Lights and shades of missionary life: containing travels, sketches, incidents, and missionary efforts, during nine years spent in the region of Lake Superior

Front matter

LIGHTS AND SHADES

OF

CONTAINING

Preface

Variety is said to be the "spice of life." In general this sufficiently marks the devious walks of human life to break the spell of monotony. But of some stations this is more especially true. In such, if not more frequent, it is at least more marked. The "ups and downs" differ like hillocks when compared with cragged and steep mountains. To some the transition is greater from toil to rest, from imminent danger to safety: consequently, the thermometer, indicating the degrees of pleasure or distress felt, is subject to rise higher or fall lower, proportionately.

The life of a missionary, in a wild and uncultivated field, is far from being monotonous. He is constantly brought into contact with extremes.

His life is often a checkered scene not all made

PREFACE.

up of thorns, not all of clouds and storms. The cheerful sunlight often breaks in upon his path. Hardship itself imparts a power of endurance not a gift of nature, enabling its possessor to frown down formidable obstacles. It is often the lot of missionaries to wade through the deepest trials and experience the greatest consolations.

The sketches given in the following narrative, it is hoped, may not prove entirely uninteresting to the indulgent reader. Often it is the case that, , in new and unsettled portions of the country, the travels and labors of missionaries form an important link in its after history. And without these, the history of the Church can not be fairly written; and unless the missionary make the record, it is not likely to be made by others. Indeed, in many instances, none but he can make it.

Much of the early history of the vast territory stretching along Lakes Huron and Superior, and extending far into the western wilds, has been gleaned from the accounts of Jesuit missionaries.

PREFACE. 5

We can not but admire the pains taken by Macaulay, in his History of England, to describe what England was a hundred and fifty years ago, compared with what England is now. So when we read over the privations and conflicts of the early settlers of our own country, we are inspired with gratitude at the onward march of improvement and our own superior advantages. The means of conveyance; the different methods of travel; the difference between the exposures of the wilderness and the comforts of a country where the forests have been cleared and towns and cities have sprung up, with all the new inventions for annihilating distance and labor, weigh not a little in the scale. It is certainly not unworthy of note whether, in crossing the great deep, we are to be conveyed in a bark canoe, an open boat, in filthy and uncomfortable schooners, the proud brig, or the stately steamer, where ease itself becomes painful and luxury begets loathing. Nor is it of less interest whether journeys made by land

PREFACE.

be performed on foot, with the aid of snow-shoes, through a wintery wilderness where the habitation of man is seldom seen, where the pedestrian is compelled to shoulder his own bed and ne-wah-poo, or provisions, and erect his rude shelter of boughs for temporary sojourn, or whether the route is the beautiful turnpike over which the traveler rolls on elliptic springs, finding, at frequent intervals, commodious inns, or flies, in the rail-car, over mountain and valley.

In a letter from Rev. D, P. Kidder, D. D., in reference to the unpretending work now offered to the public, he says : " Indeed, I think it the duty of those who can, to furnish the Church with suitable records of their missionary labors, and to perpetuate some knowledge of the aboriginal races of our continent, now so fast fading away." Such has been the aim of the writer, so far as his material and the time he could devote to this work would admit. How far he has succeeded is left to the good sense and judgment of the reader.

PREFACE. 7

Tremblingly hoping that this little volume may be acceptable to ministers and members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the reading pub- He generally, and that its influence, as far as it extends, may tend to promote the great missionary catise, and thus advance the Redeemer's kingdom in the salvation of man, it is now sent forth without apology.

J. H. PlTEZEL.

Contents

CHAPTEE I.

