IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 1^ 22 Hf m ^ ^ itf III M 1.4 lU 1.6 ^' w /y. ' (meaning "CON- TINUED "), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ♦■ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole W signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmd d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 \ J~\, .^ ' Y//., ^^lAu^^ ct^.^iu ^ '^^.^^'^ M^ i^- C(^^-<:^ 1m." ii^' ;<., ii^U •"> ff 3, hv 'V> ^'' ^ A J \ THE EARLY DAYS OF OWEN i SOUND, II t • " • • • I BY t I \ A. M. ^TEPHRN© (PROM THE OWEN SOUND "SUWr.)' C. J. PRATT. BOOK & JOB PRINTER. OWBN SOUND. \ 1- • • • • • • • • • ••• • • • « • • • • • • ••• • « • • •4 * • ' • • I • • • _• . • • •• •• •'• »• • •• • • ••• '/c *•' • • ••• •••• • Hi i THE EARLY DAYS OF OWEN SiND. BY A. M. STEPHENS. TinUTY YKARS AGO. (The following letter to a friend in a foreign country was publislied without a signature in an Owen Sound paper in tlie yeair 1873:) NoiiVAL, UpperCanaua.Nov. 15, 1840. Dear , In my last letter I think I told you that I intended leaving home and seek- ing my fortune in the far west; but since then matters and things have changed, and I have changed with them, and am likely to remain in my native country, which has need of all her sons, and plenty of room for them too. It is true tliat she has a good many adopted child- ren, but their love for her is measured by the amount of money they can make. They are divided in sentiment as to forms of Government and political mat- ters generally. The one party can see in tlip Unittd States nothing but free- dom, equality and enter rise; and in England, aristocracy, oppression, pover- ty and slavery. With the other party all that is great, glorious and free is concentrated in what they call the British constitution; and the Yankees are a nation of cowards, knaves and cut- throats. It is to be hoped these people will either get more sense or die off soon, and leave a good number of children behind them, who will be in no respect inferior to their fathers in all that con- stitutes true manhood, and possess a much greater amount of common sense. And while they will regard with respect and veneration the land of their fathers, and be devoted to the land of their birth. They will be wiUing to liye on friendly terms with their neighbors over the line./ made up ray mind to go with him, and The interest of Canada is safer in the hands of her own children. There is something m the prospect of leaving one's native country that to me at least is anything but agreeable. The old log house, with its old fashioned fire- place, where my father breathed his last, commending his family to the care of their father's God; where my mother has toiled and is still toiling, making herself miserable for fear her children will not be happy; the trees that my father planted and nursed with care; the creek in front of the barn, where I had cauglit the little chubs with a pin hook, and pelted the frog with stones as he appeared above the water. In fact, fields, fences, barns, trees and hill, all appeared to possess charms that I never before noticed, and caused me to feel more than my pride would allow me to acknowledge. Well, you will perhaps laugh at such Sentimentalism; but I dont care, a n)an that has no love for Jliome or country doesn't deserve either. 1 am now going to tell you the reason why I am not going to the west. Our Government appear to have, by some means, (perhaps by the slashing given them by Hincks through the Examiner newspaper,) been waked up to the importance of settling our back country, and one of the Mc- Nabl)s of Norval has been appointed Land Agent, with instructions to locate his headquarters near the northwest corner of Garafraxa, and to take a num- ber of men with him to open up the road to this place, and erect a dwelling and Btore house. As soon as I heard this, I j^o I (Hd. You shall now have in as short a space as possible au accouut of my trip: Our party numbering about twenty, musteretl at Balliafad, and proceeded np through the township of Krin to Crarafraxa, a large, three-cornered town- ship, with about thirty settlers, some of whom have been there for about twenty years — about one settler and a half for every year. How long it will take to settle the township, which contains about one hundred and twenty thousand acres, I have not taken the trouble to calculate. On reaching the Garafraxa we changed our course to the northwest for about eight miles, when we reached the Grand River, and found a party en- gaged in erecting a bridge. This river empties into Lake Erie, distant from this place about a hundred miles, and judging from its size here it must be the largest river in Upper Canada. As we couldn't get across with our teams, we turued in to help at the bridge, which we finished in about ten days. TViere are a few settlers here of the regular backwr ods class. You would think that they never saw the outer world, which is really the case with the juvenile por- tion, as they are literallv natives. The growtli of the young ladies does not ap- pear to have been much interfered with by tight boots or tight lacing — they are evidently strangers to these items of refinement — but their charms are allow- ed to "sink or swell, as heaven pleases.' Their clothing is of the most primitive character, and the children are as wild as rabbits. It is here that you would sec ploughs with wooden mouldboards, harrows with wooden teeth, doors hung with wooden hinges, and harness made with basswood bark. By these people we were treated with the greatest kind- nc ss. They had any quantity of whiskey which they dispensed with a liberal hand, and in their appreciation of this luxury, they don't appear to bo behind the most refined communities. They procure the whiskey at a village, some ten mileu down the river, called Fergus, where I am told whiskey-drinking reigns in all its plory. After finishing the bridge at this place we left for what we called the Land of Promise, distant about fifteen miles, through an unbroken forest, cutting the road and bridging the streams as wo went; working hard all day and sleeping on hemlock branches at night. Our party being composed nearly all of buys, like myself, broken loose from the re- straints of home, you may judge that the amount of piety manifested was rather small. We had, however, one elderly man amongst us a Methodist — not one of those roaring, hallelujah, go- icg to glory Methodists, who are willing to stay away from glory as long as pos- sible, but a whoiesouled, warm-hearted. God-fearing man, one who would like to get to heaven and take us all with him; but gdve us to understand that unless a change came over some of us, the oper- ation would be attended with some difficulty, if not altogether impossible. On pitching our tent one Saturday evening, some of us observed a tree of considerable size lianging over our camp, and suggested the propriety of cutting it down, but it was allowed to remain, and in due time we all lay down and soon fell into one of tliose sound slumbers that are only enjoyed by those who are blest with a clear conscience and plenty to eat and drink. The rain soon drowned our fire, and sometime during the night down came the tree across our tent, but in a very slow and deliberate manner, cracking as it came, which soon caused a general resurrec- tion, each one thinking his day (or rather night,) had come, and I must admit the sensation was anything but agreeable while it lasted. His treeship got down at last, and then the anxiety to know who, if anyone, was under it; a light was soon got, which revealed our old Methodist friend fast asleep, with 1 B. the tree across his breast, just pressint' liard euouf^h to hold him fast. It hap- pened tiiat a log lay behind our tent large enougli to prevent the tree reach- ing the ground and crushing our old friend to death. To wake and rescue him was but the work of a tew moments. After fully realizing the position of matters, he exclaimed: "I was not yet prepared to die." Some of us at least asked ourselves the question. If ho is not, are wo? The next day, Sunday, I went with one or two comrades about four miles towards Fergus where two young men had located and were keep- ing bachelor's hall. They had been at Fergus the night before, and had just returned, bringing with them a moderate sized jug, and told us tl at they had great difficulty in conceaHug it while passing the minister's house. After spending a very pleasant day, and dining on potatoes and whiskey, we returned to our tent. A few days more brought us to our destination at the north-west corner of Garafraxa and the south east corner of the tract known as the unsur- veyed land, where we soon erected a house and covered it_ with basswood troughs. This place is intended as the site for a village, to be called Arthur. The tract of country which the Govern- ment intend opening up, extends from this place north to the Georgia i Bay about seventy-tive miles and westward to Lake Huron about the same distence, large enough for three or four good sized counties, but at present a "howling wilderness." This is by no means a figure of speech, as we were nightly surrounded by bauds of wolves which sometimes came so close as to appear desirous of cultivating an all too inti- mate acquaintance. I cannot exactly say that I was afraid, but somehow or other the sensation was something like that produced by the bagpipes — the further away, the more agreeable th« music. That part of Garafraxa through which we passed, and tiiat around where we located the new village, is composed of rolling land, heavy hard wood timber, and deep rich soil, and if the remainder of the tract is anything like what 1 have seen, it will be no doubt, one day become the garden of Upper Canada. Sir Fran- cis liond Head purchased these lauds from Indians about six years ago, which is about the only good thing he was ever known to do, unless it was to drive the country into a rebellion, which had the effect of leading the British Government to inquire into our position, which has resulted in the reunion oi the provinces, and I trust will result in their prosperi- ty, as it does appear that a new era is beginning to dawn. There has been a line run from the site of our new village through to the head of Owen Sound Bay, where a party of surveyors have been engaged laying out a town, to be called Sydenham. As I didn't like the pros- pect of settling in Arthur, so far inland, I returned home, and intend taking the the first opportunity of going through to 0\/en Sound. Since my return home I have seen McNabb the Surveyor, who has just returned from Owen Sound, and gives a glowing description of that part of the country. He says he caught a brook trout in one of the creeks np there which weighed four pounds. How he weighed it I didn't ask. I think it is a "fish story." However, I am off any- way, to see the country for myself, and if I don't get starved, frozen, or killed by the Indians, will V'rite you on my return. A. M. Stephens. Sir, — In October 1H40, I assisted in buildiug a bridge across the Grand River in Garafraxa, and opening a track for fifteen miles through the bush to what was then known as the unsurveved lauds. These lands extended westward to Lake Huron, and northward to the Georgian Bay, with only one white set- tler named Travers, who squatted on tlie cast side of Owen Sonncl Bay in what is now the township of Sydenham. He afterwards married a daughter of the late John McKay of the Garafraxa road, the Rev. John Neelands perform- ing the ceremony, Miss Telford, dau{*hter of the Land Agent, and now Mrs. Beith acting as bridesmaid on the occasion. This was the beginning of marriages in the Owen Sound settlement, and it is gratifying to know that so worthy an example has been faithfully followed. On reaching what is now the village of Arthur, we built a shanty and cut down the trees that were likely to fall on it. The agent appointed by the Government to superintend the settle- ment of this new country, located here and proceeded to erect a dwelling for family. I was pleased with the appear- ance of the country, but did not like the idea