narrows the angles in the cliffs are marked by lines of slender birch reaching from the water’s edge to the summit.  A short distance above, two large brooks enter from the east.  Many of the long, low points which reach out into the lake are spruce covered, but away on the hills could be seen only the more delicate green of the birch and poplar.  There are a number of islands lying mainly near the shore; and from its northern extremity an arm, which according to the trappers is thirty miles long, stretches away to the west.  The river enters the lake round a low, sandy point, and about the inlet the country is lower and less rugged.  On the way up we saw several seals.  Gulls, ducks, and geese were there in numbers, and muskrats were plentiful.

It was after 7 P.M. when we went into camp, having made nineteen miles since morning, and every foot of the way we had been surrounded by scenes of exquisite beauty; for Seal Lake in the calm of a summer day, with the summer sunshine upon it, and the beautiful Labrador sky above, is altogether lovely.  When the day’s journey ended I had seen so much that was beautiful, and so varied in its beauty, that I felt confused and bewildered.  I had, too, not only seen Seal Lake, I had seen the Nascaupee River flowing out of it; our camp was on the sand-point where the river enters it; and, best of all, there came the full realisation that I was first in the field, and the honour of exploring the Nascaupee and the George Rivers was to fall to me.

It was Monday, July 17th, three weeks less a day since we had left Northwest River post.  According to the daily estimates about one hundred and fifteen miles of our journey had been accomplished, and now our next objective point was Lake Michikamau.

CHAPTER VII

OFF FOR MICHIKAMAU

It was well for me that a mind at rest, on at least one very important point, was my portion that night, else the nightlong fight with the mosquitoes had been horrible indeed.  They seemed to come out of the ground.  When despair of getting any sleep had taken possession of me, I turned with such calmness as I could muster to the task of killing them off.  By diligent application I hoped in the end to secure a little respite.  To interest myself I began to count my kill; but when it had reached one hundred and fifty, and yet they came, I gave it up.  I was still busy when the morning light came to reveal hundreds of the vicious little beasts clinging to the slope of my tent.

At breakfast I learned that the men had fared little better.  Usually they had the advantage of me where mosquitoes were concerned, for with four pipes going in the tent the mosquitoes had little chance; but that night pipes were of no avail, and there, too, the mosquitoes were master of the situation.