260 OBSTACLES ON OUR WAY. 



what the Indians call women's heads, which 

 are round hummocks of moss-covered earth, 

 the bases of which are reduced by the action 

 of the surrounding water to about one third of 

 the diameter of their surface, yet strong enough, 

 owing to the fibrous roots which they contain, 

 to keep upright ; being, in short, something 

 like a large mushroom. In crossing the sloppy 

 swamp, the traveller is tempted, by their dry 

 appearance, to step upon them ; but, unless 

 he tread exactly on the centre, which is a 

 matter of nice judgment and calculation, they 

 invariably fall over, and down he tumbles, or 

 gets an awkward twist ; in either case plunging 

 up to the knees, or deeper, into the swamp. 

 My Indian was caught twice, and called out 

 "Sass" (Bear), the well-known expression of 

 his tribe when not inclined to be over gentle. 



Acclivitous rocks intervened between the 

 swamps ; and in going over their summits, the 

 Ah-hel-dessy was frequently seen working its 

 rapid course along the base of the mountain 

 range, which sometimes assumed the wildest 

 character. The space from the spot where I had 

 left the small canoe last year to the first rapid out 

 of Artillery Lake was quite open, and immense 

 quantities of ice were floating down the stream. 

 The temperature was full ten degrees colder 

 than at the house ; large masses of ice and 



