26 CAMP FIRE REMINISCENCES 
were washed out.and cutting logs for repairs oc- 
easioned long delays. 
It was well on in the afternoon when we halted 
for dinner at Caribou Lake. This was a circular 
sheet of water half a mile across and surrounded 
by very dense forests. We selected a small clear- 
ing close to the water and there dined. The sur- 
roundings were very picturesque, and the guides 
told me that caribou were often found there. 
After dinner I walked some distance around the 
lake and examined every open place for tracks, but 
not finding anything of interest, returned to the 
party. Leaving the lake, for some miles I tried 
walking and wading instead of attempting to sit 
on the seat of a buckboard—and found it much 
pleasanter. Sometimes the road was straight for 
miles, with great pools of water rendering it almost 
impassable, and I found out then how useful and - 
comfortable the big waterproof moccasins were. 
When within a few miles of the end of our journey, 
we met the old Garde de Pare, who was exceed-_ 
ingly courteous, and offered me his cabin for the 
night. 
It was almost sundown before we arrived at Lac 
de La Belle Riviére, and there the buckboard men 
camped for the night intending to return next day. 
I told them I would send a man to Metabetchuam 
on foot who would bring them back when they 
were wanted, as I could not be sure of the day of 
my return. The baggage was transferred to an 
eighteen-foot canoe and in this we went up the lake 
for about a mile to the cabin of the Garde. Of 
