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.
On Tuesday it rained, and we did not break camp till the following
morning, when at 9 A.M. we were off for Lake Michikamau.
Travelling was now much less difficult than it had been, though the
river continued rapid. Our course, a few miles above Seal Lake,
turned directly west, and as we entered Lake Wachesknipi high hills
appeared ahead, showing deepest blue and purple under the cloudy
sky. Again we made nineteen miles, taking on the way one
partridge, two geese, and a muskrat, and camping in the evening at
the foot of Red Rock Hill.
