INDIAN SUMMER. 291 



country where the farming season is so short, an " open fall," 

 i. e. a late winter, is desired by everyone. Nature always 

 gives timely warning of the approach of winter, and the 

 close observer is rarely mistaken in his prognostications. 



I led a hunter's life in the woods of Upper Canada and 

 .New Brunswick for the greater part of two years. On re- 

 verting to my log book of that period, I see the following 

 entry: "Nov. 5 (1865). Winter to all appearance; 

 3 inches of ice on small lakes and ponds ; 4 inches snow on 

 ground ; but animals say that winter has not yet set in for 

 good. Cariboo, hares, and weasels in summer colours; 

 bears still rambling about ; geese not commenced to fly to 

 the sou'-west in any numbers; and beavers not finished 

 cutting and hauling their winter supplies." And sure 

 enough the animals were right ; the weather continued 

 wintry until the llth of the month, when snow and ice 

 vanished, and were succeeded by another summer of a fort- 

 night's duration. This Indian summer (so called) does 

 not always occur, but when it does it is a boon to every, 

 one. Having experienced a taste of winter, we appreciate 

 it all the more. Still, mild, hazy weather, it seems as if, 

 old Winter's first attack having been repulsed, he had 

 been compelled to retire for awhile to get fresh wind for 

 another assault. 



Another curious and, as seen in the woods, very beauti- 

 ful phenomenon often follows or precedes the Indian sum- 

 mer. It is called the " silver frost." A fine thick rain, 

 falling at a temperature of about 33, freezes the instant 

 it touches the ground. Once after a silver frost I hap- 

 pened to visit a tract of country thickly clothed with a 

 young second-growth of timber ; the sun had just emerged 



