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 3SUEYDICE. AHO^T ! 
 
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 EURYDICE, AHOY! 
 
 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF A 
 
 YACHT CRUISE 
 
 ON 
 
 L^icE oi3:.A.:M:i^ii.A.iiNr. 
 
 IN THE SUMMER OF 1880. 
 
 BY THB AUTHOR OP 
 
 ''ONE MORE TTNFORTUNATE." 
 
 MONTREAL : 
 PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR ^Y JOHN LOVELL & SON. 
 
 i88i. 
 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 In the following pages, you, indulgent Reader, will 
 find a "round, unvarnished tale" — a sketch, in short;, 
 taken from the log of the Eurydice, of a sum- 
 mer's cruise on American waters in a five-ton sloop 
 yacht. It might be somewhat difficult, I am modest 
 enough to remark, to find anything in particular to 
 recommend this yarn to the public taste or criticism. 
 In explanation of the above observation it may as 
 well be stated honestly, so as not to mislead any 
 lover of sudden death stories in yellow covers, that 
 the yacht performed no such remarkable feat as 
 foundering, and then appearing on the surface 
 again ; or dashing through gigantic waves and, 
 like a duck, shaking herself on the other side j nor 
 yet did she take a fancy to lie on her beam-ends 
 as if to tumble out the ballast, both alive and dead. 
 
 Then again the crew, composed of owner, friend 
 and small boy, were not responsible for any glar- 
 ing eccentricity; nor did they possess any particular 
 virtue of character beyond that of endeavoring 
 to remain upon the yacht under all circumstances, 
 while sailing or at anchor. 
 
 The principal object of my book is to amuse 
 if possible, personal friends, and to afford to the 
 writer the pleasure of reviewing in his mind the 
 incidents and scenes of what was to him a very 
 happy cruise. 
 
4 Introduction, 
 
 Another object to which this little book may 
 lend its aid is that of creating and renewing the love 
 for one of the manliest sports and pastimes ever 
 indulged in ; judgment, nerve, and what is called 
 pluck, are all brought into active exercise con- 
 stantly. And what, may I ask, can possibly con- 
 stitute a better discipline for man than that which 
 makeo him a man, in every sense of the word ? 
 
 ** Oh I who can tell ? not thou, luxurious slave J 
 Whose soul would sicken o'er the heaving wave ; 
 Not thou, vain lord of wantonness and ease, 
 Whom slumber soothes not, pleasures cannot please. 
 Oh I who can tell, save he whose heart hath tried. 
 And danced in triumph o'er the waters wide." 
 
 Yachting ought certainly to be encouraged : no 
 man can ever truly regret going in for it, thorough- 
 ly and scientifically. It is healthful, it is harmless, 
 in so far as temptations to betting and the various 
 vices and trickeries of the turf are concerned. 
 Yachting men, as a rule, do not bet on the issues 
 of races in regattas, or, if they do, not heavily as 
 in horse races. There is no fetid atmosphere of 
 corruption, no smells, no dust, no drunkards reeling 
 about in connection with yachting j the air into 
 which the tall tapering masts of the various yachts 
 extend is as pure as the breath of heaven, the water 
 is as clear as crystal. 
 
 Think, and you will find many more advantages 
 which the one has over the other, — yachting over, 
 horse-racing — yachting over everything. 
 
EURYDICE, AHOY ! 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE START. 
 
 The preparations were somewhat hastily made, 
 for we were most anxious not to lose time in 
 getting afloat Summer was rapidly passing into 
 autumn, and the golden days were growing 
 shorter. We met to compare notes with regard 
 to what we were to bring with us. Our kit, 
 roughly speaking, was composed of the following : 
 one or two blankets, one railway rug (most in- 
 dispensable article both on shore and aboard ship), 
 a pillow each, and two changes of flannels, with 
 perhaps a linen shirt, smuggled in by way of the 
 possible contingency of being asked into polite 
 society j then the provisions need not be enumer- 
 ated, on the principle of — what you like, I like. 
 
 A beautiful cedar skiff*, light and seaworthy, to 
 be used as dingy, was pulled alongside, and the 
 operation of transporting the cargo on board was 
 vigorously begun.. Then the stowing away, and 
 examining the hold to see that no more water than 
 was allowable was being made ; the unfurling of 
 sails and inspection of standing rigging and run- 
 
6 Eurydice^ Ahoy ! 
 
 iiing gear and ballast was looked to. When all 
 was ready the skipper gave the order to stand by 
 the mainsail Iialyards, and helped to slip her 
 moorings and hoist the jib. Our colors (my 
 Cambridge Boat Club colors and the Dominion 
 Ensign) floated at her mast-head as we proudly, 
 and I may say gracefully, glided away on the port 
 tack towards the open river and mid-stream chan- 
 nel. 
 
 The Commodore of the Montreal Yacht Club 
 started about ten minutes after us in his steam 
 yacht, his destination being the Richelieu near 
 Lake Champlain. As we had a fair breeze he 
 did not gain on us very perceptibly : an elongated 
 island, causing a narrow inside channel, finally in- 
 tervened between us — he having taken that course. 
 
 We had not taken a pilot on board, consequent- 
 Jy a sharp look-out had naturally to be kept for 
 the channel ; for in some places it is only three 
 hundred yards wide ; there are two, the North and 
 South. We took the South. Buoys to mark 
 the channel, are placed at certain distances 
 apart : as we passed one set, the field-glass was re- 
 sorted to, to find the others. Then again there 
 are also light-houses to steer by. 
 
 The scenery is pretty, but not striking, as there 
 are no craggy bluffs or highlands, to strike and 
 arrest the eye as one glides down this mighty tri- 
 butary to the sea. We passed villages, plainly 
 
Eu rydice, Ahoy ! 7 
 
 characterized, as they are all over the province, by 
 their size and glittering appearance, caused by the 
 sun striking upon spires and tinned roofs. 
 
 When we had reached the broad part of the 
 river, about halfway between Montreal and Sorely 
 we hoisted the top-sail, which materially increased 
 our speed, and enabled ns to run off about seven 
 knots, exclusive of current, which at that part of 
 the river might be put down at three miles an 
 hour. 
 
 The reader cannot adequately imagine, with- 
 out experiencing it, the utter abandonment to 
 pleasure the scene and circumstance afforded — the 
 motion of the yacht dancing from wave to wave, 
 with the white foam sportively playing about her 
 bow ; the sense of freedom from restraint and 
 comfort in looking into our snug cabin where, 
 safely deposited, was all that contributed to our 
 material wants, not omitting the fragrant weed. 
 When we had passed this lake, as it might be 
 called, and had entered the narrow part of the 
 river again, the wind, with the sun, began to wane 
 and die away. It was not quite the case of a 
 painted ship ; we still had the current left and 
 a little zephyr, — the 'combined influence of both 
 brought us to the mouth of the Richelieu at Sorel. 
 
 The entrance to the river is made difficult by a 
 
 ttc V 
 
 sand-bar, which runs to a considerable distance 
 across its mouth, the consequence of which is 
 
8 
 
 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 that all vessels have to make a detour, and look 
 in so doing as if they were going to pass by the 
 place altogether. 
 
 On entering, we just touched, but got off 
 without difficulty as we had but httle head-way 
 •on. As it was after sun-down, when little birds 
 go to bed, the stillness was presently broken by a 
 slioutfrom an inquisitive boatman, ^^ yacht, ahoy, 
 what is your name ? " As soon as he heard my voice 
 said, *^ hi», I know you/' and then came out to us, 
 and pointed out our berth for the night, where 
 we would be safe from any disturbance in the 
 form of big ships running us down. The anchor 
 was let go, sails lowered and furled, and prepara- 
 tions were made for tea. 
 
 Tiie log was not forgotten, as it was opened and 
 every incident was religiously noted down. 
 
 Sorel is beautifully situated at the confluence of 
 two rivers, not by any means of equal size, as the 
 Hichelieu river is not more than a few hundred 
 yards wide, and is an outlet to Lake Champlain 
 (of which more in the sequel). Sorel numbers 
 7,500 inhabitants, all of whom, witli the excep- 
 tion of one or two families, are French. This fact 
 must explain why such a beautiful situation and 
 the great natural advantages of the place, both for 
 a commercial centre and shipping port (being so 
 far by forty-five miles nearer the sea), is what it is 
 jat the present day — a dead-and-a-live French vil- 
 
Eurydice, Ahoy ! 9 
 
 lage. Tliere is a very fine square in the centre of 
 the place, and several magnificent pine groves in 
 the environs. 
 
 There are few towns or villages that have not 
 some event to which the inhabitants thereof can 
 look forward — for instance the arrival or departure 
 of a train or steamboat. Here everybody, worth 
 calling anybody, may be seen on the wharf at about 
 ten o^clock p.m., to see the Montreal and Quebec 
 boats arrive and depart. This event appears to be 
 one of no little importance, if one may judge from 
 the number of people present, une grande foule. 
 At 10. 15 p.m., three deep-toned growling whistles, 
 announced that the boat was about to turn the 
 corner : a bright head-light was then seen, and 
 presently she moved up to the wharf in style. It 
 has often been remarked with what accurate 
 judgment the pilot brings her in. In half a 
 minute's time the gangway is shot out upon the 
 wharf, and immediately trucks innumerable are 
 plying between the boats and the freight-shed, pro- 
 pelled by men who appear to be actuated by the 
 spirit of magic. 
 
 Bed-time, the cabin lamp is lighted. The log 
 reads as follows : 
 
 Thursday, August 5. — Weighed anchor at 
 Longueuil at 2.15 p.m. Sailed away under full 
 main-sail and jib. Wind N. N. W., light and fitfull. 
 Ther. TS'*, Baro. 31. Came to moorings at Sorel 
 At 6.30 p. m. Distance sailed, forty-five miles. 
 
10 
 
 Eury dicey Ahoy ! 
 
 Friday, August 6. — Ther. 74®, Baro. steady. 
 Six o'clock a. m., time for a swim. Small boy sculls 
 me to a respectful distance from civilization. 
 The boy, strange to say, also goes in but does 
 not take a header, as he cannot swim a stroke. 
 After these ablutions, which tend to sharpen 
 the appetite, we had breakfast. Oh how well 
 the marmalade tasted on good brown bread. The 
 look-out pronounced a light south wdnd, so we. 
 took no time in getting under way. The wind 
 freshened. If it had only been blowing in any 
 other direction, an Irishman might have re- 
 marked, it would have been different ! but as it 
 was it was dead against us, and the river nar- 
 row the short tacks were laborious, to say the 
 least. Having accomplished three miles we hove 
 to and w^ent ashore for the purpose of run- 
 ning across milk, which we finally succeeded 
 in doing. 
 
