pay their passage, had said that if they were unwilling to come he would return and remain with them, but his brother, who was anxious to get to Canada, concealed this part of the letter from the old folks, so that they all went out, and the old man, after getting settled there, told James that he was very much pleased they had come. James thinks it an excellent country for any intelligent sober working-man who is willing to work and turn his hand to anything which he can find to do.

TUESDAY, 23RD AUGUST, 1870.—This morning was dull, and a cloud of fog or Scotch mist covered the lake and prevented me from seeing anything in the neighbourhood of Belle Ewart; but we started from the quay on the arrival of the railway train from Toronto, and proceeded across Lake Simcoe to Beaverton. The fog, however, by the time we left the quay, had become a dense drizzling rain, so that we saw no land, and the drizzle increased to heavy rain before, and when we reached Beaverton, which was not till near one o'clock. I had some conversation with James Jamieson on the passage, and learned from him that there are a great many Islay men in and near Beaverton; and he mentioned that Duncan M'Nab, the son of Andrew M'Nab from Ballyhatrican, keeps an inn, The Revere House, in the town, and that I was sure to see others of the Islay people there. ,James spoke in very strong terms of the advantages which working-men have in Canada, as compared with Islay, in bettering their position and acquiring independence, and especially of those who have a family being able to get the whole employed at good wages or settled on land in their own neighbourhood, and alluded to his own circumstances as good evidence that he never could have been so well off, had he remained at home. The heavy rain and mist prevented me from seeing anything of the scenery on the lake, and I was pleased when we approached the landing at Beaverton and got safely ashore in the heavy rain which was falling at the time. I entered, by James Livingston's advice, the omnibus from the Hamilton House Hotel, which was in waiting, and proceeded to the village, at a distance of less than a mile from the quay. After engaging my room, I wandered forth to see the place, under shelter of my umbrella, and very soon saw The Revere House, owned by M'Nab, at a short distance on the opposite side of the street. I entered to inquire for the landlord, and happened to address M'Nab himself, as I met him at the bar. He received me very kindly, and, after introducing me to his wife, I was invited to go upstairs to a private room, and that he would let the Islay people know of my arrival. I was only a few minutes seated listening to M'Nab's report of his own position and that of his family, and the way in which he had been employed since he came. His first work was on board a steamer on Lake Ontario, where, by attention and intelligence, he soon rose to the command of a vessel plying on Lakes Ontario and Superior. He saved part of his wages while a working hand; and when he got to be captain he received 150 dollars a month, and saved more, and thus soon acquired wealth sufficient to enable him to buy and pay for 200 acres of land, and for the house he now occupies as The Revere House Hotel, which is now worth much more than when he bought it; and when I spoke to him of the undesirable nature of his present employment, especially with reference to the upbringing of his family, he told me that he has in view to sell the house and turn to some other occupation. He spoke very strongly of the advantage which emigration to Canada had been to, himself and to all his father's family, and assured me that this was the feeling universally prevailing among the people from Islay; and that although the old people sometimes express a preference for home, they as frequently express a grateful feeling for the incident in their lot which constrained them to come to this country. Before he had finished the interesting narrative of the doings of himself and family, he observed some men working at a waggon in front of his house, and went down to tell them of my arrival. The first who came in was Peter M'Cuaig, a nephew of Archibald M'Nab, Kintra. Peter attended school in Port-Ellen while residing at Kintra, and afterwards was working for me, under Mr. Scott, at Port-Ellen. He inquired very kindly for his relatives, and for Mr. Scott and Mr. Ross, to both of whom he expressed a sense of his obligation. He came out in 1857, and is now settled in the township of Thorah, on the banks of Lake Simcoe, and began his career by working for wages, having soon after purchased 50 acres of land, which is now mostly cleared, and he has it well stocked with a pair of good horses and some cows and calves. Since he bought the farm he has married Anne Carmichael, whose parents were from Lurabus, and has a son six months old. He said he is much pleased that he came to Canada, and is satisfied with the progress he has made. My next visitor was a son of Duncan Graham, who, with his wife and three of a family, came out from Ballyhatrican in 1863, and came direct to Lindsay per railway. James Graham, the youngest son, my informant, having obtained immediate employment with a cousin, who had been out for some years previous, on a farm in the township of Thorah, while the father and mother lived with a brother of the mother's, who had married a sister of the father's. In this case also the young folks are gratified that they came to Canada. I cannot give particulars of every one I saw, nor even their inquiries and messages to friends; but I may state a few of whom the particulars noted were written down at the time. Archibald Campbell, cartwright., from Lurabus, came out about sixteen years since with his brother William, and has been working for some years past in Beaverton at his trade as a waggon maker, after having worked at farming for some time after his arrival. He is now getting on well at his trade, and has acquired a good property in the town, having a fine orchard, which affords an ample supply of fruits for family use. His wife died this year (Ann Mathieson). She was a daughter of J. Matheson, who perished in a snowstorm at Proaig. He has six children, all at home, the eldest being employed in a store in Beaverton; there are two boys and four girls. He prefers Canada very much to Islay, as work is plenty and food cheap; the work being highly paid now, though not so good when he came here.

Donald and Malcolm Smith, with their mother and two sisters, came out in 1863, and for a few years all worked for wages; but they have since got a farm of 100 acres at a rent of 60 dollars per annum, which they have now got well stocked with five horses, five cows, and four young beasts, and nineteen sheep, and are now working most of it under the plough, and are doing well, and highly satisfied that they came to Canada, as they can soon buy land and attain an independence.

Duncan M'Dou gall, from Grasdale, with his other brothers and a sister, came out in 1831 or 1832, and have long been settled in the township of Thorah, and have 700 acres among them, while Duncan, in addition, has other property.

John Campbell, from Lurabus, a cousin of Mrs. Calder, Port-Ellen, came out about twenty years since, and is now settled in Thorah, but has a farm of 100 acres in the township of Brock, which he has let, and gets a rent for, from an Irishman. He lives here now, as his only son is in the United States (Michigan) working for wages. He wishes me to tell Mrs. Calder that his mother is still living, though confined to bed, and lives with him on what he can earn for wages and the rent he gets for his farm. He has two daughters married; one of them to an Englishman, the other top Sinclair, an Islay man, whose parents came from Mullindry, and who is a blacksmith, and has a smith's shop, and is doing well.

Alexander Calder, whose father, Donald Calder, came out from the Oa about fifty to fifty-five years since to North Carolina, and then came to Canada. Alexander resided at Fayetteville, N.C., for ten years, and then followed his parents to Canada, and has been resident in Beaverton for forty years past. The father and mother, who are still living with their family, acquired land here when the township of Thorah was first opened up. Alexander is married to a daughter of Donald M'Nab, who was formerly in Lurabus. She is his second wife, and has a family of a boy and four girls, the eldest about twelve years of age. He has one boy by his first marriage. He owns 120 acres near this town and 100 acres about a mile further off, and is in comfortable circumstances; having no thought of the old country, though he likes to hear of it and to see any one who, like myself, knows his relatives and friends. When he came here there was no cleared land around Beaverton.