of settling so far inland, and never dreaming that I should live to see it intersected with railroads as at present. I therefore returned home with the firm intention, however, of visiting Owen Sound the first opportun- ity that presented itself. The late Chas. Rankin had been making surveys at the head of the Owen Sound Bay, and the Government nad also placed an agent at this point, with a view to opening up the surrounding district for settlement. About th'- end of the following month, (Nov.) I learned that a party was being organized at Arthur to brush a road through to Owen Sound on a line sur- veyed by Chas. Rankin some years previously. Being stili anxious to ex- plore this part of the Province, I at once proceeded to Arthur and offered my services to the foreman, who, though he did not absolutely refuse them, did his best to discourage me by describing the nature of the work I should be required to do. I would have to carry a pack of fifty pounds besides an axe and blanket for the first fifteen miles, and then chop with the rest of the men, receiving only the same wages, half a dollar a day. But as I had not travelled fifty miles through mud and soft snow to bo easily frightened, I accepted his terms. The rea(:on of his unwillingness to allow me to join his party I never discovered, but before the trip was ended I learned in a very practical manner that if I did not rue having left home it was not his fault. We started out next morning, and on the evening of the second day reached what was then known as the Maitland River, at the point where Mount Forest is now situated, and dis- tant from Arthur about fifteen miles. Here our work at road-makmg began. Our party numbered twelve besides the foreman, all being smokers with one exception. We carried a flint, a supply of spunk wood arid a pocket-knife. The latter we used for striking fire to light our pipes, and to cut our tobacco, bread and pork. Taking the party as a whole I am forced to admit that it did not pos- sess, to any great extent, either piety or polish, but it did contain a few speci- mens of genuine manhood. One, whose name was Hiram Marsh, rough, yulgar and profane, was kind, generous and true. For some cause or other he ap- peared to take me under his protection, and his kindness fully compensated for the petty tyranny of the foreman. We had breakfafet in time to begin work at daylight. The cook prepared and brought to us our dinner, which, like breakfast and supjier, consisted of bread and pork, and was often frozen before it reached us. We usually made about four miles each day. The cook, witli two men to assist, would remove the provisions, tent and blankets to a place which wo would likely reach by night. Then they would clear away the snow, build a pile of logs, spread the tent whiah was like the half- roof of a house, gather a quantity of hemlock boughs for bed- ding and then, start a fire in the log-pile, and have onr supper ready when we came in from work. In this manner we made our way towards Owen Sound. I .r> roiiiember, tiiat wlien croHsiny tlio Bi^? SauMcou oil a tiiubur jam uovored with .snow, Hoiuohow I t'uuud luyHolt' up to tlie waist in water. From my liest rocollec- tion of tlio evont tlie Hituation was more oiijoyod by my companioiiH than inyself. I lost no tinio in yottiny to tlio bank of tlio river whero I emptied the water out of my boots, stood with bare foot in the «now while I wrung my socks, and then pullin on boots and socks, went to work. Strangely enough no ill-effects resulted from this my first but not last iiXDerience of this kind. On reaching the seventeenth mile from Owen Sound the cook informed tis that we had b.iroly enough pork for sup- per, and not enough breail for another day. It was therefore rt solved to stop worii and iiiaich tor the Bay at which w(! ex peel (id to arrivt^ the next evening, ami wlicre wv. could get supplies from the (lovernmeiit si ores. The toUowiny morning the cook divided the bread, each man receiving enough for a fair ))reaKfHst. and a small i)iece to serve as a luiiclieon'. There was also a bit of pork which the cook gave to the fort- man, wlio ate it in our presence. It was a trilling act bi?t itoxcited the contempt of the entire party. Our plan of march was Indian tile. The snow increased in depth as we pro- ceeded north, and for the last ten miles reaclie«l the knee, with a crust that al- most bore. At first we took turns in breaking the road, and when the leader became tired he stepped to one side and fell in at the rear. But as the day ad- vanced, and the snow becamt^ deeper, one after another failed to lead, until ovuntually all gave up, with tlie excep- tion of a young man named McGhee (brother of Robt. McGhee, one of our late wardens) and my friend Marsh. These two stuck it out, leading in turns to the end of our journey. Marsh re- lieved me of my pack, leaving me nothing but my axe and a small pail, which con- tained a few pounds of hogs fat. I car- ried the pail on theaxe-handlo, over my shoulder changing it from side to side until 1 grew soexiiausted that I had not strength to lift it over my lie.vl. For the last few miles it was a stagger rather than a march, i had eaten notiiing since morning, as the exertion had brought on a sickening sensation, and I had given my bread to a comrade. Night closed down on us about two miles from the Bay, but we managed to f(>llow the blaze until we reacheil the tiat of which the Pleasure groumis form a part. There we lost it, but fortunately discovered an Indian sugar camp, large enough to con- tain us all. into which wo crawled. Af- ter lighting a tire the cook put on his canq) I.ettle, aiwJ melting a sufficient quantity of snow put into it the hogs-fat out of my pail, with two partridges shot during the day by the foreman, and boiled all together. Out of this we made our supper and soon lay down to rest. It was a cold stormy night, but under the circumstances we had no reason to complain of our quarters. The morning broke clear and cold, and for myself, I remember waking with a ravenous ap- petite, with no apparent prospect of its being satislied. The foreman had been through here before, and thought he knew the location of the Agent's house. He accordingly started out, with the understanding that he shouid tiro a gun when he found it. Before lout; we heard t,ie welcome sound, and one after another, we followed his track wiiich led us down the hill somewhere between Mr. LePan's dwelling fi,nd the old Eng- lish chuicli. We socn cHUglit a glimpse of the house, with smoke issuing from a pi))e through the roof, and if ever a heart jumjKjd for joy mine did then. 1 outer ed, and one of the first objects that met my gaze was some bread and pork on a shelf. I seized a portion, and he would have been a strong m-iin who could have taken it from me. We found that the Agent and surveying party had gone home, leaving tlie stores in charge of ♦i. tlir(!P men. .Of tlioHo tliroo, one, whose name was McKon/iu, loft ilie following s|»riij<4 and never returned; nnotlicr, hiMKMin Mcfiaren. wasdrowncsd with two comrades wlien on thc'ir way to St. Vin- cent; and tlic tliird..IoHepli IJiac'U Mettled on tlu! east Hide of the (iaraf»*axa road, adjoining tlie town reserve, where he rcmainfid till his death. \\'(> rested ff)r a (hiy and then lie^an onr r<>tnrn trip. In dne tiiiie w^arrived at Arthnr where tlio party dispersed, I strikii)",' out for home, w'-ore I remained nntil tiie sprin^^ of 1H12. I then retnrn- rd to Owen Sound wliicli ever sincM' has heen my homo, and of vvhich I am now, witli the exc(;i)tion of Mrs. lieitli, "tlie oldest iuhahitant." An openin<4 in tlio bnsh of a})out an acre in extent, [jartially cleared; three loy lionses, one occupied by the Crown Lands A^ent and his family, one for the accommodation of emigrants, and the third kept as a tavern by lin^h (ruun Campbell; about half-a-mile of Street now calhid Union Street, witli the tim her chopped down but not cleared olf; a deep, dark, and winding river, havin<.; a dense growth of cedar on eitlier side with tops interlaciu« over head, forming the only channel of communication with the outside world and looking very un- like the future hom(! of iron steamships. Sui'h was the town of Owen Sauad in the spring of 1842, when I came to make; it my home. At this time there were a number of scittlers in tlie country, the names of which, with their locations, as far as 1 can rt'iufimber, were as follows: Michael AhiCabe, .lohu Doyle, William Hatt«ju, W'dliam McKenzie and the McClarty family, on the iOUi concession of Syden- him; Joseph Black, Fiauc sAiiiot, John MoChogor, John Thompson, Malcolm .McMartin, Benj. McLaren, Joseph Mc- K.irlane, John Miller, George and John McKay, VVni. Glen, Mo-^es Mosett. Law- renof! Fjahaye, Francis Cook, Malcolm McGregor, and several brothers, Caleb Mordon, Thos. Dean, and Jaint!S (iilles- pie ou the east side of the (iarafraxa Uoad; on the west side, Dr. Scott, Kd- ward Sparling, Jas. Oliver, Nathaniel Herriman, and William llielly. There were otiujrs on each side of the (iara- fraxa Head as far an the thirt(!enth mile where Alexander McC'auley was settled, but I forget their nanu's. George Mac- Dougall occupied tlu; lot of which the cemetery now forms a part. Tliis was he who afterwards became known as tlie Uev. (Jeorge MacDougall, the pioneer cf Protestant missions in onr great North West, and wlioso melancholy end was so universally lamented. J)uriiig his stay here he and I becanu^ intnnate friends. As it was once said of the French that they were never at peice except when engaged in wir, so it might have been said of Mr. M.ic!)oui.;all that he was never at rest exc(|»i when strug- gling with diilicnlties. Ho was witr- .- hearted and openluiuded, had the cour- age lt> ditre and the constilntion to endure, thus being in an emiiudit degi< (; (juaiilieil to take tiie fielil as a lleaven- hcnt missionary. The I'uldings erected hi town during that summer were: A two story frame, fitted for storij and dwcihog, on the present site of the (^ueeus Hotel, by W, C. Boyd; a small frame on the site of the Merchants Bank, by Jno. M.isou; a log building on the site of the Times office, by Tiiome iUtherfori!; and a frame at the corner of Union and Scrope Strecits, west of the (Queen's Hotel, by one of the Lynum's of Monlioal. This last is still in existence and is now tiie oldest build- ing ui town. Kzra Brown came during the summer with the intention of estab iislnng a tamnng business, and ap[)lied Id the agent for a site, on which to erect suitable buildings, but that official re fused to allow a tannery near the town, and forced him to take two lots at fclie corner of Poulett and Division StreotH, the present site of the Bank of Hamilton and adjacent buiMiLgs. Those who read thiH may ft^cl disposed to ridictile iim agent's coiirNo in this luattcr. auJ I kttem Uruwti liiiiiHC'lt' to lau^li whcu nitifnuft to it HOfnc years ut'lcr. Jiut }i« *M nf»X I'lu^li at tlio tinio, as li«- ih t\\vi hiisli, and tliat lie was uniairljr ittrntt- (;d by tlio af^ont, wlio no doubt GoiiM.'l^\'.t ut tht- s(!rviee ol the HihI.miIi Hay CV^»ji),;*i»y lb' was at Fori (i.iirv after tij* ifUfj^r- sion of \1k ScH.ii)< 1' tlioio svlio ut-re Jviikxii »fi! 5h \. ' l>'tu\('U tlici servants <.il tj>? Plirt,ft. soM>. Biiy ;uiii ihe Nnrt!i-VVe>t coJjjj;v*«i;«;*. lb' leniiiine I in tlieNortli-Wete..i.>mitsnf^itt f>t Crown Lands Aj^eut. He wa.K m m-HU of few words, of a Kind and {^eui-TMUL* ciis- fjosition, ;ind took a deep \\iUiUi>t ini Ihf; settlement entrusted to bis car*-, Tii>" many acts of kindness on iiun |»»«rt o{ lumself and bis (istimable wife, -n^uciialfl cause their memory Ion ^. to utm^w jf/ftftn in the liomes of early st'ttJe»** Land seekers continued Ui arrive throu^diout t'^e entire suma.*^ futtfi «i!l late in the fall. Hu^h McDiarrjini/'i and bis son John came early in tb*- \frA^r,n, the remainder of the famijy *#)ri5inj( later. Tlionias Maitland loutid fml onr clearing, and he, like myw-li, Jj(tie%mft a fixture. He bad the facidty iu his early days, of uccommodatin;^ himself to liiH surronndinj^s. 1 knew him on one oc- casion to enjoy a sound ni^^iit's sleep with the l)aie !»ravol beach for a IhmI, the sky for his only covering.', and a j^ood •lizcd stone for bis pillow. 