230 A SPORTING PARADISE 



to blaze a path. The deer-runs and bear-tracks 

 were so numerous, and their regular paths to the 

 lake so ancient, that one unaccustomed to the 

 bush might have expected to arrive at some 

 clearing and human habitation. After we had 

 travelled about an hour and a half, we came upon 

 some steep rocky hills, and it was not until we 

 had ascended to the top that we obtained a view 

 of a lovely unnamed lake. Kendall left me here, 

 pointing out a secluded spot at the extreme end, 

 where I could conceal myself while he went north 

 to drive the duck down to me. The bush was 

 so dense that his footsteps had hardly ceased 

 to be heard when I found myself lost. A shot- 

 gun and a rifle are cumbersome luggage, especially 

 for one obliged to climb over huge fallen trees, 

 and descend slippery banks. Sometimes I dropped 

 my weapons from a height of 7 ft., and 

 followed clinging to boughs and roots of trees. 

 Occasionally these broke with my weight and I 

 paused to rub the bruises. 



"When I arrived at the swamp I took up a 

 position behind a tree where the lake narrows 

 and has on either shore thick reed-beds. Here 

 I waited patiently for an hour, but no ducks 

 came. I could not help contrasting this experience 



