SPORT AT THE UMBAGOG LAKES 137 



practise shooting under these conditions, when we would graze 

 the neighbor. It was a rather risky thing to do ; I do not re- 

 member that it was countenanced by our elders, nor do I 

 recall any accident arising from it. No doubt it helped to that 

 quality of steadiness which the marksman needs and does not 

 easily acquire. 



One day's fishing at a logging-camp, where we lodged by a 

 dam which parted the upper and the lower lakes, satiated me 

 with this sport. We caught more lake trout than the settlement 

 could consume; a lot of the fish had to be thrown away. It was 

 evident that fishing was not to my mind ; so I borrowed a shot- 

 gun, and went after spruce partridges in some near-by clearings. 

 The stupid birds permitted themselves to be slain with aston- 

 ishing ease, and as they were in great plenty I soon wearied of 

 this sport and lugged my bag back to the camp with the convic- 

 tion that butchering animals was no longer amusing to me as 

 it had been in my boyhood. I have never been able to reawaken 

 the motive, which was innately strong. I am inclined to think 

 that it is a primitive emotion, which normally does not survive 

 the passing of the childish state of mind, which in many ways 

 is savage in its propensities. When men retain the ancient cruel 

 spirit which leads them to slay with pleasure, the reasonable 

 conclusion seems to be that they have failed to grow to the 

 stature of the civilized man. 



Winter came upon us in a great storm, which broke just as 

 we were setting out in a canoe for a sail down the longest of the 

 lakes in the Umbagog chain. The wind was so strong that we 

 could not return to the camp, nor could we keep the little sail. 

 The only manoeuvre was to run before it, paddling as hard as 

 we could. The snow fell so thick that we could not see the 

 shores ; we therefore steered by the direction of the waves, and 

 at the end of the voyage came ashore with such momentum that 

 we were cast beyond the beach up into the woods, our craft 

 being wrecked and all three of us somewhat the worse for the 

 sudden landing. 



