CRUISE OF LA BELLE MARGUERITE 
Two or three more miles of sand beach and then 
rocky islands uncounted appeared as we sailed by 
Washtawooka Bay. The land was everywhere 
terraced and flat topped, showing stages of 
elevation above the sea, the edges of the terraces 
marked with lines of snow which made good 
settings to the fringes of spruces. It wasa glori- 
ous day’s sail of over fifty miles in the storm and 
wet, but our boat was staunch, our crew were 
skilful, our oilskins tight, and the air and the 
water contained many objects dear to the or- 
nithologist. 
We reached Natashquan, literally “‘ the place 
where the seals haul out,”’ at the end of the after- 
noon, and cast anchor in the shallow, sandy 
harbour at the mouth of the little Natashquan, 
after running on to a sandbar. Mathias, while 
rowing us ashore in the canoe, after failing to 
make us understand in his native tongue, as- 
tonished us by an attempt in English. “‘ Sirs,” 
he said, for he afterwards told us he had learned 
English at Clark City, “ the tide she rise low, 
maintenant.” 
We were hospitably received by Martial’s 
sister, who asked us, as I thought, whether 
we wished crabs, for breakfast next day. I 
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