Rested very well and rose at seven; a misty morning. Saw some fish,
perch, etc., just taken. Sailed at six in the _Franklin_, the very
nicest boat I have ever seen. A delightful morning; leaving the sick
cities, Quebec and Montreal, and hastening home in good health and
spirits. The Lake Champlain, only about 80 yards wide, and the shores
low, covered with brushwood. Paid for passage to Ticonderoga 4-1/2
dollars. The dinner very good, five or six servants with turban caps.
The dessert consisted of nuts, almonds, walnuts and raisins; all the
spoons, etc., of silver; altogether the very neatest boat I ever saw.
The Captain's room fitted with excellent portraits, in another part all
sorts of advertisements, with a beautiful desk for the public use. Asked
a dollar for a bottle of porter, then said half a dollar. Took a pint of
port wine, charged one dollar; an impudent fellow with one of the
waiters saw the bottle, he filled up his glass and drank it off without
once looking at me. At Plattsburg on Lake Champlain an American officer
came on board and allowed our portmanteaus to pass, on condition they
contained only clothes. Very delightful scenery; beautiful islands with
distant mountains on each side; a broad road up the mountain; an
avalanche. Went on shore at Burlington and had a delightful bathe, the
water pleasantly warm and a sandy slope. Quite a crowd at tea so had to
attend the second course. Lay down in a berth till 12; then looked after
luggage which I found to be all safely locked up; everything managed in
the most admirable style; the sailors all in uniform and the boat let
down with a rope, so that passengers could be landed with scarcely
stopping the boat. At Ticonderoga the greatest hurry for beds; an offer
made to pay for double-bedded rooms, so resigned myself to chairs:
afterwards had a comfortable bedroom.