 We accomplished about ten miles up the river 
 that afternoon, and then anchored with reluctance, 
 not having reached our destination at St. Ours. 
 By 10 O'clock, all lights except the anchor light at 
 the mast-head were out, and the crew, without 
 having established a port or starboard watch, were 
 sleeping the sleep of the just. 
 
 Saturday, August 7. — Fine morning. Saw the 
 towers of the church in St. Ours about a mile 
 distant, a beautiful sight, as they were being 
 
Eurydicej Ahoy / 
 
 11 
 
 tipped with the golden rays of the rising sun. 
 After the usual matutinal bath and breakfast we 
 got a tow-line out, and started, the wind having 
 quite forgotten to blow. 
 
 St. Ours, what can be said of it ? It is a French 
 village, the reader will understand what that 
 means: a huge church will be pictured by the 
 imagination, with nice, neat white cottages, and 
 one country road running through it. We had not 
 very long to wait before what we were waiting 
 ibr appeared, namely, a tow. It looked like a 
 long sea-serpent slowly bending its lazy length 
 around the turns of the river. The skipper bided 
 his time, then gave the order to cast loose from 
 the wharf, and, after judging distance, ordered 
 the crew, when near enough to the last barge, to 
 ship the sweeps. A line w^as then thrown by the 
 man on the barge, who made it fast in the proper 
 manner. Connecting ourselves thus to this slowly 
 moving body we were relieved as to any further 
 anxiety about our progress. Of course a pipe was 
 indulged in, together with a luxuriant lounge. 
 Sailing naturally would have been preferable, but 
 there was not enough wind to blow a candle out. 
 After we had proceeded in this manner about two 
 and a half miles, we reached the locks. This place 
 is really pretty. Magnificent, large, spreading trees 
 may be seen, both on the main-land and island, and 
 the solid masonry composing the locks afforded a 
 
12 
 
 EurydicCy Ahoy ! 
 
 pleasing variety for the eye to rest upon. We 
 continued on up the river after all the barges had, 
 in turn, got through. St. Denis and St. Antoine, 
 the former on the left bank, and the latter on the 
 right, both pretty French villages, were passed. 
 Then further up, St. Charles was reached, not far 
 from Beloeil. As darkness had set in when we 
 reached the place, we did not see the last- 
 mentioned village. 
 
 There were two young men of swartliy hue on 
 board the barge who afforded us much amusement 
 by diving off into the river from a height of at least 
 fourteen feet while the tow was in motion. You 
 must not imagine that the barges are that height : 
 it was the lumber piled upon them that made the 
 difference. Their mode of procedure was to 
 swim ashore, and run along the bank in order to 
 get sufficiently far up stream to enable them to 
 swim back again to the barge they had left. 
 They had to do this because the total speed 
 through the water attained by these tows is about 
 five miles an hour, therefore the time taken to dive, 
 and return to the surface again had to be made up, 
 in the manner desciibed, by running along the 
 banks. 
 
 When we had proceeded a little farther up stream 
 we noticed a man accompanied by his son and 
 daughter in a light skiff quietly taking an even- 
 ing row. Presently he was seen overhauling us 
 
Eurydice^ Ahoy ! 
 
 13 
 
 with the addition of his wife and another child ; 
 he pulled alongside for a social chat. On the 
 principle that all things on this sublunary 
 sphere must end, he made a motion to get his oars, 
 that was the time to oiFer him a drink : consider- 
 ing the responsible charge which rested upon his 
 shoulders, we gave him lemonade with a very small 
 stick in it of a few drops of whiskey. 
 
 Another diversion presented itself to us in the 
 form of a merry-go-round. At first we could not 
 make out what it was, as it looked with its lamps 
 in the darkness like miniature comets playing tag 
 on earth. It is a good thing that the people in 
 these parts have not forgotten how to make 
 themselves merry. A pretty good brass band was 
 clashing away in all sorts of time. It must have 
 been about this stage of the proceedings that we 
 all fell asleep. As the small boy was nearly always 
 asleep, no doubt he was a lineal descendant of 
 the Fat Boy mentioned in '^ Pickwick.'* When we 
 awol^e in tlie morning the barges all appeared as 
 if on a spree, the tow seemed utterly demoralized. 
 A stern wind had sprung up during the night, 
 while the steam tug was waiting for daylight 
 to take them through the drawbridge The 
 modus operandi is to get the barges, which were 
 previously coupled together, in line, in order to get 
 through the narrow draw. As far as we were con- 
 cerned, the wind had nearly succeeded in driving 
 our stern on shore. 
 
14 Eurydice, Ahoy / 
 
 It is a very curious sight to witness. The tow 
 is made, of course, twice as long, by being un- 
 coupled, and, as the reader may imagine, the slow 
 rate of speed, together with the stern wind, caused 
 the barges to be at obtuse angles to each other. 
 How can they get through? is the natural ques- 
 tion. They do pass the draw, however, and that is 
 about all that we can say with reference to it. 
 When on the other side, the barges are put into 
 couples again. Of course all this takes up a great 
 deal of time, but then with an easy conscience and 
 ^ood digestion one can afford to forget the hurry and 
 bustle, the feverish excitement of those, the object 
 of whose lives is represented by dolhxrs. As these 
 thoughts were suggesting themselves to our minds 
 we saw an express train dashing along enveloped 
 in smoke and dust. How many bright, animated 
 countenances could one find in those cars ? not 
 many. The close air, together with tiie noise and 
 rattle of the train, must undoubtedly have caused 
 sleepless nights to not a few. Our age is an age 
 of accelerated motion — a fast and a short life. 
 
 At noon we reached Chambly basin, and an- 
 chored not far from the shore, out of the way of 
 boats and tugs. I went ashore to send a telegram, 
 and my friend to enquire for letters and to obtain 
 butter, as we had run short. 
 
 In the afternoon we received visits from friends 
 and accepted invitations to spend the evening on 
 
EurydicSy Ahoy ! 
 
 15 
 
 land. We took tea in the hotel, and from the 
 windows had a fine view of the bay, lying lil e 
 Nature's mirror, reflecting the snowy clouds 
 floating above. The yacht, too, looked a picture 
 as she rode at anchor without a movement, with 
 the sails furled, and everything in its place, tidy 
 and trim. We also saw the boy appearing from 
 the cabin every now and then, looking as if he 
 was trying to realize wnere he was 
 
 Monday^ Aug. 9. — Another line day. I hastened 
 ashore to engage a liorse to tow us through the 
 canal, and also to get my clearance papers made 
 out, after which we took our turn, and entered 
 the locks. Great care must be taken to prevent 
 the yacht from bumping against the sides, as the 
 water is let in all at once, apparently without the 
 slightest reference to the size or build of the craft 
 which is passing through. The duty of rebuking 
 fell to me, being owner ; and on one occasion the 
 rebuke took the form of very strong language 
 very much emphasized. We had been towed up to 
 a lock, and while waiting for a barge to be let out 
 a contretemps occurred. The owner of the animal 
 had hold of the tow line, and on perceiving that his 
 horse was walking off in the opposite direction, 
 gave the rope to our boy ; the water came with 
 such force when the gate was opened, that it 
 began to swing us round. I jumped ashore, seized 
 the tow-line, and was pulling with all my might 
 
 
I : 
 
 16 Eury dicey Ahoy ! 
 
 when it gave way, dropping me with violence 
 on my back ; the force of the water caused our 
 craft to be thrown violently in the other direction, 
 therebyjaraming the dingy and splitting the rudder. 
 The uamage would have been more serious had 
 not my friend stood to his duty like a man and 
 eased the squeeze to the skiff with the boat hook, 
 which snapped in his hands. It was truly a 
 morning of accidents, for no sooner had this little 
 excitement blown over than we were plunged 
 into another. A mad dog happening to pass by 
 that way, in its eccentricity peculiar to the canine 
 breed in that state, made for the man's boy, and 
 bit him very severely in two places. 
 
 The dog disappeared as suddenly as he came, 
 which accounted for the fact of his present 
 existence, as otherwise he would have been shot. 
 The injured lad was taken on board and supplied 
 with a sponge and water, while our boy, delighting 
 in variety, mounted the horse, and on we went. 
 We had a very close shave further on. A large 
 empty barge was being towed down, and, as we 
 approached, we noticed that it was not sufficiently 
 in the middle or to the other side, to give us room 
 to pass between it and the bank ; the fact is the 
 wind was blowing across the canal, and blowing 
 it on to us ; we could not avoid it, it was too late 
 to take the other side. So as we came on, their 
 tow-line was slackened for us to pass over, aud 
 
Eurydicej Ahoy! 
 
 17 
 
 then we saw the opening between the barge and 
 the bank growing gradually less every moment ; 
 a shout, however, caused the boy to put the horse 
 to a gallop, and we just shot tiirough with a 
 sliglit scrape on our port side. It was like a rat 
 going through a hole. 
 
 At St. Johns we went ashore, having previously 
 found a safe berth for the yacht and bought a store 
 of provisions, also provided ourselves with a 
 minute and comprehensive chart of Lake Cham- 
 plain, wdiich was lent to us by a kind friend. On 
 our return to St. Johns, homeward-bound, among 
 the manifold things we had left undone, wns the 
 neglect to report ourselves to the custom house 
 authorities. 
 
 Having previously notified the man whose 
 business it is to attend to the drawbridge, that 
 we were going through, and had not a horn to 
 blow as a warning, when we came into view, 
 with all sail set ; we saw the huge bridge swinging 
 on its hinges, and having reached it there was 
 room enough for us to pass straight tiirough. Once 
 on the other side, we felt as a fox might feel when, 
 having doubled upon the voracious pack and ex- 
 cited huntsmen, he finds himself in peace and safety. 
 We had left behind us the bumpings and scrapings 
 in the locks, mad dngs^ and the evil machinations 
 of man, to find before us a clear reach of unen- 
 cumbered water, lined on one side with trees and 
 
 B 
 
18 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 dotted on the other with groves. A fresh wind 
 was blowing, which carried us on at a good rate 
 of speed, affording to the sailors that delicious 
 sensation caused by the pitching of the yacht 5 
 then again the feeling that we were progressing 
 on our cruise was gratifying. Presently a sail 
 ahead was discerned which, through the glass, 
 looked like a cat-rigged yacht (i.e., a sailing- 
 boat with only one sail attached to the mast 
 which is placed near the stem or bow) ; she had a 
 reef in her main-sail. This beautiful reach of water 
 continues for six miles, when two lighthouses 
 were observed on the right — a short one in front, 
 with a tall one a little distance behind it. This 
 arrangement is to enable the pilot at night to get 
 the two lights in line to steer by. At this point 
 the river opens out to over twice the width of the 
 part we had sailed through. 
 
 Then, after sailing eight miles, we came to Isle- 
 aux-Noix. 
 
 ll : 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 ISLE-AUX-NOIX. 
 
