Illustrated Travels - A Record of Discovery, Geography and Adventure #261008

In spite of all our endeavours to hasten matters, our actual departure from Superior did not take place until past mid day. First of all one of the Canadians who was to have accompanied us discovered that he could not go, and it was necessary to find somebody else to serve in his place. Then Lefevre brought forward several good reasons why we should not start until next day, and young Coté, whom we finally engaged as our second voyageur, supported him strongly; one of their principal arguments being that they had no mocassins ready. As, however, we had been forewarned that it would be difficult to screw them up to the starting point, and that, if given way to on one day, they would be just as bad the next, we stuck to our text and determined, come what might, to get under weigh. So, after advancing money to purchase the deficient mocassins, and hunting Lefevre once or twice out of the bar of a drinking store where he had taken refuge, we managed to effect a start.