Among the Thousand Islands. 595 



Numbers of ducks of different varieties frequent the bays and 

 inlets of the Thousand Islands in the spring and autumn, and quan- 

 tities of ruffed grouse are found upon the main-land, so that the 

 shooting is said to be excellent in its season. While we were there, 

 two or three deer were said to have come from the main -land to 

 Wells Island, where they were diligently hunted, but, so far as we 

 heard, without success. 



The most interesting part of the development of this region as 

 a watering-place is that which relates to the settlement of the islands 

 by private residents. The islands have not been held at too high a 

 price, and a multitude of men have bought them and built houses 

 upon them for summer use. Some of these are little more than 

 shelters or " shooting-boxes " ; some are comfortable houses ; and 

 several are expensive and very splendid and showy places, so that a 

 passenger on a river steamer, making his first trip down the stream, 

 will find much of picturesque interest in glimpses of the architecture 

 which greet him on every hand. There is no chance for fighting 

 over boundary lines, and some of the lots with a liquid fence are so 

 small that their owners can throw a fly from their front door-step to 

 the bass they can plainly see in the clear water which is never dis- 

 turbed by a freshet. 



There are summer hotels at Clayton and other points along the 

 shore, but Alexandria Bay is the grand center of the summer life. 

 Of coarse, the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence boats from all parts 

 touch here, and there is a daily line between Ogdensburg and Alex- 

 andria Bay. Here are the great hotels, and here is the multitude. 

 The village contains about five hundred people, with two churches — 

 a Methodist and a Dutch Reformed Presbyterian. The latter is a 

 ion church, and was founded by the late Rev. Dr. Bethune, who 

 was a famous fisherman in his day, and who, in his summer recrea- 

 tions on the river, did not forget to fish for men. The Methodists 

 have established the "Thousand Island Park." several miles above, 

 where they come in great numbers every year for recreation and a 

 camp-meeting. They have a fine dock and quite a number of 

 private residences. Westminster Park is a new enterprise. An 

 association has purchased five or six hundred acres of Wells Island, 

 ly opposite to the village of Alexandria Bay, and the enterprise 

 m in the full tide of development. Fourteen miles of road have 