Angus M'Dougall, from Grasdale, a cousin of the M'I)ougalls who are at present resident in Grasdale, came out about forty years since with his parents when he was about nine years old. His father and mother acquired land and settled in Thorah, and continued to reside in the same place till their death, about a year past. Angus is married, and has a family of eleven children, all living. He has three brothers, all settled on the same clearing, which is more than 600 acres in extent, and they are all well off and amply provided for.

The foregoing may be taken as specimens of the reports which I received here; and as the day continued wet I was obliged to give up the thought of visiting any of the farms in the neighbourhood, or proceeding to Woodville, where the Rev. John M'Tavish resides; and, in consequence, I passed the most of the afternoon in conversation with my numerous visitors who thronged the room, whether at D. M'Nab's or at the hotel where I lived and slept.

BEAVERTON, WEDNESDAY, 24Th AUGUST, 1870.—After an early breakfast I went to Mr. M'Nab's to ascertain whether he thought he could that day convey me to Woodville; and as it still rained, I was glad to learn that he thought the rain was likely to cease, and that the weather would clear up, so that we might in some comfort make the journey. His prediction was verified about an hour after; and we set off on his waggon, drawn by an excellent pair of well-bred horses, which conveyed us quickly over the very wet and muddy uneven road till we came near to the farm of Donald M'Nab, formerly tenant of Lurabus, and my old neighbour when I was in Cornabus, when we turned off the direct road for the purpose of enabling me to call and see Donald on my way to Woodville. Donald came out in 1846, and settled with his family near Beaverton, and in the house which he now occupies, surrounding which he has 200 acres of land, part of which is held by his son Cohn, about one-half of the whole being now cleared from timber. His son John and his wife live with him. John's wife was a daughter of M'Arthur's, who was in Tocmal. They have seven horses, twenty cows, and thirty sheep, and about forty acres under crop, besides a large quantity of hay. One of Donald's daughters is married to Mr. A. Calder, Beaverton, already referred to; another is married to one Brown in this district; and the other sons are all employed in various parts in this district. John has six children—four boys and two girls. Cohn has been married three times, and has a very numerous family. As we approached I saw the old man working in the garden near the house, and dismounted for the purpose of meeting him as he left his work to give us welcome. At first he did not recognize me, but did so as soon as I spoke, and gave me a most hearty welcome. I accompanied him to the house, where T saw his son's wife and some of her children, and sat for half-an-hour chatting over matters with the old man; and I was glad to learn that, notwithstanding losses which lie had sustained from becoming surety for a son, he was still very comfortable and very contented with the measure of success which he had attained in Canada, and pleased for the sake of his family that he came here when he did. He is now 83 years of age, but was very hale and strong-looking for his years. After leaving Donald, my companion pointed out the residence of several Islay settlers as we passed along, and gave me at same time some idea of the success which they had secured in their different places. We reached Woodville before one o'clock afternoon; and M'Nab drove direct to Mr. M'Tavish's manse, whom I was glad to meet, and to find him and his family all well.

Intending to return with Mr. M'Nab to Beaverton, I had left my bag; but Mr. M'T. urged me to remain all night, and to take a drive with him to see some of the Islay people in Orillia and ilaripossa; and, after seeing Mr. M'Nab and arranging with him, I finally agreed to remain, and we soon after had dinner, which, when finished, was the preliminary for a drive of some miles from Woodville, along a road the whole of which, on both sides, was mostly settled by Islay people. I wished to get as far as the residence of old William Gilchrist, formerly mason in Port-Ellen; but the evening soon closed upon us, and, as Mr. M'Tavish had announced that he would be present at a prayer-meeting held that evening in the locality, we were obliged to return without seeing William. Mr. M'T., however, was kind enough to send a message by a neighbour, telling William that I was to sleep all night at the manse, and that he might come and see me the following morning. On the way I had seen and conversed with a number of settlers from Islay; and their account of their circumstances was generally very pleasing, as they all spoke cheerfully of the abundance of all the necessaries of life which they possessed, in contrast with their straitened means at home.

On our return to the manse I was advised that I should remain, rather than accompany Mr. M'Tavish to the meeting; and, after tea, I walked into the village, and called at the shop of John Jamieson, who came out from Lagavullin some years since, and now keeps a store here, and is doing well. He suggested that I should call on some other of the neighbours, which I did in his company; and I was no sooner seated in the snug, wellftirnished room, than several of the people came in— among others, a sister of the late Ronald Hunter's, who was married to Campbell, a mason from Port-Ellen, who came out here some years since, but is since dead; and his widow, whom I saw, now lives here with her family, who are doing well. We were shortly after joined by Mr. Morrison, M.P. for the County, who came to see me, as lie had visited Islay some years since for the purpose of seeing the Oa, where he was brought up, and of which lie had some recollection. At that time he was living with the Rev. Mr. Dewar, and had been a fellow- passenger with inc on board of the steamer going to Islay. Mrs. Campbell made numerous inquiries for her old neighbours and friends in Port-Ellen, and especially for Mrs. William Calder and her sisters, and for Flora; and, as she appeared much interested in the Calders, I gave her a small photograph of the cottage which I received before leaving home, and in which the likeness of Flora was introduced as part of the picture, and she seemed very much gratified by the gift.

After a short time passed in general conversation about Islay and emigration, in which all joined, and appeared to agree that the removal of a great proportion of the people was not only necessary, but an advantage to those who remove, Mr. Morrison expressed a desire that I should visit his house and see his wife, which I did, and was there introduced to a son of Mr. White, late Preceptor of Hutcheson's Hospital, Glasgow; the young man having been sent to Canada by his father on account of his dissipated habits, which, I fear, are not wholly changed for the better. Later in the evening we were joined by Mrs. M'Tavish, who had come to seek me for the purpose of getting me to visit Mr. Morrison's house, in which she found me sitting in a crowded room. I declined the offer of any refreshment, and returned to the manse to supper with Mrs. M'Tavish, and spent all hour or two pleasantly in converse with Mr. M'T., who had then returned.

THURSDAY, 25TH AUGUST, 1870.—Breakfast was early at the manse; and Mr. M'Tavish had arranged that we should proceed to Beaverton immediately after, that I might be able there to join the steamer "Emily May" on her way to Orillia, and from thence through Oro to Barrie, where there is a station of the Northern Railway, by which I might get either to Collingwood, or back to Toronfo, as I might deem best.

