The lay-brother thinks, with great truth, that he would sooner
take five yoke of oxen, and tail a mast for a frigate through the
solid forest to the river, than snake his way through the streets of a
garrison-town. After re-adjusting his hat, he resumes his pious gait,
and Juno also goes her way, and exhibits her decided step.
Now, the step of Jessie and myself was unlike any of these--it was a
natural and easy one; the step of people who had no reason to hurry,
and, at the same time, were not in the habit of crawling. In this
manner we proceeded to the lake, and sought a point of land which
commanded a full view of it on both sides, and embraced nearly its
whole length. Here was a clump of trees from which the underwood had
been wholly cut away, so as to form a shade for the cattle depasturing
in the meadow. As we entered the grove, Jessie exclaimed:
"Oh! Mr Slick, do look! Here is a canoe--can you use a paddle?"
"As well as an oar," said I, "and perhaps a little grain better; for I
haven't been down all the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia rivers in 'em
for nothing, let alone Lake Michigan, George, Madawaska, and
Rossignol, and I don't know how many others. Step in, and let us have
at them on the water."
In a minute the canoe was launched, and away we flew like lightning.
Oh, there is nothing like one of those light, elegant, graceful barks;
what is a wherry or a whale-boat, or a skull or a gig, to them? They
draw no more water than an egg-shell; they require no strength to
paddle; they go right up on the beach, and you can carry them about
like a basket.
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