WILD-DUCK SHOOTING. 51 



would most likely be immense flocks of wild duck ; 

 so I was off at daylight in search of some. My new 

 acquaintance had pointed out the direction in which I 

 should find the lake ; a path was out of the question, 

 but I thought that I should be able to find it without 

 looking at my compass, and stepped out boldly; but 

 the wood was so thick and there were so many fallen 

 trees, some lying one over the other, that the sun 

 stood high, when, taking the compass out of my pocket, 

 and by-its help, making a straight course, I arrived at 

 the lake. I saw plenty of wild-fowl, but perhaps 

 frightened by others, they kept in the middle, very few 

 venturing near the banks. This was out of my reckon- 

 ing, but as the lake did not seem very large, I resolved 

 on going round it. I had killed three ducks one after 

 the other, and in my eagerness had forgotten how the 

 hours flew by, till I suddenly observed that the sun 

 was fast approaching the west. I now saw that it Avas 

 not possible to pass round the lake before sunset, for 

 as I came to the clearings, I perceived that as yet I 

 had not gone half the way. Thick masses of cloud 

 were gathering in the N. W., and the wind began to 

 rustle and moan through the trees. I expected to be 

 obliged to bivouac here, and slightly appeased my 

 hunger with a bit of dry bread that I found in my 

 pocket, i'or I had not had time to roast one of the 

 ducks. The weather threatened worse and worse ; in 

 no pleasant humor I was walking slowly along the 

 shore, when I found a canoe, made of a hollowed trunk, 

 fastened to the root of a tree. I stepped in without 

 the least compunction, and paddled to the opposite 

 shore, distant about two miles and a half, directing my 