We got to Beaverton in good time, but I found that some shirts which I had left to be washed were not forthcoming; and, as I did not wish to leave without them, I waited on till after the waggons with the mail and passengers had left the hotel, and Mr. M'Tavish again put his waggon in order, and we set out together to seek after the washerwoman who had the shirts. We soon got to her dwelling; and, as the steamer was nigh, I bundled the shirts, wet and undressed, into my bag, and drove off to the pier, where we found the steamer just landing her passengers from Belle Ewart. I had previously said good-bye to Mr. M'Nab and my other friends at Beaverton; and, having parted from Mr. M'Tavish, I joined the "Emily May," and was shortly after on my way to Orillia. The day was fine, and I had a good opportunity of seeing Lake Simncoe, the banks of which, being all clothed with timber, and nearly all on a level plain, present few features that attract attention. There are several islands on the lake, on some of which there are parties of Indians engaged in trapping animals for the sake of the skins, of which they dispose in the towns, selling them to the merchants for the best price they can get. We reached the north end of Lake Simcoe in less, I think, than two hours; but the narrow sound at the north, over which the public road is carried by a drawbridge, we found blocked by a tug steamer, which was towing through a huge raft of wood for the purpose of conveying it to the lumber mills at Belle Ewart, on the western shore of the lake, at the point where I had embarked when on my way to Beaverton. This obstruction caused considerable delay; and the "Emily May," in consequence, turned in and moored at Arthurlie, where there are also large mills for lumber, and remained there until the raft was clear of the narrow channel, when we proceeded, and shortly after landed at Orillia. Mr. M'Ta'vish had given me a letter of introduction to the Rev. Mr. Gray, the Presbyterian minister at Orillia; and I left my luggage at the hotel and set off at once to seek Mr. Gray, so that I might learn from him where and how I should best find out the people from Islay, who have settled in the township of Oro. I soon reached Mr. Gray's residence; and, with a view to my getting to Barrie on the evening of the following day, he advised that I should take a conveyance the same evening from Orillia, and drive to the manse of the Rev. Mr. Ferguson, in whose church the most of the Islay people assemble for worship, as Mr. F. could tell me their circumstances and convey me to their homes better than any one could do who might be sent from Orillia.. To facilitate my movements, he at once accompanied me to the keeper of a horse, and arranged with him to bring a 'buggie" to a house in the town, where he wished me to visit and take tea. He agreed, also to give me a letter of introduction to Mr. Ferguson; assuring me, at the same time, that he would be glad to see me, and to do anything in his power to forward my object.

The house to which I went for tea was that of a relative of Mr. Gray's; and I passed a pleasant hour in conversation with those present about emigration, and the prospects of poor emigrants who are landed in this country penniless in so great numbers. Mr. was present, he having just come from the Muskoka Territory, to which many poor settlers have been induced to go by the offer of free grants of land from the Government of the Province, which is anxious to encourage the settlement of the territory as speedily as possible. Mr.------ had acquired a considerable extent of land there, and had been residing there for some years; but he proposes now to sell his land and settle elsewhere. He spoke more favourably of the districts than any other person I met; and, when I quoted his opinion, I was told that he praised merely from a desire to get settlers located there, as such would enhance the selling price of his own land. I cannot judge what ground there is for this allegation of partiality; but, as I was told by several persons whom I met, casually, that the Muskoka Territory is much broken up by rocks and crags, and is, to great extent, incapable of cultivation, I should not be disposed to recommend new settlers to go there without further inquiry. After tea I had a pleasant ride to Mr. Ferguson's, so far as the evening was concerned; but the roads here, as elsewhere, are not what we should think of at home as suitable for spring carriages of any kind. Mr. and Mrs. F. received me kindly, and agreed to put me up for the night; and, after some time spent in conversation, I went to bed, but not to sleep, as the bed was very soft and the night very hot.

FRIDAY, 26TH AuGUST, 1870.—Immediately after breakfast Mr. F------. prepared his waggon or buggie, and we set out on our way through Oro; the first house we called at being a public-house, not far from the manse, kept by ------- Galbraith, who went from Assabus, in the Oa, many years since, and has now land here, and keeps this little wayside inn. Galbraith himself was not at home; but we saw a niece of his, who had just arrived as we approached the house, and Mr. F. explained to her that I had called to see her uncle, and that she should tell him on his return to the house, which she promised to do. Mr. F., as we went along, pointed out several clearances occupied by Islay men; and, on the roadside, a few miles on, he accosted one rather advanced in life—Angus Morrison, from Stremnish, who has 50 acres of land which he got from his brother. His land is free of debt, and his family decent and industrious; but Morrison's appearance indicated neither mental nor physical energy, nor the type of industry in his habits. Not far from Morrison's we came to two farms, one on each side of the road—the one occupied by Neil Beaten, the other by Neil Matheson. Both of these men came from Stremnish, 1 think, in 1863. Neil Beaten has 200 acres of land clear of debt, and has fully 40 acres of it clear of timber, and now under grass and crop. His wife and family are all well, though they had much sickness for some time after their arrival. He has a good house; two yoke of oxen and two cows, with followers; and abundance of everything they need. His family consists of three boys and six girls, one of whom is married to all Islay man. Neil Matheson has a family of three boys and four girls. Three of the girls are married to Islay men; and one of his sons, who is married to an Islay woman, has a farm in Medonta.

Mr. Ferguson got off the "buggie," and told the heads of both families that I was on the road waiting I o see them. Beaton and Matheson both came, quickly followed by their wives, with whom I spoke for some time, Mr. Ferguson occasionally acting as interpreter. They told me that Donald M'Kay's family, four girls, are all doing well, and have their farm clear. I was surprised to find the old people speak so warmly of their love of the country of their adoption, as they unanimously asked Mr. F. to assure me they are doing well, and that they are three times better off than they were in Stremnish. Matheson has his farm rented at five dollars per annum; but wished me to tell his old neighbours that they are doing well, and wished me to tell Duncan M'Nab that they have plenty of food and clothes; and kindly inquiring after John Gilchrist and Donald Smith, shoemaker, and .John M'Innes, and wished them all to know that they are well and getting on well. I parted from them much gratified that those who had left their native place so recently are now so well pleased in Canada, and so anxious to impress me with an adequate sense of the advantages they have gained by their removal.

