178 SPORT AND TRAVEL PAPERS 



made of one fold of thin canvas only, becomes a very comfortable 

 and wonderfully warm abode with a large fire burning in front of 

 the entrance, even during very cold weather. A few handfuls of 

 balsam branches, laid on the ground previously cleared of roots 

 and inequalities or snow, as the case may be, equals a spring 

 mattress, while its fragrance is very pleasant and soothing. 

 With the addition of blankets it forms a bed where sleep comes 

 soon and sound, no matter whether it blows, rains or snows 

 outside. Besides deer, a few of the ordinary and pretty spruce 

 partridge, there -was no game in this bush ; the woods at this 

 season seemed very deserted, for even the moose bird was scarce, 

 while the cry of the raven and loon were rarely heard. No fish 

 would take our hooks whether on a troll, adorned with fly, or 

 baited with pork or other dainty morsel, so we had to go without 

 what would have been a most welcome change from the somewhat 

 monotonous fare of pork and bacon. 



After a severe snowstorm I hunted over on the Quebec side 

 Ontario was closed for all except deer for moose, but found no 

 spoor. Very hard walking it was up and down the mountains 

 in the slippery melting snow, and harder still to climb over the 

 many fallen trees which lay about. But nothing is more trying 

 and tiring on these occasions than an old lumber road, with its 

 perpetual stumbling over roots which are as slippery as glass, 

 the frequent splashing into mud-holes, the balancing along fallen 

 trees, the stepping upon sharp stumps which seem to project 

 from everywhere, and which to avoid is impossible, be one ever 

 so careful. The slippery moccasin finds no certain foothold, and 

 is for ever coming into violent and painful collision with every 

 sharp stone and every pointed stick. 



In about a fortnight we got thirteen deer of sorts, and our 

 neighbours lower down eleven. With them we had several disputes 

 as to the ownership of certain deer, a question which could only 

 be decided on the appearance of the pursuing hound the owner 

 of the hound was the owner of the deer, no matter who had 

 killed it. On two occasions, curiously enough, a deer jumped 

 into the water just as the daily steamer was passing. The 

 captain and all the passengers opened fire at once, to the 

 considerable danger of everybody on shore and in canoe, for with 

 Winchesters there was no lack of bullets. 



But after a time life on the river bank and the miserable sport 