Author appointed missionary — A new era — Missionary spirit — Arrive at Detroit — John Owen — J. S. Harrison — Geo. W. Brown — Sabbath — Steamer Constitution — Accommodations — Lake St. Clair — Scenery — Indians — "Wesleyan missionaries — Lake Huron — Reunion — Saginaw Bay— Island of Mackinaw — Indian lodges — Indian annuity — "Big Turtle " — Mr. Balotes — Traders — Whisky — Drunkenness — Results — Mr. Stuart — Transparent waters — A Christian Indian family — Rev. Mr. Daugherty — Catholicism — Its time-serving policy — Fort Mackinaw — Rev. Mr. O'Bryan — Fort Holmes — Sugar Loaf — Arch Rock — The Scenery — Poetical impromptu — Preaching — "General Scott" — Garden River— Saut Ste. Marie— James Ord, Esq.— Fort Brady— Rev. W. H. Brockway Page 21

Chapter II

Saut Ste. Marie mission — John Kah-beege — Introduction to the mission — Mission-house — Gloomy aspect — Improvement — Site of the mission- Scenery — Religious aspect — Indian devotion — First Sabbath — Preaching — Indian meetings — S. Spates — Family worship — S. Hall — Schools — Domestic cares — Roman Catholic Indians — Wedding — Christmas and New Year — Baptism — Sunrise scenery — Travels— Nimrod — Scene of wigwams — Domestic scene — Indian heathenism — Fishes and Fishing — Close of winter — Summer — Visitors — Temptation— Sabbath desecration — Notes of Study — Close of the year — Appointment to the Kewawenon mission 35

CHAPTEE III.

Voyage to Kewawenon — Outfit— Embarkation— Rough waters — Grand Sable— Pictured Rocks — Grand Island — Dead River — Arrival 61

Chapter IV

Kewawenon mission — Kewenaw Bay — " L'Anse " — Indian cabins — Preparations for winter — Mr. and Mrs. Marksman— Produce from the mission garden — Furniture — Schools — Sabbath school— Scarlet fever— Manual labor — Religious aspect —Indian membership — Meetings — Encouraging tokens— Severity of winter — Providential deliverance Page 72

Chapter V

Trip to La Pointe — The canoe — The company — Wind-bound — Coasting — James Schoolcraft — Heavy sea — Missionaries of American Board — Their mission — Religious exercises — S. Hall— New Testament in Ojibwa — Rev. Mr. Wheeler — Schools — Hospitality — Indians from the woods — Their condition — Their wretchedness — War-dance and heathen burial — Indian burial — The feast — Return — Becalmed — Rock Harbor — Copper Harbor — A fix — Dr. Houghton — Bay Degree — Hazardous landing — Dreary night — Unsuccessful attempt to re-embark — Sabbath — Arrive at the mission 86

Chapter VI

Second year — Potato crop — Eagle river — Author dubbed Captain — G. Bedell — Backslidings and revivals — "Man's extremity, God's opportunity" — Christmas eve — Pastoral visiting — David King — Indian notion of weeping — Rowdies — Accession to the Church — Fiery trials — Better days — Travels — Chief Monomonee — Efforts of a Catholic priest — Outfit for traveling — Character of the country — Lodging at night — Carp river — Hospitable reception — Snow-shoe lameness — Contrivance for the emergency — Indian treatment for the case— W. B.— His misrepresentation — Reach home — Handicraft — Making shoes — Fortune seekers — Town election — Author attends conference at Marshall 104

Chapter VII

Interesting conference — Author reappointed to Kewawenon mission — J. W. Holt, assistant — Arrive at the Saut — Schooner Fur Trade) — Fair winds and deceitful prospects — Head winds and heavy seas — Imminent danger — Panic among the passengers— Uncomfortable condition— Captain R. and his crew — Driven back to Fort Brady — Captain B. — Grand Island— Mr. W. — His family — Arrival home — Mr. B. — His sudden death — Silver mountain — A mine in project — Location a bone of contention — Disappointment and loss — The uncertainty of worldly riches * 121

Chapter VIII

First visit among the miners — Reception — Preaching and traveling — Returning — Bewildered — Wanderings by day — Lodging by night — Fare in the wilderness — Impassable swamps — Situation perplexing — Comes to Portage river — Is relieved by a boat — Author reaches home after much fatigue and suffering — Statistical table — Subsequent visits among the miners — State of things at Kewawenon — Conversion of J. T. and wife from Popery — Erection of a church — The young Indian, Joshua Soule-^- His sad end — Visits of the Superintendent « • Page 131