The next place at which we stopped was a house on the road side, in which Mrs. Andrew M'Nab, from Toemal, now resides. Her husband came out thirty-four years since; and his family are all doing well. Mrs. M'Nab had a sister, who, she understands, is still living at Coilabus; but I could give her no information. A little further on, Mr. F. mentioned that a house on the road side, in the midst of a considerable extent of cultivated land, was occupied by one fr3m Islay; and I got off the car, and, crossing the fence, was soon at the door, which was open, and, on entering, I found seated Dugald Carmichael, who was formerly with Mr. Wilson, Laorin. He came out with his wife and family three years since, and rents the farm which he now occupies on a lease for four years at a rent of 50 dollars. Thee are near 40 acres of it under the plough, and he is getting on very well. The two girls, who were sitting at table at dinner with their father and mother, were tidy and clean—as was also the house and table—but looked very delicate, and had recently suffered from some sickness, but are now getting better. The wife inquired for Mrs. Calder, Port-Ellen, and for Ann (at The Cottage), and said she is a relative of Ann's, for whose mother also she made inquiry. Shortly after rejoining Mr. Ferguson on the road, we met with Neil M'Intyre, son of the former miller at Kilchoman, who has been here fifteen years, and is doing well. He has no family; but his mother lives with him. We met also Duncan M'Dougal, son of Archibald M'Dougal, who came to Canada about forty years since, and is now living here. His mother was named M'Arthur, from Oa. M'Dougal said he has a farm of 50 acres, and is doing very well. At a short distance from the place where we had stopped to speak to M'Intyre, we came to the farm now occupied by Norman M'Cuaig, who came to Canada from Glenasdale, Oa, in 1863. Norman was at work in the field in front of his house, and some of his children, who were near the road, were called by Mr. Ferguson, who requested them to tell their father and mother that we wished to speak to them. Both of them were very soon with us, and greatly delighted by the unexpected appearance of a visitor from Islay. Norman has a family of four boys and five girls. The eldest girl is married to a son of John Campbell's, formerly in Lurabus, and they have two children. Norman's brother, who came out with him from Glenasdale, is settled on land near Collingwood, and has been getting on well. Norman occupies land, the owner of which is unknown, and his family are doing well; 'though I was sorry to learn that the habits in which Norman sometimes indulged at home continue, and hinder his progress and prosperity here. His wife, an active- looking, intelligent woman, spoke cheerfully of the prospects for her family, and made kind inquiries after all friends at home, not omitting kind reference to my own family circle, and my own loss in the death of Mrs. Ramsay, subsequent to their removal from Islay. She mentioned with much gratitude her recollection of receiving a sovereign from Mr. Stein when she was on the quay at Port-Ellen, before leaving Islay. They have heard occasionally of Islay; but had previously seen no visitor to Canada, nor received any direct news. I think she said she was a M'Taggart, from Giol; and inquired for the Killean tenants, and all their old neighbours.

On the side of the same road, and immediately opposite to Norman M'Cuaig's, stands the house of Archibald M'Cuaig, who left Coilabus (Oa) in 1862, with his family of twelve young children. I regretted to learn from the M'Cuaig's, his neighbours, that Archibald was not at home; but they told me that the land he occupies is his own, and that he and all his family are doing well, and have an ample supply of the necessaries of life, in greater comfort than they ever had at home; some of the young ones being absent working for wages.

After parting from the M'Cuaig's, we drove on till we came to the residence of Alexander Campbell, a carpenter, who came out from Lurabus in 1831. His mother, who is still living, is an elder sister of Alexander and Duncan M'Cuaig, Port-Ellen, and is, therefore, their nephew. Alexander has one son, George, a fine-looking young man, whom I saw, and he has two daughters, one of them married to a lowland Scotchman, who is settled in Oro in their neighbourhood; the other, married to a Scotchman named Brown, from near Biggar, in Lanarkshire, and who is now in business in Barrie, as a nursery and seedsman. Alexander has 100 acres in his own hand, besides other property. His garden is a very good one, the vegetation most luxuriant; I was interested to hear from Alexander a narrative of their trials on their first arrival in this country. He, with his brothers—Archibald and Angus - and their mother and father, in all, eight of a family, left Lochindaal, on the 16th July, 1831, and landed at Quebec, on the 16th September following, having been nine weeks on board ship. After landing at Quebec, they ascended the St. Lawrence to a place not far from Montreal, where, in conjunction with other seven or eight families, they built a boat, on board of which they proceeded westward by the St. Lawrence to Lake Ontario, and landed near Toronto, when they put their boat on a waggon, and dragged it across the country for 36 miles to Lake Simcoe, from which they again landed near Barrie, or rather about six miles from the site which Barrie now occupies, as there were no houses there at that time. They bought their 100 acres of land from a half-pay officer, who had received a grant of 1,000 acres on the banks of the lake; but there were neither roads nor houses, and they had to commence their operations on the unbroken forest. They worked for some years, after fixing their location, on the vessels trading on the lakes; but the brothers have all been now settled for many years on farms of their own in this district, which, from the settlement of themselves and others, natives of the Oa, has come to be known as the Oa, after the name of their native parish. From each member of the family I received a hearty welcome, and was hospitably entertained, as they did everything they could to make me comfortable; and when Mr. Ferguson explained that he would prefer to return home, and that they should send me on, they very promptly agreed to do so. The appearance of their farms, and the buildings, and fine crops, with their stock of cattle and horses, gave good evidence of the comfort and independence which they have attained, even if I had not been informed of their wealth from others, as well as from their own lips. The garden around time house was filled with a great variety

of vegetables, and some vines were trained near the paling on a part best exposed to the sun. Mr. C. has a number of different vines, and is trying to raise a variety suited to their climate, which may, ripen its fruit in the open air. It appears that the vine has been found indigenous on the banks of Lake Erie, and he infers that any native plant may be matured and improved by cultivation. I was pleased to see that the settlers generally are planting extensive orchards, and if Mr. C. should succeed as well with vines, as he has with the apples in his orchard, he will have good cause to be satisfied, as the trees were heavily laden with a crop of apparently very fine fruit. After some hours passed in hearing reports of Islay people in the district, whom I was unable to visit, I left the snug dwelling on a waggon drawn by a fine pair of horses. It was seated for four, and Alexander himself sat with me on the back seat, while his son George acted as driver, and we proceeded on the road for Barrio. They agreed to take me to the farm of Henry M'Cuaig, from Stremnish, but they wished also that I should see their mother; and so on our way we called at her house, but found that she was at church this being kept as what. they call "Good Friday," or what we at home would style the "Fast- Day" of the parish. We met, however, the two brothers —Archibald and Angus—who seemed both glad to meet me, though I found here, and elsewhere, that a rumour of my intention to visit Canada had prepared them for meeting me, in consequence of my having mentioned my thoughts of making the voyage at the public meeting in Port-Ellen. Archibald and Angus both got on to the front seat of the waggon beside George, their nephew, and we drove to the church that I might see their mother after its dismissal, and any other Islay folks who might be in attendance. On reaching the building, we had not

