The mischances consequent upon being lost in the woods, which were so frequent in the early settlement of Western Canada, are of rare occurrence now.  Since, roads have been cut, and the clearings have brought the Bush-settlers nearer together.  In my young time I have often searched for missing persons, and indeed have sometimes been lost myself.

I remember, the first summer I passed in Canada, making one of a party, who were for eight days looking for an old woman nearly eighty years of age, and her little grandson, who were lost in the Bush.

The old lady was going by a foot-path across a piece of woodland between her son-in-law’s house and a neighbour’s, which, by-the-by, were almost within sight of each other.  The little boy, it seems, ran a short distance off the path to gather some wild-flowers, and was followed by his grandmother, who, either from her defectiveness of sight, or, more probably, from having crossed without perceiving it, was, unable to regain the track.  Her friends finding that she did not return, went over to their neighbour’s house to see if she was there; but they only learned that neither she nor her grandson had found their way thither.  Search was instantly made till night came on, but without success.

The next day, all their friends and neighbours turned out, myself among the number, to search for the unfortunate woman and the boy.  We concluded, from her advanced age and the tender years of the child, that they could not be very far off; consequently we confined our search for several days within a radius of two or three miles.

On the fifth day, tracks were discovered near the edge of a small creek, which from being the prints of a small and large foot, left no doubt as to whom they belonged.  Strange as it may appear, this was the only sure indication of the lost ones that we had yet seen.  No further trail was seen till the evening of the seventh day, when fresh signs were found.  Our party therefore determined to camp out all night, and follow these new indications early in the morning, which object they succeeded in effecting.  The lost ones were then found, and both were discovered alive.

The old woman had suffered the most; but the two had sustained themselves by eating roots and beech-mast:  the little boy was quite frightened when he saw the men coming, and hid himself; such were the consequences of solitude and privation on his mind.

The place where they were found was in the township of Beach, at least fourteen miles due east from the place where they were lost; and it is more than probable, in their wanderings, that they had more than doubled that distance—­a most extraordinary circumstance, when the ages of the parties are considered.

About three years since, two young men, with whom I was well acquainted, went back into the uninhabited township of Methuen, to trap for fur, and hunt deer.  They set a line of marten-traps,* extending upwards of three miles.  One or other of them used to go every alternate morning, to examine these traps—­to re-set any that were sprung; and bring back to their camp any furry animal that might chance to be captured.