ill and energy, that the chilled
duck-hunters were presently basking in its welcome warmth.

As soon as their clothes were dried, they recovered the ducks, which
were still floating on the water, and then hid themselves to await
another flock. Their patience was rewarded by the securing of some
half-dozen more. Then, feeling well content with the day's bag, they
paddled back to Oxford House.

A few days later, the boats resumed their journey, crossing Holey Lake,
ascending a little river to Hell Gate--a very difficult place to
pass--and so on by way of Echenamis, and Sea River, and across the Play
Green Lakes, to Norway House at the north end of Lake Winnipeg.

Here all difficulties with rocks and rapids ended--the exhausting
labours of the portage were over. With broad sails hoisted to the
wind, the big boats ploughed through the turbid waters of the shallow
lake, traversing it from north to south, and without any mishap,
reached the end of their voyage. The colonists, heartily weary of
being cooped up in the boats so long, were only too glad to be put out
upon the solid land.

They were now actually in the Red River country, for which they had
ventured so much, and it was with eager, anxious eyes that they looked
about them.

The Red River itself constituted the central feature of the landscape.
Having its source in the elevated land some hundreds of miles away, it
flowed in a muddy, sluggish fashion into Lake Winnipeg. On its west
side the country was one boundless level plain of rich, deep loam,
whose fertility would presently amaze the newcomers, accustomed to the
grudging, niggardly soil of their native land. On the east the scene
was more varied with hill and dale, and skirted at no great distance by
what were called the pine hills, covered with timber, and running
parallel to the river all the way.

'The gude God be thankit!' ejaculated Andrew Macrae, as his keen gray
eyes surveyed the fair prospect, all glowing beneath the splendour of
an unclouded sky, and, removing his bonnet, he offered a brief yet
fervent thanksgiving. 'Eh! but it's a fine land!' he continued. 'Why,
ye scarce can see a stane on it, and where there are sae mony flowers,
there'll be nae lack o' fat crops in the comin' year.'

Thus speaking, Andrew gave voice to the first impression of all the
men, while the women, with glad eyes, noted the soft beauty of the
country, and said to one another that it was a bonnie place, and they