Among the Water Fowl 



pared for it, with coats and boots. We turned the 

 boat partly over, put our cameras and accessories 

 under it, and took refuge there ourseh^es. It was 

 a fine outlook over the storm -swept lake. The 

 rain, pouring down on its surface, splashed up jets 

 and bubbles, and made the whole sheet of water 

 white in its agitation. Frequently what amounted 

 to almost a cloudburst would occur, and everything 

 would be shut out from view, nothing remaining 

 visible over the lake but a blinding sheet of de- 

 scending water. This was very picturesque, and we 

 enjoyed it for awhile ; but when the moments grew 

 to hours without a sign of slacking it began to get 

 monotonous. Finally, at half-past six, we buttoned 

 up our coats, covered up our cameras in the rub- 

 ber cloths, and pulled out into the storm. Fortu- 

 nately, the rain soon ceased, and after dark we 

 reached the hospitable Dakota shack none the worse 

 for a little wetting. 



A week later we made still another visit to our 

 enchanted islands. We began at the one not yet 

 visited, and found there the usual pleasing variety 

 of water fowl, and good colonies of Terns and Ring- 

 bills. Then we rowed to the third island. Terns 

 and Gulls filled the air, and Ducks flew squawking 

 away. It was a fine day, and I set the camera for 

 a view of Gulls on the rocks, getting two expo- 

 sures after a vexatious delay caused by one of the 

 company innocently walking through my invisible 

 line of thread, and getting it all tangled up in the 

 weeds. Then, after photographing some nests, I 

 tried my luck on the Terns. There were hosts of 

 them all over the island, and they made a prodig- 



154 



