ICE-BOATS. 297 



clear, black, oily-looking ice, miles in extent, through 

 which he can see every pebble in the bottom of the river. 

 As he skims along, youths dart out from pockets in the 

 bank, accompany him a 'short way, pirouetting around 

 him, and then fly off again as rapidly as they appeared. 

 Men fishing through holes in the ice, for a hideous but 

 excellent fish called the cusk (Lota maculosa), are occa- 

 sionally passed. 



Ice-boat sailing is a very cold amusement, but I cannot 

 say that it is a slow one. In fact, with the single excep- 

 tion of an express train, I know nothing can equal ice- 

 sailing in pace. On one occasion- 1 sailed 20 measured 

 miles in thirty-one minutes, and I believe that even 

 better time has been made. The ice-boat generally used 

 in Canada is a very simple construction. It is simply a 

 triangular platform on three skates, the one at the apex 

 of the triangle being rigged on a pivot, so as to form the 

 rudder. The mast is stepped in the bow of the craft 

 the base of the triangle. The rig is usually one leg-of- 

 mutton sail. In beating, the ice-boat goes as close to the 

 wind as any cutter, and makes positively no lee-way. It 

 loses no time in stays, going about so rapidly that one 

 has hard work to hold on. In running free on good ice 

 the ice-boat goes at the same pace the wind is going at. 

 The best ice-boat sailing is generally after the January 

 thaw above alluded to. In the smaller lakes of Canada, 

 in the bays and arms of Ontario and the other great lakes, 

 and also on all the large rivers, there is ample scope for 

 ice-boat sailing for those who like pace and do not mind 

 the cold. 



I happened to be staying for a few days in a pretty 



