RUFFED-GROUSE SHOOTING. 113 



into the bay of the same name in Lake Huron. 

 We started in canoes, well provided with provi- 

 sions, arms, and ammunition, and paddled for the 

 mouth of the Cass. It was in June, and the 

 young flappers (wild ducks) were swarming in 

 the rivers. Above the bend of the Cass we 

 made our first camp. The region was then very 

 wild. Deer abounded, and the wolves howled 

 hideously around the camp at night. We treed 

 two or three wild- cats, and shot them with 

 rifles. We had no shot-guns. A baiid of Chip- 

 pewa Indians were encamped near us. The men 

 of the tribe lived by hunting and fishing with the 

 spear. The women and girls made money by 

 gathering cranberries in the marshes when the 

 wild fruit was ripe. These Indians assured us 

 that a few elk were still left in the great woods 

 which here surrounded our party, and they said 

 that in the fall there were lots of bears. It was 

 just the hatching-time of the ruffed grouse, 

 which we found numerous in the bottoms among 

 the heavy timber. They had seldom been mo- 

 lested, and were not very shy, but rather bold 

 and fearless. One day we cut down a butternut- 

 tree, wanting it to make a temporary bridge 

 across a creek, and, having lopped the top, went 



