THE EOUND LAKE. 



375 



to describe the exceeding beauty of the scene, for I could 

 not ; I will merely state what the components of the 

 picture were. The sun just merged from behind a bank of 

 crimson clouds reflected in the waters of Crooked Lake ; 

 part of the valley in deep shade and part brightly illumi- 

 nated. The vivid green of the young poplars on one 

 side, and on the other large granite boulders lying on the 

 bare and rugged surface of the slope. The blue smoke 

 of the wigwams rising up high and straight from the 

 bottom of the valley. The river, with its complicated coils, 

 gliding among the willow bushes. To the south the great 

 prairie, ocean-like, with its many islands of aspens and 

 single trees, looking in the distance, and by twilight, like 

 becalmed ships. As this view just dissolves away, another 

 rises very pleasant to see, — our camp fire is now burning 

 brightly below, and over it swings a kettle, and passing 

 round and about it are my two men, one busily engaged 

 in preparing supper, the other in spreading out the 

 blankets on the ground between the fire and the canoe. 



Next morning (24th) we started as soon as it was day- 

 light, glad to escape from our insatiated tormentors the 

 mosquitoes and black flies, that would not let us rest or 

 sleep all night. While at breakfast at eight o'clock a 

 great thunder-storm from the south-west came upon us. 

 Having thrown an end of the tarpaulin over the canoe, 

 and resting the other end on the paddles stuck into the 

 ground, we got beneath it and very soon fell fast asleep, 

 and slept till one o'clock, when I was awoke by the 

 sudden calm, for the storm had apparently only just then 

 ceased. 



The valley and river still retain their old character and 

 dimensions till we come to the lowest of the lakes, called 

 Ka-wa-wi~ga-kamac, or Bound Lake, which varies from one 

 mile to half a mile in width, and is nearly five miles long. 



"B B 4 



