142 LOSS OF AN ENGLISH SLOOP. 
to take advantage of it the next day. We that day proceeded 
six leagues, sometimes on floating ice, and sometimes in the 
canoes. On the 14th, our provisions being almost consumed, 
I proposed to go in pursuit of game, which appeared to abound 
in this district. The savages, in general, think only on the 
wants of the day, without troubling themselves about those of 
the morrow. This foresight might, however, have proved very 
essential, since a sudden thaw might have prevented us from 
going out. I Avent into the woods with one of my guides, and 
we soon discovered the traces of an elk, which my Indian 
killed after an hour's pursuit. He opened him with much 
dexterity, caught the blood in a bladder, and cut up the body 
into large quarters, part of vv^hich we carried on our shoulders 
to the canoe, sending the other Indian, my servant, and Mr. 
Winslow for the remainder. This expedition procured us a 
sufficient stock of provisions to remove any apprehensions of 
want, even in case a sudden thav/ prevented us from continu- 
ing our route on the lake or in the woods. 
We departed early in the morning of the 15th, and that day 
went six leagues, which so much diminished our strength, al- 
ready exhausted by long hardships, that it was impossible to 
proceed the next day. We were detained by fatigue till the 
18th, when we resumed our journey in the same manner, that 
is, partly on the floating ice and partly in the canoe, in those 
places where the lake was not frozen. 
I then had an opportunity to notice the beauties of the lake, 
one of the finest that I have seen in America, though the sea- 
' son was not calculated to show it to advantage. It is covered 
with an infinite number of small islands dispersed over its 
surface, which gave it a great resemblance to the celebrated 
lake of Killarney and the other fresh-water lakes of Ireland. 
No settlement has ever been made on the islands, though the 
soil appears fertile ; and the residence upon them would be de- 
lightful in summer, were it possible to procure fresh water, of 
w^hich they are entirely destitute ; and this is doubtless the 
reason why they are not inhabited. 
If the ice of the lake had been uninterrupted and more so- 
lid, we should have saved much time and trouble by proceed- 
ing directly from point to point, from one island to another, 
instead of being obliged to make a long circuit at every bay 
we came to. 
On the 20th we arrived at St. Peter's, a place where there 
is a settlement of a few English and French families. I am 
bound in gratitude to make mention here of Mr, Cav?inagh, 