 ISLE-aux-Noix is an ishmd full of historical iiiter- 
 est in the war of Independence. Commanding 
 the approach into Canada by its situation in the 
 
Em^dicey Ahoy ! 
 
 19 
 
 middle of the Richelieu, it proved a very formid- 
 able obstacle in the way to the incursions of the 
 enemy. It is situated between six and seven miles 
 from the border line. The fort is composed of 
 earth works thrown up, with a wide moat run- 
 ning all around. Within are to be seen barracks 
 of fine cut masonry, placed on three sides of a 
 square, with a level parade-ground in the centre. 
 There are two drawbridges over the moat, and 
 altogether the place at present is in a very toler- 
 able state of repair. In the year 1759, Bourla- 
 marque, a brave officer under the command of 
 Montcalm, seeing that it would be utter madness to 
 attempt to make defence against overwhelming 
 numbers, destroyed his fortifications at Crown 
 Point on Lake Champlain, and retreated down the 
 lake to assemble his forces, and make a stand at 
 the Isle-aux-Noix for the protection of Montreal 
 and the Province. 
 
 Silence now guards the place, no sound of 
 bugle-call awakes the stillness, all is quiet save 
 w^hen the birds their carols sing. 
 
 An old pensioner is keeper of the place, and 
 lives in a part of the barracks formerly called the 
 Officers' Quarters. The island now is entirely 
 given over to the purposes of agriculture. There 
 have been no detachments of military there since 
 the year 1870. 
 
 We continued on our course, somewhat doubtful 
 
20 
 
 Eur y dicey Ahoy ! 
 
 as to thft cbannol, for the lidit-liousos belli nd ns 
 were invisible in t:he distance. In nddition there 
 was a rnat of weeds near the island which natnrally 
 caused anxiety to the crew. However, we sailed 
 out of them without running aground. Weeds 
 are not necessarily an indication of shallow water, 
 as they grow to such a length : the regular boat 
 channel brings one through them. The river from 
 the island upward is no longer straight as it was, 
 but winding, therefore we kept a good look-out 
 for the channel. We had proceeded about two and 
 a half miles when we discovered by her [)einiant, 
 the Commodore's yacht in the distance. Three 
 cheers ! ! We felt as if we hnd run across a friend, 
 a friendly sail to a weary mariner, or any other 
 such simile. Now we had a definite object in 
 viev/, something in particular to sail for. On 
 sailing in, as it were, to our chief's waters, w^e 
 saluted by hauling our colors down and up three 
 times. 
 
 Camp Lodge, for such is the name of the place 
 which constituted our friend's summer retreat, 
 occupies one of the prettiest points on the whole 
 river. It is on high ground, well covered with 
 acacia trees, and has a commanding view of the 
 river both ways; a dining table is placed among 
 the trees, with awnings hung from branch to branch 
 on high to insure a constant shade. A ferry- 
 boat plies between the place and the opposite 
 
Eury dicey Ahoy I 
 
 21 
 
 slioro; this is bocniise a road tMids here. There 
 is a sk(itt'li ill tiie form of a description of one of 
 these ferry-boats further on. 
 
 Disninl hovvlings iind discordant shrieks are often 
 h(uird by d;iy and night; tliey are not caused by 
 either the (UinitMited or dying, but by the im- 
 patient and travel-stained wanderer, who, upon 
 seeing an abrupt termination placed before liim in 
 the form of water, shouts for delivennice from 
 stagnation. Th(Me is no definite period a'lottedto 
 that sort of thing (the howling entreaties, I mean,; 
 for it depends u[)on the ferryman, whether or 
 not he cares to bestir himself. Such is the state 
 of things where monopoly reigns without op- 
 position. 
 
 We were most hospita))ly received on shore at 
 the Lodge. Rival experiences were recounted on 
 each side, with strict adherence to the truth, for 
 I may safely assent we had none of that class 
 called fisii-story-tellers among ufe — sim[)ly the 
 truth, and nothiim* but the truth. 
 
 After having spent a pleasant evening we 
 hailed the yacht, and presently shooting towards 
 us over the dark waters, we saw the dingy pro- 
 pelled by our cabin-boy, who no doubt felt 
 aggrieved at being thus awakened. 
 
 Tuesday^ Aug. 10. — Fine clear weather. At 
 eleven o'clock we bade adieu to our friends and 
 sailed away for the lake, eight miles distant. We 
 
22 
 
 Eurydice^ Ahoy ! 
 
 i 
 
 had passed Hospital Island when a very strong 
 cats-paw struck us, so much stronger than the 
 preceding gusts that the starbord stay-buckle snap- 
 ped, causing the mast to list over four or five inches 
 out of the perpendicular, and if we had capsized, 
 my friend, who was at the time in the cabin, would 
 have been in a bad place ; some of the ballast shift- 
 ed, and altogether it was a close thing. The reader 
 may be excused for making tlie following mental 
 observations : " Serves him right, for having the 
 main sheet fastened." ^' Of course that is the 
 way that all yachting accidents luippen/' CuC. 
 
 My dear friend, the sheet was not made fast, 
 as I had it in my hands at the time, and allowed it 
 to run-out as the wind struck the sail. To my 
 non-nautical friends I will remark that a sheet 
 is the rope whicli is attached to the main boom in' 
 a cutter or sloop, and controls the main-sail when 
 hoisted. Not having upset, we breathed, instead 
 of sputtering in the water, as we otherwise should 
 have done. The next thing was to have a new 
 stay-buckle made 5 having run into the wind, im- 
 mediately on being struck by the gust, we let go 
 the anchor. We had no time to lose ns I had an 
 appointment at Philipsburg, Missisiquoi Bay, the 
 next day, so I took the dingy, and rowed ashore. 
 Having made a bargain with a man to have a new 
 one procured from LacoUe, I then returned on 
 board. We had not long to wait, the man appeared 
 
EurydicBf Ahoy ! 
 
 23 
 
 with a new stay-buckle, which was immediately 
 adjusted, and on we went. 
 
 When we reached Bloody Island we saw Fort 
 Montgomery, four or five miles off, and the railway- 
 bridge at Rouse's Point. 
 
 I must say that the names of the islands we 
 passed were not altogether what might be called 
 sweet-sounding names, but, on the contrary, rather 
 suggestive of suffering and murder. Wliy these 
 names should have been given to them, remains a 
 mystery ; perhaps it may be accounted for in 
 this way : their discovery was during the bloody 
 Indian wars between Champlain and the Iroquois, 
 and their appellations, if not applied then, might 
 have been in more recent wars during the time of 
 Montcalm, or in the year 1775, when the war 
 for American Independence began. 
 
 Here the river broadens again to somewhat 
 the same width as before we reached Isle-aux-Noix. 
 Fort Montgomery is just on the line, on the Ame- 
 rican side, and commands a position which affords 
 for its guns a good sweep down the river. As it 
 stands now, with blessed Peace folding it in its ben- 
 ficent arms, nothing formidable, or even striking, 
 presents itself to view. Strangers, however, are not 
 allowed to visit it, — it cannot be from caution lest 
 the outside world should get acquainted with the 
 secrets entombed within its walls, yet, what mo- 
 tive can they have ? If visitors were admitted, 
 tipping would go some way in paying a man to 
 
lii' 
 
 24 
 
 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 I i 
 
 look after the place. Of course that would be a 
 very small consideration 5 but then the question 
 remains, why are people not allowed to visit it ? 
 Such gigantic strides have been made in the art 
 of war, and in the science of manufacturing in- 
 fernal machines for the destruction of precious 
 human life since Fort Montgomery wns built, 
 that it would be difficult to conceive of anything 
 new being found within. 
 
 However, we passed it unchallenged, carry- 
 ing at our mast-head the Dominion Ensign. It 
 naturally makes a person feel important when 
 he sees any great preparation going on, or 
 a good deal of trouble being taken for himself. So 
 we felt when, after holding a straight course for 
 the drawbridge, we saw it slowly opening to let 
 us through, and through we went, on the same 
 tack, thani^ing the man at the grind out of cour- 
 tesy. We sailed past the old wharf into the 
 harbor in front of the custom house, and moored 
 alongside a very extensive and apparently ne- 
 glected wharf We experienced little difficulty 
 in finding the authorities we w^ere in search of. 
 After introducing ourselves and explaining our 
 purpose, an official, a very pleasant man, came 
 down with us to the yacht, more as a matter of 
 form than from curiosity to see that we had not any 
 dutiable articles on board. A parting drink, and a 
 good shake of the hand was the result, and off 
 we sailed, light-hearted as a boy from schooL 
 
Eurydicey Ahoy ! 
 
 25 
 
 There were now b(ifore us eiglit miles of an open 
 expanse of water to sail over. We had a good stern 
 wind, and consecpiently sailed with main sail and 
 spinnaker ; the sails tlujs arranged give the appear- 
 ance of a sloo[» sailing along like a crab, sideways. 
 On leaving Rouse's Point, where we had inter- 
 viewed the custom house official, it was ascer- 
 tained that we had about thirty miles to traverse 
 before reaching PiiiHpsburg, wliich was our next 
 port. 
 
 It may be remarked that on entering an 
 extensive sheet of water a yacht appears to parti- 
 cipate in the feelings of those on board. Having 
 been confined ro the narrow limits and swift cur- 
 rents of rivers, on passing into a lake she jumps 
 for joy npon the sparkling, white-crested waves, 
 and seems to pidl herself together for a sail in 
 earnest. When distances of ten, fifteen, and 
 twentv miles intervene between shore and siiore, 
 and there is an appearance of a good blow, with 
 perhaps a falling barometer, it makes it still more 
 important for her to go her best. 
 
 Then the yachtsman and crew feel as if they 
 were looking upon a thing animated with life, 
 * the spray dashing from lier bows as she danced 
 along. Then, when she keels over to a gust, 
 looking as if wrestling for dear life with some 
 unknown fury, we feel 
 
 '* The exulting sense, the pulse's maddening sway 
 That thrills the traveller on his trackless way.'' 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 Wednesday, August 11. — 6 a.m. No wind. — 
 Weather hot and sultry, a very annoying state of 
 things, as I had to be in Philipsburg that day, 
 and there lay before us sixteen miles. We had 
 accomplished over fifteen miles yesterday in little 
 over five hours, sailing half the time with next to 
 no wind. At Alburgh Point the wind left us, and 
 then we only went three miles in about as many 
 hours, to a pretty spot by a ferry, where we 
 anchored for the night. 
 
