A PLAGUE OF MOSQUITOES. 227 



Norwegian. This ranch, or "camp" as it is called, 

 was in a grove bordering a great marsh some seven 

 or eight miles wide. These marshes are covered with 

 grass and in the dry seasons haymakers are frequently 

 seen at work there. The ground is virtually made 

 of dried grass and ligneous deposits, which at times 

 are burned away by fires that rage across the country, 

 eating great holes in the ground and leaving a most 

 uneven surface. Lakes and pools of various sizes in 

 these marshes afford breeding-places for countless 

 thousands of water-fowl, while over all, under all, and 

 through all are the mosquitoes. 



The third day's travel took the hunters to Lough- 

 ridge's ranch, where they were in the heart of the 

 mosquito country. Large smudges of old damp 

 logs and hay were kept constantly burning to give 

 the horses some relief. So terrible were the attacks 

 of the insects that the poor animals would not leave 

 the smoke to get necessary food. Next day the 

 hunters started for Thief Lake, which was four miles 

 away. The whole country was a jungle of brush, 

 logs, and pea-vines, and evening found them still on 

 the road with the lake half a mile away. Next 

 morning their camp was moved to the lake and prep- 

 arations made for the hunt. Near by was an old 

 deserted camp of the Chippewa Indians. Scattered 

 all about were evidences that the red men had been 

 successful in their hunts. Many moose and bear 

 bones were seen hanging to trees, where they had 

 been placed by the Indians to propitiate some god of 

 the chase. The shoulder-blades of the animals were 

 striped with charcoal and adorned with strips of 



