2i6 CANADIAN NIGHTS 



gazing, through the transparent walls of our tent, 

 at the moonlight mingling with the flickering 

 flames of the camp fire, listening to the whisper 

 of the wind among the trees, and the distant 

 drowsy varying music of the fall, smoking our pipes 

 in placid contentment, delighted that at last we 

 were fairly launched into the woods. 



We got along very nicely for the next two days, 

 though our progress was not rapid, but on the third 

 day the brook became so shallow that we had great 

 difficulty in advancing any farther. The channel 

 was almost dry in places, and we had to wade all 

 day, heaving stones out of the way, pushing and 

 pulling our heavily laden canoes by hand, carefully 

 manoeuvring them among the rocks, and wriggling 

 our way very slowly up the lessening stream. It 

 was evident that we must be near the head of navi- 

 gation, and my companion and I splashed on ahead 

 in the bed of the stream to look out for the " por- 

 tage." We walked and walked till we felt sure 

 that we must have passed the " carry," and were 

 on the point of turning back when I espied a swarthy 

 countenance peering cautiously at us through an 

 alder bush. " Bojpur ! " said we, and " Bojour ! " 

 answered old Abraham Joe, emerging from his 

 covert. " Where are you going to ? " " Well," 