 From Alburgh Point, the entrance to Mis- 
 sisquoi Bay is through a narrow arm of the lake, 
 which appears like a river except for its total 
 absence of current. We passed several ferries 
 which were entirelv new to us. What is under- 
 stood by a ferry-boat on this lake is a flat-bottom 
 scow with a mast on one side, also keel boards 
 fastened to the sides towards each end. This is, 
 of course, to take the place of a regular keel and 
 prevent the boat from making what in nautical 
 language is called lee-way. The boatman steers 
 from either end by means of a sweep. Toll is 
 
Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 21 
 
 nominally fifteen cents for each person, twenty- 
 five cents for a single carriage or buggy, and forty 
 cents for a double team. 
 
 Well, as I said before, there was hardly any 
 wind. The prospect looked very bhje, as far as 
 the keeping of the promise to be at tlie trysting 
 place was concerned. Two good-sized j)ike fell 
 to our lot, having been hooked during ten minutes 
 trolhng. We then made sail and started. The 
 wind was not only light, but against us, the con- 
 sequence was large tacks had to be made. It 
 was a sweltering day; oh, how liot it was! with 
 no wind to blow away the roasting atmos[>liere 
 which appeared to be getting up to fever heat. 
 
 A very curious circumstance occurred after we 
 had passed the railway-bridge and Alburgh 
 Springs, which is worthy of note. We had tnken to 
 the sweeps, and were toihng away like galley slaves, 
 allotting, as is generally the case under such cir- 
 cumstances, the time that each man should occupy 
 in his turn at the grind ; when, on looking to the 
 nor'ard, we perceived a distinct line of dark 
 waters, extending for miles across the lake, coming 
 down on us ; we looked upon this as a regular 
 God-send, for it enabled us to keep our engage- 
 ment with our friends and relatives who had driven 
 fourteen miles to meet us. Therefore, instead of 
 coming in at the finish, like dogs with their 
 tongues hanging out of their mouths with fatigue, 
 
28 
 
 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 
 we camo in upon the crested waves, which we 
 were told by the way wiis such a pretty sight. 
 
 Thursday, Any. 12.— Ancliored off Phihpsburg 
 — weather showing signs of a change ; Thermo- 
 meter still high ; Barometer falling. 
 
 The rudder had to be sliglitly repaired, to 
 prevent its catching weeds, which muterially 
 retarded our way tlirough the water; after that, 
 together with the time taken to clean the yacht, 
 we sailed away at twelve o'clock for Alburgh 
 Springs, with a nice fair breeze. 
 
 There was nothing very remarkable about the 
 place beyond the fact that there were two large 
 hotels there, and holiday people in the act of 
 working off the effects of bad-tasting water 
 by indulging in that novel pastime of playing 
 croquet. We ancliored at the old ferry again 
 that night, and had quite a sociable chat with the 
 ferryman. 
 
 Friday, August 13. — At an early hour, we 
 resumed our voyage and soon reached Pelots Bay. 
 This Bay is remarkable for its good camping 
 ground and anchorage for yachts and steam 
 launciies. 
 
 From six to a dozen nice, wooden, square-built 
 houses, or huts as they are called, line the shore 
 upon which ripples the crystal water. We noticed 
 a steam yacht called '' Ella," and were invited to 
 go over her. She was a picture as she rode at an- 
 
Eury dicey Ahoy ! 
 
 29 
 
 we 
 
 chor with her side awnings clown. Tlie yaciit is 
 acknowledged to be a model in every sense of the 
 word, and here our description ends, as space and 
 time will not permit of any account which could 
 do her justice. 
 
 At one o'clock we weighed anchor and sailed 
 for Plattsburir, distance fifteen miles. The wind 
 was dead ahead and gusty. We sailed quite close 
 to Isle Lit Motte, which is celebrated in all the 
 liistorical records of the Lake. At four o'clock, 
 after a total calm, during which time we were 
 tossed up and down with sails flapping, the 
 wind veered round from south-west to north-west, 
 and we noticed that the barometer had fallen. 
 After hot, sultry weather these indications of a 
 storm of some kind made us look for a convenient 
 place to cast anchor in, which we did by running 
 in about a mile. After watching the weather, and 
 comparing what we saw with former storms, we 
 weighed anchor, and ran across from Long Point to 
 Gravelly Point, a distance of about four and a half 
 miles, in thirty-three minutes. We escaped a duck- 
 ing from the fact that nothing gave away about 
 the rigging and also that the movable ballast kept 
 its place. With - sense of relief we rounded to, 
 let go anchor, and furled the sails for the night. 
 If the historical records are correct a drink of some- 
 thing mixed with water was indulged in as com- 
 memoration of the successful undert-aking. 
 
30 
 
 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 Our cabin-boy Johnny announced the fact that 
 there was no more milk aboard. The dingy was 
 brought alongside, and off went the skipper and 
 friend with a trolling line astern. A black bass 
 was hooked, yes, sir, actually hooked ! ! ! by no 
 particular desire of its own. If the fish would, by 
 some unaccountable accident, occupy the position 
 which brought him right across our line, how 
 could he avoid it. However, poor little fish fell a 
 victim to circumstances over which he had no 
 control and not to gluttony, which, alas ! is too 
 often the sad fate of the finny tribe. The cock- 
 pit (that is the after-part between the cabin and 
 rudder post) was converted into a species of tent, 
 by throwing rubber sheets over the boom of the 
 main-sail. At five o'clock in the morning we were 
 greeted by a deluge of rain — a sort of rain which 
 would have done credit to the time of Noah. 
 Drops at first, followed by small streams of water 
 made their way between the sheets. Tlie cabin 
 did not leak fortunately. It was greatly regretted 
 by the captain that a regular awning had not 
 been procured before starting, which would have 
 kept the water out. However, one was ordered 
 next day as soon as Plattsburg was reached. 
 
Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 31 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Saturday, August 13. — Storm blowing off. Wind 
 from tlie west; a good high sea running in the 
 middle of the lake. Thermometer 76 ; barometer 
 rising. Could not tell exactly what time it was 
 when I awoke ; seemed to have been awake 
 all night, barring a few winks taken, " promiscuous- 
 like/' between the drops of rain. 
 
 We got under way about nine a.m., and sailed 
 round the point along the lee-shore, where the 
 wind was very fitful; but when we rounded 
 Cumberland Point we got the full effect of both the 
 wind and high sea. The feeling was, in for it^ sink 
 or swim. The wind was pretty strong, but not very 
 squally; there were certainly gusts, but we w^ere 
 on the look-out. It turned out a fine run, the yacht 
 did her work well, and in good form. We ran 
 in on two tacks, and anchored not far from the 
 breakwater opposite Plattsburg at 10.15 a.m. 
 Distance sailed, nine miles. 
 
 Our yachting toggery in this place excited a 
 good deal of rude staring on the part of the in- 
 habitants. One man said to another, ^' Well, that 
 is the first Eoyal Marine I ever saw." A place 
 for everything and everything in its place is 
 an old motto. A dress for everything is equally 
 applicable. Who would expect to see a yachts- 
 man in a top-hat and a black coat ? 
 
1 1 .^'I 
 
 32 
 
 !l 
 
 Euvydicej Ahoy ! 
 
 PhiU.sburg is situated at the end of a hay. 
 Fou«niet's hotel near the station and wharf, has 
 very pretty grounds on one side of it. It was 
 not h^nu^ hefoHi two of the crew inii'ht have 
 been seen following a small boy, currying on his 
 head a liuge basket which contained provisions for 
 the yacht. '• • 
 
 An account of riattsburg, written in ISGO, is 
 as follows: — A township, and village, and capital 
 of Clinton county, N. Y., on Cumberland J3ay, an 
 indentation of Lake Champlain. It is situited at 
 the mouth of the Saranac river, on both sides of 
 which the village is built. Population G,G80. The 
 river affords valuable water privileges, and there 
 are several manufactories. Extensive barrac^ks, 
 about one mile from the village, formerly occupied 
 by government troops, are now used for the an- 
 nual agricultural fliirs. On September 11, 1814, 
 the Americans gained a memorable naval victory 
 over the English near this pLice. 
 
 Sunday, August 14. — Fine bright morning, 
 promise of clear weather. Thermometer 77 ; 
 barometer steadily going up. Church parade in 
 mufti. In the afternoon, cabin-boy, not having 
 forgotten early religious instruction, went to Sun- 
 day-school. My friend also went ashore, so I kept 
 afternoon w^atch on board, and occupied my time 
 in the following maimer. I will now give you a 
 description of Lake Champlain and the naval 
 
Eui^ dicey Ahoy ! 
 
 33 
 
 engagement between the British and American 
 forces, in order to occupy my time, and afford you, 
 kind reader, information which, if you have not 
 previously acquired it, may prove interesting. 
 
 Lake Champlain is a picturesque sheet of water 
 lying between the State of New York, and extend- 
 ing from Whitehall, in the former State, to St; 
 Johns in Canada. It is 120 miles long, and varies 
 in breadth from forty rods to fifteen miles. Its 
 greatest breadth unobstructed by islands is 
 about ten miles, at a point near Burlington, Ver- 
 mont. Its depth varies from fifty-four to two 
 hundred and eighty-two feet, and vessels of eighty 
 or one hundred tons burden navigate its whole 
 extent. The principal islands which adorn its sur- 
 face are North Hero, eleven miles by two in area 5 
 South Hero, thirteen by four, and La Motte, six 
 by two ; these three with several smaller ones, 
 and the peninsula of Alburgh, all in the northern 
 part, form the county of Grande Isle, in Vermont. 
 The largest rivers entering the lake are the Mis- 
 sisquoi. Onion or Winooski, Lamoille, Otter, Chazy, 
 Saranac (the old Indian for the lake itself), Au 
 Sable, and the outlet of Lake George in the south- 
 west part. Its own outlet is the Sorel, or 
 Richelieu river, which empties into the St. Law- 
 rence at Sorel, and with the Chambly canal affords 
 a passage for vessels of large size to the ocean. 
 In reference to the south end, there is water com- 
 
34 
 
 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 munication for barges with the Hudson river. 
 Navigation is usually closed by ice about the end 
 of November, and opens oarly in spring, generally 
 the second week in April. 
 
 The waters abound with bass, pickerel, salmon 
 trout, perch, and other varieties offish. This lake, 
 filling a valley enclosed by high mountains, is 
 celebrated for its magnificent scenery, embracing 
 the Green Mountains of Vermont on tlie eastern 
 side, and the Adirondac Mountains of New York 
 State on the western. Several pleasant villages 
 and watering places, with one or two important 
 towns, are situated on its shores, and at tlie present 
 day well-kept farms and picturesque farm buildings 
 adorn its sloping banks. 
 
 Even as far back as 1857, the aggregate tonnage 
 enrolled and licensed was 10,550 ; value of imports, 
 $5,043,595; value of exports, $2,965,532; number 
 of vessels entered was 1,878 ; total tonnage, 122, 
 543. At the present day it can easily be imagined 
 how these figures would be multiplied by the enor- 
 mous increase of traffic since the year 1857. In 
 1880, although there is such an amount of freight 
 carried to and from the States by three different lines 
 of railway, yet the carrying of coal to Canada and 
 the exporting of lumber to the States is in pro- 
 portion as briskly pushed forward as the railway 
 carrying freight is. 
 
