to be at hand, I immediately launched it, and gave chase, without examining the condition it was in.  I proceeded but a short distance, however, when I perceived that it leaked very much.  I continued, nevertheless, to paddle, till I got nearly half-way across to the island; but by this time the quantity of water in the canoe had increased so much, that my ardour for the chase began to give way to anxiety for my own safety.  I perceived a large hole in the stern of the canoe, now almost level with the surface of the lake, through which the water gushed with every stroke of the paddle.  The fore-part appearing free from injury, I immediately inverted my position,—­a movement necessarily effected with much difficulty in so small a craft; and having thus placed myself, the stern was consequently raised a little higher.  I then paddled gently towards a long point projecting from the mainland, much nearer me than the island; and although I used the utmost caution in paddling, the canoe sunk under me some distance from the shore.  The lake, however, was fortunately shallow at this place, so that I soon found bottom.  Had there been the least ripple on the water, I could not have escaped; but the weather was perfectly calm, and the lake smooth as glass.

In the early part of next winter, I went again in pursuit of the deer; and although I incurred no great risk of losing my life, I yet experienced such inconveniences as seldom fall to the lot of amateur hunters in other parts of the world.  I left the house early in the morning, and, starting a deer close by, gave chase, following the track over hill and dale, until I reached a high ridge bordering on Lac de Sable.  Here the deer slackened his pace, and appeared, by his track, to have descended slowly into a valley, where he remained until I started him a second time.  I still continued the pursuit, without thinking of time or distance from the establishment.  At length the night evidently began to close, and I felt faint and exhausted from want of food, and the exertions I had made during the day.  I therefore gave up the chase; but to retrace my steps by the devious path by which I had pursued the deer, would have occupied the greater part of the night; I therefore resolved on returning by a more direct course; but the upshot was, that, after wandering about for some time, and repeatedly falling on my own tracks, I passed the night in the woods.  Although nearly overcome with fatigue, I durst not think of lying down, well knowing what the consequence would be; I therefore walked backwards and forwards, on a beaten track, the whole night; and next morning adopted the sure course of finding my way by my tracks of the preceding day.  Meeting an Indian by the way, who had been sent in search of me, he led me by a short cut, and we arrived at the house about two o’clock, P.M.