Winter Sports in Canada

The accompanying engravings illustrate the way in which our Canadian neighbors contrive to make some of the moments of their long and dreary winter slip by pleasantly and happily. The first engraving represents a skating and sailing scene on the Bay of Toronto. The ice boats are generally simple contrivances, consisting of a couple of rough boards joined at right angles, with a skate at either end of the cross pieces, and a movable one on a pivot, which serves as a rudder. The largest boat in our picture is a more elaborate structure—quite a specimen of glacial architecture, and with its comfortable furs, affording suitable accommodations to its fair passengers. Before a strong wind these boats glide along with almost fearful velocity, and they can be made to lie very close to the wind on occasion. A fleet of these strange yachts, careering amidst a group of wheeling skaters, presents a very striking and animating spectacle. We wonder that amateurs of winter sports have not introduced them extensively into our vicinity. The boats should be made water tight to guard against the consequences of a sudden giving way of the ice.