COLLECTING AT SHOAL LAKE, MANITOBA. 69 



As it was beginning to get dusk I looked at my watch and 

 found it was half past nine. This caused us to get a move on, 

 for we had three miles to row to shore, and a wind had sprung 

 up and a swell had appeared on the lake. It took us nearly 

 half an hour to reach the boat, as we were heavily loaded with 

 eggs and had to wade across several marshy channels. 



It was just ten o'clock as we stepped into the boat and 

 pushed off the island, and it was becoming dark. We found the 

 water very choppy, and as our canvas boat was heavily laden 

 with eggs which I had put in the bow, instead of raising her 

 bow on the approach of the waves she cut through the waves 

 and immediately began to ship water. My man was at the 

 oars, and by the time we had reached the channel of water 

 running between the islands, we found ourselves in a sad 

 plight. I suggested we had better turn back, but my man 

 replied, " if he attempted to turn round, we should at once fill 

 with water and sink," so we kept the bow of the boat facing 

 the white caps and by this time it was half full of water; 

 however, we ran the gauntlet and in five minutes had crossed 

 the worst part of the channel, and breathed more freely when 

 we approached the Island where the Pelicans nested. 



On reaching the Island, I suggested that we remained 

 there all night as it was nearly dark, and I doubted if we 

 could find the place on the mainland where we had left the 

 horse and buckboard. Besides, we had got over two miles of 

 rough water to cross before we reached the point. However. 

 we thought if the water became much rougher it might wash 

 over this low island, so we decided to risk it and pull for the 

 mainland. We took everything out of the boat, tipped her 

 over and emptied out the water and then packed all the eggs 

 in the stern of the boat, and we arranged that if the boat 

 should fill with water and sink, each should seize an oar and 

 swim to shore ; but perhaps this wo aid have been no easy 

 matter with our clothes and boots on. However, we pushed 

 off into the rough water, but were pleased to find the bow 

 of the boat rose as she met the waves, for all the eggs and 

 weight were now in the rear, so we did not ship so much water 

 as before in crossing from Reed Island to Pelican Island. In 

 half an hour the mainland appeared, and after some difficulty 



