his majesty’s official on shore, and, so saying stepped on the boat and seated himself in silent dignity in the stern, turning his back to us who were looking on.  The officer’s visit was brief; the boat pushed off and we had our last look of Mr Snellgrove, transformed from a steerage-passenger into a dandy expecting to mix with the grandees of Quebec.  Next day, in talking with the captain, he told the master Snellgrove had kept a draper’s shop at Maybole, failed for a big sum, and had come to Canada expecting to get, with the letters of introduction he had from a number of noblemen, a government situation.

The intention being to weigh anchor on the tide flowing, leave to go on shore was refused to the passengers.  The captain, having to report at the customs, he, however, took Mr Kerr with him, to get materials for repairs he was making to the captain’s clothes.  Mr Kerr caught hold of me, and I had a hurried look at what appeared to me to be a foreign town, leaving out the street that ran along the harbor, which seemed to be lined with taverns frequented by soldiers and sailors.  Mr Kerr bought a fancy basket from a squaw, as a present to the mistress, who had been kind to him.  While we were gone, the ship was visited by boats offering bread for sale, and willing to take in exchange split peas or oatmeal.  Black lumps were held up as maple sugar.  They were so dirty that curiosity was soon satisfied.  The boat that brought us a pilot, went back with Snellgrove’s trunk.  On the tide beginning to flow the anchor was lifted and we were borne upwards, passing the crowd ashore, among whom were many soldiers.  A gun was fired from the citadel and the flag fluttered down, for it was sunset when we got into the stream.  Everything being new and strange nothing escaped us, and every passenger was on deck watching.  The number of ships surprised all.  There were rows of them for two or three miles, in the midst of fields of the logs which were to form their cargoes.  As I sat beside Mr Kerr in the twilight, he spoke of the sights I could not help seeing in the street along the waterfront of Quebec, or hearing the language used.  There was evil in the world of which a man should try to keep ignorant.  It was not knowledge of the world to look into, much less to dabble in its filth.  A lad who kept his thoughts clean was repaid by health and happiness, while entertaining evil imaginings led to a weak intellect and discontent with oneself.  I had noticed before, when anybody began a dirty story that Mr Kerr rose and left.  Another time he told me, his constant effort was to think of only pleasant things, to try and relieve what was disagreeable by looking from a sunny standpoint and to meet disappointments by searching if there was not some good in them.