long to wait, when the congregation came out, and were proceeding homewards, when my friends got their mother and sister, and I answered the old lady's inquiries for her friends as best I could. She was looking hale and hearty, and active and stout, for her years. At Alexander's house I met Donald Gilchrist, who at one time kept the New Inn at Port-Ellen, but has now acquired a farm, and been settled here for some years— his mother, and the rest of the family, having came with him from Ballychatrican, and he wished me to let their old friends know that his mother is well, and that all the rest of the family are well, and doing well. At the church I met a daughter of old Angus Gilchrist, who came out from Craigabus, about thirteen years since, and who is married to a farmer in Oro, named Colquhoun, who came from Campbeltown, and is now well off. I saw also her brother, William Gilchrist, who was working on his farm as we passed along; he was much pleased to see me, and expressed himself as much pleased with his present position. After conversing with several others, we drove from the church on to Harry M'Cuaig's, whom we found in the fields near to his dwelling. The crops were very good; he dug some potatoes, which appeared to be of good quality, and were very abundant. I was pleased here to observe a young orchard, planted, as I was assured, with the best varieties of fruit trees; and when I entered the tidy dwelling, I could not but remark on the baking which the wife had just completed, as some fifteen or sixteen loaves were laid out on the table to cool, before being laid past. Harry himself said, "You see" (pointing to the bread) "Mr. Ramsay, we had none of this at Stremnish," to which I replied, that it was doubtful if she would have had the skill when she was there, to bake the bread, even if they had got the wheat flour; and I was told that she had learned to bake since her arrival in Canada. After leaving Harry's, we drove quickly on to Barrie, where we arrived before dark; and as George was anxious I would go to his sister's house, I agreed to do so, and the old man and I sat and chatted with his daughter, Mrs. Brown, while George went off and put up the horses to rest and feed; but they soon after left to return home, and I remained as the guest for the night of Mr. and Mrs. Brown. So far as I had opportunity of judging, I was very much pleased with the simple Christian character of this young couple—they had only been married a few months. Mrs. Brown had previously taught a school, but seemed to attend to her husband's business in his shop or store with as much attention as if she had been trained to it all her life, while her house was in all respects clean and tidy. I shall be deceived if they are not happy as man and wife. Any wife at home, in the same circumstances, would have had one servant, if not two; but here they help themselves, and it seems better that they should.

SATURDAY, 27TH AUGUST, 1870.-Mr. and Mrs. Brown were early astir, and we got our breakfast over by eight o'clock; and as I had my choice of potatoes or porridge, I preferred the oatmeal, and as I had had no supper, was ready to enjoy the porridge and milk, which latter was very good, and the former also of fine quality. We had not well finished, when a cousin of Mrs. Brown's called to ask that I would take a drive with him for an hour in his "buggie," to see Barrie, and its vicinity, to which I readily assented; and we soon after drove off to the west of the town, by the road leading to the new railway station, at which the cars leave the main line, and side off to Barrio. The morning was very fine, and the view of Lake Simcoe was pleasing, while my young companion was able to point out to me satisfactory evidence of the recent rapid growth of Barrio, in which he takes a warm interest, as he is now appointed as agent here for a bank, the business of which he expects will increase very rapidly under his care. This youth is a son of one of the Campbell's from Lurabus, with whom I was yesterday. When a boy he lost one of his feet from having got entangled in a thrashing mill; this accident led his father to send him to a bank office in Toronto as a clerk, and from that office he had been advanced to his present charge. He seems. a fine, active, energetic young man, and I trust he may please his employers by successful prudent management. His features are not so handsome and open as those of his cousin George, who was yesterday the driver of his father's waggon, but both of them are fine- looking young men, good specimens of native Canadians. As George has not had much intercourse with other districts, even in Canada, I endeavoured to persuade him to visit Scotland, and to see his friends, and the system of agriculture practised in our better-cultivated districts, and I promised to do everything I could to forward these objects, if he would let me know when he comes. As he is unmarried, his father seemed willing that he should come, as he might not so well get away if he once had a family; and I suggested that he might also get a wife when in Scotland. of which the father evidently approved, on the ground that American ladies are too fastidious. Shortly after my return from my drive with young Campbell, I parted from my friends, Mr. and Mrs. Brown, as well as other Islay residents, who had that morning come to Barrie, as it was the market-day. Among these were several of my neighbours from the Oa; two of the sons of Donald M'Nab from Lurabus, who are settled in this neighbourhood, one of them a tailor, a quiet-looking decent man; the other I fear not so well doing, and whose adventures in trade or in store-keeping had caused the old man to suffer considerable losses—he had become security in some way for the transactions of this imprudent son. Any information I could pick up had led me to resolve that I would proceed to Stayner Station that day, and try to get the length of Bowmore, a town so named, at some distance to the west, and there obtain such information as I could regarding settlers from Islay located in that neighbourhood. The train was late in reaching Stayner; and immediately on arrival I proceeded through the village in search of one Mr. Hill, a tailor, who I was told could give me every information about Islay people, as he was himself an emigrant from Islay, and had long been settled there. I soon found Mr. Hill's shop, and speedily learned from him that I was unable to reach Bowmore in time to see any residents there, and return that afternoon in time to join the train for Toronto the same evening; and he suggested that I should rather take a drive and see some Islay men who are settled not so far from the station. While we were speaking on the subject of my movements, a young man, who had observed me from the inner apartment of the shop, came forward, and addressed me by name; and, although I did not at first recognise him, I found on inquiry that he had been a teacher in the Flat of Gruinart, Islay, when I paid the teacher's salary there; his name and character must be well known to the Rev. Mr. Cameron, who engaged him. I can now recollect Mr. Peter M'Eachern, though I have but little recollection as to his character or attainments. He is now, however, settled as a teacher near Stayner. It appears he is a second cousin of Ronald M'Donald's, who, if I recollect aright, he said is working with Mr. Scott at Port-Ellen. Old M'Eachern was a blacksmith at Conispy. Keir, the innkeeper and wright, at Bowmore, is married to a cousin of Mr. Hill's, at Stayner, and Mr. H. wished me to let him know that he is well, and getting on well; has two boys

living, the others are dead, and that Stayner is his Post- Office. He came out twenty-three years since. I invited Mr. M'Eachem to be my companion for my drive, to which he agreed very gladly; and in a few minutes after we were on our way in a "buggie" which I hired in the village. In passing through the street we stopped to speak to a man named M'Dougal, from Port-Ellen, who inquired for Mrs. Donald M'Dougall, innkeeper, and their family, and others in Port-Ellen; but as I had little time I drove on, in the hope of seeing him on my return. We had only travelled about four miles, and put back for the purpose of making some calls at houses occupied by Islay men, which we had passed on the roadside. The first we came to was Dugald Carmichael, blacksmith, from Bridgend, who came out twenty-eight years since, and continues to keep up his smithy and work at his trade; but he has also a farm, containing 300 acres of good land, and is doing well, being much pleased that he came out, as he thinks that he never could have done so well at home. I next drove off the road a little way to call at the house of Alexander Currie, whe came out in 1831, and was fourteen weeks on the passage. He has been in this township (Nottawasaga) for twenty-nine years past, settled on the land which he now occupies, which extends to 250 acres, of very fine quality, having now as much cleared of timber as he intends to cut down. He has a fine orchard, and the crops of wheat and oats looked very good. His wife is also from Islay; her name is Hayman, and she has an aunt at Islay House married to Neil Orr. M'Eachern told me that Currie has means besides his farm, and is very well off; and M'E. expressed himself as much pleased that he himself had left Islay. On our way we had to leave other houses unvisited, and on the roadside, at the point where it turns to go to Currie's from Stayner, M'E. pointed out to me a wayside inn and waggon

