330 AMERICAN GAME. 



scattered away, and dropped, more or less severely hurt, 

 over the clear waters of the bright, sunny lake ; while 

 the main body, or what was left of it, settled down and 

 was marked by the Indians, on our course toward 

 Orillia. Some considerable time was occupied in taking 

 the cripples ; which were all dispersed, and which swam 

 away rapidly as the canoes approached them, none of 

 them making any attempt at rising again on the wing, 

 seldom diving except when very hard pressed, and then 

 only for a little time and short distance. 



"When the wounded were all fairly brought to bag, the 

 Indians were in great glee, and asserted that they could 

 paddle us upon them all; which I should have been 

 inclined to doubt, had I not learned how very rarely an 

 Indian hazards an assertion of which he is not perfectly 

 well assured, especially to a white man; for the duck lay 

 full in bright water, in the middle of the lake, which 

 was as clear and smooth as a piece of glass, with a bright 

 sun shining ; and our canOes were large and full of men ; 

 nor was there a particle of wild-rice or sedge whereby to 

 cover our approaches. 



Nevertheless, An-oon-ge-zhig, or the " Starry-Sky," 

 for so was our principal conductor styled, made his 

 prophesy good ; for he did paddle us directly on the birds, 

 and we slaughtered them, as they sat on the water with- 

 out offering to fly at our-approach, until we had bagged 

 the greater part of the whole plump. 



On the following day, having attained the limit of our 



