DISCOVERING SANDHILL CRANES 37 



giving up when within reach of our rare and 

 elusive quarry. 



A few minutes sufficed to finish breakfast and 

 start on the trail. Our search did not meet 'with 

 immediate success, and by eleven in the forenoon 

 our eagerness was rebuffed and considerably 

 abated, while we were still hunting for the lake 

 that held the secret. But at last we had our 

 reward, in all its fulness since it had been so diffi- 

 cult to attain, for, about half an hour later, we 

 came on a small marsh-bordered lake, and there, 

 when we stepped out of the woods into view, two 

 great Cranes arose from its interior, uttering 

 their call of warning, above the peevish screaming 

 of a large colony of Black Terns, as they swung 

 wide and high over the lake, disinclined to depart. 

 Here indeed was the lake we had been searching 

 for, this forest-locked sheet of water, lying 

 calmly at our feet full of meditation and reflection, 

 and unaware that it held for us great treasure. 

 The lake was angular, and had one small island in 

 the middle on which grew an ill-thriven tree or 

 two. On all shores there were extensive reed- 

 marshes, broadly stretching out into the lake, 

 where water-depth was shallow. 



We explored along the shore of the lake for 

 some distance, disturbing bird life of many kinds 

 as we went, but ultimately decided that it would 

 be impossible to search thoroughly for the crane's 

 nest without the aid of our canoe. This would 

 mean a very long arduous portage, but Joe, my 

 sturdy old backwoods-man as keen as I on the 

 quest himself suggested it, and made light of 

 the toil which he was setting for himself. 



