jONliiS OX THE BlCKWOODS; 37 



'A species of M[/vuxi, were also abundant. Small lakes were 

 seen in eveiy direction, and the shrill cry ot the loon [Oolymbus 

 glaciatis,) marked the breeding place of that sh}' and solitary 

 bird. Our camp here was an exceedingly primitive one — a few 

 8mall poles stuck against the side of an overhanging boulder, 

 and covered with brushwood, was all that gave us shelter, but 

 the day's toil sufficed to send us into a sound sleeps which was 

 only broken by the sharp frost of the early morning. On 

 awaking early I went out to survey the scene, which was indeed 

 lovely in the extreme. The sun was just rising, illuminating 

 the eastern sky with glowing colours ; a flock of waxwings {Bom- 

 by cilia Garolinensis,) sat preening their feathers on the bleached 

 branches of a blasted pine hard by, in company with a few 

 migratory thrushes, while a keen north-west wind was blowing, 

 bracing up the 'nerves, and the whole country round became 

 gradually lit up to the life of another day. 



We now travelled still upon the elevated table land, passing 

 here and there through some terribly swampy ground, covered 

 with moss, which sunk at every step, letting us uj) to the knees. 

 We were freighted with our heavy packs, and above all the 

 heavy green bear skins j and the work told upon all. Sometimes 

 our route lay over spots where, in addition to the mossy swamps, 

 fallen spruce and pine lay beneath with their dead sharp-pointed 

 spikes of branches sticking up, on which we occasionally got a 

 painful reminder ; but after all our trouble, about noon we gained 

 the summit of a high point of land, on which rested a huge 

 granite boulder, split into two pieces, under which was a large 

 well of delicious water. We gave this the name of "Split 

 Rock well." Leaving this place, we arrived a little before sun- 

 down, near a stream which joined two large lakes. The stream 

 was deep and about twenty feet wide, and presenting a good 

 site we camped here. But at dusk three of us started for the 

 upper lake to see the beaver which Peter Paul told us he had 

 seen there some time back, when in company with an old Indian 

 he had visited it. We came cautiously upon its banks, and lay 

 down, looking and listening for the animals. In a short time, 

 at some distance, we could see in the twilight, ripple marks on 

 the surface, and presently ahead or two moving about swimming 

 8 



