e trees and bushes hung like delicate fringes of green among
masses of silvery grey rock.

"That looks like the smoke of an Indian wigwam, Louis," said Mackenzie
to his bowman.

"No, monsieur, it is the wood burning," replied Louis, dipping his
vermilion-painted paddle with great vigour.

Louis was right, for soon afterwards they turned a point which disclosed
to their view a considerable tract of woodland which had been recently
destroyed by fire. Several tracts of this kind had been already passed,
some of which had been consumed long before, and forests of young
poplars had grown up in their places--a curious circumstance this, which
Mackenzie remarks on, namely, "That wherever land covered with spruce,
pine, and white birch had been laid waste with fire, there poplars, and
nothing else, were found to grow, even though none of that species of
tree had existed there before."

Passing this desolated tract they came to a part of the river which was
studded with several islands, on one of which reindeer were seen.

"There's your chance," said Mackenzie to his hunters, who happened to
range up alongside in their small canoe at that moment.

"We've seed 'em, monsieur," said Reuben, "but we must have some more
ammunition afore startin' after them, for the powder-horns of Lawrence
and Swiftarrow are both empty."

As soon as the horns were replenished, Reuben and his friends pushed out
into the stream and made for the island. The other canoes continued to
advance. They seldom waited for the hunters, for the latter being
comparatively light, could act as a sort of flying artillery, falling
behind, turning aside, or pushing ahead, as the case might require, in
pursuit of game, and almost always returning to the main body about the
camping hour, or soon after it. On this evening, however, the canoes
reached a snug camping-ground before the usual time; they therefore
determined to stop there and set the nets, as well as to overhaul the
canoes, which stood much in need of repair. The cold of the ice-laden
waters, through which they had recently passed, had cracked the gum off
the seams, and collisions with the ice itself had made some ugly slits
in the birch-bark of which the canoes were made.

That evening the nets, which were set in four fathoms water, produced an
abundant supply of carp, whitefish, and trout.

"Now, lads," said Mackenzie, when the canoe brought ashore the welcome
provisions, "set the women to wor