46 TRAVELS THROUGH LOWER CANADA t 
tails to catch the wind, and are thus wafted 
over to the opposite side. Whether these 
animals do or do not cross in this manner some- 
times,.'I cannot take upon me to say; but I 
can safely affirm, that they do not always cross 
so, as I have frequently shot them in the water 
whilst swimming: no animals swim, better, 
and when' pursued, I have seen them eagerly 
take to the water. Whilst swimming, their 
tail is useful to them by way- of rudder, and 
they use it with great dexterity * owing to its 
being so light and bushy, the greater part of it 
floats upon the water, and thus helps to sup¬ 
port the animals. The migration of any of 
these animals in such large numbers is said to 
be an infallible sign of a severe winter.* 
On the sixth evening of our voyage we 
stopped nearly opposite to Point atix Iroquois, 
so named from a French family having been 
cruelly massacred there by the Iroquois Indians' 
in the early ages of the colony. The ground 
being still extremely wet here, in consequence 
of the heavy rain of the preceding day, we did 
not much relish the thoughts of passing the 
night in our tent; yet there seemed to be no 
alternative,' as the : only house in sight was 
crowded with people, and not capable of afford- 
* In the present instance ip certainly was so, for. the ensuing- 
van ter proved to be the severest that had been known in 
North America for .several years. 
