A Duck of a Mothee. 221 



with a very thin apology for a forest, the close thicket of 

 birch and poplar which bordered the river, and the numer- 

 ous shoots of a wide river of pellucid waters, in which none 

 but the highest styles of game-fish found a residence, a duck 

 shot out from the shore with a little brood of over a dozen 

 following her. I told Duncan — my guide and gaffer — to 

 slacken the speed of the canoe. I was interested in this duck 

 of a mother with a numerous brood. Her anxiety was ex- 

 citing. For an instant she would turn toward her brood and 

 urge them with the most impressive gestures to quack-qua- 

 qna-ka-qua-qua-ka-ka, and then she would turn from them 

 and swim toward the middle of the river in utmost speed ; 

 but, bethinking herself, she would turn again and find the 

 little ducks a great way behind. Then she would swim back 

 toward them, and qua-qua-qua-ka-ka-ka until the little things, 

 beginning to realize their critical situation, would use their 

 wings as well as their feet, and make many shell-drake splut- 

 tering demonstrations, until, by the numerous turns of the 

 mother, her emphatic quacking calls, arid their own exertions, 

 they gained the opposite shore of the river, and we acceler- 

 ated our speed. But we had not proceeded far before we 

 ran against a rock, and broke a hole in th-e bow of our bark 

 canoe that made us land and unship cargo. A fire, by the 

 means of birch bark, which is the most ignitable substance 

 in the forest, heated some pitch, and with a piece of cotton 

 cloth six inches square, the hole was patched and pitched so 

 as to render it water-tight and as good as new. In the mean 

 time our friends overtook us, and we discussed the " cussed" 

 hard traveling. My friend was on the point of musically ex- 

 claiming, " Oh, carry me back !" but we changed it into the 

 following voluntary : 



" 'Twixt you and I, I almost think 



It's almost time to take a drink, 



For we'je all nearly home." 



We agreed with him, and, after imbibing a glass of sherry, 

 once more started to admire the beauties of the water, for 



