91 



The Joachini Rapids passed, chiefly by portaging, we found ourselves 

 in the part of the Ottawa known as the De^ip River. While paddling 

 down this stretch an animal of some sort was seen swimming ahead, 

 and at first was taken to b*^ an otter; closer inspection, however, 

 showed it to be a squirrel boldly striking out for the north shore: there 

 was quite choppy water on the river at the time, and what must have 

 been to him great waves. The little chap showed great judgment, for 

 instead of striking dii-ectly across, by far the shortest road, he was 

 swimming diagonally with the wimi and waves. 



The river here is fully a quarter of a mile wide, and the course 

 taken by the squirrel much longer. It was the first time I had seen a 

 squirrel swim, and was much surprised. Some years ago, at Colling- 

 wood, on the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron, we had an inundation of 

 squirrels. There is a good deal of lumbering done in that part of the 

 country, and with cartain winds the Bay is covered with edgings and 

 pine chips, which are, in the general order of things, thrown on the 

 shore. At the time I allude to, every edging and chip had its occupant 

 and some times two or three. The whole place was overrun with them, 

 and you could not pass a bush or a stump without startling two or 

 three. But though they proved such fearless little voyageurs, I never 

 saw one of them swimming before. 



Misfortune again ; another boom, and on the wrong side, of 

 course. In this case, however, misfortune was good fortune, for a good 

 natured boom-keeper not only opened a gap to let the canoes through, 

 but also presented us with a cou[)le of fish a pike and a sturgeon, 

 caught; the night before with a jack lantern and spear. The average 

 weight of pike {Esox lucius) is from five to ten pounds, but in the big 

 lakes this fish reaches a much larger size. It is not a good fish to eat, as 

 it frequently has an earthy flavor. It is most easily caught with the 

 troll. The pike is noted for its voracity. It will gulp down almost 

 anything it can. 



The sturgeons are inhabitants of the ocean, Mediterranean, Red, 

 Black and Caspian seas. The species found in the Canadian Lakes, and 

 in the spring time in the larger rivers flowing into these lakes is 

 Aciperiser rubicundus. The Mouth is situated beneath the snout, is 

 small, retractile and without teeth. There are several fleshy barbels 

 beneath the snout. The body is defended by hard, bony plates. I have 

 been told by Indians on the Mississaga River, north of Lake Huron, that 

 they have been caught there with the spear as much as five and six feet 

 in length. In the Black and Caspian seas sturgeon attain the length of 

 twenty-five feet, and a weight of over two thousand pounds. The roe 

 constitutes the caviar of commerce. The flesh is strong tasting unless 

 the fish are quite young, when it is very palatable. In former days it 

 was considered a great delicacy at any time. 



After a while the deep river opened out into Allumette Lake, 

 and a beautiful sheet of water it is. Near the Upper end is situated 

 the old Hudson Bay Post of Fort William, at the present time a small 