1 at the sume time slejit (wjnally vvell with the same U'd and coveriiig, l)ut bad bir my pillow a bundle of moss which I preferred to a stone, believing it to be more comfort- able if noL .,o patriarchal. We bad many adventures to;;ether both alloat and .tshore, some of .vhich were more excit- inj4 than pleasant. For myself, 1 was Alway- cautious, but never lost my pres Miice ol mind in danger. As for .Mait land, he was possessed (>f a don't-sto[>- to-consider but [)itf!b-in, sort of tem- rerment, and was as careless when in daii,"ras he was about f^ettinj^ there. { remember once when crossing an arm "f the Georj^ian liay in an open boat we »ftre overt}\!.eu by a violent ^alotwbich rendt nti the probability of our ^oin^ to t' ''ottoiii unpleasantly near, and a bile I w.iH e.Kertin^ all my skill in steering the craft Maitland sat on one of the thwarts eating a piece of cake, the shape of a li'ilf-mo>)n, with the same composure as if lit! were sittini^ by the camp Hre. I expressed my surprise at Ms being able to eat under such circumstance.'^, and \\c replied that "if he were going to \^ drowned, be did not .see tiiat his le- iriaininu nungry would mend matters." We suciu cded, bow(!ver, in reacbin;; a safe harbour, but not without a parting sabile froiii an angry breaker as we cro-istd the bar; and as we arc both now Apfiroaching the end of our earthly voy- age I trust that in crossing tb(> final bar no breakers will be allowed tc swamj) r)ur craft. In the dusk of an evening that closwl a day of fieavy and incessant rain, wo young men, sjiattered with nmd and drenched totheslin, ajiplied for lodgings at the dwelling of W. C. Boyd. Their dress and manner left no room for doubt as to the cl'aracter of the social circle iu which they had been accustomed to move, and with the exception of true English pluck, of which they were un- doubtedly possessed, they were destitute of the qualifications required to fit them for a successful struggle with the har !- ships of a bush life. These were the Caruwell brothers, Henry and Joseph. They obtained a grant of a lot on the Garafraxa road, near wliat is now Chats worth, on which they built a shanty and started to work. I met them several times during the following winter, and saw in them no appearance of dissatis- faction with tlieir new life. There was a rough Independence about it that seemed in some Icgree to compensate for ^he loss of tlie home comforts to which they had been accustouied, and they therefore enjoyed a fair share of contentment with the present and hope in the future. This state of matters was rudely terminated some two years later, by the burning of their shanty with all its contents, including their stock of money, leaving them destitute of everything save the clothing they had on at the time. The suffering entailed by this calamity can be more easily im- agined than described, and Joseph be- coming dislieartened in consequence, left the country. Of his subsequent his- tory I know nothing. The fortitude and perseverance of Henry were eventually rewarded by comparative mdependence, which he enjoyed for many years, to- gether with the respect and confidence of the entire community. His earthly career terminated iu a sad and mysteri. ous death. During the summer of which I write all the lots on the Garafraxa road con- sidered tit for settlement were taken up, and also those on the 10th concession of Sydenham. The St. Vincent line was surveyed, and a rai ge of lots staked off on either side, the greater number of which were located. Paul Dunn, whose family arrived the following year, James Angus, Henry Harrison, Dugald Mc- Callum and the Lament family were some of the locates. Later in the sea- son the Lake Shore line was surveyed, and a range of lots staked off on the west side. This range is now known as Concession B, These lots were mostly located, but few were occcupied till the following spring, the locates having gone home to prepare for a final move. Robert Elliot and Gideon Harkuess re- mained, and there may have been others, but if so they have passed from my re- collection. James Hall, Nathaniel Barber, Israel Mclunes, Hugh Welsh, Jesse Mclnnes and Fleming Lyttle settled on the second concession uf Derby, above the Falls. This colony, numbering about fifty all told, became known as the Iiish settlement. Our spiritual interest was not wholly neglected, as we were visited by the Itev. John Xeelands, better known then as Father Neelands, who lived iu St. Vin- cent and not only" paid regular visits to the town but took the entire settlemeut under his care. Beiug endowed with a true missionary spirit, an extensive knowledge of hu)inin nature and a liber- al share of common sense, lie was emi- nently fitted to till the position in which providence had placeil him. Though belonging to a particular denomination he had no desire to surround Heaven witli a fence and allow uono to enter but members of his own church. He may have had failings, but if so I forget all about them, and rcinembcr hnn only as a man advanced in years, devoted to the service of his Master, tram pin from house to house (or rather from shanty to shanty) with wonts of advice and en- couragement to all, without respect to creed, colour or nationality. The class of preachers to which he belonged to- gether with the circumstances which called them into existence, have passed away and a now order of religions teach- ers, with different surroundings now exists. How much has been gained or "% I lost b}- the tx'ausition is a subject worthy tlie serious consideration both of teach- ers and taught. We had a short visit during the sum- mer from the Rev. WilHara liyerson. His route from Toronto as afterwards described by himself, was — up Yonge Street to Holland Landing, and across Lake Simcoe to Barrio, thence over a portage of seven miles to a branch of the Nottawasaga River, and down the river to its mouth. From thence he was conveyed by religious friends in a small boat to St. Vincent, where beheld a camp-mcoting. Ho was then brought to the Indian Village (now Brooke) wliere he held another meeting. I at- tended service on Sunday, and have a vivid recollection of a picture he drew of "the trader that would give whiskey to the poor Indian in order that he might the more easily deprive him of his tish and furs." In concluding this part of liis sermon he said "that the Devil himself would be ashamed of such a low, miserable creature, and if there were in Hell a low foul corner unfit for the hab- itation of the ordinary subjects of his Satanic Majesty, it was there he would place this disgrace to men and devils." Though his language was forcible and severe, its force and severity were so in- tensified by his manner of delivery that it could only be appreciated by those who heard him, Before leaving this part of the country he came to see us, and was entertained with his friends at the house of W. C. Boyd, which was then the free headquarters of all teach- ers of Christianity. On leaving us he was conveyed to the head of Colpoys Bay, across by land and water to Lake Huron, and down the coast to the In- dian Village at Saugeeu, where he again held a camp-meeting, and finally returned home by Goderich, thus com- pleting what would generally be consid- ered a very desirable and agreeable excursion. But from his own account of the trip, as [lublished in one of the 19 Toronto newspay)ers, he evidently did not regard it in that light. He gave a graphic description of the hardships ho endured, and the miserable condition in which he found the people. He spoko of our village as being "a small white settlement the inhabitants of which were in a state of starvation for want of temporal and spiritual food." How ho could make such statements without drawing largely upon his imagination is to me a mystery. Of a lack of tempor- al food he certainly saw no indication, as the table at which he was entertain- ed he would find supplied in no grudging manner, and I feel confident that none of the inhabitants pomplained to him of a scarcity, for nothing of the kind exist- ed. As for spiritual food, we felt dis- posed to enjoy what we had and patient- ly wait till the improvement in our circumstances would allow us a more liberal supply. While such romancing may not be indulged in for the purpose of deception it has nevertheless a tendency to deceive and cast discredit upon all missionary literature. It is therefore to be regret- ted that men who undertake to teach, not only by precejit but by exam)ile, should allow themselves to be so carried away by inordinate zeal as to adopt a course of such (xnestionable morality. On my arrival at Owen Sound I had found W. C. Boyd quartered in the emi- grant house, his journey here having been accomplished on the schooner Fly, a vessel of about fifteen tons, which hp had purchased in Toronto in order to convey with him, his family and a cargo of supplies such as would be needed in a new settlement. He had a number of men employed in preparing materials for a building and clearing olf a place on which to erect it. As I had come to stay, and had been accustnuied to earn my own living, I went to work with the rest, without asking any questions as to time or wages. Having spent the gnsat- 10. er part of ray lite iu helping to clear up and work a farm, I was no stranger to a bush-life. I could handle the axe autl handspike, could drive oxen, and use, iu a rough manner, such tools as saw, ham- mer, mallet and chisel. I had also some experience in managing a country store. In all these employments, and u'any more, I engaged from time to tiiue, as circumstances required. The Fly had brought from the mouth of the No«ta- wasaga River a targo of lumber, whicli was lauded at what is now the foot of Union Street. A new waggon, which formed part of her cargo from Toronto, was lying in pieces beside the lumber. My first employment was to put togeth- er the waggon, hitch to it a yoke of oxen, and begin hauling up the lumber to where the builders were at work. I had uot thus be )n long engaged when I fell and hurt my knee, and though it did not bother me much at the time, the next morning it was so stilt' I could scarcely walk, and I was consequently rendered unfit to follow the oxen through the bush. Not wishing to be idle though I had a lame leg, I asked the foreman of the framers for a mallet and chisel. These he gave me and with them I went to work, and continued to chisel until tiiC building was ready to raise, in which operation I was able to assist, my knee being tlien so far recovered as to permit my doing so. The frame was of the old fashion, with posts and beams, and raised in bents, and contained as much solid timber as three or four modern buildings. Thomas Hembrough and I enclosed and shingled it, and assisted the carpenters (as they called them selves) to finish the inside. Hembrough made no more pretensions to being a carpenter than I did, but we got through about as much work and did it about as well as those who claimed to have served their time at the trade. When the building was tit to be occupied, moving the stuff, tilling up the store, antl ar- ranging the goods therein, formed my next occupation. I also spent much of my time looking after men that Boyd kept employed at clearing land and erecting buildings for storehouse and stable. Later in the summer a large building in the gully or ravine, south of what is 1 ow known as Baring Street, for the manufacture of j)earlash. A kiln of brick was burned, the clay for which was taken from the face of the liill and trodden by oxen. As it required sand to be mixed with it, and we knew of none nearer than the beach below Squaw Point, I went there for a load, taking a batteaux and two men, with a log canoe in tow. We started early in the afier- nouu, and on reaching the beach it was found that the water shoaled so gradu- ally that the batteaux could not be got near enou h the shore to land, 1 there- fore had it anchored in water sufficiently deep to float it when loaded, and as neither of the men seemed inclined to get