"Oh, never you mind that, lad," he replied. "It's a long way from here;
but a man, with his eyes open, can always find his way there and back.
All you've to do is to follow the setting sun going, and to look out for
him rising when coming back."
"Then I suppose you mean to go to the westward?" I observed.
"Ay, lad, to the far west," he answered; but I confess that at the time
I had no idea how far off that "far west" was.
We set off the next morning by a steamer to Montreal, and on from
thence, past Kingston, to Toronto on Lake Ontario, in Upper Canada.
Flint lent me money to pay my way. He said that I should soon be able
to reimburse him. I need not say how delighted I was with the fine
scenery and the superb inland seas on which I floated. I could scarcely
persuade myself that I was not on the ocean, till I tasted the water
alongside. Flint told me with a chuckle, that once upon a time the
English Government sent some ships of war in frame out to the lakes, and
also a supply of water-tanks, forgetting that they would have a very
ample one outside. A little forethought would have saved the ridicule
they gained for this mistake, and the expense to which they put the
country. As my intention is to describe my adventures afloat rather
than those on shore, I shall be very brief with my account of the life
we led in the backwoods.
From Toronto we crossed the country to Goodrich, a town on the shores of
Lake Huron. Here we took a passage in a sailing vessel, trading to the
factories on the northern shore of the lake, and at the nearest we
landed and prepared for our expedition. Flint observed, that as we were
short of funds, we must proceed on an economical principle. He
therefore purchased only a small though strong pony, to carry our
provisions and the skins of the animals we might kill, while we were to
proceed humbly on foot.
We were now in a land teeming with every description of game; and I was
able to prove to Flint that I was not a worse shot than I had sometimes
boasted to him of being. The weather was generally fine, so that a bark
hut afforded us ample shelter at night, and our rifles gave us as much
food as we could require. Our greatest enemies were mosquitoes and
other flies, and it was only by smearing our faces over with fat that we
could free ourselves from their attacks.
We constantly encountered the Indian inhabitants of that territory; but
they were invariably friendly, and willing to trade with us. Silas
understood their language a little, so that with the aid of signs we
could carry on sufficient conversation for our purpose. Six weeks thus
passed rapidly away, and I calculated that it would be time for me to
return to Quebec; so I told Silas I must wish him good-bye. He seemed
very much vexed at this; for I believe that he both liked my society,
and found me very useful to him. He had, indeed, formed the intention
of keeping me by him, and converting me into a regular trapper and
hunter; but, fond as I was of sport, for this I had no fancy, and I
therefore persisted in my purpose of returning. Seeing that he could
not prevail on me to remain, he accompanied me back to the fort, where
he made over to me my fair share of the skins.
After the delay of a week, I found a vessel returning to the lower
lakes, and in her I set sail for Quebec. My readers must excuse me for
being thus brief in my description of my doings on shore; but it must be
remembered that I am writing an account of my sea adventures, and I must
defer the former to another opportunity.