ate idea of the change.

Now was the time that our guns were cleaned with peculiar care, and
regarded with a sort of brotherly affection. Not that we despised the
sports of winter, but we infinitely preferred those of spring.

Young Crusty and I were inseparable companions; we had slept in the same
room, hunted over the same ground, and scribbled at the same desk during
the whole winter, and now we purchased a small hunting canoe from an
Indian, for the purpose of roaming about together in spring. Our
excursions were always amusing; and, as a description of one of them may
perhaps prove interesting to the reader, I shall narrate:--

A CANOE EXCURSION ON THE SHORES OF HUDSON BAY.

It is needless to say that the day we chose was fine; that the sun shone
brightly; that the curling eddies of the river smiled sweetly; that the
jagged pinnacles of the blocks of ice along shore which had not yet
melted sparkled brilliantly; that the fresh green foliage of the trees
contrasted oddly with these white masses; that Crusty and I shouldered
our canoe between us, after having placed our guns, etcetera, in it, and
walked lightly down to the river bank under our burden. It is needless,
I say, to describe all this minutely, as it would be unnecessary waste
of pen, ink, and paper. It is sufficient to say that we were soon out
in the middle of the stream, floating gently down the current towards
the Point of Marsh, which was to be the scene of our exploits.

The day was indeed beautiful, and so very calm and still that the glassy
water reflected every little cloud in the sky; and on the seaward
horizon everything was quivering and magically turned upside down--
islands, trees, icebergs, and all! A solitary gull, which stood not far
off upon a stone, looked so preposterously huge from the same
atmospherical cause, that I would have laughed immoderately, had I had
energy to do so; but I was too much wrapped in placid enjoyment of the
scene to give way to boisterous mirth. The air was so calm that the
plaintive cries of thousands of wildfowl which covered the Point of
Marsh struck faintly on our ears. "Ah!" thought I--But I need not say
what I thought. I grasped my powder-flask and shook it; it was full--
crammed full! I felt my shot-belt; it was fat, very fat, bursting with
shot! Our two guns lay side by side, vying in brightness; their flints
quite new and sharp, and standing up in a lively wide-awake sort of way,
as much as