42 Bird-Nesting, 



side of the railway track, were two great piles of buffalo 

 skulls and horns ; there must have been several hundreds of 

 them, and they were all sizes, from that of the largest bull to 

 those of the smallest calves. 



We are now entering a paradise for sportsmen. The lakes 

 become numerous; some are salt, some are alkaline, and others 

 are clear and fresh. Wild geese become very plentiful, so do 

 ducks of many species ; and gulls, terns, plovers, sandpipers. 

 and avosets are common. Waterfowl blacken the surface of 

 the lakes, and long, white lines of pelicans disport themselves 

 along the shores, and we hear the notes and cries of many 

 strange birds. At Chaplin we come to one of the old wives' 

 lakes, which are extensive bodies of water having no outlet, 

 and are consequently alkaline. At Morse, we pass another 

 large lake which swarms with gulls, and seventeen miles 

 further Rush Lake appears in sight this being my destina- 

 tion. We run along the side of the lake for two miles and 

 then the train comes to a standstill at the small platform, ai.d 

 I was the only passenger to alight The train moves off ai.d 

 resumes its course, and will continue to do so for another 

 thousand miles yet until Vancouver is reached. The journey 

 from Montreal to Vancouver by the Canadian Pacific lailway 

 takes five days and eighteen hours, and it is surprising how 

 punctual the trains are, considering the long journey from the 

 Atlantic to the Pacific. After the train had moved off, the 

 station master came up to me and enquired, " What has brought 

 you to this city ? " I soon informed him, and he expressed 

 himself pleased to have my company for a few days, as lie 

 leads a lonely and monotonous life out here ; he was the only 

 hand at the station, and was station master, telegraph opera- 

 tor, baggage man and everything else. Behind the station 

 was a single house, where, I was informed. I should be able to 

 secure a room and meals. I soon found out that my newly 

 made friend was a sportsman who had travelled all through 

 the Saskatchewan region and understood the Indian language. 

 He was well acquainted Avith the district around Rush Lake 

 for miles, and he told me that after dinner he would take me 



