go, the planks drawn in, and we were off. This was the _Chicora's_
first trip of the season, and large crowds gathered about the docks at
the various places where we stopped on our way up the lakes, the
general expectation evidently being that the troops would be on board.
The disappointment was great when it was found that we had only an
advanced guard of Indian Voyageurs with us. One old lady, accosting one
of the passengers, in her enthusiasm exclaimed, "Have ye got the army
on board?" Above Manitoulin Island the channel becomes very narrow and
is sprinkled with little rocky islets clad scantily with fir and birch
trees. On one was living an old grey haired man in charge of a
lighthouse; he had been there the whole winter shut in by ice and snow,
and was so full of delight at witnessing "the first boat of the season"
that he saluted us by firing his gun, to which we responded by a
grunting whistle. At last we reached Garden River, and stepping on
shore, I was soon exchanging hearty greetings with Mr. and Mrs. Chance.
The _Chicora_ was detained four hours at this place, as all the
boats for the expedition were to be taken off before they proceeded
further and to be rowed by the Indians to Sault Ste. Marie, a distance
of twelve miles. It was necessary to do this because the only way for
the _Chicora_ to get into Lake Superior was through a canal on the
American side of the river, and if the boats were left on board they
might be regarded by the American Government as munitions of war and so
be refused passage. So the Indians were to take charge of the boats and
pole them up the rapids, while the _Chicora_ expected to go
innocently through the locks as a boat of peace. However the plan did
not answer; the _Chicora_ even though divested of her boats, was
refused passage, and having unloaded everything on the Canadian side
was obliged to return whence she came. Then a road had to be cut along
the Canadian shore, the red-wheeled waggons brought into use, and
everything conveyed a distance of some three miles to a point above the