his feet wet, I left one of them on the batteau and took the other ashore with the canoe. I then stood in the water holding tlie canoe in place, while the man on shore tilled it with sand, after which I waded with it out to the batteaux where the man on board un- loaded it. I continued this process till the loading was completed. By that time it was nearly dark and a heavy rain storm came upon us, accompanied by a strong gale down the bay, which cut off all chance of our getting home that night. This was by uo means agreeable. l)ut it afforded me some satisfaction to see that the men got their full share of the wetting, and they could uo longer congratulate themselves on keeping dry whilst I was drenched. Now we were all alike, wet and hungry, for wo had taken no provisions with us. I made this trip after having obtained some knowledge both of sailing and rowing, but I had uot hitherto proved the folly of going a-boating without a supply of provisions, and it is needless to say that I did not fail to profit by the experience. Tlie men engagsd at the brickmaking were all new to the business, none hav- ing previously worked at it, but they managed to turn out bricks of as good quality as any I have ever seen made here since. We had then a supply of good bricks but no lime, This we ob- tained in the following manner: We se- lected a place at the side of the ravine a short distance from the building erected for pearling-works, but farther up where the ravine was not so deep. Here we made an excavation in a circular form, about eight feet deep and six in diame- ter, at the foot of which we made an opening out to the ravine, that served for a door. The soil being a stiff clay we were not troubled by its caving in We then tilled up the hole with broken limestone, raising it above the surface in the form of a cone, applied the fire and kept it going till all the stone was thoroughly burnt. We had thus both lime and brick with whicli to plaster our houses and build our chimneys. The schooner Fly was sailed by Dun can and Alexander McNab, with an Af- rican named Isaiah Chokee as cook. The latter, according to his own story, had been kidnapped in Africa and kept on board a man-uf-war for fourteen years. Tlie Bliip having touched at New York he left without asking tor a discharge, and found his way to Toronto, where Boyd picked him up and put him on beard the Fly. The schooner, after having made several trips to Goderich and Coldwater, wat ordered to Detroit, and the sailors informed that I would be sent along with money to purclia.se the cargo. At this they became indignant, and declared they would leave the ship, doubtless thinking that they would be coaxed to remain. But in this they were disappointed, as Boyd took them at their word and paid them off, leaving the schooner at anchor in charge of Isaiah. Floui at length becoming scarce, 11. and no sailors being obtainable, Boyd undertook to make a trip to Coldwater himself, and asked me to go with him as assistant in running the vessel. My fitness for the position at that time may be understood when it is known that I had practised navigation on board a fishing skiff in the Nerval Mill-pond. I had seen schooners on Lake Ontario at a distance, but had never been on board, or even near to one. I knew which end of the boat should go first, and that it was directed in its course by a contriv- ance in the stern called a rudder, but about the principle upon which it acted I knew nothing. But while I did not boast of my knowledge, I took care to betray as little of my ignorance as pos- sible. I carefully watched the move- ments of my shipmates and the ship, asking very few questions. It so hap- pened that tlie wind was ahead through- out the greater part of the trip. While this increased our work it improved my opportunities of adding to my seafaring knowledge, and before the voyage was ended I had learned the names of the different sails, shrouds, stays, halyards, sheets and lines, masts, booms and gaffs, could assist at taking in and reefing sail, and take my turn at the rudder. On arriving at Sturgeon Bay we dropped anchor within tight miles of Coldwater, for which place Boyd left in a jolly boat, taking Isaiah with him, and leaving me in charge of the schooner. Though it was lying but a short distance from the shore I had no means of reaching there other than by swimming. I was left in this situation for about a week, with nothing to read, and no one to talk to, and I found it exceedingly lonely. One day I observed a bark canoe, containing some squaws, making towards the schooner, and was very much interested in this, to me, novel craft, it appeared so light, 80 steady, so easily propelled. On reaching the schooner the squaws came on board, leaving the canoe along side, and it occurred to me that now was 12 a favorable opportunity to try my hand at the paddle. I accordingly got into the canoe and took hold of the paddle, but I soon found that I had fearfully miscalculated the character of my new conveyance. It would dart off in every direction but the one in which I wanted it to go, and instead of being quite steady it seenaed possessed of a determmation to get from under me and pitch me iuto the water. My best efforts to steady it were unavailing, and at last, in desper- ation, I laid down the paddle and placed my hands on either side, thinking by this means to keep it quiet. Anyone who has had any experience in bark canoeing wilU not require to be told what followed. I could swim a little and escaped being drowned, had none to laugh at me but the squaws, and as for tlie ducking that did not matter, as it was not my first, neither was it my last. Nor was that my last attempt at man- aging a bark canoe, as I had many a lively trip aftcrwardsiu this kind of craft- Boyd left Isaiah at Coldwater while he went himself to New Market where he purchased a cargo of flour, had it shipped across by steamer to Orillia and forwarded by land to Coldwater and from there in open boats to the Fly. After getting it all on board, we took up anchor, but dropped it again off Pene- tanguishene, and went up to the town in the joUy-ljoat. What our business was at that place I have now forgotten; but I remember perfectly that it requir- ed a long and hard pull to get there. We had a quiet run over from Peuetaug and at length brought our ship and car go with all hands, sate to pert. Captain Borland was at this time building houses for the Indians at the Indian village, and Boyd and I wont over with some su[)plies in a batteau, taking a skiff in tow. The schooner "Wanderer," a trading vessel, was at anchor of^ the village, a short distance from shore, in charge of the cook, a lad of about fifteen years. He had been on shore, and was returning, bringing with him a young Indian, when, as lie was handing the boy onto the deck of the schooner, the boat in which he was standing slipped from under him, upon which he dropped his charge into the water, and laid hold of the shrouds. We were some distance from the scene and our batteau moved slowly. I cut the tow-line of the skiff and we botli jumped into it and made all possible speed to the rescue. The little fellow was lying fiat on the surface like a frog, with his face down, and paddling with his arms, but he must soon have smoth- ered had not assistance reached him. When we got near him, I jumped over- board, thinking the water was not over four or five feet deep as I could see the bottom so distinctly. But I had not been accustom td to Lake Huron water, and instead of being able to stand on the bottom I found no bottom to s and on, but went over my head and got nearly choked before I recovered myself. In the meanwhile Boyd had caught the boy by the hair and had landed him into the skiff. The cook had now let go his hold and dropped into the water and was drowning, but we also got him on board our skiff and took them both to land. The mother of the young Indian, hearing of the accident came down, furious as a she-bear, with a number of her tribe at her heels, and if we had not interfered the poor young cook would have been severely Jiandled. The fath- er of the child (a white man) followed, attracted by tlie commotion, but he took a more philosophical view, and the matter was settled without further trouble. That young Indian is now Chief McGregor of the Cape Croker band of Indians. The Fly was next ordered to St. Vin- cent, but Boyd remained at home, send- ing Archibald McNab in his place as master. McNab's knowledge of sailing was much like my own, rather limited, but he was not at all lacking in self- 13 confidence. Our instructions were to proceed to St. Vincent, buy a cargo of wlieat, or as mncli as we could collect, take it to Coldvvater and get it ground. A dollar a bushel was the price we were instructed to pay for the wheat.' On reaching St. Vincent we dropped anch- or off what was then known as Mallory's mills (Meaford had no existence at that time). Young Mallory came on board and asked me ashore to spend the night at his father's, and as the distance -was not ver\ great I gladly accei)ted his kind invitation. The construqf^iou of the Mallory dwelling with its surround- ings, internal arrangements, the dress and manner of its inmates, formed a fair representation of the homes of Can- adian pioneers. My impression of the proprietor formed at the time was, that though evidently past the prime of life he was quite unconscious of having sus- tained any loss either in mental or physi- cal vigour; and while his countenance displayed a fair share of good nature, the man who attempted to impose upon hnn would have found himself sadly mistaken in the character of the person with whom he had to deal. Ho enter- tained me till a late hour with a history of the settlement, in the prosperity of v/hich he manifested a lively interest. I do not know that he was the first settler in the township, but he was certainly one of the first. He came from Prince Edward's County, bringing with him a nutnber of laud claims, belonging to himself and others, wliich he disposed of to intending settlers w'ho, after hav- ing made certain improvements on the lots selected, obtained a pateutfrom the Crown. The township at that time con- tained about 7-5 families scattered over its surface. The following is a list of those whose names I remember, some of whom I met the following day and others I became acquainted with subse- quently: Price Mallory. Robert Mitchell, Thos. Mitchell, Ebeuezer Clark, William Whitelaw, William Corley, John Londry, David Miller, John Dagan, James Story, Walter Story, James Robertson, John Douglas, John Williams, Samuel Saund- ers, Thomas Cooper, Renneslaer Lev- ans, Reuben Cunningham, Steven Wil- cox, Steven Wilcox (son), Steven Wilcox (nephew), William Hallock, Benjamin flallock, Donald McLaren and sons, Duncan, Archibald, Peter and Donald), Robert Atkins, Joseph Atluns, Adam Long, Hiram Bond, Peter Emery, James Carson, Robert Carson, David Doran, Adam Frank, Colonel Watson, John A. Vail, John Kirvan, Steven Boroman, Joseph Cox, Richard Cox, William Stephenson, Matthew Beebe, Jacob Shunck, Samuel Eagle, Frederick Bak- er, William Gibbons, Thomas Mackie, Solomon Robins, William Raven, Jason Burcholl, Samuel Flowers, Miles Mc- Donald, Asa Blauchard, S. Blanchard, Isaac Johnson, Samuel Cook, Morris Ashcroft, James and Francis Bowls, Donald Baxter, John Doherty, David Youman, David Seaman. Being completely isolated from the older settled portions of the province, and having neither gristmill nor store, their mode of living was very primitive. Their clothing was chiefly of home manufacture, and those wlio used tobac- co grew it themselves. They had a post office kept by William Stevenson, wiio carried the mail from Barrie on his back. Owen Sound was not favoured with a post office for three or four years after this time, consequently all our mail matter had to pass through that of St, Viuceut. The opening of the Owen Sound district was the beginning of a new era to the inhabitants of St. Vincent. It furnished a market for their fish and farm produce, and afforded them the opportunity of obtain- ing such goods as they required or the