makers' shops belonging to a nephew of old Mrs. M'Gregor, who kept the little public-house at Emerycornast, and who, if he would but keep sober, would soon acquire wealth. After getting some dinner hastily at the inn, I parted with Mr. Hill, and walked to the station in company with Mr. M'Eachern. On our way, I observed a signboard having "Neil Campbell" very conspicuously displayed on it, and I crossed the road to ask whether Neil was from Islay, and on telling Mr. M'E. my object he told me that he was. On entering the shop, Neil was entering from the other side, carrying a tray covered with sponge cake and other fancy bread, which he had brought from the bakehouse to be ready for sale. Neil had worked as a baker in Bowmore, and came here about seven years since, and is married to a niece of Peter M'Eachern's, the pilot of the "Islay" steamer, to whom both Neil and his wife desired to be remembered; and Neil wished me to tell John Currie, Bowmore, that he is now well, and doing very well. His shop was very clean, and had a thriving appearance. My companion pointed out several farms in Nottawasaga, occupied by brothers named M'Arthur from Cairndonachy; and he told me that Roderick M'Eachern, a brother of Peter, the "Islay" pilot, lives in Stayner, and works at his trade as a tailor. After parting with Neil Campbell and his wife, I got on to the cars, and was soon on my way to Toronto, having resolved to return there and spend the Sunday, rather than go to Coiling- wood; the report of the inns there being unfavourable, and I hoped to receive letters from home. I reached Toronto about 9 p.m., and was very soon after in bed.

SUNDAY, 28TH AUGUST, 1870.—In the forenoon I attended Knox Church, and in the afternoon I called at the residence of the Hon. George Brown, and passed the evening very pleasantly in conversation with him and his wife, about the country and its condition as regards its moral and material interests. Mr. Brown kindly furnished me with a letter of introduction to a gentleman resident at Owen Sound, as I had resolved to leave for that place on the following morning at seven o'clock. This letter proved to be of little use, as the person addressed, I found afterwards, was then in Europe, but it was little needed.

MONDAY, 29TH AUGUST, 1870.—We reached Collingwood about half-past twelve noon, but, there was no steamer, though I had been informed that if the regular vessel, the "Frances Smith," was not ready, I should find the "Wabuno" waiting to convey passengers to Owen Sound. Happily, however, about two o'clock, I saw a steamer in the distance coming towards Collingwood, along the Georgian Bay, and on arrival, she proved to be the "Frances Smith," and by four o'clock we were under way, and making progress to Owen Sound. We touched at Meaford by the way, but were not long detained, and before ten o'clock at night I was safely Iddged in Coulson's Hotel. On the voyage I had made inquiry to ascertain whether any of the hands were from Islay, and I found that one of them, named M'Leod, was steersman, and I soon tried to see him. He was, however, occupied with his work until we were near the place; but, in the short time we had, I found his name was M'Cuaig (not M'Leod); that he came out from Glenasdale with the rest of the family, some thirteen years since, and is a nephew of Dugald M'Cuaig, labourer, who still lives about Craigabus. He inquired after Dugald, and other old friends, but I was unable to give much information. He directed me, however, how I should best reach Neil Gilchrist, and some other old neighbours whom I wished to see, and as this was all I required, I went soon to bed to prepare for my journey the following day.

TUESDAY, 30TH AUGUST, 1870.—This morning, before I had finished dressing, my room dour was assailed by the waiter knocking and telling me that Mr. Black had come to call for, and wished to see me. On opening my door I was pleased to see a fine young sailor ready to welcome mc, and evidently much pleased to do so. The "Wabuno," oil of which vessel young Black is the mate, had arrived at Owen Sound during the night, and M'Cuaig had at once proceeded to tell Black of my arrival, and hence my early visit; as the "Wahuno" was to leave for ports further north as soon as her cargo and fuel was got on board. After we had answered mutual inquiries, I accompanied him to the house and workshop of James \l'Kerrel, son of Archibald M'Kerrel, Port-Ellen, whom we saw, and was pleased to learn that he is doing well. I saw also two of his girls—very neat and clean. M'K.told us that his brother William resides oil farm, about four miles distant, but as it is in a direction opposite to that where Neil Gilchrist and William Black are located, 1 resolved not to go and see William M'Kerrel, but to rest satisfied with the very satisfactory report of his prosperity which I received from the others. Young Black was anxious to accompany me on my journey, but I persuaded him not to think of such a thing, though he assured me be did not value his place, as he thought he would be more profitably employed by woricing at home, but that his wages furnished ready cash to supply any wants, lie spoke very warmly of the advantages they had gained by coming to Canada; and said that though his father in winter sometimes expresses a wish that he had never left the old country, yet that in summer he is always well pleased for the sake of his family, adding—"You see, Sir, every one of us can get on well here if we only will it, and be steady and pay attention." The failure to succeed of any who have come to Canada from Islay, he attributes exclusively to their own lack of either steadiness or a will to work. He told me that A. M'Cuaig, or M'Leod, to whom I have already referred, the steersman on board the "Frances Smith," is a son of D. M'Cuaig's, who came out from Glenasdale about thirteen years since. His father has acquired land iii the neighbourhood, and he and his family are doing well. On inquiring for Sandy Kerr (Janet's brother), I was told that he is steersman on board the "Algoma," a steamer which plies on Lake Huron, and goes also, I think, to Lake Superior. Mave Kerr is at Egremoiit, so far off my way that I cannot see her without a day's travel. After leaving James M'Kerrel's, I accompanied William Black to the "Wabuno," and saw him resume his charge, and I returned to the inn to get breakfast, and then start for my journey to Southampton, taking a detour for the purpose of seeing Neil Gilchrist and William Black on my journey. I was fairly on the road about nine o'clock, and though the road was rough, we reached Neil's before twelve noon. His Sons were busily engaged housing their wheat crop, which was of good quality, and I found Neil, with his staff in his hand, resting at the end of the barn, looking at the young men at their work. I did not expect that he would remember me; but I had no, sooner spoken to him than he grasped my hand with a hearty welcome, and led me off towards the house, where I was, if possible, still more warmly received by his wife. Neil sent off a boy to William Black to intimate my arrival, so that William might come and give me his news before setting out on my journey to Southampton. I had wished also to see Robert M'Nab, William's son-in- law, but as Robert lived at a greater distance, it was thought that my time was not sufficient to enable him to come and join our party. I had not been very long seated when the young men came in for dinner, before which the table had been neatly covered with a pure clean table cloth, and I joined them to an abundant supply of good mutton and delicious potatoes, on which I feasted most luxuriously; here, and at Dugald Carmichael's, I have seen and tasted the finest potatoes I met with in Canada; they were a dark reddish blue coloured variety, and reminded me of what we were wont to call Perthshire reds, though more in colour like the pink eyes, but without any part white. I had a very prolonged conversation in the family circle after dinner, answering their varied enquiries about places and persons, and discussing the comparative advantages of life in Canada and at home for persons of their own class. I found that Neil and his wife have indulged a lingering regret for their old haunts, but the young men spoke very warmly against any such idea, as they felt they could never have got on at home, and would have been compelled to leave their parents if they had not come as one party to Canada. Neil, indeed, said that they had of late years found that they were getting on better than at home, but that they had to endure many hardships after their first arrival, as there were then no roads, and no part of the land which they settled on, and which they still occupy, was then cleared. The land which Neil has acquired appears to be of very good quality, and yields a good return of all kinds of crop. In this respect he appears to have tested it too severely, as he pointed out some fields on which white crop had been sown without manure for thirteen consecutive years. The heap of manure which, in consequence, has accumulated near the barn where the cattle and horses are housed in winter has now become as great in size as the buildings themselves. The farm on which Neil lives extends to 100 acres, but he has acquired other lands in the County of Bruce. He has on his farm three horses, ten head of cattle, and above twenty sheep, and his land would now sell for 11per1zap. 3,000 dc liars; 2,000 could be got for it at any time." About sixty acres of it are cleared, and his public and local taxes and rates amount to about 10 dollars per annum. James Gilchrist, the Postmaster at Keady, the nucleus of a town where there is a Post Office, is nearly related to Neil, and directed inc to Neil's house. James also is from Islay, likes the country, and is getting on well in the store which he keeps at Keady; this office being about twelve miles distant from Owen Sound, and Neil's residence being about one mile further on. Neil's son and his son in- law, whom I met on this occasion, but especially his son, was fine-looking, and apparently strong and well fitted for rough country work. The young man (the son) had been till lately working on a farm of his own in the township of Bruce; but one of his sisters having got married, who had previously been at home, he had let his own farm and come here to live with and cheer his parents; his other brother, who has a farm also in Bruce, having got married. I advised Neil to send the young man home next summer, that he also might get a wife from among his own people and see the old country again, as it is long since he came out, and was then very young. Neither the old man nor the young one seemed averse to the proposed visit, though the son demurred to the wife-taking as an obligation for the journey. In his case, as in that of young George Campbell of the Oa, to whore I have alluded, I was much pleased with his handsome appearance, and fine, frank, manly bearing. By the time we had discussed all these matters, old William Black arrived, and for a short time longer I was engaged in answering William's inquiries, so far as I could, about his old friends and neighbours in Islay. William is not much changed, but had walked from his own farm, and was looking very fresh and well. I told him of his son's kind attention to me at Owen