 Lake Champlain was discovered in the year 
 
Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 35 
 
 ICOO by Samuel Champlaln, whose name it 
 received. Samuel Champlain's experience may 
 be cited as follows : — " Again the canoes advanced, 
 the river widening as they went ; great islands 
 appeared, leagues in extent : Isle la Motte, Long 
 Island, Grande Isle. Channels where ships might 
 float and broad reaches of expanding water 
 stretched between the islands, and Ciiamplain 
 entered the lake which preserves his name to pos- 
 terity. Cumberland Head was passed, and from 
 the opening of the great channel between Grande 
 Isle and the mainland, he could look forth upon 
 what appeared to be a sea. Edged with woods, the 
 tranquil flood spread southward beyond his sight. 
 Far on the left, the forest ridges of the Green 
 Mountains were heaved against the sky, patches of 
 snow still glistening on their tops ; and on the 
 right rose the Adirondacks, haunts in these later 
 years of amateur sportsmen from counting-rooms, 
 or college halls ; nay of adventurous beauty, with 
 sketch-book and pencil. 
 
 At night Champlain and his party encamped 
 again. The scene is a familiar one to many a tourist 
 and sportsman ; and perhaps standing at sunset 
 on the peaceful strand, Champlain saw what a 
 roving student of this generation has seen on 
 these same shores, at the same hour, — the glow 
 of the vanished sun behind the western mountains, 
 darkly piled in mist and shadow along the sky ; 
 
|'!"T 
 
 36 
 
 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 ii 
 
 11 
 
 II 
 
 near at hand, the dead pine, mighty in decay, 
 stretching its ragged arms athwart the burning 
 heaven, the crow perched on its top like an image 
 carved in jet ; and aloft the night-hawk, circling 
 in his flight, and with a strange whirring sound 
 diving through the air each moment for the 
 insects he makes his prey," 
 
 This lake has been the scene of many important 
 events in the early wars of the continent, especially 
 so when in the year 1814 it became celebrated in 
 the military history of the United States by the 
 victory of the Americans over the British. At that 
 time an invasion of the northern portion of 
 New York was contemplated, and a force of from 
 10,000 to 15,000 troops was collected in the 
 vicinity of Montreal for that purpose. In such an 
 expedition the possession of Lake Cham plain be- 
 came an object of great importance, as it flanked 
 the march of the iiivading arm}'^ for more than 
 ten miles, thus offering great facilities for the 
 transportation of reinforcements and supplies. 
 
 The efforts of both armies were therefore directed 
 to the creation of naval forces on the lake in the 
 shortest time possible, and vessels were built and 
 eqi:iipped for the service with magical rapidity. 
 
 The ] irgest American vessel, called the '^ Sara- 
 toga,'' was built at Vergennes; the time taken to 
 build her was forty days. In August, 1814, the 
 English army, about 12,000 strong, commanded 
 
Eury dicey Ahoy ! 
 
 37 
 
 by Sir George Provost, advanced in four divisions 
 against Plattsburg, at that time held by Bri- 
 gadier-General Macomb, with a force of about 
 2,000. Captain McDonough, who commanded 
 the American naval force on the lake, anchored in 
 Plattsburg Bay on September 3rd, and awaited the 
 appearance of the enemy's squadron, which came 
 down the lake on Sir George Prevost's left flank. 
 Cumberland Head is the most northern point of 
 Plattsburg Bay ; and about a quarter of a league 
 from it, in a south-west direction, lies Crab Island, 
 small and low, and surrounded by an extensive 
 shoal. Upon this island a battery of one gun was 
 established. 
 
 The total American force consisted of fourteen 
 vessels, mounting in all eighly-six guns, and carry- 
 ing about eight hundred and fifty officers and men, 
 including a small detachment of soldiers acting as 
 mariners. The British squadron was commanded 
 by Captain Downie, an officer of distinction, and 
 was composed of sixteen vessels mounting ninety- 
 five guns, and carrying about nine hundred and 
 fifty officers and men. 
 
 On the morning of September Jl, 1814, just 
 after the sun had risen, the approach of the British 
 squadron was discovered by the guard-boats of 
 the Americans, and preparations were made for 
 action. Soon after eight o'clock, the English 
 having formed in line, approached the American 
 

 38 
 
 EurydicCy Ahoy ! 
 
 iill 
 
 WM 
 
 I !i: 
 
 squadron in good order, the wind moderate and 
 fair, the weather fine. 
 
 As the British approached, the Americans 
 brought their broadsides to bear, and a few mo- 
 ments passed in silence and expectation. 
 
 The water was smooth, the ships were within 
 point blank range, and the guns were sighted 
 with accuracy. This single broadside killed and 
 wounded about forty men on the '^ Saratoga. '' 
 After this the engagement became animated and 
 very sanguinary, which is easily accounted for by 
 the fact that the vessels were very heavily armed, 
 and their crews numerous in proportion to their 
 size. In fact, says the writer, they more nearly 
 resembled floating batteries than vessels of war. 
 
 The American loss, in killed and wounded, was 
 one hundred and eleven. That of the English 
 was variously stated at from one hundred and 
 seventy-three to two hundred. This strange 
 victory for the Americans brought in its train 
 more important results for them than any other 
 naval achievements in that century. , 
 
 I was just trying to unravel this mystery of the 
 defeat of the English when ^'Eurydice ahoy ! !! " 
 was echoed over the water by the rest of the crew, 
 the watch was over, and likewise re very gave 
 place to stern necessity, and to tea. 
 
 Monday morning, Aug. 15. — Fine day, with a 
 propitious wind. We were anxious to be off, but 
 
Eurydice^ Ahoy ! 
 
 39 
 
 ?? 
 
 were detained until eleven o'clock waiting for the 
 awning which had been ordered on the Saturday 
 previous. We set to work with a hearty good will, 
 unfurled the sails, and made preparations for a start. 
 Already the main sail is flapping impatiently in 
 the wind. ^^ Stand by the anchor chain." " Haul 
 away." The chain cable is stowed, after which 
 the jib is hoisted, ^^ stand by the jib halyards,*^ 
 ^^ haul away: — avast: — belay." And away she 
 glides before a gentle north-west breeze. Platts- 
 burg is rapidly receding in our wake, and we 
 are nearing Valcour's Island on the starboard bow, 
 and Crab on the port. It may here be remarked 
 that the former Island, in the year 1874, was the 
 camping ground of a Free Love community. Like 
 all such mad schemes since the primitive days of 
 Adam, it did not hold together long ; at all events, 
 six years after, a powerful field glass failed to 
 reveal the slightest vestige of a petticoat, or any- 
 thing that looked like black trousers any where 
 on the island. Our cruise was either too late, or 
 they broke up too soon (probably a little of both), 
 for us to interview those curious people. Crab 
 Island is the burial ground of sailors and mariners 
 who fell in the battle of Plattsburg, in the year 
 1814. '^ After life's fitful fever he sleeps well," 
 not even awakened by the rippling of the wavelets 
 caused by the gentle breeze upon its shore, nor 
 yet by the white crested billows storm tossed 
 
VI i 
 
 40 
 
 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 m 
 
 i ! 
 
 III 
 
 Upon its rocks. Our musings are soon ternninated 
 by the jibbing of the boom as it swings across to 
 the other side. All right if you will have it so : 
 we are indifferent about what tack it shall be, 
 provided the wnnd does not leave us all together. 
 
 Nothing can more fitly resemble indecision in 
 human nature than this jibbing about of the boom : 
 now on one side, then swinging over to the other. 
 Besides being a silly proceeding either in man or 
 yacht, it is decidedly unpleasant, and unproductive 
 of any progress. ^ 
 
 The wind, however, does during a short interval 
 leave us. Whether it is the close proximity to 
 the island or not, we cannot tell. Our course was 
 taken for the open lake to provide for such con- 
 tingency. The wind eventually settles down in a 
 different quarter, and the foam is once more 
 seen whitening her bow. Port Kent is our 
 stopping place. The chart is consulted. Yes, 
 quite right, that place is down on the chart as a 
 reef. The reef is avoided. The next question is, 
 in what direction are wo to steer for Port Kent ? 
 On comparing the formation of the shore with the 
 markings on the chart, we find that we are about 
 to pass the place, consequently the yacht's course 
 is altered, and now the anchor chain is heard 
 running out. The jib is lowered, and then after 
 the anchor has titiven firm hold, the main-sail is 
 run down, Johnny, whose illustrious name has 
 
Eurydicey Ahoy ! 
 
 41 
 
 already figured in the log, is left on board to make 
 all straight, by furling the sails and getting 
 ready for our midday meal, a task for which he is 
 nearly always prepared, and one which appears 
 to give him great joy. It may here be remarked 
 in extenuation, that yachting greatly sharpens the 
 appetite. . 
 
 Au Sable Chasm is three miles inland from Port 
 Kent. The crew were informed that the stupen- 
 dous grandeur of the place vied with all that is 
 wonderful to be seen in Niagara, and were con- 
 sequently induced to go. A deep chasm averaging 
 175 feet, with water flowing now over shallow 
 places and again through deep fissures, trends its 
 way for about a mile and a half. At short dis- 
 tances there are chasms crossing the large one, and 
 also caves. There is a deviPs ride, a fairy glen, 
 and somebody else*s pulpit, but apart from these 
 famihar epithets the place is truly grand. There 
 is Jacob's Well formed originally by a small water- 
 fall; they are at present taking earth out of it, and 
 have got to the depth of twenty feet. Towards 
 the end of this marvellous chasm there is a flat 
 bottom boat moored. The guide takes his place 
 at the stern, and steers the party over some 
 rapids to the end. A most peculiar effect is 
 produced by the narrow stratum of stone which 
 runs in parallel lines at an angle a few degrees 
 from the level of the water. The eff*ect of this 
 
42 
 
 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 is to make the water appear to be on the down 
 ward slant. It was remarked by several that we 
 were going down hill. The depth of the water 
 in some places is sixty-five feet. 
 
 Another curious feature of the place may be 
 noted, namely, that there are several manufactur- 
 ing establishments at the head of the chasm, two 
 rolling mills, a pulp factory, &c. 
 
 " Along the cool sequestered vale of life 
 They keep the noiseless tenor of their way. 
 
 j> 
 
 Only noiseless in so far as nature is concerned, 
 for one could easily imagine a pretty good racket 
 in the vicinity of a nail factory. 
 