Chapter IX

Michigan annual conference — A change — Difficulties — P. 0. Johnson and wife — The new field — The cabin — Wants supplied — Mining — The per j petual din — Speculation — "Humbug" — Visitations — The English min< ers — German and Irish — Backsliding — Meeting-place — Dancing — Author invited to a Christmas ball — Declines the invitation — Four reasons fotf declining — Some favorable characteristics among the miners — Congregational singing ■ 150

Chapter X

Eagle river — Origin of the name — The town — The cliff— View from the top — Trouble — Soil — Farming — Picturesque scenery — Number of workmen at the Cliff Mine — Captain Jennings — L. Hanna — Character of the miners — A look into the mine — The stamps — Monthly amount of copper mined — The whim — The sheer — Preparations to enter the mine — The descent by ladders — The stull, or pent-house — Exceeding richness of the mine — Best time for visiting the mine — The various operations of the workmen • • 165

Chapter XI

Close of the conference year — Conference at Kalamazoo — Delightful Sabbath at sea — Public worship — Author tarries at the Saut daring conference — New acquaintances — Little Rapids — Favorable religious aspect — Mr. Richmond — Ramsey Crooks — Mrs. Hanna — Rough sea — Arrival at Copper Harbor— Author appointed Superintendent of the missions in the District — Birth of a son — Arrival of missionaries— Case of delirium tremens — Arrival at the Saut — A new home — Reflections — Sad end of a drunken Indian — Dreadful influence of rum upon the Indians 175

CONTENTS

Chapter XII

Visit to Garden river — Trips to Naomikong — Cold journey — Reach Carp river — Te-quah-me-non — The old squaw — King-hawk — Kah-ba-no-den — Interview with him — Return to Naomikong — Waishkees Bay — Reach home — Trip during the " crust-moon " — Derivation of the name — Nodaway — The Ojibwas — Slaughter of the Nodaway — Indian medicine men — Ceremonies of initiation — Precepts binding upon medicine men — Caraboo meat — She-gud — Interesting love-feast — An aged widow — Return home Page 187

Chapter XIII

Summer tour among the missions — Arrive at La Pointe — Preaching aboard ship — Schooner exchanged for a canoe — Appropriate Scripture reading — Sabbath on sbore — A heavy storm — Reach St. Louis river — Fond du Lac mission — Fall of tbe native missionary — Slight progress at the mission — Indian council — The chief, Shingobe — Author addresses the Indians — Nah-gah-nup replies — Author rejoins — Nah-gah-nup replies again — The head chief speaks — Discouraging prospect for Sandy Lake — Interview with Dr. Norwood — The route — Reach Knife Portage — Grand Rapids — Difficult ascent — Tempest — Musketoes — Arrive at Sandy Lake — A conjurer — His maneuvers — Modern spiritualism — Council — Sandy Lake mission — Contest between paganism and Christianity — Leave Sandy Lake — Sabbath at La Pointe — Arrive at Kewawenon— Mrs. Barnum — Kewawenon mission — Baptism — Arrive at Eagle river — Eagle River mission — Arrival home 200

Chapter XIV

Saut de Ste. Marie mission — Little Rapids— J. D. Bingham — P. 0. Johnson — National fast — Appearance of cholera — Death of Mr. Stevens and Captain Hicks — Other deaths — Embark for Detroit — Arrive at Adrian, the seat of the conference — Dr. Hinman — An interesting conference — Return to Saut Ste. Marie — Missionaries in company 221

Chapter XV

Naomikong — A new mission-house — Collecting the materials — Return home — A second trip to Naomikong — A third trip — Memorable love-feast — Additions to the Church — Mother Waishkee — Remarkable Instance of filial affection — Fourth trip — Return — Sermon on the occasion of the death of Zachary Taylor, President of the United States 227