Sound, and his desire to have come with me, and it is evident has comfort at any rate in having a son of fine disposition and excellent character. It was pleasing to hear Neil and William discuss the subject of emigration, and the manner in which they spoke of the sentimental repugnance to removals which is so often expressed home. Both were agreed that if they had thought only of themselves, they might, in the circumstances in which they were placed, have been as comfortable, or more comfortable, at home than here; but they felt that, if the welfare of their family was to be considered, there were many advantages in having come to Canada, especially in the fact that they were able to settle within reach, and that thus the parents have the pleasure of having them all around them, which they believed they could not have had at home. Neil and William were both aware that I had assisted several families to come to Canada; but they assured me that every settler described himself as having been well off at home, and that I should be unable to find any family in Canada who had either been assisted to come, or who had been removed from their holdings at home, against their will. This remark I found verified in my. experience elsewhere; and it affords a pleasing illustration of the way in which we so readily ignore the sufferings and hardships of days that are gone, and dwell only on the difficulties and annoyances of the present hour. In company with my old neighbours the time passed very pleasantly, as their conversation was peculiarly interesting, as, having known them both, I felt that I could rely better on their statements than I could on those of others with whose character I was less acquainted, and I was glad, therefore, to elicit details regarding either their own position or that of their neighbours, whom I had known at home. The general import of all they said has been already indicated, and it may be summarized by stating that, in their opinion, any working, industrious man with a family who is diligent, sober, and attentive to his duties, does enjoy advantages here which are not open to the working-man at home. The emigration from Britain of the idle and dissipated is no advantage but a loss to the colony, and no gain to the individuals, who had better remain at home. They seemed also to feel that old men or young unmarried tradesmen gain little by going to Canada, as, although wages are higher, so also is the cost of living and clothes, in towns where such persons would usually seek work; but the rural labourer, or small farmer with a family, able and willing to work, can at all time find employment, and may soon, from their wages, acquire sufficient means to enable them to buy and settle on laud of their own. This latter more encouraging view applies also to masons, carpenters, bricklayers, or plasterers, where the individuals have any aptitude for varied employment. As for clerks and storekeepers, there seems little to encourage young men of this class, unless they are willing to apply their strength to out-door manual labour. Any number of females, acquainted with house or farm work, can get employment, but trained domestic servants are about as well off at home, except in cases where their families settle in Canada, and in such they are sure to get plenty of remunerative employment if they are not needed at home. I had at last to order the horse to be put in the waggon, and as "Sambo," who acted as my postillion, had dined, I parted with my old friends, getting a kindly blessing from the old lady at parting, as well as from Neil and William. Both accompanied me to the public road, where the waggon had been left, and on the way Neil said, "Well, Mr. B., after all I have been saying, I wish you to understand that I feel I have acted rightly in coming here, however willing you might have been to give me more land. You could not make land; you could not eject others to please me. I could not have wished you to do it, and therefore I could not have had my family settled near me as they all are here; and I feel in my old age that this is so great a comfort that it more than compensates for any inconvenience I have suffered, either from our long winter or the hardships we endured when we first settled here, and for some years past we have really been very comfortable, and have now ample means." William Black, who heard this little speech, immediately added, as we walked slowly towards the waggon, "Mr. R., Neil has just expressed my own feelings. Sometimes in winter, when I am annoyed with the severe cold, I say to the young folks that I would prefer to live at home, even on one meal a-day than to live here on the most abundant and richest fare; but, after all, when I think how comfortably and how well my family and we all are getting on, I really know that, instead of grumbling, I should be grateful for the numerous blessings we enjoy." I expressed the pleasure which I felt on hearing such opinions, dictated in part possibly by a desire to relieve me from any feeling that they had suffered by emigration; but doubtless on the whole they expressed their unbiassed view of their position, as both the one and the other had means sufficient to enable them to go home and to live comfortably all their days if they had wished so to do. With many kind messages to all my own circle, to Mr. Ross, Mr. M'Herg, and others, I parted from them with regret, as I had a desire to remain longer if it had been in my power. At Keady I saw James Gilchrist, and got quickly on to Southampton, a distance of 24 miles from Neil's, which I reached about seven in the evening, and I set out immediately to seek for Alexander Sinclair (a son of Neil Sinclair, formerly tailor in Bowmore). I soon found his shop, but learned from the young storekeeper, who is a native of Colonsay, that Sinclair was then absent drilling the local company of Volunteers, of which he is the captain, and would soon return. 1 left the shop in order to get some supper at the little inn where I had put up the waggon; and on my return I found Mrs. Sinclair, to whom I explained my desire to see her husband, in order to ascertain from him how I should best get to Kincardine, as the steamer which plies between Southampton and Goderich had not then arrived, and I was anxious to get on next morning early, as I did not learn that that there were any Islay settlers near Southampton. Mr. Sinclair himself came in as we were engaged in discussing my movements, and very kindly entered into my plans, but urged that I should remain for a day, and that he would accompany me to his father, who would be very glad to see me, and to hear of the old country from the lips of one he knew, who had recently arrived in Canada. I thought of acting on his advice; but my time was then so far gone that I was constrained to give up the idea, and resolved to start next morning for Kincardine, where I expected to be able to get accurate information as to how I should best reach the Rev. Mr. Grant. Sinclair advised me not to think of the steamer, but to go by the stage which leaves at 6 a.m., and would reach Kincardine about noon. I assented to this proposal, and passed an hour or two conversing with Sinclair and a neighbour of his named Currie, from Bowmore. Currie came out upwards of thirty years since, and has been in this district all the time. When he came first there was no road between Sungeen (now called Southampton) and Owen Sound, but he had to make his way through the forest, as he best could, by the help of the compass. There are now more than one passable road—one of them very good, by which the mail waggon travels. Sinclair has land near the town, which he farms, and his father has a good farm about seven miles off, and they have all done very well since they came, as he has a brother who keeps a store at Walkertown, about thirty miles distant--- a thriving and large town. The one I saw is well off, and spoke of himself as if he had acquired greater wealth than any other of his family. After a glass of toddy at the inn, I parted from him, and went off to rest for the night.