 There is a large hotel standing alone on high 
 ground ; we found on enquiring that it was the 
 summer resort of a good many people. At first sight 
 one is surprised, and speculates what can induce 
 travellers to visit the place, but on closer investi- 
 gation, in addition to the wonders of the chasm, 
 the country is hilly, the air bracing, and the view 
 of the lake is grand. 
 
 We returned to Port Kent, eight miles distant, 
 and found, to our relief, that the yacht and boy 
 were there in the same place we had left them. 
 
Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 43 
 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 " She walks the waters like a thing of life, 
 And seems to dare the elements to strife." 
 
 '.: ''<i:^[ .-,: . ■ - ■ • V'-- > ' ' ■ Byron. 
 
 Tuesday, Aug. 16. — Hazy; thermometer high ; 
 barometer down since yesterday morning. Got 
 under way early, and started for a run into the 
 middle of the lake. The wind was fresh, but not 
 altogether favorable for Burlington. On nearing 
 that extraordinary rock called " Rocky Dunder," 
 we were very much struck by its peculiar shape. 
 No vegetation adorns it. If it had not been blow- 
 ing quite so hard, a nearer approach could have 
 been eifected, and a closer scrutiny would have 
 satisfied our curiosity. However, as we saw it in 
 the distance it looked like a lone sentinel guarding 
 through all weathers the eternal mysteries of the 
 hidden deep. It formerly served as a boundary 
 mark between the Mohawks and their enemies, 
 the Algonquins. 
 
 We sailed out four miles and a half, and then 
 tacked back ; it was a quick run ; the fresh air 
 gaving us an excellent appetite. 
 
 Here, at Port Kent, we remained anchored 
 with nothing in particular to do for three hours, 
 waiting for the express to bring us letters. The 
 express came^ but no letters. Sailed away from 
 

 44 
 
 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 our anchorage at fifteen minutes past eleven, with 
 a reef in the mainsail ; it was not long before th^it 
 was slackened out, then after a little time the 
 top-sail was hoisted. 
 
 Although the prospect at starting was good, 
 the subsequent reality proved the contrary. 
 The wind left us in the middle of the lake ; but 
 owing to the total absence of any current, we 
 sailed through the huge looking-glass water >v'ith 
 a steady onward movement. 
 
 Our port for the night, we had decided, should 
 be Pelots Bay, and that was situated about twenty- 
 eight miles from the port we ha^ just left. We 
 relieved each other at the tiller in order to take 
 rest in the cabin, which, although roasting, afforded 
 shade. On shore we thought this sort of thing 
 intolerable, so we had consolation, as we nursed 
 the idea. 
 
 At six, we rounded the headland into Pelots 
 Bay and, phantom-like, gHded in, and took up a 
 station out of the way of the steam yachts. I 
 used the term phantom-like because we could 
 not detect the slightest zephyr either on the surface 
 of the water or on the air. After everything had 
 been made snug, during tea we heard a silvery 
 voice : 
 
 *^ Welcome back ! You will come ashore 
 presently, will you not ? and you will tell us if 
 you had a pleasant cruise." " Oh, yes : certainly, 
 
Eurydice, Alwy ! 
 
 45 
 
 we will row ashore and see you all." The following 
 dialogue followed this pleasing incident, " How 
 kind of them to welcome us back in this way! ! !'' 
 " Yes, indeed ! ! It is worth braving a thousand 
 storms." '' By Jove, we are lucky beggars to 
 have hit upon such nice people." Each was 
 thinking of the pretty face, but neither spoke of 
 the individual, only of the friends in general. 
 
 xiie reader must remember this was our return 
 visit to the lovely spot, consequently we were not 
 strangers. I need not try very hard to convince 
 you that we spent a most enjoyable evening on 
 our friends* door-step that night ; not knowing, 
 but fearing that their bed-time might be at an 
 early hour. 
 
 The pale, flickering moon, that has already been 
 responsible for so much wasted energy in the 
 endeavors of weak mortals to pour out bad poetry 
 from their enraptured souls, did not draw us on 
 to the extent of being poetical ; but still I cannot 
 deny that tender thoughts held possession of our 
 minds, and gave a bias to our dreams. > 
 
 "In joyous youth, what soul hath never known " 
 
 Thought, feeling, taste, harmonious to its own? 
 Who hath not paused while beauty's pensive eye 
 Asked from his heart the homage of a sigh ? 
 Who has not owned, with rapture-smitten frame, 
 The power of grace, the magic of a name ? " 
 
 Wednesday J Aug. 17. — Ther. 69 ; Barom. fall- 
 ing : — A tremendous blow had arisen toward 
 
46 
 
 EurydicCy Ahoy ! 
 
 morning. We awoke with thoughts of our 
 infancy when we were rocked to sleep by nurse. 
 The yacht was pitching and tossing about like 
 mad. Immediately, more cable chain was played 
 out, and another anchor improvised to lessen the 
 strain on the first one. We had no desire or 
 intention to allow the wind ignominiously to cast 
 us a wreck on shore right in front of our friends' 
 summer residences, — the bare idea sent a shiver 
 from head to foot. It looked like a regular two 
 days' gale, which it subsequently proved to be. 
 
 At this period of our cruise the whole crew 
 were unanimous in agreeing that indeed their lines 
 had fallen in pleasant places ; that surely the godg 
 had in this event been most propitious : — we were 
 in a most comfortable harbor. If all sailors 
 could only be thus weather-bound there would 
 be more Christians in the world, and fewer malcon- 
 tents. The question might naturally arise, as to 
 how w^e spent our time during those two days of 
 storm. How did we spend them? The question 
 should rather be, how can we ever forget how 
 we spent them, reading to the ladies of course, 
 holding skeins, telling yarns, suggesting theatricals, 
 and smoking occasionally with the men. We left 
 undone all manner of things, and we did all man- 
 ner of things, and finally there was nothing left 
 undone that was done. 
 
 Let me draw your attention to the steam yachts 
 
Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 47 
 
 ;s 
 
 and launches of all sizes, from thirty tons down to 
 half a ton, riding at anchor, ready at a moment's 
 notice. There was not a single sailing yacht 
 among them — what is the conclusion : is this 
 generation getting lazy or scientific, or both ? 
 Perhaps it is destiny. 
 
 However, steam is certainly one of the most 
 prominent characteristics of the age. The " Coming 
 Race" may rejoice in boats propelled by electricity, 
 flying through the air, and, as an eminent author 
 has it, Vril may become the all-powerful medium 
 for the exponent of force, and motion to result 
 from it. It is the opinion of the crew that nothing 
 can, or ever will, supersede sailing. 
 
 The question as to how we were to leave this 
 charming spot was still more difficult to solve on 
 the third morning, when we discovered that a dead 
 calm prevailed — but I must not anticipate. 
 
 On the afternoon of the second day, the crew of 
 the Eurydice were invited to join the ladies who 
 were going for a short steam sail, or steamboat- 
 ride, in one of the fastest boats for its size in the 
 fleet. The storm was just beginning to blow 
 itself out, but for all that there was a good sea on. 
 It was certainly very pleasant, cutting through the 
 waves with a merry party on board, and we all 
 thoroughly enjoyed it. That evening we went to 
 an impromptu concert, which was very good — so 
 good in fact that one of the crew did nothing but 
 
I 
 
 1 
 
 48 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 whistle the tune of one of the songs all tlie way 
 home, which was, to say the least of it, like giving 
 one's self away. 
 
 Thursday, Aug, 18. — You will notice that in the 
 log two (lays have merged into one. There was 
 nothing new to note down with regard to the 
 weather. 
 
 This morning turned out fine. The mercury 
 in both instruments was steadily rising; the wind 
 was dead, having strangled itself in its fury. , 
 
 It was with feelings of fond regret that we 
 made preparation for departure. We said adieu, 
 with the promise to run that way next summer : 
 a prospect, now so long, in retrospect so short, 
 ere these twelve big moons shall have gone through 
 the tragedy of dying, and being born again. 
 
 The yacht moved out, as she had entered three 
 short days ago, with all sail set, and but little 
 wind. We moved, and that was all : — we were 
 pensive, who can wonder!! At last when, like 
 Telemaque, we had left the enchanted spot, new 
 vigor seemed to fill our drooping frames, after 
 we had indulged in several plunges into the 
 deep cool lake which was, by the by, a very good 
 way to occupy the time, for there was no sailing 
 without wind, and we were not in that frame of 
 mind when reading does any good. There are 
 times w^hen reading is out of the question, and 
 this was one of them. When the mind has received 
 
 
Eury dicey Ahoy I 
 
 49 
 
 deep impressions and the heart is oppressed with 
 woe, no book, except of a most exciting char- 
 racter, is any good. 
 
 We could not go on for ever popping in and then 
 scrambling on board again like so many monkeys 
 at a show ; the proceeding was not only fatiguing 
 but was getting monotonous and undignified, con- 
 sequently we remembered the good old adage, by 
 the sweat of thy brow, etc., and put its maxims 
 into practice. We took turns, as we had done on 
 a previous occasion, at the sweeps. It is a curious 
 thing whenever a man times his work in turn with 
 another man the clock invariably appears to 
 stand still in mute astonishment at the prodigious 
 feats that are being accomplished. When my 
 turn came, I began to have serious doubts as to 
 whether I should keep such an erratic time-piece. 
 
 Eouse's Point, a haven of rest, is reached at last. 
 We ran alongside the old wharf, but, after every- 
 thing had been made tidy, I had the yacht removed 
 to a little distance oft* as there were too many small 
 boys looking on ; they would, in all probability, 
 have jumped on board when our backs were turn- 
 ed and made free in a manner peculiar to all boys. 
 
 My friend introduced me to a friend he happened 
 to know in the place, and thus it was that we 
 spent a pleasant evening, consuming tobacco, and 
 telling yarns. 
 
 D 
 
'm\ 
 
 it' 
 
 # 
 
 50 Enrydice^ Ahoy ! 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 SATUPtDAY, August 20. — At anchor off Rouse's 
 Point. Fine morning ; good westerly breeze ; 
 sailed through the draw to the opposite side, and 
 anchored in front of the large printing establish- 
 ment belonging to John Lovell & Son. This build- 
 ing can be seen for miles, and is the most prominent 
 object in the place. It is to the promoters of such 
 institutions as these, that man's progress through 
 the world's dark history has been gradually 
 enlightened. I cannot possibly, in the short space 
 which I have allotted for this log, begin to 
 adequately describe all, or even part, of the wonder- 
 ful improvements in machinery and the different 
 processes employed in this building for the diffu- 
 sion of learning and the promotion of literature. 
 
 My friend was very kindly invited to go over 
 this establishment, and wisely availed himself 
 of the occasion, and, as he said, "not only did I see 
 letters being hurled together so as to form words 
 with magical rapidity, and the words in their turn 
 to form reading matter, but also other kinds of 
 work more wonderful still." I have been told, it 
 would amply repay one to travel all the way from 
 Montreal to see this large Printing House. When 
 this had been recounted to the skipper, he fislt 
 a strong inclination to prolong the stay, and run 
 
Euryclice, Ahoy ! 
 
