OR, THE LAKE LANDS OF CANADA. 



143 



knees with a paddle in their hands. The little birch-bark 

 was rushing rapidly forward, propelled by the power of 

 four strong, muscular arms. The sight is a grand one, and 

 called to mind the impetuous charge of a squadron of 

 cavalry in war times. The captain is most determined and 

 energetic when in the pursuit of game ; like the grandest 

 charger in the squadron, he is bound to take the lead, while 

 the others can only follow. 



This peculiarity of the man has been demonstrated 

 frequently in my presence in the chase, and all his fellow- 

 huntsmen and guides are ready to grant him this position. 

 I had seated myself on a rock, soon after the departure of 

 the guides, to watch the deer, whose head was visible to 

 me in my position, although fully a mile away. I could 

 not, however, at so great a distance, determine whether 

 this animal possessed antlers or not ; but the leisurely 

 manner in which it was swimming satisfied me its pursuers 

 were undiscovered until they had made at least three- 

 fourths of the whole distance. The animal, when first dis- 

 covered, was nearly opposite to our camp and within a 

 few rods of the farther shore. The guides, in order to 

 succeed in the accomplishment of their purpose, were com- 

 pelled to make a considerable detour to the rear of the 

 animal, and finally come up between it and the shore. 

 Fortunately for us they had remained, for a considerable 

 time, undiscovered, and the animal, in the mean time, was 

 gradually leaving the shore while swimming down the lake. 

 The moment, however, came when the pursuers were dis- 

 covered, and the deer then made the most frantic efforts. I 

 could see it spring forward with all its power, raising its 



