72 FISHING WITH THE FIT. 



higher than my head. We approached within six feet 

 of it, and stood for a minute or two gazing at the grace- 

 ful bird. It returned our gaze with head turned aside, 

 and a look of curious inquiry which said, as plainly as 

 if it had spoken, "What kind of animals are you?" 

 I could easily have hit it with my landing-net handle 

 but would not make it " a victim of misplaced confi- 

 dence." This incident reminded me of the lines of 

 Alexander Selkirk, in the English Reader, which was 

 in use in my early school-boy days : 



"They are so unacquainted with man, 

 Their tameness is shocking to me." 



I may add that squirrels were constantly running about 

 our camp, exhibiting no more fear than those in the 

 parks of Philadelphia. 



Aug, 14dh. — " David build a fire between our tents, 

 it is cold," I called out about five o'clock this morn- 

 ing. " Yes, sir," he replied ; " a black frost this 

 morning, had to thaw out my boots before I could get 

 them on." Our little encampment consists of two 

 wall tents, ten feet square, for the use of Mr. Macdon- 

 ough and myself. They are about fifteen feet apart, 

 opening towards each other, upon a line twenty feet 

 from the pool, upon ground five or six feet above it. 

 Back of our tents is our dining-table, made of planks 

 split from the spruce, and sheltered with a tent fly. In 

 rear of this is the kitchen fire ; and still farther back, 

 two "A tents," one for the use of our men, and the 

 other for the protection of our stores. 