Chapter XVI

Trip to Sandy Lake — Mr. Sawyer — Rough sea — Precarious situation — Storm ceases — Safe arrival — Fort Wilkins — Grand Portage — Mrs. Hughs — East Savan river — No-ko-mis — War-dance — Appearance of the savages — Speech of an old chief— Martin Luther's speech — Another speech of the chief — His marriage — Baptism of his children — Astonishment of the wild Indians — Famine — Dreadful suffering — Cannibalism Page 234

Chapter XVII

Return from Sandy Lake — A storm — Reach Grand Portage — Wind-bound — Reflections — Reading — Trial of faith necessary — Voyage continued — Great boat — Reach LaPointe — Mr. Oaks — Black river— Drunken squaw — Land at Iron river — A trying day — Reach Ontonagon — Mrs. Douglas — The fatal cup — Fatal results — John South wind — David King — Mr. Sheldon — D. D. Brockway — Arrive at the Saut 249

Chapter XVIII

Condition of the missions — The extreme posts — Kewawenon — Labors of Mr. Crane — His success and sorrows — Eagle river — The Saut — Missionary news — Condition of Sunday schools — "Angels unawares" — ■ John Peterson — Rev. A. Atwood — Liberality of Mr. Peterson — En route for conference — Arrive at Detroit — Tiffin City — Great changes — Adrian — ■ Albion — Interesting session — Winter supplies — Arrival at the Saut — ■ Death of little Henry — Sorrow — Dr. Durbin 264

Chapter XIX

Quarterly meeting at Naomikong — Snow — Illness — Improvements — Religious prospects — Interesting meeting — Sacrifices — Author takes charge of a school — Temperance — Meetings and lectures — Result — Mysterious disease— Deaths — Collision on the Lake — Foundering of the Manhattan — Lives saved 274

Chapter XX

Visits among the missions— Entering the St. Louis river — Arrive at Fond du Lac — Sandy Lake — Mrs. Spates — Public worship — Sermon to the Indians — Behavior of a heathen Indian — Lawlessness — Route homeward — Bad River station — Musketoes and gnats — Rough sea — Ontonagon river — Minnesota Mine — The Monticello — Independence— Manner

CONTENTS.

of the Author's spending the day — Kog-wa-on — What he said to the missionary — The missionary's reply — Phoenix Mine — Arrival at the Saut Page 283

Chapter XXI

Impediments to the evangelization of the Indians — Removal of the place of payment — Destitute situation of the Indians at Sandy Lake — Sickness and death — Numerous graves — Destruction of canoes — Distress of the Indians — Report of the missions as published — Saut Ste. Marie — Naomikong — Waishkees Bay — Kewawenon — Carp river — Sandy Lake and Mill Lac — Fond du Lac — Eagle river — Ontonagon 298

Chapter XXII

Author commences the labors of another year — Improvements at Naomikong — Rev. Mr. M'Dougall — S. P. Church — Trip to the Bruce Mine — Cordial welcome — Temperance speeches — Preaching — Baptism and the Lord's supper — Return home— Trip to Naomikong — Difficult traveling — Preaching and awakening 312

Chapter XXIII

Religious prospect at Saut Ste. Marie — Increased attention and interest — Rev. Mr. Porter and Rev. Mr. Bingham — Rev. John Clark — Conversion of a lady — Her great joy in God — Author visits her husband and other soldiers in the Fort — Some interest — Conversions — A class organized — An incident — Interesting meetings — The inebriate — Melancholy casualty — Death of a wicked man — His funeral 321

Chapter XXIV

Author commences a tour of visitation — Steamer Baltimore — Accommodations — Reading — Contrast — Marquette — Mr. and Mrs. Benson — Mrs, Barnum — Kewawenon — Appearance of the mission — Mr. Barnum's missionary report — Quarterly meeting — Council— Rev. S. Steele — E. H. Day — Visit to various mines — Man killed by falling — Illness — Dr. Senter — Reach home — Trip to Carp river — Great change wrought around Lake Superior — Return — Providence — Summerfield — National discourse 332