circumstances warranted. During the four or five years following this date I met frequently with tliose whoso names appear above, often stoj)ping at their 14 homes where a welcome was universal. Notwithstanding their isolated position and the privations endured in conse- quence, a more cheerful and contented people I never had the good fortune to mingle with. I remember one, however, who was the exception to the rule, and who, thougli he was getting along as well as any settler in the township, was con- tinually grumbling and finding fault. I once happened to mention to him that I had been offered a lot in St. Vincent or. what I considered reasonable terms, upon which he strongly advised me to have nothing to do with any property in that locality, "the soil was poor, the climate bad, the situation remote, and the title doubtful." Notwithstanding this advice, which was no doubt Well meant, I acted on my own judgement and had no cause to regret having done so. This person, who is now dead, lived on one of the finest farms in the township, drove a splendid turn-out. and surrounded himself with every thing that should bring contentment. I saw very little of him during the latter years of his life, but have been informed that he grumbled to the last. But to return to my narrative. After being hospitably entertained by the Mallory's I again went on board the Fly. The farmers had brought their wheat down to the shore and the greater part of the day was taken up in transferring it to the schooner by means of small boats. When loaded we made sail for the Gap in the Christian Islands, short- ly before sunset, with a fair wind which continued to freshen. As the sun went down a dark belt began to rise ahead of us out of which flashes of lightning darted, and as this belt rose higher and higher the flashes of lightning became brighter and more frequent while peal after peal of thunder seemed to roll from one side of the horizon to the other. It was my watch at the helm. MacNab and Isaiah had turned in, but becoming convinced that a storm of extraordinary severity was about to burst upon us, I called MacNab (who presented his head and shoulders above the companion- hatch) and told him I thought we should shorten sail as the storm would soon strike us, He looked around and calmly remarking "he thought there would be more noise than wool, as the devil said when he shaved the pig," returned be- low. He had scarcely time to turn in when the storm struck us in all its fury, with every stitch of canvas up, throwing the schooner on her beam ends, from whicl^position, however, she soon right- ed having been under good headway. With the night a'l dark as pitch, the rain coming down in torrents, the sea making a clean sweep over us, the wind howling, the thunder roaring and the lightning flashing, I can scarcely bo laughed at for wishing myself safe on shore. It was a nice position for two land lubbers such as MacNab and my- self to find ourselves in. Isaiah was a good sailor but lost his presence of mind when in danger. MacNab took the helm; Isaiah and I scrambled forward to short- en sail. Isaiah loosened the flying-jib sheet, but got into such a flurry that he let it slip out of his hands and in trying to catch it again the block struck him on the head, knocking him flat on the deck. If my head had received the blow I think the storm would have troubled me no longer, but his, being about as hard as the block, did not appear to be affected thereby, for he quickly gathered himself up and succeeded in securing the sheet and stowing the jib. We final ly managed to get all the other sails un- der close reef. The night being so dark we could not see the Christian Islands Gap, and wo were obliged to stand off till daylight, by which time the storm had spent its fury though the wind was still ^'resh, and fair for the Gap, which we soon entered. We found, lying on the deck one of the jaws of the main gaff, full of long spikes, which had been wrenched off by the gale. The foremast u was broken off close to the deck,and held in place by the stays and shrouds only. Considering the violence of the storm and the fact of its striking us with all sail set, the wonder is that either the deck was not swept clean, or the ship sent to the bottom with sails, spars and rigging, hands, cargo and cook. We ran down to Sturgeon Bay, where we anch- ored, MacNab and I leaving for Cold- water in a jolly-boat for the purpose of getting a batteau to carry our wheat to the mill, and Isaiah remaining in charge of ' -le schooner. We had first to pull to Coldwater (distant eight miles) procure a batteau, bring it to the Fly, take the wheat on board, row the batteau back to the mill, wait till the wheat was ground, convey it again to the schooner and then take the batteau back to the mill. If this was hard and tedious work it was not at all lonely, as we had the music of millions of frogs, toads and lizards to enliven us. Mosquitoes were also well represented as to numbers, surpassing in size and impudence any- thing of the kind I had ever encountered. Those to which I had been accustomed generally spent some time in humming around before lighting, and after light- ng walked about, prospecting for a fav- ourable spot on which to operate. But those of the Coldwater breed gave no time to either humming or prospecting but went at their work as if they meant business. Day or night appeared to make no difference in either their num- bers or voracity. We at length got all the cargo on board, weighed anchor and made for homo, taking with us very few fond recollections of Coldwater and its surroundings. The flour was disposed of for SIX dollars a barrel, some for cash and some for credit, no one being refused on account of having no money. In fact I never knew Boyd to refuse provisions to a family in want, but on the contrary I have known him to be often imposed upon by those who had money but con- cealed it, and obtained credit by work- ing upon his sympathies. When the flour was nearly all gone Boyd told me I must go for another car* go of wheat. To this I objected as I did not care to be connected with any enter- prise entailing certain loss, and as there had been a clean loss on the last cargo nothing better could be expected from the next. He replied that the settlers must have flour and if he did not furnish it they would starve. Seeing that ho was bent upon having his own way I consented to go, my shipmates being the same as on the former trip. We weigh- ed anchor in the afternoon and liad a very good run down the bay, passing the Vale school about dark. We there found the wind from the east, dead ahead, accompanied by a drizzling rain. Not caring to spend the night on deck without the prospect of making head- way, we stowed all the canvas except- ing the foresail, which we close-reafed and close-hauled, and lashed the helm hard- up, or hard-down, (I forget which), after which we turned in, leaving the schooner to take care of herself. This she did in splendid style, for on waking the follow- ing morning we found ourselves a con- siderable distance beyond Cape Croker. We had passed both Griffiths Island and the Cape, and how we escaped drifting on to one or the other was then a mys- tery. We obtained our load and took it to Coldwater as we dd the first cargo, and in due time brought our sbip again nto port, more by good luck than good management. This was my last trip for that year, Boyd did the sailing for the remainder of the season, getting assist- ance as best ho could. He made sever- al trips to Coldwat'^ir, beaching the schooner at one time, and dropping tlio foremast overboard at another. Towards the close of the season he went twice to Detroit, bringing back each time a full cargo of provisions, thus preventing any danger of starvation during the winter. On the seventeenth of November he started for the mouth of the Nottawa- saga River with a cargo of fish, intend- 16 ing to return with lumber, but instead of iiialiiuf^ tlie river Jae made the shore a short (listauco below Prcsque Isle, in a feairul ntonu of wind and ;-iuow. The Hclioouer stuck fast aud balllud all his efforts to float her, aud there was noth- iu<» to do but scud for help, wliich ho did at the appearance of daylij^dit. The snow had by this tiiue fallou so deep that the inesKcuger was oblij^ed to keep the shore all the way and reached us about dark, briuj^iuj.' a letter from Boyd instructiuj^ me to collect as uiauy uien as possible aud couie to his assistance. By moruiiig the snow was over two feet deep aud still laliiug. It took me all day to get things in readiness and gath- er together fifteen volunteers who went wilh mc the following morning, in a batteau, to the scene of the wreck. We found the iioor 'Flv' hard atjround, aud being pounded on the stones by a heavy sea running on the shore, put- ting her strength to a severe test, Sht- stood it v.'cll. however, and came off witliout any apparent injury. We ail went (|uickiy to work, romc in the water aud some out, no one grumbled and no one refused to do as he was asked. For my own part, I was in the water up to my waist the greater part of my time aud did not find it at all disagreeable whilst in, but so soon as I came out I felt the cold and had either to go to the camp or into the water again. With the intention of bringing some appliances and provisions, I left for houje some time during tlio afternoon, in a smalj boat, Bobert Elliot accompanying me. It was quite dark when we reached the mouth of the river and as it was hozeu over we could not enter but were obliged to undertake the walk up on the west side. By tliis time the suow was up to our waists, but so light that we managed to work our way up as far as the Land Agent's house. How long it took us I do not know, but wo were fortunate en- ough to get througli before the Agent had retired for the night. Here we found the River open, and no available means of crossing but by swimming, and this we did not care to do, but the Agent heard us calling and came to our rescue witli his canoo. We returned the next day to the scene of the wreck, and after several days spent in and out of the water the schooner w-as again floated, brought safe into port and laid up for the winter. The snow was by this tunc over three feet deep, and more was con- stantly falling. With the thermometer dropping lower and lov.'er it cannot be wondered at that I thought the winters of this region were more severe than on the Ontario front to which I had been accustomed all my life. But if this wore my opinion then, I had good reason to change it before spring. It is true that the entire settlement was lit- erally snowed under and shut off from all means of communication witli the older settlements except by walking, but thanks to Boyd aud the schooner Fly it was well supplied with provisions, aud if the dwellings were not frost-proof firewood — was plcntifid, so that there was no danger of cither starving or freezing. If, therefore, our condition did not excite the envy of outsiders we certainly did not merit their pity. I was not allowed long to enjoy this iso- lated paradise, for Boyd had business that required his presence in Toronto, or that of some one in his place, aud I consented to undertake the trip. 1 left Oil a Monday, carrying with mo a sup))ly of provisious tor the journey, and reached Ba'lauafad the follov^^ing Saturday night, a distance of 100 miles. Rather slow travelling 'tis true, even slower than that made by tlie narrow guage which caused such grumbling in later years, but 1 then thought I had made very good time. From ]>allanafad to Toronto and back, I travelled by sleigh. On my return I remained a short time at my old home where my mother still lived, and received a moth- er's welcome. I was quite an object of 17 interest to my old friends and nei^;!!