that rose in rocky masses abruptly from the water, that sloped down to meet the lake in gently swelling undulations, that seemed, in fine, to present in the compass of a single glance every varying feature of island scenery.  Looking through these rich labyrinths of tree and moss-covered rock, it was difficult to imagine that winter could ever -stamp its frozen image upon such a soft summer scene.  The air was balmy with the scented things which grow profusely upon the islands; the water was warm, almost tepid, and yet despite of this the winter frost would cover the lake with five feet of ice, and the thick brushwood of the islands would lie hidden during many months beneath great depths of snow.

As we glided along through this beautiful scene the men kept a sharp look-out for the suspicious craft whose presence had caused such alarm at the Portage-du-Rat.  We saw no trace of man or canoe, and nothing broke the stillness of the evening except the splash of a sturgeon in the lonely bays.  About sunset we put ashore upon a large rock for supper.  While it was being prepared I tried to count the islands around.  From a projecting point I could see island upon island to the number of over a hundred—­the wild cherry, the plum, the wild rose, the raspberry, intermixed with ferns and mosses in vast variety, covered every spot around me, and from rock and crevice the pine and the poplar hung their branches over the water.  As the breeze still blew fitfully from the north we again embarked and held our way through the winding channels—­at times these channels would grow wider only again to close together; but there was no current, and the large high sail moved us slowly through the water.  When it became dark a fire suddenly appeared on an island some distance ahead.  Thomas Hope grasped his flint gun and seemed to think the supreme moment had at length arrived.  During the evening I could tell by the gestures and looks of the men that the mysterious rovers formed the chief subject of conversation, and our latest accession painted so vividly their various suspicious movements, that Thomas was more than ever convinced his hour was at hand.  Great then was the excitement when the fire was observed upon the island, and greater still when I told Samuel to steer full towards it.  As we approached we could distinguish figures moving to and fro between us and the bright flame, but when we had got within a few hundred yards of the spot the light was suddenly extinguished, and the ledge of rock upon which it had been burning became wrapped in darkness.  We hailed, but there was no reply.  Whoever had been around the fire had vanished through the trees; launching their canoe upon the other side of the island, they had paddled away through the intricate labyrinth scared by our sudden appearance in front of their lonely bivouac.  This apparent confirmation of his worst fears in no way served to reanimate the spirits of Hope, and though shortly after he lay down