THE SOUTH TOBIOUE LAKES. 
475 
thread (Coptis trifolia), the Star of Bethlehem (Trientalis Americana), 
with occasional clumps of ferns and lycopodiums. Forming the third 
layer were the shrubs and young growths of trees, viburnums, maples^ 
the Canadian Holly, etc.; while towering above all these were the 
trees — spruces, firs, white, yellow and grey birches, maples and others. 
The end of our portage path brought us to Milpagos Lake, which 
-means the lake of many cpves. It is about two and one-half miles 
long, very irregular, as its name signifies. A red deer on a little 
interval fifty yards away gazed on us with wondering eyes for a 
moment and then disappeared into the woods. We paddled along the 
shore of this lake for about half a mile until we found a path leading 
to Gulquac Lake. This, like the lake we had just left, has low-lying 
and boggy shores. Both lakes are muddy and shallow, the shallower 
parts sending up a growth of rushes, yellow and white pond lilies, 
while among innumerable small plants along the shores the Droseras are 
spreading their leaves to catch unwary flies. Here we came face to face 
with our first moose. The wind was blowing toward us, and he did 
not see us, so we had a fine opportunity to examine him at our leisure, 
and a noble-looking animal he was. We watched him browsing, and 
not until the camp-fire was lighted for our mid-day lunch did he take 
the alarm. He saw the trail of smoke as it curled up over the trees 
and vanished. It is thus with all wild animals ; the moment they 
see the smoke, or when the smell of fire reaches their delicate sense of 
smell, they flee in terror. 
Gulquac Lake is a beautiful sheet of water, even though its shores 
are boggy and low in most places. To the north-west rise two moun- 
tains of equal height — about six hundred feet high, and these are in 
view from every part of the lake. It is about a mile and a half long, 
and, like Milpagos Lake, it has numerous little bays, with islands near 
«ach end, and a fine sheet of water between. Near its west end, 
where it flows out into the Gulquac river, we came upon a beaver dam, 
^constructed across the narrow part of the lake, the difference of level 
between the water above and below being about eighteen inches. It 
was composed of sticks placed slanting in the water and made firm 
with mud and stones. The cutting of these sticks and small logs in 
the woods beyond, often a considerable distance away, the carrying 
and putting them in their places, and then firmly placing them together, 
anchored with rocks, and cementing the whole with mud and clay. 