- bours, who aitpeared to think mo fond of adventure and to be one and all of the opinion that I would have displayed more wisdom if I had stayed on my father's farm. Their reasons for form- hi'f!, such conclusions were, when boiled down, sonjothiu^ like the following: — "We see by the map of Upper Canada tliat that country is fully a degree north of us, consequently it must be much colder, and your statements respecting the deptii of snow when you left confirm us in that opinion, It may, perhaps, produce turnips, potatoes, oats and corn, spring wheat to a limited extent, in favourable seasons, but to talk of its pioducing fall wheat, or such fruits as apples or pears, is simply absurd And, besides, it has neither roads, schools, nor churches, and is unlikely ever to contain a population capable of sustain- ing those elements of civilization, and tliei'ofore, while admitting your posses- sion of pluck, we have great doubts as to your wii^dom." Though duly grateful for these manifestations of interest in my welfare I resolved to contmue the course 1 had adopted, and if I failed, never to give tliem the opportunity of saying "I told you so" to me at least, as in that case I never should have gone back to be sneered at by some and pit- ied by others. My father's old estate consisted of live liundred acres, worth at the present time about seveuty-hve dollars an acre. Now such is my attach- ment to the home of my adoption that I would refuse to accept a free deed of that property if offered on the condition that I should live on it for the reuiainder of my life. Some people may call this "niej'c sentiment!" "Ouiy this and nothmg morel" Be it so. Who wouM care to live in this world were it not for 'mere sentiment?' What is love uf family, love of friends, love of church, love of country, but -mere sentiment,' yet he would be a heartless wretch who would barter any one of these for money. Well, after having been litei dly loaded down with sage advice and wise predic- tions which, were bestowed without money and without price, or even with- out the trouble of asking, I took leave of my mother and wended iny way to- wards my new home, which I r cached, after a hard tramp, a few days before Christmas. On my arrival I was greeted bv tlie sad news of the death of William Rielly, an honest and industrious settler, in the prime of life, who lived on the Garafraxa road. It appeared that he had been in town the previous day, was known to have eaten nothing during the day, and leaving for home after dark, in a blinding snowstorm, had perished by the way, This was a sorrowful ending to the poor fellow's efforts to make a home for his young family. As the time was approaching when the town meetings were to be held in the organized i)arts of the province, the Laud Agent issued a notice requiring the settlers to assemble in the old Gov. ernmenl House (subsequently used for a public school), on tlio first Monday in January, for the purpose of holding a Town-meeting. It is true there was no law for such a proceeding, but there was a very general attendance notwithstand- ing. The Land-Agent was elected chairman, and I was elected Town- olerk, Nathanael Herriman, Francis Aruot and Edward Sparling being the speakers on the occasion. A re- solution was adopted binding all and sundry to faithfully observe and keep ah the lavv's and ordinances there and then enacted. I regret having neglected to preserve the records of this meeting, as tiiey would no doubt be interesting to many. Some of the business trans- acted was, the ap])ointing of pound keepers, and dividing the settlement in- to sections and appointing road masters. IJut with the exception of affording us a day's au)userr.ent the meeting pro- duced no results, the whole affair being soon forgotten. 18 Shortly after tlu.s a most ilistrcissiiij^ acci(l(;nt occurred iu llie Insli settle- iiient. Quo of the settlerH, Nathanacl liarbcr, had allowed to reniaiu Ktaiidinj^ in dangerous ))roxniiity to ids duelliii;^. a larf^e tree, which yielded one nij^liL to a storm of unusual violence and falling across the house crushed it to the earth. Oue of the old man's dauj^l iters was killed, h(! Inmself had one of his lej^'s broken, and other members of the fam- ily were badly injured. It was a source of wonder to all who witnessed tho scene of the wreck that any of the inuiatcs escaped with their lives. So terrible an atUiction could not fail to ai'ouse the sympathy uf the entire community, which in many iustauces was manifest- ed iu a tauj^ihle form. We seldom (saw) a newspaper, conse- quently wo were not distracted by what was transpiriu;:; iu the outside world, I's we knew very little about it aud cared as little. Ihit there was a universal feelinj4 of dissatisf action vv'ith fjjovern- nient for the course pursued in tho man- agement of our settlement, and this dissatisfaction rose to fever heat when the information was circnlaled that in- structions had been received by the agents at Arthur and Owen Sound to donand from each settler payment in full for his reserve, and in the case of refusal or neglect on the part of au3' to comply with these regulations the agents were to grant or sell the lands of such to others. In order that n.-y readers may understand the [tosition in which these people found thomsclves placed it will be necessary to narrate the circumstan- ces under wdiich they becaujo settlers: — In the year hS 10 the government issued a notice promising to open a road a full chain wide from the north-west corner of the township of Garafraxa to the head of the (>\ven Sound J>ay, to grub sixteen feet wide in the centre, bridge the streams and crossway the swamps. On each side of this road lots were to bo staked off. A free gift of fifty acres was to be given to each actual settler, and fifty acres adjoining reserved for them to purchase at eight shillings per acre, tho fifty acres thus costnig eighty dollars. On the faith of those promises, setters came in and took up lots, — how the promises were fulfilled is (lasily told: — J)uring the year 1H41, 1'^ miles at the south end of the Oarafraxa road, and 12 at the north wore opened according to agreenunit, l( aviiig '.Vil miles in the centre!. Througli this part a stiake-road was brushech auil tho rivers such as the main Saugeen and its tributaries, were bridged, but the lesser rivers wore left without bridges and the swamps without erossways. While the road was in this condition cattle were brought over it, and some- times oxen under yoke (though tho lat- ter was considered a dangerous business as many of the swanqjs were practical- ly without bottom,) but no oucattem])t- ed to bring a team through. TIk; money may have ran short and the Government thereby been unable to complete the road, which would form an excuse for the nonfulfillment of this proiiiise; but to deprive the original settlers of their reserves merely to baud them over to new comers was regarded as a flagrant act of spoliation, A mass-meeting was therefore held lor the purpose of co'isid- ering the situation and adopting means to bring our gii(;vanccs under the notice of llis ]<^xcellenc,y in counsel. It was agreed to have a memorial prepared sot- ting forth the circumstances in which we were placed, and appoint a delegate to proceed to Iviugstnn and [)resent it to His J'iXcellency. Natlianael Ji('rriniau was chosen as delegate, and many sub- scribed to pay his expenses. A commit- tee was also ai:pointed to prepare a me. morial of which I still have a co])y, in the handwriting of Henry Cardwell, with a number of signatures attached thereto. A trip to Kingston in those days Avas somewhat dilTerent from what it would be at the present time. It in- volved a walk to Toronto, that being the ... It I J 19 [\ and l(\lil to •c, the vs. On H came oiiiisos ii;4 ilic cud of novtli :i>iu(!nt, iiou}.'h ;(1, aiul on and )Ilt tlio bridges ssways. nudition 1 son 10- tlio lat- biisinoss racticai- ittenipt- c jnonoy evnnient ilotc tlio [•xuse lot iiise; but of their 1 over to tlagi-aut ;>tiug was of coMsid- is' moaus jhe uotico . It was [)ared sot- iu wbicli , dok';^ato Dseut it to ll(!rrimau iiauy sub- A couiuiit- jaic a me. X co))y, in Cai-dwell, ^ attached 1 iu those from what 1)0. It in- \,t being the nearest point at winch a public convey- auee could be obtained, tlie saidcouvey- auco takiu{4 the form of stage iu winter or steamboat iu Humnier. So, as the season of whicli 1 am now writing was midwinter our delegate bad either to take tlie stage from Toronto to Kings- ton, or walk the entire distance. Which course he adopted I forget if I ever knew, l)ut he might as well have stayed at home as his nnssion amounted to noth- ing. There was no money iu the treas- ury at the disposal of the (ioverumcnt which might be s[)ent on the (larafraxa road, and the instructions to the agents rospectiug the reserves were neither to be enforced for the ju'esent nor with- drawn. In couse(iaouce of the state of uncertainty this involved many p(;rsous parted with their reserves by selling thorn for a mere trille to the Ttrst new comer who made tliem an otter, prefer- ring to get a trifle for their tijdit to los- ing it altogether. The Government that ruled C^anada was not a corrupt Tory institution such as we read about, but was composed of genuine Reformers un- der a Tory Governor General who al- lowed his ministers to run the country in their own way. This was the first trial of responsible government iu Can- ada, or any ]>ritisii Colony. So far as we were concerued I don't know that t!)o political character of the Govern- ment made any difference, as wo did not belong to any organii'ied territories and consequently ha'.l no one at liead quart- ers to champion our cause. I thiulv that the first legal decision ever delivered in Owen Sound deserves to be recorded, as it sliows that diiTer- enees betw'een neighbors can be satis- factorily arranged wijhout the int(!rvi.;n- tion of lawyers. The <;ause of the dispute tliat led to this decision was as follow^: James Oliver and Jvlward Sparling, liv- ed side by side, always on good terms as neighbors shoulil be. Nothing occur- red to disturb tlie existing harmony until one day Oliver felled a tree which struck one of Si>arling's oxeu and killed it on the spot. The matter was purely acci- dental as the animal was concealed from view by a pile of t)rusli and logs. The mischief was done, however, and liad to be made the best of. Oliver was willing to i)ay, and Sparling to acce[)t coinpeu- satiou, but the dilliculty lay in their being unsible to agree as to the amount; and, as there were, fortuiiately, no law- yers to consult, by which the affair could be complicated, they agreed to submit their case to Mr. Telford, the Land Ag- ent, and W. C. Hoyd, and abide by their decision. Those gentlemen, not being posted in the statutes of the country, thought they could not go far wrong iu reterriug to the Law of Moses, and con- sidered that the o.jth \erse of the 2lst chapter of I'jxodus fairly met the case. They therefori; placed a value on the dead ox and decided that Oliver shonld pay half the amount to Sparling and the carcase be devided between them. Both parties were satisfied to fulfill these terms, and went home good friends. It is not likely that these men were either better or worse than the average Upper Canadian, and if the same facility for enteriui; into lawsuits now enjoyed by this community had existed thein. the probability is that each would have sought legal advice from his favourite s )licitoi', putting the most favourable construction on his own case and care- fully concealing every circumstance that would seem to weaken it, and as might be expected, have obtained advice in accordance witii his own wishes, the re- sult bting a lawsuit, a heavy bill of costs, and two friendly neighbors made enemies for life. J5ut whether we like it or not the legal profession has become a part of our civilization, and lawyers are here to stay; and while they arc not an unmixed j^ood, they are by no means an unmixed evil and it is ditlicult to un- derstand how they could be dispensed with, though many people perhaps, sym- pathize with the tleeced client who is said 20 i,o liavo asked llio Lord "to bless all Ifiwyors with sliovt livus and peaceful (loatliK, talu! i]i{>m all homo to lIo,vv(!n aud not trouble; the worlil witli any tnoro lilcc thoni." Sonic, I fear, would ovou fcol disposed to select a ro^^ion said to possess a diri'oront climate from that named by the petitioner for the fnluro homo of at least a portion of the leyal fraternity. The oxcitenjout caused l)y the action of the Govorumeut roganhn^ the reserves cahncd down after a time and the settlors rj'sumed their work. Asweliad lew visit- ors matters became very dull iuid mon- otonous, a state of things which did not suit me, aud soon ;.'rowintj tired, [ was glad to avail myself of anythinf^ offtrinj,' a chanj^o. It hai)poned that l^oyd had on hand a quantity of tisli, which would probably not al' bo required for home consumption. I deteriiiined to send several loads of these, which were pack- ed in half-barrels, out by the Uarafraxa road to the older settlements, aud em- ployed a number of ox-teams with their drivers, for the purpose, accompanying them myself in order to attend to ihe disposal of the cargoes sliould the cara- van succeed iu forcing a way through. For the iirst twelve miles wo mot wdtli 110 dJDicnlty, but from that on to the Maitland iiiyer we had to croas a suc- cession of open streams and swamps. Between wading and Houndoring, how- ever, we managed to got through in safety. It is true our speed was not of a very high rate, but we considc'red it good under the circumstances. So far as the teamsters and myself wore con- cerned we Jiad quite a jolly time of it, but I fear that the poor patient oxen failed to derive any great amount of pleasure from their share in tlie enter- prirse. Our train attracted considerable attention as v.