CH. III. SQUALL OF WIND — LARGE ADDER. 43 



to any person who may fish or sail on any of these 

 fresh-water lakes surrounded by mountains, to be- 

 ware of sudden squalls of this kind ; for in this 

 instance nothing but a strong arm and good row- 

 ing saved us from certain drowning, which would 

 nevertheless have been our fate had the least bolt 

 or fastening given way about the oars, for once 

 broaching to must have swamped us. The wind 

 soon fell, the day became hot, and the beautiful 

 lake with its green banks was again as smooth as 

 glass. Few of the gulls had laid, but we found 

 some more eggs of the Gray lag goose. One nest 

 was in a very peculiar situation for a wild-goose, 

 being in the midst of and overhung by a thicket 

 of small birch-trees. The otter seems to live in 

 undisturbed security in the islands on all these 

 lakes, as the heather, etc., is full of their roads 

 and marks. 



On the stones near the lake I picked up a large 

 adder. As I held her up by her throat it was 

 curious to see the fierce expression of rage the 

 creature put on, and also how its long teeth pro- 

 jected, as if eager to be fastened in my hand, while 

 a drop of bright yellow liquid oozed out at the 

 points of each of its venomous fangs. I knew that 

 this was the poison, but had no idea that these 

 reptiles could produce so large a quantity at once. 



