﻿1848. STORMY WEATHER. 155 



This lake is a breeding station of the Stcrjia 

 cayana. The arctic tern also hatches on its 

 shores, depositing its eggs among the gravel on 

 the beach. The leaves of the gooseberry bushes 

 had been stripped off by a black-banded cater- 

 j)illar, and it was evident that the fruit would fail 

 this season. The ice having parted from the 

 shore little more than a fortnight, vegetation 

 was backward. A strong gale, bringing on a 

 keen frost, blew all night, and effectually quelled 

 the moschetoes, so that, though we could not 

 but regret the detention, we all enjoyed some 

 hours of sound repose. But in the morning of 

 July 17th, during one of the squalls of a thunder- 

 storm accompanied by heavy rain, the tent pegs 

 drew from the sandy soil on which we had en- 

 camped, and the dripping canvass falling upon us 

 put an end to our rest. We were miserably cold 

 and wet before this mischance was remedied. High 

 winds and a rolling sea kept us stationary all day, 

 and our carpenters took advantage of the delay to 

 secure the thwarts of two of the boats which had 

 given way on the portages. 



July ISth. — The gale did not abate so as to allow 

 us to embark until 4 p.m., when we resumed our 

 voyage, and at 9 encamped again in a small boat 

 harbour at Burnt Point. This coast of the lake ge- 

 nerally is flat and shelving, and secure landing-places 



