to brave the tempest as they best might.

The next morning, the lake was white with breakers. The storm of the
preceding night had brought a strong north-wester in its train, so that
we found it impossible to launch our canoe--and, indeed, if we had, it
would have been unsafe to have attempted the passage therein; there was
nothing else for us but patience. But the worst part of the business
was, that we had barely sufficient provisions for breakfast, and what
the professor said--"Was worse than all--there was not a single horn of
whiskey left in the jar."

The merchant and three of our party now determined to take the woods,
and endeavour to reach Goderich by that route, leaving us to follow
with the canoe if the wind should fall, of which, however, there
appeared but little chance.

It now became expedient that we should look out for food of some
description, as there was no doubt we should have to pass another
night. On examining the state of our larder, we found that our whole
stock consisted of half a loaf of bread, and a few ounces of sugar--
rather short commons for four hungry men, even for a single meal.

We had no gun with us, or any fishing-lines. I had, it is true, a
spear, but there was too much wind to fish in the harbour. Luckily, I
bethought myself of the falls up the creek, where there was a pool
sheltered by the woods. Thither we went with the canoe, and succeeded
in spearing a number of suckers, which are, without exception, the
softest and worst of all Canadian fish, especially in the hot months;
but even bad suckers are better than nothing. Our first starvation-
dinner consisted of a dish of boiled fish, a little bread, and a cup of
hemlock-tea; our supper, boiled fish without bread, and hemlock-tea
without sugar.

To amuse ourselves, we built a nice camp on a wooded point overlooking
the harbour, and arranged everything comfortably to pass the night;
and, although we had such bad commons, we were merry enough,
considering we had nothing stronger to drink than hemlock-tea.

In the morning, as appearances were no better in respect to the
weather, and as we were heartily sick of boiled suckers, we determined
to do--as some of our party had done previously--take the bush-route
for Goderich.

Accordingly, we crossed the harbour in the canoe, which we hid amongst
the bushes, and commenced our journey along the lake-shore. In some
places we found tolerably good walking, while in others we were
co