I had on a previous occasion gone down the St. Lawrence, through the Thousand Isles and over the Rapids, in one of those large summer steamboats which ply upon the lake and river.  I cannot say that I was much struck by the scenery, and therefore did not encroach upon my time by making the journey again.  Such an opinion will be regarded as heresy by many who think much of the Thousand Islands.  I do not believe that they would be expressly noted by any traveler who was not expressly bidden to admire them.

From Toronto we went across to Niagara, re-entering the States at Lewiston, in New York.

CHAPTER VI.

THE CONNECTION OF THE CANADAS WITH GREAT BRITAIN.

When the American war began troops were sent out to Canada, and when I was in the provinces more troops were then expected.  The matter was much talked of, as a matter of course, in Canada, and it had been discussed in England before I left.  I had seen much said about it in the English papers since, and it also had become the subject of very hot question among the politicians of the Northern States.  The measure had at that time given more umbrage to the North than anything else done or said by England from the beginning of the war up to that time, except the declaration made by Lord John Russell in the House of Commons as to the neutrality to be preserved by England between the two belligerents.  The argument used by the Northern States was this:  if France collects men and material of war in the neighborhood of England, England considers herself injured, calls for an explanation, and talks of invasion.  Therefore, as England is now collecting men and material of war in our neighborhood, we will consider ourselves injured.  It does not suit us to ask for an explanation, because it is not our habit to interfere with other nations.  We will not pretend to say that we think we are to be invaded.  But as we clearly are injured, we will express our anger at that injury, and when the opportunity shall come will take advantage of having that new grievance.

As we all know, a very large increase of force was sent when we were still in doubt as to the termination of the Trent affair, and imagined that war was imminent.  But the sending of that large force did not anger the Americans as the first dispatch of troops to Canada had angered them.  Things had so turned out that measures of military precaution were acknowledged by them to be necessary.  I cannot, however, but think that Mr. Seward might have spared that offer to send British troops across Maine, and so also have all his countrymen thought by whom I have heard the matter discussed.