OR, THE LAKE LANDS OF CANADA. 43 



until the next morning. The night was passed in refresh- 

 ing slumber ; the weather had been delightful since we left 

 Bracebridge, no rain. The following day was spent about 

 camp. John now admitted to me that his hound was 

 worthless and would not run deer. Jim had previously 

 informed me that there was an excellent deer-hunter living 

 on the lake-shore, about three miles from our camp. He 

 also said that this man owned an excellent deer-hound and 

 would be very glad to give us some sport. Soon after 

 John entered the camp I engaged him in a conversation 

 relating to our proposed deer-hunt. He was not so ill- 

 natured this morning as he had been during the past two 

 days, and said, frankly, " My dog is worthless ; we can't 

 hunt deer without a good dog. I know of only one about 

 this lake, and that is owned by an old Polander, who lives 

 three miles from here." I then asked, " Can you not hire 

 this dog a few days ?" John replied, " No ; the old doctor 

 is very poor, has a large family, and supports them by 

 hunting ; the dog is so necessary to him that he will not 

 allow it to go out of his sight ; but he is friendly with me, 

 and I think he will join us in a deer-hunt if we give him 

 about three dollars a day. This would secure for us t the 

 use of the best deer-hound on this lake." I replied, " Let 

 us employ him immediately." This conversation occurred 

 while John was busied with the preparation for breakfast, 

 and when the meal had been eaten and the odd jobs about 

 the camp performed to my satisfaction I urged John to go 

 in search of the old deer-hunter, Dr. Pokorney, and bring 

 him to me. John was now perfectly willing to aid me in 

 arranging for a deer-hunt; he was evidently in better 