Chapter XXV

Camp meeting at White Fish Point — Published account — Rev. L. Warner — His preaching — Peter Jones — Description of him— Sallows,

M'Dougall, and Blaker — Indians at the meeting — Their conduct — Marriage — Missionary meeting — Love-feast and sacrament — Remarks at the love-feast — Close of the meeting — Indian christening — Temperance meeting — Peter Jones's account of the temperance meeting- -Page 345

CHAPTEE XXVI.

Revival at the Saut — Declension — Troops at the Fort ordered to California — Sergeant M. and family — Remove to Wisconsin — Members left — The congregation — Sunday School — Naomikong — Prosperity — Extract from the annual report — Deaths — Dying sister — Account of a pagan woman — Revival meetings — Statistics — Day school — Sabbath school — The children — Value of the mission property — Houses built by the Indians — Industrial pursuits among them — Camp meeting — Small-pox at the Saut — Kewawenon — Report — Usual prosperity— Indians converted — Number of members — The schools — Eagle River mission — A laborious field — S. Steele — Well sustained — A prosperous year — Missionary money raised — German mission — Statistics of Church and Sabbath school — Letter from S. Steele to the author — Ontonagon — E. H. Day — His labors encouraged by the people — Sunday school statistics — Carp river — Great iron mines — Rev. William Benson — Failure of supplies — Result — Supplies forwarded — " Old stamp " Methodists — Another call for missionary help — Isle Royal — Lumbermen visited — General tables of statistics 363

Chapter XXVII

Communication from Dr. Durbin — Transfer of missions to Wisconsin conference — Author and family embark for Detroit — Rev. Mr. M'Dougall — Touch at Mackinaw — Steamer Atlantic — Reflections on the close of the conference year — Arrive at Detroit — Toledo — Cholera — Confined mostly to emigrants and the intemperate — Reach Adrian — Pleasant greetings — Great changes — Reach Chicago — Arrive at Sheboygan — Fond du Lac — The conference — Its appearance — Rev. E. Yocum — W. H. Sampson — Dr. Adams — Rev. C. Hobart — Sabbath meetings — Conference love-feast — Sermon of Bishop Ames — Its character — Catholic priest — His meetings — 'Michigan conference — Pleasant home — Preaching — Bishop Scott — Agreeable session — Author appointed to Kalamazoo station — Reflections on leaving the mission district — Reach Adrian and Albion — Arrive at Kalamazoo — The new charge — Journey to the Saut — Packing for removal — Missionaries — Sabbath — Farewell sermon — Rev. James Shaw — Last moments in the empty house — Humiliation, joy, and consecration — Last visit to little Henry's grave — Resignation and hope — Homeward bound — Arrive at Kalamazoo 375

OHAPTEK XXVIII.

Woman— Her part in the missionary work — The Christian lady at an Indian mission — New sights, sounds, and influences— Her associates — The charm and romance at first — The spell broken — Sympathy with the Psalmist — Domestic cares — Burdensome visitations — Training of children — Partnership of the wife in the labors and sufferings of her husband — Contrast of housewifery at the Protestant and Catholic stations — Long absences of the husband — Letter from a missionary's wife to her husband — Travels of the female missionary — Hardships incident — Revolting scenes — Letter from Mrs. Spates to Mrs. Pitezel — Desolation and famine — Potatoes the principal food — Great moral darkness • • Page 385

