172 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



number of lakes appeared still farther to the east. A 

 straight trail was taken to this spot, and the lake 

 was reached just at dark in the midst of a heavy 

 snow-storm. The body of water was small and was 

 full of beaver, from which fact it received the name 

 of Beaver Lake. 



After breakfast next morning a little prospecting 

 was done, and it was found that Beaver Lake emptied 

 into a larger lake. In the centre of the large lake 

 was a small island, and it was named Island Lake. 

 Camp was moved to the shore of Island Lake. Here 

 was found a regular runway of animals. A path 

 made by bears, deer, caribou, wolves, and wolverines 

 led all around the lake. It was evidently the spot 

 where game could be found in abundance, and was 

 just the place for a long stay. But Dyche and his 

 companion had a dispute over the direction of the 

 points of the compass, and as the sun decided in 

 favour of the naturalist, his guide had such a fit of 

 sulks that he insisted upon leaving the country at 

 once. It was a foolish move, but it would have been 

 a worse one for Dyche to have attempted to remain 

 there alone. The back trail was taken next morn- 

 ing through deep snow, under bushes which were 

 bending with their load of the frozen crystals. 



Out of meat and with provisions getting scarcer 

 every day, the situation was desperate. While bean 

 soup was considered quite a delicacy when properly 

 made and when not eaten too often, it was found 

 that it lacked flavour when it lacked bacon. " What 

 is bean soup without bacon?" was an expression that 

 became indelibly fixed in the mind of the naturalist. 



