I COMMENCE TRAPPING 63 



crossing this last lake three otters came into 

 view, and catching sight of us began to stretch 

 their necks and rise out of the water upon their 

 fore paws. Ashini shook the canoe quietly, and 

 whispered intiuk otter and made a sign to 

 get the gun ready. They were about a hundred 

 yards off, and began to circle around to get wind 

 of us, and then dived. Ashini quickly told me to 

 watch in the opposite direction and began to 

 turn the canoe around. Before this could be 

 done they were up again and down like a flash, 

 one of them about ten feet from the stern of the 

 canoe. I had not had time to put my gun up 

 to my shoulder. I was awfully sorry to have lost 

 this chance for a shot. We waited some minutes 

 more, but they did not reappear, so we made for 

 shore and began preparations for our camp. A 

 suitable spot was chosen about forty yards from 

 the lake, and while the Indian was getting some 

 dry wood and birch bark I had broken some bal- 

 sam branches and undone our small pack to get 

 the tin kettle for water. I went down to the lake 

 to fill it, as it was getting dusk. Our canoe and some 

 of our kit was still there, including the gun. I 

 was standing near, looking out on the lake, think- 

 ing of the fine otters we had seen. There was 

 no wind, and everything was perfectly still. All 

 at once I heard some splashing in the water, not 

 very far from me and near the edge. I grasped 

 the gun and went in that direction. The ground 