 51 
 
 ashore ; in addition, an invitation had been ex- 
 tended to us to lunch with friends; then just 
 when the decision had been given in favor of 
 remaining, dark clouds threatening rain warned 
 us to weigh anchor. We accordingly sailed away 
 before the storm, and left our friends, with 
 regrets at not being able to see more of them 
 The si:onn came on so slowly that we were 
 enabled to reach the Commodore's camp, just 
 as it came down in sheets. The skipper kept 
 on all sail, for it was a race with the elements •, he 
 also kept one eye over his shoulder to detect the 
 first indications of a blow in order to shorten sail 
 in time. The moment the storm was on us, 
 around we went into the wind, and down came 
 the sails : the boy was left on board to form his 
 conclusions as to the probable duration of the storm, 
 and we went ashore. A warm reception, which 
 had the effect of taking off the chill of the rain, 
 greeted us as we rushed into the house with a 
 bound. A substantial lunch was done thorough 
 justice to, after which we looked for and procured 
 good anchorage for the yacht : the storm by tliis 
 time had passed over, and left the leaves with 
 glistening tears in the sunshine. 
 
 We remained at this place until Wednesday 
 morning : we could not get away, were not 
 allowed in fact to think of such a thing. We 
 messed on shore with our friends, and altogether 
 
52 Eurydicej Ahoy ! 
 
 had a capital time. Of course on Sunday we 
 indulged in the customary afternoon lounge, there 
 being no church, no litany service, no Sunday- 
 school, and no ignorant ragged children to teach 
 the pathway of safety to ; we read good books, 
 however, which was the next best thing. Johnny, 
 our cabin boy, went fishing, horrible to relate, 
 and met with poor success : we did not lose this 
 excellent opportunity of pointing a moral, ^^The 
 little boy who goes fishing on Sunday, and breaks 
 his mother's heart, etc. ; " we never afterwards 
 could ascertain whether the boy was any the better 
 either for the fishing, or for the moral to it. 
 
 The next day the skipper, wishing to afford health- 
 ful recreation to a party of children and a few 
 grown-up people, took a large party out for a sail. 
 Then the following day we accompanied the 
 Commodore on a picnic cruise to the Lake. We 
 had a pleasant and somewhat eventful trip. 
 
 The Commodore steamed off at 9.15, and re- 
 turned at about the same hour at night, having in 
 the meantime traversed nearly fifty miles, making 
 three stops, of an hour and a half to two hours, at 
 each place. This could only be accomplished with 
 a fast boat. Pelots Bay was visited by the crew 
 of the Eurydice for the third time j but none of the 
 party besides, which numbered about twenty, had 
 ever been there before. They one and all fell 
 
Eurydicej Ahoy! 53 
 
 victims to the mesmeric influence of the place, 
 and like us vowed they would go there again. 
 
 " He sweeps before the wind, 
 Treads the loved shore he sighed to leave behind ; 
 Meets at each step a friend's familiar face, 
 And flies at last to Helen's long embrace." 
 
 I must not forget to mention that a gun was 
 fired as a salute, both as we entered and left the 
 harbor ; and the dear old Union Jack was hoisted 
 on board the largest yacht in honor of our visit. 
 As we steamed out, the steam-whistle was 
 sounded ; but as the wire maliciously got caught, 
 this whistle was prolonged for a considerable 
 period of time, awaking, no doubt, in the minds of 
 our entertainers the thought that it was our play- 
 ful way of showing our appreciation of their kind 
 ness and hospitality. 
 
 During our voyage, as we steamed away home - 
 ward-bound, we stopped for a picnic tea on Isle 
 La Motte, in spite of the indications of a coming 
 storm, shown by the gathering clouds. The storm 
 did not come down on us, however, until we had 
 passed the railway-bridge at House's Point, and 
 had got into the river. The dingy was very nearly 
 swamped, and there was a general holding on to 
 shawls and wraps to prevent their being blown 
 over-board. We steamed the whole way down 
 the narrow winding river, through the inky dark- 
 ness under full pressure, at about fourteen miles an 
 
 
54 Eiirydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 hour, and kept up that exciting rate of speed until 
 we ran in under the lee of Camp Lodge Point. 
 Altogether it was a most memorable cruise, and 
 the impressions left upon our minds will not soon 
 be forgotten. 
 
 ^ CHAPTER VII. ; 
 
 Wednesday, August 24. — We could not have had 
 a finer day for our departure. At six o'clock I 
 went ashore, and shot a few snipe for an in- 
 valid ; after which, bath and breakfast. 
 
 It was happily a case of a short adieu to the 
 Commodore's party, as they were to meet us next 
 day at St. Johns, and tow us through the canal. 
 
 Sailed away at 11 a.m. against a head wind, 
 which made short tacks unavoidably necessary, and 
 consequently laborious, as ballast had to be shifted 
 each tack, and a constant look-out kept to avoid 
 running in too close to shore. By way of a side- 
 note, I will remark that, during our whole cruise, 
 we not once ran ashore, and sailed altogether four 
 hundred and ten miles. v . • 
 
 We came up to Isle aux N"oix at about 12.15, 
 and went ashore to have a look at the place. I 
 left my friend talking with the caretaker of the 
 fort, and returned to the bank of the river, where 
 for a short space of time I luxuriated in the mid- 
 day sun like a lizard. 
 
Eurydice, Ahoy ! 55 
 
 VVnat a blessing it is to be free from the res- 
 traints of society, and the trammels of business with 
 its multifarious intrigues and speculations ! To be 
 able to feel with regard to the former that you are 
 in no danger of running against anybody's pre- 
 judices, or of inadvertently making anybody un- 
 happy, and that Smith or Jones is not waiting for 
 an apology ; to feel that, for the time being, you 
 are perfectly justified in taking tiiis lizard-like 
 repose, and in thus moralizing upon the fashion of 
 the world. With the cool, invigorating breeze 
 fanning your cheek, and the ripple of waters play- 
 ing against the shore at your feet ; with the plea- 
 sant sound of the insects buzzing about, mingled 
 with chirping of birds — what could be found want- 
 ing to make up that Elysium of happiness except, 
 eprhaps, the clear musical tones of the voice we 
 know so well, and love so dearly : — A voice that 
 may be as a mere echo in the future, only awaken- 
 ing sweet memories of the past. Oh ! wok 1 why 
 art thou thus so dark a riddle : to let us feel that 
 we ought to know, but cannot learn, the dark 
 intricacies of our future wanderings, or probable 
 fate! 
 
 ^^ Hallo there ! What, asleep ! Too bad ; I did 
 not intend to keep you waiting so long," — 
 thus spoke my friend : my answer was : — ^^ I 
 have enjoyed basking in the sun. Have been 
 communing with nature, — and — and thinking 
 
 11, 
 
 :i 
 
56 Eurydicey Ahoy ! 
 
 about other things — moralizing in fact. Let U8 
 get aboard, and then we will moralize upon the 
 necessity of food to sustain animal existence." 
 ^^ All right," my friend replied, — the correct thing 
 to do. 
 
 We are once more tacking backwards and for- 
 wards, from one side of the river to the other, 
 from a distance probably looking as if we were 
 going in for child's play, and making no headway, 
 but in reality covering considerable ground each 
 tack. This sort of thing went on until we had 
 reached the narrow part of the river at the two 
 light-houses, when the wind, in company with the 
 bright orb of day, left us. 
 
 After tea one of the crew went ashore with a 
 light tow-line, and towed the yacht for about an 
 hour which, with regard to distance, might mean 
 two and a half miles. It was a pleasant novelty, 
 and afforded excellent exercise, trudging along the 
 side of the river, through tall reeds, across musk- 
 rat-holes, and into soft, miry clay. Variety is good, 
 as long as it lasts, if it does not last too long. So 
 we thought when towing gave place to rowing. 
 It was not long before we dropped anchor nearly 
 opposite the old Officers' Quarters, at St. Johns, 
 and went ashore. 
 
 To find one's way at night over uneven ground, 
 past yards and buildings, suggestive of barking 
 dogs, bent on mischief, is both difficult, and un- 
 
 ■x«--'--- 
 
 \ 
 
Eurydiee, Ahoy ! 
 
 57 
 
 , i.-vif^- 
 
 pleasant. Either the one or other contingent is 
 ever before you — to fall headlong into a ditch, 
 or be bitten and consequently die of hydrophobia : 
 fortunately, we neither met with, or even heard, 
 the bark of the dog, nor were we blind leaders of 
 the blind, as neither of us fell into a ditch. Pre- 
 sently alighting on the level road, we walked into 
 the principal street of St. Johns. No letters to be 
 had, even if there were any for us, as the Post 
 Office was closed for the night, consequently we 
 went to the hotel to get news.<.. 
 
 The St. Johns of to-day is a totally different 
 place to the St. Johns of five years ago. The 
 purifying element of fire a short time ago swept 
 through the village. It had a good effect, causing 
 the people to bestir themselves to clear away the 
 debris and build anew. What is the consequence ? 
 A fine, wide, main-street, lined on both sides with 
 large and substantial brick buildings. These build- 
 ings are used for two purposes — shops beneath 
 and rooms to let above. WSiole families, if not too 
 numerous, occupy flats, the entrance to which is 
 through a door at the side of the shop, and thence 
 by stairs to the different suites of rooms above. 
 This arrangement is somewhat after the fashion of 
 houses in Paris; a family on each flat, starting 
 from the bottom to the top, with their names 
 printed at the foot of the enormous flight of stairs. 
 
 That sort of thing has its draw-backs as well as 
 
68 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 its advantages: the staircases are generally narrow, 
 and the chances of running into collision with un- 
 known people and dodging them on the stairs, not 
 knowing which vside to pass, is decidedly un- 
 pleasant ; then, again, if the tap above is suffered to 
 run through accident, a flood is the consequence, 
 as water always endeavors to find its own level. 
 
 A stout old John Bull, who was desirous of 
 visiting the capital of France before his visit 
 to the next world, stood one day at the foot of 
 one of the flights of stairs, endeavoring to make 
 the Frenchman, who had just rented a flat to him 
 understand that he expected to be taken up there 
 by a hoist or, if possible, by some other means ; 
 '^but walk up, decidedly out of the question, 
 — ii-bsurd idea ! " — " Vat is dat ? '^ gesticulated the 
 Frenchman. This sort of thing might have 
 gone on ad infinitum^ had not our friend 
 happened to mention something about being 
 raised •, that word had certainly the good effect 
 of bringing the futile talk of the two men, each 
 using a different language for the interchange of 
 thought to an end : for the Frenchman proceeded 
 immediately to lead the excited English man a dis- 
 tance of several blocks to a hair-dresser where 
 having deposited him in an easy-chair, requested 
 the proprietor to lather his face preparatory to 
 using the ra^or. The tableau vivant ends as might 
 be expected under the circumstances: the old 
 
 : 
 
Eurydice, Ahoy ! 59 
 
 gentleman had no vocabulary equal to the occa- 
 sion, and the Frenchman nearly subsided in total 
 despair. 
 
