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beneath its surface, Is about 36 degrees during the hot- 

 test months of summer, and it abounds with brook 

 trout, which are cauorht off the rocks and reefs, and 

 with white hsh, sahnon trout and other fine varieties of 

 fish. 



There has always been located at the Sault Rapids, 

 since its earliest discovery, an important white fish fish- 

 ery during the entire year. At the first advent of the 

 white man there were found congregated about the 

 rapids a tribe of Indians known as the Sauteurs, who 

 held undisputed possession of the territory surrounding 

 the rapids, and prosecuted fishing during the greater 

 part of the year. At the brink of the rapids, just above 

 where the water breaks for its fall, there are taken, in 

 season, brook trout weighing two, three and four pounds, 

 sturdy and vigorous fighters, beautiful in tint and form. 

 In the lower end of the rapids the Indian style of fish- 

 ing, which I do not know to be practiced anywhere else, 

 is yet carried on by the descendants of the aboriginal 

 inhabitants in precisely the form in which it was con- 

 ducted at the time of the discovery of the country, and 

 it may be observed on any day during the spring, fall 

 and summer months. 



This method of fishing may not be without interest 

 to those who have never seen it and I will describe it 

 briefly for your information. The outfit consists of two 

 Indians with a canoe (formerl)' of birch bark, now of 

 wood) two setting poles, and a net strung on a hoop 

 perhaps thirty inches to three feet in diameter, with a 

 handle about ten to twelve feet in length. This is all 

 the equipment they require for the sport or work, to be 

 characterized according to the point of view from which 

 the operation is observed. The canoe is propelled into 

 the river near the foot of the rapids by an Indian in 

 each end of the canoe, and it is swiftly and strongly 

 driven into the rapids. The net lies across the thwarts 



