Page:Across the sub-Arctics of Canada (1897).djvu/85

 ahead I heard the cracking of a stick. It was, no doubt, caused by the foot of the fawn. Quickly but silently I proceeded. Again and again the noise was heard, and each time nearer than the last. My advance was continued cautiously, until very soon, in a thicket of scrub, only a few yards ahead, I noticed the moving of some branches. Still no deer could I see, but in creeping up closer, at a distance of not over twenty yards, I suddenly came within full view of an immense black bear, seated on his haunches and occupied in rubbing the mosquitos off his nose. Although taken by surprise at the proportions of the supposed calf, I dropped on one knee, and, levelling my rifle, fired at the back of bruin's head, whereat he also exhibited considerable surprise by leaping into the air, making several delirious revolutions, and bolting away into the gloom of the swamp. Though in all probability badly wounded, it was too dark to follow him. The gloom had already spoiled my aim, so without further pursuit I groped my way back to camp.

During the following day the ascent of Wolverine River was continued, and three short portages, the longest one being half a mile, were made. As we proceeded northward the banks of the river became more rocky. In many places bald hilltops were visible, rising two or three hundred feet above the level of the river. Such timber as there was consisted of spruce, birch and jack-pine.

On the 14th, Birch Lake, a small body of water about nine miles long by two wide, was discovered and surveyed, and near its northern extremity a large rapid stream was found emptying into it its foaming waters. Judging the course of this stream to be our route, a