I suppose my answers were satisfactory, for he turned towards me abruptly, and asked me, “If I would like to enter the Canada Company’s Service; for,” said he, “I want a practical person to take charge of the out-door department in the absence of Mr. Prior, whom I am about to send to the Huron tract with a party of men to clear up and lay off the New-town plot of Goderich.  You will have charge of the Company’s stores, keep the labour-rolls, and superintend the road-making and bridge-building, and indeed everything connected with the practical part of the settlement.”

This was just the sort of life I wished; so I closed at once with his offer.  No salary was to be named, till I had been three months in the Company’s employ.  Indeed, I left everything to Mr. Galt, who, I felt certain, would remunerate me according to my deserts.

In person, Mr. Galt was, I should think, considerably above six feet in height, and rather of a heavy build; his aspect grave and dignified, and his appearance prepossessing.  His disposition was kind and considerate; but at the same time he commanded respect; and I can say with sincerity, I always found him an upright and honourable gentleman.

Of Mr. Galt’s fitness for the office of superintendent of the Canada Company, it would, perhaps, be considered presumptuous in me to give an opinion.  His position was an unfortunate one, and from his first residence in the country till his resignation, there appears to have been a serious misunderstanding between him, the Governor, and the Executive-council, in consequence of which, Galt’s character was misrepresented at home as that of a meddling politician and troublesome person.  Other charges regarding the wasteful expenditure of money in forming the new settlements were laid before the Directors, and these repeated complaints against him left him no other alternative than to resign his situation.

My own opinion is, that Galt was ill-used by the Canadian Government.  He says in his “Autobiography,” that his whole and sole offence consisted of having accepted a file of the “Colonial Advocate,” and shaken hands with the editor, the notorious William Lyon Mackenzie.  In those days of ultra-toryism, such an instance of liberality and freedom from party-prejudice was sufficient to excite the displeasure of the Governor and his council.  There is no doubt that Galt acted imprudently in this matter, though I fully believe without any intention of opposing the Government.

In regard to the Company’s affairs, more might be said to his prejudice—­not in respect of his integrity, for, I believe him to have been a most honourable man, and incapable of any meanness—­but in regard to his management.  Although, as the original projector of the Canada Company, he evinced much cleverness, and afterwards displayed considerable judgment in the choice of the best situations for building towns and villages, yet he committed some grievous mistakes.  His ideas were generally good; but often not well carried out in detail.