224 CRAKBETIKY LAKE. — THE OSWEGATriTTE. 



5"on, are the reward of early risino;, wliich you may liave 

 for the asking M'hen camping in the woods by lake or 

 stream. 



The guides were, most of them, 3'oung, vigorous, good- 

 liearted and, withal, rather noisy fellows. Our company, 

 all told, now consisted of our party, seveu in number, and 

 six hearty guides. Thirteen hungry men to f,eed, distant 

 from a base of supplies, with a lot of harum-scarum young 

 fellows for cooks, and with a given quantity of groceries, 

 was the problem with which the Commissary grapjiled and 

 wrestled that morning, with a clear apprehension of other 

 mornings to come, as he went hither and thither, directing, 

 helping and alwa3's smoking; and before our two weeks 

 were u]) the problem floored even him. Figures won't lie, 

 and his were not at fault; but careless waste spoils the 

 most generous mathematical calculations. 



The most noted tishing ground near us was ' ' Brandy 

 Brook," a stream of fair size and ver}' cold, coming into 

 the lake from the east, a little north of us, and gathering 

 something of its surprising coldness from Edgar Mountair^. 

 To this stream, in two boats, went the Captain, the Senator 

 and the Sheriff, About sixty-five large and beautiful trout 

 were taken; but these gentlemen greatlj^ bewailed the 

 roots, snags, dead limbs and trees that obsti-ucted the stream 

 and made fl)^ tishing a mournful proceeding. On their 

 return to camp, that evening, the Captain, who is an 

 admirable story-teller and illustrates like a born panto- 

 mimist, with great glee related the story of the Senator's 

 experience. 