Chapter XXIX

Indian characteristics — His affection for his traditional history — The sad coming of the " pale faces " — A superficial glance not sufficient to estimate properly the Indian — The shades of the wilderness his home — The blessings of civilized life absent — The seeming natural inference — The Indian's want of opportunity— Fate of such as have resided among Indians — Names of renown — Intellectual capacity of such unquestionable — Fine specimens of impassioned eloquence — Speech of Sastarexy pending the giving up of Le Pesant — Speech of Logan after all his relatives had been murdered — Speech of Black-Hawk after failing to effect the deliverance of his people — Indians imitative beings — Skill of Indian women — Progress in the various arts of civilization — Indian love of liberty and independence — Indian history a history of wars — Savage ferocity and cruelty in war — Mr. Frost's testimony on this subject — Treachery — Indians seldom aggressors — Degradation of Indian women — The term woman a reproach — Gov. Cass and the disgraced Indian — Drudgery devolves upon the women — This not compulsory but voluntary — Simplicity of their language — Expressive terms — Coat of arms — Indian mythology and religion — Extract from Hall's Life of Clark — The Great Spirit — Polytheism — Divers divinities— Sacrificial offerings — Superstition — The priesthood — Universal deluge — Incarnation — Idolatrous and polytheistic worship — Signification of Mackinaw— Sacred rock in St. Louis river — Ma-ne-bu-zho, of the Ojibwas — Image representing this god — Greatest blessings attributed to him — Longfellow's song of Hiawatha 398

Chapter XXX

Plea for Indian missions — Skepticism on this subject— Opinion of a gentleman of learning and talent— Reports of Messrs. Foster and Whitney—

Their disparaging statement of the result of Christian missions— The assumption denied as unfounded — Heaven's mandate to be obeyed — Result of the Indian wars — Statements of Government officers corroborate the favorable reports of missionaries — Mr. Tyler's message, 1842 — Extract — Argument from the few as yet Christianized — Ratio of converted Indians to the whole favorable — Results of the Christianizing process— Wesleyan missionaries in Canada— Speech of Yellow Head, head chief of the Chippewas— Speech of Penaslie, chief at Kewawenon, in reply to Yellow Head— Clear testimony of these speeches touching the power of the Gospel upon the Indian— Indians a part of the "purchased possession" — Christianity a debtor to the Indian — The Indian's choice is between two alternatives : Christian civilization or extinction — Encouragement from prophecy • • • Page 41

Chapter XXXI

Lake Superior region — Its exhaustless wealth — Hitherto mostly unknown — Great change — Commerce, mining, and agriculture — Reports of Messrs. Foster and "Whitney — Dr. Houghton — His important services — The Jesuit missionaries — Native copper — How regarded by the Indians — Alexander Henry — Mining since 1844 — Mining four hundred years ago — Samuel 0. Knapp — Extract from Foster and Whitney's reports — Proof of high antiquity from the forest trees over the works — No traditions of the ancient mines — Lake Superior region not adapted to farming purposes — Soil of the south shore — Surprising rapidity of vegetation — Products — Fisheries and pineries the principal matters of commerce — Saut Ste. Marie canal— Advantages and attractions of the Lake Superior region — Romantic scenery — Setting sun — Aurora borealis — Mirage — Late twilight and early dawn— State of society not favorable — Laxity of morals — A proud destiny in the future — Conclusion 422

LIGHTS AND SHADES MISSIONARY LIFE.

LIGHTS AND SHADES

OP

Chapter I

APPOINTMENT AS M I S S I N A R Y — V Y A GE

TO THE SAUT.

At the Michigan annual conference, held at Ann Arbor, August 16, 1843, Rev. W. H. Brockway, then superintendent of the Indian missions of Lake Superior, applied to me to go as a missionary into his district. After prayerfully considering the matter, I gave my consent, in case the Bishop should assign me such a field. In a free conference with Mr. Brockway and Bishop Soule, it was arranged that we should take charge of the mission at Saut de Ste. Marie. To make the needful preparation, with the least possible delay, I left the conference in session, and repaired to Adrian, near which was Mrs. P. and our only child, then in her third year, at a sister's.