-e paivsed tiirough the older settlements, wdiich was not surprising in view of the odd ai)pearance we must I have presented. Our sleighs were con- i structcd without any iron. A curved I piece of wood, resting on the necks of the o\en and held in pftsition by an or- dinary ox bow, foriiuid the ytke, tho ends of whicli extended on each side of tho ox so as to allow tho sleigh-shaftH to bo attached thereto. We went through Fergus to (iU(;lph and thence througli I'^ramossa and isriu to Ballinaf'id wiiere, having disposed of all the lisli, I sent the teams home. I rcmiaiiied witii my i)rother Thomas, who was in business iu that place, and assisted him in bin collccitions. It was Mien nearly the end of February. The weather was very severe, eacli day seeming colder than its predecessor. The snow was over tliroo feet deep on tlu^ level, and the roads were so badly drifted that it was 'lilficult to travel. This continued throughout tho entire month of ' March, with no chan<,'o for tho better, and as might have beeu expected under such circumstances, food became scarce aud starvation among cattle general from Kingston Lo Saniia. Few succeeded iu saving their wIkjIo stock aud many lost all through slu^ro starvation, l-'.mpty barns surrounded with cattle, some unable to rise, others standing with their backs in the form of a rainbow and shivering with cold, was a common picrure. C(doncl Talbot had fifty head shot rather than see them starve to death. IIow the farmers con trived to put in their si)ring cro))s w ith their teams iu the state to which ti)ey must have been reduced, I did not wtilt to see, as I v.as glad toe: cape from such scenes of wretcliediu'ss and misery. About tho middle of April I left for home, carrying a pack of soiue forty pounds. During the winter the road through to the INIaitland (now Mount Fore.->t) had been )ve])t well broken and so far I found the trami)ing fairly good, but from that on to McCauley's licaver-meadow (distant thirty miles) it was quite differ- cut. Tlio snow still covered the entire surface but was melting fast under the influence of a bright sun. All the hol- lows being filled with water but conceal- 21 H of or- thc o of 0(1 froiu viow by tlie Murlace vt w>ow I occasionally pliiiif^ed iu, tiioui^iii 1 always inaiia^tMl to lieup rif^lit cud u|y, at no tiiiio quite loHiut{ my balatjrx;. Midway between the twoixiiutK aU^ver/j^-iitioned 1 had the f^ood t'ortuu^ to o i.ltArieH, both of the Irish ^^ttletuetit. who had beeu out to the older hniiUiWitiiU and were returning houje witij Ui>*:it ox- team. They very kindly ofHtriA Ut take charge of my [)uck, which hit>fi (A late been growing very heavy. J j(larlly banded It into their care, auefore nightfall. I found all weJJ. futai that Boyd had sold the schoouer ¥iy toCapt. Alexander McGregor and hk vm mow known as Capt McGregor) who wftre fit- ting it up preparatory to Um.- ^:asr>n's trade. There had been uo ^ciArvation in any part of the settlemeut fei'ber of nit.n or beast. The cattle liAvm^i ^)een wintered ou browse aud bearitr toftadow hay were in fine conditiun. aiiJau^a very considerable number uf Keltlier»t.»fcrfc ex- pected to come in during th<; rin^ and summer the prospect alj<.'«/J was en couraging. I felt that I v,\sij\M have no reason to remain idle, aud I ihfcrefore went to work again with a loiill. Thus ond(ul my first year in Oweii iimnnd. Although the late wiuttr h.A(i been unusually long and sevei-ie ina^-igation opened early, as I remerjjfjt-r Su^^iny left in a batteau for Big Hean the first of May, and meeting wjtJn tixi rtoat- ing ice though it exteudtxi aibng the east side of the Bay where it i,»f\ been piled up during tlie winter. Xfcar the end of May the schooner "OUitr arrived at Owen Sound from Toty^dW baviiig at)oard Mr. Fiunn and family, cousi.stiug of his wife;, and John and JamoH Doug- las. During the season land seekers came in droves. Many remained, hav- ing found locations to suii. but many more left again in disgust, taking with them reports that were by no means favourable to the country. 1 recollect hearing some say that they woulJ not take the whole country as a gift, as the entire surface was composed of rocks and .d a summons, and the man was fined. 1^'or tlint to tlu; eldi-rs like myself, but to the younger portion of the commuuity will ai)))ear (piite re- mote. During tile summer of that year, the late .lohn h'rost conlr.uited with ii briekmaker to inaiiui';u;l ure hrick on his j own i)i("M,i-.es, he. frost, a^M'ceing to ! furnish wood with whiiih to burn tlu; ! kih;s. On a .■Sunday morning, while a i kiln was l)eing bui'tn (i. Frost received i notice fioiii tht; hi ielviuaker, that the wood on hand would not last till Monday niorninp, and unless an additional snp- ])ly were furnished the kiln would he ruined. lie thereupon sent his teams to draw the wood, tlias savini^ja valuahle jiropevty from destruction. Frost was ac active and enerj^etic citizen, a prom- inent mendicr of the cliurch to whicli he belonged, and while he had many frie'uds he had some enemies and this ap[)arent breach of the Sahbatli was hailed by tlie latter asa means by which their personal spleen miyht bef;;ratiiied. An information was at once laid before a justice, but by a man to whom tht community would not naturally look as a model of Christian ethics, and the mpression became <^eueral that he was Uierely an iustrunu;ut in the hands of others. In accordance with the infor- mation, a summons was issued com- mandiuf,' Frost to appear at a certain time and place to ansu'er to the charffes a;4aiust him. At the time a))poiuted the matiistrat(s of the town turned out in full force, the general public also be- iui; well represented. Tlie dcifeudant admitted havin<,' furnislied tlie wood as stated and pleaded ju liticatiou, ou the ground that the work was to save i)ro- perty fronj tlestruction. Some niembeL3 of the cou-'t strove hard for a conviction. They did not claim that the work was in itself ille<^al but that the danger to the ])roperty was caused by the ne<^lect and car<;lessn{';ss of the defendant. The late W. A. Stephen-; occunied a seat on the !)i;uc!i. He defended Frost's action ni the premises, talri)[ierly w.i-; i.i dani^er of bein<; lost for the wai.t v\' wuoil. iti was his duty to set; tiial the wood was supi)lied, and personally assist if lie felt tliat his seivices wetc needeii; and tluit witii re<,'ard to 'ds carelessness be ing ur<^ed at a reason why lie siu)uld be lined, (even if tlujf) were eviih'uce to substantiate sucli n plea.) oi >> nd'^ht iis well la'k of liniii*^ .1 man \l;',i(4 tii;-,ave his lioii-,e i'n in bii'lii'i'l eii ."-Mili- _23 day becau.se it had taken lire through his own neglect or carelessness. With this view the majority of the court con- curred, and consecpiently the case was disujissed. The matter however was not allowed te end at that. The magis- tra 'es were denounced as defenders of Sabbath-breakers, and violators of their oath of oftice, all manner of righteous indignation being, by tongue and pen, poured upon their devoted heads. J"'rost was not overlooked m the disi)ensation of the invectives, but received his full share, and was eventually brought before the church.. How the affair was liually dis])osed of I never learned. To an on- looker like myself it seemed like an organized system of persecution, and I know that Frost so rci^ardedit. and that it tended in no small degree to shorten his days, there can be no doubt. Hav- ing lived in the same community with Mr. Frost tor over twenty years 1 could not be a stranger to his cliaractor. 1 knew him to have faults but he made no claim to perfection and if his accusers were (]uaiilied to cast stones at him it is all the bettei for t''ein; 1 decline to be a judge in such nuitters. .\fter this long digression I return to my record of IfS-l;!. About midsummer our stock of Hour began to run out and I was sent lo liarrie for a supply. I left home ou 'i Saturday morning and walked as far as \Viiitelaw"s that day. There J remaiiieil until the ii(;\t evening, when, having been told that a settler had lately ereete(i a shanty in the valley of the Beaver l(i\ci, some eight miles distant, I started out again in time to leach that point before nightfall. .\s the day was drawing to a close j heard the sound of axes aaid soon afier came in -ight ef an ild man and a boy busy iincUubiusiiin^. I aslu'd tlieni if that wer(? tlu- way they kept Siind.iy. The old man replied "we haiiit g U no ai- maii.K'. here and e.ui'L tell wIumj Simday comes. ■■ This man Ik c line iment about four miles further on, but as it was composed of Irish and Scotch "he kinder thought" that I would not caro to remain with such people. If the poor old man had known that I was Irish in every- thing but the acc'dent of birth he would not haye spoken with such freedom* During my short stay with Mr. Brock he had a good many stories to teil about the various schemes resorted to by the travellers to avoid paying for their ac- commodation, and ended by saying that should anyone be desirous of studying "human nature," he would advise them "to come out to the bush and keep eu- tertainment." I resumed my journey and arrived at Borman's early in the evening, and couH have gone further but the place looked so inviting that I concluded to pass the night there, providing that the inmates liad no objection. The dwelling was built of logs put together after the roughest stylo. It stood a short distance back from tlie road, the door yard being enclosed with a fence, and a plot of flowers in full bloom on each side of the door gave the premises a look of taste and comfort. I found tlie door open and the mistress the only occupant of the house. I asked if I could be acconmidated for the night, teUing her what Mr. Brock had said about the Irish and Scotch settle- ment. She replied that "any one might take her for Irish or Scotch, she was in such a mess with washing and scrubbing;" but instead of giving nio a direct answer to my question she put ma through a course of catechising to whish I had become accus- tomed in my travels through the countrv \ i that was all so new. I was required to tell mj place of birth, my place of residence, what I was then doing for a living, where I was going and what I was going for, how long I expected to be gone, and whether I intended to return that way. After those and a number of other questions had been asked and satisfactorily answered I was told that I might stay, if I could put up with such accommodation as they wereable to give. The proprietor came home shortly after my arrival, who, being a professional yarn-spinner showed pleasure at having a stranger to whom he could relate some of his adventures in the bush, and whether