I Eastern Townships, 55 



Head," with its conical outline, gives a truly Alpine character 

 to the scene. This mountain is well worthy of an ascent, 

 which takes about two hours, and is a comparatively easy 

 matter. Its height is 2,50* feet above the lake. The top 

 once gained, the toil is never regretted, from the magnificent 

 view obtainable from that elevation. The lake, with all its 

 beauty, lies spread out beneath in a grand panoramic view, 

 ^and in the far-off south we catch a glimpse, if the sky is 

 clear, of Willoughby Notch, in the State of Vermont. Near 

 Owl's Head are several islands, each of them named after 

 some natural peculiarity, or from some event connected with 

 their history. Of this latter class is Skiniters Island, which 

 lies on the eastern shore opposite the mountain. This 

 takes its name, so tradition goes, from a celebrated smuggler 

 in 1812, who, though the object of continual pursuit, in- 

 variably disappeared at this point, and being one day hard 

 pressed, the custom house boat, after a long chase, managed 

 to find his empty skiff co'ncealed amongst its rocky shores. 

 No trace, however, could be found of the man ; the boat 

 was cut adrift, and he was seen and heard of no more. Ten 

 years later a fisherman, surprised by a sudden squall, was 

 compelled to seek refuge on the island, and so coasted along 

 the shore till he arrived at its northern point, close to 

 which he saw, as the wind tore away the entangled foliage, a 

 large fissure in the rocky side. Mooring his boat he entered 

 it ; the cave was some ten feet high, and extended about 

 thirty feet inwards. The first thing that met his eyes was 

 a skeleton, the remains of Skinner, who doubtless sought 

 refuge here, and could not get away again, as his boat had 

 been set adrift. Trailing shrubs and dense underwood had 

 probably covered the entrance, and the spot was com- 

 paratively unknown. The cave is an object of interest to 

 tourists, but difficult of access when the wind blows from the 

 west. Another favourite height with tourists is the Sugar 

 Loaf Mountain, from the summit of which the view over 



