Mrs. Richards gave the required permission
very graciously, and the excursionists struck into the bush path which
led to Lake No. 1, or Richards' Lake. The bush had once been
underbrushed, perhaps a long time back by the Indians who generally made
for water; but the underbrush was now replaced by a dense growth of
Canadian yew, commonly called Ground Hemlock, the crimson berry of which
is one of the prettiest objects in the vegetable world. It, and other
shrubs and small saplings, encroached on the narrow path, and, in
places, almost obliterated it. The land rose into a ridge a short
distance from the water, so that it was invisible until the crest was
reached. Then, a dark circular lake, seemingly altogether shut in by the
elsewhere dense forest, made its appearance. There were remains of a log
shelter near the shore on the left, and, between it and the somewhat
muddy beach, Toner lit a fire of drift wood to drive away the flies
which followed the party out of the bush. The punt was soon discovered
moored to a stake, a punt with three seats flush with the gunwales, one
each fore and aft, and one in the centre.
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