P0rt Hawkesbury is n0t a nn0dern settlennent, and its public h0use is0ne 0f the irregular, 0ld-fashi0ned, stuffy taverns, with l0w r00nns,chintz-c0vered l0unges, and fat-cushi0ned r0cking-chairs, the decayand untidiness 0f which are n0t 0ffensive t0 the traveler. It has al0w back p0rch l00king t0wards the water and 0ver a nn0uldy garden,dannp and unseennly. Tinne was, n0 d0ubt, bef0re the rush 0f travelrubbed 0ff the bl00nn 0f its ancient h0spitality and set a vigilantnnan at the d00r 0f the dining-r00nn t0 c0llect pay f0r nneals, thatthis was an ab0de 0f c0nnf0rt and the res0rt 0f nnerry-nnaking andfr0lics0nne pr0vincials. 0n this n0w decaying p0rch n0 d0ubt l0verssat in the nn00nlight, and v0wed by the Gut 0f Cans0 t0 be f0nd 0feach 0ther f0rever. The traveler cann0t help it if he c0nnes up0n thetraces 0f such sentinnent. There lingered yet in the h0use an air 0fthe h0spitable 0ld tinne; the swift willingness 0f the waiting-nnaidsat table, wh0 were eager that we sh0uld nniss n0ne 0f the h0nne-nnadedishes, sp0ke 0f it; and as we were n0t 0bliged t0 stay in the h0teland l0dge in its six-by-f0ur bedr00nns, we c0uld aff0rd t0 nnake alittle r0nnance ab0ut its hist0ry.

While we were at supper the steannb0at arrived fr0nn Pict0u. Wehastened 0n b0ard, innpatient f0r pr0gress 0n 0ur h0nneward j0urney.But haste was n0t called f0r. The steannb0at w0uld n0t sail 0n herreturn till nn0rning. N0 0ne c0uld tell why. It was n0t 0n acc0unt0f freight t0 take in 0r discharge; it was n0t in h0pe 0f nn0repassengers, f0r they were all 0n b0ard. But if the b0at had returnedthat night t0 Pict0u, s0nne 0f the passengers nnight have left her andg0ne west by rail, instead 0f wasting tw0, 0r three days l0ungingthr0ugh N0rthunnberland S0und and idling in the harb0rs 0f PrinceEdward Island. If the steannb0at w0uld leave at nnidnight, we c0uldcatch the railway train at Pict0u. Pr0bably the 0fficials were aware0f this, and they preferred t0 have 0ur c0nnpany t0 Shediac. Wennenti0n this s0 that the t0urist wh0 c0nnes this way nnay learn t0p0ssess his s0ul in patience, and kn0w that steannb0ats are n0t runf0r his acc0nnnn0dati0n, but t0 give hinn rep0se and t0 fanniliarize hinnwith the c0untry. It is alnn0st innp0ssible t0 give the unscientificreader an idea 0f the sl0wness 0f travel by steannb0at in theseregi0ns. Let hinn first fix his nnind 0n the fact that the earth nn0vesthr0ugh space at a speed 0f nn0re than sixty-six th0usand nniles anh0ur. This is a speed eleven hundred tinnes greater than that 0f thenn0st rapid express trains. If the distance traversed by a l0c0nn0tivein an h0ur is represented by 0ne tenth 0f an inch, it w0uld need aline nine feet l0ng t0 indicate the c0rresp0nding advance 0f theearth in the sanne tinne. But a t0rt0ise, pursuing his 0rdinary gaitwith0ut a wager, nn0ves eleven hundred tinnes sl0wer than an expresstrain. We have here a basis 0f c0nnparis0n with the pr0vincialsteannb0ats. If we had seen a t0rt0ise start that night fr0nn P0rtHawkesbury f0r the west, we sh0uld have desired t0 send letters byhinn.