timately intended to connect Lake Huron with Halifax and Boston,
bringing the riches of the Far West through its natural channel to the
sea.

Nothing, indeed, but industry and enterprise is needed to change the
waste and solitary places of Upper Canada into a garden of Eden, which
it is designed by the Supreme Architect to become.

CHAPTER VI.

WOOD-DUCK SHOOTING. -- ADVENTURE ON RICE LAKE. -- IRISH HOWL. --
ARRIVAL AT GORE'S LANDING. -- GENERAL HOWLING FOR THE DEFUNCT. --
DANGERS OF OUR JOURNEY. -- SAFE ARRIVAL AT COBOURG. -- SALMON-FISHING.
-- CANOE-BUILDING AFTER A BAD FASHION. -- SALMON SPEARING. -- CANADIAN
FISH AND FISHERIES. -- INDIAN SUMMER. -- SLEIGHS AND SLEIGHING. --
DOMESTIC LOVE.

AFTER committing the care of my horse to our landlord, I ordered dinner
to be got ready immediately, as we had thirteen miles to row, and I
wished to reach Mr. W-----'s before dark. Our hostess exerted herself,
and we soon sat down to a sumptuous feast, consisting of a brace of
fine fat wood-ducks and fried black bass, two dishes I am particularly
fond of, and which at this time of the year can always be obtained from
the lake.

The wood-duck is a delicious bird. It makes its appearance early in the
spring, as soon as the ice breaks up. Its plumage is very fine--I
should say the most beautiful of any of its species. Its head and upper
part of the neck are dark green; from the top of the head a long crest
depends, richly variegated with green, white, and dark purple feathers.
The lower part of the throat and breast is cinnamon speckled with
white, but under the wings and sides towards the tail, grey, speckled
and fringed with black; the back of the wings dark blue and black
feathers. The wood-duck frequents close-wooded streams, little bays,
and nooks, sitting upon old logs or the limbs of trees which have
fallen into the water. It feeds on the wild rice, and is very fat from
the middle of August to November, when it migrates to a warmer climate.
This kind of duck is more easily approached than any other. The
sportsman should be seated near the centre of a small canoe, his gun
lying before him ready cocked, when he should paddle very cautiously
through the rice, keeping his head as low as possible. A person who
understands the management of a canoe can generally get within twenty-
five or thirty yards before he is seen, which gives him ample
opportunity to put down his paddle and take his gun, in time to fire
both barrel