ires blazed with unwonted power and brilliancy. The cook's
office--no sinecure at any time--became a post of absolute slavery; for
there was a glorious feast held beneath the spreading trees of the
forest, and the bill of fare was 'buffalo-steaks and marrow-bones.' But
if the feast was noisy, the hours that succeeded it were steeped in
profound silence. Each man, having smoked his pipe, selected for his
couch the softest spot of ground he could find, and, wrapping himself in
his blanket, laid him down to rest. The deep breathing of untroubled
slumber was the only sound that floated from the land and mingled with
the rippling of the river; and not a hand or foot was moved until, at
day-break, the loud halloo of the guide aroused the sleepers to their
daily toil.

"A week or two passed, and we had left the lands of the buffalo far
behind us, and were sailing over the broad bosom of Lake Winnipeg. It
was calm and polished as a sheet of glass when we entered it, but it did
not remain long thus. A breeze arose, the sails were hoisted, and away
we went out into the wide ocean of fresh water. Lake Winnipeg is a
veritable ocean. Its waves rival those of the salt sea in magnitude, and
they break upon a shore composed in many places of sand and pebbles. If
we sail straight out upon it, the shore behind us sinks in the horizon;
but no opposite shore rises to view, and the unbroken circle of sky and
water is presented to our gaze, as it appears on the great ocean itself.

"The wind rose almost to a gale as we careered over the billows, but the
men had to keep up incessant bailing. It was almost too much for us; but
no one murmured, for, had the wind been ahead, we might have been
obliged to put ashore and remain there inactive for many days. As it
was, we made a rapid run across the lake and entered the river, or
rather the system of lakes and rivers, which convey its waters to the
ocean. Hudson's Bay was our goal. To this point we were conveying our
furs for shipment to England.

"Many days passed, and we were still pushing onward towards the
sea-coast; but not so rapidly now. The character of the navigation had
changed very considerably, and our progress was much slower. Now we were
sweeping over a small lake, anon dashing down the course of a turbulent
stream, and at other times dragging boats and cargoes over the land.

"One afternoon we came to a part of the river which presented a very
terrible appearance. As far as the ey