268 WILD LIFE AND THE CAMERA 



me cold, wet, and thoroughly uncomfortable. 

 After an hour's search I came across the blazings, 

 and, following these for several miles, found they 

 led to a new camp belonging to one Joe Francis, 

 an Indian guide. There was no one there, and, 

 seeing a slide on the face of the mountain, I 

 thought it must be the one I was searching for, so 

 I continued towards it though there was no trail. 

 The woods were almost impassable, with fallen 

 timber and a tangle of undergrowth, so, in despair, 

 I turned back, determined to wait at the camp 

 until someone returned. With difficulty I found 

 the camp, and at three o'clock Joe Francis arrived 

 with another guide who was carrying a load of 

 moose meat. Joe informed me that I was about 

 three miles out of the way, and that if 1 went due 

 west I should find the object of my search. I 

 followed his directions and arrived at the slide 

 shortly before sunset, where I found a birch bark 

 shack, of which I took possession. Leaving my 

 things there, I went out to try to find some game, 

 while there was yet daylight. Before walking 

 more than a couple of hundred yards I got two 

 grouse ; these were quickly cooked, one for supper 

 and the other for next day's lunch. 



With a blazing, crackling fire in front of the 

 shack to temper the cold, keen air, I went to sleep, 

 happy in the thought that to-morrow would be fine, 

 judging from the present indications, and I should 

 climb the great pile of granite whose summit 

 seemed to lose itself in the starry vault of the 

 heavens. 



The morning broke cold and clear, but the 



