is caught his "_h_owls." The white owl
is a very large and beautiful bird, sometimes nearly as large as a swan.
I shot one which measured five feet three inches across the wings, when
expanded. They are in the habit of alighting upon the tops of blighted
trees, and poles of any kind, which happen to stand conspicuously apart
from the forest trees--for the purpose, probably, of watching for mice
and little birds, on which they prey. Taking advantage of this habit,
the Indian plants his trap on the top of a bare tree, so that when the
owl alights it is generally caught by the legs.

Our walk back to the place where we had left the canoe was very
exhausting, as we had nearly tired ourselves out before thinking of
returning. This is very often the case with eager sportsmen, as they
follow the game till quite exhausted, and only then it strikes them that
they have got as long a walk back as they had in going out. I recollect
this happening once to myself. I had walked so far away into the forest
after wild-fowl, that I forgot time and distance in the ardour of the
pursuit, and only thought of returning when quite knocked up. The walk
back was truly wretched. I was obliged to rest every ten minutes, as,
besides being tired, I became faint from hunger. On the way I stumbled
on the nest of a plover, with one egg in it. This was a great
acquisition; so seating myself on a stone, I made my dinner of it raw.
Being very small, it did not do me much good, but it inspired me with
courage; and, making a last effort, I reached the encampment in a very
unenviable state of exhaustion.

After an hour's walk, Crusty and I arrived at the place where we left
the canoe.

Our first care was to select a dry spot whereon to sleep, which was not
an easy matter in such a swampy place. We found one at last, however,
under the shelter of a small willow bush. Thither we dragged the canoe,
and turned it bottom up, intending to creep in below it when we retired
to rest. After a long search on the sea-shore, we found a sufficiency
of driftwood to make a fire, which we carried up to the encampment, and
placed in a heap in front of the canoe. This was soon kindled by means
of a flint and steel, and the forked flames began in a few minutes to
rise and leap around the branches, throwing the swampy point into deeper
shadow, making the sea look cold and black, and the ice upon its surface
ghost-like. The interior of our inverted canoe looked