on which
we felicitated ourselves not a little, was soon ruffled by a breeze,
which speedily increased so much as to oblige us to encamp near Montreal
Point, being too strong for us to venture across the traverse of five or
six miles now before us. Here, then, we remained the rest of the day
and night, rather disappointed that delay should have occurred so soon.

Next day we left our encampment early, and travelled prosperously till
about noon, when the wind again increased to such a degree that we were
forced to put ashore on a point, where we remained for the next two days
in grumbling inactivity.

There is nothing more distressing and annoying than being wind-bound in
these wild and uninhabited regions. One has no amusement except
reading, or promenading about the shore of the lake. Now, although this
may be very delightful to a person of a romantic disposition, it was
anything but agreeable to us, as the season was pretty far advanced, and
the voyage long; besides, I had no gun, having parted with mine before
leaving Norway House, and no books had been brought, as we did not
calculate upon being wind-bound. I was particularly disappointed at not
having brought my gun, for while we lay upon the rocks one fine day,
gazing gloomily on the foaming lake, a black bear was perceived walking
slowly round the bottom of the bay formed by the point on which we were
encamped. It was hopeless to attempt killing him, as Mr Bruin was not
fool enough to permit us to attack him with axes. After this a regular
course of high winds commenced, which retarded us very much, and gave us
much uneasiness as well as annoyance. A good idea of the harassing
nature of our voyage across Lake Winnipeg may be obtained from the
following page or two of my journal, as I wrote it on the spot:--

_Monday, 25th August_.--The wind having moderated this morning, we left
the encampment at an early hour, and travelled uninterruptedly till
nearly eight o'clock, when it began to blow so furiously that we were
obliged to run ashore and encamp. All day the gale continued, but in
the evening it moderated, and we were enabled to proceed a good way ere
night closed in.

_Tuesday, 26th_.--Rain fell in torrents during the night. The wind,
too, was high, and we did not leave our encampment till after breakfast.
We made a good day's journey, however, travelling about forty miles;
and at night pitched our tents on a point of rock, the only
camping-place,