WHEN TO VISIT THE WILDERNESS. 49 



{lie antlered buck in swift career, go in during the 

 month of September, and remain imtil snow and 

 the cold drive you out. 



My favorite season is in midsummer. I go in 

 early in July, and remain for about two months. 

 Late in June or early in July the "black fly" 

 disappears. The wilderness is dry, and the climate 

 is delightful. The thermometer stands at about 

 seventy-five or eighty degrees. The portages are 

 in good condition, the water not high, the lily and 

 marsh flowers in bloom. The fishing is excellent. 

 The trout have left the rapids and the upper por- 

 tions of the streams, and gathered in great num- 

 bers at the " spring-holes," the location of which 

 your guide is supposed to know, if not, he can 

 easily, if he understands his business, ascertain. 

 No better fishing can be found than spring-hole 

 fishing, which you will find carefully described in 

 the chapter entitled " The Nameless Creek." As 

 for hunting, the sport is excellent during these two 

 months. July is the best month for Jack or night 

 shooting, — the most exciting of all shooting. The 

 bucks by this time are in good condition, and not 

 over-shy. These are the only months when you* 

 have shore-shooting, as it is called ; that is, when 

 you see deer feeding in broad daylight, and take 

 them from the open boat at a good, easy range, — 

 say from twenty to thirty rods. This is what I 

 call good, honest sport, and not slaughter, as when 



