as unfit for service, the money was to be returned. Two of the purchasers agreed to navigate her to St. John's with a cargo of butter and cheese, intending to return to Burlington with another freight. This was agreed to, and the vessel came in on the Sunday; but instead of returning back to Burlington, she was engaged by our party to go to Skenesborough. The offer was tempting; and with several barrels of potash and butter which they took on board for that place, the voyage was likely to turn out very advantageous, particularly if the vessel was seized on her arrival, as they expected; for then the purchasers would recover their 100 dollars again, and have all the freight and passage money as clear profit. The man who commanded the vessel was called Robert; and the other who acted in the capacity of mate and foremastman was named David. Neither of them knew much of the navigation of the lake, even between Burlington and St. John's, and both were perfectly ignorant of it from Burlington to Skenesborough, which is upwards of 80 miles further. 'Our prospects, it must be owned, were rather gloomy. We had to cross a lake above 150 miles in length, and in some parts 20 miles in breadth, in the very worst season of the year, when snow storms happen almost every day, and render the navigation of the lake even more dangerous than the ocean; added to which, we were in a crazy leaky vessel, without a boat to go ashore in, or a spare rope in case of accident. The sails were in rags, the pumps choked up and broken; and we were obliged to bale out the water from under the cabin every two hours with a tin kettle. To increase our difficulties we had two ignorant men to pilot us, who were as little acquainted with the management of a vessel as they were with the navigation of the lake. • Fortunately for us the weather was fine; and instead of ruminating upon the dangers we were likely to encounter, we amused ourselves by laughing at the unskilfulness of the captain and his mate, particularly the latter, whose fears lest the vessel should be upset at every puff of wind afforded us much diversion. He continually kept fast hold of the peak hallyards, and at every little breeze instantly lowered the peak, exclaim ing, "What an awful wind! It blows nation stout!" The singularity of his expressions and his fears made us laugh very heartily; and as he was rather a humourous fellow, he took our jokes in good part. From St. John's to the entrance of the lake there are scarcely any settlements. Both shores are lined with woods, consisting chiefly of pines which grow to a great height. A few straggling log-huts are seen at intervals, but otherwise it is completely in a state of nature. The weather, though clear and dry, was extremely cold and frosty; and we had nothing to make a fire in, but an old broken pitch-pot which could barely hold the wood. Our dinner consisted of some cold boiled beef and tongue, which we brought. with us from St. John's; and there being some potatoes on board, we boiled them in a large iron tea-kettle. We appropriated it to that use, as it was not wanted to boil water for tea; having none of the requisites for that meal on board. About five in the afternoon we passed Windmill point, and entered the lake. We kept as close as possible to the shore, the captain being obliged to report his vessel at the custom-house on Cumberland head. There being little wind, the sloop glided smoothly through the water; and as the evening closed in, the moon favoured us with her borrowed light, and enabled our unskilful mariners to avoid the craggy rocks which in many places line the shore. Some of us now wrapped ourselves up in buffalo robes, or great coats, and lay down in the cabin, more as a shelter from the cold frosty air than to procure repose. One or two remained upon deck; for there were not births enough for the whole of the party, having two Americans on board, whom we were to put ashore near the custom-house. About midnight the vessel arrived off Cumberland head, upon the hearing of which we all went upon deck. Being unwilling to cast anchor for the short time we had to stay at this place, we were obliged to run the vessel upon some rocks near the shore; and not having a boat, we hailed a tavern at some distance in which we perceived a light. Nearly an hour elapsed before we could make any person hear. At length a man came down to the water-side; and being told what we wanted, he soon after came along-side the sloop in a canoe half-full of water. The tin kettle was immediately handed down to him; but his canoe was so very leaky that the water came in as fast as he baled it out. The man, therefore, finding his exertions useless, desired the captain to get in and never mind the water. Robert immediately complied, and was immediately followed by one of the passengers, a Mr. Lyman, who wished to get something warm to drink at the tavern; as it then froze very hard, and our fire had gone out. At the moment I was almost inclined to accompany him ashore; but not admiring the idea of sitting nearly knee deep in water, I remained on board: and it was fortunate for me that I did; for Mr. Lyman and the captain had scarcely seated themselves on the gunnel of the canoe when it upset, and all three were completely ducked. On board we were at first alarmed, as they appeared to be out of their depth, and were looking about for a rope to throw overboard, when we saw them upon their feet making towards the beach, nearly up to their necks in water. The man who had brought off the canoe ran home as fast as possible; while Mr. Lyman and the captain, having dragged the canoe ashore, made the best of their way to the tavern. When we found they were safe, we could hardly refrain from laughing at the adventure, and the disappointment of the boatman, who little expected that a ducking in the lake at midnight, in frosty weather, would be his only reward. Our tin kettle was lost; for though by the light of the moon we were enabled to see it, we could not fish it up again. Necessity, therefore, obliged us to resort to our last utensil on board, the tea-kettle, for baling out the water, which seemed to gain very fast upon us, and was nearly up to the cabin floor. About 10 minutes after Mr. Lyman came on board in the canoe with his clothes frozen upon him. The people at the tavern had refused both him and Robert admittance; and though they mentioned the accident they had met with, yet they were inhumanely ordered away, and not allowed even to dry themselves. Robert was then obliged to go to the custom-house, drenched to the skin; and when he afterwards came on board VOL. II. 2 A |