AN UNSOLICITED INTERVIEW. 



Do you know the land of the" cypress and myrtle '' ? 

 If not, I do, and much as it has been sung and 

 lauded, in my humble belief it falls very far short 

 in beauty and attractiveness of many other parts 

 of the earth. The prejudiced, and those whose 

 wandering steps have never taken them beyond the 

 shores of the Levant, may say to the above asser- 

 tion, •' Nonsense ! " My answer to such people is, 

 " Travel further afield, view other lands and seas, and 

 then, if your opinions be not altered, your sneer will, 

 at least, be deemed more worthy of weight." 



" The land of the west," " the land of the setting 

 sun," I will in this instance write the praises of, for it 

 was the scene of the following adventure ; — 



In the province of Ontario is a lake, known by the 

 melodious Chippewa name of " Couchachin." Its 

 waters are as blue and pellucid as are those of the 

 Greek Archipelago, while its islands — alas, few in 

 number — are such tangles of the most lovely verdure, 

 that no lover of nature, no admirer of verdure, can 

 gaze upon them without intense admiration, almost 

 adoration. 



Near the northern end of Lake Couchachin was a 

 very deep inlet, one side of which was marshy, with 

 a tolerably close covering of meadow grass. This 

 coarse herbage grew to the height of from three to 

 four feet, and always sheltered a goodly number of 

 wild duck, as well as numerous snipe. These varie- 

 ties of game were to be found in this favoured spot 

 throughout the summer and aut'imn, and the stock 



