A SQUALL. 69 



unruffled smoothness of its wide surface, I began 

 to fancy that we were now to be exempted from 

 the usual compliment. The men sung and pad- 

 dled with energy, the fitful cry of a slightly 

 wounded bittern, which lay at the bottom of the 

 canoe, serving for an accompaniment ; and we had 

 gained the centre of the traverse, when suddenly 

 a gentle air was felt coming from the well-known 

 quarter of the Buffalo Mountain. The suspicious 

 guide would now no longer permit even the cus- 

 tomarv rest of a few minutes to recover strength, 

 but urged the crew to exertion ; and they, ever 

 and anon looking towards the blue summits of 

 the mountain with something of a superstitious 

 glance, made our light bark skim over the water 

 like a thing impelled by wings. A dark cloud 

 rose from behind the mountain, and began to 

 expand towards the zenith ; little gusts of wind 

 followed ; and in less than half an hour we were 

 in the midst of a thunder-storm, that raised a sea 

 from which there was no escape but by hoisting 

 a shred of a sail, and running through breakers 

 to the nearest lee land. 



The place was a swamp, concealed by long 

 grass ; and, just as a spot had been found to pitch 

 the tent, a man, in going to it, accidentally dis- 

 turbed a skunk. The animal resented the intru- 

 sion in the usual way. In a moment there was a 

 general complaint against the rank offence ; every 



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