I believed all his tales or not I was certainly an attentive listener, and enjoyed myself till late in the evening. I left the following morning for Barne, having been directed by my host as to my way, After passing the Irish and Scotch settlements before referred to, about four miles from Borman's I did not encounter a human being, nor see a human habitation till I came within six miles of Barrie, having gone tlirough a wilderness of at least twenty miles. I recollect passing a place known as "Shanty Creek," and one as "Gentleman Walker's Clearing." I knew both places from the descriptions given by Mr. Borman but remember nothing about tlicm beyond their names. I have a vivid recollection of some of the finest white pine I ever saw, as well as several milts of beautiful plains covered with red pine, all of which has long since disappeared before the lumberman's axe, and the ground become covered with white poplar and bramble-bushes. The soil that produced the rod pine being a dead sand is unlit for agricultural purposes and becomes a waste so soon as tlie natural growth is re- moved, whereas if the timber had been judiciously culled and the tops burned the forest could have been preserved in perpet- uity, yielding a yearly revenue. Such destruction of timber as has been practised in the United States and C-inada would not be tolerated in any European Country. I do not know anything about the other provinces of the Dominion, but I know that as matters arc now shaping in Ontario there will soon be no timber to destroy, either belonging to the province or to pri- 25 vate parties, and then, if not till then, its destruction will cease. On reaching Barrie I called, as I had been instructed, on Mr. Carney, and found him very willing to assist mo in my purchase. He told me that McWhat was the only holder of flour in the town and his charge was five dollars a barrel, but that McMaster at the Holland Landing had it for four dollars and a half. This was on Tuesday evening. I at once went to Mc- What from whom I learned that Mr. Carney's statement was correct and I told him what I had heard about the price at Holland Landing. This he admitted to be true, but said that there would be no boat till Thursday and I would be obliged to wait till then. I replied that "the boat that conveyed me from Owen Sound would take me to the Landing as I believed the dis- tance was only some twenty-six miles." I accordingly started off the next morning. When a short distance from the end of my journey I was overtaken by a man travel- ing at a much greater speed than I, who, however, when coming abreast of me. slack- ened his pace so as to correspond with mine. I cannot say that we entered into conversation, for he did not appear to re- quire any information either about myself or anything else. I thought it strange that this person should ba so unlike every one else with whom I had come in contact in the course of m> travels, but I soon became aware of the fact that my new companion occupied a mental sphere far above that of common mortals like myself— that I was in reality, favoured with the company of a philosopher. He happened he said, to have been born in England, but he owed no allegiance either to that country or any other; he was a citizen of the world. Ho regariled with pity, mingled with contempt, the poor benighted creatures who quarrel, and are willing to fight for what they call their country; but the day was at hand, was even now bcgining to dawn when that combination of bigotry and superstition dignified by the name of patriotism would be scattered to the four winds of heaven, when no one would presume to possess anytliing to which his neigiibor had not an ecjual right. Fortunately we are i ot 26 troubled with many sucli philosophers, as our country does not produce them, and should a stray one find his way here our climate seems not to aj^rec with his mental constitution and he soon drifts to the south. I know one, who, born in England, and having lived for some tune in Canada, join- ed an association, the object of whiclj was the settling of a portion of one of the South- ern States. He took an active part in persuading Ontario farmers to sell their property and move to the Land of Promise. I met him while engaged in this business and asked him how he could lend himself to the up-building of a foreign country at the expense of his own. He replied first by a loud laugh, and then, with a look of supreme self-satisfaction, expressed his surprise that he who held such liberal sen- timents should care for one country more than another further than for the advan- tages that either might afford to those who chose it for their residence. Having, how- ever, after a short experience, discovered that the Ontario farmers were not so easily duped as was expected, he abandoned his international enterprise and in all probabil- ity found other congenial employment. In arriving at the Landing I purchased from McMaster, tlour to the extent of my last dollar, and managed to obtain from him on credit twenty barrels of oatmeal. How he came to credit me I do not know as he had never seen me before and knew nothing about Boyd but what I told liim. I lost no time in getting my purchases down to the steamboat landing which was at that time on a branch of the Holland River about three miles from the village bearing the name of Holland Landing, but this place was subsequently abandoned and Bradford adopted as the landing for steam- boats. The steamer 'Simcoe,' owned and commanded by Captain Laugliton, was then running on Lake Simcoe, making the trips aror.nd the Lake in two days. After getting n:y stuff aboard, and the steamer having got under way, I told the purser I had no money with which to pay my pas- sage, having spent it all in the purchase of tlour, and that he would have to charge it to Boyd. He said that it was usual to have the passage money paid in advance and the freight at the end of the season, but as I had no money ho would have to charge it with the freight. The purser was Henry Pilgrim who filled the same office on the steamer Gore in 1815 and who was long a resident of the Sault Ste. Marie. My stuff was landed at Orillia and trained across to Sturgeon Bay where a schooner was wait- ing to convey It and myself to Owen Sound. Late iu the fall W. C. Boyd embark- ed for Toronto ou board the scliouer St. .Joseph, owned and sailed by Alexander McNab, taking with him a cargo of pot- ash and fish. When off the mouth of the Saugceu River they eucouutercd a storm of such violence as to drive them from their course, so tliat they were for- ced to seek shelter iu the lee of Chantry Island. But on reaching this supposed place of refuge, and having dropped an- chor, it was discovered that the Island afforded very little protection from ei- tlier wind or sea. To add to the dan- ger of the situation, the anchor failed to hold, ou account of the bottom being stony, and they found themselves mov- ing towards shore at a rate that would soon land them iu the breakers, where they were certain to be either washed overboard or frozen todeatli while cliuj.'- ing to the vessel. The contemplation of either fate must have been anything but clieering. They were all strangers to the julotage and the night was dark, but they knew the Saugeen River must be uepr. The foam on the crest of the breakers stretching like a white belt along the shore, was plainly visible, and the doleful roar of the surf was loud and unceasing. They observed however, a break, or dark gap, in this belt of foam, which they thought might indicate the position of the river's mouth, and believ- ing that Providence helps them who help themselves, they lost no time in getting up anchor and making for this gap which proved to be the opening to the desired haven. They entered with- out difficulty and were safe. But a very short time before, the breakers were between them and shore now the shore was between them and the break- ers, and to use a figurative expression, there was the breadth of the heavens dif- erence iu the two .situations, As tlie liowl- ing of the storm or tl le roaring of the surf bad no longer any terrors for the in- mates of the now safely moored craft. How long it took tl e storm to expend jut as I harj^e it 3 Henry ! on the ,8 long a My stuff bcross to k'as wait- II Sound. embark- oner St. lexaudor p of pot- louth of ntercd a ive them were for- Chautry supposed pped an- e Island fronu ei- tlic dau- f failed to ra being ves mov- at would :s, where t washed lile cliu^'- emplatiou anything strangers was dark, Liver must est of the ,'hite belt isible, and H loud and lowever, a It of foam, licate the and believ- them who 10 time in a for tliis )peuing to tered with- t'e. But a 3 breakers •e now the [ the break- expression, lioavonsdif- \stliohowl- ^ of the surf or the in- ored craft. to expend its fury I do not know, but as the sea- son was so ' advanced they did not consider it \s ise to continue the voyage. They therefore laid up the schooner and walked home. In the following February I went ovei to Saugeen to look after the vessel and cargo, taking with me John Miller and Daniel Lament, both long and favorably known in this community. We left home early in the morning on snowshoes and reached the Indian village shortly after dark. On my arrival I learned from the Indians that the vessel and cargo were safe, but a trader wnom Boyd had supplied with goods to a large amount, had sold the entire stock to a Goderich merchant, who had placed a man in possession. Here was a difficulty, and one with which I had no thought of being called upon to grapple on leaving home. From what I gathered from the Indians the man in charge of goods I felt satisfied that the sale was a fraud, and if prompt action were taken it could be cancelled. Itlierefore concluded to ask Miller to proceed to Goderich for that purpose. A journey to Goderich in those days, in- volving a tramp of sixty miles, the greater part of the distance being with- out road or human habitation, was a trip that few people would feel disposed to undertake. But having known Mil- ler from boyhood, and been associated with him in many a boyish lark, I was in no respect ignorant of his character. I had also some knowledge of his pow- ers ot endurance, and as I expected, he at once consented to go, aad on beiuij furnished with a blanket, some provis- ions, matches and a tomahawk, was off. Lament and I returned home, nothing the worse for our tramp tliough some- what tired. Miller arrived at Goderich 27 without any particular adventure, but what success attended his mission I really forget, and it makes little differ- ence now. When on his way borne he reached the Penetangore River in the dusk of the evening, intending to camp for the night at the first suitable place, but in crossing the river he broke through the ice and the current was so strong he was nearly carried under. It is true he escaped drowning, but with every prospect of being frozen to death, he was in very much the same position as the man who escaped being shot, only to be captured and hanged. With his clothes and everything about him, matches included, saturated with water, he had no means of kindling a fire, and to lie down in such a condition with the thermometer at or c^' r zero, he knew was certain death; and though thirty long miles intervened between him and relief, he resolved to push forward while his strength lasted. This he did marching all night and reaching the Indian village about daylight next morning, when his wants were kindly attended to by the Indians. On his re- turn home he related to me his adventure but appeared to regard it as of little consequence and I never rem- ember hearing him mention the matter afterwards. Such is the stuff of which many of Owen Sound's pioneers were composed, but one after another they are passing away and in p. very short time all will begone. — Even their names will soon be forgotten. But their coun- try still lives, and will live, so long as it continues to produce a race possessed of industry and enterprise to develop its resources, and patriotism to defend its institutions and soil. — A. M. Stephens.