WEDNESDAY, 31ST AUGUST, 1870.—I was astir this morning before six, and found little hesitation in getting out of bed, as, although having slept close to an open window, the beat had hindered my repose, and I was pleased when I heard the mail stage drive up to the inn door, and I was asked to join it, that we might proceed on the journey. On the road here, as elsewhere, one meets with nothing but the same unvarying alternation of clearance and bush or primitive forest, which is the characteristic feature in American travelling. I got breakfast at a wayside inn, about half-way to Kincardine, and reached the town itself about half-past twelve noon. Mr. M'Endrick lives immediately opposite, and is Postmaster, and I entered his door just as the bags were handed in. His brother, who is married to a daughter of the late Duncan M'Allister, Bridgemid, had left for Europe some time previously, but had kindly asked his brother to give me any aid and entertainment in his power, as Cohn hay had written announcing my intended visit. Mr. M'E. received me kindly, and introduced me to his wife, who sat and chatted so long as her husband was engaged assorting the letters which had arrived by the mail. He soon joined us, and advised that I should call and see the Rev. Mr. Fraser, who would be able to tell me whether Mr. Grant was at home; and, after agreeing to take some dinner which she would prepare during our absence, we started off to see Mr. Fraser, and happily found him at home, and able to assure me that I should find Mr. Grant at home. He directed me how to find his dwelling; and, after some conversation with Mr. F. regarding the Highland emigrants from Tyree and other insular districts who are settled near, I went off with Mr. M'E. to hire a "buggie" to convey me to Mr. Grant. Mr. Fraser is anxious that some Scottish low-country farmers should be induced to settle among the islesmen, to set an example of better farming and greater industry. They are too apt to rest satisfied with the ample supply which the fertile soils yield without the use of skill or much labour; and as they are quiet, inoffensive, and moral, he desires that they should be led to aim to improve their circumstances more, and so elevate their condition. They have plenty of food and clothing, and therewith they rest content. I was pleased to hear they had so much. I promised, in the event of my return to Kincardine, that I would call again for Mr. F. and hear a further exposition of his views; but, as I did not return, I lost this advantage. On our arrival at Mr. M'E.'s dwelling, I got my tidily-served, comfortable luncheon, and soon thereafter was on my way to Ashfield just before sunset—the road for the latter part of the way being very bad indeed. Mr. G.'s manse has been erected in the centre of a small clearing on the side of the concession road, and occupies as lonely and isolated a place as any I saw in the course of all my wanderings. There is no cultivated ground near it—nothing but fine timber on the four sides of a cleared space, not more than three or four acres in extent; and as the tall trees, by the time I arrived, cut off the sun's rays from the dwelling, it looked lonely and deserted indeed. The house itself has been raised on timber piles about two feet above the surface of the ground. A rugged, broken-down "buggie" was lying near, and I made my way through the stumps to the door, rather fearing that the interior of the dwelling would correspond with the desolation which appeared to reign outside. Two fine children appeared as I was on my way, but I could elicit no reply from them, and while I knocked at the door, was pleased to hear Mrs. Grant's voice within. I had not long to wait when I was ushered in by a young man, a son of Mr. Grant, and the room I entered, which looked clean and tidy, though the furniture was scant, dispelled my fears of internal discomfort. Mr. Grant soon made appearance; and as the evening was about to close, and I thought it might not be convenient with his large family that I should remain all night, I at once proposed that he should make ready to accompany me to a wayside inn, where we might stay all night, and where we could discuss my further progress and learn his views. Ile at once agreed to this arrangement, and I then bade good-bye to his wife and the young folks, and we set out on our return to Widow M'Pherson's, where I should get supper and a bed. We had to walk part of the way, and Mr. Grant seemed very much to enjoy the opportunity of recalling many past scenes. He continues to be exactly what he was, in word and action, twenty years since, and active as ever, so far as I could judge. I was much pleased to meet him and see him so well, and to hear of his family getting on so nicely on the whole. The young man I saw, indeed, had tried store-keeping and found it unprofitable; but though he lost some money and somewhat involved his father, he was able to pay his debts and to retire without loss to others. They are hopeful that he may still succeed in some other sphere. Mrs. Grant, though she would not be deemed by strangers a model wife, seems exactly suited to her husband's habits, taste, and wants, and he spoke of her in terms of affectionate regard, which could not be other than sincere. He has one daughter married, who has one child, so that he is now a grandfather, and he seemed much pleased with the thought. After our arrival at the inn, I allowed my "buggie" and driver to return to Kincardine, as Mr. Grant assured me that he would, next day, find a conveyance to carry me on to Goderich, and would accompany me, and remain till he should see me in the cars on my way to Toronto. We passed a very pleasant evening; some sad retrospective glances at past events being mingled with occasional mirth, when past scenes of joy were recalled; and, before going to bed, after some hours of constant talk, I gladly bowed the knee and united with him in prayer for a blessing from on high for friends near and dear and on our past and present lot.


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