CRUISE OF LA BELLE MARGUERITE 



Two or three more miles of sand beach and then 

 rocky islands uncounted appeared as we sailed by 

 Washtawooka Bay. The land was everywhere 

 terraced and flat topped, showing stages of 

 elevation above the sea, the edges of the terraces 

 marked with lines of snow which made good 

 settings to the fringes of spruces. It was a glori- 

 ous day's sail of over fifty miles in the storm and 

 wet, but our boat was staunch, our crew were 

 skilful, our oilskins tight, and the air and the 

 water contained many objects dear to the or- 

 nithologist. 



We reached Natashquan, literally " the place 

 where the seals haul out," at the end of the after- 

 noon, and cast anchor in the shallow, sandy 

 harbour at the mouth of the little Natashquan, 

 after running on to a sandbar. Mathias, while 

 rowing us ashore in the canoe, after failing to 

 make us understand in his native tongue, as- 

 tonished us by an attempt in English. " Sirs," 

 he said, for he afterwards told us he had learned 

 English at Clark City, " the tide she rise low, 

 maintenant." 



We were hospitably received by Martial's 

 sister, who asked us, as I thought, whether 

 we wished crabs, for breakfast next day. I 



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