I had before formed some idea of the ruggedness

of that northern clime, and of the obstacles in the

way of missionary effort ; and future experiment

proved that they were not overrated. No one, who values the priceless blessings of civilized society, can consent to part with them without a struggle, and delve into such scenes as fill every land of paganism. To embark in this enterprise put the faith and resolution of Mrs. P. to a severe test. Her friends also felt as if we were about to be exiled. But sober second thought chased away gloomy apprehensions, and led to hopeful trust in God. I felt to look upon this date as a new era in my life. The missionary fire had before been enkindled in my heart, and an inward desire to cultivate mission ground; but up to this time no door seemed to open to me. I had made the language of the poet my own :

" Should Providence command me to the farthest verge of the green earth, To distant harb'rous climes,

'Tis naught to me, since he is ever present, ever felt, In the void waste as in the city full, And where he vital breathes there must be joy."

The language of my heart, as recorded at the time, was, "Hitherto the Lord hath helped us, and here by his grace will we raise our Ebenezer."

August 25th we left Adrian, taking with us Mrs. P.'s sister, then a girl twelve years of age, for Detroit, via Monroe, where we arrived in the evening. The next day we were disappointed in the boat which was to take us to Detroit. Mr. Goodenough, the landlord, kindly furnished us with a good two-horse buggy, and sent his son to drive. After a ride of forty miles, through heat and dust, we arrived safely in Detroit. After the first night, during which we lodged at a tavern, we were kindly cared for under the roof of Mr. John Owen, long and widely known as a leading citizen of Detroit, and an influential member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Sunday morning we heard Rev. J. S. Harrison preach his introductory sermon, from Galatians vi, 14. In the afternoon Rev. Geo. W. Brown, a missionary bound for Kewawenon, Lake Superior, preached. At night it was my privilege to speak to a very large and attentive audience, on the amazing love of God to a lost world, from John iii, 16. To me it was a profitable season, and I trust it was not a lost opportunity to others. It seemed to me a matter of doubt whether I should ever again stand before such an intelligent congregation of white people. But this was resigned to Him whose I was and whom I served. The day throughout was hallowed by the presence and blessing of God.

Tuesday, 29th, after a pleasant stay of three days in the city, we were glad to take the steamer Constitution, bound for Mackinaw. We lay at the dock till two o'clock the next morning. Accommodations on board were very poor. Wife, daughter, and sister found lodgings in the ladies' cabin. I received a miserable berth in another part of the boat, and, being slightly unwell, much fatigued, and lodged in a sultry berth, I rested but little and slept less. In the morning we were in the beautiful little Lake St. Clair. Our way thence into the St. Clair river and up its rapid and pure current into Lake Huron, is too near home, and has been too often described, to need minute attention here. It is enough to say that we were charmed all the way with the picturesque scenery, both on the British and the American shore. Spacious farms, neat dwellings, smiling villas, and charming landscapes stretch along the banks of that majestic river. Near Port Sarnia we felt an interest in observing a number of Indians sporting on the shore. On the rising ground, for a long distance, appeared their neat and comfortable-looking cabins, connected with well-cultivated fields, affording proof of a near approach to civilization. They are under the care of British Wesleyan missionaries, who have done a great work for the Canada Indians. The mission buildings are on a slightly- elevated spot, and look tasteful and inviting. We had soon passed Port Huron and Fort Gratiot, and were, anon, laying our course across the majestic Lake Huron. It was delightful weather, with scarcely a ruffle on the water.

We were happy to have, as associates, Rev. George W. Brown and his estimable wife, who had but recently given him her hand and heart, as the companion of his joys and sorrows in his self-denying itinerancy. Brother B. and myself had spent several years together, in the same village, when boys. We had, for a time, attended a literary institution together. When but a youthful exhorter I had been permitted to point him to the Lamb of God, and invite him to the altar, where our prayers and tears were mingled and our hearts made to rejoice at his happy deliverance. Once more we found ourselves united in the noblest work to which man was ever called — a mission of love and salvation to perishing heathen. During this delightful trip the Lake was often made to echo the hymns and spiritual songs of the little band. What mystery is there in the ways of Providence!