amusement; for he and Mr. H---, and some other gentlemen who were
staying there, used to mount directly after breakfast, with their
skates tied to their saddle-bow, and ride twelve miles to Lake Ida,
skate all through the short winter's day, lunching at the solitary
hut of a gentleman-farmer close by the lake, and when it grew dusk
riding home again. The gentlemen in this country are in such good
training through constant exercise, that they appear able to stand
any amount of fatigue without minding it.



Letter XII: My first expedition.


Broomielaw, October 1866.
This ought to be early spring, but the weather is really colder and
more disagreeable than any which winter brought us; and,
proverbially fickle as spring sunshine and showers are in England,
ours is a far more capricious and trying season. Twice during this
month have I been a victim to these sudden changes of climate; on
the first occasion it was most fortunate that we had reached the
shelter of a friendly and hospitable roof, for it was three days
before we could re-cross the mountain-pass which lay between us and
home. One beautiful spring morning F--- asked me if I would like to
ride across the hills, and pay my first visit to some kind and old
friends of his, who were among the earliest arrivals in the
province, and who have made a lovely home for themselves at the foot
of a great Bush on the other side of our range. I was delighted at
the idea, for I have had very little opportunity of going about
since we came here, owing to the short winter days and the amount of