 CHAPTEE VIII. 
 
 Thursday morning, six o'clock. — Promise of an- 
 other fine day. Bathed, that may be taken for 
 granted in future, and consequently need not be 
 mentioned again ; weighed anchor, and sailed 
 through the draw-bridge, the last one homeward 
 bound. We moored alongside a barge, having 
 ascertained that it would remain there for the rest 
 of the day. After breakfast, took a saunter ashore, 
 metfriends, and was introduced to the captain of 
 the steamboat which was to take the next tow, 
 now preparing for departure, to Montreal. Apart 
 from his kind offer to tow us all the way home, he 
 was a very nice fellow, and good company. We 
 had several visitoi's down to see us : presently we 
 heard the whistle of the steam-yacht signalling for 
 the draw to open, and in a few minutes she 
 steamed past us, looking gay and festive, with her 
 bunting flying at both stem and stern. 
 
 After (lining with a friend at the hotel we in- 
 terviewed the chief, who said that he would get my 
 clearance papers made out for me when he got 
 his own, and that I had better make fast to his 
 
60 EurydicCy Ahoy ! 
 
 yacht, which we did accordingly. I had to go 
 and tell the revenue officer that I regretted not 
 having been informed of my duty to report my- 
 self, on my way to the lake, and that I hoped t was 
 now all satisfactory. An answer in the affirmative 
 terminated the interview. 
 
 At last we are off; steaming gaily down the twelve 
 miles of canal that intervene between St. Johns 
 and Chambly, but not going so fast as to exceed 
 the regulation speed in canals, which is put down at 
 so many knots an hour. We proceeded so smooth- 
 ly that a blind man would not have known that 
 he was moving at all unless told. Tiie whistle 
 was sounded as we approached every bridge and 
 lock, as a signal to open for us. This mode of 
 travelling is really most agreeable ; we were all 
 in high spirits, so exhilarating were the influences 
 brought to bear on us, and the aspect of both land 
 and water, and the circumstances of our agree- 
 able mode of proceeding, presented a striking 
 tableau. The last lock is passed ; we have des- 
 cended in safety what looks like a series of huge 
 stone steps down to the basin of Chambly. What 
 a contrast to our former experience in the canal 
 on our way to the Lake ! Now we felt peaceful 
 and happy; then we were, or appeared to be, in 
 the mood for anything from pitch and toss to 
 manslaughter. Thus easily are weak mortals the 
 playthings of circumstance. Tickle a man in the 
 
Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 61 
 
 ribs, and he will laugh ; hit him with a stick on 
 the head, and the effect is different, if you are still 
 alive to see the result of the experiment. The 
 strong man is he who under all circumstances is * 
 the same: not elated by success nor dejected by 
 failure. 
 
 **Bless'd are those 
 "Whose blood and jmlgment are so well co-niingled. 
 That they are not a pipe for fortune's finger 
 To sound what stop she please." 
 
 But it is wonderful to think how suscept- 
 ible we all are to outside influences. By far the 
 majority of suicides have been committed upon 
 dull rainy days, when 
 
 *' Mad from life's history, 
 Glad to death's mystery," etc. 
 
 One could scarcely imagine any mortal on a bright 
 cheerful day going out and hanging himself to the 
 nearest tree. No 5 the grief which saps the mind 
 is not alone sufficient to fill the black records of 
 such crimes as these. Horrible expedient this ; — 
 to rid oneself of the heavy responsibilities of life in 
 the vain endeavor to rush into forgetfulness. The - 
 experiment is too dearly bought, 1 am afraid : nor, 
 can any man well afford to trifle with the vices 
 which point the way ■ such tragedies. 
 
 But to continue, the steam yacht moored along- 
 side tlie wharf, and we in turn alongside her.. 
 The ladies went ashore to the hotel, while the men 
 wandered in various directions. 
 
62 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 Later on in the evening I looked in upon some 
 friends, und found that they were liaving a small 
 dance; the consciousness that Jolmny, the cabin- 
 boy, was waiting for me on the beach caused me 
 to leave early. I thought I would not put his 
 fidelity to too great a test, or be answerable for the 
 charge of cruelty to animals. On reaching the 
 yacht, found the captain of the steam-tug boat 
 with my friend : a counsel of war was held, which 
 resulted in the unanimous decision that we would 
 hook-on and be off, ^^ no opportunity like the 
 present," ^^ strike while the iron is hot," etc. 
 We might have to wait a long time for another 
 tow to pass. The moon was full, — I do not mean 
 to insinuate tha^ the moon was not in a fit state, — 
 and high in the heavens, as we noiselessly passed 
 out into the middle of the basin, and towards the 
 river. We established a watch, as one had to do 
 some steering while passing Beloeil bridge ; be- 
 sides, it would have been very careless not to have 
 one on the look-out. 
 
 The rising sun began to make himself felt from 
 behind the airy curtains with which the river's 
 mist enveloped us, while we like snails crawled 
 out from our shells, and stretched our limbs. 
 Presently there appeared breaks in the surround- 
 ing mist, and land showed itself here and there, 
 and presently every where. The locks of St. Ours 
 were again reached, tea and milk procured, and 
 
 , 
 
Enrydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 63 
 
 on we wont again. All the scenery was again 
 passed in our downward course, and if possible 
 appeared more beautiful than before. Finally 
 Sorel was reached ; we were saluted by a little 
 shouting and waving of hats by a few on sliore, 
 which was returned with interest, especially by 
 Johnny, wlio, feeling elated at the idea of being so 
 near home, gave vent to his over- wrought feelings 
 in the manner above described. 
 
 After we had rounded the sand-bar, and had fairly 
 brested the current, it was not difficult to notice 
 the slow rate of speed we were making ; down to 
 Sorel we had a slow current in our favor, stem- 
 ming the current up from Sorel was ^^a horse of 
 another color." We made the discovery that we 
 were going at the rate of a mile and a quarter an 
 hour, by observations made with reference to the 
 time taken in passing certain objects on shore. The 
 tow left Sorel, or passed it, as it did not stop 
 there, at about mid-day on Friday, and was 
 opposite Varennes at noon next day, Saturday, 
 having accomplished thirty miles. I took the 
 dingy, and rowed along the tow up to the steam- 
 boat. The way I managed to board the steam- 
 boat was by throwing a light halyard line, 
 attached to the skiif, to a man on board, who 
 pulled me alongside, above the paddle-wheels. 
 One could not very well row up below the wheels, 
 the commotion caused by them would disconcert 
 a light skiff weighing only about sixty pounds. 
 
Jf »? 
 
 64 Eury dicey Ahoy! 
 
 " Well, Captain, the rate at which your boatlS^* 
 going could not possibly justify the most sanguine 
 in thinking that we should make Longueuil before 
 another entire day has passed ! " "• Patience is a 
 virtue," he replied. 
 
 Soon after I had dropped down to the yacht, 
 we discerned a speck in the distance, which the 
 field-glass revealed to be the '^ Maud," the name 
 of our friend's steam-yacht. She over-hapled us, 
 like an express train : salutes were exchanged, as 
 she flew^ along. Presently, night closed around us, 
 as it did in ancient times around old Jacques 
 Cartier with his flotilla of canoes slowly paddling 
 up the river. We ran the anchor light up to our 
 mast-head to prevent being run into by the Quebec 
 boat, which sometimes passes very close to the 
 stem of a tow in order to keep her channel. 
 The waves caused by that boat, coming thus sud- 
 denly, very nearly threw one of our crew over- 
 board by the unexpected rocking they gave to the 
 yacht. 
 
 Saturday^ August 28. — The last day of our cruise 
 dawned upon us, struggling againstthe current, at 
 the foot of the island. We fully expected to find 
 ourselves within sight of Montreal in the morning. 
 The steam engine, man's powerful servant, must 
 be at fault : there was a lamentable falling-off of 
 headway since last night. Of course it was not a 
 matter of life and death, our reaching liome that 
 
 ■ •^' .<^ 'jt- 
 
 ! 
 
JE ■■«•• 
 
 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 65 
 
 at J,- > >> 
 
 day ; but, as far as our inclinations were concern- 
 ed, we were getting tired of that dead-and-alive 
 sort of thing, and preferred a little variety to break 
 the dull monotony of the snail-like progress. 
 Presently we stopped altogether, then our appre- 
 hensions began to take this form : — are we drift- 
 ing down ; no, the steam boat had made fast to a 
 barge at anchor, and was at the same time work- 
 ing her engine at quarter speed. I found out 
 subsequently, that this was the time when the 
 captain went ashore and telegraphed for a steam 
 tug. Later on in the day we were delightfully 
 conscious that something new had liappened to us, 
 as w^e were going through the water at a good 
 rate of speed. Our spirits went up with the in- 
 creased speed, and our hope in better things was 
 not lessened by the fall of rain which was at the 
 time coming down heavily •, the awning, together 
 with the cabin, kept us dry, and vi^hen the rain had 
 passed off we were well up the river at Long Point. 
 All tugs, with few exceptions, keep to the south 
 shore as they near Montreal and pass close to 
 Longueuilto avoid the current. However, to our 
 consternation and annoyance, the pilot kept iii 
 mid-stream, which would leave us, when we cast 
 loose, opposite Longueuil, some distance out 
 in the current. If tlie prayers of the just availeth 
 much in this world, the maledictions of the un- 
 happy appeared as useless as the weeping over 
 
 E 
 
66 Eurydice, Ahoy ! 
 
 crushed hopes and lost opportunities. There was 
 not a breath of wind, consequently we could not 
 sail out of the current and into our haven of rest. 
 On went the tow, and on we went ; we were now 
 opposite to Longueuil. Since we had no further 
 use of the tow we cast loose, and as we did so saw 
 a long flat-bottomed row-boat with eight men in 
 it. They, hke the wise speculators of the world, 
 held aloof until the price for towing us in was 
 agreed upon •, the wise men would have got any 
 exorbitant figure they might have asked for, as we 
 were at their mercy. Two boarded us and got 
 out the sweeps, while a tow-line was thrown to 
 the men in the boat, and, finally, kind and ind ulgent 
 Reader, in tliis way we reached our mooiings, 
 iind the end of our cruise. The log-book was 
 closed and packed, it was tlie last article on board 
 left out, as we wished to give a true and faithful 
 cruise of the '' Eurydice.'^ 
 
 END.