A Sportsman 415 



not very cold, but began to drop steadily after ten 

 o'clock. I had crossed the lake with my son Vin- 

 cent, to enjoy our lunch by a fire built upon the 

 opposite shore, perhaps two miles from camp. I 

 observed that the sun had a peculiar cold aspect 

 and that the air was filled with countless particles 

 of snow, which although as minute as diamond 

 dust flashed and scintillated in the sunlight, a 

 sure indication of intense frost. The tiny flashing 

 crystals came from the moisture in the air, for the sky 

 was cloudless, although tinted with an ominous hue 

 which indicated some change from the quiet of the 

 previous few days. I deemed it prudent to retrace 

 our steps to camp, for the winter's short day was draw- 

 ing to a close. When half way across the lake 

 we observed from the upper end approaching eddies 

 of whirling snow, and before we reached the camp they 

 were about us, the sun had disappeared and the 

 whole sky had become obscured from our sight by 

 the driving flurries. The blizzard which lasted through 

 the entire night had commenced. The wind fortu- 

 nately was at our backs, and with well hooded faces we 

 experienced no inconvenience. The air was so clouded 

 with snow about us that no lake shores were visible ; 

 and only from our old snow-shoe tracks, not entirely 

 obliterated, could we find our way correctly. 



It was four o'clock, about sundown, when we reached 

 camp. The thermometer indicated 10 degrees below 

 zero. Before six o'clock the mercury fell to 18 degrees 

 below, where it remained all night, accompanied by 

 howling bursts of wind which seemed bent on forcing 

 in windows and doors. But the fury of the gale was 

 lost upon us, and the morning opened quiet and serene, 



